Since parting company with chef Blue Harlan in June 2009, owner Randy Reynolds donned the chef hat and hasn’t looked back. This is a man of many talents, an investment advisor by day, I wish he would quit his day job and cook full time because the dishes are well composed, clever, and delicious!

With his partner Beaujena ably managing front of house, Randy turns out exquisite spins on French Mediterranean food, borrowing influences from Spain, Italy and further afield.

The unique thing about Beaujena’s is that it’s a constantly changing, 5 or 7 course prix fixe menu at $35 or $49 respectively. For $25 more, Beaujena will also pair a wine with each course.

I’m a big eater but even I found the 7 course option bordering on too much food.

In the French style, dinner is laid out over several hours encouraging dialogue and digestion.

Because the menu changes every month, it’s hard to review but suffice to say Randy demonstrates intelligence and a clever hand in the kitchen.

On one of the most memorable visits I was served a wild boar terrine with blueberry compote. To this day it is one of the best dishes I have eaten anywhere!

Other standouts were a delightfully light chicken broth which delivered surprisingly intense flavours of roast chicken. Keeping it simple, carrots and potato were the only other ingredients but for the surprise garnish of Cilantro which brought a refreshing perfume and perfect counterpoint to the savoury flavors of the roast chicken.

As an homage to the holidays, turkey meatballs burst with the sweet yet tart flavor of cranberries. Served nestled in hand made tagliatelli pasta in a cognac cream sauce, this is a dish I dream about to this day.

Salmon mousse garnished with lox was brought back to the prairies with a garnish of goldeye caviar and fronds of fresh chopped dill. A small fault, albeit very small, I found the three medallions of baguette insufficient for the amount of mousse.

A ramekin of Cassoulet, the classic French bean casserole, although tasty, wasn’t as soul satisfying as I’d hoped. The selection of a beef sausage here didn’t quite work. Cassoulet almost demands a little pizazz often provided in the form of merguez (spiced lamb) or tolouse (pork, garlic and herb) sausage. It also would have benefited from a little more of that unctuous sauce from the long cooking to bring it all together. These minor faults were compensated for by the inclusion of  pork belly and duck confit, two of the best meat treats known to man.

In the French manner, salad is often served as a prelude to dessert…a perfect palate cleanser and as a non-salad eater (that stuff will kill you), I actually found myself picking at mine and appreciating the flavours. Here, Reynolds has an almost preternatural knack for dressings.

On my many visits, dessert has been intensely satisfying. A lemon pie with a sweet yet tart filling and delightfly short crust was a lemon pie by which all others will now be measured.  On another occasion, Reynolds took a classic French dessert – pots de creme topped with whipped cream and served with home made shortbread, and spiked them with a chipotle and raspberry. Encroyable!

Because Beaujena’s changes the menus monthly and never publishes, you’ll never know what you’re going to get. For me, it’s like Christmas or a birthday on a plate…full of happy surprises. Don’t be daunted.  You owe it to yourself to give it a try. Embrace the unknown and experience the excitement. It’s educational, conversational, and simply sensational and is the essential experience, uniqueness and charm of Beaujena’s.

There’s no better way to kill the chill of winter than a hearty bowl of this classic with a buttered wedge of artisan bread or, better yet, bannock. This surprisingly simple and frugal recipe will soon see you saving every ham bone you can get your hands on.

Ingredients

• 1 cup chopped onion
• 1 teaspoon vegetable oil
• 1 pound dried split peas
• 1 pound ham bone
• 1 pinch salt and pepper to taste

Poutine. Said to be invented in Quebec in the 60s or 70s, it’s a quintessentially Canadian dish that’s gaining world-wide acceptance. Restaurants are taking it to new levels, giving the foundational french fries, cheese curds and gravy the deluxe treatment with surprisingly sophisticated accoutrements. Here are 12 try before you die versions available right here in Winnipeg:

Lobster

Don’t be fooled by the straightforwardness of the name, the new Rudy’s Eat & Drink, opened in the Manitoba Hydro building this December, serves some sophisticated bites for lunch and dinner including this super-decadent Lobster and Bacon poutine with house-made cheese curds.

Rudy’s Eat and Drink
Manitoba Hydro Place
375 Graham Avenue
(204) 421-9094

Pulled Pork

Manitoba oak smoked pulled pork tops a heaping helping of fresh cut fries and gets a hit of cheese curds and gravy at Lovey’s. It’s a meal unto itself, but that hasn’t stopped some of us (ahem) from eating it as a side to the terminator burger which is topped much the same way and crowned with Lovey’s awesome onion rings.

