TWARDOWSKI BACK IN A BIG WAY
Restaurateur adds to his legacy
I’ve lost track of the number of times Witold Twardowski has said he’ll never open another restaurant. Then, just like Michael Corleone in The Godfather, he gets pulled back in.
Since opening his first restaurant — a co-operative venture called Manna — back in 1972, Twardowski has been involved in designing or owning nearly 50 local restaurants. Those include notables such as River Cafe, Cilantro, Teatro, The Ranche, Emerald Lake Lodge and departed places such as Divino, Mescalero, The Soup Kitchen, Hamburger Mary’s, The McKay Place, Ambrosia and many, many more.
Twardowski has always had a keen eye for the visual side of restaurants, often keying on historical aspects and helping develop a truly Canadian approach to both the food and the look of eateries. He was “local” and “seasonal” long before they were a thing in the culinary scene.
Much as he’d like to be out of the restaurant biz, Twardowski currently owns three. “I see a project that’s interesting and well ...” So now Django Smokehouse (14555 Symons Valley Road N.W., 587-755-509), Plowshare Artisan Diner (817 1st St. S.W., 403-454-4953) and the soon-to-be-opened Confederation Cafe and Cocktail Bar (811 1st St. S.W., phone TBA) are keeping him busy.
Django, named after the classic spaghetti western movie (1966), is in the spot that formerly housed Symons Roadhouse. When the Symons Valley Ranch Farmers’ Market burned down last winter, the attached restaurant building was saved. Twardowski took it over a few months ago and rejigged it as an all-day-breakfast, all-night barbecue, Italian-spaghetti-Western influenced joint. You’ll find shrimp-and-chorizo arancini ($12) and lasagna ($18) alongside beer-braised pork belly with baked beans ($20) and the full array of smoked brisket, ribs, pulled pork and chicken. Chef Rebecca Earl and her team, under the leadership of culinary director Mike Scarcelli, have created a menu that tops out at $24 for a flatiron steak with smoked mashed potatoes, carrot puree and sauteed mushrooms, making Django an appealing neighbourhood destination.
Twardowski, who had designed Symons, has worked with the woody, historic tone of the room, incorporating vintage western movie posters and furniture that appeared in former restaurants such as Mescalero. With over 90 seats and a large patio, Django is reminiscent of many southern barbecue shacks and is open Wednesday through Sunday from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. ( later on weekends).
More repurposed furniture and decor items will be found in Confederation Cafe and Cocktail Bar, next door to Plowshare in the Grain Exchange Building. (Twardowski has been involved with the Grain Exchange since the first Divino in 1980.) While the lovely chandelier of the former Piq Niq — scrounged from a renovation of the Westin by a previous owner — remains, Twardowski has installed a new bar fronted by copper panels from his old nightclub Crazy Horse. And behind the bar is a large set of stained glass windows that he’s had in storage for over 40 years, waiting for just the right spot.
Lunch and dinner, prepared by chef Ben Allen, will be served in the main floor Confederation Cafe. He and culinary director Scarcelli are currently working on a contemporary Canadian menu that will feature housemade products including barley salad with roasted squash, split pea soup with crispy ham, salmon tartare and a range of charcuterie.
The downstairs “speakeasy” cocktail bar will run a shorter, shared-plates menu from a second kitchen and an appealing drink menu designed by master mixologist Nathan Head, known for his work with Milk Tiger and Proof. Managing Confederation will be Bryce Schultz, formerly of Proof and Model Milk. Look for Confederation to open in mid-November.
So Twardowski is fully pulled into the restaurant business again. He’s contributed much to the local dining scene and to Canadian cuisine over the past almost half century and continues to be a force.
And what of the Symons Valley Ranch Farmers’ Market?
Partners Ken and Tracy Aylesworth say that plans for the new 65,000-square-foot market, designed by Frank Architecture and Interiors, have been submitted to city hall. The plans include room for dozens of vendors, many of whom have signed letters of intent, a couple of restaurants, event space and a large residential component.
The Aylesworths, working with development partner Capexco, say they hope to start construction in the spring of 2018 with a grand opening in 2019. In the long-term plan, the building housing Django will be bulldozed but the leaseholder will be offered first rights for a restaurant spot in the market.
In the interim, the Saturday pop-up markets have finished for the season but the Aylesworths will have a market store up and running soon.
Situated in one of the on-site buildings that survived the fire, the store will have space for up to 40 vendors and will be open Thursday through Sunday, 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. All purchases will run through one cash-out. Look for the Symons Valley Ranch Farmers’ Market Store to open in mid-November. Go to symonsvalleyranch.com for full info.