TORONTO — The clouds parted and the sun came out yesterday, June 17, just in time for the official launch of the new rooftop patio at Joey Don Mills, which opened in Toronto’s new urban shopping mecca, the Shops at Don Mills, this past fall.

Media and guests jived to music, while sipping drinks from the circular bar and sampling bits and bites of Ahi Tuna tacos, cheeseburger sliders, Panang prawn curry and Bombay butter chicken amidst lush booths, greenery and a simple open wood ceiling dotted with heat lights and chandeliers. “It’s hard to find outdoor chandeliers,” confessed Jeff Fuller, president of the Joey Restaurant Group, at the party, while explaining they were custom-made to fit the patio’s simple esthetic. “A lot of gray matter goes into the design. We try to make sure it’s not overbaked, that is has a simplicity to it,” he added.

TORONTO — Priszm Income Fund, the operator of the majority of the KFC, Taco Bell and Pizza Hut restaurants in Canada, is looking to focus on sales growth in 2010 while it pursues refinancing options, says a report in The Globe and Mail.

Thanks to lagging same-store sales, it has also agreed to upgrade 75 of its restaurants in this year, at a cost of up to $16.5 million, to try and drive more traffic back to the restaurants.

CANMORE, Alta. — This weekend, Friday, June 18, marks the launch of Metropolitan Hotels' Habitat Restaurant & Bar at the Grande Rockies Resort in Canmore, Alta.

The design of the new space, from the lauded Senses restaurant brand, will focus on natural tones inspired by the Canadian Rockies. “I have used finishes and millwork that will complement the mountains in full view for our guests,” Paul Waddell, the interior designer, explains. “Essentially the goal was to create a natural, understated setting that allows chef Leung's strong flavours and bold cuisine to take centre stage.”

TORONTO — It has often been said that there’s two seasons in the Great White North — winter, and patio season. Well, if you are a Toronto restaurateur, there’s clearly three, because summer always means new restaurant openings in Hogtown.

In the past week alone, three buzz-worthy restaurants have opened on the west side of town — Beast, Parts and Labour and Enoteca Sociale. Each concept is quite different, highlighting the diversity and depth of young, creative talent in the city.