Congratulations and appreciation to students Chris Willick (chef), Kristen LeRoy, Tom McCracken, Krissy Strauss, Ryan McCracken and their teacher Afshin Keyvani and assistant teacher Barb Beaulieu.

I was expecting the traditional long narrow tables, a head table against a background of blackboards, white paper table cloths and napkins, plain cutlery and dishes, glaring ceiling lights and the usual institutional food -- clean and wholesome but not interesting.

Instead we were welcomed to "The Pomegranate Restaurant," a regular classroom transformed!

Curtains drawn, dimmed lighting, walls hung with colourful spotlighted posters and artwork by students, tables for four, six and eight lit by tiny sparkling lights resembling candle-light, white linen table cloths, a bottle of chilled Perrier reclining in a basket, tiny rolls with pats of butter and expensive looking formal place settings which created an immediate feeling of exclusiveness and intimacy.

The meal and the service which followed were "par excellence" equal to any in the finest restaurant.

Our hostess (Kristen) attended to our every need and later introduced us to the chef, her teachers and co-workers and as we came to the end of our meal I was already making a mental list of all the friends I would invite to dine with me at The Pomegranate Restaurant next Wednesday evening. Unfortunately I found that it will be closed for the rest of this term, but it will be open again in October.

Peggy Fraser

Fort Erie