Né de Loup may only be a pup, but it’s already looking to lead the pack of Winnipeg’s best new restaurants.
This oh-so-cozy French bistro by acclaimed chef Scott Bagshaw, which translates from French to “wolf-born” –– an homage to Rome’s mythological founders, Romulus and Remus –– opened in late-October, with reservations a must.
It’s located in River Heights in the former home of Enoteca, Bagshaw’s flagship small plates wine bar that garnered accolades like being named one of Canada’s 10 best new restaurants by Air Canada’s enRoute (2015), and Canada’s 100 Best Restaurants in 2020.
The room has been completely transformed by local firm Design Shop to enchanting effect, going from 32-seats to just 20 with plush U-shaped booths, and a few two-top tables featuring teak chairs. (Design Shop also designed Passero when it moved from The Forks Market to 774 Corydon Avenue, along with Low Life Barrel House and the patio at Little Brown Jug, while Bagshaw’s other former nationally acclaimed restaurants include Máquè and Deseo). The open kitchen remains along with two bar seats where you can watch all the food being plated by chef Dallin.
There are plenty of soft surfaces to absorb sound, like French café half-curtains on the windows and a draped entrance to keep out the cold. These elements also provide contrasting textures from the wood walls and the handsome Verias Green Marble tables. The music is also at a pleasant volume; something I appreciate as I have one deaf ear and had no trouble hearing about the dishes nor my dining companions.
Veteran Enoteca/Máquè staff like Tori and Wes are also on hand to breezily guide you through the menu. Altogether, it’s such a cozy setting to tuck into a tight menu of wintery dishes that provide one delight after another.
We started with the torched baby gem salad, an ode to the crunch salad that had made its way from Deseo to Enoteca and Passero in various incarnations. The lettuce is just kissed on the grill with a thick green goddess-like dressing piped on top that has been emulsified with gem lettuce, herbs, chives and pistachio. Hidden underneath, pickle slices provide added texture and acidity, along with herb oil. It’s creamy, dreamy and crunchy, and just the sort of interactive dish you’ll love to start the night with.
Next, we found ourselves scanning the dining room before slurping from nearly empty scallop shells, ensuring we didn't miss any of the clam chowder sauce that remained. The scallops in question had been scored and torched alongside uniform little potato cubes, toasted flecks of breadcrumb and cheese, while the chowder sauce was also streaked with herb oil.
Another delightfully briny dish was the raw tuna, sliced just thin enough so you could appreciate its meaty texture. It comes studded with capers, radish, croutons and a few little droplets of rouille sauce (think aioli, but with saffron and roasted red pepper to give it floral and sweet element).
Bagshaw’s restaurants have always featured an excellent beef tartare, and this new version came hidden under a microplaned snow of foie gras. Underneath, the diced beef is bound with a Pastis aioli that is very subtle with its licorice notes, serrano pepper relish that provides bright, slightly fruity notes and just a hint of heat, and a qual egg yolk so you can smash it all together. Accompanying it are toasted and buttered pieces of Red Spring sourdough from the Fort Garry Hotel, whose nutty crust and soft tangy interior compliments the beef.
A real pleasant surprise that Tori told us to order was the duck crêpe that was stationed alongside a luxurious pool of cognac glacé on one side, and an airy chèvre that had been whipped to a mousse-like consistency on the other. The duck confit is rolled into the crêpe and there’s a topping of toasted walnuts for additional texture, along with a few leaves of chervil for a subtle herby note. Again, another fun, interactive share plate as each diner can cut themselves a pinwheel before painting it across both sauces.
Fried chicken is one other dish from Enoteca that returns in almost its original form. The main difference is the former black garlic ranch has been replaced with Osetra caviar placed on whipped crème fraiche, making it about as fancy as fried chicken gets. The chicken thigh itself has been brined and is very tender, and the coating contains more ridges than a coral reef, all flecked throughout with Maldon salt.
A rosy, seared to medium rare medallion of beef tenderloin came topped with foie gras that was masquerading as compound butter. Once it hit the table, Tori poured a craft of shimmering Maderia demi-glace on top, nearly melting the foie right into the sauce. The beef was spoon-tender, and that silky, slightly caramelly sauce adds even more the luxury.
For dessert, the double chocolate tart did the trick. The texture is velvety, there’s a bit of piped crème fraiche on top for a touch of tanginess, along with Maldon salt flakes that of course work so well with dark chocolate.
Admittedly, your bill will reflect the high standard on offer –– but given the calibre of the cooking; the inviting, tranquil and chic room; and the affable nature of the service, Né de Loup is already looking wolfish for national accolades.
Né de Loup is located at 1670 Corydon Avenue and is open Wednesday through Sunday, 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. Reservations can be made here.
