Local restaurant owners tackle black-hole spaces with new concepts

It’s fall in Edmonton and a view of the shimmering gold of the river valley is much coveted. Chef Scott Downey hopes that spectacular vista, combined with a stellar kitchen, will lure diners in droves to his chic new eatery, The Butternut Tree.
But Downey, who has an impressive culinary pedigree and more than a little charm, is taking a big risk on The Butternut Tree. Located in Oliver, close to the Alberta legislature, the site has struggled to retain a restaurant and has a reputation as