A Bear-y Special Visit: Bonfire Bistro

After spending the entire day outside at Festival du Voyageur, we felt the need to warm our hearts with a proper supper. The Bonfire Bistro, offering Sicilian style wood-fired pizzas, has consistently been one of the highly rated restaurants on Urbanspoon. In fact there is a pediatric co-resident who swears by one of their delicious pizzas. Thus it was a no-brainer while perusing for restaurants and we quickly packed our things to go the Bonfire Bistro.

Aptly placed on Corydon Avenue, Bonfire Bistro is a modest establishment on the outside. We initially had some problems finding the place, as the green and yellow sign did not stand out in the night sky. In fact I felt the signage and exterior of the restaurant could use some updating, featuring a tacky combination of neon and billboard signage.

It is a completely different story when you arrive inside. Handsomely decorated, the restaurant is a vast space with bright lighting, smart oak tables and comfortable seating. You cannot help but marvel at the wood fired oven, the centerpiece of the restaurant, nor at the chalk written boards showcasing the specials of the day.

In need to fulfill our vegetable intake of the day, we started with a Caprese Salad for the three of us. Handsomely presented, the salad combines arugula, tomatoes, red onion and bocconcini cheese all served in a nice balsamic reduction. We enjoyed the interplay of the smooth cheese and the beefy tomatoes with the slightly sweet and sour balsamic dressing. Not over dressed, Bonfire Bistro does well to showcase each ingredient in the salad.

A special of the day was the Hot & Sour Soup. Served with Prawn and Fish dumplings, this was well needed after spending the entire day in the cold. The broth was a highlight here: rustic, aromatic and full of fish and shrimp flavour. Add on top of that deliciously firm and tender "dumplings" (they were more like fish balls) and finished with a host of vegetables, this dish was excellent. Only area of criticism was the sharp sliced radish which was a unnecessary contrast to the smooth flavours in the rest of the dish.

Wild Mushroom & Maple Bacon Pizza, a simple sounding pizza with fantastic results. A trifecta of mushrooms (porcini, portobello and oyster) are paired with maple bacon and finished with blue cheese. I loved the interplay of the flavours here: the fatty bacon, the meaty mushrooms and a hint of roasted garlic in the sauce.. I applaud Bonfire for using blue cheese here as it was strong and aromatic enough to maintain its flavour beside the bacon and mushrooms.

One of our group ordered the pizza special of the night, Smoked Arctic Char Pizza. I initially had some concern that the char might be lost here, but Bonfire does well to showcase the smoked fish by pairing it with lighter ingredients: arugula, mozzarella and goat cheese. I appreciated the shaved pickled beets on top which added a bright, crisp, sour and sweet component to the dish. Overall well done!

Look at this gorgeous Gnocchi with Braised Boneless Beef Short Rib. Wonderfully presented, the tender gnocchi is flooded by a demi glace cream sauce with wild mushrooms, peas and red onion. The star was the perfectly tender short rib, a modest portion too, which added a rich proteinatous component to the dish. Only gripe was the runny-ness of the sauce which did not envelop and soak into the gnocchi as much as we had hoped.

To finish off we had the Apple & Pear Crumble with Ice Cream. A nice finisher with tender and soft fruit paired with a crumble and topped with ice cream. A great way to end a delicious meal, I especially enjoyed the lightness of the ice cream with the tender fruit.

Bonfire Bistro was dynamite. Featuring Sicilian style pizzas, incredible mains and great specials, it runs highly on my list of go-to places in Winnipeg. While pricey, this certainly is not somewhere one can frequent too regularly, but it does offer fantastic food and great service for those looking for an excuse for upscale Italian fare.