The perfect way to start dinner at a St. Boniface restaurant is with a walk through The Forks,

past the magnificent Canadian Human Rights Museum

and over the Esplanade Riel Pedestrian Bridge.  Not only do you work up your appetite but you walk by some of the best views that Winnipeg has to offer.

The view from our table.

This is how we started the evening of our visit to The Promenade Café & Wine.

A toast with a fabulous Gewürztraminer.

We were celebrating our eldest daughter’s birthday and she had never dined at the bistro before.

D selected the French Canadian dish of Bison Tortiere which is so named because of the pan that it is made in. Tortiere is typically served as a festive Christmas dish and many Winnipeggers enjoy their own families’ version.  The healthy ground bison had a firm texture and the seasonings were deeply satisfying.  In contrast, the pie crust was light and flaky and the ladle of gravy that blanketed it, was a glistening enhancement.

I chose the classic French Beef Bourguignon which I have never attempted the making of at home.  I do know though that the authentic recipe includes pearl onions and button mushrooms and this recipe was true to form.  The beef was tender and the gravy, luscious.  Both dishes were accompanied by simply steamed and buttered carrots and broccoli and the creamiest potatoes I have indulged in for a while.  The birthday girl chose one of the few un-French dishes on the menu: Gnocchi which was equally tantalizing.

The good news about walking out for dinner is that you have no vehicle and are forced to also stroll home.  This aids digestion and offsets the calorie indulgence.

Kath’s quote:

“Boeuf a la Bourguignonne (Beef in the Burgundy style): This is the stew of stews, an apotheosis of stew, which has nothing whatsoever to do with the watery, stringy mixture served up in British institutions. It’s a rich, carefully cooked recipe which is served up on special occasions in French homes, and which appears without shame on the menus of high-class restaurants.”-Jane Grigson

Love-that is all.

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