BOXING CLEVER AT BRASSERIE!
- Shore Terrace Restaurant sees potential in events
When visiting Dundee and the V&A – perhaps you are going to see the exhibition there featuring Wester Hailes – then here is a suggestion of a place to eat. Situated at Shore Terrace – just a stone’s throw from the epicentre of Dundee’s burgeoning new development sector – an “haute cuisine” restaurant and bar by night is bidding to become the city’s latest event space by day.
Brasserie Ecosse, which occupies a 7,000 sq ft size space behind the Caird Hall, is about to re-open this Saturday 18th June, offering its customers a luxurious dining experience which showcases the finest Scottish produce. Dining in the restaurant’s eye catching interior, which has famous “egg chairs”, a champagne tasting wall, metal effect curtains, and a wall of live moss & succulents, is as much a part of the overall experience as the food, and it’s with this in mind that General Manager, Nikos Matsikas, see scope for a range of future events.
“We’re very excited to reopen Brasserie Ecosse, and look forward to welcoming new and returning customers,” said Nikos. “We have held events in this amazing space before – we’ve hosted Champagne Tastings, held an event for luxury brand Rolex, and catered for a few small wedding receptions.”
“This whole area is about to explode for events and visitor attractions, with the new Gaming Centre about to open, together with the Eden Project, just three minutes away, plus the Earl Grey Building, just across from the V&A. We are very much in the right place to capitalise!” added Nikos.”
Nikos went on to say that, just the other week, when Brasserie Ecosse was still closed, he had been asked to host the Food & Drink Beverage Training for the newly renovated Rusacks Hotel St Andrews team, who are getting ready to re-open.
“As their venue has not yet opened, they were able to come here and use our bar and kitchen for training,” said Nikos. “It all went very well indeed, with us turning our champagne wall into a full conference centre, with printers, AV equipment and stationery.”
Keen to support other local businesses over the course of the three day training event, Brasserie Ecosse provided gelato from Jannetta’s Ice Cream, who have a shop in Crichton Street, during breaks in the conference. Dundee based Mezzaluna, a new mobile events specialist, provided rustic Italian sandwiches. Nikos is particularly keen to foster a business relationship with Mezzaluna for future events, which he sees as a lucrative opportunity by day, with the restaurant serving diners by night.
Commenting on the event, Rusacks Executive Chef Derek Johnstone said: “Brasserie Ecosse is a fantastic venue for hospitality training events of the type we held, with Nikos and his team most attentive hosts. They went the extra mile to ensure we had absolutely everything we needed, so we could crack on and deliver effective training to our staff.”
“On a more quirky note, we’ve had an idea for a boxing event,” said Nikos. “We’ve enough space to put up a small boxing ring, and could perhaps have a boxing event between front and back of of house, with a final round featuring a food critic! I think everyone would enjoy that!”
Nikos also has his eye on staging a fashion show, perhaps with a charity connection.
“Dundee is the most creative City, with the University, Duncan of Jordanstone, and numerous other Colleges and Educational Establishments. We’d love it if local students got in touch!”
“It’s essential that the hospitality sector demonstrates flexibility and resilience as it attempts to bounce back after the Covid19 pandemic,” finished Nikos. “We feel that targeting events is giving us the best possible chance. We’ve retained all our staff throughout the pandemic, will still be operating our training academy, and have a brand new website about to launch.”
“This building in which we operate is full of history, a fact we reference in the photographs of old Dundee that we have on show as part of the decor. We’re certainly ready to add to Brasserie Ecosse’s story.”
A video showing Brasserie Ecosse and its potential for events, can be viewed below
Founding Editor of The Edinburgh Reporter.
Edinburgh-born multimedia journalist and iPhoneographer.
