ciao! reviews
RED EMBER COMMON
Neighbourhood . . . . The Forks
Address . . . .1 Forks Market Rd
Phone . . . . . . . 204-504-8998
Entrées . . . . . . . . . . .$14-$16
Hailing from a European tradition
and quickly gaining popularity in
Canadian cities, food halls are a
unique dining experience that merges
the convenience of a food court with
the upscale, artisanal quality of a local
farmers’ market. Already thriving in
the food truck scene with Winnipeg’s
first wood-fired pizza truck, Red
Ember has set up a brick and mortar
location at The Forks food hall,
allowing fans to enjoy its much-loved
pizza throughout the year.
For owners Steffen Zinn and Quin
Ferguson, using local, ethically raised
ingredients is key. Organic Manitoba-
milled flour is the foundation of
their pizza, and local suppliers such
as Zinn Farms, run by Steffen’s mom
and brother, provide the high-quality
meats that top the pies. Their pizza is
neo-Neapolitan style, taking inspira-
tion from authentic Neapolitan pizza
without having to follow its strict
traditions. Boundary pushing ingre-
dients give modern spin.
Nestled in the corner of the hall,
Red Ember’s massive copper-faced
stone oven–imported from Naples,
Italy–is on full display. Marbled bar-
top style seating allows diners to
observe each pizza as it is tossed into
the piping hot 750° oven by Chef
Quin himself, wielding his wooden
paddle. The heavy exposed brick
arches enclosing the restaurant give it
a cozy train station feel without shut-
ting out the lively party atmosphere
in the hall.
Before digging into the pizza,
start off with the must-try cucum-
ber salad. At fi rst glance, the classic
combination of cucumbers and dill
While eating vegetables is hardly a
new idea, shifting diets toward plant-
based foods is gaining popularity
among those driven by health,
environmentalism and perhaps, like
us, curiosity. Circle Kitchen, new to
the trendy Corydon strip as of last
summer rewards that curiosity.
Circle Kitchen’s success depends
somewhat on defying the odds within
a whole global restaurant industry
that relies on larger profit margins
from selling meat, and it is already
filling a hole in the market with its
vegan menu. It is also delivering some
of the most exciting tastes we’ve had
lately. Lack of commitment towards a
vegan diet need not deter anyone from
this gem.
The bright subterranean space is
casually stylish. A playful produce
print wall sets the scene and a dozen
seats keep things intimate.
A chalkboard menu lays out an
all-day selection. An abundance of
interesting bevvies—fruit smoothies,
kombucha on tap and vibrant yellow
turmeric lattes—shouldn’t be missed.
Trace ginger enriches the hot turmeric
drink, brightening each sip with an
anti-infl ammatory boost.
A few salads, appetizers and daily
features make up the short menu.
Omnivores accustomed to adding
meat on top of greens are introduced
here to ingredients that balance
and flavour lettuce combinations.
Walnuts, spiced with smoky paprika
and cumin add meaty bite and depth
to the familiar taco salad combina-
CIRCLE KITCHEN
tion of rice, beans, tomato, corn and
avocado.
Neighbourhood . . . . . Corydon
Toasted and spiced coconut subs
in for bacon in the Caesar combina-
Address . . . 1-709 Corydon Ave
tion. Capers and cashews prepared as
Parmesan cheese and garlic faux eggy
Entrées . . . . . . . . . . . $6-$13
dressing punctuate this vegan version
The quest for eating the best of of a classic.
Each dish packs a load of compo-
everything naturally attracts us to the
hottest, newest, most creative kitchens nents, proving salad can be a meal
in the city, motivating us to be open to sate even the biggest of appetites.
minded to trying the next new thing. Roasted broccoli, sweet potato, quinoa
anticipates familiar fl avours, but the
first bite proves otherwise. Buttery
Castelvetrano olives, pickles and piles
of fresh dill add fl avours as vibrant as
they look. The green medley meets
middle eastern infl uences with a vel-
vety Baharat spiced crème smeared
thickly underneath.
The pies are perfection, with a char-
blistered crust and dough retaining
ideal elasticity. Options include clas-
sics like the Margherita with tangy San
Marzano tomato sauce, but for a more
inventive rendition, try the “Twist
and Sprout” pizza, a combination of
generous heaps of shredded Brussels
sprouts, salty pancetta, crème fraiche
and creamy blue cheese with a hint
of roasted garlicky goodness. In the
Super Bird pie, the Manitoba chicken
sausage is the star ingredient, packing
a mouth-watering punch alongside
piquillo peppers, red onion, and melty
feta cheese atop a walnut-basil pesto.
There are no wrong choices among
the many creations, but another
standout is the Hot ‘n Honey, a twist
on the classic pepperoni slice balanced
by sweet local honey.
Though you can sink your teeth in
just 2 minutes after the pizza fl ies into
the oven, the experience far exceeds
fast food standards. If you’re lucky,
you might even be serenaded by a cel-
list playing Hallelujah, making your
visit to The Forks rival a romantic
evening in Italy.
Red Ember Common is open daily
from 11 am- 8 pm or later.
ciao! / feb/mar / two thousand nineteen
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