ciao! reviews
THE PALM LOUNGE
Neighbourhood . . . Downtown
Address . . . . . . .222 Broadway
Phone . . . . . . . 204-942-8251
Entrées . . . . . . . . . . .$17-$45
The grandeur of the château-style
Fort Garry Hotel is unmatched in
Winnipeg, earning its reputation as
the city’s finest haunt since 1913.
Tucked behind the historic facade,
marble fl oors transition into plush
palm-adorned carpet upon entering
the lounge. A striking stained-glass
chandelier, originally from an early
twentieth century cinema, sparkles
down on luxurious leather chairs and
sturdy wooden tables that evoke old
world charm. Sleepy travellers cozy
up with nightcaps while locals chatter
about the latest Jets game over a lush
spread of shareables.
Chef Joseph Wojakowski succeeds
in providing enough varied menu
options to cover all preferences, while
presenting fresh and contemporary
takes on dishes. Everything is proudly
scratch-made, from the organic sour-
dough bread that accompanies the
Italian antipasto plate, right down
to the pickle that tops every burger.
Presented in a bamboo basket
alongside chopsticks and soy sauce,
steamed veggie dumplings are an
unexpected standout. Wonton
wrappers are translucent-thin and
tender, stuffed with Chinese cab-
bage, crisp bok choy and garlicky
spinach. Plunge the sesame sprin-
kled dumplings into the inky sauce
for a fl avour boost.
No knife is needed for the sirloin
pot roast; it’s fall-apart tender, melt-
ing in the mouth like butter. Bursting
with red wine gravy fl avours from the
slow cooked meat, a mound of soft
fi ngerling potatoes, snappy roasted
Brussels sprouts and juicy beets
satisfy cravings for a classic Sunday
dinner. It truly is a match made in
heaven for meat and potato devotees.
Classic comfort favourites are
elevated with flair. For a vegetar-
ian or just an enthusiast of offbeat
fl avour combos, the Scandinavian
beet burger hits the mark. The patty
packs raw shredded beets with cara-
way, flax and dill to bind and add
aromatic fl avours. A buttery toasted
bun gets a thick smear of lemon-
infused horseradish aioli, and fresh
cilantro and arugula deliver added
pep. Carnivores delight in the house-
ground chuck patty paired with
house-cured bacon, oven roasted
tomato, caramelized onion and a
perfectly sunny-side up egg gushing
underneath the oven-fresh bun of
the fried egg and bacon burger.
Those who linger over the dessert
menu or schmooze over a second
glass of wine are rewarded with
the sweet sounds of the evening’s 8
pm performer. Indulge in the deca-
dent chocolate dome cake whilst
being serenaded with jazzy tunes
by talented local musicians. Thick
ganache embraces layers of creamy
chocolate and hazelnut mousse atop
crispy hazelnut wafer, creating the
ultimate chocolate lover's dessert.
The Palm Lounge is open Mon-
Thu 11 am-12 am, Fri 11 am-1 am,
Sat 12 pm-1 am, Sun 12 pm-12 am.
shines through in every bite, turning
visitors into regulars.
An eclectic mix of ambient music
softly mixes with lively conversa-
tion and clattering knives as diners
sit back and relax. The intoxicat-
ing whiff of charcoal-kissed pizza
leaves every table hoping the next
one pulled from the roaring fl ames
is theirs. Fashioned with fun ingre-
dient pairings that masterfully
contrast sweetness, salt, and spice,
the ever-popular pies are consist-
ently a hit. Crisp, thinly sliced pears
and juicy fi gs complement the salin-
ity of prosciutto and sharpness of
melted blue cheese. Fresh green aru-
gula is scattered on top and drizzled
with sticky aged balsamic.
Crafted with local Nature’s Farm
noodles, a long list of inventive pasta
dishes thrill carb-ivores. Piping hot
fi re-baked mac ‘n cheese—upgraded
with a smoky four cheese blend,
spinach, tomato and spicy cubes of
capicollo—has some serious kick. A
punchy paprika béchamel sauce bal-
ances the heat, while herbed bread
crumbs add texture. Mediterranean
fl avours envelope mouthfuls of fi re-
roasted chicken, caramelized onion
and tangy sundried tomatoes tossed
with velvety fettuccine. An herby sauce
of parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme
amp up a straightforward pasta.
BONFIRE BISTRO
It’s rare for a salmon dish to have
as much intrigue as the organic king
Neighbourhood . River Heights
salmon here, served with a rich and
Address . . . .1433 Corydon Ave
buttery orange saffron beurre blanc
atop a fl uffy fl oor of herbed rice and
Phone . . . . . . . 204-487-4440
quinoa. The large fi llet is perfectly
pan-fried and topped with a zesty
Entrées . . . . . . . . . . .$16-$36
ginger tomato jam which melds
There is something so cheerful beautifully with the citrus notes. Red
about each dish served at Bonfi re wine-braised New Zealand lamb
Bistro. A warm, welcoming atmos- shank is fall-off-the-bone tender
phere mixed with the fi ery aroma and rich, brightened by a smooth
of an oak-fi red oven lures hungry preserved lemon parmesan risotto.
crowds from across the neighbour- The tart pickled apple, au jus and
hood to the restaurant’s hearth. But goat cheese that dress the juicy lamb
it is head chef Shaun Ursell’s bright are clever out-of-the-box additions.
Be sure to steal a glance at the
fl avour combinations and emphasis
on locally-sourced ingredients that list of freshly baked and churned
ciao! / apr/may / two thousand nineteen
27