ciao! reviews
Ultimately, though, a steakhouse
must be judged on its meat, namely
the beef. Carne is proactive. Chef
Dacquisto sources Alberta AAA
Prime and Wagyu hybrid beef from
Alberta, USA and Japan. Tableside
questions are answered with enthu-
siasm, revealing a depth of detail.
Each box of Wagyu comes with a
certificate of authentication reveal-
ing the animal’s name, its ancestry
and its stats, giving a new level of
understanding to where your food
comes from.
Canadian Wagyu tenderloin has
the appearance of most; don’t be
fooled. The ultra-fine marbling
achieved from its special upbringing
Cordova
packs each bite with juiciness so
remarkable, it nearly defies descrip-
tion. A rib steak for two, beautifully
charred and tender fills an entire
plate, and could feed more. The
pork and veal chops follow suit,
yielding flavourful tender bites.
Even after one of those big steaks,
desserts are still a must. Creamy
rice pudding may be an old school
comfort, but it wasn’t topped with
pistachios, coconut and begonia
petals in our house.
Dining on succulent steaks in lux-
urious rooms doesn’t need a trend
report to gain favour: neither does
having vast amount of choice. Just
remember to order simply, and let
the meat shine.
Carne is open Mon-Thu 4:30
pm-10 pm, Fri-Sat 4:30 pm-11 pm,
Sun closed.
56
ciao! / dec/jan / two thousand seventeen
cordova
Neighbourhood . . . . Exchange
Address . . . . . . . . 93 Albert St
Phone . . . . . . . 204-691-1900
Entrées . . . . . . . . . . .$11-$28
The romantic streets of Winnipeg’s
historic Exchange District are
where the cool kids go--it has been
that way for decades. As a result,
restaurant upstarts in this ‘hood
have somewhat of a leg up out of
the starting gate, anticipated as
the next hot spot everyone will be
Harth
talking about.
Cordova Tapas and Wine Bar
is packing in the city’s beautiful
people, who arrive seeking a whiff
of culture and a sip of European fla-
vour; the location is prime, but the
two handsome young fellows from
France and Belgium, with endearing
personalities and a knack for work-
ing the room, may be just as much
of a draw.
Tucked into a long, narrow space
in heritage digs, the newest spot
to bring Spanish-style tapas to the
‘Peg revels in old world hospital-
ity. Happy smiles, the kind given
to friends, and engaging tableside
banter invite conversation from the
outset. Warm colours and greenery,
soft lighting, easy listening Spanish
music, and stylish Mediterranean
tilework set a moody backdrop for
companions to catch up. Space fills
up quickly each night at high top
tables, followed by diners sitting
intimately shoulder to shoulder
along the bar. The room is abuzz.
While a few short years ago, tapas
style eating was a hard sell in this
city–prairie folks like big plates of
food–the small plates trend has
snowballed. Many restaurants have
added more appetizers to their
menus, rebranded “tapas” to score
cache off of Spain’s pub scene.
Shareable eats have won the hearts
of diners eager to try something
new while keeping options open for
another plate.
Gaël Winandy and Gregoire
Harth
Stevenard, the aforementioned men
from Europe, may simply have spot-
ted a business opportunity in a new
land and capitalized on it. Indeed,
Spain is a mere skip from France and
Belgium and pubs are a pretty invit-
ing research project.
Here, signature dishes from Spain
and France are sautéed swiftly over a
couple burners behind the bar, fill-
ing the room with heady aromas.
Garlic, sweet paprika and frying
mushrooms entice. Many little
plates stage a seduction and delight
the senses. French baguette accom-
panies salmon mousse. Sourdough
bread is slathered in goat cheese,
mushrooms and fresh herbs.
Chicken liver pate is luscious and
smooth – accompanied with picante
medley of pickles, and more bread.
A Chorizo and potato pan fry mix