Capital Grill & Bar
Neighbourhood: Downtown
Address: 275 Broadway
Phone: 204-416-1144
Entrees: $11-$36
At Capital Grill and Bar on Broadway, simple, unobtrusive design sets the scene for a wide-ranging menu of Canadiana staples. Burgers, pizza and pasta are delivered with fresh flair, using regional ingredients to elevate crowd-pleasing options across the board.
A wide-open, modern dining space with sightlines into the kitchen ushers in the downtown crowd. Dark wooden planks and a high, exposed ceiling bring sophistication, while tile and wood-covered walls accent the industrial ambiance. Quirky décor, like crocheted animal busts peering from corners and black-and-white photos showcasing historic downtown Winnipeg, add homey touches to the eatery’s elegant minimalism.
The menu similarly draws on creative, local components to enrich its familiar fare. Manitoba pickerel appears both beer battered on an open face, hearty sandwich and as a succulent entrée. The mild flavours of flaky fillets and pillowy ricotta gnocchi are underscored by sweet-and-salty grilled corn and smoky bacon, all swathed in a light lemon thyme butter sauce. Generous layers of roasted peppers and caramelized onions on the saucy Italian sausage pizza hide under oozing mozzarella and zesty strips of meat from Springstein, Manitoba’s Zinn Farms.
Vegetables are put to good use in this kitchen, expanding assumptions of what a bar and grill can produce. Each individual element of the niçoise salad shines. A perfectly calibrated mix of leafy greens, olives, tomatoes, French beans and boiled egg is the backdrop to the dish’s star: lightly seared, tender tuna. Brown rice, quinoa, mushrooms and red peppers compose the substantial, savoury veggie burger patty, its moist, crumbly texture and umami flavour cut by fine slices of red onion and fresh lettuce. A hint of spice plays up the carrot and apple soup’s sweet earthiness while a sprinkling of dill imports bright notes. For dessert, lightly caramelized lemon curd in a buttery shortbread crust makes for a refreshing finale.
Chef Wayne Martin infuses popular bar classics with lavish ingredients and contemporary presentation. A welcoming downtown hub, Capital Grill and Bar provides a sleek space to indulge in upscale comfort.
