Don’t tighten your belt just yet

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This article was published 01/02/2018 (2799 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

The inaugural Fried Chicken Festival (Jan. 21-28) invited fans of deep-fried goodness to 15 restaurants around Winnipeg to chow down on chicken and then vote for their favourite. The Free Press’s Alison Gillmor loved the simple hot-sauce-drizzled version from chef Erik Ursini at the Good Will’s Have a Nice Day, but Winnipeggers turned out in droves to cast their online votes for the Oak & Grain at the Hilton Winnipeg Airport Suites, where chef Kelly Cattani offered up toasted sliders stuffed with pickled cucumber salad, mayo, lettuce and buttermilk fried chicken.

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Still recovering from all that chicken? Don’t tighten your belt yet: it’s time for La Poutine Week (Feb. 1-7), where more than 80 Winnipeg restaurants will trot out their takes on the beloved French-Canadian comfort food, brought to you by the duo behind the insanely popular Le Burger Week.

The list of poutines on offer ranges from classic curds with amped-up sauces to decidedly non-traditional takes (Green Ninja’s version features spicy Asian pork and kimchi; Rossmere Country Club’s includes Brie, cranberry-apple gravy, pork rinds and apple sticks).

Our pick for cleverest name? Oakwood Cafe’s Vladimir Poutine: fries topped with diced pan-fried perogies, sauerkraut, sautéed onions, bacon, green onion, cheese curds and sour cream drizzle with a side of Manitoba kielbasa.

For more info on participating restaurants, go to lapoutineweek.com.

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If fries, gravy and curds aren’t your idea of a balanced meal, Ciao! magazine’s Dine About Winnipeg event is back, offering a wide selection of three-course prix fixe menus from local restaurants. Choose from $18, $28 and $38 options (Chop has menus in all three categories) on a list that includes such varied outlets as Sal’s Test Kitchen, Cafe Dario, Desserts Plus, Toukies’ Lounge at Club Regent, Close Co. and Mona Lisa. The popular event runs Feb. 1-11 and it will book up; advance reservations are advised.

The foodie extravaganza is expanding this year with a culinary event series that includes a Whiskey and Dine night at Bailey’s, where the restaurant’s dishes will be paired with premium scotches (Feb. 8, $75); a four-course dinner at Cafe Carlo paired with local brews and cider selected by the brewmaster from Stone Angel (Feb. 6, $65); a South American Wine Dinner at Hermanos South Osborne (Feb. 11, 5 p.m., $69); Tapas and Talent at Nicolino’s, where diners can choose three Italian-style tapas dishes and listen to live jazz (Feb. 7, $19); and Brazen Hall’s Meat Feast, which features appetizers and sides to go along with a carnivore’s delight of entrees (Feb. 1-11, table of eight for $395).

Advance booking for all five culinary events is required. Call the individual restaurants to book.

For more information on Dine About Winnipeg, go to wfp.to/dineabout.

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Local pastry chef Sophon (Soapy) Chhin has been quietly serving up his delectable croissants and cakes in his new Charleswood storefront, but he’s finally ready to open the doors officially. The S Squared Pâtisserie at 3416 Roblin Blvd. holds its grand opening on Saturday, Feb. 3, from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Chhin, who gave up his pharmacy career to follow his dream of bringing a Parisian-style pastry shop to Winnipeg, is known for his jewel-coloured macarons and his elaborate noisette, a complicated gilded creation of chocolate, caramel and hazelnut ganache, praline and biscuit. S Squared also features petits gateaux, cream puffs, tarts, croissant, pain au chocolate and madeleines.

Regular hours are Wednesday to Saturday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Sunday, noon to 5 p.m. Check out the goods at s2patisserie.com or on Instagram: @s2patisserie.

jill.wilson@freepress.mb.ca Twitter: @dedaumier