Maple Leaf Diner (Photo by Kathy Tran)
Dads’ special day is right around the corner and neighborhood spots are ready to serve them.
Maple Leaf Diner owner Mike Delaurier, who is a dad of four, shared some of his Father’s Day reflections and what others can look forward to on the holiday.
Of his four children, Delaurier says his 13-year-old daughter was really bitten by the cooking bug and enjoys baking and cooking dinners for the family.
“She’s fallen in my footsteps,” he says. “It’s kind of nice to have somebody else go ahead and cook, plus it’s nice to hang out and have them cook for me rather than me cook for them. She’s the one that cooks the most though, probably out of [her siblings], and she helps me at the restaurant.”
It was Delaurier’s grandparents who were in the restaurant business in Canada who exposed him to the industry. When he came to Dallas, he wanted to bring his Canadian heritage to the diner scene.
The restaurant has gotten busier, and with that, Delaurier reflects on the time he could spend with family as a father.
“One of my reflections is balance this year as I’m trying to spend more time with my kids because in growing the Maple Leaf Diner and working hard to make sure that I can get the business to where I want to be, working 80-100 hour weeks I’ve gone through lots of times where I haven’t felt I’ve spent enough time with my kids.”
Some of the highlighted items dads can choose from include the Canadian butter tart, Canadian beers and maple whiskey sour, and homestyle brunch and other items. One of the tips he offers to diners looking to celebrate their dads with a meal at the Canadian restaurant is to get there early or get on the waitlist.
Maple Leaf Diner is located at 12817 Preston Road.
