NONSUCH BREWING CO
Neighbourhood: Exchange District
Address: 125 Pacific Ave
Phone: 204-666-7824
Entrees: $9-$22
Under the glow of gilded golden umbrella lights, a luxe bohemian utopia awaits at Nonsuch Brewing Co. Harboured on Pacific Avenue, this trendy theatre district hangout has quickly become the place to be.
Inside a centuries-old factory building, velvet couches, rustic wooden tables, and sprawling Persian rugs set the tone. The brewery is built on smooth pours of Belgian brews, like a champagne-reminiscent Tripel and an easy-drinking pilsner. Yes, the beer is amazing, but it’s the addition of Chef Tyrone Welchinski’s hyper-seasonal food menu that has foodists flooding through the door.
Charcuterie firmly anchors the menu. A rotating selection of house-cured meats are beautifully presented on a wooden slab with pickled veg and a generous smear of grainy mustard. A recent spread included a flavour-packed orange and walnut sausage – just a taste of things to come.
Seasonal really means ever-changing. Apart from a few mainstays, the menu changes nearly every day, dependent on the fresh ingredients Welchinski picks up from the market. Each plate is visually striking, staking a claim for the title of most photogenic food in the city.
A rainbow carrot dish stands out, showcasing the kitchen’s ingredient-focused philosophy. Each carrot is charred to perfection and layered over fresh peach slices and dabs of sunflower butter, an imaginative touch. Sharp bleu cheese, walnuts, fragrant dill and a subtle maple vinaigrette tie all the flavours together, rendering an exciting yet sophisticated dish.
Another fleeting plate left only to dreams: tender duck with peach glaze carved atop smoked yogurt. Attention to detail is impressive; red onion is sliced so fine it’s nearly invisible, serving only to add mild acidity to the accompanying pine nut, peach and kale salad.
In the realm of steak tartare, Welchinski’s rustic rendition may just be The One. Use the housemade salt and vinegar chips to scoop up luscious beef dressed with capers, dill and egg yolk.
Perhaps in an ode to pub grub, “Le Burger” is a thing of beauty. An exceedingly juicy brisket and chuck patty, melty cheddar, a slathering of caramelized onions and a powerful hit of dill pickle aioli get stuffed between a buttery toasted bun. Wash it down with the suggested Baltic porter. Perfection.