Lovey’s BBQ
208 Marion Street
(204) 233-7427

Lovey’s BBQ Express
405 Turenne Street

Bacon

A hidden gem in Winnipeg’s Little Italy, Corydon Avenue’s Civita serves some amazing food and makes great use of their wood-fired ovens. But this unassuming poutine packs a flavour punch with some of the richest, most savoury gravy and ooey-gooey cheese curds I’ve ever encountered. Oh yeah, and there’s bacon. While it boders on the salty side, it’s nevertheless ridiculously good.

Civita
691 Corydon Avenue
(204) 453-4616

Butter Chicken

Back in November 2010, New York Fries began converting its St. Vital and Polo Park locations to Poutineries adding Butter Chicken and Braised Beef poutines to the menu. The former of the two boasts a delicious, mildly spiced butter chicken served over real Quebec cheese curd and fresh cut fries while its braised beef counterpart features slow cooked angus in a red wine reduction with carrots, mushrooms, onions and cheese curds.

New York Fries
1555 Regent Avenue
1485 Portage Avenue
1225 St. Mary’s Street

Blue Cheese

The White Star (formerly Albert Street Burgers) is an exchange district diner with a reputation for elevating humble dishes. Take their philly cheese steak burger, or the Mortimer, a classic cheese burger topped with house-made pulled pork. But the star of the menu in my mind is their bluetine, fresh cut fries topped with gravy and tangy blue cheese.

The White Star Diner
58 Albert Street
(204) 947-6930

Bacon n Eggs

Although it’s a summer menu only option, Bistro 725′s eggs poached in bacon gravy with Bothwell cheese curds poutine is worth the wait. House manager Danielle Svenne says it started as a staff lunch but now customers are clamoring for it on regular basis.

Bistro 7 1/4
725 Osborne Street
(204) 777-2525

Duck Confit

Chef Jon Royal is a genius. Every Friday he sets up a poutine bar in the University of Winnipeg’s main floor cafeteria, Pangea’s Kitchen. From 11 am “till it’s gone,” guests can build their own poutine choosing from choice ingredients like chorizo, smoked Gouda, and juniper duck leg confit.

University of Winnipeg Riddell Hall
515 Portage Avenue
(204) 789-1450

Oka Cheese

Leave it to the Peasant Cookery to out French everyone on this French classic. They take Quebec Oka cheese and serve it over sauced fries with an optional upgrade to chicken confit.

Peasant Cookery
283 Bannytine Avenue
(204) 989-7700

Tourtiere

Okay, if Peasant Cookery can French it to the max, then Le Garage hit the French-Canadian limit by topping their poutine with tourtiere. You can also get black bean curry, pulled pork and sausage and mushroom pizza versions (how’s that last one work now?)

Le Garage
166 Provencher Blvd.
(204) 237-0737

Chicken Livers

The Lobby on York’s twelve dollar starter is a to-die-for combination of chicken livers, pear, and Cambozola cheese drizzled in a demi-glace and garnished with crispy onions. Don’t be afraid of the liver. Its flavours are easily tamed by the blue cheese and the sweetness and acidity of the pear.

The Lobby on York
295 York Avenue
(204) 896-7275

Tempura-battered Parmesan Fries

If that didn’t already send you speeding across town for a seat at Terrace 55, the bocconcini pearls (tiny mozzarella spheres), lobster bisque and almost 1/4 pound of claw and tail meat toppings will. This is about as decadent as this peasant dish can get, n’est pas? Thanks (and a little envy) to FREEP reporter David Sanderson for pointing this one out. Check out the article and picture of what I consider to be the crowning jewel of the poutine scene in Winnipeg.

Terrace 55
55 Pavilion Crescent
(204) 938-7275

Everything Else

Smoke’s Poutinerie offers more than 20 core poutines and patrons have the opportunity to customize. Personally I’ve found the fries a little skinny and limp, the gravy too thin and the toppings used all too sparingly, but I had to list it simply because of the incredible selection.

Smoke’s Poutinerie
131 Albert Street
(204) 253-2873

Every Wednesday, wine editor Alec Stuart shares a few tasting notes. This week it’s Henry Fessy Beaujolais Blanc.

Most people associate Beaujolais with red wine, specifically light and easy-drinking red wine. That’s not surprising, considering that the vast majority of the Beaujolais we see on this side of the ocean is light and easy-drinking red wine. But the Beaujolais region also does a pretty fine job with Chardonnay, even if you don’t see it very often.

One good example available locally is the Henry Fessy Beaujolais Blanc. This wine really is a textbook bistro white. It’s a crisp, food-friendly white with lots of beautiful fruit flavours (pears, melons and stone fruit) and a nice long finish.

