Sydneys at the Forks - MPS Society Dinner

Like clockwork, one of the event dinners that I have come to associate with Pediatrics and our residency program are the Manitoba Pediatric Society get togethers. Hosted always at Sydney's at the Forks, it gives the residents valuable time to work with and be in the company of our mentors. Usually armed with a theme, this particular night at Sydney's focused upon advocacy and what the upper year residents were doing for their annual advocacy project. The night works to two-fold: to arm the current group of pediatricians with a worthy cause ... and also inspiring and moving the new generations (i.e. me) of residents forward with our own project.

Sydney's needs no introduction. The beautiful restaurant is located on the second floor of the Forks Market and has become known as one of the go to places for upscale society dinners. The view and location are their key draws, being on the banks and overlooking The Forks, but it is their food that keeps people coming back. I was always impressed by the level of service and hospitality of the staff, giving it a true fine dining upscale experience.

Each Manitoba Pediatrics Society dinner has had its own specific menu and todays was no different. Nevertheless, the menu is a nice examples of the typical fare you would find on the non-catered menu. Offering fresh produce and meats, Sydney's focuses on high quality European cuisine combined with Asian influences. I realize that is a rather nefarious description that encapsulates a large range of cuisines, but Sydney's truly tries to push the current accepted standard of haute cuisine, often with positive outcomes.

Most of the diners started with the Cauliflower & Leek Soup, a nice take on the classic French Leek soup. This version though has a nice textural crunch of pureed cauliflower and is augmented by aromatic oolong tea. The base creaminess from the leek is accentuated by their use of cream here. Served warm, the leek soup was an excellent light starter to tickle the palate for the upcoming meal.

One of my dining companions ordered complimentary dishes for us all to try. Their Butternut Squash & Feta Ravioli was an impressive site to behold! The large ravioli was made up of al dente pasta holding the butternut squash and feta inside. Adding black miso into the dish gave a rich aromatic flavour that complimented the sweet butternut squash well. The pickled carrot and almond toppings completed the dish by giving a crunchy textural component. Only gripe was the addition of feta which was strong and seemed to overpower the tender pasta and sweet squash.

My Sous-vide Pork Belly consisted of tender and smooth meat with a candied apple and chickpea stew. The addition of rhubarb, along with the apple, gave a crunch and sour component that went along well with the pork. But truthfully, the pork belly was the star of the dish with succulent tender meat, smooth silky fat and a denser crispier skin. The chickpeas felt out of the place in this dish and felt like filler to flesh out the dish.

I have always been impressed by the fish at Sydney's and their Salmon Fillet was no different today. Flaky, juicy and tender fish is paired with sweet potato, truffle and beets. I loved the interplay between the soft fish and the inherent sweetness of the potato. The beets were a thoughtful addition by giving the dish a meaty salty alternate to the fish. Topping the dish with proscuitto was a good idea but the other flavours were developed enough that it felt tacked on and added little to the dish.

Similarly, their Angus Beef Striploin was nicely done. Medium rare, the tender steak was finished simply with salt and pepper and grilled perfectly. The sides of spaghetti squash and brussels sprouts worked not only to give a green element but also to compliment the salty and fatty beef. Star of the dish goes to the slightly bitter, slightly salty and slighty sweet brussels sprouts which were a nice explosion of flavour next to the beef.

Something new to the menu was the Duck Breast. Beautifully presented, the pieces of sliced breast were of high quality and cooked perfectly to preserve the crispy skin but maintain a glorious medium doneness. I have always viewed duck as more of a red meat than a white meat and prefer the tenderness associated with medium duck rather than full doneness (ala chicken). The addition of grapefruit here gives a bitter and sweet component that works well to accentuate the slivers of tender breast. Bok choy gives colour and freshness to the dish.

I have found the desserts at Sydney's less than spectacular and unfortunately the trend continues with their Dark Chocolate & Cherry Mousse. The chocolate too hard and bitter, the cherry mousse not flurry enough and monotonous, the entire dish seemed more of an afterthought than a carefully crafted dessert. The saving grace is the jelly made from Sauternes (a French sweet wine) that was a tasty combination of sweet and savoury.

The Creme Brulee was better but simply average. The classic French dish is crafted here with smooth rich custard topped off with the, as expected, flambe'ed caramel topping.

Sydney's at the Forks continues to deliver thoughtful and, for the most part, incredible French and Asian inspired cuisine. Designed with fine dining in mind, ever aspect of the meal was of class and elegance and while there were a couple misssteps, the food continues to be excellent. Certainly a recommendation for anyone looking for fine dining in Winnipeg, especially if they are in The Forks area.