T.H. Dang - Average Vietnamese

After a busy and long week of work, I found myself craving for good homey cuisine, and despite the warming weather, I gravitated back to my soul food of choice, Pho. The combination of warm soup with crisp noodles and a bevy of vegetables and meat is the perfect combination of flavours and textures that serves to re-energize and warm myself before embarking on new adventures. Thus after coming from the hospital, I had to stop at T.H. Dang's Restaurant for some Vietnamese.

T.H. Dang's rests on the busy corner of Pembina Highway and Howard Avenue. The exteriors are average with large signage that should attract attention from passers-by. I appreciated the dedicated parking lot as parking in the periphery can be difficult to find. The interiors are simply average with its combination of drab olden decor with cheap tables and rickety chairs. Finally, the one employee does an admirable job tending the restaurant, but service does suffer a bit with long wait times.

I have to continually laugh at the hybrid Vietnamese and Chinese cuisine restaurants in Winnipeg. As if the owners are not confident enough in creating their own niche, they feel the need to offer dishes from two massively divergent Asian cuisines. As with most other restaurants with this moniker, T.H. Dang's is first and foremost, a Vietnamese restaurant and features the usual pho noodle soups and vermicelli rice bowls. The addition of stir fries and hot pot dishes seem like an afterthought and tacked on to give the illusion of variety. Nevertheless, the menu does have all the usual suspects and should be able to satisfy the wishes of most diners.

I was disappointed by the broth in the Medium Rare Beef & Beef Ball Rice Noodle Soup (Pho). The broth here was devoid of the usual  depth one normally gets in pho broth but rather had an artificial sweetness that overpowered the dish and robbed it of any richness. Granted, the tender thinly sliced beef and large springy beef balls were above average, just shame about the broth.

Dang's Deluxe Vermicelli is a gargantuan boal of grilled meats (Pork, Pork Patties, Pork Hash, Shrimp, Beef) with spring rolls and a bevy of vegetables on a bed of tender rice noodles. Although I appreciated the litany of grilled meats given, each had the same flavour and texture with a hint of lemongrass and a slight bitterness from charred skin. In truth, the best part of the dish were the spring rolls with their crispy skin and moist succulent interior. The addition of the fish sauce dip adds much needed sweetness to the overall dish.

Another marker of a good Vietnamese restaurant is the crispness of their bean sprouts and accompaniments and TH Dang surpasses expectations here with fresh sprouts that added a crisp, slightly sweet crunch to each bite of pho.

Overall I found T.H. Dang's completely average. The disappointing pho broth unfortunately renders any of its noodle soups a monotonous artificial sweet flavour, a shame considering that their beef and beef balls are actually quite good. The vermicelli, while an impressively large portion, was a simple rehash of the same flavours just with different meats. If you are in the area and in need for Vietnamese, then T.H. Dang's should suffice, but there are much better in the city.

Sherbrook Street Delicatessen - Exquisite Smoked Meat

Winnipeg's battle for sandwich supremacy has escalated another tier. Starting off with the wonderful King + Bannatyne, followed by the sublime Nicks on Broadway, Sherbrook Street Delicatessen adds one more wrinkle by offering home made Jewish style kosher cooking that harkens back many generations. It should be no surprise to those regularly reading my blog that I love The Food Network. One of the first programs I saw featured the Carnegie Deli, a kosher style deli in the heart of New York City serving drool worthy smoked meat, salami and corned beef sandwiches. You can understand my excitement when Sherbrook Street Deli promised the same style of cooking. Thus, on a post-call day I made the quick trek to Sherbrook Street.

The beautiful restaurant is located right beside another of my favourites, Stella's, on Sherbrook Street. The restaurant has a modern sheen to it with large windows and a handsome sign that confidently boasts of the deliciousness inside. The interiors do not disappoint either with attractive large oak tables and chairs; a sprawling bar top for those diners looking for a quick bite; and a host of tasteful paintings and images showcasing life in the 1940's. Overall it works to create an ambiance of an old fashioned deli but with modern aesthetics.

The menu is simple but fully featured. The hallmark of the restaurant is, of course, their deli meats which they use to create a number of fun sandwich platters. The staples are all here including Corned Beef, Smoked Meat, and Beef Salami. Should one want to try just smaller servings, Sherbrook Deli offers each meat by weight, giving the diner the ability to customize their meal to the umpteenth. A number of soups and salads round out the sandwiches. And finally, for those wanting something more hearty, they offer a few main plates including a Rib Eye, Schnitzel and Short Ribs. Everything sounded incredible, but I was here for the deli meats!

