ciao! reviews
Winnipeg has always been a
diverse city, with a cultural
landscape constantly shifting as
demographics grow and change. Our
multiculturalism is evidenced by the
wealth of fantastic places to eat that
span the globe in cuisine.
Ciao! reviews always aim to seek
out the best spots in the city and
broaden our readers' repertoire of
good eats. This issue goes beyond
chef-driven hotspots to revisit classic establishments, neighbourhood
spots, and no-frills eateries off the
trendy path. In these homey environments, recipes that have migrated to
Winnipeg with families merge tradition and new ingredients, once again
revealing how thinking global and
acting local enriches the culinary
landscape.
COLOSSEO RISTORANTE
Neighbourhood . . . . . Corydon
the main attraction. Meaty packages
of eggplant rollotini, smothered in
pomodoro, hold delicate clouds of
ricotta. Pizzas arrive with pomp on
silver pedestals, thin crusts giving way
to a gooey mess of cheese.
Tender tubes of canneloni and
pillowy gnocchi made in house give
the feeling that Nonna is working
behind the swinging kitchen doors.
Other pastas sing with fresh seafood,
like a tangle of linguine with mussels, baby clams, shrimp and squid,
tossed in tomato sauce that tastes
long-simmered but finishes with
bright acidity.
A trip to Colosseo is a reminder of
what Italian food has been showing
us for decades: a full stomach and an
empty glass of vino? That’s amore.
Colosseo is open Mon-Thu 11
am-12 am, Fri 11 am-1 am, Sat 12
pm-1 am, Sun 12 pm-12 am.
DA DA ASIAN CUISINE
pork belly slices gets added bite from
crisp, vinegary cabbage and delicate
curls of shaved scallion, tossed in a
mouth searing chile paste.
Chefs around the world are continuing a love affair with fermented
cabbage condiment kimchi, and here
the housemade version delivers with
extra tangy vinegar zip, accompanied
by sweet bean sprouts and chile-laced
potatoes as complementary banchan,
side dishes served with each meal.
Beef bulgogi, the poster child of
Korean barbecue, is grilled in the
kitchen rather than on the tabletop—
just as well, as the meltingly thin strips
of beef are perfectly seasoned and
cooked to tender.
Prices reflect a cuisine that is still
underground in its popularity, with
the menu boasting some impressive
bargains. If the chatter of returning
customers is any indication, Korean
food is about to go viral.
Da Da is open Mon-Fri 11 am-9:15
pm, Sat & Sun 12 pm-9:15 pm.
Address. . . . . 670 Corydon Ave
Neighbourhood . . . . . Corydon
Phone . . . . . . . . 204-284-4977
Address. . . . . 590 Corydon Ave
Entrées . . . . . . . . . . . $19-$28
Phone . . . . . . . . 204-505-7935
Neighbourhood . . . . . West End
Entrées . . . . . . . . . . . $10-$15
Address. . 884 Notre Dame Ave
Nothing holds a candle to the basic
comfort of a red sauce joint: those
classic paragons of Italian cooking
which actively encourage eating your
weight in veal parmigiana. Of these
precious old-school gems that remain
in Winnipeg, Colosseo Ristorante
reigns supreme.
A staple of Corydon Avenue’s Little
Italy since 1973, Colosseo still has its
flags flying proudly. A replica of the
Fontana di Trevi guards over the door,
which opens to reveal wall sconces
flickering over bas-relief Roman
emperors and murals of the Italian
countryside. There remains something unbeatably romantic about
hearing the words “house red” and
the crooning of Frank Sinatra while
swirling a fork through spaghetti.
What graces the plate is, of course,
While the popularity of Korean food
has been slowly building for years, few
places in Winnipeg serve exclusively
Korean specialties. One such spot
is Da Da Asian Cuisine, where a
compelling argument is made for this
cuisine becoming the next big thing.
Less than 30 seats are tucked into
the renovated Corydon Avenue
house. Décor is sparse but modern,
one wall dominated by a line drawing mural.
Those who want to get hot under
the collar are in the right place.
Tongue-scalding dduk bok ee, a dish
of plump rice and fish cakes sliced
into noodle-like strips and bathed in
a rich red sauce, is a whirl of spicy,
funky flavours. A mound of crispy
DUCKY'S FISH & CHIPS
Phone . . . . . . . . 204-772-5600
Entrées . . . . . . . . . . . $10-$17
Though far from any body of water,
Ducky’s has the feel of seaside
dining. This English style fish and
chip shop has perfected the art of
fish frying.
Blending cozy and kitsch, this
45-seat nook sports trophy fish
mounted on wooden plaques and
an open kitchen that gives diners a
front row seat to cooks dunking fish
into hot oil.
Much like the food, the menu is
simple. A choice of fish comes with
a side of chips, tangy coleslaw and a
soft dinner roll. Forget about greasy
batter laden pieces of flesh—here,
ciao! / aug/sep / two thousand sixteen
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