TSN Radio play by play man John Bartlett

As far rookie seasons in the broadcast booth go, John Bartlett did an outstanding job as the  play by play man for the Montreal Canadiens on TSN Radio 990 (soon to be TSN Radio 690).

The newest resident of Pointe Claire sat down with The Suburban last week over lunch at Chez Nick in Westmount to look back on his first year in Montreal.  TSN Radio 990 General Manager Wayne Bews  was there as well, sporting the same smile he had last August when he introduced Bartlett to us.

Here is some of what he had to say. See The June 22 Suburban Magazine for a more detailed feature.

Yes the food at Yangtze is still mighty fine

When a fire destroyed the legendary Yangtze Chinese Restaurant on Van Horne Avenue in Côte des Neiges last December, owners Marco and Bobo Yau worked quickly to re-establish themselves at the former Tchang Kiang Chinese Restaurant at 6066 Sherbrooke Street West in NDG. At the time this was being looked at as a stop-gap measure until they could decide what to do with the original landmark

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With the help of local business consultant Mel Leitman, the Yaus christened the  new establishment as Tchang Kiang by Yangtze, retained most of the staff from Van Horne and merged the menus of the two restaurants. Of all the topics I have written about on my Suburban blog since it debuted just over a year ago, this one has attracted the most feedback.  I visited with the brother and sister team of Marco and Bobo last week, enjoying some splendid egg rolls, pineapple chicken, rice and soup in the process, where they delivered the news. “We will not rebuild the Van Horne restaurant,”  Bobo declared. “We will stay here and continue to build up our product.”

According to Marco, business is 30 to 40 percent greater in NDG than on Van Horne, with half of the seating capacity. Home deliveries are booming. Leitman redid the menus for them, adding and deleting a few items and introducing symbols for   gluten-free diners, low carb requirements and finally which items are strictly vegetarian. Mitchell Kadanoff of Solly the Caterer has come aboard and is distributing about 30 dozen of the famous Yangtze egg rolls a week to a line of stores such as REAL Bagel on Côte St. Luc Road and Queen Mary, Nosherz on Mackle in CSL, Bagels on Greene  and the Metro supermarket in Westmount and Yagel Bagel in  Dollard.

So what will become of the Van Horne location, which housed Yangtze for 55 years? Word has it that a small pharmacy will be constructed.

I wanted to expand upon my column in this week’s paper because of the enormous responses I get on this blog to anything related to the Yangtze.  When people decide to comment on any of my entries, they have the option of leaving their name. My email address – mcohen@thesuburban.com – is also very public. Over the past six months so many people have issued comments on my blog about the restaurant, many complaining about the new version of Yangtze. They are mostly anonymous.

I was pleased last December when I ate there. Last week,  when  I stopped for lunch,  I tried some  of the staples.

The won ton soup was piping hot and tasty. Those famous egg rolls were fresh and crispy, just as delicious as I can remember from my days growing up and going for family dinners on Van Horne. Oh yes, the plum sauce was just fine thank you very much. Is it different from the original location? Probably.  But I had no complaints whatsoever.  The pineapple chicken was mouthwatering and the chicken fried rice just right. As for the spare ribs, Marco told me that they are in fact softer and tastier than the original. I’d have to agree.

In developing the new menus, some of the prices went up. Marco said this was necessary in order to even the scale with the popular Tchang Kiang selections. This new location is also brighter and prettier. It has a liquor license (Beer, wine, Sake, mixed drinks, etc), something the original Yangtze did not.

Marco and Bobo still have custody of the original Yangtze sign from Van Horne. I suggested that they put it up for auction and have legendary waiter Tiger come in to take the bids. Oh yes, there is an old cash register lying around somewhere as well.

Go to the restaurant’s new website at http://www.tkyangtze.com. They are open every day except Monday. You can call 514-487-7744.

Citytv and its plans for Montreal: an interview with Scott Moore

While then folks at Rogers Media await formal Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) approval for their purchase of CJNT Metro14 TV in Montreal and transforming it into trendy Citytv, an  affiliation agreement officially kicked in on Monday. It is anticipated that the CRTC will rule on the overall deal within the next few months and when that happens we can look forward to some new local programming.

Scott Moore, the president of Rogers Broadcasting, was in Montreal last Thursday for a very slick presentation to advertising executives at the Corona Theatre. Moore and his team provided a comprehensive look ahead to Rogers programming on Citytv, FX, Omni, Sportsnet, G4, Bio and OLN. There was naturally a lot of hype for the Bachelor Canada, starring Hudson’s Brad Smith, which will air Wednesdays at 9:30 p.m. beginning in the fall. Everyone leaving the Corona was presented with a red rose. Smith is currently filming in Western Canada and was unavailable to attend. But we did learn that one of his televised dates will occur here.

