Mother's Day...The Mother of all Days for Restaurants

Holy crap, Mother's Day is almost upon us and like many a guy out there who procrastinates the heck out of everything important it seems, you have nothing special planned for mom. Sure you could get her a great flower arrangement from a long time florist in town maybe Cassidy's on Main St Newmarket, which do have some Mother's Day Special arrangements going on, but is that really enough for Mom on her special day? I mean come on. Flowers are a given. Pick some up at the farmer's market if you have to but do do flowers! Hey...that doesn't sound too good out loud. Anyway do flowers! And a meal!

Mom's Choice on Mother's Day

But don't give mother another one of your special BBQ's or pretend to cook something you know she will take over - take her out to eat! Newmarket & surrounding area have a lot of places to go, whether you want dining and entertainment or just dining, with even a few new restaurants in town.

For my money, I'm taking Mom somewhere I know she'll like..providing my sisters let me, but that's another story. LOl. Let's just say sisters rule mom's time come Mother's Day in my house, with us boys outnumbered and out aged by the older sisses...Truth be known they deserve first crack as they are much more in tune and touch to mom's day to day stuff, much more than I anyway, but my brother might have a case. Over to you bro!

At any rate, one year I took my mom to what was then called Deli House Brunch, now more branded as Stellar Hall, still Deli House Catering fresh, but with  some new kitchen staff and crew, still all hands-on supervised when possible by Johnny and now wife Marcel of course...and my mom had a great time.

It wasn't the food she raved about, although as I recall it was quite good with various stations set up to make or serve some fresh hot dishes to order, while others were set out buffet style or crepes, pasta station etc. We got mom her plate I think and picked out for her, but Johnny took the time to come around and spend time welcoming her I guess because later on she actually was quite taken by it, mentioning it several times. And my mom is no easy cookie to please! But she raved about it. Trust me..she can be quite vocal if she's displeased somewhere, so I pay attention.

" Who was that fella," she'd said, " The owner I think. A really nice chap.....You know I really liked him. He was such a nice person"...I don't know what Johnny did or said, but I do know he recognizes hospitality is a big part of being successful in a business where you rarely can please everyone. And he's genuine. My mom likes that.

I first met Johnny Cutrone when I was a bartender at Newmarket's Glenway Country Club, now an abandoned lot, when we both served fine dining night, as they were not set up for that and I'd had some experience.  I showed him french service...Zee rest eezz heeztory! Lol

 They've come a long way since opening that first deli shop on the corner of Yonge and Mulock slinging breakfasts at 6 am to get by, along with his mom and dad. His Dad only recently passing away from cancer..and a great guy himself. Definitely give you the shirt off his back if he could..

View from Stellar Hall Window

So maybe that's what mom saw. just a raw welcoming spirit and some darn good food she likely would normally have found something wrong with!

Happy Mother's Day all. Go where you want but go... I do know Stellar Hall is putting on an extra special Mother's Day deal this year with something for everyone..omelet stations, carving stations..the works! I'm drooling just writing this. Oh..and some good old fashioned hospitality! Egads!

Mom the nest builder