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What's in Store: Chef cooking up new ideas

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A few weeks back now, you caught me drooling over the rustic setting of the revamped Backyard Vineyard on 232nd Street.

Well, if you’d seen me on a recent visit to one of Langley’s newest restaurants, you would have felt embarrassed for me as I salivated over all the wood and rustic details featured in Sean Bone’s 20-seat, 2,700-square-foot Osso Lunchroom.

As an example, the large table in the middle of the restaurant – which was designed to encourage communal eating – is made of old beams from a barn near 176th Street and Fraser Highway. The quantity and uses of reclaimed lumber throughout is inspiring. More drooling.

This little bistro is the brainchild of Bone and his  wife Jeri-Lyn.

Giving up a career in fence installation in 2000, Bone opted to pursue a career as a chef.

Armed with his Red Seal certification in 2003, Bone became immersed in the fine dining world and eventually landed a gig on a family yacht that wintered in Florida and toured the Pacific Northwest during the summers.

It was while working on the yacht that he met his wife, who was working as a private nurse. The long hours and travel were great for the young couple, until Jeri-Lyn gave birth to twins and the family decided to settle down in the Lower Mainland.

Bone continued – and still does today – to offer private chef services, including fine dining for home and cocktail parties.

It just so happens he was using a kitchen in Langley last year, when he spotted empty restaurant space tucked into a warehouse in the 6300 block of 204th Street.

It took 10 months to renovate – a majority of the work done by Bone, Jeri-Lyn, and their fathers – before they were able to open up this little restaurant for weekday breakfasts and lunches. Bone is also expecting to expand soon to offer Saturday brunches, as well as in-house private parties, and take-home meals.

“We’re trying to offer comfort with something that is a little different,” he said of the mix he’s created with the restaurant’s warm atmosphere and his slightly non-traditional fresh-food menu.

Osso

Golf up for grabs 

Just a friendly reminder that Acura of Langley shifted gears recently, and actually moved into Langley.

Acura’s parent company – Dilawri – wanted to relocate the local Acura operation closer to other high-end, luxury automotive dealerships setting up shop near the intersection of the Langley Bypass and Glover Road. 

That wish came true – kind of – with the move to much larger digs at the beginning of March. While they didn’t end up in the middle of luxury row, they’re closer – now located in the 20200 block of Langley Bypass.

The reason I’m bringing this up again is to tell you about Acura’s grand opening celebration this weekend, April 24 to 26.

In addition to free food and opening specials, guests have a chance to play a little golf and enter to win prizes – including a Whistler getaway. 

Bike shop moves

Now, let me tell you about another business that has relocated within the Langley border, and is just a stone’s throw away from the bistro and a little farther away – but not much – from the Acura dealership.

 It was an April Fools joke of sorts for the staff at Bicycle Sports Pacific.

The popular high-end bike shop, better known as BSP, was set to relocate and open its new Langley location on April 1. But, as things turned out, that opening had to be pushed back a bit.

Fortunately, the delay was very minor.

A few days later, the Langley team opened in its new, much larger location at the corner of 62nd Avenue and 204th Street – at the foot of the overpass.

BSP has other stores in Vancouver and North Vancouver, and was previously set up on Willowbrook Drive, before finding this location.

Don’t know if it was even a factor, but I find it interesting that there are now bike shops located on each end of the 204th Street overpass.



Roxanne Hooper

About the Author: Roxanne Hooper

I began in the news industry at age 15, but honestly, I knew I wanted to be a community journalist even before that.
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