RAW:almond will have to set up on land because of thin ice on the river

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This article was published 02/01/2016 (3637 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Thin ice and warm weather have foiled plans for this year’s pop-up restaurant on the Assiniboine River, forcing it to move to what organizers call an “intimate and magical” spot elsewhere at The Forks.

“Change and something new is something to embrace,” said Mandel Hitzer, a local chef and co-creator of Raw: Almond. “We have a few tricks up our sleeve.”

The sold-out wintertime culinary experience, now in its fourth year, will move to the small, forested peninsula called South Point, located on the other side of the historic rail bridge, now used by pedestrians only.

Hitzer says construction and setup were slated to begin Jan. 11 on the ice. But, shortly after Christmas, it became clear the ice wouldn’t be ready in time to allow for safe setup. Saturday afternoon, open water was visible at The Forks’s docks, and warmer-than-normal weather is expected for the coming week.

Hitzer says Raw: Almond’s tent-like structure fits nicely in the peninsula, which was his top Plan B location, and there is plenty of space for patrons, amenities and staff. With a few lights and other design elements, the location will be magical and intimate, and Hitzer.

“I’m almost more excited about the new location. There’s something magical that happens inside our structure — the food and the people and everyone gathering together.” said Hitzer. “I’m pretty jazzed about it.”

Meanwhile, The Forks skating trails down the Assiniboine and Red rivers are nearly two weeks late.

Typically, the skating area near the port is open in time for New Year’s Eve, but open water is still visible in many spots along the Red north of The Forks and along the Assiniboine, especially near bridges.

Dave Pancoe, special projects manager at The Forks, co-ordinates the river trail. He said he’s still very hopeful the skating trails will open sometime this winter. Trails can be cleared and ready pretty quickly, and a few -20 C days in a row is all it would take.

“We’d be back in business,” said Pancoe

Ice testing is slated to start Monday.

In mid-December, hundreds of people lined up outside Hitzer’s Exchange District restaurant Deer + Almond for pre-sale tickets to Raw: Almond, which is sold out.

In recent weeks, as Winnipeg’s uncommonly warm December wore on, it became more and more likely the Assiniboine wouldn’t be frozen to at least two feet in time, especially if a cold snap failed to materialize.

Raw: Almond runs Jan. 21 to Feb. 14. It’s the brainchild of Hitzer and Joe Kalturnyk of Raw: Gallery of Architecture & Design. The event, which has earned international acclaim, sees a rotating cast of chefs create meals and cocktails for Winnipeggers lucky enough — and rich enough — to snap up the $120 tickets.

Hitzer said setup at South Point will begin Jan. 11 as planned.

maryagnes.welch@freepress.mb.ca