Cava’s owners to open Chabrol, a French restaurant in Yorkville

The owners of long-standing Spanish spot Cava, Niall McCotter and chef Doug Penfold, are taking on French cuisine with their newest project. The menu at Chabrol—named for the last bit of soup to which a splash of wine is added, then slurped—will focus on dishes from the south of France, with a wine list to match. It’s scheduled to open in mid-November in the space previously home to Le Trou Normand (Toronto’s oldest French restaurant that once employed a young Susur Lee). “It’s really a labour of love for Doug,” says McCotter. “Much of his inspiration for Chabrol came from his mentor, chef Claude Bouillet, who passed late last year. It certainly means a lot to him on a personal level and I’m honoured to be a part of it.” The tiny restaurant, tucked down an alley between clothing boutiques, will double its size in the summer thanks to a quaint courtyard patio. “It’s very small, but we’re very ambitious,” says McCotter. “Doug will be cooking right in the corner so we really have nowhere to hide.”

Chabrol, 90 Yorkville Ave.