DonaldMckenzie

A New Bruno, Chief of Police novel is always cause for celebration. The Coldest Case, Bruno Novel 15 @mcnallyrobinson

The Coldest Case is the most recent, Bruno, Chief of Police novel, from Martin Walker. I’ve been anxiously awaiting its arrival since I first heard it was coming out. On the holiday Monday I was up at the McNally Robinson store at The Forks. I asked when the book was coming in and was told it would arrive at the Grant Park location the next day. I immediately reserved a copy. They said there were…

Vera Pizzeria – 670 Osborne Street

Check out my latest review. One Great City Brewing Company

Recently I headed up to One Great City Brewing Company. I first visited this place on The Winnipeg Trolley Company tour. I also ordered from them earlier in the year. One of the things that I liked was that there is a lot of room at One Great City. When I visited last week one of the things I noticed is that they have really high room dividers between tables. This provides a really good barrier…

A restaurant reminding me of other days and other activities. India Palace Restaurant - Ellice Avenue #WinnipegFringeFestival

India Palace restaurant is one of my neighbourhood restaurants. Yet, I don’t really associate with where I live. Probably because, most times I’ve had their food, it’s been at the Winnipeg Fringe Festival. That is one activity I really missed during this pandemic. Nothing like a quick visit to the India Palace stall between plays. 

While I can not visit the restaurant these days, I have been in…

Another restaurant delivery experience. Korean Garden - McPhillips Street

Korean Garden is my second takeout only review. I am fan of both Korean restaurant and Sushi restaurants. Like many Korean restaurants Korean Garden combines both of these cuisines.

My selection of sushi from Korean Garden.

Bulgoggi and Salad

Both my meals here were of the delivery variety. In the coming weeks I hope to review a couple of places where I’ve taken delivery from and used for pickup.…

A slice of Garlic naan from Noor Mahal.

Noor Mahal – Delivery Dining

Generally speaking, I am not a fan of delivery. I much prefer to go to various restaurants and enjoy the atmosphere as well as the food. However, right now, that is out of the question. So, I’m not going to tell you how the restaurant looks. It appears that Noor Mahal is occupying the space that once held the Tandoor House, but even that I can’t confirm. 

When it came to ordering I used DoorDash. I know there is a lot of conversation going on around delivery services, and I will be writing more in depth about DoorDash. For this post, all I’ll say is that on both occasions, the delivery process worked very well.

One other thing to note. If you do not want to use DoorDash, you can order for pickup, straight from the Noor Mahal website. 

The Lamb Vindaloo.

This time around, rather than making my two customary visits, I twice ordered in. For my first order, I chose Lamb Vindaloo, Garlic Naan, and side of Basmati Rice. 

Despite the appearance of the picture above, there is plenty of lamb in the Lamb Vindaloo. Noor Mahal just happens to supply a huge amount of gravy to go along with the lamb. I asked for my order to be very hot, and I think they came closer to that than most restaurants. 

I would like a little more garlic in my Garlic Naan, but it came warm, easy to pull apart and with a good chew. There is a really good supply of rice with the dish.

Giving the Restaurant a Second Go

For my second order, I chose the Aloo Tikki, Butter Chicken, and again a side of Basmati Rice. This side choice is a mistake. It doesn’t say it on the menu, but your entree comes with rice. That means on both orders I gained an extra order of rice. I’m OK with the oversight on my part, because it meant that I ended up with two filling meals from each order.

This is the Butter Chicken left after my first serving.

This is the photo of the second piece of Aloo Tikka. I forgot my phone at home the day I placed the order.

As you may know, from previous reviews, Butter Chicken is not my go to Indian dish, but I decided I would give it a try. I really liked this one. There is a good amount of chicken, and once again they deliver on the spice.

One of two containers of Basmati rice that came with each order.

The Aloo Tikka would be my favourite among the dishes I ordered. It comes with a nice crispy coating on top, the potatoes are well cooked, and the seasoning is terrific. Also, the pieces are quite substantial. 

One thing worth noting about Noor Mahal is that I am only touching on all the dishes that are on offer. Of the four I tried, I would rate three of them very good to excellent, and one, the garlic naan, that is good.

