He cooks, he almost scores!

>> Hockey player Shayne Corson moonlights as celebrity restaurant owner

by SPANKY HOROWITZ

If you want to buy your favourite Montreal Canadien a consolation drink for not getting into the playoffs (although with their salaries, they should be buying the drinks), head on over to Shayne's 27.

This Bishop street sports bar and restaurant is owned by Shayne Corson and the famous left-winger often hangs out there with his hockey-playing pals, some of whom seem happy to have a drink and a chat with their adoring fans. Right-winger Arron Asham is a regular and Corson himself was chatting up a group of my friends last week. Here's how the conversation went:

My buddies: Shayne! Hey SHAYNE!! Shayne Corson: Hey! My buddies: HEY! Shayne: How you doin'? Buddies: Great! You gonna kick Buffalo's ass tomorrow night? Shayne: Damn right! Buddies: Damn right!

The ground floor of Shayne's is an NHL memorabilia-filled sports bar with a pub-style menu, while upstairs there is a tasteful restaurant that features higher-end Italian dining. The menu at the sports bar is chock-full-o' regular pub fare, with some interesting twists and turns. For example, as an alternative to bland iceberg lettuce for their salads, Shayne's 27 employs a beautiful mix of mesclun baby greens that wouldn't be expected in a pub atmosphere.

In true celebrity menu tradition, the burger section features the Shayner ($7), a juicy beef patty with bacon, cheddar, lettuce, tomato and red onion and the Hat Trick ($7), with gorgonzola, mascarpone and provolone, topped with grilled portobello mushrooms.

For the light eaters there's the vegetarian sandwich ($8), with grilled portobello mushrooms, zucchini and red bell peppers, or the grilled salmon sandwich ($8), with thin slices of succulent grilled salmon, baby greens, capers and red onions, lightly coated with olive oil and lemon juice and served on a seasoned foccacia--best pub sandwich I've seen all year.

When I returned later in the week to dine at Shayne's restaurant on the second floor, my date and I were the only patrons seated upstairs, providing a romantic hideaway from the raucous crowd watching the game downstairs.

An appetizer of fried zucchini sticks ($5) was brought to us piping hot, fresh out of the deep-fryer. Two steps forward for flavour, but one step back for the waxpaper-lined basket they were brought in, reminding us of the pub downstairs.

A main course (duo pasta, $13) of cannelloni in rosé sauce with risotto primavera was curiously served together in a bowl rather than on a plate. The cannelloni was a tad dry and the risotto lacked the mixed vegetables promised in the menu, with only diced zucchini and a few pieces of red bell pepper.

The chicken with asparagus ($15) was artfully presented, with several spears of asparagus balancing vicariously on top of a large roasted, boneless chicken breast. The meat was well cooked but the asparagus was slightly stringy (a sign of overcooking), while the white sauce covering it was undercooked, tasting of flour.

Shayne's 27 is truly a first-rate sports bar with above-the-bar pub food and good drink specials, but the restaurant upstairs is far from perfect. In other words, I'd definitely take in the NHL playoffs in the pub, but I'd think twice about spending some serious dough upstairs until they've got their act together.

Comments?. . . foodspanky@hotmail.com

Shayne's 27 Sports Bar and Fine Dining

Address: 1424 Bishop

Phone: 845-0783

Hours: 11am-3am downstairs, upstairs by reservation

Best features: good pub food

Alcohol: Yes

Vegetarian-friendly: yes

Wheelchair access: no

Credit cards: Yes

Price: downstairs $7-$15, upstairs $13-$35 Rating: downstairs HHH out of HHHH

Rating: * out of ****