The Savoy’s revamped menu is big on Provençal flavours and local brews
A variation of this post was first published on the Westboro Connection blog.
Running a restaurant – even one as well-known and well-liked as Westboro’s Savoy Brasserie – can be challenging enough without the added wildcard of a global pandemic. Instead of folding under the uncertainty of everything, the restaurant decided to use the last year as an opportunity to refine and revitalize its take on comforting and palate-pleasing French cuisine.
As it turns out, this meant getting back to basics for the restaurant’s manager Chris Ibey, who explains that the Savoy had two main goals for its revamp: the food needed to focus on French cuisine, and the beer needed to be local. “We combine two things in the name Savoy Brasserie,” he explains, “‘Savoy,’ from the region in France, and ‘Brasserie,’ representing beer.”The Savoy went about updating its menu by drawing inspiration from its namesake, the southeastern region of France. “The Savoy is all about hearty meals,” says Ibey, who added classic dishes such as coq au vin, Provençal stuffed squid, and a fall-off-the-bone lamb shankalongside customer favourites like escargots à la bourguignonne and beef bourguignon which is “absolutely delicious,” adds Ibey, “and if you can’t finish it, it holds well.”
The Savoy’s revamped beer selection is equally tempting. Ibey explains how the restaurant went about switching its 34 taps from suds brewed in Toronto and Niagara to locally produced varieties from Ashton Brewing, Big Rig, Beyond the Pale, Overflow Brewing and Calabogie Brewing among others – with more new options on the way! Between the lengthy beer menu, French cuisine faves, and an atmosphere that’s welcoming and classically designed with subway tiling, high ceilings, cozy booths and a bar running nearly the length of the room, the only thing currently missing is the hubbub, due to COVID-19 restrictions.
“A lot of what we want to do with the Savoy is to bring back the social aspect,” says Ibey. “I know it’s tough right now with the pandemic, but I’m looking long-term.” He goes on to explain his vision that the brasserie continues to be the spot for friends to gather, food to be savoured, and socializing to be part of the fun.
They certainly shouldn’t have much trouble attracting patrons, especially with the introduction of a cinq-á-sept menu for the après-work crowd, along with signature days including Buck-a- Shuck Tuesdays, Discover Wine Wednesdays, Mimosa Fridays, and Caesar Sundays. Ibey is also planning events such as a brewer’s dinner.
“A big focus is local beers,” he explains, “so we’ll be inviting a few people from each brewery to come in try each other’s beers. People from the public can come in and meet the brewers and can learn more about the process and discover beer.”
Even though life may feel a little slow right now, there will be plenty of reasons for Westboro locals to spend time to the Savoy once things get back to normal – although they may want to bring a healthy appetite for great food and beer with them.
About Discover Local
Discover Local is an exclusive program for our residents, created to better acquaint them with their neighbourhood and the many local businesses and services therein. It’s all about discovering what makes their local community so vibrant, inspiring and livable. From cafes and restaurants to retailers, gyms and beyond, we invite you to discover local. There’s a whole neighbourhood waiting to be discovered!