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New Yellowknife bakery is bringing in the dough

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1105business91 Michael Hugall/NNSL photo Owner of Ja-pain bakery Seiji Suzuki poses for a picture inside his new restaurant which opened on April 24. Suzuki wakes up at 4 a.m. every morning and bakes fresh buns each day, (May 9, 2018)

A Japanese-style bakery is bringing unique flavours to the city.

Ja-pain opened on April 24 and owner Seiji Suzuki said business has been steady so far.

“Some days we are so busy that we run out of bread,” said Suzuki. “The curry beef bun is our best seller.”

Suzuki won the City of Yellowknife's Win Your Space contest and received a free one-year lease at the Centre Square Mall.

Some of the items on display at the recently opened Ja-pain bakery.
Michael Hugall/NNSL photo

He also won $10,000 in start-up funds from BDIC and the city waived his business licensing fee.

Suzuki and some of his staff are in the kitchen as early as 4 a.m. preparing fresh products for the day, he said.

Their offerings include strawberry melon pain and the fromage bun – a Japanese style biscuit filled with melted cheddar cheese.

 

Smokehouse and pizza a worthwhile combo

Mark Henry, 39 and younger brother Paul Henry are the owners of Yellowknife's new restaurant, CopperHouse.
Michael Hugall/NNSL photo

What was an empty, rundown lot has turned into one of the city's hottest new restaurants.

It's all thanks to Mark and Paul Henry, owners of Copperhouse Eatery and Lounge, a fusion of traditional Italian pizza and smokehouse barbecue.

Mark hopes the establishment becomes a staple for the city.

The menu includes 11 different styles of pizza and five entrees. All their meat is smoked in-house, said Mark.

“We recognized from the beginning that Yellowknife's market is diverse,” said Mark. “We knew we were going to have people who wanted their meat and potatoes ... also realizing we're going to have the market who are sophisticated, well-travelled and want to be challenged.”

The crew is staying true to Indigenous culture by offering bison ribs and sausages as well as locally caught fish.

 

Nana knows best

It's been open for three-years but remains one of Yellowknife's best kept secrets.

Nana's Kitchen and Knits seem to be one of the only businesses you haven't heard about at 4910 53rd Street.

Owner Donna McLeod opened the business after retiring from the GNWT Department of Finance. A grandmother of four, McLeod has gone from filling out spreadsheets to filling stomachs.

The menu includes different daily specials including lasagna and meatloaf.

“Every day I have something new,” said McLeod. “However I always have paninis made to order and two desert counters, one savoury and one sweet.”

McLeod gives a lot of credit to her husband of 51 years for helping out at the restaurant.

Hours are 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.