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41 www.tourismwinnipeg.com Winnipeg Itineraries menu at D+A ebbs and flows with the season, with the only constant that it is always inventive and playful. The room itself is also pretty hip, featuring work by local artists and smatterings of seasonal motifs, like when the centre of the dining room features a mound of gourds in autumn. If you can believe it, this bit of the land-locked prairies also has some top-notch sushi spots, with Yujiro Japanese taking the title in our opinion for its expertly-crafted, always fresh and authentic nigiri and sashimi. As well, Dwarf no Cachette in St. Boniface deserves a special mention for bringing Japanese kawaii to Winnipeg. Owners Yasuko and Takekuni Akimoto are from Tokyo and have brought with them excellent ramen (which is so good on a winter's day) along with izakaya style dishes. The servers even do "maid café days" when they dress up and dance in between courses, while customers often arrive dressed as their favourite anime characters. It's quite a trip. Just across the street on Provencher Blvd is Promenade Café and Wine, an excellent French bistro with sweeping views of downtown and The Forks that serves comfort food that will warm your body and soul on a cold winter's day. FOOD INSTITUTIONS Winnipeg also has its institutions, of which there are enough to write pages worth (but I'll spare you, for if you've already read this far I'd imagine you are ready to go do some eating). If it is steak you crave, and you're not afraid to do a bit of heavy lifting on the old charge card, then 529 Wellington is a must. This converted stately mansion combines impeccable black tie service (the pleasant sommelier Christopher expertly oversees a phonebook of vintages), while the aged steaks (get the rib-eye, do it!) and the a la carte sides, like asparagus with hollandaise and sweet potato mash with maple pecan butter, will have you indulging in the best way possible. Before farm to table was fashionable, fusion grill was proudly rocking out fare from local producers with flair–a tradition it still continues with chef Lorna Murdoch's sublime dishes like pickerel cheeks with crème fraiche and local löjrom caviar, northern pike sliders, braised elk shank, and the always-irresistible truffle perogies with duck sausage and walnut cream sauce. Owner/ front of the house maestro Scot McTaggart is also a beauty, as is his all-Canadian wine list, which has some great finds from the Okanagan. Winnipeg also has incredible hole-in-the-walls. Of these, we rave over the Peking duck and authentic Hong Kong-style dishes at Sun Fortune (whose massive circular tables are always packed, so make a reservation); the mouth-tingling spicy and addictive South East Asian soups and curries at Lao Thai in the North End; the best damn shawarma ever (along with every other Lebanese dish) from Baraka Pita Bakery on north Main Street; and of course, the insanely creamy soft serve from the venerable Bridge Drive-In ice cream stand. There is also no shortage of incredible pho and Vietnamese in the city, from Pho Hoàng on Sargent, to the crispy fresh salads at Saigon Jon's Vietnamese Kitchen, which is a rather stylish room in Fort Garry. And of course, we do old school burgers in spades, with locals either being Dairy Wip or V.J.'s fans – we lean towards the V.J.'s Special with its crispy patty covered in chili and mayo (and the fries are off the hook), while NuBurger, whose local, grass-fed beef has found a devoted following since it opened a few years back. Finally, we all know you win some when you dim sum, which Winnipeg has a nice selection of. In Chinatown at Kum Koon Garden is generally the popular choice where the weekly metal trolleys are stacked high with bamboo baskets and small plates of traditional steamed buns and other items. A quainter experience can be found at Noodle Express, a venerable hole in the wall in the Dynasty Building that is often packed by folks in the know when it comes to Cantonese cuisine). Family Fun If you follow this itinerary closely it will help validate your "Mom is the Coolest" or "Best Dad Ever" coffee mug – which you will need to fill in the morning before taking the kids out for all this adventure. (And yes, it is okay to take your "Mom is the Coolest" coffee mug into the hotel restaurant with you for breakfast… just tell your server that Tourism Winnipeg said it was cool.) Kids freak out over all the amazing things to do when it gets a little chilly in Winnipeg. Plus, if the weather outside gets really frightful, Winnipeg's museums, exhibitions and play zones are always delightful. OUTDOORS Let's start outdoors at The Forks where an absurd amount of kid-friendly things that involve ice and snow can be found. First off, let them rent skates! Amongst the hustle and bustle of people shopping their locally-crafted wares – along with food stalls that are ideal for expediently feeding the kiddies – The Forks Market also houses skate rentals and access to one of the world's longest skating trails – that being the Red River Mutual Trail. Be sure to lace them up with your little ones, as kilometers of groomed trails await which connect the frozen Red and Assiniboine Rivers. Even if you have toddlers, this is still a fun thing to do, as the trail is littered with stylish red chairs for pushing kids on while warming huts (which are the result of an international design contest) can be found all along the trail, Skating under the canopy at The Forks: The Forks North Portage Partnership