We'd barely settled into our seats when Steven Beckta came over to welcome us to the "new" place. "It's been a busy week," he confessed. "Dealing with heating issues and then plumbing and all that ... do you have any questions about the menu? If so, I'll be sure to redirect you to someone who knows much more about food and wine than I do ..."
Wait ... what? Steven Beckta? Not know about food?
I guess when you're busy worrying about renovations, you might not have a chance to go through the menu of the week. But I wasn't concerned. Steve has absolute trust in his staff, from front-of-house to back. And they always deliver.
It was Hubby's 40th birthday, and there was no place else we wanted to be for such a milestone than at Beckta. The old house on Nepean Street had closed its doors for the last time; the new digs were now in a renovated Victorian mansion on Elgin Street that was once Friday's Roast Beef House. Half of the building jutted into the glass-enclosed lobby of an adjacent office tower, while the front facade was restored to its timeless grandeur.
Inside, some of the walls had received the signature Beckta-blue treatment, while others were adorned with paintings by local artist Andrew King. Funky light fixtures mingled with old-fashioned chandeliers, sleek stainless steel played up against dark hardwood, and a busy, cosmopolitan wine bar led into spacious, classic dining rooms. It was all brand-spanking new ... yet it already felt like it had been there for decades.
The food, of course, was just as good as always: an amuse-bouche of rabbit pâté and apricot chutney atop an orange-zest shortbread biscuit; panko-crusted shrimp and pickled enoki mushrooms marinated in kimchi; scallops in a savoury broth of miso and ginger; scarlet-rare venison with a chestnut purée, honeyed brussels sprouts and figs, moistened with a peppercorn jus.
The big move may have left Mr. Beckta feeling a bit scattered, but guests can still count on stellar service, exceptional food and impressive wine selections from his flagship restaurant. Some things never change. Thank goodness!
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