The next day we returned to the Lakeside Brewing Company for a beer and a couple games of pool.

We couldn’t help but order the remaining Winter Bites menu item- the quesadilla. A 12” tortilla filled with house blend cheese, red and green peppers, green onion, red onion, and your choice of mexi-beef or grilled chicken with a side of fries. Every order of fries comes with a choice of 3 house made seasoning salts – Lemon and Chili, Garlic and Parmesan and Brewhouse. We decided to do a very comprehensive taste test  and the Brewhouse seasoning came out the winner, although all 3 were incredibly enjoyable.

After a short siesta at our hotel – the Lakeside Inn, we returned to the brewery for dinner. Ok, ok, now before you accuse us of being obsessed with this place…..no you’re right, we’re obsessed. Our dinner started with the beer battered, sarsaparilla BBQ Almost Famous Chicken Wings. These were perfectly cooked and fabulously saucy.

Next up was The Best Damn Chicken Sand’ – open faced, grilled chicken breast, goat cheese, drunken beer pear, prosciutto, sarsaparilla BBQ sauce, hammer and sickle sauce and arugula with cheesy jalapeno fries. This was a similar offering to the pulled pork sandwich and had the same “Wow!” factor.

Our final taste at the brewery was the Rookie Nacho Platter Topped with Deputy Chief’s Chili. To be honest only a couple of bites were consumed that night because we were entirely stuffed from our feast, but they were hearty and delicious. The suggestion of the Chili addition to our nachos was suggested by our server and we were told is a favorite of the owner of the establishment.

In addition to feasting, our night was spent playing crib which is a favorite activity of ours and reminded us of lazy nights spent at the cabin. There were a plethora of games that the brewery had put out for patrons to engage in as their tribute to ‘Family Day’ which was the holiday in Ontario this day. We thought this was a lovely idea and our night couldn’t have been more enjoyable. Fabulous food, fantastic service and the beer-oh the beer.

Kath’s quote: “He was a wise man who invented beer.”-Plato (Greek philosopher) 428- 347 BC

Live simply, laugh often, love deeply.

I believe it is apparent how much we enjoyed our stay in Kenora and all of the amazing culinary experiences we encountered. It is soon to be apparent which was our absolute favorite!

June 29th 2013 marked the opening of the first brewery in Kenora for 59 years. The quality of the beer that is coming out of the Lake of the Woods Brewing Company is incredible. We were taken on a tour of the brewing facility and through the brewing process from grains to glass. For the sake of time though, we will focus today on the food that we encountered with a small sprinkling of beer here and there.

We were able to have absolutely everything that the brewery had to offer on the Winter Bites menu and then some. The very first thing that we enjoyed on our first day in town was the Pulled Pork Sandwich. Tender pulled pork with sarsaparilla BBQ sauce, drunken beer pear, goat cheese, hammer and sickle sauce and arugula in a filone bun.

This sandwich is the real deal! It set the tone for all the food that we were going to enjoy over the next few days and I can’t even put into words how much we enjoyed this offering. Sweet, flavourful, hearty, and more.

After this lunch, we took some time exploring Kenora as a town and imagining what it would be to live there year round as well as having it be a home destination for cabin life. We were only out of the brewery for a few hours before we returned for dinner. The amazing part of how the Winter Bites menu is put together is that as a couple (or two people dining that don’t mind sharing plates) you can experience everything they offer for only $50 total!

The two apps that started the dinner off were…
Beer Battered Shrimp – Golden fried beer battered shrimp with house made zesty cocktail sauce.

Goat cheese Bruschetta – Grilled garlic focaccia with goat cheese, tomatoes, onions and herbs topped with three cheese blend and baked hot.

The bruschetta was amazing bursting with layers of flavours. The shrimp really took the cake though. Beer battered shrimp will never truly surprise you due to the simplicity of the dish. Shrimp, batter, sauce… simple right? These shrimp somehow found a way to be very dynamic with such a simple nature. The sauce has a beautiful kick that some establishments will not try to develop anymore seeing as though you can succeed with a dipping sauce using just ketchup and horseradish. The sauce was exactly what was needed to add to the malty sweet crunch that the batter brought to the table.
The dinner came out next which only added to our amazement of the menu.

