Máquè

I have no idea how to pronounce this Winnipeg restaurant's name, but once again, my brother came though with another great restaurant.  ?Make? It doesn't really make sense!

I live in Montreal, and somehow I shop for jeans in Regina, glasses in Ottawa, and eat best in Winnipeg! I must not be going to the right places!

This last visit was an evening that I was able to arrange with a layover from Regina that no one else would have wanted, but it was a perfect opportunity to eat and stay with my brother overnight!

We shared the meal at this  asian fusion restaurant, and had a glass of wine each to accompany. The only way we could choose from this long list was to eliminate the obviously not asian, and getting a mix of our shared desires (Nagano pork for my brother, mushroom, truffle and daikon for me!) It was very yummy!

An open sweet steamed bun (a first for me) with sliced Nagano pork belly, hoisin and smoky mustard, cucumber pickle and crushed peanuts. 

Daikon wonton (I always choose daikon because I have no idea what to do, but have never been disappointed), white cooked chicken, Chinese ham, hoisin and smoky mustard, sesame, XO sauce. It smelt and tasted so delicious, this is a photo of my first dumpling half eaten before I thought to take a picture! I started realizing at this point that I shouldn't be halving this meal with my over 6 foot younger brother, and started (begrudgingly pushing over 2/3rds of the dish to pace myself to the next delight)

It just kept getting better! The bisque was poured out of a tiny metal teapot, but not emptied and I almost stopped the waiter to ask him to waste nothing but he was too fast! This was unbelievably delicious! Jumbo crab, bacon, lobster and coconut red curry bisque with caviar and black truffle and chives. A little Chinese broccoli and a lot of crabmeat. Fantastic!

Wild mushroom, white truffle and white miso, egg noodle, cured egg, shaved black truffle and chestnut. Happily my instinct for mushrooms being a great meat replacement was true, and my concern for chestnut unfounded (see Christmas at Garde-Manger). It was a really great pasta dish!

Roast Nagano pork belly, peanut and pepper nam Jim (Thai dipping sauce, in this case the dollop more than a dip), sherry master stock reduction, finely  sliced turnip and basil. Too much for me. Just enough for my brother. No room for dessert at this wonder full meal.