ciao! reviews
food writers, it’s that some of the
city’s best eats can be found in
unassuming strip malls in the sub-
urbs. Osteria del Piolo has pulled
no punches, launching itself into
eatery-scarce Charleswood.
In a frosty winter city, sporting a
functional fireplace may just be the
perfect way to win diners. In the
wide open room, a blazing fire is
a focal point of a fashionably open
kitchen. The space reveals a clear
affection for Italian culture spelled
out in graphic art on the walls.
Mangia Bene and other quotes
artfully rendered by local artist
Kal Barteski frame the entire room.
A menu of Italian dishes is
naturally themed around sharing.
Small plates presenting salads, veg-
etables and pastas in creative ways,
and big plates bear entrées for two.
And, of course, there’s pizza fresh
from that wood burning oven.
The menu manages to be succinct
while offering a satisfying range of
ingredients, a mark of the careful
thought behind this new spot.
Starters are veg-centric, offer
impressive variety, and begin the
journey through fiery, charred
tastes. Charred broccolini is a
multi-sensory dish, its smokiness
offset by pickled blackberries,
hazelnuts and lemon mascarpone.
Unexpected and playful mash-
ups are de rigeur here. Roasted
carrots served with their greens
are complemented with fennel,
nduja (sausage) paste, and a slight
citrus note derived from orange
infused salt. Beets appear three
ways alongside Granny Smiths, a
unique pistachio pesto and citrus
Parm-spiked aioli. The medley
presents a delightful contrast of
textures, temperatures (with beets
roasted, pickled and fried) and fla-
vours with every mouthful.
Pastas, typically the cornerstone
of Italian menus, appear sparingly
here. All three are winners: tradi-
tional spaghetti carbonara; shrimp
bolognese, a fresh take on a classic
blending fire roasted shrimp with
carrots and pickled shallots over
tagliatelle; and potato gnocchi
presented “Cacio e Pepe” style,
with a mix of pecorino and fontina
cheeses and lots of black pepper.
Big plate entrées meant for two
are hearty and delicious. Sea Bream
arrives beautifully charred whole,
crisp skin breaking way to moist
flaky flesh. Accompanying clams in
Chardonnay, fennel and mushrooms
round out this substantial feast.
Espresso martini tiramisu is
a perfect ending to the meal, the
definition of a classic with its sig-
nature combo of chocolate, Kahlua
and espresso.
Osteria del Piolo is open
Mon-Thu 4pm-10pm, Fri & Sat
4pm-11pm and Sun Closed.
wood tavern
Neighbourhood . . .St Boniface
Address . . . . . . .112 Marion St
Phone . . . . . . . 204-235-6003
Entrées . . . . . . . . . . . $6-$32
This is a new school tavern.
Effortlessly cool, it's decked out
with luxe marble accents, indus-
trial charm and the warm aroma of
an open fire that radiates from the
open concept kitchen. Here at the
Norwood Hotel’s Wood Tavern,
nearly everything is roasted over
hot coals and wood, giving a signa-
ture smokiness to dishes that lean
more toward lusty bistro food than
pub grub. Rest assured though,
guests can still order a local pint
at the bar top and catch the game.
Follow your nose and peek into
the open concept kitchen to see an
impressive seven-foot-wide wood-
fired grill. Burger patties ground
in-house are thrown to the fire,
getting a nice charred exterior and
juicy interior. Heightened with
thinly sliced back bacon, extra
crispy onion rings and a buttered
bun, “True Canadian” is a master-
piece, delivering a fresh take on
toppings without overwhelming
the taste buds. The final flourish:
a generous spread of kicked-up
hickory bacon ranch sauce. A side
of fries served in a mug repping the
slogan “venture into the woods”
gets bonus points for presentation.
House-made Andouille sausage
(comparable to chorizo) is the
biggest surprise of the night. It’s
exceedingly juicy and bursting with
flavours of red peppers and fennel,
which lends liquorice-like sweet-
ness and balances the spiciness
of the sausage. An accompanying
puddle of Ketchup made with fire-
grilled peppers is a serious upgrade
from the old stand-by.
A good barbequed chicken—
the kind eager home cooks spend
hours slaving away to achieve, only
to set it aflame at the last second—
is hard to come by. Leave it to the
professionals. Wood Tavern’s take
on a half chicken is exquisite,
demonstrating the elusive balance
between char-grilled and moist.
Its molasses soy glaze elevates this
classic Sunday night dinner, acting
as a drizzle for the fluffy mash.
It’s not only meat that is sub-
jected to the flame. The aptly
named “campfire cauliflower” is
a stellar rendition of the trend-
ing veggie. Humming with strong
smoke flavour, it is served, unex-
pectedly, with a bed of hummus
and hot honey chili oil. Crunchy
chickpeas add texture and fresh
cilantro cools the palate.
Armed with the challenge of
pleasing hotel guests and neigh-
borhood dwellers alike, Wood
Tavern brings something charm-
ingly unexpected to the table. It
may be in its early days but it’s
surely slated to, shall we say, catch
fire, as Winnipeggers seek refuge
in its cozy wood-burning depths
this winter.
Wood Tavern is open Mon-Sun
11am to 12am.
ciao! / dec/jan / two thousand nineteen
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