Winnipeg has many wonderful Indian restaurants.  Both Taste of India and India Palace have great reputations and I have to admit that for as long as I’ve intended to try them out-I never have.  On the other hand I have enjoyed Ivory, Charisma and East India Company.  On my hit list is Red Fort Tandoor House where I understand they grind their spices daily.

A number of features make the Clay Oven a pleasant choice on a frosty January evening:  it is adjacent to Indigo (where my husband and I spent the rest of our date night), it is next door to a Starbucks where we grabbed a post-dinner coffee and if you have any room left…also next to a Marble Slab Creamery (we did not have any room left).

The decor was surprizingly sleek and comfortable at the same time.  Charcoal walls and fabric dividers (for privacy) set the scene and we nestled into a bench seat lined with tangerine cushions.  We were in a strip mall but you would never know it once inside.

The hospitality was outstanding with many cheerful faces bustling around the open kitchen.  And the food….delicious!  We shared a Maharajah Sizzler which allowed us to sample tiger prawns, pan fried scallops, Chicken Tikka and Saffron Malai Tikka with fresh seared vegetables.  We really enjoyed the mint/yogurt sauce for dipping.  It was likely intended for the fish and chicken but the Naan was also enhanced by the flavour.  This is served with Basmati rice and would have been enough for a shared meal.  We also ordered an assorted Naan basket and now have enough left overs for lunch.  I loved the garlic Naan but especially the Mozzarella Naan.  I appreciate the hoppie taste of a Indian beer and was delighted that they offer Kingfisher at the top of their imported list.

The menu starts with a Spice Primer (the benefits of Indian spices)-who knew!  The place was bustling with an equal number of people stopping in to pick up supper to go.

Here’s a version of the Mint Yogurt Sauce:  In a small bowl or blender, stir together 1/2 c plain yogurt, 2 sprigs of fresh chopped mint, 1 t sugar, 1 t salt and 1/4 t cayenne until well blended. Serve immediately or chill for a while to let the flavors come together.

My friend Laura (honourary sister) is an amazing cook.  Yesterday, she posted on FB that she was cooking for her husband because he had a bad cold.  She sent me the links to what she was preparing.  My goodness recipe use has changed…. when I was little everything that was prepared was made from memory or from a hand-written recipe card.  My Mom had the Madame Benoit Cookbook and that was about it.  When I was married in the 80s a cookbook collection was a must: I started with the Joy of Cooking, then the Best of Bridge Series and then by the time I decided to purge I had two complete Time Life Series that had a dozen volumes each.  Currently on my shelves are cookbooks by Canadian Health experts Anne Lindsey and Bonnie Stern. Jamie Oliver’s Italy, another entitled The Food of Italy-a journey for food lovers, The Soup Bible and a wonderful new one Eat Well from Williams-Sonoma.

But as is my style, I digress… Here are the links to her Mexican treats for her ailing husband:  Chiles Rellenos and Sopa de Lima. 

If the chilies pictured here had a crumbling of a “feta” type cheese on top, they would resemble the most amazing Chiles Relleno in the world!  These are consumed at a little place called La Lomita on Isla Mujeres, Mexico.  Here’s their version entitled Ophelia’s Chiles Releno.

I love the taste of char and anything cooked on an open fire.  I drive my husband crazy when I asked for my wieners and smokies burned on the barbecue in the summer.  This obsession dates back to my childhood when we would celebrate summer birthdays at the “pits” before Bird’s Hill Park was built just north of Winnipeg.  My Dad would choose our sticks and then carve a point to spear the wiener or marshmallow.  The buns also got toasted on the fire and there was always a jug of A&W root beer to wash it all down.

My love of food cooked on an open fire was wonderfully satiated by Pasta la Vista-a favourite but now defunct Winnipeg restaurant.  There is a great place that we go to in the summer at the Manitou Lodge in Pine Falls, which is not far from our cottage.  They cook most of their selections on the open fire, including the bread that is hot, soft in the middle and crunchy on the outside.

So it is quite natural that I would love having lunch at the Bonfire Bistro.  I met with three old friends-one who had just arrived that morning from Toronto. 

This was one of their delicious salad offerings.

And this was one of the half pizza and salad specials of the day.  The salads were oh so garlicky and the pizzas delicious.  The mushroom is illustrated here.  I had a spicy sausage that was even better.

The Bonfire Bistro is owned by the same gentleman who has Cafe Carlo and Burrito del Rio.  This Mexican restaurant in Osborne Village has been on my hit list for a long time and tomorrow is the day!

