Darrell Greer
Northern News Services

Rankin Inlet (Oct 04/00) - The grill is hot, the smiles wide and the service friendly at Rankin Inlet's newest eating establishment.

The Nanuq Inn has re-opened and K'eats Restaurant is being met with sometimes overwhelming support from local diners.

Under the operation of Keith Sandgren and spouse Hope Burrill, the restaurant features a menu with more than 100 items and a separate non-smoking dining area.

Sandgren has lived in Rankin since 1994 and, at various times, was kitchen manager at the local hotel as well as its cooks' training program instructor.

A cook for 17 years, he says he decided to start his own venture because he saw a need not being met by existing establishments.

"I felt Northern hospitality wasn't being portrayed well in Rankin Inlet," says Sandgren.

"The people of Rankin deserve a place with a full menu with lots of options, good service and down-to-earth prices."

K'eats Restaurant does offer diners a wide variety, featuring everything from a well-balanced breakfast and lunch to a full dining experience of steak and lobster.

The restaurant has opened with a flourish.

So much so, that Sandgren admits the staff has had trouble keeping up at times.

"We're doing better than we expected and, to be honest, we weren't quite ready for the response.

"But, we'll improve our speed of delivery and cut down on our customers' waiting time as we go along."

Sandgren says rooms at the Nanuq Inn should be ready for rent by month's end and he's also looking to start catering services and hosting meetings and conferences.

He says what he can promise at his new restaurant is good food, friendly service and reasonable prices.

"People can expect friendly service here. That's a big priority with me.

"Everything's made fresh and folks will leave here with a few bucks in their wallets. It doesn't cost a week's pay to eat here."

Sandgren says he's excited about his new venture and can't say enough about the support he's received so far.

"The support from the community has been overwhelming. We really appreciate the business and are looking forward to serving our community for a long time."