My Aunt took me to the new Sals on Leila.

Nice. Kind of reminded me of the former one in Tuxedo Park Shopping Centre. The staff was nicer and not ugly like at the Norwood, Bridge, or Medical Arts locations.

Anyone try the new African restaurant, in the former Sals on downtown Portage Ave. location?

They call it "Modern Restaurant". The signage is poorly designed, but the buffet food was tastier than the stuff at the Ethiopian restaurant on Ellice Ave. near Donald St.

its open? damn have to check it out next week

I saw work being done to the signage a few days ago; is it finished? The sign looked pretty cool and, well, modern, ha ha.

I ate there a few months ago and it was good. Glad to hear they added a buffet. The food seemed to lend itself to a buffet.

But hey, what food doesn't.

Looks like the Princess Grill is opening as a Japanese place. Like we need more of those.

Sounds good to me. Where's the nearest sushi? Blue Fin? The McLaren? I'm sure there are lots of people who work in the area that are happy about this.

If it is just going to be another run-of-the-mill sushi joint run by a Chinese family, then I would have to agree. Winnipeg already has enough mediocre sushi restaurants.

However it would be nice to have a place to get decent Japanese style noodles or stir fry. And if there was ever a place to have such a place, it would be in the Exchange.

That said. My wife and I tried a new (to us) sushi restaurant on the weekend called Ki Sushi. It is located directly across the street from the Concordia Hospital and was REALLY good. The thing is, it is only takeout. So while you have to eat at home it seems to keep their prices lower than average.

The rolls were big and well proportioned. The sushi (nigiri) pieces were big with not too much rice and overall everything was very reasonably priced. There are pictures of their menu online at Urbanspoon.

http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/332/1567...Sushi-Winnipeg

Edohei has what you're looking for. Even though it isn't in the Exchange per se, it's only about a 5 minute walk from the West Exchange.

Edohei is pretty much just a sushi restaurant these days the only noodles they serve are udon in soup.

Princess Grill was a great breakfast spot. Nice room, good food, good service. It died just shortly before the Ham 'n' Eggs leaving nowhere good to go for breakfast in the Exchange.

The Free Press Cafe is supposedly pretty good.

http://www.breakfastwinnipeg.com/FreePressCafe.html

Deseo Bistro is leaving the Albert and moving to the former Champa Bistro location on Osborne.

Good move. The Albert Hotel is a dump. Wouldn't be surprised if there were conflict with the owners similar to what made the Albert Diner leave too.

Would have rather seen Deseo move somewhere within the Exchange, but it's better than having to use sketchy hotel bathrooms when you visit.

I know the Albert had some problem with W&W and have been closed the last little while and are indefinitely it seems... although they are still booking shows for the fall. I wonder if this move was influenced by that.

The Albert Diner was good too. Anybody know where the owners ended up?

Who is behind Deseo? The guy from Pizzeria Gusto?

Albert Diner people are not in the restaurant business right now... It was originally two couples that opened, one couple bought the other out, and then some months later they ran afoul of the owner and the bar staff. I will leave it at that.

Deseo was the Pizzeria Gusto guy from what I know. I admire their ambition to stay open in the evenings in the Exchange...

Also, I hear there will be some kind of a coffee shop opening up on the west side of Main near Bannatyne this Fall. It is supposed to be like a real coffee shop, so if you're tired of the passable offerings at Starbucks, to say nothing of the dirty water they sell at The Fyxx...

That'll be the day I'll patronize that place. We've been going to the Sals on Notre Dame.

the free press cafe is quite good....so is the exchange cafe on bannatyne near waterfront....crazy good soup....they also sell gelato in the summer.....great place....i go there often.

too bad about the princess grille.

I heard Bistro 7 1/4 leased the space next door to open a lounge and private dining area.