ciao! reviews
CARLOS & MURPHY'S
Neighbourhood . . . . . Osborne
Address . . . . . .129 Osborne St
Phone . . . . . . . 204-284-3510
Entrées . . . . . . $8.95-$20.95
Tex-Mex favourite Carlos &
Murphy’s has been a Winnipeg
mainstay for nearly three decades
and continues to draw those look-
ing for vacation tastes inside a
beach cantina replica. Diverse menu
options, happy hour specials and an
atmosphere that feels like a tropical
getaway are the ingredients for this
mouthwatering must-visit.
Laid-back vibes flood out from
this wood planked restaurant, deco-
rated with festive Mexican accents.
The patio, abuzz with lively conver-
sation, welcomes passersby. Menu
items appeal to those looking for
Mexican classics or sensational ren-
ditions of casual comfort food.
Longstanding favourites step up to
the plate, proving to be just as satisfy-
ing as promised. Lightly battered and
tender Carlos golden shrimp arrive
at the table in the famous fluores-
cent golden sauce. Each bite packs
a punch of sweet, spicy and tangy
fl avour, making taste buds vibrate.
Chorizo pizza, another Carlos classic,
is a scrumptious surprise from a joint
that boasts Mexican cuisine. Add the
almond chicken for some crunch that
nicely contrasts soft, thin crust and
silky melted Jack.
No Mexican hot spot would
be complete without a diverse list
of nacho options, and Carlos &
Murphy’s takes the cake with nine
varieties. Toppings like almonds,
scrambled eggs and Angus beef strips
are found on this nacho menu, but
it’s the Pig & Pineapple option that
has become a fan favourite. Generous
pieces of pulled pork mixed with
pineapple chunks and topped with
melted cheddar cheese and bacon
makes for sweet, savoury, ooey gooey
goodness piled on every bite. Don't
forget to add a side of guacamole,
and wash it all down with a refresh-
ing margarita.
Canada meets Mexico in the
fries and chili dish, which amps up
the poutine formula with a bowl of
chili. Housemade fries get a healthy
smothering of Carlos chili, packed
with seasoned ground beef, kidney
beans and tomato, before getting
topped with—what else?—cheddar
cheese.
Be sure to end the meal off
with something sweet. The mud
pie makes for a flawless finale.
Cappuccino flavoured ice cream
cools taste buds after a feisty main
course. Graham cracker crust has
a granola-bar-like texture, adding
crunch to this otherwise creamy
creation.
Carlos & Murphy's is open Mon-
Wed 11:30 am-1 am, Thurs-Sat
11:30 am-Late, Sun 3:30 pm-12 am.
HELIOS
Neighbourhood . . .St Boniface
Address . . . . .241 St Mary's Rd
Phone . . . . . . . 204-233-3655
Entrées . . . . . . . $9.99-$27.99
Birthed from an ancient culture,
Greek cuisine represents thousands
of years of tradition. Flavours and
ingredients from surrounding
areas of Turkey, the Balkans and the
Middle East have also infl uenced the
Mediterranean palate. Drawing on
this rich heritage, Helios Restaurant
proudly serves classic dishes with
some modern updates.
The charming Norwood-area spot,
named after the Greek god of the sun
Helios, has a warm atmosphere that
begins with happy folk music upon
entering.
Tried-and-true dishes are a can’t-
miss proposition here. Souvlaki made
with pork tenderloin is a generous
skewer served with Greek salad.
Classic moussaka combines layers
of eggplant, potatoes and seasoned
ground beef under a luscious bécha-
mel sauce. Heady spices take this
traditional dish up a notch—the
blend is top secret, but we may detect
a hint of cloves.
Greek salad is another time-tested
favourite. Served as a dinner entree,
the artfully arranged plate features a
fresh medley of tomatoes, cucum-
bers, onions and green peppers. Feta,
pickled cap ers and Kalamata olives
provide a salty fermented bite, while
olive oil adds herbacious fl avour. Beef
and lamb gyros are slathered with
garlicky tzatziki and tucked into a
warm pita stuffed with onions and
tomatoes.
Other classic dishes may be less
familiar to North American diners.
Yemista, bell pepper stuffed with
Helios’ signature seasoned ground
beef and rice, again reveals a whiff of
aromatic cloves.
Hallmark ingredients of the
cuisine combine in Chicken à la
Grecque, a duo of marinated breasts,
stone baked for a slightly crisp exte-
rior, then topped with spinach and
feta. The simply grilled lamb chops
are kissed with oregano and accom-
panied with a mix of chargrilled bell
peppers.
While pasta is often seen as Italy’s
domain, lore has it that ancient
Greeks cooked with a grilled batter
called ‘lagunum’ (possibly a precur-
sor to lasagna). Helios’ menu sports
a modern version with marinara—
sweetly fl avoured with tomatoes and
onions—or meat sauce and a tumble
of mafalda, which are like small lasa-
gna noodles.
The key to well-executed classics
is knowing when not to tamper with
perfection. Ending with a slab of
baklava, a combination of golden
phyllo, walnuts and cinnamon, served
warm and topped with a generous
honey drizzle, is proof enough of that.
Helios Restaurant is open daily
from 11 am to 9 pm.
ciao! / aug/sep / two thousand eighteen
23