Carly Schofield is Relishing Saint John with... Sam Mackay and Brad Irvine!

                              

Today I was lucky enough to once again sit down with some of Saint John's finest for some great food and interesting conversation. The scene at Relish Gourmet Burgers was pretty comparable to any other day. Hungry customers flooding into the restaurant in need of their Relish fix! I was also there for my fix, and to talk to Mr Sam Mackay and Mr Brad Irvine, owners of The Canterbury Lounge- Saint John's newest hotspot for those looking to unwind after a long days work.

Unlike most of the other people I have talked to in this blog, this was Brad Irvine's first time trying Relish. He hails from Toronto and is usually in the city about once a month. He said that there were actually many gourmet burger places within the GTA and the demand seems to be growing drastically. He also commented that he enjoyed Reggie's in the past and was looking forward to trying out the new restaurant in it's place. Sam, on the other hand has been to Relish numerous times and is currently working on trying a new item each time he comes in. Today, he chose L.A is my lady - this burger is topped with sliced avocado, roasted peppers, basil pesto and creamy goat's cheese. Sam is also a big fan of the turkey burger option and usually goes for that. For the newcomer, Brad tried The Jersey City. Although he seemed to have Jersey Shore on the brain while eating it, he was very impressed with the taste that this burger offered. The Jersey City is a favourite among many Saint Johners and is topped with fried field mushrooms, pickled peppers, pancetta bacon and provolone cheese. Both Brad and Sam chose sweet potato fries as their side and were very satisfied with the service at the counter. After the first bite, Brad described the burger as ``great``  I once again had the Ginger 5-0. If you are looking for something different, than this burger is for you. This week’s feature burger is topped with ginger pineapple, chutney, havarti and back bacon. Just a reminder this exclusive burger is only available until next week, so be sure to give it a try today!

As the owners of The Canterbury Lounge located at 47 Canterbury Street,  both Sam and Brad feel that the people of Saint John have been very welcoming to this unique bar. Although they have had many challenges, they are definitely overcoming them quickly and  on the high road to success.  The Canterbury Lounge is the perfect place to unwind after work and socialize with good friends. They are trying to target young professionals in search of a different night life than we are used to. They both agree, that the idea of getting together after work to socialize is difficult to sell to Saint John just because they aren’t used to it. That being said, these two men have been able to change a lot of the mentality of the city and business has been better than ever.  The interior design, relaxing atmosphere and diverse selection of drinks truly makes this bar one of a kind. Coming to the Canterbury is a great excuse to get dressed up and feel like your living in a life of luxury.

As The Canterbury Lounge continues to grow, there are many exciting events in store for the future. This Saturday, Sam and Brad invite you to check out their Valentines Day Giveaway, this fun-filled night will give customers a chance to win a dinner from Thandis or a gift courtesy of Moet Champagne and Ganong Chocolates. They also continuously look forward to Dj fire, a fusion event and even some speed dating coming up very soon. They also want to encourage everyone to come out on Thursday and Friday's at 4pm for post work drinks. This is a great way to start the weekend off early and find some new friends within the city. As always, Friday night Happy Hour is between 5pm-11pm. The drink specials are fantastic and a wonderful incentive to get out and have some fun during this cold winter season.

Sam and Brad currently own the heritage building that houses The Canterbury Lounge. They are asking Saint Johner's to keep their eyes peeled for a secret project they are working on that will hopefully be released later this year. When this dynamic duo is not hard at work with the bar, they can be found relaxing and living life to the fullest. Brad enjoys skiing or spending time at his cottage while Sam can usually be found playing for the Saint John Irish rugby team or secretly (or not so secretly) playing video games. These two hardworking men have brought a great gem to the city and we all look forward to what else they have in store. For more information about The Canterbury Lounge and all of the future events, make sure you check out their website at www.thecanterburylounge.com

Concluding our meal, I think it is safe to say that we all left feeling very satisfied. It is always such a great feeling when a first timer indulges in Relish and has nothing but a positive response. Relish Gourmet Burgers once again proved to be the greatest burger place in town and vows to never let you down when it comes to great food and service. If you’ve yet to try it, be sure to jump on the bandwagon as we are just waiting to Relish you!