625 Portage Avenue
(204) 415-7666
Pop Soda’s owners used to run Tomato Pie Company, my very favourite Italian restaurant in Winnipeg. Though the coffee house is definitely a more casual environment, the Italian is still spectacular! I just took my mom here for Mother’s Day, and you must go have their Pasta al forno with rosé sauce. Delish!
I’ve also been following this gal for a while! Posts frequently, lots of photos, mostly local restaurants.
Rare beef and shrimp pho
I had been wanting soup, and the last time I had some here I had the seafood rice noodle soup. I wanted to try out the pho and see if I liked it just as much. The brother here is great. Not too oily, although the picture may say otherwise. I didn’t get the gross “ughhh, oil in my arteries” kinda tummy ache after that I get from some places, so I was really happy :)
So, I’ve kind of sucked on the posting front lately. It was hard to find the motivation to review Winnipeg restaurants not having eaten at a Winnipeg restaurant for a year. But, look! Here’s a guy that’s just started. And he’s a writer! Gotta be good, right? ;)
A popular local café in Winnipeg’s trendy Osborne district, Stella’s has grown to be known city wide with seven locations and some of the best baking in town. All of their restaurants on Urbanspoon have received positive reviews and they have just recently opened their newest location inside the Winnipeg James Armstrong Richardson International Airport.
- Location: Stella’s Café - 1895 Grant Ave, Winnipeg, MB
- Hours: 8am-10pm, Mon-Sun
- Price Range: $10-15 per Entrée
- Website: stellas.ca
1750 Sargent Avenue Winnipeg, MB R3H 0C7
(204) 788-2015
Four friends and I visited Chop for the Dine About menu, and we all loved it! Well-prepared, exemplary casual service, and fantastic value. We sampled five different entrees: prime rib, top sirloin, haddock, beef ribs, and pork chop. All were flavoured well, though the prime rib wasn’t the most beautiful cut I’d ever seen. The ribs were excellent and the pork chop is done with a touch of pink. The red wine reduction for the pork chop and the mashed potatoes were particularly lovely.
Go if you can still get a reservation!
Full review to come.
Review Reblog: Lo Bistro
330 Kennedy Street
(204) 957-5872
During a roadtrip from New Jersey to Canada, I went to the Lo Bistro in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada twice last week. I went the first time, ordered the Mushroom Nut burger, and immediately tried to figure out when I could come back and order it again. When I was there the second time, I worked out a plan with the owner for how I could get a third meal (to go) so that I could eat this delicious burger during my car ride home the following day. Here is a picture of the burger. It isn’t my picture. I was in such a state of shock while eating this incredibly amazing meat-less patty, that I couldn’t even remember to take a picture. I’m regretting it, as this picture doesn’t do any justice. Sitting next to the burger in the picture is the Veggie Poutine. Do yourself a favor and order that too! Everything at the Lo Bistro is amazing. EVERYTHING!! They only cook vegan and vegetarian cuisine, but never in my life have I contemplated vegetarianism as I did in this place. Meat who?
You can view the whole menu here: http://www.hihostels.ca/manitoba/422/hi-winnipeg_downtowner_lo_pub_and_bistro.hostel
Review: Sunday Brunch @ the Hotel Fort Garry
222 Broadway Avenue
(204) 942-8251
It’s an indulgent, extravagantly-priced affair and has gained a lot of renown in Winnipeg as the best Sunday brunch in town. On my last visit on Father’s Day, the Sunday spread was out in the lobby, presumably so that the dining areas could accommodate as many tables as possible. The lobby set up was novel, but some areas felt crowded with all the people milling about.
There are so many dishes, it’s humanly (or at least healthfully) impossible to sample everything. Fan favourites seem to be the roast beef, eggs benedict, omelet station, and chocolate fountain. As I recall, I was equally impressed with all these stations on my first visit, but I’m afraid that at my second visit to the Fort Garry’s Sunday Brunch, the roast proved to be dry and the eggs benedict too long on the warmer. The freshly prepared food (see: omelet station), in-house baked goods, and stewed dishes come out on top, but I’ve come to realize that the larger a Sunday brunch, the less reliable the quality of food as it’s produced en masse and kept on ice and in warmers.
My criticisms didn’t stop me from stuffing my face, of course. And if you were to ask my dining companions, their reviews would be effusive. We had several plates of sausages and cheese, eggs and dessert. I stopped by the chocolate fountain with strips of bacon and forced myself to have a serving of vegetables.
