A shudder from James Neil in the inbox:

It was only three years ago since I had moved to the wonderful neighbourhood of the trendy Yaletown. Quite often when you responded to the question “So, where do you live?” and your response was Yaletown you would consistently get the reaction of “Oh wow, what a great area.” In such a short time that answer has changed, dramatically changed. It now gets the response of “Oh, you are one of those.” I am not really sure what that even means but I think we can all figure it out on our own or at the very least come really close with a good guess. This alone inspired the concept behind the new restaurant “fiasco”.

Our vision is quite simple…….swank and swagger done with style.

In order to achieve this we have partnered up with the stylish Goorin Bros. as our staff will be modelling the sleek head pieces throughout the restaurant. Our style won’t end there. With Haute Flooring & Renovation behind the scenes we have created a décor that highlights our brick and beam interior. It is a clean, crisp, and simple room that brings a great vibe to the forefront with live entertainment.

With a casual Italian focus on our food we are presenting a menu that is simplified. A wide selection of appetizers and some great seasonal creations are all being executed by Peter Abrahams. Sarah John, an import from Australia, is our main girl for the bar. With a liking for the classics in cocktail making she will be adding her own twist to some great Italian classics. As for our wine menu, we will proudly be pouring Champagne by the glass as well as different selections of Prosecco and other great sparkling wines of the world. With over 60 different wines from around the world and we boast a menu of over 18 wines by the glass.

This is the old Amarcord location at 1168 Hamilton St. that he’s picked up in the heart of Yaletown (the quiet Italian shuttered in the summer). Make what you will of the press release. It’ll be a shame if the name – Fiasco – proves perfect. Grand opening is Friday.