In the Kitchen in the kitchen|Hooligans Let’s start with an update on the new patio. Adam Smith: We’re so excited about retrofitting the top level and transforming it into Hoolies Rooftop Patio. Along with opening up the sightlines to offer an unmatched view of the waterfront, the 80-seat patio features newly purchased comfortable and inviting outdoor furniture. We still have the sun umbrellas and misters for super hot days, but it’s much more private and there is an outdoorsy, get-away feeling to it. The patio will also feature its own self-contained kitchen along with a special summer drink menu. We’ve also added glass barriers and heaters to extend the outdoor season. You must also be excited about the redevelopment of Fred Grant Square (Meridian Place), which is beginning this summer. AS: We are! Visitors to Hoolies’ Patio will be able to sit right on top of all the action. Let’s back up a bit. For several years, the owners ran the business as the Bank nightclub, but then opened Hooligans in August 2015. Why was there a change in direction? AS: The transformation from nightclub to family friendly restaurant was a calculated move to help make the downtown core more accessible to young families and tourists. It’s the kind of place where you can bring your whole family in for some great food and take in a sporting event, or just enjoy some quality time together. We felt that downtown Barrie needed a place like Hooligans. And we were right! Besides yourself, who owns Hooligans? AS: Including myself, there are nine owners in total. The partners are all friends and everyone is from Barrie. Our skill sets are diverse, which offers a bevy of expertise to run the business. We have bankers, accountants, venture capitalists, even a prominent politician, operations and sales guys and so on. The Bank had six original partners, but three were added when Hooligans started. Is Hooligans a sports bar? Or is it a family restaurant? AS: Even though we do offer an ultimate
Sweet Thai Bowl viewing experience with one of the biggest screens north of Toronto, our real focus is serving up fresh food and great service in a family-friendly atmosphere. We specialize in terrific fresh food, top-notch service and a menu full of dishes that people want and crave. We’re proud of the fact that we aren’t a cookie cutter franchise restaurant. Describe the menu. AS: Hooligans serves up fresh, made-fromscratch casual dining fare. Some might call it comfort food. Everything is made in-house daily including our freshly ground burgers, soups, hand-breaded chicken tenders, all
sauces and desserts and more — nothing is frozen and nothing comes out of a box. You just released a new menu yesterday. Can you share the details? AS: We are so excited about this menu, which showcases 20 new items! The expanded menu features lots of appetizers, salads, new Indian dishes (or Asian bowls) and a second steak dish. To make way for the new choices, we dropped nine dishes from the original menu. A lot of research went into the new menu before we rolled it out. Over the past three months, we taste tested over 50 dishes before settling on the
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