Good homey food and interesting stories!

This long overdue Adventure in Dining took us to the quaint Portuguese restaurant O Tacho after some trials and tribulations trying to book our group to another Portuguese restaurant called Chave d'Ouro.


Ironically, O'Tacho is located in the former location of Chave d'Ouro, at 714 Sargent Avenue, however, this restaurant will likely change location in the near future according to owner Tony Goncalves. He's thinking of moving his restaurant to a "better" area such as Academy or River Heights. Unless his local politician do something about the area.

This and many other colourful stories came with succulent food throughout the evening. Among these, we learned about some of the Portuguese traditions for stags as well as the difference between Port and Sherry.

The decor is sober, minimally and tastefully decorated with a few paintings depicting scenes from Portugal and a large flat screen television that was showing a promotional video highlighting the beautiful regions of Portugal.

The tasty bread basket and olives that came before the meal were free, as opposed to the way it is in Portugal where you pay for everything you consume. The food is all prepared fresh by Tony's mother-in-law to ensure a true homey taste. The chef, or rather the cook as Tony calls her, was busy preparing the main dishes while we were tasting some of the appetizers. I had the Portuguese sausage (Chourizo Assado) and Nat had the Calamari (Lulas Panadas). The sausage had just the right amount of spices for me but I found it rather chunky.



As we were waiting for our main dishes, we were sipping on some Portuguese wines and beers. The Sagres beer was quite popular among the diners. It comes in light, amber and dark. I had the amber version and found it quite tasty. Dave, who had the dark version said it had a smooth taste reminiscent of coffee.

Dave had the grilled pork tenderloin (Lombinhos de porco) and really enjoyed the flavour of the sauce. The large portion, however, prevented him from ordering dessert. Jay ordered the Pork and Clams (Carne Alentejana) and said it quite good. Matt, a new addition to the group, enjoyed the BBQ chicken (Frango no Churrasco.


Nathalie ordered the Portuguese shrimps (Camarao a Portuguesa) and Karen had the Tiger shrimps (Camarao gigante). Both portions were quite generous and as we learned later some are mostly meant for sharing. Even after Nat shared with the whole table, her bowl still seemed full of shrimps! Tim had the desalted salted cod (Bacalhau a Portuguesa) and apparently learned a thing or two on how to prepare the dish.


Dani and I opted for a classical Portuguese dish called Alcatra. It's a stewed beef dish that needs to cook for over 2 hours before being served (the only meal prepared ahead of time). It came with a side of tasty boiled potatoes. The neat fact about this dish is the fact that it comes in those cool little clay pots ordered directly from Portugal! The Alcatra came steaming hot, still boiling actually, into those little containers and once again in a very generous portion.

Since the food was rich, tasty and plentiful, none of us really had room for dessert. Our host quickly fixed that by offering a glass of Port (for the women) and a glass of aguardente (for the men) a strong wine spirit whose purpose is to burn a hole in your food and thus making room for more :)

Dani was the first one brave enough to order the Puddim Molotof, a Portuguese classic that looks like a soft puffy meringue swimming in caramel sauce. After hers arrived, we all quickly ordered one and indulge in this fabulous pastry.

I would definitely go back to this restaurant, as long as I'm not trying to follow a strict calorie-reduced diet, and try to sample a few more of the dishes. I guess I better hurry before it moves location.

Tuesday September 1, 2009

Adventures in Dining has been steadily expanding over the last few months to include geocachers and couchsurfers, which, in my humble opinion, has only benefitted and added to the group dynamic.
This time we went to a neat little Vietnamese restaurant we had stumbled upon a few weeks ago with some fellow diners and geocachers. The original plan was to go Ducky's Fish and Chips next door but they were closed.

Fortunately, Kim Thành, the restaurant next door, was open and we enjoyed a great evening of vietnamese food. The owner even came and helped me roll my first rice wrap!


Last night, our group of 20 settled in the restaurant and started ordering from the menus. Our large group may have overwhelmed the staff of this family-run restaurant as the service was somewhat chaotic and our 8 year old server seemed confused at times as to who ordered what...

The food was delicious and the rolls were a hit. Some first timers adventure in dining participants did quite well at rolling their first rice rolls! Some rolls turned out nicer than other but this time the owner didn't have to come out and teach us how to do it.

Wednesday, January 24, 2007

Today’s dining adventure took us to the Caribbean. Mammy’s Restaurant, which opened in early December, is located in an old two-storey house at 271 Provencher Boulevard. Updated with bright colours and a gallery of Caribbean artwork (incidentally it’s for sale if you’re interested) it felt both homey and foreign…like having dinner at someone’s house in Trinidad. Thus it is aptly named in dedication to the owner’s mother.