Moore, who was born in Montreal, plans to spend a lot of time here over the next few months to try and determine what local programming would be the best fit.  A morning news show, which would go up against Shaw Media’s plans for a Global TV wakeup program, is a possibility. So are shows focusing on music, sports and current affairs.

Here is my video interview with Moore. Please see The Suburban Magazine on Friday for a detailed look at the Citytv fall schedule and interviews with Moore, programming chief Malcolm Dunlop and Julie Lafontaine, the Pierrefonds mom who made it to the finals of Canada's Got Talent.

P.F. Chang's restaurant chain Montreal bound

 P.F. Chang’s International Bistro, always a favorite stop for me when travelling to the United States, is finally coming to Canada. Montrealer  Michael Aronovici, the president and  owner of Interaction Restaurants Group Inc, a restaurant management and holding company that has been operating in the Canadian restaurant industry for over 20 years, has announced that the  first Canadian P.F. Chang’s’  will open in Toronto at Cadillac Fairview's newly redeveloped Shops at Don Mills in late July. This will be followed shortly after by a new restaurant in Montreal  at the Smartcentre Shopping Centre located adjacent to the former Hippodrome – presently the home of Walmart, Baton Rouge. Restaurant Orotoro just closed there after just more than a year in operation. 

I caught up with Aronovici, a native of Côte Saint-Luc and a present-day resident of Hampstead, He told me that work will begin very shortly on the old  Dumoulin Électronique building. "It is a very big construction job which we hope to complete before Christmas," he said.

P.F. Chang’s intends to expand throughout Canada, with plans to open restaurants in additional Canadian cities in 2013 and beyond. “It is with great partners like Interaction that we at P.F. Chang’s China Bistro are taking our brand further out into the world,” said Mike Welborn, president of Global Brand Development at P.F. Chang’s China Bistro, Inc. “We are excited and confident that Canadians will drop in to our newest restaurants to experience our unique twist on Chinese cuisine.”

It is likely that after the Decarie location opens, others will follow on the West Island, in Laval, on the South Shore and downtown. I can already envision the lineups out the door.

"We have had to create an entirely new team," Aronovici said. "The training is intense and we send them to California for several months. We are also getting a lot of inquiries from people who want to join us."

P.F. Chang’s has more than 200 restaurants in the United States and over 18 internationally, delivering an outstanding casual dining experience in a stylish, high energy bistro and wine bar. The menu offers cuisine inspired from five regions of China (Mongolian, Sichuan, Beijing, Shanghai and Hunan) along with unique desserts and signature drinks while also delivering impeccable service. The restaurant caters to different dietary and cultural needs, offering also a vast selection of gluten free and vegetarian dishes.

Fans of P.F. Chang's love the lettuce wraps.

“Many Canadians have expressed to us, both in person and over social media, how much they love P.F. Chang’s, and wished it was closer to home.” explains  Aronovici, “Given this existing fan base, a commitment to fresh, Chinese-fusion flavour combinations in a distinctive dining setting, we have no doubt that this bistro experience will resonate with Canada’s sophisticated dining population.”

Aronovici, 50, a highly experienced restaurant brand investor and operator, controls and operates Interaction Asian Restaurants L.P. and is based here in Montreal. Interaction works in partnership with Claridge Inc., a privately-owned investment firm also headquartered in Montreal and actively involved in the management of a broad range of investments alongside high quality operators. 

Michael Aronovici

“P.F Chang’s is a unique and successful casual dining concept that is going to delight Canadians everywhere.” declared Pierre Boivin, president and CEO of Claridge and former boss of the Montreal Canadiens. “We are proud to partner with Interaction and be associated with this much-loved brand.” 

 The Canadian market will continue to offer a great growth opportunity for P.F. Chang’s to expand its brand in the international market. P.F. Chang’s is already in talks to open additional restaurants in central and eastern Canadian provinces in the coming years, among them Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, Ontario, Quebec, Manitoba, New Brunswick, and Newfoundland following the Montreal opening in late 2012.

To keep up to date on P.F Chang’s Canadian expansion and openings, follow them on Twitter at @pfchangscanada or on https://www.facebook.com/PFChangsCanada .

Interaction Asian Restaurants, L.P. was created and is controlled by Aronovici. Under his leadership, Interaction has been successfully involved with four different restaurant and food service concepts, including Starbucks Coffee and Pizza Hut.  Aronovici has served on the board of the Canadian Restaurant and Foodservices Association since 1997 and was chairman of the board in 2009.

