Stella's Revisited

Stella's seems to be a go to place for our pediatric resident group. Having to work on a skit we decided the obvious thing to do would be to grab a meal at Stella's. And so off to the Sherbrook location we went.

One of the residents started off with a Cinnamon Bun. Flaky, crusty on the outside with a smooth centre and icing on top, she quickly lapped this up and looked incredibly pleased with this offering.

Two of the residents ordered a Grass-Fed Beef Burger. Served with a side of potatoes and coleslaw, this was an unassumingly good burger. Only unique thing of note was the spicy coleslaw.

Two of the residents ordered the featured Chicken Curry. Spiced chicken with Cilantro in a creamy curry sauce topped with ... bananas and raisins. Although a bit taken aback by the fruit, the pair quickly embraced the additions and praised the sharp contrast to the creamy curry. Mention must also be made about the peach chutney accompaniment.

I ordered the Jambalaya. Chorizo, chicken and shrimp in a Creole seasoning with vegetables served over rice and finished with a scone. This is not traditional Jambalaya, rather a Creole stew. Despite the contradiction in the name, I appreciated the huge portion and varied flavours. A major disappointment was the scone with it having a sharp sourdough taste which actually distracted and took away from the rest of the dish.

Overall a great meal with friends which afforded us the opportunity to discuss and work on a few ongoing projects.

Meeting my fellow co-workers - Stella's Cafe & Bakery

After returning from Naru, I unpacked and set out to organize my new apartment. Thankfully my amazing mom had flown in from Ontario that night to help me set everything up. The next day was the Brick delivery day, internet set-up and, most importantly, a dinner hang-out with my fellow new pediatric co-residents!

Being an out of towner, I was thankful that one of the local Winnipeg residents took it upon themselves to organize the event. Knowing very little about my next meal, I explored the world of Stella's Cafe.

But first, a word about my new co-workers. There are nine of us in pediatrics this year at the University of Manitoba. I am extremely fortunate to have an incredible group of doctors to grow, train and learn with! Two of them I had instant familiarity with as we had done medical school together, but all the others were lovely, fun, attentive and caring people. I could not have wished for anything more! By the end of the night I felt we were old friends and supported as we go through this adventure together.

Oh, and the good food helped a bit too! I had initially asked what was good at Stella's and the immediate answer was the breakfasts! I eyed the Eggs Benedict closely but ended up opting for a heartier dish.

I ordered the Ratatouille and opted to have chicken put on top. I know, I know. Ratatouille is a classic french vegetable stew with no protein in it! But I was super famished by that time and had some carnivore instincts that night. Out came a HUGE plate: a third covered with a garden salad, a third with quinoa, and a third with the most delicious ratatouille I have ever had. The mixture of squash, eggplant, tomatoes and mushrooms in a tangy tomato-ey broth was hearty and exactly what I needed.


I wish I had taken more pictures of the other dishes that were ordered, but take it from me. The Eggs Benedicts looked and smelled out of this world. I will be back for sure!