Climbing the stairs to the second floor, the walls are painted with interesting colloquial phrases; a good topic of conversation while waiting for dinner. One example is “crapaud smoke yuh pipe”, which, when we asked the waitress, we found to mean something along the lines of “you’re out of luck”.
The owner spoke to us of how he partnered with his uncle to bring a more “up-scale” Caribbean restaurant to the city featuring both well-known dishes (such as roti and jerk chicken) as well as some signature dishes created by the chef. Something to look forward to is a patio being built at the front of the building for the summer time crowd that likes to watch the traffic while sipping on tropical drinks, basking in the sun and listening to steel drum band music, imagining a far-away vacation…

There are numerous choices in the menu including soups, salads and tapas to start as well as larger meals under the “Belly Full Time” listing and desserts that sound absolutely divine…making it hard to choose just one. Whether a meat eater, vegetarian or in the mood for seafood, they have something for you.




The dishes are very well presented with an artistic flair. Nathalie started with a spiced pumpkin and squash bisque, served with a drizzle of maple syrup and coconut crème fresh on top in the shape of the restaurant’s signature “M”. It was delicious, tasting like a combination of ginger bread and sweet potato pie. The tapas are a particularly good choice if wanting to try several different dishes or don’t have a lot of time. As they had a dance class to get to, Nathalie and Jacques shared 4 tapas, all of which they seemed to enjoy immensely.

After they left, the rest of us had quite a long wait for our meals…some longer than others. One unfortunate soul was told hers was accidentally burned, so she ended up with just a salad despite being famished by this time. Was it worth the wait? I suppose that depends on whom you ask. Our meals were very tasty, however, the scallops were somewhat overcooked and the roti was no tastier or larger than at Deen’s but about 3 times the price.

Still, we had room, and patience, for dessert. Our table ordered one of each of the desserts. We struggled with the decision, finally deciding on the Mango Crepes. It was very interestingly presented with one of the crepes rolled into the shape of a volcano and the sauce flowing down the sides like lava. Besides appearance, this was the least impressive of the 3. It was tasty, however, what was described as a light mango and Grand Marnier syrup looked and tasted more like raspberry jam, overpowering the flambéed mango altogether. Nina’s Dream obviously tasted as good as it looked. Sandwiched between pieces of coconut shortcake, bananas and vanilla custard were drizzled with caramel…”mmmmm” is all we could hear as it was being polished off.

Though the staff were very friendly and eager to please, they seemed a little overwhelmed by such a large crowd and had some difficulty remembering the drink orders. Perhaps in a smaller crowd, the meals would have been quicker, or maybe it’s just one of the new business draw-backs … then again, it may just be the Caribbean laid back attitude.

Unfortunately, the second floor dining area was not conducive to mingling for a large crowd such as ours and a little music, as was heard playing in the lounge as we left, could have added to the atmosphere as well as taking our minds off the long wait for food.

Bottom line: I’m still keen to go in summer for drinks but may stick to tapas as they were very tasty, reasonably priced, and were served quickly.

Tina

Good sushi, great service!
Named after the previous owner, Masa Restaurant was the second sushi place to open in Winnipeg shortly after Edohei. Current owners and sushi chefs, Jason Yuan and David Kong, are keeping the pace busy with a wide assortment of sushi. The restaurant focus on traditional style sushi, sashimi b will also try new customers' suggestions. Good news for those who don't like fish, like myself, the menu also offers a wide variety of other japanese dishes such as tempura, teriyaki and sukiyaki.
The restaurant has tatami seating, a sushi bar and a few tables to accomodate up to fifty customers. Our group of seventeen sat in the middle of the restaurant where our knowledgeable server, Ester, explained what the different sushi and sashimi were. The restaurant also serves traditional sake and tea as well as imported japanese beer.

The service was exceptional. In spite of our large group, we were served very promptly and in a very friendly manner. Overall, this was a very good sushi experience, even for a non-fish eater.
PS I even tried sushi that night! It didn't change my mind about sushi...

The Burger that Bites Back

Note: Despite the fact that she doesn't think she fully recovered from the Blondies big one, Sarah, managed to write up a hallowing tale of our experience with the legendary nine-pound burger. Read on.

July 26th 2006 saw the group heading on a dangerous adventure to Winnipeg's most famous (or infamous?) greasy spoon, Blondies. Our mission: to consume the 'big one', the largest burger in Winnipeg (and aw, heck let's be honest, the planet), the nine-pound, after cooking, burger hereafter referred to as the BEHEMOTH. Kneel before the BEHEMOTH. Respect the BEHEMOTH.

Our group started small. Perhaps many were lost along the way. Some of us couldn't see the sign - that is the faded, chipped Blondies sign that seems to be older than Winnipeg itself tucked in a corner just south of West Kildonan Park. Others decided to save themselves from the characteristic greasy spoon "less than rigorous approach to hygiene and dishwashing" and "high fat content” that Jacques described in his invitation to this Adventure. But soon enough, a good sized group of us had arrived. All those who couldn't resist the gravitational pull of the BEHEMOTH (seriously - it's nine pounds. It's practically its own beefy planet. Or at least a moon.)

At first glance, the charming black, white and red decor of a simple 50's style neighbourhood diner greeted us. But then we noticed the caricature of the BEHEMOTH chasing a young man, fangs barred. And then we started to read the rules. That's when we realized we'd waded deep into a sea of serious anger management issues. We were afraid, but we thought that if we stuck together, we could outnumber Blondie and the BEHEMOTH. Ha!


