Can you believe it?  I am still trying to wrap my head around it myself!  Apparently, like The Smiths, I started something I couldn’t finish and heaven knows I’m miserable now!

Actually, the last month has been a whirlwind of surprises!  I was approached in the last week of February by a French-Mex consortium, the Arizona Petro-Chemical and Food (trading on the Nikkei as APF1) based out of Phoenix.  They were looking for an entrée into the Canadian market and apparently we were able to provide that entrée.  We hard a hard deadline of noon today to get this deal done, and I am proud to say that we managed to squeak it in with an hour to spare!  They are also minority partners on the Coyotes, so who knows, let the rumours begin about them moving into our neck of the woods (wink wink, nudge nudge).

The company is a great one- obviously they have the very clean petro dollars behind them, which means that their life span is guaranteed (and in this industry, that is something to be applauded), but the flagship franchise that they ‘roll out,’ Taco Temps,”Laissez Les Bon Temps Rouler!”  is, I think, a brilliant marketing concept- and just what London needs…first, another franchise, and second, a vegetarian taco/sushi place.  I know I will be here once the transition is made, and not because I am contractually obligated to do so!

Not sure what they will do with the patio as I can’t imagine sushi or veggie tacos do well in the heat, but for all of the people that ask us regarding parking (in a downtown environment), I am lobbying for them to rip it up and make a parking lot, as like chain restaurants, parking lots are something that downtown London does not have enough of!

So London, we want to thank you for a brilliant three and a half years plus.  The staff at The MO, sorry, Taco Temps, will remain the same as it has really been somewhat of a dream for Dave, Terese, Jimmy, Amey, Matt, Rebecca, Serena, Courtney, Adam and all of our wonderful kitchen people to work in a somewhat fast casual environment, after all, that is what most of us in the industry not only aspire to, but go to school for!    We’ll post more details once the APF makes their own announcement, and we’ll let you know just how much we sold it for (which is a lot by the way, and we get veggie tacos for life).
Strangeways, here we come!  As the snow falls, we wish you all the best on this first day of April.  We love you London.

A brief glimpse into the life of our Chef and staff!  Check it out, we’re making a couple of favourites, the lomito and the jambalaya  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=huACKDu5WxA (thanks to Steve at Instrumental Films)

While we are featuring Mill St Cobblestone Stout from Toronto, in the spirit of the day, we will have a few Irish beers in stock that we do not normally carry.  Tallboy cans of Harp, Smithwick’s and Kilkenny will be on hand to go along with Guinness on tap (we do pour a fine pint of Guinness by the by, one of the best in the city).  For those who have asked, sorry, but still no Murphy’s!  If beer is not to your taste, we have a fine selection of Irish whiskeys- Jameson, Black Bush, Bushmills, Locke’s, Tullamore Dew, Powers Gold, Tyrconnell, and Redbreast (huh?!  who knew we had so many?!).  Made up ‘martinis’, the Shamrocktini and the Shamrockarita also grace the drink menu for the weekend!

In order to serve you better, we will also have a limited menu on St Patrick’s Day.  Most of your favourites will still be available, as like in past years, we will definitely be serving up our wonderful Irish stew with homemade soda bread.  We’ll also have a nice fry up for our 11am-3pm breakfast service.

AND!!  We have t-shirts to give away and sell!  Not quite sure how we are going to do the giveaway as yet, but I do know you have to be there to be able to get it…we’ll figure it out and let you know how to snag one.

We definitely will not have the weather we did last year, or even the year before for that matter, but we’ll be cozy and Celtic inside.  No reservations being taken for Sunday, but please feel free to call and reserve a table for Saturday night and we will try to accommodate.  If we are not graced with your presence, enjoy the day/weekend!  See you soon, Slainté

As you know, the city of London is hosting the ISU World Figure Skating Championships.  (I thought it very funny that one website said it was “the Olympics of figure skating” meaning I assume, that it was the pinnacle of the sport, but I am pretty sure the Olympics are in fact the Olympics of figure skating and still, the pinnacle of the sport!)  This is a huge event to be held in our fair city, and I know we are going to make it a success.  However, a small issue has popped up in the past couple of weeks: issue described first, and if you keep reading you will see what your friendly neighbourhood Morrissey House is going to do for you!

