Winnipeg’s undisputed king of steakhouses, 529 Wellington, has continued to reiterate its fine status while bringing its best to you during the pandemic.
Along with great menu available for takeout – including the juiciest burger we’ve had during the pandemic; more on that wild mushroom burger with smoked gouda below – the luxury restaurant has created several offerings that make social distancing dining savoury and simple.
Dinner party options
For all of us who miss hosting dinner parties, 529 has created Virtual Dinner Parties that see you and your (virtual) guests’ meals dropped off simultaneously, so you can savour the experience together online. Plus, you get a beautifully prepared steak that you don’t need to sweat over to make on your own grill (crisp linens and charming, attentive service not included).
The $85 menu gets you a choice of beef carpaccio, dry ribs, smoked salmon or shrimp cocktail to start; a spinach/Gorgonzola or Caprese salad; an entrée that can include a 10 oz. New York, organic king salmon, a 6 oz. filet, giant shrimp or a stuffed chicken breast; while to top it off you have the choice of bread pudding or chocolate cheesecake. For $90 you get the option of tuna tartare to start; the additional choice between a Caesar or quinoa/arugula/beet salad; entrees like mixed grill; grilled tuna, and a peppercorn New York; and chocolate cheesecake for dessert.
To cheers with your virtual dinner dates, we’d also recommend you check out Sommelier Christopher Sprague’s current wine-at-home menu, which is brimming with great numbers from 529’s phonebook-sized wine list, all priced to go. As part of your virtual dinner party, Sprague is also offering pairings, while you can also connect with him as a host for a virtual wine party - just call 204.487.8325 to set it up.
Another way to make ordering at home easy is its Small Gathering Dinner Party Menu. At $75 per person, with a four-person minimum per location, the menu is all about flush family-style feasting with dishes that include a Heritage Farm whole roasted chicken, slow-roasted striploin with two sauces, creamed mashed potatoes, broccoli with Béarnaise sauce, sautéed mushrooms, three salads, that crazy good cheese toast, and bread pudding with fresh berries for dessert.
On top of the delivery options above, 529 is also running takeout and delivery service that you can find here. We’ve hit it up a couple of times over the past two months, and there are some absolute gems that far surpass what’d you expect on a to-go menu. The 529 prime ribeye steak sandwich on garlic toast is a study in indulgence – the soft, buttery bread absorbing all that meaty, fatty flavour from the liberally salted ribeye (it’s a big piece of beef, and totally shareable as an entrée).
The onion ring tower is a must – they are the top rings in town (as my three-year-old phrases it, “this is the best onion of my entire life!”), and if you are ordering a burger, which is ground to order, you must put one or two in your bun and crank it up to 11.
That said, it’s hard to make a 529 burger even better, particularly that aforementioned wild mushroom burger, which is a masterpiece at $18. The char on the patty is so crisp while the meat remains so juicy, plus you get all those umami fungi flavours and that extra smoke from the creamy melted cheese. There’s also a sinus-opening horseradish mayo for added zing, and a pile of crispy shallots and two thick pickle spears for added crunch. It’s super filling too.
Other sure-fire entrées include local pickerel and chips – the flaky white fish steamed perfectly in the crispy tempura batter; an excellent list of handcrafted sandwiches that come with salad or fries that are all around $20; along with a selection of their legendary steaks which are now tailored to travel.
To start, the mini Yorkshire pudding topped with shaved prime rib and a thick jus are as good as two bites get – the Yorkshires are so fluffy (vice president of operations at Wow Hospitality, Jim Armstrong tells us the chef who regularly makes them is cranking out hundreds per day, with all that practice resulting in pillowy perfection) while you’ll want to paint your palate with that demi-glace.
To finish, our staff fav is the blueberry bread pudding with warm caramel sauce, which is totally out of control.
For takeout orders call 204.487.8325
Patio season soon?
WOW Hospitality, which owns 529 Wellington, is currently offering patio service at one of its restaurants, Peasant Cookery in the Exchange District, while the steakhouse’s verdant patio is expected to open soon.
When it does, you’ll be able to dine behind this stately mansion in one of the city’s most picturesque settings, a scene replete with huge hydrangeas and the Assiniboine River as a backdrop. Given the current social distance protocols for al fresco dining, these will be some coveted seats once the patio is open, so be sure to follow 529 on Instagram for updates.
529 Wellington is currently open Tuesday to Saturday, 5 p.m to 9 p.m. For menus go to 529wellington.ca
