Peg City Grub officially launched in mid-May during Tourism Week with a free lunch and cooking demonstration by Chef Michael Schafer of Rudy's Eat and Drink. In the four and a half months leading up to that public launch, Winnipeg's food scene has exploded with new restaurants, food trends and innovative eats.
With that in mind, here are Peg City Grub's top-five memorable food moments:
Best forage to plate: Manitoba morel mushrooms at Segovia
Segovia's Manitoba morel mushrooms in quince butter were simply superb. Served as a daily special on one recent visit, the menu-board description didn't do it near the justice it deserved. The brawny and robust mushrooms were served on a sliced of grilled bread and topped with a perfectly poached egg. The deep sunflower-hued yolk oozed out of the generous heap of mushrooms, infiltrating every bite.
Surprising food find: Japa Dogs at Blufish
Blufish, one of Winnipeg's most popular sushi spots, brought the Japanese-style haute hot dogs to the city in July, just in time for the Fringe Festival. Diners at Blufish choose one of four meats (pork, beef, chicken or veggie), top their dog with one of three sauces (Blufish barbecue sauce, sweet mayo or teriyaki sauce) and then choose three Asian and American-style toppings from a long list including pickled diakon, tempura flakes, tomatoes and diced green onions.
Best new old trend: Food Truck Invasion
Winnipeg is on track for a record-setting year in the food truck industry. Pimp my Rice, Tokyo Rabbit, Smashbox Poutine, Stuff-It and Little Bones Wingery all hit the avenues this summer. The expanding fleet all deliver their own niche eats like deluxe poutine, 26 flavours of chicken wings, Japanese desserts and Fili-Asian specialties like pancit and Filipino breakfast. Find the food trucks in hot spots like Portage Avenue, the Exchange District and on Broadway.
Best star and food sighting: Rob Lowe at the Fort Garry Hotel's Sunday Brunch
Actor Rob Lowe spent several weeks in Winnipeg shooting a movie earlier this Spring. The West Wing star was spotted around the city at restaurants and at least one sports bar. We personally encouraged Lowe to saddle up to one of the best spreads in town. The Fort Garry Hotel's Sunday brunch includes several carving stations, a salad, cheese and smoked meats and seafood spread and upwards of 30 desserts, including truffles. Our conversation with Lowe in the lobby of the Fort Garry Hotel is presented in its entirety here:
PCG: Hi Mr. Rob Lowe.
RL: Hi (He was smiling but giving off a please-don't-pester-me vibe.)
PCG: Are you going to have the buffet?
RL: I was thinking about it.
PCG: You should, it's fantastic.
RL: Thanks.
PCG: Bye.
Best taste of the tropics: Mahalo roll at Wasabi Sushi on Broadway
Wasabi on Broadway's mahalo roll is a mouthful of sweet and spicy perfection wrapped in albacore tuna. Juicy mango and pineapple slices add sweet to the heat of spicy steamed shrimp while smooth and luscious albacore tuna calms the heat of chili-lime sauce. Indeed, Wasabi's team of sushi chefs has created many other amazing signature rolls using unexpected ingredient combinations.
Get the latest about food events, chef news and restaurant openings on Twitter @PegCityGrub. E-mail comments and suggestions to goodeats@pegcitygrub.com.