Quick recap, please excuse the staccato rhythm.  First the London Free Press points out that Impark will have fan friendly parking for the upcoming World Championships! Then Impark posts their pricing…not really what I would define “fan friendly” as!  Small outcry on Twitter (mainly by us, haha) at this point, and then came the next Freeps article regarding Impark’s soaring prices and yes, soaring as one would define it. No mention of the previous week’s article either, which we thought a little strange, nor comments from the City’s Orest Katolyk who spoke glowingly about Impark in the original article.  Nor comments from the mayor who wasn’t very happy during the 2011 Brier when people coming downtown and using the Impark lots were charged $20. A good POV article is here and for once, comments are actually not mind-numbingly, off the charts crazy!  More people in on the discussion now as you can see in those same comments, and on Twitter of course, but I do not think anyone’s mind is going to be changed- and really, nor should they!  A business has the right to do what they like with said business…one hopes the fallout makes people talk! (and also end up in a book like this, at least the (Un)awesome side!

I think I may have been more dismayed by the champions of the core, Downtown London, and that might even be too strong a word, mainly because we love them so!  Impark can be expected to be Impark- and nothing less/more.  They are who we thought they were!  For example, in the lot next to us, which Impark manages, there is a sign that lets people know that the lot is a pay lot.  The sign is turned away from drivers who enter, in a spot that in winter is covered by a snow bank and does not allow for parking, and in the summer, the same sign is covered by overhanging leaves/branches of a tree.  I called Impark, wrote them an email as well, but nothing has changed.  It has been two years of people being ticketed…and I really think Impark is ok with that, which I find fascinating as a small business owner…but I digress.

I wrote a tweet about the parking fees, “Here’s a great way to showcase Canada’s London! Impark, $25 parking fee during the World’s. Cheaper to park in England’s London.”  Totally facetious obviously, London England would certainly be more expensive- especially in The City, but then again, maybe not!  The response from Downtown London was that one; the private owners of the lots set the rates and that two; they have mortgages to pay on their properties.  Shock, bewilderment, flabbergasted, perplexed, a little confounded…we all have bills to pay, the people coming to the event have bills to pay, the people who use the lots on a regular basis have bills to pay…who doesn’t have a mortgage to pay, or bills on a daily basis?  That’s an excuse to charge that much extra?  I then asked this,  ”as per your email…all of the private owners then decided on a $25 flat fee- individually? Extended to lots 1.5km away?“  I thought collusion only happened in baseball?  I wondered, if all of the private lot owners were shaving one morning (face or legs, or even payroll- male, female, corporate owners…) and were struck with a great idea- $25 parking for the World’s.  Each individually contacted Impark and asked that the rates go up for the week- to which Impark said, well, we had spoken to the city about not raising pricing on the lots that we don’t own and that you have mortgages on, but ok, we have to man the lots (which we do every week on game nights as it is), I am sure we can spin this in a positive light as we are such fine corporate citizens!  To my question, the answer was a solitary word- “yes.”  And then a follow up tweet from them, they also decided to set the night rate $10.  Then the comment from DL- in the Freeps, not on Twitter, (so who knows, could have been taken out of context, I really, really hope it was taken out of context), “the people who attend this event can afford this and won’t bat an eye at $25.”  Stunned. More shock and dismay.  And amazement.  Let’s showcase our city, but, let’s also take them for all we can while we are doing it.  They’ll respect that, expect it, and come back because of that respect- tell tales worldwide of how well they were fleeced!  haha.  I hear the arguments- it’s a world class event, you would pay that in Toronto, it’s their right, people can afford it, supply and demand…but, we are London, not Toronto.  Cost of living is higher there, the rents are higher, the gas more expensive, and I have not once had to pay $25 to go to an event anywhere in Toronto….too little time to write more about this right here, but come down and discuss it over a pint at the bar!