I hope, once the restrictions are lifted, that I will be able to visit Noor Mahal in person and see what other changes are being made.

Another new restaurant in Winnipegs West End. Habesha Ethiopian Restaurant - Ellice Avenue

Habesha is a new Ethiopian restaurant, just off the corner of Ellice Avenue, and Sherbrook Street. Like Bahn Ngon, Habesha restaurant is trying to get off the ground during the middle of the Covid pandemic.  When compared to Vietnamese restaurants, Ethiopian restaurants are not as common in my neighbourhood. I only have around half a dozen within six blocks of where I live. 

Some of the art…

The Shooting at Chateau Rock – Bruno Mystery

The Shooting at Chateau Rock is the latest installment in the Bruno, Chief of Police detective series. Written by Martin Walker, the stories center around a rural police chief in the Dordogne region of France. The cases often have international significance. The heart of the books though, revolve around a close knit group of friends. At the heart of the friendships are many great meals. 

I have…

For something different take a trip to Not a Waffle Taiyaki Ice Cream Shop @WpgWestEndBIZ

Not a Waffle is a little ice cream cream shop tucked away on Langside Street just north of Portage Avenue. It’s on the bottom of a building that houses among other business, the offices of the West End Biz.

My taiyaki cone, with ube ice cream, syrup, and toppings.

I noticed this place around the time I first visited Cafeazecafe. Due to Covid, Not a Waffle was a little later reopening.  Even in…

Ennui face is the more likely response to the latest McDonald's gimmick. Ghost Pepper McChicken Spiceless Face

I recently stopped for a Ghost Pepper McChicken from McDonalds. After seeing their most recent Spice Face commercials, I thought I would give one a try. The last time I tried a new McDonalds product was when they introduced their poutine. It was a disappointment.

The Ghost Pepper McChicken from McDonalds.

I paid a visit to the McDonalds on the corner of Portage Avenue and Sherbrook Street.…

If you are driving down Sargent Avenue, stop in at Bahn Ngon restaurant. Bahn Ngon Vietnamese Restaurant - Sargent Avenue @WestEndCassidy #westendbiz

Bahn Ngon is a new Vietnamese restaurant on the corner of Sargent Avenue and Agnes Street. You may wonder why anyone would want to start a new restaurant during a pandemic. Just remember, this is Winnipeg. We open ice cream shops in the dead of winter. A little pandemic will not get us down.

The Bahn Ngon Chicken and rice. Along with Egg cake.

Bahn Ngonis the second Vietnamese restaurant in a row…

X-cues Open Mic July 13, 2020 from Donald McKenzie on Vimeo.

Back at a physically distanced open mic night. This is the CaRaVaN open mic. My two songs were Blue Eyes Crying in the Rain, and Whispering Hope. Blue Eyes Crying in the Rain

In the twilight glow I see them Blue eyes crying in the rain When we kissed goodbye and parted I knew we'd never meet again

Love is like a dying ember And only memories remain And through the ages I'll remember Blue eyes crying in the rain

Some day when we meet up yonder We'll stroll hand-in-hand again In a land that knows no parting Blue eyes crying in the rain Written by Fred Rose, 1945 All copyrights with original artists.

Whispering Hope Soft as the voice of an angel, Breathing a lesson unheard, Hope with a gentle persuasion Whispers her comforting word: Wait till the darkness is over, Wait till the tempest is done, Hope for the sunshine tomorrow, After the shower is gone. Refrain: Whispering hope, oh, how welcome thy voice, Making my heart in its sorrow rejoice. If, in the dusk of the twilight, Dim be the region afar, Will not the deepening darkness Brighten the glimmering star? Then when the night is upon us, Why should the heart sink away? When the dark midnight is over, Watch for the breaking of day.

Whispering Hope Septimus Winner, 1868

copyright status is Public Domain Subject: Hope

Scripture: Hebrews 6:18-20

Whispering Hope [.xml]

Septimus Winner, 1868

copyright status is Public Domain Key: C

The Crispy Pork Salad rolls at Pho 5-Star are fresh, flavourful, and fat.

