19 | O akville B eaver | T hursday,M arch 28,2019 insidehalton.com Custom made Kitchen and Bathroom Cabinetry | Closet Systems Entertainment Units | Basement Renovations | Full Renos and More! Create Your Dream Look ♦ 100% Canadian Made Cabinetry ♦Quality Craftsmanship ♦ 20+ Years Experience ♦ Visit our 6000 sqft Design Centre Units 2-3 333 Wyecroft Rd, Oakville T 905.844.3332 F 905.844.3334 www.aromakitchens.ca | info@aromakitchens.ca "FREE INSTALLATION" Offer applies to new purchases only on cabinetry over $5000 before taxes. Please visit showroom for further details. Some restrictions apply It's been a year since Ricarda's restaurant took over the spot of a dining establishment in down- town Oakville that had been in business for 15 years. There was a tough transition in the beginning, but Ricarda's chef Mitch Ferron says it didn't take long for customers to warm up to their offering. "Once people come in and taste our food, they see the kind of concept that we do ... fresh Medi- terranean. It's very hard not to fall in love with us after the first time," Ferron said. Ricarda's Oakville, one of the "chic" restaurant's two locations in the GTA - the other is located in downtown Toronto - serves dish- es that represent about 20 differ- ent countries throughout Eu- rope, the Mediterranean and North Africa. "I'd say mostly French and Spanish," Ferron said of the cui- sines that inspired their menu, adding that they get all their sea- food fresh and not frozen, as well as sustainably caught. Ferron is a 15-year restaurant veteran, who first started cook- ing with his grandmother. While he changes the restau- rant's menu four times a year to keep things fresh and follow what's in season, one mainstay dish is the salmon risotto due to its popularity. "It's got calamaretti in it, zuc- chini, sea asparagus and roasted tomato sauce with a piece of salmon on top," he told the Oak- ville Beaver. Also a hit among patrons is the char-grilled octopus. "We sous vide it for three hours at 90 C. And when it comes to serve it, we char the tentacles with paprika," he explained. In addition to lunch and din- ner, Ricarda's also serves brunch on the weekends Though Ferron lives in Hamil- ton, the chef says Oakville has a good and vibrant food scene. "There's a ton of great restau- rants in the downtown Oakville area. We all know each other. I don't think that there's a set rival- ry but we all like to have fun. And, you know, we all try to do the best we can for our restaurants," Fer- ron said. One of the highlights of his work, he says, is meeting and in- teracting with diners. "I've met so many amazing people here in Oakville. Every single person that I've met has an interesting story to tell, I love talking to the people and hearing what their story is," he said. Natasha Kikos, the restau- rant's acting manager, echoes the sentiment. "Our clients know what they like. We have educated custom- ers," Kikos said. " They know what good food is, good wine is - how it's supposed to be served. And they're not afraid to speak out if they don't get it." She said hearing feedback from customers - good or bad - makes her happy. "That's why we're in this busi- ness," Kikos said. NEWS RICARDA'S OAKVILLE SERVES UP FRESH MEDITERRANEAN FARE One of the dishes served at Ricarda's -- a chic Mediterranean restaurant in downtown Oakville. Nikki Wesley/Metroland BAMBANG SADEWO bsadewo@metroland.com LOCATION: 312 Lakeshore Rd. E. HOURS OF OPERATION: Tuesday - 11:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. Wednesday - 11:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. Thursday - 11:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. Friday - 11:30 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. Saturday - 11 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. Sunday - 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. CONTACT: 905-844-7401 or ricardas.com