Matzah Ball Soup is a Jewish staple soup that features doughy dumplings in a base of chicken broth. The version here was delicious with a homemade broth that had a robust richness that featured large chunks of chicken meat and vegetables, and two large tender and plump dumplings. The use of dill here was an excellent choice that added a earthiness but sharpness to the dish that cut through the otherwise one dimensional soup and dumplings. An excellent start to the meal.

I let out an audible gasp of excitement when the Earl Barish (Smoked Meat) Sandwich Platter arrived by my side. Given the option of hot or mild mustard, the artisan sandwich is paired with a bevy of homemade kettle cooked chips, a side of creamy coleslaw and a large pickle. Starting with the sides, they were simply ordinary and as you would expect from potato chips and coleslaw.

But oh the sandwich was divine. Large thick cuts of tender, juicy and fatty smoked meat is matched with a sharp and grainy mustard (I chose hot, by the way) and guarded by slices of homemade multi-grain bread. The tender meat had the perfect amount of warm juicy interiors with a slight salty crunch from the exterior crust which furthermore contrasted well with the strong mustard. In a word, delicious.

There are no amount of superlatives that can fully describe the Sherbrook Street Delicatessen. In short, they fully achieved their goal of homemade traditional Kosher style meats and sandwiches and is a wonderful addition to the bulging sandwich market of Winnipeg. From the beautiful restaurant's exteriors to the wonderful staff, delicious food and prompt service, this restaurant is an experience that every Winnipeger should behold; do yourself a favour and go.

Kokeb Restaurant - Tasty Ethiopian

Playoff fever has hit the city of Winnipeg. Making the playoffs for the first time since relocating here, the Jets have given the rabid fanbase something to cheer about ... and often. Reminiscent of 2005-2006 when my Oilers made a Stanley Cup run, you can feel the energy and enthusiasm percolating through the streets as the umpteenth number of jerseys and car flags pass you by. Of course then, you would expect the majority of bars and restaurants cashing in on the new business as customers now have an excuse to open up their wallets and enjoy a meal prior to a game. One of those businesses in downtown Winnipeg is Kokeb Restaurant, an Ethiopian establishment featuring tasty curries and delicious stews in the heat of downtown.

Kokeb is located on Edmonton Street in a busy stretch of downtown just off of Portage Avenue. The restaurant has modern esque exteriors with a large window front and a brightly coloured banner enticing customers forward. The interiors are, in contrast, homey and reserved with bright wallpaper and a random assortment of mismatched tables and chairs. Definitely a cool place to hang out for a few hours while waiting for a game or event.

The menu is small and features the basic Ethiopian dishes one would expect. The basis of the cuisine are their curries and stir fries which feature a bevy of protein options including lamb, beef, pork and chicken. The vegetarian options are equally impressive with a large number of tasty cabbage, bean and chickpea dishes available. In fact, most of the Urbanspoon reviews rave mostly about their vegetarian dishes, including a incredibly cheap lunch buffet offered during the weekdays. The star and uniqueness of Ethiopian cuisine is of course in the use of Injera, a fresh sourdough crepe that becomes the vehicle to consume the curries and meats. Wanting to try a few dishes, me and my dining companion split a Veggie Combo and a meat curry.

From the top going clockwise: Green Lentils, Tikil Gomen (Cabbage and Carrot Stew), Qeye Seir (Beets and Cabbage), Salad, Misir Wot (Red Lentils in Berbere Sauce), Potatoes Stew, Dinich Wot (Potato Stew in Berbere Sauce), Salad, Defin Misir (Blended brown lentils). In the middle is the Yegel Tibis (Smoked Lamb).

This behemoth of a dish was an excellent collection of delicious Ethiopian dishes. The standouts were, as expected, the vegetarian dishes with succulent and rich curry sauce enveloping potaotes in the Dinich Wot, and tender beets with crisp cabbage with tangy vinagrette in the Qeye Seir, and the smooth smokey blended beets in the Defin Misir. The lamb was unfortunately dry and overcooked rendering it devoid of its flavour. In fact we continually went back to the vegetarian combo and preferred it over the lamb dish.

