Expect seafood to be a star at Emerson's on the Lake, the brand new restaurant opening in the Royal Motor Yacht Club at Toronto next week.
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The first day of service is Wednesday, February 28, from 11.30am.
Bookings are essential - using Emerson's social channels such as Facebook.
Yes, only six weeks after closing his restaurant, Emerson's, at Lovedale in the Hunter Valley, Emerson Rodriguez has committed to a new venture on the western shore of Lake Macquarie.
Emerson's at Lovedale closed on January 14. Rodriguez cited difficult trading conditions at the Lovedale location, in the heart of the Hunter Valley, as tourism visitation had suffered post-COVID, which he attributed to consumers dealing with rising home loan interest rates.
The Toronto location offers a different opportunity, with the location serving a constant clientele of yacht club members, plus it's open to the public.
Rodriguez is the consummate professional.
"The most important thing, is the service and the food is consistent," he says of his new venture. "It's as simple as that. Hopefully, we'll get the trust of the members. A few of the guys that follow me, they already want to come in and check it out.
"Everyone is excited from the response we've got from social media."
Rodriguez will not operate the bar service on the premises, but can counter that lost revenue by meeting the needs of bar clientele with a bar menu, and exclusive catering for the club's boutique function space on the lower level.
The most important thing, is the service and the food is consistent. It's as simple as that.
- Emerson Rodriguez talking about Emerson's on the Lake
All of his front-of-house and wait staff from the Lovedale restaurant are coming with him to the new restaurant.
Rodriguez will handle all food served at the club, which includes a dining room with a current capacity of 80, which he will open for lunch and dinner from Wednesdays through to Sundays; a bar with its own menu - serving a capacity of 70, and downstairs function space that will cater to groups of up to 80 with a choice of three catering menus.
Emerson's main dining room will feature the same style of modern cuisine he offered successfully for more than 13 years at his restaurant at Adina's vineyard on Lovedale Road.
Casual bar menu
Emerson's bar menu should be a real treat.
Designed to meet the needs of the yacht club's sailors after competitions on Wednesdays and Sundays (but open Wednesday through Sunday), it will feature items like a fresh barramundi burger, fresh fish and chips, caesar salad, chicken wings with Alabama sauce, and Emerson's long-time dish, duck pate,
The fish in the fish and chips on the bar menu will be fresh.
"I'll use whatever fresh seafood Shane's Seafood has got, I trust them," Rodriguez says.
"Flathead, whiting. King dory - not frozen fish."
"My duck pate will go well here," he says. "I've had it on the menu at Emerson's every since I started."
Upmarket dining
Emerson's main restaurant, set on the top floor with expansive views across the lake, will be as solid as ever.
Diners can expect mains like pan fried mahi mahi with colcannon of Hunter River school prawns and beurr blanc; coteletta of almond fed pork cutlet with savoy cabbage with apple and sage burnt butter sauce; and chargrilled XL Mooloolaba king prawns with pico de gallo.
Rodriguez anticipates the business operating for seven days once its established.
Marian Gavin, secretary manager of the yacht club, says of Emerson's at the Lake: "I have confidence. The community is very excited, very interested."
The yacht club has 2500 members, and welcomes the general public.
