TIGNISH
It’s been a busy two weeks for Bonnie Gaudet and her staff at Tignish’s new restaurant.
Gaudet opened Our Family Traditions restaurant on November 8 and has been thrilled, and even overwhelmed at times, by the community’s response.
“They’re amazed with the restaurant,” Gaudet said of diners’ comments she’s hearing. “They’re really impressed with the layout.”
The restaurant has seating for 96 and the space can be divided off to provide banquet space.
“It just came to me one day,” Gaudet said of the name she chose for her first venture into the restaurant business. “It’s very traditional; it’s a family restaurant,” she points out.
Fish, with her home-style batter and the homemade desserts are among the most popular items starting out, Gaudet reported.
She describes the menu as very family-oriented, the type of meals one would prepare at home.
Our Family Traditions fills a void which had persisted in Tignish since an August, 2015 fire leveled the previous restaurant on the same Phillip Street lot.
And it quickly became obvious customers had a crazing for what Our Family Traditions is offering. They even had to close down the takeout portion of the restaurant the first day it opened because there was such a crush of customers, and the take-out is only now getting back into service.
“I knew we were going to be busy, but I didn’t know we were going to be that busy,” said Gaudet who currently has a staff of 40 full and part-time workers.
The restaurant combines features Gaudet has appreciated over the years. As a hockey Mom of sons who played at a competitive level, she said she’s visited many restaurants.
“I know what I liked and what I didn’t like.” She incorporated the likes into here design and furnishing plans.
She praised general contractor Perry’s Construction for taking care of all the building details.
Starting on November 29 Our Family Traditions Restaurant will feature Eat, Drink and Be Merry, every Wednesday night until Christmas. It’s an evening of Christmas music with Abby Peters and Rodney Arsenault and a meal consisting of chowder, turkey dinner and dessert. Limited seating is available for the weekly Christmas show and can be booked by calling the restaurant, 882-3664. Seating is at 6 p.m. and the show starts at 6:30 p.m.
The restaurant’s operating hours are 7:30 a.m. to 9:00 p.m., seven days a week. Those hours are expected to stay like that throughout the winter. Gaudet anticipates an earlier opening time, especially for the drive-thru, during fishing season.
