B.C.-based company building restaurant chain in Ontario

TORONTO-A company based in British Columbia is set to open a $7-million four-level combination pub and nightclub, licensed for 1,200 patrons, in Toronto's downtown entertainment district in late fall.

This will be Gibbons Hospitality Group's third London Tap House, all of them in Ontario. The first opened in London, about 21 months ago, and the second in Hamilton in May.

Each location has food, music, a dance floor and private event facilities.

Company president Joey Gibbons told ORN that he plans to open more units in towns around Ontario. He said his policy is to buy the real estate for his restaurants.

The two-level London unit, which opened in October 2006 at a cost of $2 million, can allow up to 670 patrons. The Hamilton location, which had a price tag of $5 million, has five levels and is licensed for 1,100. All three have rooftop patios.

Gibbons, aged 32, started Gibbons Hospitality Group in 2001 to manage Longhorn Saloon & Grill, a restaurant in Whistler, BC, that his father had bought as an investment.

Since then, his company has added three other Whistler restaurants to its management portfolio:  Tapley's pub, Buffalo Bills Bar & Grill, and Fire Rock Lounge in the Whistler Westin Resort & Spa.

The London Tap House in Toronto is going into the space formerly occupied by Afterlife Nightclub on Adelaide Street.

Joey Gibbons takes the lead in designing units, aided by his brother Matt and Ontario-based London Tap House vice-president of operations, Scott Rowe.

Rowe worked for a number of restaurants in London before moving out west and ending up working for Gibbons in Buffalo Bills.

Red brick and wood floors are prominent in a London Tap House, the idea being to give a "traditional" look, said Rowe. The interiors are designed to give a feeling of longevity, places that will survive as fads come and go.

Gibbons described his restaurants as places offering good food, drink and music, with no pretenses.

Talking about the menu, he said, "We're all over the map." He added that the food at a London Tap House is mid-priced, offering good value.

"Our forte is our service and the way we treat our customers," he stated.

In London they serve small shared dishes. In Hamilton, they have standard fare such as steaks and pasta, but the most creativity goes into the shared dishes, which Rowe refers to as appetizers.

These include items such as yellow fin tuna, spring rolls and shrimp skewers. A main dish, plus appetizers and cocktail will cost in the $20 to $25 range, says Rowe, while a spread of appetizers will cost more.

There are about 14 bottled beers, including the top 10 sellers in Ontario, and six on tap.
The wine list is international, with a good Canadian representation.

There are about 40 bottles, priced $20 to $80. Four red wines and four whites are sold by the glass, with prices ranging from $5.75 to $8.50.

The Hamilton location has an open kitchen and the Toronto restaurant will have one as well. The latter will have the same menu as in Hamilton.

Derek Gowland, who has worked at a variety of restaurants in Hamilton, is the chef at the restaurant in that city, and oversees the London kitchen.