New York Restaurant (Cafe)
The New York Café was opened 1930 by Lor Leip and his wife Agnes.
The restaurant, located in downtown Brockville, Ontario, had about 88 seats and 24 tables. The kitchen was (and is probably still) the largest kitchen for the size of restaurant between Montréal and Toronto — it not only had dish washing facilities, stoves, ovens and woks but also a full walk-in 12 x 12 foot refrigerator to store food. In the basement there were full laundry facilities, a repair shop, a walk-in freezer, furnace, walk-in refrigerators, 6 compressors serving all the cooling units and also storage areas for the non perishable foods.
When the New York Café opened, it was the only restaurant between Montréal and Toronto that had white linen on their tables. During the 1950’s and 60’s it employed between 45 – 50 full and part-time staff. When it opened, the menu was targeted to the tastes of the residents of Brockville and the surrounding area. It included items such as locally caught Sturgeon Steak, Grilled Perch, Poached East Coast Salmon,Bear Steak, Halibut Steak, Fresh Malpeque Oysters, Live Lobsters from Canada’s East Coast, Frogs Legs from Eastern Ontario, Roast Beef, Winnipeg Goldeye and locally grown fresh vegetables. In the early 1940’s Chinese food, such as Chicken Chop Suey, Sweet and Sour Spareribs, Chow Mein Buns and Egg Rolls, were introduced. These items became a big hit with the local diners. During World War II, the New York Café became the only restaurant in Brockville that officers in training at the training facilities in Brockville were allowed to visit.
In the late 1950’s Lor Leip, passed away and the restaurant was taken over by his wife Agnes. At that time, Agnes formed a new company called the New York Restaurant with her son, Joe Lor, as the Vice President and daughter, Valerie Mah, as the Secretary Treasurer. During this period, changes were made to the signage for the restaurant as well as its layout. A new Dragon Room was added which meant that the restaurant now had the capacity to seat 121 patrons. Changes in the liquor laws also meant that beer, wine, cocktails and liquor were now available for customers.
Throughout the 1950s, customers continued to visit the restaurant from locations all across Eastern Ontario and Northern New York State. Line-ups to enter the restaurant on weekends and holidays were predicatble. Notable persons who have eaten at the New York Restaurant include US Vice President Walter Mondale, Mayor Robert Saunders from Toronto Wrestler Whipper Billy Watson, Author Pierre Burton and hokcely players Bobby Hull and Wayne Gretsky.
