Inside Era Bistro at the Canadian Museum for Human Rights. (Photos by Robin Summerfield)
Era Bistro
Main floor, Canadian Museum for Human Rights near main entrance
85 Israel Asper Way
Neighbourhood: Downtown/The Forks
Website: erabistro.ca
Facebook: TBA
Twitter: TBA
From the long, communal tables to an inspired menu of plates for sharing, Era Bistro is as much about food as it is about bringing people together.
And that makes perfect sense given the new restaurant is located inside the Canadian Museum for Human Rights.
There are no secluded booths, no half walls and no tucked away corners in Era. Indeed, even the kitchen is on full display from any seat in the dining room.
The room is industrial chic crossed with rustic farmhouse crossed with nouveau art gallery. The eclectic design mash-up somehow works.
The food also reflects a rustic sophistication found, in increasing frequency, on many modern restaurant menus.
Lunch and dinner is served at Era. On a recent visit, I tucked into dinner with friends a few days before Era's official opening day, Saturday September 27, 2014.
We attacked the menu with verve, sampling 18 or more dishes. (I lost count.) Like sister restaurant Smith, which recently opened at the Inn at The Forks, guests order sides to share in addition to their entrées.
Some clear favourites emerged from our menu madness. Here's are some of the most memorable plates we devoured:
Appetizers: Wonton tortiere with Manitoba lamb, bannock with a trio of dips, and short rib poutine.
Salads: Beets by Era (divine, luscious and sweet), arugula salad with compressed watermelon and the Harvest Salad (earthy and hearty with great crunch).
Entrées: Bearcat pickerel (my absolute favourite), roast 1/2 chicken (comfort, comfort, comfort food), King Salmon with hemp crust with avocado butter and fennel, and Manitoba lamb loin with rosemary gastrique and garlic chips.
Sides: Corn bread, carrot fries (battered, deep fried and delicious), naked oat and barley risotto with grilled vegetables, parmesan and herbs.
Dessert: Passionfruit mousse won our hearts by a landslide for its creamy decadence and bright flavour. It was sunshine in a Mason jar.
Those were our favourites. But see for yourself.
Take a look at Era's menu lunch, dinner, wine and cocktail menu here. (Click on the menu link.)
And then, grab some friends, come on down to the CMHR and give Era a try.
Or even come alone, sit at a communal table—and in the spirit of the museum—make new friends.
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Contest: Smith Restaurant and Peg City Grub present ‘A night at Smith.’
Answer the following question for a chance to win a $100 gift certificate for Smith: What is the name of the new restaurant inside the Canadian Museum for Human Rights?
To enter, Like PCG’s Facebook page here and post your answer on the page. A winner will be chosen randomly on Thursday October 9. Good luck!!
Arugula salad (left) with compressed watermelon, blistered shisito peppers and prosecco vinaigrette. Harvest salad (right) with kale, apple, almond, quinoa, dried cherry and red apple balsamic.
Wonton tortiere with Manitoba lamb, onion, garlic, rosemary, sweet potato and pickled walnuts.
Bannock with chickpea hummus, whipped ricotta and honey, and tomato tapanade.
Executive chef Barry Saunders (right) overseeing the troops inside Era's open kitchen.
Bearcat pickerel with lemon, butter, basil, pickled tomato and Swiss chard.
Roast half chicken with butternut squash and sage.
Era Bistro's cocktail command centre.
Passionfruit mousse with pistachio cookie.
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