The first thing I notice as I am walking in, is that the decor is completely changed. When the restaurant was Vietnam, it  felt crowded. Pho 5-StarVietnamese Eatery is spacious. Perhaps the coronavirus is the cause, but the place seems to have slightly fewer tables. Gone also is the large screen TV that seemed always to be on.

Instead of tables with a glass cover over them, the tables here are a nice medium brown wood finish, paired with black chairs. Along the wall that marks the building’s end, there is a large blackboard containing hints of what the restaurant has to offer.

While the service is good, because of the pandemic, I did not get a chance to measure service at any time the restaurant is busy. In addition, not only are there fewer tables, but they do mark out which tables are not available to do physical distancing practices.

Pho 5-Star Chicken

I knew that I would get around to ordering a rare beef pho, so I decided on my first visit to go with something different. I chose the Chicken Pho, which is a roasted chicken leg served in the soup.

A crispy roast chicken leg highlights this soup.

I have tried this soup at several places over the years, and I like this one the best. The chicken is really well seasoned, and the skin is good and crispy. Along with this I ordered a couple of the grilled pork salad rolls. They are literally bursting at the seams. Fresh and loaded with flavour.

Rare Beef Pho

On my second visit I ordered the Rare Beef Pho. Like the Chicken Pho this one has a rich broth. The portion is plentiful. The beef could be a little rarer, but on the whole I really like this.

Rare Steak and meat ball pho.

On each visit I order an appetizer as well as a main dish. This time it is the spring rolls. They were really crispy, well filled, and they were served piping hot.

Crispy, tasty spring rolls.

No review of a Vietnamese restaurant is complete without trying Vietnamese coffee. Given that the weather at time of  my visit is quite hot, I order an iced coffee. The Pho 5-Star version is a little different. Instead of a glass with ice, there is a bowl with ice. This is added to the coffee rather than vice-versa, keeping in cooler a little longer.

An iced Vietnamese coffee.

A bowl of ice to go into the Vietnamese coffee.

Wings and Vermicelli at Pho 5-Star

On trip number three I order wings and a vermicelli bowl. Like the chicken in the Pho I ordered on my visit the wings are well-seasoned and crispy.

The crispy wings deliver on the crispy end of things.

The vermicelli bowl is the one item I did not take a picture of while I was at the restaurant. It does lack in little in the vegetable toppings end of things. There is cucumber, for example, but only a few small pieces. {It is possible the pandemic is making some vegetables hard to obtain}. As a result I ended up with my chopstick load of noodle and nothing else. Still what is there is very good.

The prices here are good. On the whole the good is high quality and the portion sizes good as well. Several dishes go beyond good to great. The new interior is much more pleasing and relaxing than the former Vietnam decor. I imagine I will wander by here occasionally in the future.

It's been a month since I last posted, but here's a post on a pot I really like. Staub La Cocotte - My Favourite Pot @staub_uk @ZWILLING_CA

Let me start by saying that this post about a Staub pot, is in no way sponsored by the company or any of it’s retailers. I did receive it as a gift, but this is simply my take on the pot.

My Staub La Cocotte just before getting it ready for cooking.

Despite having owned this pot for the best part of two years, it was only at the beginning of springthat I started making use of it. Then of course,…

Safeway Easy Meals – Pre Made Meals

I’ve tried several different meal kits and delivery services now. HelloFresh,MissFresh, GoodFood, and Eden’s Taste, have all had there shot at trying to sell me on how good they are. A few weeks ago, I noticed that Safeway was selling something called easy meals.

Three of the easy meal choices available from Safeway.

They are packaged in such a way that if you buy a protein, a starch, and a…

Mural above the entrance to the Garrick Entertainment Centre, Garry Street, North of Portage Ave.

This is the fourth time I have been on one of these Biz tours. Something new with this year’s edition is the addition of viewing some of the mural downtown. A little bit more walking, but well worth it. 

Biz Tour at The Beer Can

Our first stop is at The Beer Can. This is a new, physically distanced patio, in a space just south of the Fortune Building. The Fortune is one of the sponsors of The Beer Can. If you are unfamiliar with The Fortune Building, it is home to Times Changed High and Lonesome Club. Historically, the building is also Winnipeg’s best known link to the sinking of the Titanic. 

