When Daughter #1 was just weeks old, we took her out for her first dining experience.  We plunked her car seat in the middle of of a table at the St. James Keg (when it was located further west on Portage Ave.) and we told our server to bring out all of our food, all at once and we would determine as we went along, how long we could linger over individual courses.  Well it turned out to be a leaisurely evening for two reasons: D was the General Manager of that Keg location at that time and all the staff were so accommodating and would have walked the floor with Daughter #1 had she needed attention.  But the fact of the matter was that she did not make a peep and slept the evening away.  Everybody was kind of disappointed because they did not get to see her open her beautiful big blue eyes.

And so it was, that our Cafe Carlo celebration was the long-awaited birth of the son of dear friends of ours.  The evening was made that much better by the inclusion of Grandma and Grandpa from Pennsylvania, whom we have waited a very long time to meet.  But the guest of honour was the newborn baby himself, who also slept blissfully throughout the entire evening.

This particular couple live in the Corydon area and often visit Cafe Carlo, ordering and sharing their favourite dishes.  They let us have tastes.  We were duly impressed with the chunks of chicken in the from-scratch gravy and authentic cheese curds in their version of Poutine, served as a “Small Plate.”  The cheese-makers at Bothwell call their curds “squeakers” because a well-formed curd, squeaks when you bite into them.

We also got to sample another “Small Plate” the portobello mushrooms sauteed with beef tenderloin tips. 

Then the new parents split a dish of ravioli and appreciated that the kitchen split the order for them to enjoy.

You will all be shocked to learn that I did not order the Spag Boo containing my fav artichokes and spicy eggplant (only because that is the dish that I always have when I go).  I opted instead for the Fett Chile.  Silky fettuccine topped with chicken, chorizo for heat, cashews for crunch and a chili cream sauce for slurp.  I dove right in to mine so that I could have my turn holding the baby.

D had the same dish as one of four courses entitled the Fantasy, including spring rolls, a salad and creme brulee. 

The Cafe was packed with neighbourhood folk out for a stroll on a glorious summer evening in Winnipeg.  We celebrated old friends, new friends and the miracle of creation.  Life is good. 

Kath’s quote:  “So where did these cravings come from? I concluded it’s the baby ordering in. Prenatal takeout. Even without ever being in a restaurant, fetuses develop remarkably discerning palates, and they are not shy about demanding what they want. If they get a hankering, they just pick up the umbilical cord and call. ‘You know what would taste good right now? A cheeseburger, large fries, and a vanilla shake. And if you could, hurry it up, because I’m supposed to grow a lung in a half hour.’” –Paul Reiser

T,C & L-love you guys!

For a couple of years our office was on the second floor of a converted old house near Stradbrook and Osborne.  We had the second and third floor and a Korean restaurant was on the first.  It was the strangest little place, but we were sometimes lured by the aramos of soya, garlic and ginger.  When we would decide on our order, the female owner would declare “No you don’t want that!” 

The new proprietors are far more helpful.  I was introduced to Kyle and Marc when I visited for my first time last week.  Behind the scenes as the menu creator, is Osten who is a culinary artist.  I understand that Kyle was originally smitten by the concept while travelling in Australia.  I was very impressed by their youth, enthusiasm and the fruits of their patience and hard work.  The little place has a fresh, crisp and clean design and Kyle did much of the work himself.  

Without much deliveration I ordered what is called “The Drunken Aussie” (on their on-line menu) but I was quite sure it was named the “Unburger” on the in store menu board-grilled pineapple, balsamic onion & tomato relish, carmelized onions, bacon, cheddar, herb mayo & a sunny side up fried egg!

Different from the on line description was the addition of pickled beets which was just my cup of tea-loving the sweet and salty results of the partnering. 

My host choose “The Zoomer”-a grilled, balsamic/herb  portabella mushroom burger topped with blue cheese and served alongside yam fries.

Now that I’ve had a chance to further peruse the menu (there were no paper copies in the restaurant that I saw) I am quite sure that I will sample the Oopah! next time and not just because Nia Vardalos is reportedly in town making a movie.  Promises of roasted garlic & kalmata tapenade and cucumber & lemon oregano yogurt have got me daydreaming even now (and it is only 8 am). 

The lack of a paper is a part of the Unburger”s commitment for a greener product and environment, working hard to negate their carbon footprint.  I love hearing business journeys like this one-having a dream while vacationing and working diligently to make that vision a reality for the folks back home.

Kath’s quote: “A Hamburger is warm and fragrant and juicy. A hamburger is soft and nonthreatening. It personifies the Great Mother herself who has nourished us from the beginning. A hamburger is an icon of layered circles, the circle being at once the most spiritual and the most sensual of shapes. A hamburger is companionable and faintly erotic. The nipple of the Goddess, the bountiful belly-ball of Eve. You are what you think you eat.”
Tom Robbins

Part two of my summer column in Winnipeg Women/Dish Magazine.

