SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE - Luke Wood's staff at Thornton's Wine and Tapas Room tell him he's slow at getting the dining room completed, but for him it's about getting it done right.

Luke Wood believes in doing things the right way, even if it takes a little longer than he likes. Owner of Thorton's Wine and Tapas Room, Wood models his restaurant after some of his favourite places to eat in Montreal. - Andrew Livingstone/NNSL photo

"I want a fun place for people to go out and it's easy-going and the food is of the highest quality," the Thornton's owner said.

Thornton's has come a long way since it opened in January 2008. Wood has put countless hours into making the restaurant of his dreams. A huge fan of the restaurant scene in Montreal, a city he travels to yearly just to feast at his favourite eateries, Wood has patiently developed the 51 Street restaurant into a representation of the places he loves.

"Originally it was just going to be a function room for catering," he said, adding they originally purchased the building it's in to serve as a kitchen for their up-and-coming catering service. "I love food and we decided, my brother and I, (we) started toying with the idea.

"I love going to Montreal to eat. I wanted to do that kind of restaurant up here, my dream restaurant, of all the places I've been. It's not completely finished yet, but it's close. We don't want it to be pretentious and dull, we want it to be a place where people can come and celebrate something and eat good food."

This summer Wood built a stain glass ceiling in the middle of the restaurant to go along with a wine rack showcasing the more than 200 different types of wine they sell, something Wood says is an important aspect of the restaurant.

"We've got expensive wines, but you can get cheaper wines too," Wood said of the selection, which are offered in a proper wine environment with the right glasses and a high importance placed on pairing wines with the menu. "It's easy to get good expensive wines, but getting good inexpensive wines is harder."

Wood said he tries to focus the menu on local foods, offering muskox, white fish and char, and is now planning to change up the main courses every month to keep things interesting.

"What's good about keeping everything fresh and exciting, you keep your staff and your chefs interested," Wood said. "Once it becomes the run of the mill stuff, it just becomes cookie cutter that you're putting out. As long as you change your menu often you keep the kitchen buzzing and you want that."

Making everything from soups to sauces from scratch, the menu offers a selection of appetizers and main courses, giving customers plenty of variety. A resident of Yellowknife since 1974, Wood started out in the food industry with a catering company, offering food to Aurora College

"We started at the college and I did that and we started catering out of there and that's where we got the idea to start this place," Wood said. "We bought this place and got in over our head, originally the plan was to have the kitchen to cater out of."

Wood said the restaurant is taking shape step by step. They have offered Sunday brunch since the summer and Wood is hoping to expand back into a lunch menu in the near future, something they used to do when they first opened, but haven't for some time due to staffing issues. He also hopes to start a prime rib and steak night on Sundays.

"The only places you can go eat are Boston Pizza and Explorer on Sundays and we want to offer something a little more classy for Yellowknife residents, something for the family to go out and enjoy a nice Sunday dinner," Wood said. "I want to give a place for parents to bring their kids so they can get a good meal.

Wood said he's been hearing positive comments from people who come to enjoy the high-quality food and pleasant atmosphere.

"I've had people tell me it's like my favourite place in Montreal. It's not heard often, but it tells me I'm going in the right direction."