Hot Eats in The ‘Peg
Cafe Carlo 243 Lilac St.
Cafe Carlo was one of the very first restaurants of its kind in Winnipeg (es- tablished in 1989) and has been consis- tently pleasing their loyal clientele ever since. I have not had an opportunity to visit in the evening recently, but as a lunch destination it is high on my personal list of favourites. Te warm atmosphere and the unpretentious approach to tasty fare is what keeps me going back. Case in point: the bread served at lunch tasted freshly baked and was served with but- ter that had been pureed with caramel- ized onion, bacon and sour cream! On the first of two recent occasions,
I was encouraged to sample the fish ta- cos, where house-made taco shells (the crunchy variety) were overflowing with greens, crispy tilapia and chipotle tartar sauce. Tastes were light and fresh and reminded me of Caribbean vacations. On the other hand, the butternut squash and ricotta ravioli was anything but light, and I loved it! Little square pockets of house-made pasta luxuri-
Hy’s Steakhouse 1 Lombard Place
Iconic Hy’s Steakhouse has been a fix- ture on Winnipeg’s dining scene for ages but has enjoyed a recent resurgence. Perhaps the reason is the return to Win- nipeg of General Manager Jason Sohor. Jason rose through the ranks of Hy’s in Vancouver and Toronto. His passion for Hy’s menu offerings, especially their beef was clearly evident as he carved our steak tableside on a recent visit. We commenced dinner that evening with a starter of perfectly seared scal- lops. Silky and satisfying, the passion fruit beurre blanc was the icing on the proverbial cake. A personalized Cae- sar salad followed which was also pre- pared tableside, this time by our server “Squid”. A great deal of restraint had to be exercised so that we did not devour the entire basket of cheese toast, a per- sonal favourite of mine ever since it was a post evening class treat in university. Tank heavens we saved room as the steak we shared was served chateau- briand style with a bevy of lovely veg- etables. Jason’s knife slid through the tenderloin with no resistance whatso- ever and the succulent tournedos were
thehubwinnipeg.com Fish tacos with crunchy house-made shells.
ated in a sage and hazelnut brown but- ter. Tendrils of freshly grated parmesan adorned the top. Te tastes were deep and rich. I have attempted to recreate the taste in my own kitchen since that visit. Soon after, I returned to sample some additional lunch items with friends.
Te boneless, fried chicken pieces were pickle brined to produce a moist, ten- der inside with a crunchy exterior. Te portion, served with a salad, was ample enough to share. Another friend or- dered the pasta special which was also abundant enough for a take home din- ner.
Hy’s steak and baked potato.
fanned across our plates. Jason suggest- ed that we might want to sample their enormous tempura onions rings, which were a decadent and fun treat especially when dipped into béarnaise sauce, as he indicated is how the staff likes to eat them. We shared bananas foster as our des-
sert course and appreciated the skill with which they were flambéed at our table.
I had the good fortune to return on another visit, this time wanting to en- sure that Hy’s culinary reputation went further than steak. Te slow-roasted free range chicken was a lighter option proving that all ranges of appetites can be easily accommodated. From first to last bite, the fare was top drawer and the service stellar. Sometimes “old school” traditions prove to be best.
Spring 2016 • 15
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