Winnipeg Restos Winter 2014-15

Winnipeg in the winter - all you can do is stay warm and eat good food, right?  Diet starts in the spring....  Here are some of my favorite places in Winnipeg right now, including three at the bottom with lots of potential.  I've also added one place that disappointed...

I'm lucky that my job allows me to work from the 'Peg from time to time, in a heritage building in the Exchange District. 

 My work lunch fav, and what I consider one of the hidden gems in Winnipeg, is Taste of Sri Lanka in the food court in Winnipeg Square - the perfect place to go for lunch in this underground maze of shops and restaurants under the famously cold and windy Portage and Main.

Sri Lankan cuisine is amazingly complex - the flavours are so unique.  Make sure you order the Kotthu Roti - a mixture of different curries, heated up on the griddle with a rotti chopped and mixed in, scramble an egg to tie it all together and VOILA!  Don't forget to get the spicy tamarind sauce.  This order will feed you for 2 or three meals - spectacular.

My other favorite lunch spot that I always try to drop in on when I'm in the city - the teeny White Star Diner, again in the Exchange District.

The owner, Bruce, lovingly produces classic burgers and sandwiches that will make your eyes roll back in your head.. my favs are the Double Oink (pulled pork and bacon with awesome coleslaw) and the Reuben (comes with Thousand Island dressing - is that a Winnipeg thing?  Love that I don't have to ask for it....).  The burgers and fries are delish as well.

Haven't had the guts to wash it all down with one of their milkshakes.  Sound like a meal in itself.

The Crusty Bun is another hidden gem - this time in St. Vital.   To begin with, it is an amazing European bakery - breads, pastries, the most amazing Christmas stollen, and of course, the crusty buns (my favorites are studded with pumpkin seeds and drizzled with cheese - they are truly crusty with a soft chewy interior).  In addition, they serve simple European-style lunch (read - small but perfect portions) of soup and sandwiches - it is always full which speaks to the quality (and not to mention the tastiness of the dessert you know you have to have).  Don't forget to take a number when you come in the door!  

Parlour - having spent a lot of time in Montreal going to Third Wave coffee shops, Parlour's coffee quality makes me smile.  Yes it's trendy, minimalist, and full of lumbersexuals, but it's quaint and heartfelt.  Love the location on Main Street in the Exchange District... gives you a feel for this historic city centre - worth the sprint out of the rabbit warren.

Now for three restaurants I tried for the first time.

Vera Pizzeria E Bevande is a recently opened pizza joint on South Osborne - remember Woo's Cafe?  The space is cozy and warmed by the open kitchen and (natch!) pizza oven. 

Small and simple menu...

The salad was tasty although a little droopy with all of that dressing...

The Napoli style pizzas were delish - high quality toppings (fior de latte, homemade sausage, etc.), not overloaded, chewy crust - pizza reinvented!  And anyone who tops off a pizza with Maldon salt gets my vote.  Simple but nice wine list.  Looking forward to trying everything on the menu.

Boon Burger - Who would have thought that a prairie town could support a vegan burger chain?  Love their cruelty free and enviro groovy vibe. And did I mention the vegan burgers?  "Boon" means bean, but also a blessing or something to be thankful for in Afrikaans.  And I am thankful to be eating this healthily but also get some real flavour - you choose from the mushroom based Boon patty, the spicy chickpea Buddha patty, the tofu filled White patty, or the beany Black Bean patty.  Then the hard part - so many toppings and condiments... including cheez and smokey bacun!  I'm excited to try more of their combos on my next visit.

Had the opportunity to go to the recently opened Canadian Museum for Human Rights - I've watched it grow over the years.  It was packed, and overwhelming, once you realize that we will probably always have human rights issues to deal with...

The museum restaurant, Era Bistro, has a cozy vibe and an interesting menu, including lots of small plates and local treats (pickerel cheeks, arctic char, bannock, etc.).  We only had time for a freshly baked apple tart and coffee.

One miss this past trip - had heard the buzz about The Tallest Poppy in its new home on Sherbrook, nestled in the front of the Sherbrook Inn.

Funky decor in a cold and dark space - we froze in the front window (okay, it was -20C!), and the long line of hipsters holding the inner doors open didn't help.  Thinking back, neither did the icy, slightly flippant service.

Matzo ball and cabbage soup, pickerel po'boy (not a lot of fish)... in general the food was alright, but we were underwhelmed overall.  This doesn't seem to affect their draw - the place was hopping!