As with all Ethiopian food, Kokeb delivers a few large rolls of Injera to eat with the meal. With no utensils in site, one realizes quickly that Injera becomes the vehicle and utensil of choice. The bread has a nice sour aroma and flavour that contrasts well with the luxurious curries, and is soft and delicate enough to soak up all the delicious sauces. Accompanying the Injera is a small dish of tasty salty Jalapeno spread that adds heat to the meal.

Overall Kokeb delivers quality Ethiopian cuisine. The true standout dishes were the vegetarian options and given their quality, Kokeb offers incredible value for the low price charged. Perfect for anyone in the area looking for good African/Ethiopian food, just get your protein load elsewhere.

The Blue Marble Restaurant - Disappointingly Mediocre Tapas

I normally do not frequent airport restaurants because they often feature fast food equivalents for the on the go diners. That was when I read about a new establishment billing itself as an upscale tapas style cuisine. Called The Blue Marble and located in the modern Grand Hotel, the premise and positive posts on Urban spoon moved me to try the place. Grabbing a friend for a belated birthday, we made the quick drive over to the airport to dine at The Blue Marble Restaurant.

Finding the place at the airport is easy. Parking in the airport parkade allows for a quick five minute stroll over to the Grand Hotel where The Blue Marble is located. A handsome modern restaurant with large panes of glass and plentiful comfortable booth style seating, diners have the option of choosing from the louder and more raucous lounge or the dim private dining room. Thankfully parking is validated for six hours for paying guests.

The main attraction to the restaurant is their tapas style menu. Served only at dinner, Blue Marble offers a large number of clever tapas creations with enough variety to compliment most diners wishes. Reading through the menu reveals interesting combinations like a Venison Carpaccio with a Chestnut Puree or a Beef Tartar with Avocado. If tapas is not in the cards, a dinner menu was also provided which features more ordinary dishes including a smattering of soup and salad options, burgers, sandwiches, pizzas and grilled entrees. The more exciting menu and one that Blue Marble can differentiate itself with is the tapas.

Our meal started with a Arugula Salad which featured the fresh greens with a Saskatoon vinaigrette, prosciutto, candied pecans and poached pears. The tastiest dish of the day, the chef does well to pair classic ingredients and new flavours into a well balanced salad that could have served as a main meal for some. Salty, sweet, slightly bitter and tart all come together nicely here.

Serving Oxtail Ravioli in undercooked (almost raw) pasta is an egregious error that took away from the entire dish. Granted the oxtail was nicely prepared and tender and while the accompanying white bean puree and morels were tasty, the entire dish ground to a halt with the disgustingly undercooked doughy pasta. Beautifully presented, woefully prepared.

This mediocre Duck Breast, prepared sous vide, is paired with a venerable forest of greens and lentils. The breast, although tender and cooked through, was laughably devoid of any seasoning or flavouring; furthermore the usual contrast of crispy skin with smooth meat was destroyed here with fatty tendrils of charred skin that offered nothing to the dish. Finally, the accompanying salad, while nicely dressed with a Saskatoon berry vinaigrette, completely overpowered the bland duck and overall resembled a salad more than a main dish.

Thankfully the Arctic Char was much better with seared and tender filets of delicate char that went well with a citrus-filled salsa. I enjoyed the use of the blanched green beans and thought they paired well with the crunch of toasted almond and bacon. The accompanying crispy skin of the fish though, was completely tasteless and added nothing to the dish.

Canadian Prime Beef Tartar was also decent, with the chopped fresh meat paired with avocado and a horseradish puree. The spice of the horseradish was off-putting initially but our taste buds quickly adapted to the spiciness and thought it helped elevate the tender and luxurious beef. The addition of avocado was an interesting one as it added more, un-needed, fattiness but also a creaminess that the beef was missing.

This handsomely presented Pickerel features portions of filet served on blanched leeks and paired with a truffle aioli, crispy shallot, summer peas and watercress puree. I enjoyed the balance between the nicely prepared fish with the truffle aioli and the sweet pop from summer peas. Textural balance is achieved from the crispy shallot and smooth fish flesh. The rest of the accompaniments feel cluttered and added little to the dish.

Blue Marble Restaurant was an unfortunate example of fancily dressed mediocrity: the food was unspectacular, ordinary at the best and downright repulsive at worst. While I appreciated the unique elements in each dish, it was as if the chef thought to overwhelm the customer with every ingredient in their playbook and hope the diner enjoys some aspect of the dish. Granted there are some nice pairings here but the overall dining experience was forgettable and lackluster. There are better tapas restaurants in town, ones in locations better accessible and featuring uniformly better food than Blue Marble.

