After a lengthy delay, a new casual restaurant is gearing up to open its doors in Vancouver's Mount Pleasant.
The Pleasant, at 2434 Main St, was in the early stages of its build when, on Oct. 22, 2020, a devastating fire tore through numerous businesses on the block.
While The Pleasant remained standing - unlike neighbours like Frenchie's Diner among others - its "building sustained a lot of water damage throughout," and the roof needed to be replaced, the restaurant operator shared in the aftermath of the blaze.
The team behind the fun-focused concept, which occupies the former Guys & Dolls billiards hall, persevered and is now almost ready to welcome guests.
The Pleasant is described by operators as a "counter-service eatery" that "will offer casual Asian and Canadian comfort foods to pair with a large selection of local craft beers," according to a hiring listing. The venue will boast a "fun, spacious, attractive and relaxed main dining room" and "a private room for up to 50 guests."
The spirit of Guys & Dolls will live on; The Pleasant will have a pool table for customers in its main dining area.
An exact opening day hasn't been set (The Pleasant leaves it as "opening soon,") and the Instagram account for the venture @thepleasantyvr has long been home only to just two posts from October 2020 about the fire.
The Pleasant is among a few operations in the final stages before launching in the neighbourhood; the former Wallflower Diner is turning into a second concept for East Van's Wild Thing wine and snack bar, while across the street at 2415 Main, the basketball-themed Courtside is nearing completion.
