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Elmira Chobanyan, at left, is a new friend of Mary Bryant, owner of Mary and Friends Tea Room. As a new chef at the tea room, Elmira will be cooking up some Armenian culinary delights, which are new to Mary's menu. - Stephan Burnett/NNSL photo

Mary has a new friend

Stephan Burnett
Northern News Services

Yellowknife (Feb 18/04) - If you've never been to Mary and Friends Tea Room, you're missing out.

Sitting on the banks of Great Slave Lake just off Back Bay, the windowed wall off the southeast portion of the tea room provides an inspiring view for married couples, friends and those new to the dating scene.

Tastefully decorated with quaint little knicknacks, Mary's Tea Room puts you at ease. Then there's the delicious aroma in the air. Imagine grandma's best cooking everyday of the year -- that's what Mary's Tea Room smells like.

Now, Mary and Friends Tea Room is improving its menu with the addition of Armenian dishes, says owner Mary Bryant. Armenian choices such as perashki, blinchik, cutlet, dolma, eclairs and gatta have all been added to the menu, thanks to Elmira Chobanyan, who recently began working as a chef at the tea room.

Chobanyan has learned an incredible amount of English in her first year in Yellowknife. She speaks of her relationship with Aurora College and her volunteer work there over the past six months. She also speaks of her husband who works at Arslanian Cutting Works here in Yellowknife.

As Mary brings in some Earl Grey tea, her husband, Wayne Bryant, pops in to say hello before heading off to run an errand.

As we sit down to enjoy an Armenian cake Chobanyan specially made for the occasion, Mary begins to talk about the cooking classes she's planning to hold.

"It's a four-week cooking class. I haven't decided on a date, but it will be sometime in March," Mary says.

Beginning on March 3, Mary and Friends Tea Room will be open Wednesday to Sunday, 11:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.