Vientiane ... Bien Thai in St. Boniface

Vientiane has been on my radar for months. It popped up when I was looking for the best Thai in Winnipeg and was unfortunately temporarily closed as the owners took a vacation back to Thailand. Having just recently re-opened, I could not hold back the temptation to pop in for a post-call lunch.

Vientiane lies in a small strip mall in the heart of St. Boniface. Arriving just after 1, the place was still bustling with energy. The decor was passable with dim lighting and booth style seating. The service was attentive and appropriate. And on to the food.

I sometimes feel the need to order lots to satisfy my blog readers and as leftovers for future at-home meals. I started off this meal with Rice Rolls. Also sometimes referred to as summer rolls, these were filled with vermicelli, shrimp, chicken and cucumber. Tasty and was an excellent start to this enormous meal.

Beef Basil is a traditional Thai stir fry with ... beef and basil. The version here ups the vegetable factor with mushrooms and peppers. The beef itself was standout, as was the soy based sauce. The basil flavour, while detectable, could have been bumped up as it was hidden by the strong soy. Overall, a good dish.

Pad Thai is a given for any Thai restaurant. Compliments to Vientiane for some of the best I have ever had. The tender rice noodles were swimming in the tomato based sauce and accentuated with the tender morsels of chicken and crisp bean sprouts. I was yearning for some lime to round out the flavours, but overall this was excellent.

In conclusion, Vientiane is one of the better Thai restaurants in Winnipeg. They offer a rating scale of spiciness from 0-10 (3 being medium), I suggest going with a 3 to start as the spicy flavour can sometimes dull and take away from the other, more sutble, flavours in a dish. Furthermore, I have to commend Vientiane on the value of the dishes. With heaping portions, tasty food, and extremely reasonable prices, I hope this is a model most mom and pop establishments take. Highly recommended.

Winnipeg Blizzard Soul Food, Kiwa Korean Cuisine

In medicine you are fortunate to meet a number of fantastic people. Physicians, residents, students and patients each offer a glimpse into their life, some for fleeting moments, some for a lifetime. For me, the joy in meeting new people partially lies in their food and culinary experiences. One of my first questions revolves around one's favourite restaurant. Thankfully, everybody in Winnipeg has an opinion.

A medical student I was working with suggested Kiwa as authentic Korean cuisine. Located in the south of Winnipeg on Pembina Highway, you are greeted by a large beautiful signage beckoning you to Korean goodness.

The restaurant is neat, clean and modern. Hardwood floors are topped with plain tables and comfortable chairs. Having to attend an event that night, I arrived right at opening with the hopes of a quick in and out meal.

Veterans of the blog can already guess I ordered the Gamjatang (Pork Bone Soup). I would rate Kiwa's close to the top in the city. The delicate broth looks fiery hot but is actually subtle and filled with fatty porky flavour. The three neck pieces of pork had good amounts of tender meat. The best part of the dish were the two pieces of potato. I recommend eating these last as all the flavours and spices of the soup will permeate the taters. Delectable!

Stir Fried Spicy Pork & Squid came piping hot on a large stone plate. I have to commend Kiwa on their serving sizes as this was on par with the most value I have had in the city. Wonderfully tender pieces of pork and vegetables are fried with Korean spicy bean paste. The squid here was disappointingly bland and tough. Recommend just ordering the Pork (or Chicken) variant.

The Banchans today consisted of homemade Kimchi, Potatoes and Marinated Eggplant. Special mention needs to go to the homemade Kimchi with a hint of sourness to accentuate the sweet and spicy flavours.

Perhaps the best marker of the a Korean restaurant, I could not help but notice the litany of ethnically Korean customers at the end of the night. Overall, Kiwa serves excellent Korean at great prices. There are numerous large two person dishes I am already salivating to go try someday. Highly recommended.

