ONE SIXTEEN
Neighbourhood .............. West Broadway
Address ........ 116 Sherbrook St . Phone .............. 431-887-2337 Entrées ...................... $ 9- $ 40
One Sixteen ’ s understated minimalist aesthetic is a sharp and comfortable contrast to its refined culinary vision . This chef driven restaurant and taproom is home to aptly executed , inventive plates that have impressed us since its opening . The best new restaurant of the year pours hospitality generously and still manages to ooze cool vibes .
The first step inside prompts a sense of genuine happiness – from a warm greeting at the door to highly informed and ebullient servers introducing dishes as they arrive at the table . Even though they may not know who you are they are delighted you ’ re here . The setting is established for engaged convivial dining that hinges on sharing .
Pared down table settings equipped only with necessities – a paper napkin , cutlery , a single sheet menu – set a low-key tone at this hip haunt . Over the buzz of chatter from filled tables , anticipation sets in .
The venture of The Beer Can progenitors burst onto the scene early in the year and was immediately swarmed with Wolseley residents seeking a sociable seat at a communal table for a pint of local beer . Brew partner Good Neighbour Brewing Company ensures guests have something cold – hazy , sour or pale – to imbibe and complement flavours of the kitchen .
This is a palate expanding play ciao ! reviews
zone , a tribute to an elite team of creative chefs , helmed by Chef Kurt Kolbe . Chile spiked tahini takes carrots in a new direction as a bed for the charred vegetable slices , pops of jalapeño punctuate each bite . This same vibrant pepper coyly electrifies fried chicken lightly lathered in a honeyed blue cheese gravy .
This is the kind of food chefs get most excited about , the type that begins with freshly procured produce to build around ; grilled purple snow peas , delicately dressed with a whisper of mint vinaigrette ; charred cabbage , accented with miso-flavoured chicken fat . A lettuce salad mixed with mellowed white onion rings and radish is transformed with poached pickerel cheeks and pops of briny fish roe .
The market based burrata salad highlights the season ’ s bounty with aplomb . Summer ’ s poached asparagus , laced with astringent bites of pickled rhubarb glisten on garlicky oil . Today ’ s rendition features radicchio ’ s bitter leaves balanced with sweetly sour bites of grapefruit , salty Serrano ham . Walnuts add satisfyingly bitter crunch .
Every element supports burrata ’ s delicate creaminess .
Meatier dishes are equally outstanding . Artfully arranged slices of charred koji-aged rib-eye luxuriates in a silky beef jus , beside a dollop of sweet potato romesco . Its pink interior juices release on the palate , a brilliant presentation to rival any steakhouse anywhere .
End on a sweet and sassy note - but before the almond cake with puckering lemon cream and preserved rhubarb arrives , you ’ ll already know you have just been fed by ferociously dedicated professionals , making a case that more hands sometimes lead to the best broth .
BONNIE DAY
Neighbourhood ......... Wolseley Address .. 898 Westminster Ave Phone .............. 204-786-8411 Entrées .................... $ 15- $ 22
The city ’ s historic Wolseley is known as an artsy , educated area , full of walkers , cyclists and environmentalists with an appetite for activism . Unique character homes and holistic services are the epitome of the neighbourhood , like the bagel , coffee and chocolate shops adding to the newer more commonplace hipster joints .
The latter best describes Bonnie Day which set up shop at the corner of Westminster and Ruby , in what is arguably Winnipeg ’ s most interesting and neighbourly residential districts . As a nod to the owners ’ Scottish ancestors , Bonnie Day , means beautiful day . Additionally , said out loud , the name sounds like the French exclamation ‘ bonneidee ’, and we concur , this spot is a very ‘ good idea ’ added to the city ’ s dining scene .
The concise menu is filled with bright concepts ; homestyle dishes make it accessible and comforting . The twists and interpretations Chef Pamela Kirkpatrick applies to their creation elevates them to new stature .
Even before entering , outdoor ambient lights twinkling overhead welcome guests . Dark rich wood and leafy William Morris wallpaper grace the walls of the cozy soft lit room . A few stools at the bar and chairs tucked under a front facing window counter maximize every square foot of the den-like space . These may be the most underrated seats in the
ciao ! / dec / jan / two thousand twenty-two 47