Number one was the Meat loaf. House made bacon wrapped meatloaf drizzled with sarsaparilla BBQ sauce, served with twin skewers of new potatoes, with house vegetables, roasted garlic and beer gravy.

Number two, the Pork Schnitzel. Bread crumb encrusted pork loin grilled crispy, served with smashed potato, beer caramelized red and green cabbage, roasted garlic, side of beer gravy and dill sour cream.

Obviously when you are eating at a brewery, you expect the menu to incorporate beer into the items which sometimes can find its way into items in an unbalanced way. Sauces and caramelizing are very easy ways to bring beer into a meal where they will not overpower in any way, but will naturally enhance the diversity of the flavours. The Meat Loaf was juicy, and very well seasoned with the ‘can’t wait to swallow so I can have another bite’ kind of effect. The Schnitzel was an amazing dish with so many different ways to eat it with the sides and sauces it seemed like every bite was different. Perfectly executed, and an item I will personally have again.

Finally, we found ourselves at the dessert part of the meal with the Firehouse Beer Chocolate Cake and Gluten free Turtle Cheesecake

I (J1) have never been the sweet tooth type of person. I believe I got this from my mom, but I will more likely have another helping of fries, or another dinner roll, or something crunchy and salty for dessert than a sweet. That being said, the brewery might find themselves with a bakery attachment in the future based on popular demand. These desserts were out of bounds. The use of beer in the cake is again such a smart way of incorporating the presence of malty sweetness, and it didn’t dry out the cake like can sometimes happen when introduced. Turtles cheesecake… need I say more?

Kath’s quote: “Happy and successful cooking doesn’t rely only on know-how; it comes from the heart, makes great demands on the palate and needs enthusiasm and a deep love of food to bring it to life.”-Georges Blanc

Live simply, laugh often, love deeply.

Kenora has a special place in my heart. Since the year I was born, Lake of the Woods has been our family’s mandatory vacation destination with the use of a generous friend’s cabin 20 minutes from the heart of Kenora. I have to admit the only culinary experience that I have ever enjoyed in town is ‘Ye Old Chip Truck’. Those perfectly cooked fries drenched in malt vinegar and salt were always a highlight of the summer.

Last week we were honored to take part in Kenora’s culinary event – ‘Winter Bites’. Nine local restaurants participated offering lunch and/or dinner menu items for a set price of $10 (lunch) or $25 (dinner) for the month of February.

Our first stop was Nourish Cafe, Shop and Yoga Studio. The atmosphere was quaint and the food – fresh. We chose the cranberry pecan chicken salad sandwich on dark russian rye bread. It reminded us of summer treat that we could eat down by the beach and the flavors complimented each other perfectly. The yoga studio upstairs seemed to be well used as we witnessed patrons entering and exiting their classes while we enjoyed our meal in the sunshine.

Our second morning in town we decided to have our breakfast at our hotel – Lakeside Inn & Conference Centre. Our stay at the Inn was an absolute pleasure. The staff was friendly and helpful, but the lake view from our room was spectacular, especially during sunset. We both ordered the breakfast sandwich as we knew we had a lot of eating left to do in the day and didn’t want to stuff ourselves prematurely. The use of a biscuit instead of a bun or english muffin took the sandwich a cut above the rest. It was simple and delicious – the perfect choice.

Next up was Uptown Restaurant. This place is an old favorite that has recently reopened. These were probably the most picturesque meals we enjoyed on our trip, but the flavors did not disappoint either. The perogies were creamy and perfectly balanced with a crunchy bacon garnish. The pancake platter was topped with scratch-made strawberry sauce, bananas, chocolate chips, whip cream and maple syrup. It was a guilty pleasure in which we were happy to indulge. A must-stop for breakfast in Kenora.

Kath’s quote: “Grandpa used to like gravy on everything, including his pancakes. If love could be eaten, I’ll bet he’d prefer it with gravy on top. And I’d have to agree. Love would taste better with gravy.” ― Jarod Kintz

Live simply, laugh often, love deeply.

