We ended 2021 with a piece that looks forward to new openings, like a new taproom on Sherbook Street by Good Neighbour Brewing featuring food from two of the city’s best chefs, along with more to look forward to on the brewing and bites scene.
Turns out, that’s just a start of what's in store over the month. On top of another new opening from one of the city’s best restaurant teams, there’s also a new home for a multiple award-winning microbrewery, a great drinks option for an après skate in the park, plus there’s a few fun new things to eat right now.
Now open
Everyone’s favourite authentic ramen pop-up is back at Little Goat Food and Drink (2615 Portage Ave). Ramen Takeuma is by Atsushi Kawazu, who is originally from Kyoto, Japan. His signature ramen is quite lovely, with all these great textural elements courtesy of dried shiitakes and roasted bamboo, while there's plenty of ramen richness from the pork belly chashu, runny egg, and a pork and chicken broth. It's perfect for a winter’s day.
Ramen Takeuma only runs Sunday, Monday and Tuesday nights (5 p.m. to 8 p.m.) until February 15. Reservations (a must) can be made online via direct message on Facebook or Instagram.
Little Goat is open throughout the rest of the week, with chef Alex and the crew reintroducing their takeout family suppers that have proved so popular during dining restrictions. The current menu features everything from three course dinners with prime rib entrees, to a "Veganuary" menu, to a kids’ menu too. Find all those options and ordering info here. Little Goat will also be participating in Fried Chicken Fest, which we have more on below.
Cargo Bar in Assiniboine Park is back at it for bits of winter by expanding your post-or-pre-skate beverage and snack options at The Riley Family Duck Pond. On Fridays from 4 to 8 p.m., and Saturday and Sunday from noon to 8 p.m. (weather permitting), you’ll find them slinging hot apple cider, fancy hot cocoa and s’mores out of this fun shipping container.
As well, you can also find more food onsite at the duck pond courtesy of The Park Café’s Park Treats window.
For more places that just opened–including Winnipeg’s first Egyptian restaurant–go here.
Fried Chicken Fest starts Thursday & La Poutine Week returns soon too
To say this city loves fried chicken is an understatement, something the Fried Chicken Fest organizers know well. This year, the festival is celebrating five years and will run January 13-22. The full list of 40+ participants can be found here, offering more chicken burgers, chicken and waffles, and crispy chicken dishes than seems necessary.
As you’ll see in the headline pic, Tallest Poppy’s gochujang-dipped, blue cheese crema-slathered number with pickled apple slaw is already brining the hype.
Once Fried Chicken Fest finishes, you only have to wait a week or so for the start of another gluttonous food festival. La Poutine Week is marking a decade this year, and while it’s a cross-Canada thing, Winnipeg always steps up with ample gravy and curd across the city. This years’ week is actually a fortnight, running from February 1-14.
Find more details as they come in here.
Coming soon
Our 2018 guide to Winnipeg’s best pizza already needed a massive update and surely the bets are on the latest spot from The Roost and The Oxbow Natural Wine Bar crew will make the list.
This group’s latest venture is called Parcel Pizza, and will be located underneath the tall new apartment complex (the one beside The Winter Club) at 221 Stradbrook Avenue, making it both walkable from downtown and Osborne Village. The website can be found here.
As well, another brewery location we missed in our latest roundup is Low Life Barrel House. Launched in 2020 within Barn Hammer Brewing, Low Life makes oeder-aged bretts (don’t worry, we had to Google that too) sours, and ciders, which are mostly aged in wood. They are doing funky stuff like using wine must in the aging process, while also getting into fizzy wines too via Winnipeg sommelier Jesse Oberman, who has a wealth of experience from working across vineyards in Europe.
They have already won two back-to-back gold medals at The Canadian Brewery Awards and their unique offerings will soon be available in the brewery and taproom they are building at 398 Daly Street North. For updates, follow them on Instagram.