 Aronovici developed an affinity for the foodservice business when Interaction acquired the development rights for Pizza Hut on Montreal’s North Shore in 1990 and grew the business to 45 restaurants in the Greater Montreal Area. In 2001, Interaction sold its Pizza Hut interests to a company controlled by John Bitove.

From 1990 to 2001, Interaction also operated the Salisbury House restaurant chain, a Winnipeg institution for more than 70 years. The company ultimately sold the 25-unit chain to a Winnipeg consortium that included musician Burton Cummings.

In 1992, Interaction acquired the Cultures chain of 45 franchised restaurants in Ontario and Quebec, which it successfully operated until 1999 when it sold the chain to a company controlled by the Serruya family, the creators of the Yogen Früz concept.

In 2000, Interaction was awarded the exclusive license to develop and operate Starbucks coffee shops in Quebec and Atlantic Canada. While retail Starbucks coffee shops in North America were usually corporately owned and operated, Interaction was selected to introduce the brand to the distinctive Quebec market. Interaction developed and operated the Starbucks business until August 2008 when it sold its Starbucks interests to Starbucks Coffee Canada

In 2010, Interaction was awarded the exclusive license to develop and operate PF Chang’s China Bistro restaurants in Manitoba, Ontario, Quebec and the Atlantic provinces.

 Aronovici earned a Bachelor of Commerce degree (Great Distinction) from McGill University, followed by his chartered accountant designation, but chose to specialize in mergers and acquisitions. It was through this work that he joined Interaction in 1990 as Vice President, Investment and Development. He was named president of the company in 1997 and acquired 100% ownership of the company in 2009. 

Aronovici joined the board of directors of the Canadian Restaurant and Foodservice Association in 1997 and has served as its vice-chairman and as chairman of the board .In addition, he served as chairman of several committees including Government Affairs, Succession, Nominating, Finance, and as Treasurer. He also sat on the board of directors of the American National Restaurant Association in 2009 and 2010.

Aronovici was also an independent member of the board of directors of Meditrust Pharmacies from 1994 to 1999. He was nominated in order to represent the interests of a group of blue chip Canadian institutional investors that had participated in an $18 million private placement.  Moreover, Aronovici is  active on the board of a social services agency in Quebec.

Hill Times Newspaper quotes my blog

 The prestigious Hill Times Newspaper in Ottawa quoted my blog and interviewed me about the recent CJPAC Action Party. Here is the link.

Big Pet Fair and Family Fun Day in Beaconsfield

If you are a pet lover like me then I recommend you consider checking out the Bearepaire Village Pet Fair and Family Fun Day this Saturday (11 am to 3 p.m,) in Beaconsfield. Should Mother Nature rain on the parade, the event will be moved to  Sunday. Hilarie Harubin, the owner of  Boutique Woof! Meow! and director of the  Beaurepaire Village Business Association, is behind this sixth annual event.

 “We had 4,000 people attend last year’s event and 55 animals were adopted on this one day alone,” she says. “  It was a great success and I expect both events this year to be just as successful. Twenty  animal rescue organizations will be at this event with the perfect pet waiting for you. I believes that awareness of animal welfare is an important part of our community life as well as giving back to the community that supports local business.

This event gives you the chance to either adopt a new pet or, if you already have your companion,   gives you the chance to have your questions answered by the exhibitors on site. We have reps from dog training organizations, dog boarding facilities, pet food companies and groomers to answer your questions. We have the blessing of the pets, various dog contests, such as best pet trick, doggie musical chairs and the parade of adoptees which we call “Strut Your Stuff,” to amuse and entertain our visitors.

Many village businesses will be participating as well, for example, Beauty Evolution will be hosting a human/canine  fashion show, Homestyle/Blacklion Pub  will be firing up the BBQ and the art galleries will be exhibiting animal themed works of art.

Info: woofmeow@videotron.ca

Cousin Vinny's first interview at 925 The Beat FM

Following three months of silence regarding his decision to leave the drive home show on Virgin Radio for the same slot over at rival 925 The Beat FM, Cousin Vinny Barrucco made his on air debut Monday afternoon.

“I gave my notice at the end of February, but due to a non-compete clause I was not able to talk about the deal or even communicate about it via social media until now,” the happy go lucky 28 year old Dorval native and current St. Laurent resident told me.

Here is my video interview with Vinny. Please read my column in Wednesday's paper and a feature story in the Friday Suburban Magazine to learn more.