The January Wedding of our son and his long time love took place in a winter wonderland.  Although the weather had been mild of late, there had been a fresh sticky snow that had clung to the trees.    To be prepared for pictures they had booked the Manitoba Museum of Man and Nature.

They had a cocktail reception at The Academy which in our opinion is the perfect venue.  It had comfortable booths close to a small stage for speeches and video presentations.  This area was the ideal place for some of the older guests to sit.  The bar is beautifully lit and very inviting so a number of family members congregated there.  The dance floor is at the far end and was set up for the live band.  The younger guests assembled here at high cocktail tables.

The appetizers were well prepared and came out before the wedding party arrived.  After speeches there was milk and cookies.  A tiny melt-away favourite of the bride’s made by her Mom (I promise to share her recipe here) and the groom’s pick of Winnipeg’s famous  Imperial Cookies.

Manager Brian Allison and the staff were very accommodating.  They even had an AV person available for all the technical aspects of the evening.  Special mention must be made to John the Bartender who was the epitome of what Winnipeg hospitality was all about.

I think you can tell so much about a person by their fav food list.  So here’s a start on ours and please add yours in the comments.  I will get a followers favourite list together with your responses.

Cake-easy…Jeanne’s Banana Cake in the log style because that way you get more icing.  I’ve been requesting this for my birthday since I could speak.  One year I bought one for myself.

Cookie-easy again.  Imperial Cookies.  I like them best from the east side of  Lake Winnipeg.  We couldn’t get in touch with Einfeld’s to order them for our Son’s wedding so we’ve ordered Diplomat cookies from Gunn’s instead.  We heard that Imperial Cookies been served at the upcoming Golden Globes in Hollywood this weekend.

Chips….a bit harder as it is a tie.  They must be kettle chips.  And it is  between the course pepper ripple chips from Costco and the Miss Vickie’s Lime and Pepper chips available most places.  We also loved the Basil and Rosemary chips that Miss Vickie’s had out for a while but we must have been in a minority because we can’t seem to find them any more.  I know I should be saying an Old Dutch variety to support a home town product.  We used to get cast offs from the factory when I was growing up and they were my favourite because they were too brown and folded together.  The first time we tasted a kettle chip was on our honey-moon in Cape Cod and they were called Cape Cod chips.  I’ve also found them in Toronto.

Tortilla Chips-La Cochina hands down.  The tortilla chip I’ve tasted anywhere including Mexico.

Fries-I have an in town version and a lake version.  In town I would say Daly Burger’s but I am willing to continue my quest for the best Winnipeg fry.  I would love to say from the blue chip wagon on the way to Lester Beach but they’ve closed.  Kenora’s fries are up there but I’m a Grand Beach girl myself so I just can’t declare them the winner.

Ice Cream Cone-a chocolate dipped chocolate swirl in a sugar cone, rolled in peanuts from the BDI.

Gelato-one scoop of coconut and one scoop of mango from the little Eva’s on west Corydon near Kenaston.  This was the first Eva’s and is walking distance from our home.

Burger-Pete’s Place on Main St.  Has to have a steamed bun and fried onions.

Breakfast-Falafel House if you can get in.

Fish and Chips-I would love to say the Valley Room at Eaton’s because they had the most authentic served in Winnipeg for many years but Ducky’s on Notre Dame is probably my new fav.

Steak or Prime Rib-hands down The Keg.  Been enjoying these for 35 years and they are consistently still our first choice.

Dim Sum-Dim Sum Garden on Rupert at lunch time.

Vietnamese-Little Saigon on William.

Thai-Sukhotai on Osborne.

In the pizza category there are 3 categories:

Retro Pizza-Gondola thin crust bacon.

Boutique Pizza-Pizzeria Gusto on Academy.

Friday Night Pizza-I hear Diana’s is excellent but haven’t had a chance to sample.  We like Colloseo’s and Mona Lisa’s but there are really too many for me to declare my fav.  We’ll have to continue the quest for this one as well.

Perogies-Anne’s in the North End are very good but I also like the ones made by the babas as a fund raiser for the Holy Family Nursing Home.  A new entry on the scene are the ones made by the youth group at St. Aidan’s Church.  When my Mom was young enough to make them though-they were absolutely stellar.

Hot Dog- Lockport Skinners of course.  Half Moon a close second but they have to be a European Wiener with the crunchy skin.  When we have wieners on the barbecue I love mine burnt-don’t knock it til you try it.

Salsa-homemade of course but if purchased, another tie between the lime salsa at Superstore and the deli salsa at Safeway.  The mango salsa from Sobey’s is right up there.

Cheese-Bothwell‘s black truffle!  (enough said)

Bread- Gunn’s marble rye.

to be continued……