Food and beverage service at the Days Inn on Belleville Street is about to get an injection of humour with its daily specials as the Swiftsure Lounge and Diner takes on a new name and personality.
Petr Prusa, owner of Victoria favourite Floyd’s Diner, and business partner Rob Chyzowski have taken over the day-to-day running of food and beverage service at the Inner Harbour restaurant and bar. Next Tuesday, they will introduce Belleville’s Premium Quality Watering Hole and Diner to the city.
“We’re really excited. It’s coming along very well,” said Prusa.
The pair have been in control of the Days Inn’s restaurants — a lounge/sports bar and a diner/restaurant under the Swiftsure banner — since September and have slowly been making changes, updating fixtures, menus and drink offerings piece by piece. They’ve managed to do it while maintaining regular service.
Next week, the new Belleville’s name will be unveiled and a new chapter begins for the restaurant, which has 350 seats in two rooms.
Hotel staff, who asked not to be named, said they are excited about what they’re seeing of the “work in progress” which one manager said looks spectacular.
“We’ve been changing it slowly. The regulars have definitely noticed and some things have been a bit of a shock,” said Prusa, with a nod to removing gambling and the pool table.
“We wanted to move it away from that feeling of a beer hall.”
Prusa said they hope to establish a pub feel in the old sports bar and establish a fun, comfortable diner on the old restaurant side.
Both will feature the a menu that has plenty of local content and a sense of humour. There is a dish called “Oh Hair of the Dog” that features a tall-boy beer served in a paper bag with a plate of bacon and the “Homer Simpson,” which is a plate with two eggs, two bacon, house-made sausage, polenta and maple-style beans.
“We want to serve more local things, an artisan style and there will be larger portions,” said Prusa, who stressed this is not a Floyd’s, but rather a twist on hotel diners.
While there have been improvements such as new flooring and some seating to create a lounge feel, Prusa said to keep renovation costs down most of the equipment remains the same as do most of the tables and chairs.
“This venture promises to be a fun and exciting new place for locals to get to know,” said Prusa. “When I chatted with all my friends and acquaintances, one thing that was always coming up was ‘I used to go there.’ ”
Prusa said he wouldn’t have taken on the challenge without Chyzowski, who has run similar large establishments.
They hope they can turn what has become a tourist spot into a hangout for locals as well.
