Families were there on Sunday morning to reconnect with the traditional Easter brunch to the delight of restaurateurs, happy to find full dining rooms throughout the weekend.
Posted at 5:49 p.m.
You can’t ignore the contagious smiles at Shay’s restaurant in Griffintown. Brunch time has come. A few regulars get the ball rolling, while a dozen waiters make their way through the spotless tables. Customers chat between bites of baklava pancakes.
We expect to serve more than a hundred guests. “It feels good, after a year where we had to play yo-yo. We have 176 reservations today! “, says Charf El Mehdi, general manager of the Lebanese restaurant.
Since the reopening at the end of January, it has been busy. But this weekend, it’s the return of Ontario tourists and visitors from the regions.
“We are really lucky,” rejoices the restaurateur.
PHOTO DOMINICK GRAVEL, THE PRESS
Charf El Mehdi, General Manager of Shay Restaurant
You can also feel the good mood in front of the Dandy restaurant, in Old Montreal.
Jocelyne Saint-Pierre and Marc Pépin lined up in front of the establishment from 9 a.m. Coming from Abitibi, they took advantage of their stay in the metropolis to visit their favorite restaurant for a brunch for two.
“It’s perfect that the restaurants are open. Of course, we are still careful. In our region there are many cases, ”explains Mr. Pépin.
It will be a long weekend without a family gathering for the couple.
“I wouldn’t organize a big family party. It is not the moment. We went to see our children, but that’s all, “says Mme Saint Pierre.
In downtown Montreal on Sainte-Catherine Street, families are also starting to sit down and browse the businesses.
Matthew Frankel, manager of the Universel lunches & grills restaurant was not surprised to see customers so early in the morning. On Friday and Saturday, the dining room was packed. He notes the presence of tourists, encouraged by the return of good weather and the lifting of the majority of restrictions in Quebec. He expects to serve 500 tables this Sunday.
“We are just happy to see people. We are waiting for them! Even if it’s madness we’re ready for it. »
Labor issue
Despite this “return to normality”, restaurant manager Shay is still juggling the repercussions of the pandemic in his environment. Many catering workers have moved on, putting pressure on those who haven’t abandoned ship.
Mr. El Mehdi decided to close the restaurant on Monday, despite the long weekend. The day would have been lucrative, but he prefers to give his employees a break.
PHOTO DOMINICK GRAVEL, THE PRESS
Early Sunday morning, a line of people were already waiting to enter the Dandy restaurant.
“With more staff, I could also have opened the heated terrace. After two very difficult years, we still have to adapt
“COVID-19 still exists! exclaims Matthew Frankel when he is exposed to the labor issue. It has enough staff today to handle the influx of customers. But the concern that an employee contracts the virus hovers. “We are always at the mercy of an outbreak. When you have to isolate one, two or three, it’s hard to operate at full capacity. »