Raw Almond is truly one of Winnipeg's most treasured dining events. In the dead of winter and in the heart of Downtown, Raw Almond attempts to bring diners together to celebrate food, conversation and good company. The concept is simple: a pop-up restaurant in January and February on the frozen surface at The Forks, bring in popular and respected chefs from across the country, and give food lovers a unique and memorable dining experience on the ice. Running for the third year now, Raw Almond has seen some changes. Gone is the indie-nature of the operation and in its place is a popular attraction that brings locals and visitors alike. Gone too this year, albeit not planned, is their usual location on the ice. Instead, the unusually warm weather through the winter months here in Winnipeg has forced the crew to move into the peninsula sheltered by the woods. And while every year there is change, the spirit and goal of Raw Almond remains. And so with that I begin the first of many memorable experiences at Raw Almond.
As mentioned above, this year the venue had to change from its usual on-ice location to a more intimate setting. Situated above The Forks and across the bridge spanning the Assiniboine River into South Point Park, the structure, metal grates covering large white tarps housing a rectangular seating area, certainly could have better aesthetic value. Yet there is much to be discovered when inside: large magnificent wooden benches, dim lighting and wooden stump-chairs covered with comfortable fur. In truth, it is rather miraculous one is able to build and power a restaurant on a spot where there was ice and walking trails just one month prior. And while the overall decor is not much of an improvement from last year, the structure this year provides a serviceable setting for a fine meal.
The chef for this particular night is Gus Stieffenhofer-Brandson, a visiting chef from Vancouver. Chef Gus owns Perch, a eatery housed within the UBC Campus. His concept is using local fresh ingredients, including some from his local rooftop garden, in fresh and unique ways while reflecting his European background and heritage.
The first of this monster eight course meal is
Foie Gras Torchon. Rich gelatinous goose liver is paired with preserved quince, rhubarb and shiso jelly. Never having had shiso before, I enjoyed the spicy and minty flavour of the jelly. Of course, the main star is the foie gras which is of high melt in your mouth quality here. I loved the addition of sea salt on top of the goose liver to cut through the fat and give a different flavour, while textural contrast is achieved with the quince and rhubarb. Served with a freshly toasted brioche bun.
One of the best dishes of the night was introduced as a
Tuna Nicoise Salad. First off, the bottom of the plate consisted of potato in a dill aioli covered with tuna, topped with dill and a preserved dehydrated potato cracker. The pungent flavour of dill was paramount here as it added a lighter flare to the potato and served to contrast the tuna. And oh what delicious tuna! It was perfectly lightly seared on the outside, meaty and tender. Delicious!
Scallop Waldorf was next to hit our stomachs. A beautiful huge scallop that is perfectly seared with a crust is paired with grape, apple, celery, and walnuts in a slightly tangy mayonnaise based sauce. The large scallop provided a meaty seafood punch while the sharp flavours of apple and grape interject through. The slight sweetness of mayonnaise finishes the salad and brings everything together. Solid, but nothing spectacular.
I was impressed by the unique use of ingredients here.
Pork Belly is gently cooked through and paired with Kimchi and puffed rice. The Asian influences are paramount here as pork belly is given the all-star treatment and ends up being delightfully tender while having a rim of gelatinous fat. Salt, spice, and crunch are provided through the kimchi, while cilantro adds a nice herbal aroma and some necessary colour to the dish. Delicious!
I have always been a bit hesitant around
Sweetbreads. For those unsure of what they are, sweetbreads refer to the thymus and/or pancreas of the corresponding animal. And while these look intimidating, the lightly fried pieces of thymus give a dense meaty tender bite. Contrasting that is very gently cooked (if at all) Manitoba Pickerel which provides a light refreshing juxtaposition to the sweetbreads. Pureed sunchokes and truffle finish the dish off by adding a starch component and an aromatic respectively.
The visual sight of this
Duck Breast with the artful splash of beet sour cream is incredible. And while the sous vide breast of duck was perfectly cooked, it was the soft and creamy beets that stood out. It also helped to combat the inherent richness of the duck. Also provided is a delicious confit of duck and brussel sprouts which gave the dish a splash of green color and bitter flavour.
What we initially thought was an amuse bouche almost turned into the best part of the night.
Caramelized Yogurt is served on top of elder flower and an iced spruce shoot. Akin to ice cream, the yogurt was perfectly sweet and creamy while sitting on top of a venerable forest of spruce shoots. The shoots were the most surprising, giving an aroma of the forest but also a dense icicle-like crunch that worked well against the light yogurt.
This was introduced via its ethnic name, but I only caught it as
German Christmas Cookie Cake. By now my stomach and taste buds were incredibly happy to enjoy a soft end to a great meal. The cookie had a slight crunch to it, but was surprisingly light. Playing off of it is a cherry reduction and a tonka bean cream.
Raw Almond is the most unique dining experience in Winnipeg. It embraces the elements and challenges associated with it. It allows for its chefs the ultimate form of expression. It allows for diners to experience new and novel ingredients and techniques. It ultimately forms a sense of community and bonding between everyone in the food industry. Chef Gus forms fantastic creations from his playbook of unique tricks, this was certainly a meal to remember and one that every food lover should experience.
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