SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE
Ed But says he'll be opening Coyote's Bistro downtown in the wake of a fire that damaged his Range Lake Road restaurant and bar last month.
Ed But, owner of Coyote's Bar and Grill on Range Lake Road, said he plans to open Coyote's Bistro here in the former Prestige location off Franklin Avenue. - Shane Magee/NNSL photo |
"It might not be temporary," But said Wednesday. "If this works out, I may want to do it for longer."
The plan is to have the bistro location near the Vietnamese Noodle House - in the building on Franklin Avenue that once housed the White Fox and more recently Prestige - up and running in roughly a month.
The space will be leased and he said there's some minor cosmetic work that will have to be done.
The restaurant is on the second floor.
"It's basically going to be like the Coyote's menu but it's not going to be a full fledged steakhouse because the kitchen is about one third of the size we're used to," he said.
He's planning to offer takeout and delivery from the new location.
But said he'll be applying to get a liquor licence so alcohol can be served there. He didn't offer an estimate of how long that could take.
"I think it's good," he said when asked how he feels about opening downtown. "I used to have a business downtown and that's where I started. It's nice to be downtown again."
He added that any Coyote's gift certificates will be honoured at the new location.
"My guests shall never suffer or lose out just because fire took me down," But said.
Coyote's Bar and Grill will need to be gutted, But said, following a fire in the early hours of Feb. 21 after the business had closed.
The city's fire department estimated the damage to the building and contents at more than $100,000.
"Because of the smoke damage they have to take everything out including the insulation," he said.
While the building was insured, But said his tenant insurance had lapsed.
The demolition of the interior will take another week or so, But said.
Once that's done, he said work will start to rebuild the business. That could take between three to eight months.
The fire began in the kitchen, according to NWT Fire Marshal Chucker Dewar.
Dewar said it's too early to determine a specific cause.
"There is no indication at this point that leads us to believe that the fire was suspicious," he said.
However, Dewar said fire marshal's office is continuing its investigation in collaboration with RCMP, he said. The remaining aspects of the investigation should be done in about a week, he said.
He said there is some follow-up work to do. That includes that need to be conducted and fire scene evidence to be examined. He said evidence has to match the theory of what occurred before a determination of cause is made.
"We're looking at all the evidence at the scene and just trying to paint a picture of what occurred," Dewar said.
