My husband caters a few special events each year and when that happens I get kicked out of the kitchen. This created an unexpected opportunity to order in and Fusian Experience (612B Academy Rd.)immediately came to mind. The phone line went immediately to voice mail so I suspected they were busy on a Saturday evening. Since they are right in our neighbourhood, I nipped over there to place my order in person. Only 3 of the half dozen tables were occupied but the phone orders were really keeping the kitchen hopping. Owner Lisa Le-Taing (with her husband Owner/Chef Chris Taing) took my number and told me that she would phone me when I could return to pick up our fixings. This gave me an opportunity to survey the tiny but sleek restaurant. The bar stools at the open kitchen would be a fun spot to perch in the future.

Oxford dictionary states that “fusion” refers to food or cooking that incorporates elements of diverse cuisines. How would Chef Taing fuse Asian food to our favourites of Mexican and Italian cuisine? We ordered from the Tapas section of the menu which in itself is a fused notion because you may or may not know that tapas are a Spanish manner of eating.

We enjoy Lettuce Wraps on a regular basis but typically not with sushi rice and lemongrass pork. These were especially crunchy and the ribbons of cucumber and cilantro made them taste sparkling fresh.

Sushi Tacos were also stellar with the clean tastes of satiny albacore tuna and mango salsa. In fact every time we tasted something new our dinner got better and better.

The Hawaiian Shrimp Nachos knocked dinner right out of the park!  Spicy panko shrimp were perfectly teamed with mango and pineapple. The avocado and Gouda added a silky texture, the jalapenos some heat and the wonton crisps even more crunch. We were so crazy for these; we plan to pick them up on a regular basis.

The Forbidden Risotto was the pièce de résistance. Organic king salmon had been fashioned into a floral bloom and was nestled atop a bed of black rice risotto. Black rice is so packed with nutrition; we should all try to eat it more often. The quail egg added a fabulous pizzazz both visually and in taste.

Fusian Experience is open Tuesday-Saturday 11:30-2 pm, Tuesday –Thursday 5:30-9 and Friday & Saturday 5:30-9:30 pm. There are Lunch, tapas, dinner and catering menus available. They are wheelchair accessible and have plenty of parking in the lot behind the restaurant.

Watch for Food Musings every second Wednesday in your copy of The Headliner, The Herald, The Lance, The Metro, The Sou’wester and The Times.

Kath’s quote: “The food was so good that with each passing course, our conversation devolved further into fragmented celebrations of its deliciousness: ‘I want this dragon carrot risotto to become a person so I can take it to Las Vegas and marry it.” –John Green

Love never fails.

How do you feel when you walk into an empty restaurant? Are you excited that you get your pick of tables or skeptical about what is coming out of the kitchen? I was pleasantly surprised by the fare at the Captain’s Table Fish and Chips, 1823 portage Ave. in spite of the restaurant being completely empty on a Monday evening. The helpful server told me that they are very busy at lunch and later in the week so keep this in mind if you plan to visit.

The restaurant was decorated in a quaint nautical theme so there was a lot to look at as I waited to pick up our dinner to go. When they handed me a brown bag full of food, I thought that I was getting someone else’s supper. I had ordered the Captain’s Combo with a salad/fries side as I thought that it would be the best way to sample a variety of their offerings.

The sautéed jumbo prawns were perfectly prepared and still hot and firm when I got home. The breaded shrimp were fun to plop into cocktail sauce and pop into our mouths, having first removed the tail of course. There were two pieces of fish on the platter and I tried my best to determine which was cod and which was haddock, but failed to do so. The fries didn’t do very well on the short car ride home. They had cooled and needed to be reheated.

I must confess that I am a fish and chip snob, ordering them wherever we travel to compare the world’s to my favourite Winnipeg’s versions. The secret to delectable fries is the right potato and a two step frying process. The best fish in my humble opinion explodes with a crunch when you bite into it. How does the Captain’s Table fare to these exacting standards (I am being facetious here)? They missed the mark slightly on quality but I give them top marks for value-the $20 dinner fed two of us!

The Captain’s Table is locally owned by Garry Swain who I understand I had just missed that evening. They are open Monday – Saturday from 11 am – 9 pm. They have an all day menu with a special lunch only section and a take out menu available. The front door has one step which might prove difficult for persons with mobility issues.

Watch for Food Musings every second Wednesday in your copy of The Headliner, The Herald, The Lance, The Metro, The Sou’wester and The Times.

Kath’s quote: “Look at that sea, girls–all silver and shadow and vision of things not seen. We couldn’t enjoy its loveliness any more if we had millions of dollars and ropes of diamonds.” ― L.M. Montgomery

Love never fails.