Thanh Huong - Tasty Pho

Post-call days are meant for rest and relaxation. There is no better accompaniment to a relaxing day at home than a bowl of delicious pho. After another all nighter working at the hospital, my trusty stomach companion decided it was time to wake up and refill the energy tank. Wanting something quick but nourishing, I landed upon Thanh Huong, a local Vietnamese joint that promises to offer up delicious Vietnamese and Chinese cuisine.

Thanh Huong is located on Sargent Avenue close to Balmoral Street in a less than spectacular part of town. In seeming contrast to the clientele and seedy-ness of the area, the restaurant itself is beautiful and well presented. A magnificent oak door welcomes you into the spacious and bright establishment, while sleek modern tables beckon you forward to sit, tasteful decor greets your eyes, and attentive wait staff show you the path to food enlightenment. Very impressive.

Although they bill themselves as Vietnamese and Chinese cuisine, the menu is classically Vietnamese. Most of the first few pages center upon their pho noodle soups and Vermicelli bowls, the lifelines of any good Vietnamese restaurant. And while they feature a number of other items that do branch into Chinese stir fries, the emphasis is placed upon the traditional Vietnamese dishes. Curiously, this is the only place I have frequented so far that feature Vietnamese Submarines, a popular street vendor dish featuring crusty bread and tasty sandwich toppings.

I, of course, had to get my usual: Beef Ball & Sliced Beef with Rice Noodle Soup (Pho). This steaming hot bowl was one of the better versions I have had, with a rich deep beef bone based broth adorning a bevy of tender rice noodles and topped with sliced beef and springy large beef balls. I do have qualms with the sliced beef which were added too early in the dish, resulting in them being overcooked and slightly tough. Overall though, the nice broth brings this tasty dish together.

Having to try something new, the Vietnamese Submarine with Grilled Pork was a tasty accompaniment to my Pho. The sandwich begins with crusty French bread that had a nice crispy exterior but soft interior and is adorned with tasty grilled pork and tart pickled daikon and carrots. In truth, it is the dichotomy of the pickled vegetables and fatty meat that work well here and while I appreciated the extremely reasonable pricing ($5 for the sandwich), I felt there was too few toppings to the amount of bread, resulting in an imbalance of flavours.

Always another way to judge a Vietnamese restaurant, Thanh Huong presented nice crisp bean sprouts and fresh basil.

Thanh Huong is a nice addition to the Vietnamese restaurant community in Winnipeg featuring one of the better bowls of pho I have encountered in the city. Despite their location, the restaurant is handsomely decorated and feature good enough food to bring in customers a plenty. And while I felt their submarines could be improved I was impressed they simply offer the dish at all ... and at such a reasonable price to boot!

Vanxai's - Serviceable Thai

Winnipeg never fails to impress me with their impressive variety oriental restaurants. Waking up during the day from a post-call slumber, I was immediately greeted by the venerable growl of my unhappy stomach. Perusing the depths of Urbanspoon and flipping through the pictures of previous diners, I suddenly had an urge for Thai food. Whisking through my list of Thai places I wanted to try, I landed upon Vanxai's Lao & Thai Restaurant. Needless to say, I was in my car within minutes.

Vanxai's is located on St. Anne's Road just off of St. Mary's Road. Found in historic St. Vital, the building is obviously a retrofitted brick structure from long ago. To their credit, the owners do a nice job of sprucing up the restaurant with functional decor and pleasant service staff.

The handsome menu features a nice collection of authentic Thai and Laos dishes. I was impressed by the large number of traditional appetizers including the ever popular Stuffed Chicken Wings. A litany of soups adorns the second page, all associated with drool worthy pictures. Their main course consists of the regular noodle dishes as you would expect including the ever constant Pad Thai. Finishing off the last page consists of a large number of curries including the usual Green, Cred and Panang variety. Overall a good representation of Thai and Laos cuisine that should please anybody perusing the menu.

The Pad Thai Chicken was a nice portion of tender rice noodles with chicken slices and bean sprouts in the typical tomato-based sauce. Vanxai does a nice job in straddling the delicate balance of tartness and sweetness in the sauce. Texturally you have the nice contrast of the crunchy peanuts, crispy sprouts and tender noodles.

