PINERIDGE HOLLOW
Neighbourhood: Oakbank
Address: 67086 Heatherdale Rd
Phone: 204-777-3881
Entrees: $17 – $47
For more than 20 years Pineridge Hollow’s dedication to producing Manitoba regional cuisine has been unwavering. Chef Orian Barczak applies his shared passion for local cuisine, ensuring that fresh produce is transformed into a culinary masterpiece.
The picture-perfect retreat inside an elegant carriage house is nestled in the forested property. The prime seats are in the sunroom, decked in country rustic décor and looking out on strings of fairy lights sparkling on the trees outside. Seats on the patio, surrounded by chirps and squawks of wildlife, fill fast.
Unique preparations set the cooking at this idyllic spot apart. Here, beets, the ever-popular star in salads, are served as crispy chips, piled on a wooden board alongside a creamy and tangy goat cheese dip. Roasted, and paired with equally vibrant carrots, the sweet root veggie perks up several plates streaming out of the kitchen.
Bucking the trend toward shareable small plates, entrées here are lavish and filling. A substantial cut of Oak Knoll pork loin, draped with a sweet tomato jam, is charred and tender. Carrots impart their sweetness to an orange-hued swoosh of risotto and more carrots and roasted beets top it all.
Arctic char also makes an impression. The tender fillet of fish is crusted with “everything bagel” hemp seed seasoning and sits atop a herb laced bed of quinoa. The attentive server places the plate and drizzles a creamy lemon caper sauce with a flourish, building anticipation for the zingy topping.
Novel, cutting-edge additions like locally grown Haskap berries are used for cocktail syrups, desserts and jellies. The berry thrives in the prairie climate, and punches twice the weight in antioxidants as a blueberry.
Opt for a taste of the tart berry in a gorgeous dessert and these health facts become rather secondary. Scarfing down decadent spoonsfuls of chocolate pâté filled with zingy gelée —keeping pace with your dining date for the airy whipped mousse — is much more pressing.
Of course, taking it slow and lingering in the peaceful atmosphere is more in-tune with the ethos of the place; perusing shelves at the adjacent boutiques and on-site ‘Village Market’ or pattering down winding nature paths is a brilliant way to end the stay.