You won’t find much of interest on the nose, but don’t worry. There’s plenty of flavour in the glass and it’s really easy to enjoy.

Chill it down to 10 degrees and serve it with roast chicken and a green salad. I highly recommend this wine–even in the darkest days of winter and you won’t come across many other French Chardonnays this good for under $20.

Henry Fessy Beaujolais Blanc
$19.97 @ Kenaston Wine Market

Running from February 17 – 26, Festival du Voyageur is a celebration of our province’s French-Canadian culture. In honour of Festival, Savour Winnipeg is devoting February to all things Francophone.

Only Winnipeggers…Winterpeggers…would have an outdoor festival in the middle of February. We’re proud of the fact. The colder it is, the better. Builds character, y’know…connects us with la joie de vivre des voyageurs when we scramble over icy embankments, clinging to the edge of perilously deep ditch-rows that line the lots of old Sain Bon-E Fass, even if it is in search of free parking. That’s another thing we hold chère à nos cœurs…we’re cheap. To line-up and pay for the privilege of parking, close as it is, is for les imbeciles suelement. Yuppies. Suburbanites. Besides, there are only so many line-ups we’ll suffer.

But line up we will, and we’ll do it patiently and courteously. We’ll ignore the uncouth and impulsive young men who abandon their dates to squeeze illegally between the gaps of a ragged palisade. They must be from the states…or Transcona, we’ll mutter as we remain among the shivering, huddled masses, breath forming icicles on the whiskers of the newly hirsute…casting halos around the glaring lights of the ticket window.

Beyond the gates, dramatically lit sculptures de neige tower above. Sentinels cast in snow, they pay silent tribute to those early pioneers for whom Fort Gibraltar was also refuge from the cold. Time enough to admire them later when we stumble drunk into their unprotected flanks.

Smoke hangs in the still air of the compound. Crowds gather around brightly burning fires sending shadows dancing across the glistening snow. From the belly of a massive tent a drum keeps in step with a lively fiddle, beckoning. It’s easy to imagine this very scene played out again and again over the centuries.

Inside the warm cocoon, bypass the toe tappers and revellers gathered by the stage. The hunt is on. This is what you’re here for, so close you can practically taste it. The mighty caribou.

Already a snarling pack has formed, clamouring for the blood letting and whistle wetting. Finally at the front of the pack its name bursts from your chest as you sight your prey. In a flash of movement, an exchange is made. Crimson stains the ice. Hoist high your frozen chalice in toast. He Ho.

Caribou. It’s a muscular beast. A fortified wine, its evolution is far more potable than its animal blood and backwoods whisky ancestor. Stay with it (puts hair on your chest) or switch to beer, there’s no shame in that. The shame rests only in the loss of the eponymous Fort Gibraltar Ale, even if it wasn’t to your taste. What’s the French word for corporate sponsorship? Je ne sais pas. C’est la vie. We’ll bemoan the loss of local fare over a Molson Coors product and slowly forget what beer is supposed to taste like.

Warmer now, you become acutely aware of how hungry you are. A hearty slice of tourtiere perhaps–seasoned meat pie smothered in thick gravy. That, at least, comes from Saint B based Mollie’s Meat Pies or Le Croissant. Even still, not all pies are portioned equal. Scout the concessions (vis a vis le bon marche).

N’aime pas le tourtiere? Then there’s Split Pea and Ham Soup. At its best it’s made with ham hocks, recovering flavour and hearty morsels of meat from an otherwise wasted bone. Again, scout the vendors. Avoid anaemic bowls of paste apologetically spiked with diced ham. If you do manage to score the real macoy, don’t dare waste a drop. Never was there a better vehicle for mopping and sopping soup than a generous chunk of buttered bannock. This dense dough is supremely filling. You have been warned.

No Festival experience would be complete without a visit to the sugar shack for a slice of stick to your ribs maple sugar pie. But if you’re feeling just a little full and the caribou hasn’t killed your craving for sweets, line up (oui, encore) for the maple snow candy. It’s a feast for the senses…the pièce de resistance. Watch the skilled hands pour perfect strips of maple syrup over an exquisitely groomed tray of fresh snow. At the appointed moment, wind the taffy-like treat around a popsicle stick and enjoy.

Sit back, relax and take in la musique or wander back into the night and join the shadows gathered around the fire. Hear les raconteurs tell tall tales of adventure and daring.

Of course you could just hit the ice bar drink your face off.

Festival du Voyageur runs February 17-26. Passes are available at the entrance to Voyageur Park and are also on sale now at Safeway.

