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Read reviews from previous issues of Ciao! » top tables
This issue we review: TERRACE FIFTY-FIVE
Housed in the Assiniboine Park pavilion, fine dining destination Terrace Fifty-Five looks out onto picturesque lawns stretching in all directions. The location's stunning tableside views have attracted the city's movers and shakers for years. Wow! Hospitality Concepts took over the venue in 2008 (former home to Tavern in the Park) and hired Chef John Scarcella, a veteran Wow! chef of Pasta La Vista, to create a contemporary seasonal menu focusing on Canadian seafood and regional ingredients. Subtle changes have been made to the atrium-like dining room since Terrace Fifty-Five moved in. New to the space are chocolate-brown leather booths that line the perimeter. Another addition is a blown-up photo of a lily pond across the back wall, which thoughtfully mirrors the terrace¹s summer pond. There is a romance about the room thanks to slim, almost candle-light wall sconces, along with vases of fresh-cut flowers on every table and strings of fairy lights lining the outdoor terrace. For a refreshing Canadian seafood starter, opt for sterling salmon tartar. Presented in a bowl made of smoked salmon (which was later devoured), pieces of smooth pink flesh are minced with onions and parsley to create a fresh, invigorating taste sensation. Spoon the mixture onto crustless white and brown toast triangles, or a piece of house-made baguette for a base. Slivers of cucumbers marinated in rice wine vinegar and topped with a dollop of citrus marmalade are pleasant palate-cleansing accompaniments. On the opposite end of the taste spectrum, trendy sliders offer zippy flavour and contrasting textures. Two soft-as-a-cloud fluffy buns are each speared with a sweet pickle. Pulled strands of Manitoba Berkshire pork marinated in tangy barbeque vinaigrette provides a little zing. The enjoyable crunch factor comes from a topping of coleslaw and thin-cut fries on the side that crackle with each bite. A long list of entrées identifies a couple of house favourites that demonstrate Chef John's flair for luxurious seafood creations: lobster pot pie and déjà vu. In the former, a deep-dish ramekin is filled with rich brandied cream sauce topped with flaky puff pastry crust. Glorious sweet morsels of lobster swim in the mixture alongside seasonal mushrooms (hand picked by the restaurant's Chef de Cuisine in summer months), onions, carrots and celery. Déjà vu is light in comparison with smooth, squid ink noodles bathed in butter sauce tinged with lime and crushed chiles. Plump shrimps, scallops and salmon infuse a subtle taste of the sea, while a heap of crunchy fried and battered leeks crowns the dish. Vegetarians can choose from a few options, including satisfying goat cheese crêpes. Subtle tangy parcels of Québec goat cheese, leeks and mushrooms are wrapped in a soft, crêpe blanket and drizzled with tomato sauce and parmesan. Keeping with the decade's popular trend of upscale comfort food, tenderloin country stew is executed here to perfection. The stew's rich, thick gravy is loaded with garden vegetables and slices of tenderloin that practically dissolve. A crumbly smoked gouda and herb biscuit can be used to sop up every last drop of gravy. End the meal on a sinful note with chocolate raspberry deception. This devilish dense cake has an unusual earthiness from the beets and a mild chocolate taste. A sweet candied beet chip, crème fraîche and tart raspberry coulis garnishes create unique flavour dimensions not usually found in desserts. Terrace Fifty-Five is open Tue-Sat 11:30 am-11 pm; Sun 10:30 am-2 pm and 5 pm-11 pm. CHAVE D'OURO
The Fernandes family Estela, Armando and daughter Sandra have been cooking and serving high-quality, traditional, Portuguese food for more than 18 years at Chave D'Ouro (or golden key.) Originally located on Sargent Avenue, the restaurant reopened in July 2009 after a three-year hiatus, moving into a vibrant yellow building on Ellice Avenue and Wall Street. The atmosphere at Chave D'Ouro is a familial one. Seating around 40 people, white tablecloths cover the few tables, and a display case highlights the tempting variety of house-made desserts. Little touches such as a sign at the entrance asking patrons to please wipe their feet, and pictures of Portugual's landscapes lend the restaurant a warm, homey feeling. Chave D'Ouro has few competitors in the Portuguese cuisine market locally; however, two features that set this restaurant even further apart is the freshness