Winnipeg Restaurants

[Wpg Woman]

Originally Posted by Wolf13

They better not be.

Damn good pizza.

We used to get their pizza before Pizza 21st Century came back to East Kildonan. We liked it a lot just not as much as 21st Century.

Still, I hope they stay open. I'd rather eat at a local place than some big chain any day.

[Wpg_Guy]

After closing in September 2018 and then re-opening in early 2019, the Sherbrook Street Delicatessen (102 Sherbrook St.) has once again shuttered its doors. The sandwich-centric deli had originally been opened as one of many projects involving restaurateur Noel Bernier, who has also had a hand in opening other local eateries such as Hermanos Restaurant & Wine Bar, Corrientes Argentine Pizzeria and Prairie 360. Bernier was most recently in the news after divesting himself of his share of the Salisbury House restaurants to former owner Earl Barish in late July.
In January 2019, Sherbrook Street Delicatessen re-opened under the direction of Bernier’s son, Riley, and his partner, Juliana Roberta. A four-star Free Press review in March lauded the deli’s focused, old-school menu of sandwiches, soups and salads. But the windows have now been papered over, the deli’s signs removed and a sign in the window indicates an eatery called Alfy’s Noodle House — which currently has a location at 840 Waverley St. focusing on creating budget-friendly noodle bowls — is opening a location in the space.

Aurora Pizzeria and Café (842 Corydon Ave.), meanwhile, announced via social media on Aug. 2 that it was also closing its doors for good. Located at the corner of Corydon Avenue and Lilac Street in the old Mise Bistro & Lounge space, the family-run Italian eatery focused on Neapolitan-style pizza and authentic Italian pasta dishes. In a February 2017 review of Aurora shortly after it opened, Free Press critic Alison Gillmor noted the restaurant’s "friendly service and fresh, unpretentious cooking," dubbed the Neapolitan pizzas "standouts" and called the bucatini matriciana, with its "cured pork jowl and a deep, intense stewed tomato sauce," terrific.
On Facebook and Instagram, the restaurant offered the following message: "Thank you to all of our customers who became our friends & family. Giuliano, Gino, Carla & Aurora hope to see you all again. Ci Vediamo, Ciao!" A quick peek inside through the eatery’s windows the day after the posting showed no clues as to what’s next for the space.

Grey Owl Coffee (272 Main St.) wasn’t around for long — opening mid-2018 and closing its doors for good in February of this year — but it appears the space is already set to welcome a new tenant soon.
According to the sign in the window of the old Grey Owl space, Fusian Experience Desserts & Café is slated to be opening there soon. The original Fusian Experience at 612 Academy Rd. closed its doors on July 12. An outgoing message on the café’s answering machine indicates that in addition to moving into 272 Garry St. in the fall, the proprietors will also be revamping the menu at the Fusian Sushi kiosk at The Forks Market in September.

https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/ar...525555101.html

[Wpg_Guy]

Prized pies
Wall Street Slice offers New York-style slices
The Taste By: Alison Gillmour | Posted: 08/7/2019


New York-style pizza pies are big, with individual slices so wide fans like to eat them folded in half with the olive oil dripping out the end. (You can watch YouTube how-to videos for tips on this, or old Sopranos episodes.)

Wall Street Slice, a new West End destination from a few of the people behind Red Ember, specializes in New York-style pizza with some terrific prairie add-ons, and the results are really good.

Crust is crucial for New York pizza, and at Wall Street Slice it’s perfect — thin as a classic Italian crust, but richer and crispier and so good you won’t be leaving the edges on your plate.

In terms of toppings, there’s slightly more heft than a traditional Neapolitan-style pizza, but not to the point of gloppiness, which New Yorkers leave to Chicagoans and their deep-dish madness.

At Wall Street, you can customize your own pie with toppings picked from a long list, many of them luxed-up versions of classic pizza fare: the onions are meltingly caramelized, the garlic is roasted, the bacon comes from Berkshire hogs raised by Zinn Farms and the turkey sausage is house-made.

You can also choose from six named pizzas, as well as rotating specials that highlight well-balanced, nicely considered ingredient combos.