This is a big event.  We have known for two and a half years that it was coming here.  This was the event to put us on the map, to showcase our world class city.  I know parking is not the be all and end of the all of people’s visits to out city, and I am sure that there will be people who in fact, won’t bat an eye at the charges, but it does reek of opportunism.  I know there are a lot of people who will not be driving to the event and will not be affected by the excess charges.  Our hotels are full!  I am also sure though, that this is not the way to showcase the city, and I am also sure Impark does not need the PR help, that Downtown London should be leading the charge against them charging these prices, and that the city should have worked out a plan- after all, the city is not raising their rates on the municipal lots, and I have been to so many large events in other cities that use a few outlying lots and shuttle people around, that I am sure someone in the last two and a half years could have worked it out- that sounds like a whole lot that I am sure about!!  This should not be a week where we all try to make our year’s rent/mortgage.  Seth Godin to me is a bit of a marketing guru and he said it way better than I ever could this week (coincidentally)in a posting entitled “I’m making money, why do more?“

So what are we doing about it?! Almost forgot that part!!  We are going to offer a 25% discount on food to those people who bring us their $25 Impark parking stub for the World’s.  It does in fact mean that we will lose money on the food sales, but we just can’t sit aside and let it happen as it is.  Margins are very tight in this industry, but you will drink too right? Crazy I know!?!  But, like a pageant contestant, if we can make even just one person happy because we are doing this, then we’ll be happy!  The very old joke- how do you make a million dollars in the restaurant industry?  Start with two million!

Spread the word, Wednesday through Saturday, if you feel like you are getting the shaft from Impark, leave your car in that lot and walk the kilometre to The Morrissey House- we are even on the same street so you don’t need directions!  Show us your $25 Impark parking stub when you order and our great staff will make sure they give you that discount.  OR!!!  We have a lot across the street and one directly west of us that seemingly will be unaffected by the price hike (there is also a lot of street parking within a block of our restaurant).  So alternatively, park next to The MoHo, enjoy a nice lunch, head to the skating, back for a quick pint at The MO, and back for the evening program!  Easy.

And…welcome to London, thank you for visiting!

In case you had not heard, London is hosting the World Figure Skating Championships! It’s a fantastic event for London and environs, one that has been talked about since we won the bid two and a half years ago. Never mind the dollars that are expected to flow into our local economy, this event establishes Canada’s London as a world class city. (or so we are told), puts us on the map! (or so we are told). Please do not get me wrong, I applaud everyone who has had anything to do with getting this event to Canada’s London, and I do think it will be an amazing boost economically. I know the hotels are filled, that the worlds’ media is descending, and that anyone visiting our city will be pleasantly surprised at how many great restaurants we have for such a small city (which we are, we just do not like to think so!).  I also know that London will pull this off and it is going to be a great week- if only we can stay away from any council scandals for a day or two.  This is a great opportunity for all of us to showcase to the world who we are…thank you to those that made it happen.

The last 5 cities to host? Gothenburg, LA, Turin, Moscow (in lieu of an earthquake torn Tokyo), and Nice. Pretty heady company.  Of more interest is that though is that a Canadian, Patrick Chan, has won the last two World’s- and placed second at the two prior to that- and is one of the favourites this year. A little less lucky on the ladies side as we have not had a medal since Joannie Rochette’s silver in 2009. But for Londoners, it’s the Ice Dancing that we should be so eager to see (injuries notwithstanding!). London’s own Scott Moir and Tessa Virtue will be defending their title, and go for the 6th medal in the last 6 championships.  The athletes will put on a great show and I know Londoners will as well.

More than 150 million people will be watching these games, and to a certain extent, London. Hopefully, Londoners use this opportunity to be at their best!   For those visiting us, welcome.  And I do personally hope that we make you feel welcome!  I know we will at The Morrissey House!