Bob the Boyfriend came out, friendly enough, to take our order, while a pair of deceptively charming blue eyes glared at us through the serving window. Blondie lurked back there in the shadows of the kitchen.

Noticing rule #7 "Ordering a milkshake when it's busy results in death" most of us chose to risk life and limb and order the 7-scoop milkshake. Creamy, thick...good. Latecomers began to straggle in, but after glancing at rules such as rule #2 "If your order is wrong, it's your own fault", they looked around nervously, perhaps for an easy escape, while wondering if they should risk some dinner.

As Blondie worked on our BEHEMOTH we perused the snapshots on the walls, many of which featured this home-grown legend of a meat patty. It seemed larger than life. And when Bob brought out the industrial-sized spatula and carving knife with which to serve the BEHEMOTH, we realized that it was.
With little ceremony or pomp, the BEHEMOTH was brought out. In awe, we sang a song to honour it (a shabby rendition of the Space Odyssey theme?...I couldn't actually hear over the burger.) Two dinner plate-sized patties, three layers of bun, cheese, bacon, lettuce, and all the fixings. It was intimidating. It was unlike anything we had ever seen. It was a monster.

We thought that no challenge was too great for Adventures in Dining. We began to have our doubts as we tried to tackle cutting the BEHEMOTH into giant burger-pie slices. Had Adventures in Dining met its match? Would the BEHEMOTH truly bite back.

Sometime later, as we all began to stretch out - groaning, moaning, and loosening several belt buckles - Blondie came over to chat with us. She may be a bit of a crusty lady with some unchecked anger issues best expressed through freakishly decorating her restaurant, but it turns out that underneath it all she's a friendly restaurateur who cares about her customers.
She only wants to run her restaurant her way. And judging by the voracious appetites, the laughter, and the smiling (but stuffed) Adventurers, that's just the way Winnipeggers like it. Blondies certainly is an adventure! (The caricature on the left is actually very close to the real Blondie!!! No kidding!)

In the end, the BEHEMOTH was surprisingly tasty - I didn't expect it to live up to all the hype, but with all the ingredients freshly prepared by Blondie herself, it's hardly a surprise. Most people did indeed finish their portions (actually just 1/12 of the BEHEMOTH each). Some even had dessert. Sadly, a few good Adventurers, like me, were defeated by the BEHEMOTH.

Yes, it's true. The BEHEMOTH beat me. I hang my head in shame, but hope for the day when someone, somewhere, will finish the burger that bites back. Maybe it will be you!

Sarah

Deen's Caribbean Restaurant and Calypso Garden patio has been around since 1978. Current owners, the Mungal Family, originally from Trinidad (a small islands located in the Lesser Antilles) have owned the place for about 10 years. The mood of the patio is definitely tropical in flavour. A large stage with cut out wooden palm trees occupies the side closer to the restaurant while wooden tables are laid around surrounded by trees, bushes and Marion street. Loud rock music was performed by a live band that night which reminded me I was in Winnipeg and not in the Caribbean.

Curry seems to be the first word of every selection on the menu while Roti often comes as a second word. The Roti, a soft roasted dough approximately 20 cm in diameter, is the house specialty and it comes with a variety of fillings from boneless chicken to bonefull goat. Great rendition of goats guys!
Many vegetarian Roti including potatoes, chick peas and pigeon peas are on the menu but on a blindfolded test, Bethany and Dustin would be hard press to guess which is which.
The menu also offers rice entrées with the same offerings as the Roti (from boneless chicken to pigeon peas) but with rice instead of flat bread. For those with larger appetite or who just want to share a meal, combination plates mix and match rotis and rice entrées.

The bar offers a fine selection of tropical beverages including Red Stripe and Carib beer and a good assortment of Caribbean juices and soft drinks (Sorrel, Mauby, Solo). We skipped on the two choices of desserts offered, ice cream and cream cheese, and decided to visit nearby ice cream parlor Dairy Wip instead.
Deen's is overall a good experience that offers the right food at the right price and a good way to spend a hot summer evening among friends on a patio while drinking Carib and eating pigeon peas.

Aladdin's Pizza - Chez Sophie
This Adventure in Dining was quite well attended with our group taking over pretty much the entire restaurant. Food was great and the service excellent. This former pizza joint has been revamped with the arrival of new owners Sophie and Stéphane from Alsace, France.

A fresh coat of green and yellow paint now gives the place a French bistro flair with large sunflowers highlighting the south wall and an antique wooden chair looms on the north-east corner of the ceiling. This restaurant has always been a favourite with the College Universitaire de St.Boniface students at lunch time and a popular pizza delivery joint for St.Boniface residents.

In order to maintain this clientele, the owners have kept some of the existing items on the menu with a few notable additions. Cream-based pizzas smothered with Brie or goat cheese and French specialties such as tartiflette (a dish similar to scalloped potatoes), steak and fries, and fried camembert are offered on the regular menu and on Saturday evenings a set menu offers a full course French meal.