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The Curse of Now?
A favourable review from Now Magazine can do a lot for a local artist, musician or filmmaker but is it the kiss of death for Toronto restaurateurs? Even Now food critic Steven Davey noticed that favourable write-ups from the alt-weekly did very little for a string of Kensington Market restaurants in a review of the Streams of Blessings Fish Shack. That charming restaurant is still there, but the Now curse has claimed another victim, new vegetarian eatery, The Restaurant.
The Restaurant had been building word-of-mouth and a good rep in Kensington market with its adventurous and creative use of organic ingredients and cheap prices. But in October it was visited by the spectre of Davey and a four star review in Now. Later that month, Restaurant chef Michelle Bellerose was pegged by the magazine as this year’s “Best Emerging Chef.”
Sadly, earlier this month, the Restaurant closed its doors. Word around the neighbourhood is that Bellerose simply wanted to move on and explore other creative pursuits; others cited personal conflicts amongst the owners and financial viability as the reason for the closure. Torontoist thinks that dark and sinister forces are at work here. We recommend that Davey and any other Now food critics be accompanied by a priest, or a holy-person to each restaurant they review, lest any more innocent establishments fall prey to the curse.