The Owl Goes Up

We seem to be getting close to the opening of Chouette, the new French bistro at the corner of Gay and High Streets. The awnings have been attached, the outdoor seating has been reconfigured, and yesterday the sign went up, featuring an owl (Chouette is “little owl” in French) holding a wine glass.

An owl may seem like a curious choice for a restaurant mascot, but it’s actually encouraging for a meat-eater like me, because owls are exclusively carnivorous. They eat everything from moths and beetles to small birds, lemmings, rodents, and voles. I don’t expect any of those to be on the Chouette menu, of course, but I do expect to see non-vegetarian protein options that an owl could enjoy. Owls also gobble some of their prey whole, so we can expect Chouette to not be punctilious about table manners. And since owls are universally associated with wisdom and this owl is holding a wine glass, we can reasonably anticipate a knowledgeably curated wine list.

It will be great to have another restaurant on Gay Street.