TO THE TORONTO READERS

The Courts decision on Monday was surprising and and quite disappointing in the judicial process.

It was obviously based on sentiment, not law.

The lawyer for the Real Jerk did not present ANY evidence to support their desire to prevent the proper termination notice that was given to them on December 30th, 2011 to move by January 31st, 2012.

What they presented was heresay, he said, she said testimony and a lease dated 1995 that was missing some of the pages and the signature page which relects a duly executed contract.

What WE presented was a Purchase & Sale agreement that was signed by the previous owner indicated that the Real Jerk’s tenancy was a monthly tenancy. Also a Tenant’s Acknowledgement confirming the monthly tenancy that was signed by Mrs. Pottinger, the co-owner of the Real Jerk

The decision is astonishing.

It’s a sad day for small business people like myself, or for that matter anyone else, who buys a property and deals with it within the law, then has the judicial system, who supposibly is there to protect them, make a decison without legal merit.

All legal avenues will be used to overturn this decision and any and all damages as a result of this will be aggressively sought after.

Bill Mandelbaum

(Image: Amber Dawn Pullin)

The eviction saga that cast Real Jerk owners Ed and Lily Pottinger as Davids against Bill Mandelbaum’s Goliath is over (for now, at least). A judge has granted an injunction that will allow the Caribbean restaurant to stay at the corner of Queen Street East and Broadview Avenue until the end of the year, though Ed told reporters he would be looking to move before then: “I just wanted a little more time to relocate, and I now have that. Whatever happens from now on, I’m going to be looking for a new place…hopefully in the neighbourhood.”

We predict that move will come sooner rather than later, because the rent is apparently about to go up. Way up. Mandelbaum had already lined up a new pair of tenants for the space, Rick Aulier and Scott Brockington, who were willing to pay $12,000 a month to house a new Irish pub. The decision gives the Pottingers and Mandelbaum a month to hammer out a new lease, but if they can’t come to an alternative agreement (and let’s face it, these parties haven’t agreed on much lately), the Pottingers will have to pony up the full $12,000—a big jump from the current rent of $6,300. For their part, Aulier and Brockington, who had planned to open their pub in time for St. Patrick’s Day, are out of luck. Perhaps The Real Jerk could throw some green beer onto the menu as a consolation prize?

• Real Jerk wins eviction reprieve [National Post]

Steve Gonzalez and Nick Liu at the What’s on the Table fundraiser for the Stop (Image: Jenna Marie Wakani)

Last week we reported that Nick Liu is leaving Niagara Street Café to open his own place, an Asian brasserie. As it turns out, he’s not gone quite yet—he’ll be manning the stoves until January 29, at which point he makes way for Top Chef Canada contestant Steve Gonzalez, who’s filled in for Liu at the café on several occasions in the past. But the bigger news is that after owning the quiet restaurant off the main King Street strip for almost eight years, Anton Potvin is casting about for buyers.

“There are a number of interested parties,” Potvin tells us, “but nothing concrete yet.” Although he’d love to find a buyer who’ll do justice to the cozy, intimate feel he’s worked hard to create at the café, Potvin says he’s agnostic regarding whether they maintain the name or concept. And while he remains in charge of the wine program at the Harbord Room, he tells us he’s selling the business to pursue other opportunities outside the dining scene—although he doesn’t rule out a return in the future. “It’s gonna be sad,” he says of his quickly approaching last day as owner. “It’s gonna hit me all at once. I don’t think I will have prepared myself emotionally for it yet!”

Niagara Street Café, 169 Niagara St., 416-703-4222, niagarastreetcafe.com

(Image: Amber Dawn Pullin)

After Riverside landmark The Real Jerk announced it was being forced to close its doors (as a result of its building being sold), it didn’t take long for the restaurant’s many fans to speak out, hoping against hope that their beloved oxtail might be saved. This weekend, owners Ed and Lily Pottinger launched a campaign to protest the closure, urging diners to share their experiences at the Caribbean eatery and to sign the following petition (h/t The Grid):

“We the udersigned encourage the Mayor & City Council to help protect family run businesses like The Real Jerk. This landmark business was a pioneer in the Queen an Broadview neighbourhood.  The Real Jerk helped to revitalize this neighbourhood. Now the Real Jerk needs our help. Any future development in this neighbourhod needs to consider the vital role that small family-run business play in building and maintainig the quality of life for all residents.”

We give the campaign kudos for passion and determination (if not for spelling), but we’re wondering what can actually be done, since Bill Mandelbaum of Buckingham Properties, which has bought the building, has no obligation to renew The Real Jerk’s lease. Still, the protest rages on: staff and owners gathered today at 11:30 a.m., placards in tow, in front of that iconic smiling sun.

