SELECT START
Neighbourhood... Exchange District Address........... 110 Market Ave Phone.............. 204-615-7222 Entrées.................... $ 16- $ 37
Gaming is sweeping North America’ s restaurant industry, and last year’ s newcomer, Select Start, sharpens the video game arcade concept into something more polished, social, and surprisingly versatile. Tucked upstairs in a historic building, this retro-futuristic resto-bar feels like a carefully calibrated collision of past and present. It’ s part cinematic hangout, part social hub and unmistakably current.
The room itself does much of the storytelling. Vintage arcade cabinets glow against modern seating and graphic details, with Asian influences subtly shaping both décor and menu. What’ s unexpected is the crowd. While Gen Z and millennials were the obvious audience, the fun spot has become a rare multi-generational win. Groups of friends, couples on date night, and families with kids all coexist comfortably, proof that joystick nostalgia and smart design have wide appeal.
The drink menu keeps pace with the space. Leaning into today’ s cocktail and mocktail culture, glasses are filled with playful builds making it easy to settle in when spacing out games.
The food menu is built for flexibility. Sharing is encouraged, and ordering a few plates to sample widely is a savvy move, but portions are equally suited to a meal for one. Small bites like onigiri, parmesan fries, and pork belly bao deliver ciao! reviews
snack sized comfort, while global flavours keep things exciting enough to compete with the screens.
The prawn roll is an immediate standout, generously filled maki slices, artfully finished with sriracha mayo. Peanut noodles“ levelled up” with crispy chicken deliver more worldly taste, coated in a rich, savoury sauce that strikes a confident balance between sweetness and salt. A refreshing cucumber salad cuts through richer plates, offering a clean, palate-resetting pause.
At Select Start, food, drinks, and games operate on the same rhythm. It’ s the kind of place where you come for a quick round and realize you’ re perfectly happy to keep playing.
Select Start is open Wed – Thu 4pm – 11pm, Fri 4pm – 1am, Sat 12pm – 1am, Sun 12pm – 11pm( 18 + only after 7:30pm), Mon-Tue Closed.
SUKHOTHAI
Neighbourhood.......... Osborne Address........... 191 Osborne St Phone............. 204-633-6907 Entrées..................... $ 11- $ 17
It’ s been nearly 30 years since Village heavy hitter Sukhothai brought ancestral recipes to Winnipeg, whetting appetites for plates of sweet, sour, and spicy Thai cooking crowned with salty crunch. Today, hiding in plain sight on Osborne’ s dining strip, the restaurant still earns its hype, drawing diners for polished Thai fare and thoughtful drinks.
The vibe is contemporary, with décor and service that meet modern expectations. Whether diners arrive craving familiar favourites or curious to explore deeper cuts, Sukhothai makes both feel like the right choice.
Choosing dishes becomes a pleasurable experiment in Thai piquancy. While the kitchen can deliver homeland-level heat, each dish offers a 0 – 10 spice scale, allowing guests to calibrate their burn. The menu spans Thailand’ s regions, with curries, noodles, and street-food classics meeting diverse tastes. Start with any version of the green papaya salad. Shredded papaya, mango, or apple, tossed with carrot, celery, and onion, meets a sharp chile-lime dressing for bright, tart bites. Those same flavours shine in a squid salad, where tender calamari tangles with rice noodles over shredded lettuce, fried onion, garlic, and peanuts.
Noodles balance savoury, sweet, and spicy notes into broths and sauces. That reverence to flavour harmony shows in the pad thai: thin rice noodles stir-fried with shrimp( or another protein of choice), vegetables, fresh herbs, and crunchy peanuts, form a dish greater than the sum of its parts.
Curries are equally compelling. Don’ t overlook the Phet Puck Tong: creamy coconut red curry enriched with pumpkin, carrot, and onion, delivering warmth in a generous bowl.
Sweet, sour, and spicy converge in Pad Keang Pra, a salmon centered stir-fry of zucchini, mushrooms, bell pepper, onion, and julienned ginger. The delicate fish pairs beautifully with the assertive sauce with sweet coconut rice soaking up every drop.
Dessert seals the deal with Thai banana cake— sticky coconut rice and banana wrapped in fragrant banana leaf. It’ s simple, satisfying, and modestly sweet.
Sukothai is open Tue – Sun 3pm – 9pm, Mon Closed.
28 ciao! / feb / mar / two thousand twenty-six