Great food, service, ambiance, value. Important factors that take us to, or back to, a restaurant. You could add to the list – great story.

At times our dining needs are met at cookie cutter franchise eateries, but for that more singular experience, you can’t beat a resto with a good story.

Betula is one of those places.

The heart of Dundas is charming with its mix of shops, cafes and galleries. Venture a few blocks away and you will be charmed by Betula. Now in its second year, it continues to flourish, bustling with diners – and reservations are often advisable. The sleek, minimalist design of both the exterior and the light-filled interior has resulted in a space that defies categorization. It’s suitable for casual or even dressy casual, and - not a niche restaurant – it caters to a range of demographics. Diners can count on feeling welcome and comfortable for lunch, dinner, and Sunday brunch.

Being welcoming, even on the phone, fits with their story and stated philosophy “Good food builds good communities”. They often contribute to charitable fund-raising, and partner with the Hamilton Victory Gardens Project that uses volunteers to garden empty spaces, yielding harvests aimed at reducing food insecurity.

Owner / Chef Michael Stauffer showcases his talent and training from several decades of work in the company of other reputable chefs, including time in France at the Michelin-star restaurant Le Grand Vefour. Locally, he has had stints at Langdon Hall, Splendido and Rain, then Celli’s in Burlington, followed by a chapter running The Culinary Office catering.

Playfulness is reflected in the Betula chalkboard wall where Julia Child reminds us that “People who love to eat are always the best people.”

Here’s what we ate. The Dinner Menu offered Snacks which included veggie options and fries (what we all really want to start a meal, right?). Waistlines might wish we avoided the Snacks, but it’s nice to have something to nibble on while waiting for appetizers. One could be forgiven for taking a pass on “healthier” options in favour of the House Bread described as a “12 hour pan bread”. A slow overnight rise results in a bread that delivers a crumb both light and dense. The sprinkling of Parmesan over a beautiful crust is a nice touch, as is the 18 year old Balsamic dip.

Appetizers offered veggies and salads – including the popular Victory Garden Slaw. Often attracted to quirky dishes, I chose Daily Broth. I admit to being influenced by those who sing the praises of bone broth. This “13 month old mother broth” brings together the flavours of chicken, beef and pork and, similar to a sour dough starter, it is fed and replenished daily, always adding to the first broth that ever came out of the kitchen. Each day the kitchen fills a bowl with the seasonal veggies on hand. In this case, it was finely chopped red and yellow peppers and zucchini, bite-sized mushrooms, greens and bacon (smoked on site). The steaming broth is delivered in an adorable tea pot which quickly wilts the veggies. This Instastory-worthy idea is one I would love to try at home. My dining partner enjoyed Peaches and Cream Corn Fritters with good proportions of corn vs. batter, served with a lightly spiced peach relish.

Seasonal, local, farm-to-table – all the “on-trend” words can describe the menu which also features vegetarian (V) and vegan (VG) options.

Unfortunately, with the Main Plates option featuring Heritage Pork Schnitzel, we didn’t choose a “V” option. In the “Last Meal” game, schnitzel and bread would top my list. That meant taking a pass on their burger, chicken and pasta options. So, added to terrific bread, the Betula kitchen’s perfectly prepared “crunchy” Schnitzel was a hit, though deserving of a larger plate. Served with spätzle noodles, house sauerkraut, apples and pickled mustard seed, it also comes with a surprise. A thin slice of smoked pork belly is expertly slipped into a pocket in the pork cutlet, elevating the flavour.

The inclusion of schnitzel on the menu is, in part, a nod to the story of the restaurant location – previously the decades long home of The Schwaben Inn. It also honours Chef Michael’s Oma who was one of his inspirations. In a post-dining phone chat, he told how he dined at The Inn countless times with his Oma, never imagining what the future would hold. It’s noteworthy that the spätzle was perfect and lightly browned. Chef explained that not only does he use his Oma’s recipe, but also her special spätzle-making tool – still functioning when so many of the modern tools he has purchased have ended in the trash.

The second Main Plate that got my vote was the Rainbow Trout served with bok choy and red rice – some of which was toasted, offering a crunch element to this dish as well. The trout was perfectly cooked, moist and infused with flavour.

The dessert was shared. On offer was a chocolate terrine and lemon shortcake, but once again, intrigued by quirky foods, we chose the corn-infused panna cotta. If any course should be presented as “eye candy” it should be dessert. While all other courses were appetizingly plated, the panna cotta, with a plop of peach “chutney” was not. The more savoury than sweet dessert did not deliver on flavour with the corn largely indiscernible. Despite assurances to the contrary, the peach chutney looked (and tasted) like the spicy peach relish served with the corn fritters. Overall, a miss in an otherwise enjoyable meal.

Betula entices you to come back daily with various themes - check their Instagram for updates on that. They are also often open on holidays when other venues choose to close.

The Garden Room space is perfect for groups and events, and looks out onto Betula’s own kitchen garden which contributes to the menu. Ingredients also arrive from the Chef’s “gardener father”. Family support extends beyond Dad. These are real people trying to build and be part of a community. Further evidence of commitment to that goal is reflected in the sourcing of food products. There are few vendors on Dundas’ main street that do not contribute some element to the meal. Wine, spirits and beer also introduce you to local makers.

Betula is drawing diners from a wide geographic area, although Chef Michael who grew up in Dundas, but currently lives in Hamilton, is surprised when he learns that some of his neighbours have not yet heard of the restaurant.

Incidentally, Betula is the Latin word for “birch”, a tree for which Chef has an affinity. His wife, who has Indigenous heritage, took him on his first camping trip where he learned to start a campfire with birch bark. Birch trees are native to Ontario and held in high regard by Indigenous peoples. Forest regeneration begins with birch trees. Like Betula, they establish quickly and are nourished by a large root system. How lucky that Betula took root in Dundas.