of the food, and how much effort the family invests in each dish. As the owners and sole employees, they are responsible for all aspects of business, including hours spent creating labour-intensive dishes from scratch. The highlight of the appetizer selections is bolinhos de bacalhau, or cod fish cakes. It is a shame they are not always available (popular and labour intensive, they quickly sell out) because they are a delightful indulgence. Shredded dried and salted cod (bacalhau), first soaked in water to remove the salt, is dipped in a mixture of egg and mashed potato, then deep fried. The relatively intense, earthy flavour of the cod is offset by the subtlety of the coating. Chave D'Ouro lives up to the reputation of having one of the best rotisserie chickens in town; chickens are roasted on site daily for almost two hours. A half chicken dinner comes with tossed salad, delicious flaky rolls from Lisbon bakery and roasted potatoes. Chef/owner Estela Fernandes elevates the humble spud to new heights. Cooked under the rotisserie chickens, the golden nuggets absorb the meat's juices, leaving them slightly crisp on the outside and satisfyingly dense and soft inside. Piri-piri, a small, hot pepper popular in Portuguese cuisine, sparks the palate in the chicken¹s accompanying sauce. Bacalhau appears again in an entrée, this time scrambled with eggs and julienne fries, in the bacalhau à brás. Served with olives and lemon, it is substantial comfort food. The eggs help to fuse the disparate flavours together, creating a fresh taste. Perhaps an odd pairing for Western tastes, carne alentejana, or pork and clams, nevertheless works beautifully in this decadent dish. Served with olives and lemon, the moist pork and clams are bathed in a delicate tomato sauce that leaves a lingering heat. Bife Chave D'Ouro offers a generous serving of New York steak, upon which an egg is cooked. Nicely marbled, the steak is huge (enough to share), while the egg's centre is soft, yet firm enough to hold its shape, riding horseback upon the meat. If, after all of this, you can manage a house-made dessert, you won't go wrong with the Bolo do Diablo (Devil's cake). Kahlúa® and butter cream chocolate icing hold the layers of dense, rich chocolate cake together in this sinful selection. Chave D'Ouro is open Tue-Sat 11 am-2 pm; 5 pm-8 pm. J. FOX'S
Dubbed one of the decade's top culinary trends, gastropubs have been popping up all over North America offering sophisticated pub grub and a wide selection of brews all under the same roof. One of the city's best is J. Fox's Restaurant and Local, located on the sophisticated Academy strip in River Heights. The name is a nod to Johnnie Fox's, one of Ireland's most famous and oldest pubs that opened on top of the Dublin mountains in 1798. "Homecrafted, handmade comfort food" is the Winnipeg restaurant's mantra printed on the upper corner of the menus, which matches the gastropub's dark, cozy atmosphere. After ordering a crisp pint on tap (there are more than 12 lines from ales to stouts available), it's time to decide where to sit. The large room is divided into a dining room and pub area by a reclaimed river rock wall built by owner Daniel Pedley. Set tables with white tablecloths, clear vases and black napkins lend an understated elegance to the dining section. The pub half has a distinctly more casual vibe featuring a rustic bar, wooden tables and a few booths snuggled up in the back corner. Unlike typical pubs, some walls have quaint paintings of phone booths and mail boxes in Dublin to replace the usual barrage of beer posters and footy paraphernalia. An order of J. Fox's house-made tasty pasties is perfectly paired with any brew. The traditional English pastry pocket comes stuffed with ground beef, onions and carrots softened in light, peppery gravy. Served alongside is mixed green salad tossed in sweet honey and tart red wine vinaigrette. For more adventurous tastes, ask to substitute spinach salad; it is dressed with rough-chopped walnuts, sweet slices of poached pear, and crumbled blue cheese. Scanning the menu, it's obvious the chef wants to pay homage to traditional pub food while adding an exciting riff here and there. An excellent example of this merger is found in Guinness and garlic steamed mussels. Each shell is saturated with a healthy dose of the dark stout broth, resulting in a rich, chocolate molasses flavour. Crusty pieces of paprika-seasoned crostini for dipping add smouldering heat. Hearty, soul-warming entrées like Irish stew and Fox's house-made cottage pie are guaranteed to