Like
the theme song from Cheers, sometimes
you wanna go where everybody knows your name. The Beachcomber Restaurant at The
Forks is that kind of place.
If
owner George Tsouras is sitting in his ‘office’ – the second table from the
entrance – when a patron walks in, he’ll greet them like they’re an old friend.
Whether he knows them or not. Maybe it’s because he’s Greek, and being
welcoming comes naturally to him. Most likely, though, it’s just because he
loves what he does.
George
recognized early on that going to a restaurant is a luxury that people enjoy.
They are happy when out for dinner, in a good mood, and having fun. It’s the
kind of business George could embrace. So he started working in restaurants at the
age of 14, washing dishes after school. His parents, like most, wanted their
son to be a lawyer or doctor. But by 21, he opened his first restaurant, and
never looked back.
When
The Forks opened in 1989, George was an original tenant with Branigan’s. In
2005 he changed the location to The Beachcomber, choosing the name due to the
waterfront proximity, and because of one of the best – and affordable – seafood
selections in town. If you’re craving crab, lobster, shrimp, scallops, clams,
mussels, or fresh PEI oysters, you’ll find it at The Beachcomber.
An
avid traveler with a passion for ‘old world’ tradition, George gets creative
ideas from dishes served in other countries. He offers items you don’t typically
see in Winnipeg restaurants, like Kettle of Fish Paella. Inspired by a trip to
Madrid, what has become The Beachcomber’s signature dish is a mouth-watering medley
of seafood simmered in red pepper broth with chicken and chorizo sausage.
Visitors
to The Forks from around the world love trying Manitoba pickerel. The
Beachcomber sells over 400 pounds of these melt-in-your mouth fillets each
year, bought directly from local fishermen. Another favourite meal from the
prairies is bison short-ribs, accompanied by locally-grown produce whenever
possible.
For
popular drinks, the Bulldog consists of a lime margarita containing an
upside-down Corona beer. The Beesar is the same thing, but with a Bloody Caesar
as the base beverage. The Beachcomber is the only place in Winnipeg – and
likely all of Canada – that creates ‘bursting bubble’ cocktails in six
different flavours.
Because
George engages with and listens to his guests, you’ll find an ever-evolving
menu at The Beachcomber. Different themes, like oyster night on Wednesday,
ladies night on Thursday, and paint night on Sunday, provide recurring reasons
to keep coming back. That, and the fact The Beachcomber takes great pride in
good food and good service.
Above
all else, they’re always glad you came.