Outside The Beer Can is a mural by Jonato Dalayoan. You can find it and most of the other murals at the Wall to Wall mural site.

The mural outside of The Beer Can.

In addition to the mural on Main Street, the artist also painted several smaller murals on the interior of the wall. To these he added paint on the tables, to complete the look.

The bar itself is in a shipping container. They sell a good selection of craft beers along with wine, and cocktails. There is also a selection of non-alcoholic  beverages. For dining there is a series of rotating food trucks.

Menu Board One

Menu Board Two

Dont Fret American IPA from Torque Brewery.

For my beverage I enjoyed a Don’t Fret American IPA by Torque Brewery. This is a nice, refreshing choice to start off the tour. 

Garrick Centre Murals

From the Beer Can we wander on down to the Garrick Centre. A one time movie theatre, the Garrick is now a concert and event centre. I only went there once, years ago, for a Comeback Kid concert. 

There are two murals here. The first is called Love, by New York Muralist Queen Andrea. This is the mural at the top of the post, and it is bold and dramatic. The second one, below is by  Cyndie Belhumeur + Shaneela Boodoo and draws on imagery of Winnipeg.

The second mural at The Garrick.

A fun fact about this mural. The little blue mound at the bottom left, is inspired by one of the fabrics used on Winnipeg buses. 

Biz Patio #2 Capital Grill

The second patio we visited is at Capital Grill on Broadway. Capital Grill is located in the Winnipeg Union Centre. We also got to view Winnipeg’s newest mural. Set to be unveiled today, it is designed by Charlie Johnston, and focuses on Winnipeg’s Labour History.

This massive mural takes up the whole east side of the Union Centre.

The mural covers history from at least the time of the 1919 General Strike, right up to the present day. It also does a good job of incorporating the physical features of the building into the mural. 

After admiring the mural, we go around the corner to the Capital Grill patio. This is a place I have visited and written about. Here our beverage is a variation on a pina colada. 

This is good and refreshing.

Capital Grill is also a food stop.* Normally, on these tour there are a couple of appetizers for food. Capital Grill very generously allowed people to choose an item off of the menu.

A delicious bbq chicken and cheddar club sandwich.

I went with the BBQ Chicken and Cheddar club sandwich. The chicken was moist, and well seasoned, and the fries were also cooked well. 

The clouds threatened rain all through the tour, but only were starting to drizzle a lit bit as we finished up at this location.

*Restaurants and bars will vary from tour to tour. 

Lake of the Woods Brewery

Our third and final stop is at the Lake of the Woods Brewery in Hargrave Market. Along the way we stopped to check out the murals at Fools and Horses. Unfortunately I did not get any pictures at this spot. You can however, find them a the Wall to Wall Mural page linked above. 

Lake of the Woods Brewery is one of the two food and beverage places in the Market I had yet to visit. On our arrival, the rain is just beginning to fall a little heavier. Fortunately, the patio umbrellas keep us dry.

The Lake of the Woods Grapefruit Radler.

Lake of the Woods offers a Grapefruit Radler. this is one of my favourite beverages. 

Along with our beverage we are also given a touring of the brewing space. This is done in small group so we can maintain physical distancing. All of the places we visit make sure there is plenty of room available.

Biz tours are led by Susan Ainley, director of special projects. Susan is always a friendly, well-informed, and delightful guide. Tours are $45.00 and worth every penny. 

You need to visit Dug and Bettys Ice Creamery. Dug & Betty's Ice Creamery and Cafe @matthieuallard @stbstvdan

A little while ago I wrote about Fete Ice Cream on Assiniboine Avenue. Dug & Betty’s Ice Creamery and Cafe, is another, recent addition to the Winnipeg ice cream scene. Owned by the people behind Inferno’s Bistro, which is located just across the street. Dug & Betty’s is bringing small batch ice cream, and French inspired cafe food to Des Meurons Avenue in St. Boniface.

A delicious, rich, and…