Brasserie to offer French-inspired fare in St. B

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This article was published 16/08/2018 (2970 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

When the Free Press spoke to the Cornerstone Bar and Restaurant’s Norm Pastorin last year about what the Winnipeg food scene was missing, the Red River College-trained chef said he’d like to see a French-style brasserie open up, serving hearty, unpretentious fare “without the fine-dining stigma, white tablecloths.”

Not content to let the idea be just a pipe dream, Pastorin and his Cornerstone partner Miles Gould (the pair also operate the Grove) are preparing to launch the Black Bird Brasserie at 101-300 Taché Ave. (formerly home to Bouchée Boucher restaurant/butcher shop, which closed suddenly earlier this year; its owner, Steve Conner, is being sued for $260,000 in damages by Harborside Farms).

Pastorin says the menu will echo the structure of the Grove and Cornerstone, a short list of soups, salads and entrées, and French-influenced brasserie fare such as steak frites.

On the side of the space that formerly housed the butcher shop, there are plans for a second location of the casual sandwich/coffee shop called Canteen that just opened next to the Grove, which offers a short but appealing menu of breakfast wraps, pizza, burritos, salads, smoothies, desserts from Lilac Bakery, De Luca’s coffee and tea in a bright, minimalist space.

Manager Megan Moxley says the Canteen — which is open from 7 a.m to 10 p.m. — is about quick, healthy food and drink options, with a focus on take-away, though there are a few stools and laptop-friendly stations.

“They’d always had this space, but it was undeveloped,” she says of the Grove owners’ decision to go with a coffee shop, something that’s been lacking in the neighbourhood around Grosvenor Avenue and Stafford Street. “They toyed with different ideas but they are really great as doing thing that add to the community.”

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Winnipeg tends to roll up the sidewalk when it comes to late-night dining, so the new Wet and Dry Dept. in the Exchange District comes as a welcome addition. Formerly the wine bar above the Mitchell Block at 173 McDermot Ave., the space has been renovated and rebranded as separate restaurant, with a distinct menu that focuses on affordable, eclectic comfort food. It’s open Fridays to Sundays until 2 a.m.; to midnight on Wednesdays and Thursdays.

Chef Sean McKay (who is also behind Mitchell Block’s more elevated Mediterranean bistro fare) lists mac and cheese, fried chicken, fish and chips, ribs and a caesar salad with veal sweetbread “croutons” among the new offerings — check out instagram.com/wetanddrydept for photos and menus.

McKay says the space still has a lounge vibe, with an expansive wine list, classic and cutting-edge cocktails and a beer list that includes selections aimed at “more frugal customers.” (Hello, PBR!) He’s hoping it will be a hit with night owls and theatre-goers alike.

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When you think about booze and brunch, the usual go-to beverages are caesars or mimosas. But why not beer? At Trans-Canada Brewing Co. on Sunday, Aug. 19, the Beer Brunch will bring together food by Winnipeg chef Ben Kramer and a selection of the Kenaston Boulevard taproom’s brews at 11 a.m.

Tickets are $45 for a four-course brunch with beer pairing. Call the brewery at 204-666-2337 or email Josh.Vandenende@tcb.beer for tickets or more information.

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Fans of the River Heights location of InFerno’s Bistro only have a couple of days left to enjoy a meal at 414 Academy Rd. The restaurant announced via its Instagram account that it will be closing as of Friday, Aug. 17.

“This was not an easy decision to make,” reads the post. “Our guests have become like family. There are many of you who are regulars, having come in weekly since we opened our doors. We are grateful for your patronage… Please know this is not goodbye; we are looking for a new location to make our new home.”

The restaurant’s original location at 312 Des Meurons St., remains open. The Academy spot had recently hosted the HaChere series of pop-up restaurants featuring a curated selection of local chefs.

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