Green Curry Beef was a miss from the onset. I was rather unimpressed by the thin, runny and watery sauce that had a disappointingly mild curry flavour. The vegetables feel tacked on and although add brightness and crunch, did not impart any of their flavour into the sauce. Most egregious of all is meager number of bland, tasteless and chewy beef slices. Definitely a pass.

Overall Vanxai delivers serviceable Thai food that did not impress nor excite me. While I appreciate the nice decor and prompt service, ultimately their food was not up to snuff, especially when compared to other Thai restaurants in town.

Homer's - Average Greek

And oh back to Winnipeg! After finishing my elective in Edmonton, I was not shocked to find the damage both to my wallet and my waistline. Wanting to start on a healthier non-everyday eating out diet, I vowed to limit my outings this month for food. Well that ended quickly. After finishing my first day back on the pediatrics wards I felt the urge for some homey soul filling food. Finding a trusty resident friend who was also free, we landed upon Greek food to satisfy our hunger pangs. Known for their catering of many medical school events, I had consistently heard of Homer's and its promises of authentic and tasty Greek cuisine. And so we made the short trek to Homer's on Ellice.

Homer's is located on Ellice Avenue on the corner of Ellice and Young Street. The large brick building is hard to miss with its pleasant lettering that beckons prospective diners forward. For such a congested area of the city I was impressed by the relatively large parking lot associated with the restaurant, definitely a plus for anyone who knows the parking woes in this area of town.

This restaurant is beautiful. Pearly white walls with marble like columns adorn the large open dining space with thoughtful and tasteful decor. Definitely pleasant on the eye! The menu is sprawling and features a number of appetizers, soups and salads to start; and a venerable choice of meat souvlakis and combination platters for dinner.

Saganaki is a popular Greek dish known for its flair and theatrics, where servers take a pan fried portion of Greek Cheese and flambe the dish, often to screams and squeals of delight. Despite being known for its pomp and circumstance, the flambe actually imparts a nice smoky aroma and flavour to the seared cheese. Homer's does well to create a dichotomy between the crispy crust with the smooth creamy interiors. Tasty!

Avgolemono Soup is a humble looking soup that packs a strong punch of lemon-y flavour. Despite the initial intense tangy-ness, the lemon works to accentuate the entire dish to bring out the other flavours. Texturally you get the occasional chunk of chicken or bite of tender rice to contrast the broth.

The Homer's Platter is a venerable feast involving two skewers, a healthy portion of Moussaka and a large stuffed tomato. Their platters and dishes come with your choice of starch, potatoes or rice, and a handful of steamed vegetables. The initial visual inspection of the dish was rather disappointing with each item seemingly slapped onto the plate with little finesse or care for their presentation. But nevertheless, it is about the food.

Adorning one part of the dish was the Pork Souvlaki and Moussaka. I was impressed by the treatment of the tender pork that had enough of a charred crust to texturally contrast the moist interiors. Unfortunately the flavours were dimunitive with it lacking seasoning and taste. Thankfully the Moussaka was much better with its combination of exquisitely creamy eggplant, tender but crisp zucchini and a luxuriously rich sauce. Eggplant tends to soak up all the tastes surrounding it and Homer's does a nice job of pairing it with the strong bechamel sauce.

The other half of the dish consisted of another average skewer, this time Chicken Souvlaki. Like its porky counterpart, I have no qualms with the cooking of the chicken but rather find it dull and lacking of any flavour. Similarly also, the accompaniment, a Stuffed Tomato was excellent. The oven roasted tomato is filled with a pilaf of rice, herbs and small diced vegetables. In the roasting process, the starch nicely encapsulates all the inherent sour, sweet and salty flavours from the tomato. Well done!

My dining companion's dish, the Lamb Souvlaki plate comes with two large skewers of marinated lamb, a few mouthfuls of vegetables and again your choice of starch. I was thoroughly disappointed in this dish, as the lamb, like its pork and chicken cousins, was not only dull and devoid of flavour but also dry, overcooked and tough. For a culture that is known for their lamb, this laughably poor effort will impress nobody. Thankfully the lemon-y potatoes are delicious.

Homer's is a beautiful restaurant serving ordinary and, at times, subpar, Greek food. While diners will be initially impressed by the decor and authenticity of the restaurant environment, the food will be unfortunately disappointing. With that said there were tasty bites in our meal, but they comprised accompanying dishes rather than the main hitters. In the end there are better Greek restaurants in Winnipeg and Homer's should be only a consideration for anyone stuck in the Ellice area with a craving for Greek.