Voyageur Park Admission

• Adult Day Pass- $13
• Youth (6-17 years old) – $7 (valid for 10 days)
• Children (5 and under) – free

Voyageur Pass

• Adult – $22
• Youth– $7
• Child (0-5) – FREE

It’s January 25. People the world over will celebrate the birthday of Scottish poet Robert Burns by cooking traditional dishes like Haggis, scones and home made whisky jam (well, oatcakes are preferred), or hosting a Burns Supper.

Last January I posted an entire series in honour of this nearly sacred event, highlighting where you can buy haggis and how to cook it, as well as 10 bold beers that pair well with Scottish fare. But one thing I neglected to call special attention to was scotch.

I don’t know why I missed this opportunity. In the words of anchorman Ron Burgundy, “I love Scotch. Scotchy, scotch, scotch. Here it goes, down into my belly.”

I’m rectifying that omission today by attending a Glenfiddich event called Cask of Dreams.

The Speyside distiller is rolling out 20 special casks across Canada. Canadians are being invited to complete the phrase “One Day I Will…” by signing the barrel which will return to Dufftown, Scotland to age a special batch of single malt.

Under the watchful eye of Malt Master, Brian Kinsman these Casks of Dreams made from American oak will spend three months imparting a uniquely rich, intense flavour to their single malt, creating a rare and personally significant bottling. Once matured, the special blend will be packaged in limited edition bottles and returned for sale in select Canadian cities.

Glenfiddich, not surprisingly, chose Robert Burns Day as the launch date. And while we might expect the starting point to be Halifax for proximity and cultural significance, or Toronto because it’s the centre of the universe, they selected Winnipeg as the launch point to roll out these special barrels.

“The rich, Scottish heritage, the celebration of Robbie Burns Day and the milestone of the Selkirk Settlement made Manitoba the perfect fit to launch the Cask of Dreams” says Beth-Anne Perry, Glenfiddich Brand Manager. “The dreams of Scottish pioneers helped shape Manitoba and we can’t wait to bring the dreams of today back to Dufftown.”

The limited edition scotch should return to Winnipeg for sale sometime in August 2012.

Every Wednesday, Savour Winnipeg wine editor Alec Stuart shares a few tasting notes from some his latest and most exciting discoveries. This week it’s Laboure-Roi ‘Les Sangliers’ Pinot Noir.

Drinkable, cheap Pinot Noir is a rare thing, but it’s great for a large gathering like a dinner party and this wine fits the bill both figuratively and literally.

For $12 at your local MLCC, you get an easy-drinking, light red that should pair well with most foods aside from beef or game.

This French pinot doesn’t feature as much acidity as I usually like, but it holds hints of earthiness on top of some very smooth blackberry flavours. In summary, a pretty tasty red and a reasonable price.

Exquisite Taste co-owner Angeline Patenaude is excited to be the first business to bring a loose leaf tea and coffee boutique to Transcona

Like its River Heights brethren Cornelia Bean or Osborne Village based The Canister, owners Geoff Nault and Angeline Patenaude are bringing the loose leaf tea boutique idea to Winnipeg’s northeast.

Inside this new retail development at the intersection of Plessis and Grassie you’ll find an elegantly decorated and welcoming lounge perfect for kicking back and relaxing with one of the dozens of delicious teas or coffees they sell. Can’t decide, don’t worry.

Patenaude is happy to make a suggestion (she’s sampled them all and hasn’t missed the mark on a single brew she’s encouraged me to try). Better yet, give each a whiff at the tea bar, a thoughtfully provided nosing station.

Aroma is the better part of tasting and the aroma bar gives you a chance to explore what's in store for you with Exquisite Taste's nearly 40 unique tea flavours

Along with advice, they also sell all the steeping accessories you could ever hope for, from the tried tested and true ball infusers to the latest innovations like the BREWT.

“Tea is packed with health benefits,” says Patenaude. “Not only is it full of antioxidants, there’s a lifestyle shift. Taking a break to steep a tea, smelling its unique bouquet, sipping and savouring every drop…it forces you to change pace and relax. Take a break from you hectic routine.”

Furthering the view of tea as part of a holistic approach to health and well-being,  Nault has been working to bring regular wellness activities like yoga, pilates or mediation workshops to a unique, private studio space at the back of the business.

Aside from tea, the shelves are stocked with exclusive blends of Clandeboye based Green Bean Coffee roasted in small batches and delivered weekly to guarantee freshness and a smattering of local products like preserves and John Russell honey.

Exquisite Taste quietly launched the business in 2010, but things soon picked up for Christmas delaying the official grand opening event until the new year.

