FOOD & DRINK
John Brown Richmond Street Grille:
Words by Rebecca Spinner Photos: LaVie in Pictures Raise a Glass to “Charlottetown’s Outdoor Living Room”
S taff at John Brown Grille call the establishment “Charlottetown’s outdoor living room,” and it’s the perfect nickname. The popular local pub is, after all, home to one of the Island’s favourite patios. Located in Victoria Row, a pedestrian-only thoroughfare, John Brown Grille is adjacent to numerous boutiques and shops. It’s a quick walk from the Confederation Centre of the Arts and The Guild, and a stone’s throw from a downtown bandstand that frequently hosts warm-weather concerts. No surprise, then, that John Brown Grille is in high demand. “Typically, our patio is the first one that’s open on Victoria Row in the springtime,” says marketing manager, Paula Sinnott.
While John Brown Grille itself opened in 2014, its location has a colorful legacy. “During prohibition times, it was an unofficial speakeasy,” Paula said. The Independent Order of Odd Fellows also used the site as its local headquarters, she says, and the location even went up in flames on two separate occasions. Given its chequered past, John Brown Grille’s reinvention as a lively nightspot is a perfect fit, and its menu suits modern palates perfectly. General Manager Jeff Sinnott (Paula’s brother) has curated an extensive collection of craft beers, largely sourced from Maritime brewhouses like Garrison, BarNone, Picaroons, and Pumphouse. “Jeff is a beer connoisseur,” Paula chuckles. “He keeps in touch with all the different breweries. There’s something new on tap all the time.”
Manager Rick Rhynes, meanwhile, oversees John Brown Grille’s lengthy wine list. The cellar’s contents are sourced from several continents, yet PEI’s Matos Vineyard hasn’t been overlooked. Cocktails, shooters and spirits are also available: the “Oystered In” shooter (described on the menu as “one raw oyster in PEI Potato Vodka”) might belong on every Maritimer’s bucket list. John Brown Grille’s kitchen team—helmed by Chef Mik Lykow—serves a range of enticing dishes from “Sweet Potato Poutine” to “BBQ Braised Pulled Pork Tacos” (the menu proclaims these the “2016 PEI Porktoberfest Champion!”). “The menu is definitely meant to showcase Island product,” says Paula, who suggests the seafood chowder and scallops for newcomers. “We use local MR Seafoods,
16
www. pei-living.ca SPRING 2018
Made with FlippingBook - Online catalogs