Friday night Sushi, Wasabi Bistro

Wasabi is a well known brand in Winnipeg. Often touted as the best Japanese in town, the brand has expanded to three locations: the main location on broadway, an offshoot called Wasabi Sabi on Taylor Avenue and the fun Wasabi Sushi Bistro on Osborne.

On a wintry Friday night, a few of the peds residents wanted a relaxing dinner and board game night. My place being the haven of choice that night, we quickly descended upon the Wasabi Sushi Bistro for a meal.

Wasabi has a night-time bistro vibe to it. The decor was a nice mix of elegance and simplicity that spoke to the young adult and professional crowd dining there. Overall a nicely designed, albeit dimly lit, establishment.

The attentive wait staff quickly sat us down and brought us the drink menu. Needing some liquid courage to battle the cold settling into Winnipeg, we all decided upon: Sapporo Draft, the LOL (Vokda, Lychee Juice, Ginger Ale), Osborne Alley (Gin, Aliza, Lychee Juice) and Wasabitini (Sake, Gin, Plum Wine). Fun drinks to start the night.

We quickly decided to have a family-style meal and each proceeded to order a few items. We started off with a Beef Tataki. Thinly sliced Angus beef with a sweet sesame sauce, this was a highlight of the meal. Incredibly tender beef that accentuated well with the pungent sesame flavour.

No meal is complete without tempura. Wasabi's Yam Tempura is excellent. Lightly breaded pieces of yam fried to perfection, the secret to this dish is the ratio of batter to yam. Wasabi shows great restraint here to not over-batter their tempura, well done!

The Caterpillar Roll is aptly named because of its resemblance (only in visuals) of the small pre-butterfly bugs. The roll consists of eel and cucumber roll topped with avocado and finished with a sweet soy sauce. I found the soy sauce a little strong here and took away from the delicate taste of the eel.

Rainbow Rolls consist of a California Roll topped with fresh fish. Wasabi's freshness of the fish was obvious here: wonderfully tender and fatty slices of salmon and tuna house the California roll underneath. Altogether a solid roll, but nothing extroadinary.
 

Tonkatsu is a deep fried breaded pork cutlet. Here they serve it with a sweet sauce similar to Hoison. Wasabi is able to control the amount of batter and length of frying to make a solid cutlet.

Two rolls came next. The Will-san (top) roll consists of fresh salmon, avocado and spicy mayo topped with tempura crumbs. I ordered this solely for the name-sake, but it was honestly altogether bland and not memorable. Main takeaway was the freshness of the salmon.

The Baby Godzilla (bottom) roll consists of tempura shrimp, soft shell crab, scallops and avocado. This was one of the best rolls of the night with a nice contrast between the tempura shrimp and soft shell crab. I found there to be too many ingredients and thought the avocado was overshadowing the subtle flavour of the crab. Overall tasty.

The White Dynamite roll was an eye opener for me. Tempura shrimp, avocado and sprouts wrapped in a white radish crepe. The crunchiness and sharpness of the radish harmonized well with the greasiness of the shrimp and fattiness of the avocado. This really spoke to the skill of Wasabi's chef and their ability to invent and create novel rolls.

It was fairly obvious why the Wasabi group is popular here in Winnipeg. They are able to deliver fun, solid, and, at times innovative, dishes at a reasonable price. Overall this is a good place to go for a guaranteed solid Japanese dining experience.

Upscale Indian Buffet @ East India Company

East India Company is a well known establishment in Winnipeg. I find most Indian restaurants gain popularity through either serving value or class. East India Company is the latter. Located in the middle of downtown in a beautiful building with a sprawling billboard, this is the type of restaurant you would take a business colleague to ... or have a big company event at.

Which is exactly the problem I ran into when I stopped by East India Company for a quick meal. Initially I thought the restaurant was closed for a private event, but it turns out they kept a few tables open for the public.

The restaurant is quite large, well decorated and has an air of class. East India Company was heavily touting their buffet that night. As someone who typically enjoys the value of Indian buffets, I had no choice but to oblige =).

