SLÀINTE BY THE PIER
Quality Food and Entertainment and Fabulous Pacific Sunsets

CHARM and hospitality beckon at Slàinte By the Pier - In the words of owner Jack Sixsmith: "I said to my father-in-law that if this shop ever became available, it would just be the best location ever. As luck would have it, it became available this year and we opened Slàinte on June 25."

JACK SIXSMITH (R) managing owner of Slàinte By the Pier with chef Corey Fraser (L). Jack is from Athy, County Kildare.

By CATHOLINE BUTLER

White Rock, British Columbia is located minutes from the Canada/U.S. border, just off Highway 99 with easy accessibility to Vancouver, the Tsawwassen ferries and Vancouver International Airport.

White Rock is noted for its miles and miles of sandy beaches. It is named after the large white rock located on its west beach which weighs in at 486 tons and is a glacial deposit from the Coastal range.

It is also famous for its fabulous food, particularly fresh seafood. Now, a welcome new gathering spot for the Irish has recently opened with Slàinte By the Pier, owned and operated by Jack Sixsmith who is originally from Athy, County Kildare, Ireland

Slàinte is an Irish word, meaning cheers and good health, and this cosy contemporary Irish restaurant and bar offers seating for 100. It has a lovely patio area outside with a canopy and heating for the winter months. There is also a mezzanine area at the back of the restaurant with a straight line view of the water.

Actually every seat in Slàinte has a great view of the water, whether downstairs or on the mezzanine. The mezzanine area has a seating capacity for 25 people and is available for private parties.

Recently I took a leisurely drive out to White Rock to visit the new restaurant and speak to Jack about his hospitality background and how he came to White Rock.

"I have an extensive background in the hospitality business," said Jack. "I worked in several countries in Europe and when the tidal wave of Irish pubs started in the early Nineties, I basically rode that wave through Germany, France, Holland and Australia, managing pubs for a lot of people, and then I got into opening pubs. Altogether, I worked in about 20 different Irish pubs and restaurants."

He explained that Slàinte is an amalgamation of the best parts of all of those establishments.

Jack met his Canadian-born wife Laine Henderson in Dublin when she was singing with her band. She also toured the United States for a year as a singer with Riverdance. She now sings every weekend at Slàinte By the Pier.

Jack and Laine have two children, two-and-a-half year old daughter Kyra and four-and-a-half year old son Elliot.

"When we first came to Canada," said Jack, "my first job in British Columbia was manager of the fine dining restaurant at the River Rock Casino in Richmond. I was very lucky to get the job and it was a fantastic opportunity. I worked there for about a year and a half.

"I had an opportunity to attend a wine and cheese tasting party at this location before it became Slàinte and I was just blown away by this location in White Rock. "I said to my father-in-law that if this shop ever became available, it would just be the best location ever. As luck would have it, it became available this year and we opened Slàinte on June 25."

Since it was lunchtime when I visited Slàinte By the Pier, I ordered the halibut and chips. The halibut was so light, fresh and tender that it practically melted in my mouth. It was absolutely delicious.

I asked Jack about the fresh seafood and other items on the menu and he said, "Our menu is a mixture of west coast food and Irish fare. We source almost all of our produce locally and we use organic produce whenever possible.

"Regarding our seafood, we use only fresh fish for our fish and chips. We will bring in a 35 or 45-pound halibut and filet it ourselves, so it's completely fresh.

"We take great pride in our food and our motto is to offer great food at reasonable prices. The fact that it's organic and natural only increases the taste of the food.

"Also, because we use local produce, it gives us an opportunity to change our menu every few months to reflect that seasonality. We're working on our fall menu now.

"We have a daily soup and sandwich special from 11 AM to 4 PM and offer a 10 percent senior discount. Our chef makes fantastic soups and we expect them to be very popular now with the colder weather.

"Our Irish menu consists of shepherd's pie, bangers and mash, mixed grill and Irish stew. We also have a full Irish bar with Guinness and Smithwicks and a selection of local micro brewery beers on draft."

With quality of food and excellent live entertainment, Slàinte By the Pier is ideal for Christmas parties, birthdays or anniversaries. Special menus are available for each occasion.

Located right on the seafront, guests can enjoy a fantastic view of the sunset right outside the front door at Slàinte By the Pier. Also, there is a lot more parking in the winter months as compared to the summertime which is traditionally the busiest time in White Rock.

Slàinte By the Pier is located at 15057 Marine Drive, White Rock, B.C. Call (778) 294-0066 or visit their website at: www.slaintebythepier.ca.

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