We are now accepting reservations for Thursday February 14th, known on some circles as Valentine’s Day, in others as SAD (singles awareness day!). Either way, couple, single or a group of 20, call The Mo now and ask for a table, 519 204 9220.

We will be offering our BYOW special again. In order to impress without breaking the bank that night, you can bring in your own wine! It must be from the LCBO, no home made stuff no matter how good you think it is, and it must be a 750ml bottle. Only $10 corkage with the order of two entrees, $15 for any other food order, but we’re flexible!

Date or dateless, Thursday will be a good night for you to sample our fine foods and alcohol.

Time for some Super Bowl fun. 

First, if you are watching the game at home or a friends place, and will play responsibly, you might want to have a look at this link http://www.buzzfeed.com/mjkiebus/the-super-bowl-drinking-game-that-will-make-your-l-6ygq Looks like a little bit of fun!

If you are heading out and are coming to our place, we have a couple of food specials for you.  To celebrate the participants, we are doing up some regional specials as we have done the last few years. 

Baltimore will be represented by what Maryland is famous for- crab cakes!  Ours will be served with a chipotle mayo and will have a touch of spice to them and we are adding side greens to cool it down. 

San Francisco is famous for their sour dough (and yes, rice-a-roni, but who wants rice-a-roni at a restaurant?!).  We are piling on the cold cuts- turkey, pastrami, ham- and adding Swiss cheese, pickle slices and a grainy mustard.  We are also serving it with our now renowned seafood chowder, this batch made with smoked catfish! 

As I write…might as well celebrate the host city too!  I have not even told the staff as I really just did add this.  We’ll do up our jambalaya as a New Orleans inspired dish tonight as well- $2 off! 

Four TV’s are set up, full volume for the game, theatre style seating so we can have you all facing a TV, and we’ll also have Super Bowl bingo and a Pass the Football game happening as well. 

Enjoy the game- should be a good one.  Dave and Jimmy are huge SF fans, so if you want to see them happy this week, you may want to cheer for the Niners.  Then again, if you don’t want them lording it over you for the next decade (as Dave has been doing to me since 1994), you might want to root for the Ravens…tough decision!

http://www.rbs6nations.com/en/home.php

Feb 2 11am England v Scotland
Feb 3 10am Italy v France

Feb 9 9:30 Scotland v Italy
Feb 9 12pm France v Wales
Feb 10 10am Ireland v England

Feb 23 9:30am Italy v Wales
Feb 23 12pm England v France
Feb 24 9am Scotland v Ireland

There is a week break as it begins again Feb 23rd. We will keep you updated here!

***Update!*** Super weekend of rugby, three exciting matches played with Ireland, England and Italy(!) coming out victorious. Huge game coming up Sunday now between Ireland and England- could be the tournament right here. Remember, we open 15 minutes before the start of the game, $10 per head to watch. Theatre style seating so you can make new friends!

Chef Michael Smith will be here in April in support of the Bethany’s Hope Foundation…and we’ll be right alongside of him with other fine London people such as Bag Lady Variety, Early Bird, Pub Milos, Kantina, Fire Roasted Coffee/Habitual Chocolate and Chef Kim Sutherland of Budweiser Gardens. For more information, click on this link http://bethanyshope.org/MG-2013.html

We are now taking reservations for New Years Eve, open for dinner from 4pm to 1am.  Offering our regular menu as well as a wonderful beef stroganoff feature.  For reservations, please phone the restaurant at 519 204 9220, or you can book via twitter @morrisseyhouse, or via email at mark@themorrisseyhouse.com  As we will only have an understated midnight celebration, hats and noisemakers, you might want to get in early and head to that great party you have been invited too- on a full MoHo stomach!!!  Hahaha.

We are also offering a BYOW for the evening, that’s right, you can bring your own wine in New Year’s Eve.  The corking fee will be $15 per 750ml bottle, but as a December 31st special, if you order 2 adult entrees, we will only charge you $10/bottle. 

Also, we will be closed on Tuesday January 1st.