Purists can enjoy the O.G., which focuses on a distinct but gentle tomato sauce and a trio of good cheeses. The Pepperoni Prince gets a boost from slices of house-cured pepperoni — small, spicy and intense — and Sicilian oregano.

The T-Bird is a fresh mix of turkey sausage, with an undertone of fennel, kale pesto and creamed feta, while the Whiteout is a white pizza that’s rich but subtle. In the Lush Mush — a recent special — the fat little mushrooms are roasted dark, but not dried out, and you can smell the truffle oil.

The Toba Tiki offers a valiant defence of the controversial pineapple-on-pizza position by roasting the pineapple and upgrading the ham to pulled Berkshire pork.

This is a tight menu, so the only items other than pies are garlic rolls and a caesar salad.

The rolls, served with a choice of dip, feature soft, golden pull-apart bread absolutely steeped in garlic, with roasted garlic on top, garlic confit in the middle — mellow and soft enough to spread — as well as an underlying pool of garlic butter. You can even quadruple-down by getting garlic aioli as a dip, but we went with basil oil, which was verdant and lovely.

The caesar salad includes standout ingredients. The pancetta is thin and cooked into crispy, delicate shards, and there’s a haze of Parmesan on top. There’s a practical issue, however. Though overdressed caesars left to get all smooshy are one of the banes of restaurant eating, this untossed version, served with some drizzles of thick dressing, is just too hard to mix at the table, and a lot of the lettuce ended up bare.

There are house-made sodas — the grapefruit has a lot of zip — along with organic red and white wine by the bottle (but not by the glass). Prosecco is available in a small, adorable individual serving, and the two beer options include a New England IPA from Barn Hammer (just down the street) and the St. James Pale Ale from Half Pints.

The long and narrow space has an industrial feel. While this bare-bones wood-and-metal look can be an overdone trend, it feels right here. This stretch of Wall Street is, after all, in an industrial district, though the resto is located in a small pocket of good food and drink that includes Sleepy Owl Bread and the soon-to-be-opened Wolseley Kombucha.

The tables seem vast when you first sit down — almost too far to reach the person sitting across from you — but when the food starts coming, you realize this is necessary square footage to handle those giant pies. Service is cheerful, with counter order and table delivery, and an informal mix of disposable and more substantial dishes and cups.

Snagging a seat might take a while during the lunch and dinner rushes, but the food is worth the wait. And New York-style pizza can always be eaten standing up using that patented NYC "fold hold." You can also order ahead for pick-up.

Prices for a whole pizza might sound high, but these pies are big, really big. If there are any leftovers, Wall Street Slice’s product passes the all-important cold-pizza-for-breakfast test.

alison.gillmor@freepress.mb.ca

https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/ar...525555001.html

[damaaster]

Jessie Rose Restaurant opened on Sinclair & Jefferson yesterday (The Old Pho place). Apparently they owned Jessie Rose in Carman Manitoba, and it has mixed reviews online...

I'll be checking it out this week - hopefully it's decent. Garden City (and the whole North West part of the city) needs some better food options!

[Intrepid-Poster]

I had noted last week that Pizza Oven on Henderson Highway had been closed. I drove by last night and they were open. I hope the closure was for holidays and not for health code reasons.

[Wolf13]

Originally Posted by Intrepid-Poster

I had noted last week that Pizza Oven on Henderson Highway had been closed. I drove by last night and they were open. I hope the closure was for holidays and not for health code reasons.

Doesn't matter what their reason was, if they're open, I'm eating lol.

[Wpg_Guy]

August 14, 2019 - Winnipeg, MB - Press release

An ambitious project now underway at the Norwood Hotel will soon bring elevated cuisine and fresh new style to one of Winnipeg’s most beloved gathering places.

Today Sparrow Hotels unveiled the new concepts behind the transformation of the 82-year-old establishment in the heart of the city’s French quarter. Patrons will get their first peek at the new facilities when doors open in late September. “It’s a challenge to reinvent a place that is basically a local institution,” said Ben Sparrow, CEO of Sparrow Hotels. “Our goal was to give this city more of the award-winning design that has been so successful at our latest restaurants. At the same time, we wanted to retain the warm, welcoming character that makes the Norwood special. Our new concepts capture all of these elements, and we can’t wait to share them with Winnipeg.” Inspiration was drawn from the history of the hotel, the surrounding community of St. Boniface and the latest hospitality trends. The resulting design uses classic, retro-inspired materials in a modern way, creating an atmosphere that feels warm, nostalgic and decidedly contemporary.

