529 WELLINGTON STEAKHOUSE
Neighbourhood: Crescentwood
Address: 529 Wellington Crescent
Phone: 204-487-8325
Entrees: $16 – $78
Behind a Wellington Crescent mansion dripping with style and luxury, a short stroll down an outdoor corridor festooned with hanging plants leads to a riverside terrace. To those in the know, this elegant location is simply referred to as “529,” the handsome residence-turned-restaurant that has for 20 years wooed much of Winnipeg to its extraordinary setting with warm service and precision cooking.
Inside, separate dining rooms are uniquely decorated. Walls framed with dark wood reflect this manor’s century-old décor and welcome Winnipeg’s most fortunate.
Beef is king here. Well-marbled, properly aged, thick cuts are served at this celebrated steakhouse. Top-notch ingredients, with prices to match, continue to show this town’s willingness to spend for a premium product. Ribeyes, tenderloins or veal chops are cooked to exacting specifications, and judging by the crowd, a growing segment of diners want grade Triple A or nothing.
However, ordering a variety of smaller plates, tapas style, is a great way to taste the absolute best versions of everything you love while in a lush setting on a hot summer afternoon or evening. The menu offers much choice and succeeds with magnificent appetizers, salads and sides befitting an entire meal. Lunchtime is notably more buttoned down, as options like meatloaf, old-fashioned hot sandwiches and prime beef burgers—ground to order—are standouts.
Village Bay oysters from P.E.I. paired with a cold glass of white wine whet the appetite. Another palate-primer, chicken liver pâté is silky smooth and mellow. A scoop of liver is topped with crispy onion flakes and accompanied by white bread toast points, tomatoes, paper-thin slices of red onion and sour baby cornichons to cut through the pâté’s richness.
Prime rib mini Yorkies are the classic steakhouse equivalent to pub-style sliders. Four mini Yorkshire puddings are filled with shaved, well-done beef and topped with unctuous gravy.
The range of salads is impressive. Beyond a traditional Caesar and divine spinach salad accented with sherry vinaigrette, an arugula quinoa salad is a contemporary blend offering diverse flavours. Delicate slices of earthy beets, creamy-tangy goat cheese, sharp red onion and roasted hazelnuts pop under a piquant Dijon vinaigrette.
Desserts are tried and true, designed to make a lasting impression. The chocolate raspberry cheesecake is rich, decadent and velvety, a perfect classic to end a luxurious meal.
529 Wellington Steakhouse is open Mon through Fri, 11:30 am to 2 pm, for lunch service, and daily from 5 pm
