offering a crisp counterpoint to the rich broth below. Vegetarians are well served with options like the portobello mushroom bowl. Slices of meaty mushroom are served over a hearty buckwheat risotto, with a swirl of chimichurri zinging through the dish’ s richness.
Fun plays on casual staples are also sure bets. Bison pork salami, sautéed spinach, dried cranberries and smears of goat cheese elevate a simple pizza. Sammies and burgers include playful offerings like the kale-topped“ Hipster Burger”, which pairs funky blue cheese with a sweet-tart relish of cranberries and tomatoes.
The friendly atmosphere extends from the shouts of excitement from surrounding tables— deep in board game competition— to game experts happy to answer questions or make a recommendation( despite the 1000 + game selection, employees are unflappably informed). The restaurant also hosts weekly community events like mix n’ mingle night and family Thursdays.
Across the Board is open Tue-Thu 11 am-10 pm, Fri-Sat 11 am-12 am, and Sun 11 am-10 pm.
FAlafel Place Neighbourhood... River Heights Address...... 1101 Corydon Ave Phone......... 204-489-5811 Entrées.............. $ 6- $ 15
In the yearly surge of trend forecasts that hit at the end of 2016, it was clear that the food world had spoken— Middle Eastern flavours are hot right now. While chefs are busy incorporating za’ atar and zhoug into their dishes, flavours from the Middle East are easy to find in the humble, bustling atmosphere of Falafel Place, ciao! reviews
where owner Ami Hassan has served heaping plates of flavourful falafel, meaty pitas, and spicy baba ghanoush for decades.
It’ s been 30 years since the first iteration of Falafel Place( then on Academy Road) opened its doors. Hassan is still at the helm, and his jocular presence— famously chiding customers who linger too long, ribbing diners for Instagramming their food, and swooping from the open kitchen to fill coffee cups— is a big part of the restaurant’ s charm. The always-bustling diner is abuzz with a lively clatter of voices.
Breakfast and lunch specialties draw in the crowds, and the titular food can be spotted on nearly every plate. The spot’ s famed falafel balls appear in many iterations— sharing a breakfast plate with bacon and eggs, stuffed into a pita, or simply served on a generous dollop of hummus. Served piping hot, the crispy chickpea balls sing with notes of cumin and turmeric.
Though falafels have always been the signature dish, other specialties keep the menu fresh. A version of popular Middle Eastern tomato and egg dish shakshuka is a spicy stewed mix of tomatoes, onions, and banana peppers topped off with runny-yolk eggs. Toasted triangles of pita are perfect for sopping up the mix.
Beet hash, cubed and fried on the grill top, makes a delicious and healthy side. On the more decadent end of things,“ meaty pitas” are melanges of meat with tahini, salads, and hummus all piled, shawarma style, into an open pita.
To prove there is such a thing as“ breakfast dessert”, top off the morning meal with an order of blintzes, lightly sweet parcels of cottage and cream cheese bundled in soft crepes and served with jam.
Falafel Place is open 6:30 am-9 pm daily. park cafe Neighbourhood... Assiniboine Park Address... 330 Assiniboine Park Dr Phone......... 204-927-6080 Entrées.............. $ 6- $ 12
Set inside the beautiful Qualico Family Centre, with its wall of windows giving a lush view of Assiniboine Park, dining at the Park Cafe is as close to a picnic as one can get while still eating indoors.
The serene, nature-steeped experience begins before even entering the restaurant. Driving down the winding lanes that lead into Assiniboine Park and passing by the duck pond on the way from the car beat the typical parking lot experience by a long shot. On the way into the Qualico Centre, take a look at the building’ s“ green roof”, a living mass of prairie grasses representative of plants indigenous to this region, almost blending the building into the park around it.
Inside, a sloping ceiling and muted earth tones draw the eye to the dining room’ s main design feature, the floorto-ceiling windows that create a sunny space enclosed by views of greenery.
This al fresco feeling is encouraged by a line up of fresh takes on classic comforts— burgers, mac n’ cheese, sandwiches, and more— upgraded with inspired twists. Breakfast and lunch offerings up the ante on typical greasy spoon eats, instead presenting a selection of bright, fresh dishes that range from indulgent comfort food to feel good fare. Those on the clean eating bandwagon will gravitate towards an abundant pile of perky greens— arugula and baby kale— topped with beets, goat cheese, hemp hearts, and a mound of parsnip chips fried to delicate crispiness.
A riff on the veggie burger delivers another good-for-you punch, every bit as filling as its meaty counterparts. A
30 ciao! / june / july / two thousand seventeen