Winnipeg debut novels get nod for IMPAC Dublin

Arts & Life team taste-tests new Kraft concoction

Prepare your tongue for the ultimate thrill, as Kraft Dinner has once again veered wildly out of its box and into new territory.

Just when we all thought the brand had peaked after unleashing its limited-run New York-style KD Mac & Cheesecake earlier this summer, the beloved pantry staple set its sights on dethroning another kitchen cupboard essential: instant noodles.

Emboldened by the rapturous reception of cheesecake lovers nationwide who had clearly been hankering for the savoury-sweet combo, the convenience food’s latest mashup pairs its infamous neon-orange cheese powder with classic ramen soup seasoning and dehydrated noodles.

The resulting bowl is a respectable attempt at creating a North American version of the South Korean trend of noodle lovers adding slices of processed cheese to their ramyeon to temper spice levels and added creaminess.

Fully protecting Transit drivers overdue

The union representing Winnipeg Transit drivers declared last week — again — that the service’s buses need to be outfitted with full safety shields, after yet another incident involving an assault on a partially protected transit operator.

What’s up: Deep Purple, Sarper Güven, and Taste of Manitoba, Maryland Music, Must Be Nice Indigenous Comedy and Corn and Apple fests

Must Be Nice Indigenous Comedy FestivalDevil May Care Brewing Company, 155-A Fort St.Friday & Saturday, 7 p.m.Tickets $23 at EventbriteTreaty 1 comedians Jeff Gobeil and Kaitlynn Brightnose have had big, busy summers.

Gobeil, a member of Poplar River First Nation, is fresh off performing The Crown Witness Is a Stand-Up Comedian? at this year’s Winnipeg Fringe Theatre Festival. The hour-long solo show, which earned four stars from the Free Press, details how he reported his childhood sexual abuser to police and served as the Crown witness during the man’s trial, “with Gobeil striking a breathtaking balance between his harrowing life story and the comedic observations that have resulted,” according to our review.

He and Brightnose, who grew up between Pukatawagan and Cranberry Portage and is a regular at the Bannock Bums showcases at the Winnipeg Comedy Festival, also performed at the Indigenous Comedy Showcase before headliner Jim Gaffigan’s set at the Great Outdoors Comedy Festival in July, along with fellow comedian Noah Robinson.

On Friday, they’ll headline the first night of Must Be Nice Indigenous Comedy Festival, a two-night showcase featuring Indigenous comedians from across Treaty territories. Robinson will also perform at the fest, along with a slate of other comics including Stephan Meechas, Sherry McKay, Issa Kixen and others. Single-night and weekend passes are available at Eventbrite.

New Skyline: revolving restaurant to reopen atop Fort Garry Place

Come fall, people will once again have the chance to dine more than two dozen storeys above Winnipeg’s downtown.

Alfonso Maury, former owner of Corrientes Argentine Pizzeria, is preparing to reopen the revolving restaurant on the 30th floor of Fort Garry Place. The venue, which has sat empty for the past six years, offers a panoramic view of the city.

Maury is aiming to open Dos Pampas Skyline Restaurant at the beginning of October. He plans to hire around 20 employees, who will prepare and serve an Argentinian-inspired menu he is currently putting together with head chef Norm Pastorin.

Dos Pampas will include seating for 120 customers, Maury said. Additionally, the restaurant will feature a lounge with couches and short tables where guests who have finished their meal but who aren’t ready to leave can enjoy dessert or another drink.