Last week Sebastian’s Bistro (5518 Spring Garden), formerly home of Deco Restaurant, served the last supper.
The French-inspired cuisine has left an unsavoury taste in Bernard Smith’s mouth, manager of Spring Garden area business association.
“It’s unfortunate about Sebastian’s,” he says. “It could have worked. I don’t think they really reached their stride. I tried to reach the proprietors and see if we could do anything, certainly they were still on good terms with the landlord. The landlord wasn’t owed any rent. They just felt they couldn’t carry on.”
Sebastian’s Bistro was a high-end and artfully decorated restaurant that opened just under a year ago. Smith speculates that some of the trouble keeping the business afloat could be related to the bus stop situated directly outside the restaurant’s window and door. Diners felt as touch self-conscious.
“Restaurants are a very tricky business to be in. Look at il Mercato Restorante, they are full every night. What’s the difference here?” he says. “Sometimes it’s a question of being able to tough it out a bit longer. It’s all a combination of price point, service and menu. I don’t’ claim to be in that business, but it’s pretty apparent that you need to get those things right.”
This article appears in Nov 27 – Dec 3, 2008.
A business didn’t survive because of a bus stop? Come on Mr. Smith, there are more reasons for failure than a bus stop.
Or maybe the fact, that we regular folk, are tired of over priced eateries, since our dollars are getting weak again.
My bill at Sebastien’s for one person was over 70$, my bill at il Mercato’s was 30, and that included appies, wine, tea, and dessert …On several occasions I tried to get my friends meet there fo dinner…on 3 occasions, we met out front, read the menu prices in the window…and went to Il Mercato’s, maybe that’s why it’s so full all the time?
I dined at Sebastien’s several times, and was always happy with the quality of the food. It was genuine gourmet French cooking, and it is a shame it didn’t last longer. I agree that the bus stop wasn’t/shouldn’t have been a major factor. There were only a couple of tables by the window..if you’re self-conscious, ask for a table in the back. I never once saw any folks waiting for a bus who were interested in peering in to watch people stuff forkfuls of food in their mouths; I suspect they were rather watching for the bus to arrive.
My bill never came to more than 40.00 or so after tax at the most (usually with either dessert or an appetizer, no wine, as I don’t drink alcohol). I don’t really think it is comparable to Il Mercato… the food there is good for what it is, but the pastas do get boring if you eat there more than once every 6 months or so, as they only change their menu once a year. Bish (same owners as Mercato) would be more in the league of Sebastian’s and Bish’s price points are significantly higher. Halifax just has far too many restaurants for the population once we get out of tourist season, and not enough people here spend money on fine dining. When they do, they make insanely bad choices like The Press Gang or O’Carroll’s or Jon Alan’s or Stayner’s Wharf, tourist traps all, instead of Fid, Chives, Bear, The Prince George, etc. which all have significantly better food and service IMO.