Three new concepts within this overall design approach, the Norwood's new restaurant, tavern and gaming lounge will assert their own distinctive personalities.

PAULINE
Pauline will be a stylish new restaurant with an old French bistro feel, serving simple, elegant fare for breakfast and brunch. The light, airy space will be dressed in the classic French colours of royal blue, white and cream, punctuated with bright pops of golden yellow, natural wood tones and coloured mosaic tile. The name was inspired by Pauline Boutal, a well-known St. Boniface artist who created fashion illustrations for Eaton’s from the 1920s onward. Her work will be echoed in murals and accents throughout the restaurant. “It’s our way of celebrating the surrounding community of St. Boniface, which is the heart of Manitoba’s French history and culture,” Sparrow said.

THE WOOD TAVERN
The Wood Tavern, the neighborhood’s favorite hangout, has been reimagined from top to bottom for a new generation of bar patrons. The new design gives a nod to the building’s 82-year history as a tavern while embracing the growing popularity of camping-inspired cuisine. The ambience will be cozy and outdoorsy, with plenty of dark woods, raw stone, warm leather and bright hits of brass. The tavern will also feature several private dining spaces for groups of up to 200.

CAROUSEL GAMING LOUNGE
Carousel, the new gaming lounge, will be a fresh take on the VLT area. The lounge will be directly accessible from the street, and will have its own bar and comfortable seating. Dark woods, raw brick, deep blacks and rich golds will bring to mind the heyday of casinos and a ‘secret club’ vibe.
Sparrow Hotels recruited the best firms in the business to create and implement the new concepts. The designs were created by FRANK, a Calgary firm that is a North American leader in the hospitality sector, and are being implemented by Winnipeg’s PCL Construction. “The success of our latest restaurants, Smith and ERA, has shown us that good design is good business,” Sparrow said. “Winnipeg is becoming known for its forward designs, and we thought why not bring that same quality to St. Boniface? It’s the right thing to do in such a unique neighbourhood, so close to downtown.”

DINING WITH A WOOD-FIRED TWIST
The new concepts will showcase a dining style centered around the irresistible tastes and aromas of open fire cooking. The star of the show will be a new open kitchen anchored by an 88 inch live-fired grill, one of the largest of its kind in Canada. Visible from both the tavern and Pauline bistro, it will provide a feast for the eyes as it adds special sizzle to the wood-fired burgers, house-smoked wings and ribs and full dinner menu available in The Wood.

TRANSFORMING THE STREETSCAPE OF A THRIVING CORNER
The exterior of the 100-year-old building is also getting a new look. Behind the scaffolding now in place, workers are removing awnings, refacing brick, punching through walls and installing additional windows. When their work is completed, the streetscape of Marion will be transformed. Instead of a long expanse of red brick, passersby will see individual venues with different personas. Airy white brick will distinguish Pauline restaurant, while The Wood will have a dramatic black exterior. Patrons will be able to enter Carousel directly from the street via a separate entrance, and a deep blue colour scheme will mark the shared entrance to The Wood and Pauline.

The renewal is part of a bigger revitalization of the Marion-Taché corner, including new developments by the Black Bird eatery and Enterprises Riel. “The Norwood BIZ is aiming to make Marion Street the next Corydon Avenue, and we’re proud to play a leading role,” Sparrow said. “Downtown developments may get most of the attention these days, but some of the most exciting projects are happening just over the bridge in St. Boniface.”
-https://www.norwood-hotel.com/press

the Norwood

Streetscape facade before

Streetscape facade after

Streetscape facade after

[esquire]

^ That's awesome. It's nice to see the Norwood get this level of reinvigoration... it will give Marion a bit of a boost.

[trebor204]

Quesada (Burritos and Tacos) is opening a second location along with Red Swan Pizza at 1566 Pembina (just north of Crescent Drive)


https://cwstevenson.ca/properties-2/...anitoba-USD30/

[buzzg]

Heard confirmation from staff Buccacino's closing end of September and the Toad moving in. Will be interesting to see if the patio space stays around – it's actually part of The Happy Cooker's property, but the owners of both places are friends, so they rent it to Bucc's.

