Savouring the year that was If you don’t already have an appetite, you will after reading this list of highlights from our Tasting Notes series Best of 2023
By: Eva Wasney Posted: 2:51 PM CST Tuesday, Dec. 26, 2023 Last Modified: 9:03 AM CST Wednesday, Dec. 27, 2023 Updates

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 26/12/2023 (621 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

It was a year of good eats and illuminating culinary conversations.

Over the last 12 months, I visited dozens of Winnipeg restaurants, bakeries and bars — new and old — for the Free Press’s ongoing Tasting Notes series. Below is a highlight reel of some of the top morsels and concepts from 2023.

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Most memorable bite

Promenade Brasserie’s Apple Braised Pork Belly

If it were appropriate to send a “Thinking of You” card to a plate of food, Promenade’s apple-braised pork belly would be at the top of my mailing list. The crispy fork-tender pork, the savoury and subtly sweet au jus, the creamy, crunchy slaw, the pungent pickles. It’s a simple but expertly balanced dish that has been stuck in my brain ever since visiting the St. Boniface restaurant this spring — the culinary equivalent of a musical earworm, if you will. Promenade’s menu has shifted slightly since opening but the pork belly remains. For good reason.

Honourable mention: The Khao Soi soup at Mae Sunee Thai Cuisine had a similar effect. Sweet and creamy, tender and crunchy, fresh and pickley.

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Best budget bite

North Star Drive In’s Bacon Cheese Dog

My summertime quest to find Winnipeg’s best hot dog took me to restaurants, streetside carts and takeout windows across the city. The bacon cheese dog at North Star came out on top thanks to thoughtful technique and perfect topping distribution. Served on a buttery grilled bun with a split wiener, bacon strip, melty cheese, pickles and housemade mayonnaise, it’s a vision of processed meat perfection. At $7, it was also the cheapest glizzy of the bunch. Sure, you can find a less expensive hot dog at your local bulk wholesale grocer, but, frankly, you’d be selling yourself short.

Honourable mention: Red Cherry Cafe’s Ful Breakfast, $14.99 for a generous serving of flavourful fava bean stew, eggs, baguette and fresh veggies.

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Most novel interior

Gather Craft Kitchen and Bar

Few local restaurants can compete with views of an indoor biosphere. Gather — the onsite eatery at The Leaf — boasts floor-to-ceiling windows facing into the lush greenery of Assiniboine Park’s new conservatory. The jungle carries across the atrium with palms and potted plants dotting the restaurant’s large dining room. Save for a pop of colourful subway tiles, the room has a neutral palette that doesn’t distract from the natural surroundings. Well-plated food, served on earthen dishware, completes the vibe. Gather manages to be an Instagram-worthy tourist draw without the kitsch.

Honourable mention(s): It’s a toss-up between The Basement’s secret entrance and Prohibition-era lounge, and The Den’s temporary dining room made entirely of snow.

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Best condiment

Aroma Bistro’s Red Chili Oil

The red chili oil from Aroma Bistro can do no wrong. Quite the opposite, actually. Made with red chili-infused oil and black garlic vinegar, it’s an umami-ful, slow-burning hot sauce that enhances whatever dish it’s spooned upon. The St. Vital restaurant serves the housemade oil with its signature pork wontons, an ideal vessel for sopping up the maximum amount of sauce. The condiment is also available in take-home jars from Aroma, located in a strip mall on St. Mary’s Road. It’s a great addition to fried eggs, creamy pastas and brothy soups.

Honourable mention: Tito Boy’s spiced vinegar; hot, tangy and available tableside at the south St. Vital Filipino joint.

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Sweetest treat

Honey Bunny Pastry Shop’s Kyiv Torte

Airy, creamy, crispy and nutty, the Kyiv torte at Honey Bunny is decadent without being cloyingly sweet. The traditional but little-known Ukrainian dessert is made with silky vanilla and chocolate buttercream sandwiched between two layers of meringue studded with roasted cashews. The intricate torte is just one of the fancy, single-serve pastries crafted daily by the Corydon Avenue bakery. The shop also stocks a freezer full of savoury Ukrainian specialties, such as cabbage rolls and an array of perogies.

Honourable mention: Friend Bakery’s Babka Buns, croissant-style pastry braided with bittersweet chocolate.

eva.wasney@winnipegfreepress.com

X: @evawasney