Sister #3 and I had a date to go out for a sisters Valentine’s weekend dinner. In the mean time, Boo and the Frenchman were staying at our place and she had to work an overnight shift and would be away at supper time. The Frenchman needed cheering up, so we invited him to join us for dinner. We arrived early because I wanted to get home in time for a 7 pm Jets game. Since it was the Louis Riel holiday the St. James location was very busy with families celebrating the gift of an extra long weekend.

New to the Keg’s menu was a crispy shrimp appetizer that we ordered to share. Typically “crispy” means battered and deep fried but these were lightly seasoned and perfectly cooked.  They provided a nice nibble while we perused the menu.  Winter Grill is an annual Keg feature that highlights some unique beef cuts and recipes that deliver hearty and satisfying dinners.

The Frenchman chose from this menu and was delighted when his Kansas City Strip was set in front of him. He obliged me with a taste and it was the most flavourful steak I have tasted in a very long time.  Not only was the meat itself beautifully marbled and thereby packed with meaty juices but the seasonings were bang on. He enjoyed the 18 oz. cut with a big ole baked potato with the “works”, that is Keg jargon for butter, sour cream, bacon bits and chives. A Keg potato is one of the many Keg cravings that I often have. I can’t count how many I’ve eaten over the years and they have never changed. But why fix what ain’t broken?

The spud was also calling the name of Sister #3 who ordered hers with a side of prime rib. Although the Keg roasts their prime rib to medium rare, it was early in the evening so she asked our server to deliver the rarest cut that the broiler chefs could manage. She too promised me a bite but was so enraptured with her hearty meal that she must of forgotten her pledge.

I am just kidding as I could have easily reminded her, had I the urge, but I was too content with the grilled sirloin salad that I ordered. Beautiful slices of medium rare steak were perched upon a salad of my favourites of mixed greens, bocconcini cheese, pine nuts and an herb vinaigrette.

We all enjoyed our ice-cold Moosehead drafts amidst the bustle of the evening. A cozy fire made the room glow and we were hard-pressed to set back out into the cold and snow.

Kath’s quote: “The only time to eat diet food is while you are waiting for the steak to cook.”-Julia Child

Live simply, laugh often, love deeply.

Korean cuisine is not familiar to me, so I had to ask an expert to join me when I dined at Kudara Korean & Japanese Restaurant. Sister #3 hosts international students in her home including those from South Korea and is a food expert in her own right.

She introduced me to Kyung Jae Lee, the gregarious owner of the four table spot.

The beautiful red walls and brightly coloured photos adorning the walls are as a warm and spritely as the proprietor.

“KJ” arrived in Canada in 1997 and purchased this location two and a half years ago. She and her husband prepare authentic Korean and sushi together.

We appreciated the miso soup to start, as it was a frigid winter day when we dined.

Soon after, a hot stone bowl arrived at the table heaped with steamed rice, stir fried veggies, marinated beef and a glistening egg yolk. The dish is dubbed Bibim Bap. Had my expert not been with me, I would not have known that the contents of the bowl are meant to be stirred up immediately so that the egg adheres to the other ingredients and gets cooked from the heat radiating from the bowl. The rice that was at the bottom of the basin stayed there the longest and became crunchy to the tooth. As a result, the complex flavours included sweet, savoury, tangy and salty and the textures ranged from silky to crispy. With the taste of one dish, I was hooked on Korean food!

As an intermission between our two Korean dishes, came a sushi duo of Yammy Yammy which is my sister’s all time favourite sushi roll

and a selection appropriately called the Academy Roll named by one the restaurant’s regular customers. Originally concocted by KJ’s son it contains avocado, crab, salmon and pink roe. The roll is then crispy fried and adorned with a drizzling of sweet chili and mustard sauces.

Last but not least, was the arrival of Dak Galbi-spicy marinated dark chicken meat, cabbage, onions, and carrot threads sizzling on a wrought iron platter. One taste and you too may become a fan of Korean food. My sister predicts it is the new ethnic cuisine trend.

Kath’s quote: “I love food, all types of food. I love Korean food, Japanese, Italian, French. In Australia, we don’t have a distinctive Australian food, so we have food from everywhere all around the world.”- Hugh Jackman

Live simply, laugh often, love deeply.