‘Honest, simple seafood’
A new restaurant in Georgetown is hoping to pay respect to the community’s railway history while also showcasing its seafood.
The Wheelhouse, located at the former interpretative train station on West Street, opened this week.
Owner Terry Nabuurs, who grew up in Cardigan and operates Terry’s Berries food truck in Charlottetown, said the restaurant’s name has a double meaning which pays respect to the building’s railway history since a wheelhouse was where a train would turn around on the track.
“That was one aspect of it, kind of paying respect to the history of it, and the other thing being we really wanted to tap into the fact that it’s a fishing town and the wheelhouse is where a captain stands on a fishing boat,” said the 27-year-old. “So, the name kind of worked for both the train as well as the (area’s) fishing history.”
The restaurant will see a menu heavy with local produce, including blueberries grown by Nabuurs, and seafood.
“We want to showcase the seafood that’s in the area and do it justice. Just good honest, simple seafood,” said Nabuurs, noting they will serve the Salt Daddy lobster melt which accounts for about 90 per cent of the food truck’s sales. “Funnily enough, (the Salt Daddy) is actually named after one of the chefs (Devin Murphy) now working at the restaurant. It kind of came full circle.”
Georgetown Mayor Lewis Lavandier said he’s happy to see the former Clamdiggers location opened as a restaurant again.
“It was always a really popular venue and given Terry’s reputation in town with Terry’s Berries, I think it can only get better,” said Lavandier. “I’m certainly hoping for big things for Terry and his staff.”
While Nabuurs has no formal culinary training, he has been immersed in the food world since his first job dishwashing as a young teen at Rodd Brudenell River Resort. He later began working in a number of P.E.I. restaurants.
“I just kind of cooked and learned how by working in different restaurants,” said Nabuurs, who later worked out west on an oil rig for a winter and put that money towards the purchase of his food truck.
Nabuurs said the timing was right to open the Wheelhouse, noting he’s been getting a lot of help.
“My family and friends have been super supportive in helping me get it off the ground,” said Nabuurs, also giving credit to his team of about 25 staff.
And he hasn’t forgotten about his loyal Terry’s Berries customers. Nabuurs plans to open the food truck at the Cavendish Beach Music Festival before returning it to its Charlottetown location for its fourth season.
Mitchell.macdonald@theguardian.pe.ca Twitter.com/Mitch_PEI