Service was pleasant. Atmosphere was a bit lacking in our supplementary dining room. Good company made up for it, though. I’d indulge again the morning after a hotel stay, but I’m more likely to take my $50/head and treat someone to brunch at Prairie Ink or The Tallest Poppy.
Review: Deseo Bistro
696 Osborne Street
(204) 452-2561
The Albert location closed due to a water main break, but Scott and Alejandro are opening up a new location on Osborne Street.
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We - supper club(e), that is - may have broken some records with our inappropriate banter discussion this time around. Between the stories about watchful pets during orgasm and how to lay down the law with a new boyfriend, I was reassured that my absence from Winnipeg had not dulled our witty rapport. It’s a probably a good thing that the restaurant wasn’t full that evening.
Deseo’s first location was a lovely surprise in the punk rock venue of the Royal Albert Arms. Weathered window frames, Tyndall stone, dark woods, and fresh touches of fruit and flowers all helped to create a little getaway. Hopefully, the design taste will carry over to the new venue.
Service, in general, was satisfactory and fairly pleasant but unremarkable. It’s a delicate balance of being attentive and professional while also being personable. I’d say we got “girl next door” with water refills and not necessarily a polished service that the surroundings and menu seemed to suggest.
At supper club, we started the meal with two appetizers, the bean fritters and the prawns. Both were good, but the bean fritters were the better of the two, which is quite a success with only one vegetarian amongst us. They were crisp and flavourful and paired with lovely sauces (salsa verde and spicy mayo). The prawns on the new menu have a different preparation, but ours was a special with some citrusy zing.
Our mains drew mixed results. Kerri loved her bean and potato hash (now pepper or mushroom and potato hash), finding it filling and packed with spice and heat. Carolyn also happily indulged in her sweet breakfast for supper choice of Spanish toast, covered in caramel, chocolate sauce, and cinnamon cream. It seems that breakfast is an easy winner at Deseo. Colleen and I were less impressed with our mains. Though Colleen enjoyed her steak, the value was just not there in this skimpy dish of greens and steak chunks. My dish, on the other hand, might have been just a personal dislike. I ordered pork cheeks, which were served on cream of wheat - wanting to try something new. I found the softness of the fatty pork cheeks and the creamy base to be much too similar in texture, offering little interest while eating.
For dessert, we tried all three offerings. Each had their interesting twist, but the flan was probably the most successful in execution, while the flourless chocolate chili cake seemed to have been prepared much earlier and been refrigerated (tasting a bit hard and cold). I’d had the chocolate on an earlier visit where it went over far better at the right temperature.
I sampled the Sloppy Jose sandwich on an earlier visit, as well, and thought it was delicious - prompting the second visit with supper club. Nicely oiled and grilled, the sandwich was a perfect combination of flavours and textures. It has a nice filling of pulled pork rubbed with adobo, slaw, and pickled peppers.
Overall, worth trying again at the new location.
Folk Fest Series Review: Yellow Deli (formerly Common Ground) Sure, I could make this simple dish at home, but Yellow Deli’s bean burrito was quick, satisfying, and came with refreshing side of watermelon. I also appreciated the whole wheat wrap amidst all the fluffy white buns at more popular and typical festival stalls. I wouldn’t pay festival prices in a regular cafe, knowing that a can of refried beans, jar of salsa, and pack of wraps is around the corner at the grocery store, but in a pinch, it was a much more filling choice than a footlong hot dog. Last year, I had the chicken rancher wrap, which was also simple but satisfying. The ingredients tasted fresh, and the mysterious toasted crunchies atop the wrap were delightful, even if they were unidentifiable. Yellow Deli will be opening in the fall, but for now, you can visit the new reincarnation of Common Ground at the Common Sense Market, located at 1490 des Meurons Street.
Fringe Eats Series
Review: Exchange Cafe
137 Bannatyne Avenue
(204) 949-0954
Newly opened last summer, the Exchange Cafe is a welcome addition to the casual dining scene in the Exchange. It’s a lovely space - well-lit, airy, and tastefully decorated - and during the Fringe, it’s most definitely a convenient spot to drop by for a bite to eat or a refreshing drink.
Their menu mainly features panini and pizza, and I find the prices very reasonable at $5-$13.95 (pizza on the heavy end). The menu combinations all sound quite good, but my special of the day of soft cheese and fresh tomatoes was ill thought out. Trust your inner foodie judgment and forgo the special in favour of menu items if necessary. The chili and salad were decent, but next time, I’d go for one of the pizza combinations!
Service was friendly, and I’m looking forward to another Fringe visit.
