The Friskee Pearl will serve up tastes of the east coast when it opens in downtown Winnipeg on April 24. (HANDOUT)
WINNIPEG — A taste of east coast fare is hoping to lure diners to a new seafood eatery in downtown Winnipeg.
The Friskee Pearl will soon open up in the former Earls location at 191 Main Street, serving up “modern Maritime flair.”
“Everything we’re doing here is with the goal of creating the ultimate sociable experience for our guests,” said owner Chris Graves.
Graves, who is originally from the east coast, is also the owner of the popular King’s Head Pub in the Exchange District.
The Friskee Pearl can seat 240 people inside, with additional seating for 140 more on the spacious outdoor patio. (HANDOUT)
“Seafood isn’t a luxury on the east coast, but good seafood is harder to come by in the Prairies. We want to offer fresh and delicious seafood for every occasion, whether you’re here for a business meeting or to catch up with old friends.”
The restaurant will be split up into sections to include the Emerald Room, which will serve as a traditional dining room but can be closed off from the rest of the restaurant for private functions. The Ruby Room will house the lounge and bar area and offer live music on the weekends, and the Mitchell Room will be a private room available for rent. The large patio surrounding the building will offer up additional seating as the weather warms up.
The Friskee Pearl will serve guests a variety of Maritime favourites, with fresh seafood sourced from fisheries Graves knows personally. Many of the menu items also come directly from the Graves’ family recipe book.
The Friskee Pearl is located in the former Earls Main location at 191 Main Street at York Avenue. (HANDOUT)
Head chef Sean McKay of The Mitchell Block has been brought on board to bring those recipes to life while adding other traditional items, such as double-stacked burgers, wood-fired pizzas, handmade pasta, rotisserie chicken, tandoori wood-fired BBQ ribs and more.
“We’re serving recipes passed down through generations, like Chris’ family’s chowder but we’re also having fun with East Coast traditions, like kissing the cod,” said McKay.”Here you’ll find that in the form of a shooter with east coast rum and a sardine finisher.”
Earls, the former tenant of the building at Main and York, has since relocated to the newly-opened 300 Main building a couple blocks away.
The Friskee Pearl will open to the public on Monday, April 24.