In fact, it’s right around the corner, taking place this Saturday,  January 28, 2012 from 9:00 am – 4:00 pm.

Everything in the store will be 15% off and festivities will include:

• Tea and coffee samples
• Door prizes
• Live entertainment
• Free dainties
• FREE Yoga session courtesy of Laurah-Lee of LL Yoga from 12:30 pm – 1:30 pm.
• FREE Pilates information session courtesy of Annabel Scott of Pilates Manitoba from 11:30AM-12:00PM

Call  222-5030 to register for the sessions as space is limited.

Exquisite Taste

1-2089 Plessis Road
Winnipeg, Manitoba.
Ph: (204) 222-5030 | Fx: (204) 777-1622
www.ExquisiteTaste.ca

Every Wednesday, wine editor Alec Stuart will share a few tasting notes from some his latest and most exciting discoveries. This week, it’s Kung Fu Girl Riesling (USA).

This Washington State white shows off a nice balance of acidity and sweetness, with loads of beautiful lime and a mineral edge on the finish.

I’d like it better if the finish was a bit longer, but regardless, it’s an excellent wine and really good with food.

$17 ish at selected private wine stores.

Winnipeg’s restaurant scene has never been busier. Savour Winnipeg has the inside scoop on ten new neighbourhood gems opening as early as this Friday, and continuing on into spring. It’s a great time to be a foodie!

Osborne Village based La Bamba Restaurant will take over the former Manhattan Bistro at 285 Portage to bring more Mexican to the downtown masses at La Bamba Cafe and Lounge in mid February.

JC’s Tacos and More has completed renovations in the old Brit Cafe building. Owners say this will be a slightly more formal version of their thriving Henderson location, and will feature the same menu, with a few, table service friendly additions. The new 2615 Portage Avenue location opens this Friday, January 20.

The Kenaston Common’s eponymous Dacquisto Restaurant, a WOW Hospitality Italian concept named for its chef, replaced the Pasta La Vista a couple of years ago. WOW has decided to hop on the Mexican bandwagon, re-branding and renovating under the moniker Los Chicos Restaurante y Cantina. Lead by chef Michael  Dacquisto himself, the menu boasts the largest selection of tequilas in Winnipeg.

Broadway based Amici is bringing its Italian fine-dining to the Niakwa Golf and Country Club. They take over from Provence as the food service provider and during the Ciao Magazine Dine About Event, you’ll have  a chance to check out the space and new menu.

The short lived French Way Bistro at 414 Academy will become home to a second location of InFerno’s, the uber popular St. Boniface bistro.  Doors should open by mid-February. The French Way will continue to operate the cafe/bakery in the former Bread and Circuses location on Lilac.

Provence owner Shawn Brandson says they’re set to announce a new concept this spring and it looks like they’re poised to re-launch Promenade Bistro and roll it out as a tapas and wine bar. The restaurant will feature a fixed tapas menu that could include a soup, salad and 14 ounce New York strip loin steak for two, just as an example. The restaurant will also emphasize a marriage of food and wines, with each menu item including a suggested pairing. Wine Tasting 2.0 – they also plan to have monthly tasting events where guests can use wine tasting apps to rate available bottles, and even weigh in on what the house wine should be.

Bistro 7 1/4 has completed their takeover of the adjacent space and renovations are now complete. Manager Danielle Svenne says the new bistro and lounge debuts Tuesday, January 24.

It certainly seems to be the year of the bistro. After a water main break caused extensive damage, Osborne Village staple Basil’s has reopened after a four-year absence. Bistrot by Basil is a stunning space with an all new menu which you can also sample during Dine About.

A new eatery opened in the concourse of the Manitoba Hydro building. Simply dubbed Rudy’s Eat & Drink their theme is anything but simple with sophisticated yet humble dishes like Lobster and Bacon Poutine for lunch, Devilled Egg Trio with balsamic bacon and blue cheese as a prelude to dinner. Point of contention: I am annoyed at the appearance of blue fin tuna tartar in the duelling tuna dish. Blue Fin is overfished to the point of extinction, a Red List species and an Avoid on the Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch, both indispensable resources for the sustainability conscientious diner.

And finally, following the successful social purpose enterprise model of Diversity Food Services, chef Ben Kramer and Kristen Godbout launched a new food service establishment  in the recently opened Richardson College for the Environment and Science Campus. In keeping with the building’s periodic table appearance, the aptly named Elements is a funky little cafe concept that offers up sophisticated dishes at student prices. The 83 seat eatery is lead by chef Aron Epp, formerly chef de cuisine for the Diversity team, and serves up everything from breakfast to dinner with delicious emphasis on local ingredients.