(Image: The Real Jerk)

The iconic smiling sun that’s shone down on the corner of Queen Street East and Broadview Avenue for the last 22 years is about to set—and soon. Over Christmas, the building that houses The Real Jerk was sold to Bill Mandelbaum of Buckingham Properties, and rumour has it the restaurant is slated for demolition to make way for yet another condo development. Sure, it always seemed a little cheesy, and it stuck out a little in dreary grey wintertime, but the gaudy corrugated tin mural and beaming sun (the latter painted by Jamaican artist Tony Green) is a true Riverside landmark.

Owners Ed and Lily Pottinger are lying low while they consider their options, but Ed did make this statement on the restaurant’s Facebook page:

It is with heavy hearts that we send this message to all of you. Our building has unexpectedly been sold on Dec 30, 2011 and the new owner has issued an order to move as of Jan 31, 2012. We would have hoped to stay longer, long enough for us to secure a new location but this will not be feasible. While we fight the unfair order we sadly must prepare for the real possibility that our days are numbered at the corner of Queen & Broadview, a location we have very much loved for 22 years. On behalf of both Lilly and I, my manager Natalie and The Real Jerk staff I want to thank you for your loyalty and support. It has been our distinct pleasure to be part of the Riverside neighbourhood and business community. We are committed to building our restaurant again and hope you will visit us as soon as we open our new doors.

The Jamaican-born couple opened the first Jerk at Queen and Greenwood in 1984 but soon moved to the current location. The spot’s festive decor and authentic food and atmosphere made it beloved of locals and a destination for many, including the likes of Wesley Snipes, Jack Layton, Michael Jackson, Serena Williams and LL Cool J. Manager Natalie Williams told us she was overwhelmed by the outpouring of well wishes from Real Jerk regulars, not to mention the non-stop media interest. “Ed and Lilly are in Jamaica,” she said. “That’s where they were when the notice was delivered on New Year’s Day. Not a very nice way to start the New Year.”

Our advice to the legions of Real Jerk fans: keep your eyes peeled for that smiling sun. Williams says it’s going to be salvaged before the wrecking ball arrives. As for the food, get it while you can—who knows how long it’ll be before you can dig into a plate of that silky, fatty, finger-licking delicious oxtail again?

(Image: The Cook’s Place)

After supplying Toronto with coveted Japanese knives, top-of-the-line cookware and innumerable last-minute foodie gifts for 14 years, Barbara Ackerman, owner of The Cook’s Place, is shuttering her Danforth Avenue fixture for good in order to spend more time with her five-month-old grandchild. “Running this shop has made me a part of so many families in the neighbourhood,” she told us. “What I sell is about feeding the family, and to be able to share that with my customers has been incredible.”

As loyal customers hear the news, they’re dropping by and sending emails expressing sadness and gratitude and, most likely, eyeballing the stock—Ackerman plans on deep discounts starting in February. “I want to get everything sold by the third week in March,” she said. In the meantime, the New York native is taking a little time off to reunite with some friends from her old Ocean Parkway neighbourhood in Brooklyn. “When I was growing up in Brooklyn and you entered someone’s house, they would always ask, ‘Jeet?’ That means, ‘Did you eat?’ But you’ve got to say it with a New York accent. You see, I come from food.” Ackerman tells us she’s feeling sad about closing up shop, but not conflicted: “It’s the right thing to do at this point in my life.”

The Cooks Place, 501 Danforth Ave., 416-461-5211, thecooksplace.com.

Granowska’s has presided over the corner of Roncesvalles and Fern for 39 years (Image: Joey deVilla)

On the morning of Thursday, June 13, 1972, after three straight days of baking, Elizabeth Klodas and her mother Maria opened the doors to Granowska’s Bakery on Roncesvalles, which they named after the family bakery they left behind in Poland. “That first day, we sold out in five hours,” she told us. “We were both so happy but then started crying when we realized we had to start baking all over again! We thought we had baked enough to last the weekend!” Now, after nearly 40 years in business, the bakery will be closing its doors for good at the end of the month.

Elizabeth and, eventually, her daughter Kathy ran the shop, supplying hungry Torontonians and visitors like Pope John Paul II with some of the best paczki and rum babkas around. “My mom wants to retire now, and I want to respect her wishes,” Kathy said. “Plus, ingredient costs are constantly rising, margins are getting smaller and we’ve noticed that desserts aren’t as popular as they once were.” The building has been sold to a family that’s looking to turn the space into a flower shop. Kathy told us she believes it’s better to be remembered when you’re at the top of your game than to stick around past your due. Still, this might not be the end for the Roncesvalles staple: Kathy is contemplating eventually rekindling the Granowska’s flame online or even at another brick-and-mortar location—after she’s finished penning a Klodas family cookbook.

Granowska’s Bakery will close on December 31.

