If you are from Winnipeg, Manitoba, you know that we are a hotbed of eclectic cuisine. From ethnic neighbourhood restaurants, chef-focused award winning dining rooms and the best little spots for a burger, pizza or breakfast, we have got it all!

When I recently asked the readers of my bi-weekly Canstar Community Newspapers column for their suggestions for places that I should visit in the future, the suggestions came pouring in.

Many of them, I had already written about in my regular columns, including: Bonfire Bistro, Café Savour, Chaise Lounge, Chew, La Fiesta Cafecito, Luda Deli, Magic Thailand, Red Eye Diner and Vietiane.

Places not yet visited, far outnumbered those already covered. Here are the top selections: Beaujena’s French Table, Bellamy’s Restaurant & Bar, Big Rick’s Hot Rod Diner, D-Jays Restaurant & Ichabod’s Lounge, Ducky’s English Style Fish & Chips, Exquisite Taste, Falafel Place, Green Ninja Eatery & Bakery, Inferno’s Bistro in St. Boniface, Juliana Pizza, Karahi of India, Kyri Bistro, Olympia Diner, Punjabi Hut, Sizzling Dhaba, Sushi Terrace, Water Lily Restaurant and Watt St. Bistro. One spot was suggested by more than one reader, namely 925 Bistro. Another place has just recently opened-BerMax Café & Bistro on Corydon.

Without further adieu, drum roll please…..the winner of dinner with Kathryne Grisim at The Keg Steakhouse +Bar location of her choosing is- Janice Sawka! Although the drawing of her name was random, she and many other entries were like “mini-reviews” of the restaurant that they were putting forward. Here’s hers:

“My choice for a local restaurant for your column would definitely be CAFE SAVOUR.

This small little gem, only open for part of the week, looks quite uninspiring from the outside but hides a lovely surprise inside. The address is 956 St. Mary’s Road.

Run by a husband-and-wife team, they cook meals inspired by their world travels. On slower nights, the husband will often come to your table and answer any questions you have on the food, and then provide some informative background (country of origin, how he came to be aware of this particular dish, etc.). It’s very interesting. Portions are small, but there are several of them, so it evens out. Food is excellent.

The tiny interior is decorated with green walls, bric-a-brac and sparkling little strings of mini lights. When I went there for my birthday last February, I spent much of the meal moaning how I hadn’t thought to bring a camera!

It all adds up to a charming experience.”

Kath’s quote: “It is a true saying that a man must eat a peck of salt with his friend before he knows him.”
-Miguel de Cervantes, ‘Don Quixote’

Live simply, laugh often, love deeply.

As I sat waiting for my husband to arrive for our lunch date, I had a great opportunity to soak up the quaint surroundings of this little place -Luda’s Deli at 410 Aberdeen Ave. at Salter in Winnipeg’s colourful North End.  Day time TV was displayed over the front door for ambiance, perhaps, or to comfort and entertain the diners who were there for a meal on their own.  Two merry old gentlemen walked in with the salutation: “Hi ya girls!”  I was to learn that the “girls” were Kristie who takes care of all of the tables by herself and her look-a-like Mom Tracey who is in the kitchen and at the till.  Both are big-eyed, full-lipped Ukrainian beauties. Shouts go back and forth when someone known to them arrives and in some cases hugs and kisses are exchanged (at least this was the case on the day that I was there).

Come noon, the place was full and I observed two finely dressed businessmen walk in, look at the full room and announce that they would try again tomorrow.  They were unsurprised and not put out, in the least.  By this time, I am thinking that Tracey’s home style cooking must be something else and we were not disappointed!

Coffee and water is self serve, which is a good thing because Kristie is too busy taking orders and ladling out soup-on this day the choices were Bean and Bacon or Borscht. We sampled the latter and loved that it was chock full of match stick sized beets that were the perfect texture.

“Kristie’s Clubhouse” was a delectable combination of tomato, lettuce, crispy bacon and sliced turkey.  The wedge of meat had been put right onto the grill to warm it and pop up the flavour.

Sauerkraut and corned beef equally shared the space between the pumpernickel rye bread from nearby Gunn’s bakery and was as delicious a Reuben as I have ever tasted (and that includes Montreal and New York). The plentiful hand-cut shoe string fries were worth noting as well.

Kristie patiently explained, when I asked if the diner had been named after Luda, that the word is Ukrainian for “the people”, in other words this popular little place represents the  “neighbourhood” and there are various menu items named for different real life persons.  I wonder what they would put into a “Kathryne”.

Take cash and go early to avoid disappointment.  Parking is only on the street and there are a couple of steps up to enter the premises.  The businessmen determined that doors open at 7 am for breakfast and lunch from Monday to Saturday.  They may be closed on the weekend over the summer.

Kath’s quote: “Food is a subject of conversation more spiritually refreshing even than the weather, for the number of possible remarks about the weather is limited, whereas of food you can talk on and on and on.”-A.A. Milne, ‘Lunch’

Love-that is all.