The biggest and most pleasant surprise while enjoying all the amazing food that Isla Mujeres has to offer was eating at Sardinian Smile Restaurant. We had walked past it on the south end of Hidalgo numerous times and rarely saw a full restaurant. This absolutely mystified us, as the food was nothing short of sensational, equal to the dinners we enjoyed while traveling through Tuscany!

On the evening we dined, delicious bruschetta arrived as one starter and then a basket of homemade bread served with olive and parmesan for dipping.

Our first course was Octopus & Beef Carpaccio with truffle oil! I can imagine the taste right now…..

Our pasta course was artichoke ravioli with tomatoes, lobster ravioli, mushroom ravioli and four cheese ravioli (the latter being the traditional Sardinian version). All these delectable packets had been pinched by hand.

We can’t remember the name of this dish but it was as sensational as the rest of our meal.

Dessert was absolutely not necessary, but we enjoyed it nonetheless.

Sylvia the owner of Sardinian Smile was so passionate about the ingredients she brings over from Italy, the dishes they serve and food in general. We hit it off immediately and I would love to spend more time with her. Her staff, many of whom are her relations, share her passion and their service is warm and efficient.

We are planning a very special dinner at Sardinian Smile in 2017 when we are next on the island.

Kath’s quote: “Cooking is at once one of the simplest and most gratifying of the arts, but to cook well one must love and respect food”. –Craig Claiborne

Love never fails.

Years ago when I worked in Winnipeg’s Exchange District we could lunch at the King’s Head Pub, or grab dim sum or a noodle bowl and that was about it. Recently, the area has been re-populated with exceptional restaurants and now all you have to do is head in that direction and you are certain to come across one. You will not have any problem remembering where King + Bannatyne is located because it is exactly where the name indicates.

My lunch date and I intentionally decided to meet at 11:45 am before the rest of the lunch crowd arrived and it was a good thing that we did because we were fortunate to occupy one of the last open tables. There was counter service which means that all their staff can be busy with ensuring that you get your sandwich efficiently but it is still made to order. You can taste the freshness with your first and last bite.

My gal pal raved about her River City Brisket sandwich. She said it was the perfect ratio of meat and fat and appreciated the tenderness as well as the bold taste from the spicy rub and house-made mustard. She was less enamoured with the potato leek soup but admitted it was because she makes her own decadent vichyssoise.

Equally loving pork and cilantro, the Bann-Mi was an obvious choice for me. King + Bannatyne’s ode to a Vietnamese sub sandwich was chock full of just cut pork roast and spritely tastes of cilantro and cucumber. Even the bun was a testament to freshness. The potato salad that I choose as a side was an appropriate foil to the sandwich. Potatoes had been (I am guessing here) marinated in vinegar and then tossed in sour cream or perhaps a mix of sour cream and mayonnaise. The result was a salad where the lovely earthy taste of the potatoes held its own.

Fear not if you are vegetarian as Chef Tyrone is always experimenting with versions of veggie sandwiches. On a second visit, I got to meet owner Mike Del Buono. The name was familiar and sure enough, I went to junior high school with his father!

King + Bannatyne is open Monday-Saturday from 11 am -8 pm. The have all day, take out and catering menus available. They are accessible to person with mobility issues but the restroom was not visited to check accessibility.

Watch for Food Musings every second Wednesday in your copy of The Headliner, The Herald, The Lance, The Metro, The Sou’wester and The Times.

Kath’s quote: “The potato, like man, was not meant to dwell alone.” -Shila Hibben

Love never fails.

We were delighted to be invited to taste the fabulous seafood offerings at Muelle 7 (Pier 7) in March 2016.

We had visited previously for drinks and to watch the sunset but had never had the pleasure of dining.

Our evening started with delicious just blended margaritas, mine was mango and D’s was lime

and wonderfully silky guacamole.

When this seafood platter arrived for us to share, we thought we had died and gone to seafood heaven! There was lobster, shrimp, squid, octopus and grouper. The seafood was so fresh and perfectly prepared with a light touch. The dinner was served with rice and tasty potato wedges. We had a little bit of lime drawn butter left over from seafood dipping and D poured it over the rice to ensure that we got to appreciate every morsel of the platter.

The setting of Muelle 7 just before Playa Sol on the bayside of the island is stunning. Service was warm, hospitable and efficient. We look forward to visiting again and again.

Kath’s quote: “You can put the greatest seafood restaurant next to an average steak house in an urban area, and that steak house will do more business than the seafood place. If you go to the water, you can put an average seafood place next to the greatest steak house, and people are going to eat seafood”. -Tilman J. Fertitta

Love never fails.