Looking forward to my next trip this spring - to be continued....

Is spring on its way?!?! A visit to Café Sfouf & la Maison du rôti

Is it spring or have we passed on to winter already?!?   Off to Montreal for brunch - can't believe it is mid-March and the snow continues to fall....

We find a little ray of sunshine in an otherwise dreary, cold, damp, slushy day... Cafe Sfouf at 1250 Ontario Est.  Super cozy, family and student friendly - our charming hostess seemed to know everyone.  A great place to spend the morning or afternoon tucked in away from the cold.  They have partnered with vendors at the nearby Marché St. Jacques - can only imagine the flavours to come this summer!  It must be coming...

Although the regular menu of tartines and soups looked good, we had to go with the lebanese breakfast.  

Ridiculously thick labneh dusted with zaatar (an herb mix including sesame seeds, oregano, sumac, and mint) with a big glug of olive oil, garlicky olive oil laced chick peas, cukes, tomatoes, radishes and olives, a spinach, sumac and onion stuffed bread, with freshly toasted pita.  Dessert was meghle, a lebanese spiced rice pudding with strong cinnamon flavour, topped with coconut, almonds, and pistachios.  Top that off with an amazing turkish or allongé coffee and the signature "sfouf" - a golden tumeric semolina cake topped with a pine nut, served with each hot beverage.

Before leaving town, we had to make a stop at La Maison du Rôti, 1969 avenue Mont-Royal Est.  This gourmand destination is a must-visit on any trip to Montreal, but make sure you have a cooler if it isn't a frigid late winter day!  It will get warm, one day, right?

 The store is full of beautifully cut and displayed meats, poultry, and cheeses, as well as gourmet foods from a myriad of cultures.  They also provide hot prepared foods as well as fresh and frozen meals that would wow any foodie.  There is usually a vendor providing samples - today was no exception - we sampled Feelo, a delightfully complex, chartreuse-colored olive oil from Greece.  A taste of summer, fruity with a bitter edge - dreams of summer tomatoes sprinkled with this and sea salt...

 We came specifically to pick up their beautifully prepared duck confit - at $29.95/kg, an amazing deal.

 We picked up their homemade heavenly paté and terrine, some salty gorgonzola, and two small quiches - the Forestière with wild mushrooms and artichokes, and the Poireaux et escargots - leeks and snails.

It is probably a good thing that we do not live in Montréal...

Hoping that Café Sfouf will have an Urbanspoon presence soon!

 

Benny's... it's been too long...

D & I decided we should go for brunch at Benny's Bistro.... it has been awhile.  Benny's has a special place in our hearts.

  We've been going for years, even had one of our first Valentine's dinners there (back when they served in the evenings).  Hey, we've even met the original Benny (have YOU?)!

I love going to Benny's because it always feels like a little hide-away, a secret spot that only the inner Ottawa circle knows about, tucked in behind the French Baker.  

As we entered the cozy, bustling space, it made me smile to see a mother with her new born baby and cooing friends/relatives, a shy young couple with his (or her?) nervous parents, a loud table of older, probably long time friends, several young couples with big goofy grins....  a real cross section of life, everyone in the moment - eyes rolling back after a particularly delicious mouthful, smiles and laughter - enjoying a fine meal with special people. 

Scott Adam's menu is always amazing.  As you read each item, it's hard not to start to salivate, and choosing is always tricky.  

D and I threw out our usual "never order the same thing" rule that morning due to this lovely creation that we had yet to try: Confit albacore tuna...

The tuna (which we later found out was from a sustainable fishery - phew!) was brined and gently poached. The perfectly seasoned, soft & smooth texture of the fish mixed beautifully with the poached egg, spicy, crispy chorizo balls, the smoked tomato water and saffron aioli... and then there was the surprise of the crunchy fennel/radish salad at the bottom of the bowl!  I had to ask for a spoon to savour the last drops of these complex flavours.

The wine list is small, but beautifully selected and very reasonable by Ottawa standards (no glass over $13!).  And who doesn't want to start brunch with a mimosa or a Kir royale!

I'd also like to mention our favourite waitress, Jessica, who seems to always be there when we go, and even though we only come in a few times a year, greets us like we are old friends.  Some how she always seems to have our favorite table available for us - she's that good!  Her attentive service, pleasant conversation, and obvious passion for her job completes the entire dining experience.

