Fanfare Article – Fall 2011
In the fall of 2011, the following article appeared in Fanfare magazine.
The customers of the Beachcomber dish out food for thought when they visit, because the patrons are also partners – they call the shots at a restaurant that listens and adapts to their demands.
“It’s a partnership – you have to listen to your customers and what they want and change, so they keep coming back,” says George Tsouras, owner of the downtown restaurant.
Tsouras knows how to keep business fresh and customers happy. The Beachcomber, located at the Forks Market, was originally Branigan’s. But in 2006, Tsouras revitalized the restaurant as the Beachcomber, and its patio sister, the Ba Ja Beach Club.
“It’s hard to maintain a concept and brand it for a long time – you have to change with it,” says Tsouras. “You don’t want to stagnate. Customers tend to be fickle. You want to be top of mind with them.”
The eatery is a downtown oasis, surrounded by natural beauty at the water’s edge of the Assiniboine River. It boasts two of the city’s largest patios that are popular downtown hangouts in the summer, and an atrium where customers can enjoy the view all year long. Inside the Beachcomber is a warm and inviting setting. The open concept features wooden ceilings and natural brickwork that doesn’t detract from the world outside or the landmark setting of the Forks inside.
The external environment sets the tone of the menu, with a primary focus on seafood. But Tsouras is quick to point out that it’s not just a seafood restaurant – it caters to everyone.
“I wanted to refine what we had to offer as opposed to Branigan’s, which was more casual dining, comfort food,” says Tsouras, who has been in the business for over 40 years. “Now we offer a wide selection of fresh seafood, as well as steaks, ribs and great pastas.”
The homegrown restaurant uses fresh, local products, including snapper, trout and pickerel cheeks from Lake Winnipeg. A variety of sides dishes include local vegetables, skinny fries cut in-house and garlic mashed potatoes. There is also an expansive selection of appetizers and desserts.
The Forks, as one of Manitoba’s top tourist attractions, draws crowds all year round and Beachcomber caters to everyone. Ice skaters can come in for hot toddy or hot chocolate in the cold winter months, and cocktails sold by the pitcher attracts customers in the summer. Throughout the year, Thursday nights are ladies nights with four drinks and four appetizers going for only $40.
“We serve great food in a great atmosphere with a great attitude,” says Tsouras, who, along with head chef, Paul Kennedy, updates the menu two or three times a year to meet the changing demands. “We ask our customers to come back and we work hard to make that happen.”
With large portions and reasonable prices, The Beachcomber is sure to please the city’s taste buds and wallets.
“We’re a little different. We want to identify as something more unique than the run-of-the-mill chain restaurants. They do a great job, but because we’re not a chain, we have the flexibility to try something and turn on a dime if we have to,” declares Tsouras. “We don’t let too much dust gather around us.”
And they won’t if the Beachcomber listens to its patrons and continues to build a partnership with the citizens of Winnipeg.