“You’ll find Rembrandt’s Bistro at 1 Wellink Drive in Lockport.  The service and food is fantastic – like being at Terrace 55 but in the country.  Of special note, is the Red River cereal crème brulee which is served as a first course on the winter brunch menu.  

If you are ever heading south on Highway 59 en route to St. Malo, stop in at St. Pierre-Joly’s Le Bebe Rouge Drive In.  They are only open in the summer and the burgers are sensational (we can’t quite figure out what makes them so).

While en route to Clear Lake, driving west on the Trans Canada, you’ll want to veer into Portage la Prairie for a visit to Tres Unique Café in the historic Land Titles Building.  Check out their Facebook page to see what’s for lunch.  I’ve seen messages about Fiddleheads and asparagus (just picked from her garden) being made into quiche.  Chefs that I follow on Twitter are raving about Horfrost at 190 River Road also in Portage.  The inventive chef is serving up local ingredients prepared in a classical style but with surprising twists.

Honourable mentions from other Facebook friends go to Pine Ridge Hollow at the edge of Bird’s Hill Park and the Harvest Moon Café in Garson.  All of these little finds are within an hour of Winnipeg and definitely worth the trip.”

Kath’s quote: “A favorite dish in Kansas is creamed corn on a stick.”-Jeff Harms

Part one of my latest column in Winnipeg Women/Dish Magazine:

Our cottage is named “Life is Good” as indicated on this vase

Our drive to the cottage on the west shore of Lake Winnipeg is often delayed by a supper stop.  Barney Gargles on Main St. in Selkirk is a popular choice.  The décor is not fancy but the home-cooked food and baking is fabulous.  The platters of fish and chips that we thought we saw going by the table are actually their chicken finger platter.  Whole chicken breasts are covered in a crunchy beer batter.  The milkshakes are so huge they’re served in wine flagons. 

The Sandbar’s Breakfast Skillet

The Sand Bar Motor Hotel just outside Grand Beach Provincial Park is another favourite destination.  Tyler Gray is the chef putting out savoury breakfast skillets as well as confections like maple pecan Danish.  Friday nights we stop in for his steak special –an 8 oz. sirloin with all the fixings INCLUDING a beer or glass of wine for $10!  We also head there on Wednesdays for AYCE (all you can eat) Pickerel with their yummy hand-cut French fries. At $11, I know that they lose money on us.

Sandbar’s Omelette

Le Gouter is an amazing find on Saffie Road in Albert Beach.  Last summer they installed two huge crepes pans.  I like the one made with hollandaise, ham and cheese on a hearty Buckwheat crepe.  And although they do not use cheese curds in their poutine, every thing else about their offering is perfect in my humble opinion-sharp, gooey cheese, a savoury gravy and the best French fry along highway 59 north.

“Fisherman’s Breakfast“

The “other” side of Lake Winnipeg offers a bevy of exceptional dining too.  I recently enjoyed the Fisherman’s Breakfast at Mask Café in Gimli: pan-fried pickerel with a lemony hollandaise, crispy bacon, an egg and lacy hash browns.  Acquaintances also tell me of Jane and Walter’s Restaurant in Sandy Hook.  There is a lot of buzz from Facebook friends about Casa Bianca in an old house across from the park in Winnipeg Beach.  Samplers say that if you’re a garlic lover you’ll particularly enjoy it.  

Kath’s quote: “One of the very nicest things about life is the way we must regularly stop whatever it is we are doing and devote our attention to eating.” –Luciano Pavarotti

At least once a summer I like to take a drive south on hwy. 59 to the town of Ste. Pierre Joly.  My first visit to this lovely little French community took place in the late 80’s.  My then boyfriend was from Ste. Pierre so on our way into town we would always stop at the first gas station on the left and go to the drive-in for a burger. 

Le Bebe Rouge is one of those places that you might see and just drive by.  But take my word for it and make a point to stop.  I now have good friends that farm in Ste. Pierre and when I go for a visit I like to meet them at Bebe Rouge for a burger before heading to their farm for coffee. 

The burgers are homemade….straight up ground beef, pure and simple.  Cooked on a grill top, you get that salty crunch on the outside and the true flavour of beef on the inside.  The buns are always fresh and look steamed, like they are put on the top of the burger and covered with a lid for the last bit of cooking.  I have heard that all the variations of this burger are tasty but I favour the Bebe Rouge. A loaded burger with lettuce, tomato, back bacon, cheese and just the right mix of condiments.  On my most recent visit I shared their poutine with three fellow dinners.  While my student Gabrielle from Quebec City pointed out the cheese was not the authentic curds, we all still found it to be a tasty rendition of this French classic.  The girls finished the meal with banana milk shakes and the sip I had makes me think that next time, I need to leave room for a shake as well.

Kath’s quote: “It is the Americans who have managed to crown minced beef as hamburger, and to send it round the world so that even the fussy French have taken to le boeuf hache, le hambourgaire.”-Julia Child