[buzzg]

Confusion Corner reopened after renos... and is now called "Confusion Corner Drinks & Food" ... lol

[LilZebra]

Originally Posted by Wpg_Guy

https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/ar...525555101.html



Aurora Pizzeria and Café (842 Corydon Ave.), meanwhile, announced via social media on Aug. 2 that it was also closing its doors for good. Located at the corner of Corydon Avenue and Lilac Street in the old Mise Bistro & Lounge space, the family-run Italian eatery focused on Neapolitan-style pizza and authentic Italian pasta dishes. In a February 2017 review of Aurora shortly after it opened, Free Press critic Alison Gillmor noted the restaurant’s "friendly service and fresh, unpretentious cooking," dubbed the Neapolitan pizzas "standouts" and called the bucatini matriciana, with its "cured pork jowl and a deep, intense stewed tomato sauce," terrific.
On Facebook and Instagram, the restaurant offered the following message: "Thank you to all of our customers who became our friends & family. Giuliano, Gino, Carla & Aurora hope to see you all again. Ci Vediamo, Ciao!" A quick peek inside through the eatery’s windows the day after the posting showed no clues as to what’s next for the space.

Kinda saw the proverbial writing on the wall for them. They were never all that busy late afternoons. But yes, the server staf were great and the food was delicious. I liked the quieter atmosphere of it. But I guess it's not great for the business to be quiet most of the time. The FoodFare across the street said that Aurora did get busy later at night.


I guess the top two restaurants on Corydon for Italian cuisine (pasta) are Collorosso and Bar Italia, and maybe one other.

[buzzg]

Is there any restaurant other than Earls that is busy late afternoon? Most restaurants are a ghost town at that time. Many close 2-5 for that reason.

Aurora had some of the best pizza in town. Also Bar I has great bar food – it is certainly not Italian cuisine.

[Wolf13]

Originally Posted by buzzg

Is there any restaurant other than Earls that is busy late afternoon? Most restaurants are a ghost town at that time. Many close 2-5 for that reason.

Aurora had some of the best pizza in town. Also Bar I has great bar food – it is certainly not Italian cuisine.

Bar I has good food?


Haven't been there in 5 years, might have to try it again.

[buzzg]

Yeah, they do what they do really well. Great bar food.

[CoryB]

Anyone know which pizza place is moving into the old Taco Del Mar next to the Subway on Sherbrook?

The signage inside and the close proximity to Subway has me thinking it could be Winnipeg's fist Mama Delcuas

[borkborkbork]

Originally Posted by trebor204

Quesada (Burritos and Tacos) is opening a second location along with Red Swan Pizza at 1566 Pembina (just north of Crescent Drive)


https://cwstevenson.ca/properties-2/...anitoba-USD30/

How on earth did the city not force this developer to build to the curb with parking behind? That *was* a rare stretch of Pembina that had a number of buildings built to the sidewalk (the medical building, the plaza with Alter Ego, the old IBEW offices that are now a church, etc). And it's right across the street from MITT (and right at the northbound transit stop serving MITT).

The city has no balls at all when it comes to reining in developers' worst impulses.

[optimusREIM]

^ It's actually one of the most infuriating things. I've noticed it going up over the last little while and always wondered how they weren't forced to build to the sidewalk. Meanwhile over in St Vital, St Anne's road keeps crushing it. Two buildings built to the sidewalk (main floor CRUs with overhead rentals) between Fermor and St Mary's in the last couple of years with another proposed. I'm just at a loss...

[trebor204]

Originally Posted by horrorbro123

What Happen To CRUST PIZZERIA At Polo Park

Crust Pizzeria is back in business. I notice a few food outlets have been temporary closed

Meanwhile Bourbon Street Grill at St Vital is now closed, and again it could be tempoorary.

[SKYSTHELIMIT]

Heading back to the Peg in a few weeks and want to take my wife out to a fun dessert spot. Besides the ol Baked Expectations and BDI are there any new spots we should consider.

Thanks in advance