Eatdrink Waterloo & Wellington #1 June/July 2018

26 | June/July 2018 — Premiere Issue
eatdrink.ca |@eatdrinkmag
The BUZZ
Culinary Community Notes
Compiled by ANDREW COPPOLINO, BRYAN LAVERY and THE EDITORS
This column consists of regional culinary
information, including a large scoop of
local news and inside information. There
is no charge to be included here, and we
encourage chefs, restaurateurs, brewers, fundraisers,
culinary artisans, farmers — and everyone else with
information to share — to send us details. Short and
sweet! We want to include as many items as possible.
See the end of this column for contact details.
Kitchener
The Berlin, the much-heralded restaurant in
downtown Kitchener, has closed. It will re-open as
The Rich Uncle Tavern, offering gastropub fare,
according to owners The Ignite Restaurant Group.
Executive chef Ben Lillico came on board after The
Berlin was opened by chef Jonathan Gushue (who
recently left for Fogo Island, Newfoundland). He
says the menu will focus on shareables and small
plates. The plan is to have the new concept open
and serving by June. www.richuncletavern.ca
A few blocks west of The Uncle on King Street, San
Francisco sandwiches has closed. The window is
emblazoned with “La Cucina” — but it has nothing
to do with the new pizza and pasta place with the
red awning in the west end called La Cucina, a sister
restaurant to the Guelph Italian upscale casual
restaurant. Kitchener’s version has wood-fired
pizza, house-made pastas and other simple Italian
fare. lacucinakitchener.com
The Ignite Restaurant Group is also in the process
of construction on Red Circle Brewing Co., Graffiti
Market and Red Circle Coffee Co. at Catalyst137
in Kitchener. Co-owner Neil Huber tells us that
they have other projects that they’re looking to
announce in the near future.
Belmont Village, nestled between downtown
Kitchener and uptown Waterloo, continues to grow
as a self-sustaining food destination — and that
quality is only amplified with Arabella Park Beer
Bar clocking in at No. 46 among the top 50 bars in
Canada, according to canadas100best.com. Chef
Byron Hallett combines innovation with classic
and modern ideas to create playful and shareable
cuisine that pairs well with beer. The cocktail that
you should try there is a pint of Cascade Brewery
barrel-aged triple ale with marionberry and Meyer
lemon. arabellaparkbar.com
Other notables in Belmont Village are restaurant
landmarks like Café Rugantino and Janet Lynn’s
Bistro. Check out The Culinary Studio for cooking
classes, Rawlicious for plant-based and gluten-free
cuisine. The smartly appointed Wilhelm’s Café +
Bar (the name draws inspiration from a mysterious
lost bust of Kaiser Wilhelm 1 ) is a stellar spot for a
meal and drinks. The Belmont Bistro, located next
door to gourmet coffeehouse Berlin Bicycle Café, is
where Chef Brandon Gries, a Stratford Chef School
alumnus, creates dishes from scratch, taking no
shortcuts and changing the menu seasonally.
Restaurateur Zafar Quazi was born in Bangladesh,
studied civil engineering in Ukraine, and worked
six years running restaurants in Great Britain
before coming to Canada. In Scotland, he met his
Ukrainian wife Olena, and their first Canadian
endeavour was in Brantford, followed by the
Tandoori Grill in Fergus. Great success came with
his celebrated Raja Fine Indian Cuisine in Stratford.
Three years ago, Quazi set his sights on Belmont
Village. The Raja serves upscale Indian cuisine
in sophisticated and elegant surroundings by a
knowledgeable, well-trained staff. The service is
white linen, deferential and friendly. After being
seated, diners are offered crisp, crunchy poppadum
served alongside a dazzling selection of vibrantly
coloured condiments, ranging from sweet to sour to
spicy, to get the taste buds tingling. rajakitchener.ca
Mark June 25 on your calendar for a mid-day tasting
menu event. It’s the inaugural Signatures: A Taste of
Waterloo Region’s Best. The lunchtime taste testing
and fundraiser for Parkinson Society Southwestern
Ontario takes place at Catalyst137 on Glasgow
Street, Kitchener, from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.
Waterloo Region restaurants and catering companies
share their signature dishes, and participants
include B Elegant Catering & Event Planning, Big
Jerk, Bobby O’Brien’s Irish Pub, Chef D, Gusto &
Beckford Catering, Liaison College of Culinary
Arts, Mamma D’s Delicious Eats, McCabe’s Irish
Pub, Meals without Madness, Reid’s Chocolates,