Decline of fine dining

Although Halifax has been dubbed “recession-proof,” many downtown
restaurateurs admit their fine dining establishments have felt the
pinch of the current climate. The recession, which came into public
consciousness in October of 2008, only began hitting the high-end
restaurant market after the turn of the year.

“Winters are always quiet, but usually it starts to pick up in
April,” says Tanya King, owner of Da Maurizio, one of Halifax’ longest
standing high-end eateries. “We definitely had a slower April, May and
even part of June this year.”

Several restaurants saw a drop in mid-week business, which they
attribute to a decline in corporate travel. “A CEO would come in and
visit his Atlantic division once every month,” says Costa Elles, owner
of Seven Wine Bar on Grafton Street. “All of a sudden we don’t see that
person except once a year.”

Victor Syperek owns The Press Gang (among others) and echoes this
sentiment. “A lot of our early week clientele is on business,” he says.
“Monday’s were always a huge day. That totally died out.”

Many restaurateurs saw party sizes drop, with budgets becoming a
priority over the past year. “At one point there was an unlimited
spending budget,” says Elles, who has watched a $21 steak on his menu
skyrocket in popularity. “All of a sudden there are limits.”

Craig Norton, operations manager for the Prince George Hotel and its
high-end restaurant Gio, noticed many corporate clients opting for
lunch now instead of dinner. “Having a lunch meeting with fine dining
is a good way of getting business done,” without racking up such a
hefty tab, he says.

It’s become popular among restauranteurs to downsize in order to
accomodate shifting economy. Some restaurants now offer larger wine
selections or set three-course menus—a hit at places like Gio and Da
Maurizio.

Gio also invites patrons to bring their own wine on Thursdays
without incurring the regular $30 corkage fee.

Alcohol—a quick way to inflate a bill—is consumed more modestly
these days. The “sweet spot” for wine prices has dropped 20 to 30
percent over the year at Seven, reflected in an updated wine
selection.

Fid Cuisine Inventive has undergone a transformation and now
operates under the name Fid Resto—a less sophisticated version of its
former self. Owner Monica Bauche has traded the white table linens for
a more “homey” motif, and says the restaurant has opened its doors to a
broader audience.

Boucher and her husband, chef Dennis Johnston, considered
re-branding their eatery long before the recession hit. “We were
looking at the economy and we were thinking it was a good time to do
it,” says Boucher of their decision last spring. “We did it at the
right time, I think.”

But Elles, despite noticing regular patrons of Seven moving to dine
at his more moderately priced Opa Greek Taverna, says he won’t be
changing the high-end nature of Seven. “We are what we are. We can’t
really play it down. If you’re interested in that kind of dining, you
walk in there and that’s what you get,” he says.

Seven is closing its doors October 3 after six years in business.
But Elles, who admits the economy has affected the high-end more so
than any other segment, asserts the closure is not recession-related.
He and his business partner Chris Tzaneteas were made an offer for
their property they could not refuse—an opportunity to expand their
chain of Opa restaurants.

Effects of this recession on fine dining in Halifax, however varied,
remain present across the board. But owners are unanimously optimistic
about the future. This summer boasts comparable numbers to seasons past
and “it seems to be turning around,” says Norton.

This article appears in Oct 1-7, 2009.