AMY’S ON SECOND IN PRINCE ALBERT KNOWS THE SECRET TO LONGEVITY
PRINCE ALBERT What does it take to run a successful restaurant for more than three decades? Not many know the answer, but Amy Hadley has a pretty good idea: great food and outstanding customer service.
She opened Amy’s On Second in 1986.
“I’m really proud of the fact that I’ve stuck to what I believe in,” she says.
Those beliefs include a commitment to quality food made almost entirely from scratch, investing in devoted staff and providing customers a personalized experience.
Amy’s is known as a place to taste unique Saskatchewan ingredients, such as wild rice from La Ronge or pickerel caught by Air Ronge’s mayor,
Gordon Stomp, and his family. But it’s also a place to explore global tastes from a menu that combines Saskatchewan with Asian and Indian flavours, to name a few. The global influence comes from Hadley’s travels
(she grew up in Prince Albert and later moved to Vancouver to study restaurant management and work in the industry before travelling the world). When she was ready to move home, she saw a real need for what she could offer.
At that time, many in Prince Albert were going to Waskesiu to find a good meal. More than three decades later, she’s still attracting people to her cosy spot on Second Avenue West.
“I just stayed true to what I believed in. I’ve tried to offer a really quality product at a reasonable price.”
Hadley’s commitment to local food extends to the community. The restaurant’s coffee comes from a Prince Albert roaster,
Dr. Java’s Coffee House. Local artwork (which is also for sale) hangs on the walls.
A chalkboard menu, designed nightly by head chef Kyle Novicki, entices customers at the door. During my visit, Novicki featured a pearl barley risotto with pumpkin seeds, goat cheese and butternut squash, along with a hearty Italian-style bison ragyu.
“I like food to be as local and as fresh as possible. I don’t like frozen; that drives me insane,” says Novicki.
He makes the focaccia daily — you’ll get a big slice before dinner comes out. Be sure to leave room for pastry chef Lindsey Wilkinson’s delectable creations, such as chocolate layer cake.
“I’m really blessed with the staff I’ve had, says Hadley. “I’ve always tried to hire quality staff and passionate people.”
And Prince Albert is blessed to have this long-standing gem of a restaurant.