fight off any winter chill. Keeping true to tradition, the stew is packed full of the usual vegetables: onions, potatoes, carrots, celery and parsnip, along with tender pieces of lamb and sirloin. The kitchen braises and slow-cooks the meat in Guinness, so the stout¹s distinct taste is evident, but not overpowering, throughout the Guinness-gravy broth. Cottage pie comes served in a ceramic pot with a thick layer of creamy mashed potatoes and cheddar cheese. Dig in using one of the thin slices of cheese bread to reach the bottom layer of seasoned ground beef. Fresh steamed vegetables balance out the dish's savoury flavours. Of course, no gastropub experience is complete without a traditional "Sunday roast." A large portion of thinly-sliced roast beef is smothered in savoury gravy. That same gravy is also found in the centre of a buttery soft yorkshire pudding and next to a mountain of garlic mashed potato. The whimsically-named "Drunken Trout" will appeal to those with sweeter tastes. The fine, flaky fish is covered in thick honey glaze; tarragon and Tullamore Dew, a blended Irish whiskey, add depth to offset the dish's sweetness. Desserts are made by the owner's wife and rotate on a weekly basis. On our visit we tried honey loaf garnished with blueberries. The dark brown and dense cake releases its golden honey flavour when combined with vanilla ice cream. J. Fox's is open Tue-Wed 11:30 am-12 am; Thu-Sat 11:30 am-2 am and Sun 10:30 am-12 pm. LE GARAGE
Garages and good food are not two things that you would normally hear in the same sentence, unless, of course, you're talking about the cozy French eatery, Le Garage. Nestled in the heart of Winnipeg's French Quarter, Le Garage is named after the fact that the restaurant was built by renovating a former bus garage. Originally bought as a coffee shop in 2007 and re-modeled into its current state in 2008, the restaurant has developed a reputation in both culinary and musical circles in the city. Owner Ray Beaudry is a music fan at heart and it's evident by the overall feel of the restaurant. The walls are decorated with large paintings of album covers by local artist Larry Rich, featuring the likes of Miles Davis, Oscar Peterson and Neil Young. Not only that, some staff could make an all-star Winnipeg band themselves, with members from local indie groups Inward Eye and Doc Walker serving and cooking meals. The stage at the back is always sitting ready for anyone to jump up and jam. Each night sees different musicians up there, playing all the best rock, blues and jazz the city has to offer. Meanwhile, the menu offers an eclectic and tantalizing mix of southern-inspired cooking, French-Canadian favourites and smaller plates for nibbling. The appetizers offer something for any palate. Puffy salmon croquettes are a light beginning to any meal. The lightly breaded spherical duo gently falls open with tender flakes of salmon and fluffy potato. Creamy red pepper aïoli is the perfect accompaniment for the dish, with it¹s light texture and flavour. Even if you have not been to Le Garage, you may have heard of its famous "Best Ever" poutine. This French-Canadian classic is given the royal treatment with slender homemade fries, rich gravy and a generous portion of gooey cheese curds topped with a sprinkling of green onion curls. The menu's dinner entrées give diners a choice of everything from sandwiches to meaty plates to uniquely detailed creations. The large half portion of jerk chicken is brimming with a variety of different textures and flavours. The chicken's spicy bite is calmed by crisp lettuce and cucumber, which mingles amongst grainy couscous and satisfying cheese. Vegetarians will swoon over the Mediterranean toss with its long strands of mafalda noodles, chunks of creamy feta and piles of salty olives, peppers and artichoke hearts. The bounty of flavour amongst the ingredients comes through without any need for additional seasoning. For those craving more heat, flavours from the fire cracker shrimp and scallops explode on the tongue. Plump, tender shrimp and scallops are coated in a balanced sweet and spicy sauce atop a wild rice and fresh mixed vegetables medley. All desserts are house-made and change daily. Mile-high tortes, creamy strawberry tartlettes and crème brûlée are just some of the items that were available on our visit. The shortbread crust and heavenly pastry crème filling of the strawberry tartlette was a delightful ending to our meal. Le Garage is open Mon-Wed 11 am-1 am; Thu-Sat 11 am-2 am. |
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