(Image: Jon Sufrin)

After just under a year in business, it seems that Inigo, the churrasqueira at the foot of Trinity Bellwoods Park, has shut its doors. Owner and chef Carlos Hernandez told Now’s Steven Davey that problems with his landlord were partly to blame, as were difficulties sourcing quality free-range chicken. Being across from the park didn’t help in the way of foot traffic either, apparently. And sadly, it doesn’t look like Hernandez will be opening another restaurant any time soon. Read the entire article [Now] »

(Image: Amber Dawn Pullin)

Leslieville’s Red Rocket Coffee has been forced to close up shop after its landlord doubled the rent to $49 per square foot. Co-owner Liako Dertilis says the response from his regulars has been immediate. “The TTC guys across the street are livid,” he told us, referring to the workers at the nearby streetcar yard. The news, however, isn’t all bad. Along with his business partners, Dertilis signed a lease late this afternoon for a new location at 1364 Danforth Avenue, near Coxwell. Although Red Rocket’s new home will be a similar size, Dertilis says it won’t be the same. “We have to leave our extended family—that is, our customers,” he said. “These are the people who come into the store, and we hug them… We feel like we’ve been robbed of that.” The Wellesley Street location is unaffected.

(Image: Jon Sufrin)

On Tuesday, we heard through the grapevine from Montreal food journalist Lesley Chesterman that the Toronto location of M:brgr, home of the $100 burger, had closed. At the end of last week, we received confirmation from M:brgr’s Toronto PR firm that the rumours are true, and founder and owner Jeff Dichter has confirmed that the Toronto location has “ceased operations” and will remain closed.

Hailing from Montreal, M:brgr opened just five months ago on King Street West’s already burger-filled strip. Its big draw was the signature $100 burger—two Kobe beef patties with bacon, grilled pear, foie gras, brie, fig jam, asparagus, Piave cheese, garlic-roasted ham, porcini mushrooms, honey truffle aioli and truffles. Up until Tuesday, it was, by our reckoning, the most expensive sandwich in the city, a “sloppy, drippy, salty, meaty, fruity, earthy, cheesy, beautiful thing” as our Chris Nuttall-Smith put it. It seems as though Bymark has regained its long-held priciest burger crown by attrition.

(Image: Danielle Scott)

Not long ago, it seemed as though brew and gastropubs were on the rise in Toronto, but a couple of recent closures are giving us pause. While My Place’s failure might be attributed to its west end location and size, many are shocked to hear that downtown brew pub Duggan’s Brewery has also shut its doors.

Rumours of the closure started on Tuesday morning, when a lease-termination notice for “non-payment of rent” was found on the pub’s boarded-up front doors. Over on the forum at The Bar Towel, an Ontario craft beer website, news of a possible reopening was mentioned. The Toronto Star’s beer writer Josh Rubin confirmed over Twitter that owner Mike Duggan was hoping to reopen later in the week, and was forced to shut down “because [the] landlord made a mistake.” However, last night sommelier Ben Shillow (Oliver and Bonacini) let the news slip of Duggan’s permanent closure, followed shortly by Duggan’s official announcement this afternoon.

While the loss of the brew pub is sad news for the city’s beer scene, fans of Duggan’s popular No. 9 can rest assured that the award-winning India Pale Ale will still be brewed at Etobicoke’s Cool Brewing Co. and carried at bars, restaurants and the LCBO. One more note of hope comes from Graham Duncan, a sales rep with Duggan’s Brewery, who noted that some “very good news regarding a second beer” will be released in the very near future. Still, it feels like the end of a brief era.

• Duggan’s Brewery Closure Confirmed To Be Permanent [Canadian Beer News]
• Duggan’s Brewery – Downtown Location – Officially Closed [Great Canadian Beer Blog]

A hot dog vendor at the safer location of College and St. George (Image: Alfred Ng from TorontoLife.com Flickr Pool)

The costly Bloor Street Transformation Project (BSTP) may have added flowerpots, trees and benches to the widened granite sidewalks on Bloor Street between Yonge and Avenue, but it’s also become yet another reason why Toronto’s street food industry is floundering. Apparently the Yorkville renovation left no room for several street vendors, forcing out eight hot dog stands (some of which have operated in the area for 15 to 20 years), two retailers and an ice cream truck.

Briar de Lange, executive director of the Bloor-Yorkville BIA, told the Sun that street vendors just don’t go with the new and improved Yorkville look:

Essentially, the whole premise of vending on the street is not something that our BIA has been all that much in favour of . . . Aesthetically we are trying to create a different street.

Despite the fact that pedestrians seemed to have managed to successfully navigate around or, if hungry, beeline straight toward street vendors in the past, de Lange maintains that the BSTP was meant to enhance the pedestrian environment in the area: “sticking a cart in the middle of it doesn’t make any sense.”

Then there’s the matter of new landscape design—city bylaws require 3.66 metres between any vendor and street furniture. Since the Yorkville renovation specifically altered spaces that vendors previously occupied, municipal licensing spokesperson Bruce Hawkins explains these businesses are no longer in compliance with the 3.66-metre rule. There’s still hope for street vendors, though; city councillor Kristyn Wong-Tam told the Sun that the city is looking to relocate businesses within the ward: “I do think [street vending] changes and improves the life of any city.” But with news like this, we’re not holding our breath for a Toronto appearance on the next season of Eat St.

• Wiener war in Yorkville [Toronto Sun]