Appetizer plate includes (from bottom going clockwise): Vegetable Samosa, Vegetable Pakora (deep fried vegetable fritter), Masala Chicken Wings, Papadums with numerous chutneys and sauces, various salads. Special mention goes to the cauliflower and cabbage dip (at ~2 o'clock in the picture) which was a wonderful mixture of sweet, sour and spicy.

Vegetarian plate includes (from top going clockwise): Bhindi Malasa (Okra curry), Saffron rice, Chana Masala (Chickpea curry), Navratan Korma (Paneer and vegetables in a white curry), Palak Paneer (Paneer with spinach), Punjabi Kadi (Deep fried pakora in curry sauce), Dal Makhani (Lentil curry) and Sambar Vada in the middle (Deep Fried Chickpea Indian doughnut). Big fan of their Palak Paneer with smooth paneer in a rich creamy spinach sauce.

Meat plate includes (from top going clockwise): Beef Curry, Aloo Ghobi (Cauliflower and Potatoes), Garlic Chicken, Imitation Crab Curry, Tawa Chicken Tikka, Murg Bahar (Butter Chicken), Nihari Gosht (Muslim Goat Curry), Fish Curry, Shrimp Malasa and Murg Tandoori (Tandoori Chicken) in the middle. Special mention goes out to the Taka Chicken Tikka which compromised of generous portions of chicken in a delectable masala sauce.

Naan is usually a given at most Indian restaurants. Here East India Company make the customer pay extra for Naan. An odd choice for a buffet and one that reeks of a company trying to nickle and dime their customers.

Desserts were varied but I was far too full to properly enjoy them. Left to right: Indian Mango Mousse, Vanilla Ice Cream and Halva (a Indian sweet) roasted with pecans.

Overall a highly enjoyable meal. I find their prices are in the upper range and am disappointed in their choice to charge for Naan, but the vast variety and quality of the buffet items makes up for those small critiques.

Classy Sunday Brunch, Gates on Roblin

Sunday brunch was a novel concept for me. In my family, Sunday was the day when we would all stay in and enjoy a nice homecooked meal, usually involving either dumplings or wontons. It was only at Queen's for undergrad that I began enjoying Sunday brunch (usually after an especially late night of ... socializing). To mark the first day of fresh snow, and to celebrate a day of sleeping in, I dragged my co-resident across town to The Gates on Roblin for their special brunch.

The Gates on Roblin exude class. Located just outside the western perimeter of the city, one gets the sense they are visiting a private secluded club. A classy stone sign greets you as you turn into the driveway to the restaurant.

Approaching the restaurant, we were welcomed by a horse drawn carriage featuring two exquisitely beautiful black horses. We learned that the Gates offers free rides around the compound once you are done dining. Amazing!

The building itself reminded us of olden villas and estates from the Southern United States. A majestic wooden structure, brightly coloured with tons of windows, it was easy to lose yourself in the architecture and decor. But to the food we go!

Gates on Roblin features an upscale brunch buffet on Sundays. We started off with a made-to-order flambeed crepe topped with caramelized apples and a homemade strawberry and caramel sauce. Additionally we had waffles with fresh whipped cream and fresh strawberries. Tasty!

My co-resident filled up with a made-to-order omelette with your choice of cheeses and vegetables. Additionally they added a piece of prime rib, smoked salmon, marinated vegetables, mussels and cheese & crackers.

Salad plate was next. From right going clockwise: Spring Rolls (which were average), Potato Salad with Dill, Salad Bar consisting of greens and a mix of pickled vegetables, and Asparagus, Zucchini and Portabello Mushrooms finished with Balsamic Vinegar.

Their "soup" of the day was Tomato Vegetable. This was a delight as it was more of a stew than a soup. A mix of tomato, vegetables and beef in a rich sauce made this one of the highlights of the meal.

My mains included (from top going clockwise): Mussels, Cheese & Crackers, Shrimp with cocktail sauce, Smoked Salmon with capers & cream cheese, and Prime Rib carvery with an assortment of mustard. The prime rib was devine, a perfectly medium rare piece that was tender and flavourful. Well executed!