Girls Night Out - Bistro CoqLicorne & Cacao 70

A chilly early winter night - getting together with a girlfriend for a delish meal and gab session - where to go?  

We decided to try Bistro CoqLicorne - had heard good things but every time I tried to get a reservation, they were full up.  On three separate occasions, calling for a reservation, even before I could ask if they had a spot - "sorry, no availability tonight."  To the point that I thought, perhaps if I requested a spot en français?  It became the elusive reservation - like the mythical rooster/unicorn immortalized in the name of this cozy little resto.  

We were able to squeak in, and I was pleasantly surprised by the warm welcome and lovely service. As it turns out, they tend to take reservations on only a small number of tables, to ensure that local drop ins always have a spot!  Good to know.....

Perfect girls night out - funky cocktails and tapas/small plates:

Les 3 Amigos - yummy pork tacos, and Le Vilain Petit Canard - duck carpaccio with popcorn, arugula, apple, and salted caramel....  oooooohh........

L'amuse-gueule de dragons - a bright salad of smoked trout, cream cheese, arugula, and lemon.

La Peché originel - the original sin (!) - crispy crostinis with apples, spiced butter, caramelized onions and melted cheddar cheese....

 Here`s the menu - mains were all under $20, nice and ridiculously reasonable wine list - I`ll be back!

Thinking that we`d actually not eaten THAT much - we scanned the dessert menu but unfortunately, chocolate-less.... time to move on!  We headed into the Byward Market to Cacao 70 - a Montreal chain restaurant that specializes in all things chocolate (with a savoury menu as well).  We shared the dark chocolate fondue for two - very generous and decadent.

Here are a crepe and waffle plate from a previous visit:

 

Definitely recommend both spots - with or without a bestie!

Irrrrashaimaseeee!!!!!!! Welcome to Imadake!

Izakayas - those amazing restaurant-bar-communal dining/drinking establishments that only the Japanese could have invented.  My favorite type of establishment to eat and drink with friends when I lived in Japan... hard to recreate anywhere else.

Imadake ("only for now"), 4006 St-Catherine Ouest in Montreal, does a pretty good job of recreating that vibe.  Welcomed by a deafening "Irrashaimase!!" (or "Greetings, welcome to our humble establishment and let us provide our services to you!!" (basically...)), the young and efficient staff get you seated in this cosy but lively, "nigiyaka" restaurant.

An izakaya is a bit like a tapas bar in a drunken party atmosphere.  Lots of small plates to choose from - a varied menu that gives you a taste of all sorts of different types of Japanese bar food from okonomiyaki, yakitori and gyoza, to their amazingly succulent grilled black cod (a must!), to fresh and tasty salads and belly filling bowls of ramen.  The traditional seating arrangement is at long communal tables that give you the opportunity to get to know your neighbours and share all the tasty treats that keep coming...  In Japan you would slip off your shoes to climb over people you didn't know to squeeze next to the rowdy drunks around the table...

And of course the drinks!  Beers! Cocktails! Sake! Wine!  You can't go to Imadake without having a Sake Bomb!  Trust me, your whole table has to order this drink.... 

"IF I SAY "SAKE" YOU SAY "BOMB"!

"SAKE!!" "BOMB!!"

"SAKE!!!" "BOMB!!!"

Head north to Wakefield for a real treat - Maison du Village - The Village House!

Lovely Wakefield, QC on a chilly fall day....  perfect opportunity to check out the highly rated "Maison du Village/The Village House" located at 759 Riverside.  Cozy interior - loved having such a great view of the kitchen and our chef at work.

 

Our friendly hostess/server walked us through the menu - we decided to focus on the yummy sounding small plates.  Excuse the terrible photos - but just imagine this....  honey roasted beets with candied hazelnuts, micro greens and Montebello Rebellion blue cheese, lamb poutine (with clever "fries" made of slices of rosti and an incredibly rich jus), confit pig cheeks (!) served on an aged cheddar and parsley gnocchi with braised cabbage...  all in all very generous serving sizes for reasonable prices.  Small but acceptable list of wines by the glass - a perfect light meal.  Which allowed us to have a guilt free dessert - an apple walnut tart served with candied lardon and a smooth, not too sweet caramel ice cream...

 We were very impressed with the amazing food - perhaps the best small plates I've had in the Ottawa/Gatineau region.  Highly recommended as a destination meal - perhaps before a show at the Black Sheep Inn?