CALGARY — After closing in early May, Joey Restaurants’ iconic Eau Claire, Calgary restaurant is set to reopen June 1 with a new look.
“With its rich history and unique location, Eau Claire is a special place in Calgary,” says Jeff Fuller, president, Joey Restaurant Group. “We hope that by investing back in this restaurant, we can play a role in the revitalization of this area.”
Since opening in 1992 as Joey Tomatoes, Joey Eau Claire has been a destination dining and lounge spot. It is the longest operating restaurant in the Joey Restaurant Group, which now includes 20 locations in Calgary, Edmonton, Vancouver, Kelowna, Winnipeg, Toronto and Seattle. While the company’s concept and menu have evolved over the years, the Eau Claire restaurant still reflected the casual Italian market atmosphere of the brand in the 1990s.
The Joey design team built its plans around an array of natural materials such as wood, leather, and stone. Many of the materials are salvaged and reclaimed, creating a smaller environmental footprint and a durability that will improve with age. The centrepiece of the dining room will be the new dining bar covered by a suspended plane of 20 salvaged Douglas Fir beams hung using threaded manila rope with exposed galvanized hardware.
Eau Claire will also feature the Enomatic, a wine serving system that protects oxidation, preserving wine after it has been opened. As a result, the restaurant can offer wine lovers 16 red wines by the glass.
Chris Mills, the executive chef, has set the tone for the evolving menu by infusing it with a fine-dining sensibility and global influence. New to the menu this spring are sushi cones and a strawberry shortcake.
The renovated restaurant will have 112 seats in the dining room, 89 seats in the lounge and 136 seats on the redesigned patio.
