THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT 
              Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: Friday, November 3, 1995               TAG: 9511020170
SECTION: VIRGINIA BEACH BEACON    PAGE: 22   EDITION: FINAL 
SOURCE: BY GARY EDWARDS, CORRESPONDENT 
                                             LENGTH: Medium:   64 lines

GROWING POPULARITY OF ALASKA BRINGS YUKON RESTAURANT HERE BOB FARRAND AND HIS PARTNERS HAVE OPENED THEIR NEW EATERY IN PROVIDENCE SQUARE.

Bob Farrand has worked in restaurant management ``since the day I stepped out of college.'' He has cooked, tasted, served and studied cuisine from around the world in those 22 years - French, Italian, Oriental, Mexican, the American Southwest. He managed restaurant franchises for large companies. After all that time, Farrand wanted to open his own place and he wanted it to be something different.

``I wanted to do a steak house,'' said Farrand. ``And I wanted it to have a cool climate theme.''

He hit upon the idea of Alaska, the ``Last Frontier.''

``Alaska is a very big travel destination right now,'' he said. ``Many people say an Alaskan cruise is the best vacation they've ever taken.''

And although he's never been there, he said the image of the state's clean, cool wilderness environment attracts visitors.

Farrand hopes his bit of Alaska in Kempsville, the Yukon Restaurant, will do the same.

The restaurant opened Oct. 19 in the Providence Square Shopping Center at the intersection of Providence and Kempsville roads. Farrand is president and director of operations of the restaurant. He and five partners founded the Yukon Restaurant concept and hope to expand someday.

Farrand and company decided upon a casual atmosphere for the 5,800-square-foot, 188-seat restaurant. Toward that end, they created a rough-hewn, rustic wooden interior with exposed beams, moose heads (``not a real moose, don't want anyone thinking we killed animals,'' he said), totem poles and other Alaskan artifacts on the walls. A floor-to-ceiling fireplace covers part of the east wall. Opposite the fireplace, an open-hearth grill sizzles with cuts of beef.

At a pre-opening night run-through, four men sat at a table adjacent to the fireplace and dug in. Paul Horn, Greg West, Jim Kerr and Tim Martin came down from the North, though not as far north as Alaska.

``We're here from the Flint, Mich., area for a conference at Founders Inn,'' said West.

``We saw the sign and thought we`d give it a try,'' said Horn, a platter of Canadian baby back ribs in front of him. ``You can cut these with a fork.''

People for whom red meat is anathema can eat chicken and seafood dishes. The restaurant offers a Cubs Grub menu for children, has full bar service and serves dinner from 4 p.m. until 11 p.m.

``We have contracted with a microbrewery to make our own beer,'' said Farrand. ``It's called Yukon Golden Lager.

``I always wanted an ownership opportunity and this partnership was my chance.''

The Hampton High School graduate and Chesapeake resident also wanted to get off the road and spend more time with his family. ``Of course, I haven't seen them that much since we started putting this place together,'' he said. ILLUSTRATION: Photo by GARY EDWARDS

``I wanted to do a steak house. And I wanted it to have a cool

climate theme,'' said Bob Farrand, president and director of

operations, of his new Yukon Restaurant.

by CNB