The chocolate raspberry cheesecake is
rich, decadent and velvety, a perfect
classic to end a luxurious meal.
529 Wellington Steakhouse is
open Mon through Fri, 11:30 am to
2 pm, for lunch service, and daily
from 5 pm to 9 pm for dinner.
COLOSSEO
Neighbourhood ............. Corydon
Address ........... 670 Corydon Ave
Phone .................. 204-284-4977
Entrées ........................... $19-$26
Once the epitome of amphitheatres,
the Roman Colosseum was a paragon
of grandiosity and observation. And
though Ancient Rome Winnipeg is
assuredly not, a similar spirit imbues
nearly half-century old Corydonmainstay
Colosseo.
Proud of its Little Italy heritage, this
longstanding ristorante is steeped in
tradition and proudly parades its
roots. Plastered indoor walls exude
old-world influence and vintage
outdoor features transport visitors
across the pond. And like its namesake,
dining is met with a dash of
spectator sport. One of the district’s
most-primo patios straddles the
interlocked-brick of Hugo Street and
is a spot perfect for sunbaked summer
days spent people-watching and filling
up on traditional Italian cuisine.
Settle into the belt-loosening process
with the Colosseo salad. A bed of
romaine drizzled with a house dressing
asking to be bottled and sold by
the barrel is buried beneath diced
ham and salami. Reminiscent of
salads we’ve seen throughout the city
previously, a certain smokiness from
the cured meats will even win over
the won’t-eat-their-greens crowd. A
lighter option is the spinach gamberi
salad. It takes its cues from a Greek
salad but is crowned with a quartet of
garlicky, succulent shrimp on pillows
ciao! reviews
of creamy and delicate feta cheese.
Risotto al profumo di mare keeps
true to its definition: the sea-scented
risotto releases its aroma the moment
it reaches the table. A light tomato
sauce subtly flavours the risotto but
plays obvious second fiddle in a dish
teeming with seafood. Most notable
are tender mussels, which beg to be
added to every bite or plucked out
and enjoyed by their lonesome.
The spaghetti con polpette is
proof positive simplicity often reigns
supreme when it comes to classic
Italian eats. Two ample meatballs rest
atop a piled-high bowl of spaghetti
and are blanketed by a deep and
rich tomato sauce with a sprinkling
of parsley. A no-nonsense approach
makes the sizeable servings shine.
Ground beef stars solo and melts
away with an almost-velvety texture.
Whether couched atop cavatelli or
baked in among rigatoni and mozzarella
cheese, the house-made Italian
sausage stands front and centre no
matter its bedfellow. A wallop of flavour
bursts towards the tastebuds
in this dense mixture of pork and
ground beef.
Colosseo is open Mon-Thu 11 am to
12 am, Fri 11 am to 1 am, Sat 12 pm to
1 am and Sun 12 pm to 12 am.
DUG & BETTY’S ICE CREAMERY
Neighbourhood ..... St. Boniface
Address ..... 309 Des Meurons St
Phone ................... 204-417-0026
Entrées ............................. $8-$14
An age-old query it is not, but if
ever there was any wonder what
would arise at the intersection of
French bistro fare and artisanal
ice-cream offerings, Dug & Betty’s
Ice Creamery delivers the answer
with aplomb. The brainchild of
chef Fern Kirouac, father of St.
Boniface mainstay and cross-street
neighbour Inferno’s Bistro, this
bistro-parlour hybrid has occupied
the intersection at Marion and
Des Meurons since summer 2019,
transforming a once-overlooked
squat blue building into a vibrant
summer stop for a Parisian-inspired
bite or quick cone.
No menu item encapsulates Dug
& Betty’s aptitude for wedding
casual cuisine with refined flavours
quite like the French onion grilled
cheese. Savoury caramelized onions
layered between two slices of oozing
swiss cheese pairs ingenuity with a
sophistication that comes with serving
one of the city’s finest bowls of
French onion soup steps away. Opt
instead for the Caprese sandwich and
be met with a fresh bang of tomatoes,
basil and mozzarella. Cucumber and
radish add a crisp crunch while pesto
spread provides a nutty zip.
Traditional French cuisine is
alive and well in each spoonful of
the creamy seafood bisque. Mussels
protrude from a creamy broth that
hits all the right oceanic notes. No
spoon can enter without returning
bits of chopped shrimp. If seeking
turf rather than surf, chunks
of Manitoba bison with a jalapeño
kick are surrounded by beans, fennel,
celery and other chili mainstays in
the bison chili.
One bite of the broccoli pancakes
is revelatory. The crisp exterior of
these fritter-esque rounds protects
an airy interior mixture of broccoli
and cottage cheese. Distinctive
and delightful on their lonesome, a
dollop of skyr, the Icelandic answer
to Greek yogurt, and drizzle of sumac
and cumin infused honey tops this
soon-to-be-crowned classic.
No stop is complete without a
cool treat, ordered inside or at the
curb-side window. Unique smallbatch
flavours are cone-ready. The
Dashing Dug and Bad Betty sundaes,
named after Kirouac’s basset
hounds who also lend their names
30
ciao! / summer / two thousand twenty