ince construction started last October, we have all be waiting patiently to see what would finally emerge from that empty space at 747 Queen Street East. When the sign that read "Pic Nic" went up, the plot thickened, as passersby wondered what the future of the space might hold. The wait is over, as the wrapping has been removed from the alluring little space.

Going back to July, Ian Risdon and Nicola Fisher had decided they wanted to start their own little boite. It all came to fruition when they happened upon the location at Queen and Broadview.

Risdon - who graduated with a degree in food and beverage management, and previously a partner at Alice Fazooli's and currently owns another restaurant in The Beaches called Copper Pipe - is clearly a veteran in the restaurant business. When he decided that he wanted to create Pic Nic, he wanted it to be a venue that would stand out from the proverbial crowd.

In order to do this, he stocked his new resto-bar with wines on consignment – rather than what's available on local liquor store shelves – and cheese offerings, which would be equally important. Not just average, run-of-the-mill stuff, but varieties specifically handpicked from throughout Europe and Canada (Quebec has a particularly great selection).

The chef, Daniel Usher, was trained in Italy and his sous-chef is from France; both European cultures influenced Pic Nic's flavour-focused cuisine. "There will only be able five items on the fixed menu, while the rest will be daily specials with seasonal flair," explained Usher.