The rest of the mains included (from top going clockwise): Roasted Potatoes, Eggs Benedict, Baked Salmon with a Creamy Sauce, Penne with Rose sauce, Fried Chicken, Bacon and an assortment of breads (I chose the Cornbread). In the middle were fresh Pork Sausages. For a restaurant mass producing food, the eggs benedict were on par. Special mention goes to the pork sausages which had a nice fatty flavour.

Almost filled to the brim, I had to showcase the dessert platters. A lavish spread of cakes, strudels and small tarts greeted us. Another table (not pictured) featured fruits and a large chocolate fountain.

Dessert for me was a struggle to find room for but I did take some of the: Homemade Apple Crisp, Chocolate Lava Cake, Lemon Cake, and a Strawberry Dipped in Chocolate. All tasty.

I could not help but take some snaps of the decor of the restaurant.

Overall The Gates on Roblin exuded a olden day class and charm that is hard to recreate. The buffet was scrumptous, varied and filling. Every item was well executed and nothing disappointing. Definitely a fun way to spend a lazy Sunday morning. Just make sure to call ahead or make reservations on their website before making the long trek out.

Nou Eul Tor

Nou Eul Tor caught my eye in the first few weeks being in Winnipeg. A mom and pop shop that seemed to create authentic dishes at an amazing value, it quickly rose to the top of my list of must-go restaurants in the city. I am day by day beginning to realize just how fruitful and diverse the food scene is in Winnipeg. The old adage that one cannot judge a book by its cover is aptly true here. Nou Eul Tor continues my spree of searching for the best and brightest of Winnipeg's Korean.

Nou Eul Tor suffers from a common mistake of ethnic restaurants. Unless one is fluent in Korean, the name is uncommon, difficult to pronounce and utterly forgetful. Tucked away on Sargent Avenue, the signage and exterior are easy to miss. Nevertheless, should one persevere through to finding the establishment, they won't be disappointed.

The menu is small. A full three pages worth of Korean soups, grilled meats and pancakes. I enthusiastically agree with their approach. For small mom and pop restaurants, my advice is to focus on what you do well and become known for those one or two iconic dishes. Then build the rest of the menu surrounding that. My initial thought of the menu was value. Most items were south of $10! Furthermore, spying on other tables revealed reasonable servings sizes to boot.

The beginning of the meal brought a small bowl of Juk. Essentially the Korean equivalent of congee, this is meant to be a palate cleanser prior to the arrival of the main items.

Perhaps one could have guessed already, but I had to order the Gamjatang (Pork Bone Soup). The version here initially looked nondescript, but it mysteriously hides a marvelous concoction of flavours. It was obvious how much care they put into this dish: the fattiness of the pork which permeated through the broth was contrasted with sharp Korean chilis and cooled by the tender vegetables. The pieces of pork could have been larger and the broth could have used some greens but this was overall one of the better Gamjatang I have had in the city.

I also went with the Gochujang Samgyopsal. Featuring grilled pork belly, this dish was a make your own incorporating lettuce wraps and Korean bean paste. I am a sucker for lettuce wraps. Biases aside, I applaud Nou Eul Tor for making such a delectable dish. The grilled meat was on point and mixed in perfectly with the bean paste. Highly recommended.

No Korean meal is complete without Banchans. Here they offer: Kimchi, Bean Sprouts, Marinated Cucumbers, Sweet & Spicy Daikon. Special mention must go to the Kimchi, which had a nice crisp sourness, and the Daikon, which was a surprisingly delicious mixture of sweet and spicy.

Restaurants like Nou Eul Tor make me excited to explore more of this city. A classic mom and pop joint which deserves to have more coverage and exposure. I worry as a number of factors work against their favour, but am hopeful that they will persevere through. Ultimately, Nou Eul Tor is one of the best Korean restaurants I have dined at here in Winnipeg.