Hot Eats in The ‘Peg
Cibo
Waterfront Cafe
339 Waterfront Dr. I
n a historic brick building in the Exchange dangling over the mighty Red River is an ultra-chic restaurant with a hell of a view. Cibo Waterfront Cafe offers Medi- terranean fare inspired by local flavours. Te old police
harbour master’s building has been repurposed and beautifully renovated with tall windows, high exposed ceilings and classic brick interior. Te building offers stunning views of the Red, the Canadian Museum for Human Rights and the Esplanade Riel walking bridge. Te restaurant opens early, 7 a.m. in fact, for breakfast catering to businesses and guests of the nearby Mere Hotel, and remains open late (12 a.m. Monday-Turs- day, 1 a.m. Friday and Saturday) to accommodate the theatre crowd.
Having heard they were known for their arancini, I ordered them and was not disappointed. Te risotto is made in-house specifically for this dish, and these deep-fried herb and cheese balls tasted just like the ones my grandmother used to make. Tree creamy arancini with parsley and parm sprinkled on top were served in an iron skillet atop lightly sautéed tomatoes and onions. After a filling appetizer, I decided to order the beet and beef salad. Tender, flat iron steak was cooked to a perfect medium-
Cora’s Polo Park 1440 Jack Blick Avenue
After visiting Cora’s Polo Park location, I had to ask myself why it had been so long since my last visit. Portions are not only hearty but healthy. Mounds of fresh fruit adorn almost every order and my coffee cup was always kept full. Te colourful breakfast menu is filled with tantalizing photos and sumptu- ous breakfast choices. Eggs, bacon, sausages, homemade hash browns, waf- fles, pancakes, crêpes and French toast makes you hard-pressed to not find
18 • Spring 2015 Reviews by Roger Monk
rare and mixed with beets, arugula, white kidney beans and goat cheese. Delicious and light, the combination was fan- tastic and well-portioned. However, having eaten too much, I had to take some of my salad home, which was promptly lost to my seven-year-old son who claimed it was the “best salad in the world.” My lunch companion ordered the pickerel and potato fritto.
Served in a skillet, the dish was filled with ample portions of fish mixed with fennel-pickled cauliflower over fried potato bites, and drizzled with garlic aioli and tomato aioli. Te fish was tender and flavourful from the aioli made in-house. Needing an afternoon coffee, I was convinced to share des-
sert. Chocolate five ways, a gluten-free menu item, is a dish best shared. A must for chocoholics, it is decadent and fill- ing. Warm, rich flourless cake paired with chocolate cream, crumble, shaved chocolate and chocolate brittle are sure to satisfy the most intense craving for chocolate. Te coffee was Starbucks – enough said. In February Cibo updated their menu offerings. After op-
erating for just over a year they have made modifications to satisfy customer requests. Don’t worry – the arancini, beef and beet salad, and other diner favourites remain on the menu.
what you are craving on the extensive menu. Gluten-free has also never tasted so good or had so many choices! Try the Taster’s Delight with eggs, pork, ham, bacon, baked beans, roasted potatoes and gluten-free toast or the salty sweet combo, Ham and Cheddar Crêspelle, a savoury ham and cheddar crêpe made with buckwheat sorghum flour and served with apples in a decadent cara- mel sauce. I ordered the Crêpomelete with spinach and cheese, and having heard my craving for mushrooms, my server quickly amended my order to in-
clude them. Te dish was served with hollandaise sauce and a side of fresh fruit that included pineapple, half a kiwi, cantaloupe, grapes and strawber- ries, not to mention toast. My friends’ meals were equally plentiful; none of us were quite able to finish them, a rar- ity for breakfast. Te breakfast fare is reasonably priced between $9 to $13; a separate lunch menu is also available later in the day. Cora’s is open Monday to Saturday
from 6 a.m. to 3 p.m. and Sunday from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m.
The Hub
Photo courtesy of Cibo.
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