Winnipeg’s restaurant scene continues to amaze diners. On the prairies, creative concepts and innovative chefs present some of the best cuisine in the country. This year, Fresh Cafe tops the list. It has been picked as one of Canada’s Top 10 New Restaurants by the editors of WHERE Canada.

FRESH START

Fresh Cafe is a brilliant daytime eatery serving contemporary dishes and juices, all bursting with flavour and alive with colour. It is a gourmet diner for early risers and brunchers that turns breakfast into a dining experience. Citrus-coloured walls, vibrant floral prints and south-facing windows make this airy space bright and warm even on a cloudy day. As the name implies, fresh ingredients are the focus here. The kitchen sources straight from the farm, utilizing bison, Manitoba turkeys and free-range Vita eggs.

Try the decadent eggs benny with house-cured salmon. A buttery scone soaks up the egg’s yolk, along with house-made hollandaise sauce. Poached eggs on a sweet potato latke come layered with braised kale and rustic red tomato sauce. Its taste is as vibrant as the colours. Banana bread french toast is built with thick slices of nutty loaf soaked in eggs. The dense bread satisfies within the first few mouthfuls.

The lunch menu offers healthy choices to give diners a boost of afternoon energy. Whole grain tabbouli salad is a visually appealing dish, dotted with red peppers, tomatoes, cucumber, fresh mint and ribbons of carrot. Horseradish aioli gives the bison burger a little kick, while grainy molasses mustard complements the meat. It comes paired with piles of yam wedges—a clever alternative to a side of fries.

To drink, the Fresh Manitoba maple lemonade is just slightly sweetened with natural sugars, and is a stand-out sipper from the large juice menu. Hearty smoothies and shakes are also in the mix. The delicious ‘breakfast-to-go’ shake is a blend of oatmeal, banana, maple syrup, cinnamon and yogurt. 775 Corydon Ave, 221-5775.

NUEVO LATINO SPICE

Cafe Dario spices up Winnipeg’s dining scene by serving one of the hottest trends in food—Nuevo Latino cuisine. The concept pairs North American entrées with South American flavours. The no-frills interior of this incongruous little two-room restaurant contrasts with the highly sophisticated, yet astonishingly affordable, table d’hote evening menu. Five courses—both appetizer and entrée available in 5-7 mouth-watering options—cost a mere $30. The menu changes daily, keeping the dining experience exciting.

The starters are divine. Pepper-crusted calamari is accompanied with a cool cilantro and jalapeño sour cream to soothe the speckled coating. Sesame seed rice dumplings are a textural delight. The crisp seed coating leads to a sweet black sesame paste on the inside. Dotted with pink guava pulp, this appetizer could act as a dessert.

The entrées are artistically presented with colourful sides and sauces, and a towering slice of fried plantain. A tender rack of lamb is coated with a piquant chile rub, while a side of robust, Kahlua-flavoured chili helps balance the meat. You’ll swoon over the chicken breast stuffed with cream cheese and sun-dried strawberries. Its candy-like flavour is complemented with roasted vegetables and a mound of smoky paprika mashed potatoes.

The meal finishes with a small-but-satisfying serving of the chef’s choice dessert. 1390 Erin St, 783-2813.

FRENCH SEDUCTION

The stately dining room of Oui Bistro and Wine Bar, with its lofty opal-black ceilings, rich gold accents and Parisian-style light fixtures, emits a subtle sexiness that is unique to the city. French bistros are enormously popular in Winnipeg, and Oui has steadily drawn a diverse crowd since opening.

Olive niçoise en tapenade tempts the palate to start. It is flavoured by the faint taste of anchovies and a scatter of jade-green chives.

The seafood section of the menu is encrusted with a variety of underwater royalty including king crab and lobster. Slathered with creamy flavours like elegant saffron and dijon, the gigantic mussels are a sight to behold.

Simply plated entrées rely confidently on decadent sauces and protein selections rooted in the French culinary tradition. A heritage-farmed pork chop glistens with veal demi-glace and lardons atop a handful of fingerling potatoes. The apple-bacon compote is the star of this dish, transporting one’s palate to an airy farm kitchen in the French countryside. The blushing pink salmon absorbs its flavours from the underlying bed of melted leeks. A lavish bread crumb crust of brioche provides a winning crunch to the delicate flesh.

Chubby profiteroles are great company to end of the meal. Each sandwich overflows with vanilla bean ice cream and is happily doused in chocolate sauce. 283 Bannatyne Ave, 989-7700.

A SLICE OF HEAVEN

Tomato Pie Company’s menu highlights regional food of the Campagna district of Italy. Ten varieties of thin crust ‘tomato pies’ are crowned with toppings like garlic mushrooms, baby meatballs and ricotta cheese. The traditional neapolitan margherita pizza hits all the right notes with its melted bocconcini, whole basil and fresh tomato sauce.

The bitter bite of rapini is paired up in several dishes, including a savoury Italian sausage starter. Salads are simple, highlighting the true flavours of fresh vegetables with a delicate amount of seasoning. The most decadent item on the menu is a rich lobster ravioli. Perfect, pillowy puffs of lobster purée become even more indulgent when paired with the buttery alla panna sauce.

Pasta-of-the-day selections are cleverly offered with a choice from half a dozen sauces and a range of ingredients from roasted vegetables to Italian sausage.

House-made cannoli is a delightful final note. Whipped clouds of lemon cream cradled in a perfectly crisp shell make this dessert one of the highlights of the menu. 167 Osborne St, 477-6609.