‘Gramma’s house with a twist’
Business partners open roadside eatery in Brickton that’s also a bakery, go-to coffee spot
A new bakery and restaurant that promises Gramma’s comfort food with a twist, opened its doors to a packed house and rave reviews on May 13 in Brickton.
Chef and co-owner Michelle Friel worked the kitchen of the rustic, tinroofed building while partner Chantal Belcourt was out front tending to the business side of things at The Perky Loaf as the crowds arrived, the menus were opened, and the food was ordered.
Baked goods flew off the shelves as well, proving the combination of bakery and eatery was a good fit for this tiny hamlet between Middleton and Lawrencetown on Highway 1.
Friel was already well-known as a Red Seal chef in the area, and as the founder of Michelle’s Kitchen Creations has established an online clientele for her pastries, baked goods, and lots more.
Belcourt has a business background and both women wanted to branch out from prior jobs, folding their respective skills together to form what eventually became The Perky Loaf.
“We both weren’t content where we were working, I think, prior to this,” said Friel. “So, when Chantal approached me about doing a business, I said, ‘Let’s go. Let’s do it.’”
“Michelle had the know-how in the kitchen and I’ve got a business background, so the two combined – and I knew how much of a hard worker she is,” said Belcourt. “I thought she’d be a great business partner.”
GRAMMA’S HOUSE
“We’re offering Gramma’s house with a twist, is the way that I like to explain it,” said Friel. “All your comfort foods if you’re sitting at the dinner table on a Sunday having family dinner. People who want eggs benedict, they’ll come here and see that we have eggs benedict, but it’s with a twist. Desserts come with a little bit of a twist.”
And what’s a twist?
“I’d say the gluten-free torts,” she said. “It’s not your typical gluten-free. You’d never know it was gluten-free by eating it. And then we can also offer dairy-free ice cream as well to go with it.”
Friel and Belcourt offer a full menu all day long so that breakfast of eggs and hashbrowns and bacon and ham and sausages and toast called ‘She’s A Monster,’ patrons can have it for supper.
Gramma-inspired food might include some familiar fare.
“Stuffed meatloaf, with mashed potatoes, stuffed with white cheddar,” Friel said. “We have a roast chicken dinner. We also have a turkey dinner with a twist. I’m not going to give away too much more.”
THE BUILDING
The building wasn’t even for rent when Friel and Belcourt became interested in it.
“We just saw that it was vacant driving by and stopped in,” said Belcourt. “And I had to do some digging and research as to who owned it. I was given three different names, none of which were the owners. Finally, I tracked down the owner and launched our idea to him and he was thrilled to be able to have something done with this vacant building.”
Anyone familiar with the old building won’t recognize it inside now. The pair transformed it into an attractive, bright, two-level dining room with live-edge counter and rustic shelves filled with local products including baked goods, coffee, honey, and, of course, Michelle’s Kitchen Creations.
MENU EVOLVES
The menu has been evolving for some time.
“Ironically, a few years ago I had looked at a different location to go by myself and I had a menu already done up, so I took that menu, brought it over to here, and made it even bigger,” Friel said.
It came from what she likes and what she used to eat as a child.
“I can always remember going to my
grandmother’s house on a Sunday for a family dinner,” she said. “And we were in the kitchen working together and would always have everybody happy at the dinner table from their food. I think that’s where I took most of my ideas from. I have a black book in the kitchen which is handed down from my grandmother to myself and that’s all of our recipes and that’s what I stick by is that book.”
Being Red Seal certified, Friel brings a gourmet edge to her fare.
“I don’t feel like people want just plain food,” she said. “They want something that’s going to make their mouth dance. And that’s what we can provide.”
OPEN HOURS
The Perky Loaf is open from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. Wednesday through Monday.
“Tuesday will be our regroup day at this point,” Friel said. “If we feel the people want us open seven days a week, then we’ll open seven days a week, the customer is going to drive us to what our hours are going to be.”
The Perky Loaf’s seating capacity is about 30 inside plus four picnic tables outside and a bistro table on the way. And being between Middleton and
Lawrenctown, the partners think the location is good.
“I think our signage at the road is bold,” said Friel. “It’s going to catch somebody’s attention. We have tons of parking and we’re half a minute away from the track, so we’ll hit everybody.”
That includes four-wheelers and snowmobilers in the winter.
“They want to come for a cup of coffee,” she said. “We plan on being licensed, so they want to come in for a beer.”
SIMILAR BACKGROUNDS
Belcourt pointed out her and Friel had similar backgrounds.
“We were both very close to our grandmothers and I think we’re bringing a little bit of that to The Perky Loaf.”
Belcourt said that last year she had the privilege of working with Friel.
“I just saw that she was extremely skilled at what she did,” said Belcourt. “With my business background, I wanted to start up a new venture, so the wheels got turning. I really enjoyed working in the hospitality environment, and I thought, ‘You know what, I know that she’s a go-getter and very motivated’ and I just approached her with the idea and it all unravelled from there.”
Belcort said Friel’s creativity is through the roof.
“She puts a standard meal together and presents it, and it’s a thing of beauty.”
FIRST RESPONDERS
Friel is not just a chef, she’s a volunteer firefighter in Lawrencetown. Working fire scenes, she knows the contribution first responders – police, firefighters, paramedics – make. So, they get a 10 per cent discount. So do students, seniors, bikers, and truck drivers.
“This is just the start of The Perky Loaf,” said Friel. “We want people to come here and be family and be friends. Have this as their go-to coffee place, their go-to meal. Remind them of, you know, childhood memories sitting at your grandparents’ table.”
“Yeah, getting together, especially in the last two years that we’ve had where we haven’t been able to get together with people,” said Belcourt. “I think it’s super important to get that sense back.”