RAW: almond 2013 (Photo by Jacqueline Young.)
Winnipeg is in store for yummy greatness in 2015. In celebration of the city's thriving food scene, here are five things you must try in the year to come.
1) RAW: Almond is back for its third year. And bigger definitely means better. The restaurant on the river runs January 22 to February 11. Tickets are still available here. Like previous years, five-course dinners will be served. This year, tickets cost $130 per person (including GST and 17 per cent gratuity). In the kitchen, an impressive contingent of local chefs will be at the helm. They include: Norm Pastorin of The Grove and The Cornerstone; Clint Duschrme and Tara Padaima from Segovia; Matt Emch and Don Lafrenais at Deer + Almond; and Quin Cook and Mitchell Man at Deseo; Ed Lam at Yujiro, and a roster of other talented men and women. This year, co-organizer Mandel Hitzer of Deer + Almond has cast the chef net further afield. Surreal Gourmet, bon vivant and Food Network star Bob Blumer will take a turn in the kitchen. Montreal chef Nora Gray is also on tap as well as golden boy Makoto Ono. Scott Vivian from Beast and Mitchell Bates from Momofuku Shoto, both in Toronto, are also making their debut.
2) Vera Pizzeria is a new addition to South Osborne. This beautifully designed eatery opened before Christmas 2014 and has had great early buzz. Nine neapolitan-style pizzas anchor the menu. They also promise classic and contemporary Italian cuisine but their mantra is: Keep it simple, stupid. Vera is located at 670 Osborne Street, just north of the Park Theatre.
3) Restaurateur Bobby Mottola and executive chef Eric Lee of Pizzeria Gusto fame have big plans for the new year. Those big plans include a 130-seat Latin-Asian street food emporium. The new spot is expected to open in Spring 2015 in ALT Hotel, a new 154-room, 15-storey hotel located downtown near the MTS Centre. Finger and hand-held food, platters of Peking Duck, Peruvian ceviches, tacos, roasted meats, lettuce wraps and stir fries will all be served at communal tables. Share and share alike.
4) Communal tables, by the way, will be the big trend in Winnipeg dining for 2015. The Store Next Door, the aforementioned Vera and Merchant, as well as Era Bistro at the Canadian Museum for Human Rights and Maw's Beer Hall, to name a few spots, all embrace a breaking-bread-with-strangers philosophy. Food brings people together. Why not make friends with the stranger sitting at your elbow?
5) Winnipeg is primed for a handful of new and improved eateries. A new main street deli will be opened by one of Winnipeg's most successful restaurateurs. A breakfast and lunch spot by Segovia team chef Adam Donnelly and Carolina Konrad will also open shop in the Exchange District in mid-2015. A handful of established restaurants will undergo revamps in 2015 too.
Adam Donnelly, Segovia (Photo by Dan Harper)
Communal tables inside Era Bistro at the Canadian Museum for Human Rights. (Photo by Robin Summerfield)
Peg City Grub is your ultimate source for everything foodie in Winnipeg. From the hottest chefs to the best new restaurants to the most delicious events, we’ve got you covered. Follow us on Twitter @pegcitygrub and visit www.tourismwinnipeg.com for more on the city’s fabulous dining options.
Peg City Grub is a Tourism Winnipeg culinary initiative.
