Feeding the night owls

Opinion

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This article was published 09/03/2016 (3479 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

When a blizzard hits Winnipeg, major streets remain open because snowplows run all night. When the Red River rises, barely anyone notices because the floodway does such a great job of diverting water away.

But there is one natural phenomenon that shuts down Winnipeg so well, the Manitoba capital could easily stand in for Atlanta during the first season of The Walking Dead. It’s called “night,” the cyclical absence of visible light that occurs whenever the sun winds up on the opposite side of the planet. 

When night afflicts Winnipeg, it’s possible to wander the city’s streets for blocks in search of food without encountering sustenance more nutritious than a 7-Eleven taquito. You may yearn to fulfil the basic desire to enjoy a meal in the company of another human being, only to find yourself staring at a Subway roll and a copy ofThe Coffee News beneath the harsh glare of fluorescent lights.

And you may ask yourself, quite rightly, how can there be so few decent places to eat late at night in a city of 724,000?

This is not just a question for the barflies and online-gaming addicts you expect to be up all night. Winnipeg has five post-secondary institutions teeming with students who keep less-than-regular hours. The city also has a diverse economy that includes a healthy manufacturing sector, which means a lot of hard-working people deserve something less processed than a Tim Hortons spicy-chicken sandwich when they get off their shifts late at night.

“As someone who finishes work after midnight on weekdays and is typically ravenous at that hour, I can tell you there aren’t enough (options),” CTV News late-night anchor Andrea Slobodian lamented on Twitter several weeks back.

As a service to those of you reading this online at 1 a.m., here are some late-night options, based on personal experience, a survey of selected insomniacs and a bit of crowd-sourcing. 

Chopsticks and sriracha

Generally, the most diverse collection of kitchens that stay open late can be found at Asian restaurants.

On south McPhillips, pan-Asian diner Pho Mama’s (141 McPhillips St.) offers Vietnamese and some Philippine and Thai dishes until 3 a.m. daily.

Downtown, late-night standby Ken’s (333 Ellice Ave.) does southern Chinese until 3 a.m. weekdays and 4 a.m. on weekends, while right around the corner, East Ocean (350 Hargrave St.) follows suit until 2 a.m. weekdays (except Wednesdays) and 4 a.m. on weekends.

In Chinatown, Sumhay (225 Logan Ave.) is a trip back in time to a past when lemon chicken and Shanghai noodles were not just hot, but haute. It’s open until midnight weekends. If dim sum is your thing, head to Jing Jing (210 Pacific Ave.), open daily until 3:30 a.m. — though many an Exchange District bar-goer will swear they’ve wandered in later.

Kitchens with some ambition

One of the most encouraging trends in Winnipeg is the blending of the concept of what constitutes a restaurant and a bar. Since April 2014, licensed restaurants in Manitoba no longer have to insist their customers order food along with their alcohol. This minor change to liquor regulations has had a counterintuitive side effect: kitchens in several clubby places are now open later, ensuring bar-goers consume carbs, fat and protein along with their Vitamin Alcohol.

The List (216 McDermot Ave.), a brand-new spot that took over the former Ragpickers space in the Exchange District, plans to serve charcuterie, salads and some sandwiches until 2 a.m., Tuesdays through Sundays.

As long as the crowds remain, the Merchant Kitchen (314 Donald St., in the Alt Hotel) slings Latin-Asian bar snacks until 1 a.m. Mondays through Saturdays — and on Sundays as well, if there’s an event at the MTS Centre.

And while the Pint (274 Garry St.) offers a disappointing array of suds, the bar grub far exceeds what you’d expect from a sports bar; their kitchen is usually open until 1:45 a.m. daily.

Heading from downtown to Osborne Village, Black Rabbit (135 Osborne St.) serves pizza, pasta and sandwiches until 2 a.m. Thursdays through Saturdays and midnight otherwise. 

And on the Corydon strip, the Roost (651 Corydon Ave., upstairs) does small plates until 2 a.m. Tuesdays through Saturdays, as well as until midnight Sundays.

Just the basics

Sometimes, you really just need to stuff your face with comfort food. Personally, there is no greater greasy pleasure than a Winnipeg-style burger from VJ’s Drive Inn (170 Main St.), although the venerable shack is only open until 1 a.m. on weekends. 

Fort Rouge residents swear by the poutine at Clubhouse Pizza (535 Osborne St.), open until 3 a.m. Monday through Saturday and Sunday until 1 a.m. Heading home to Fort Garry, you can grab a shwarma or a falafel from Best Pizza & Donair (1469 Pembina Hwy.) until 3 a.m. on weekends.

Of course, this is not a definitive list, so feel free to suggest more options in the comments section online. Just be aware: everyone is aware of the existence of Sals, Johnny G’s and the Burger King drive-thru window.

bartley.kives@freepress.mb.ca