Comments on: Meat, and Manitoba’s love of it*

By: Koolkatz

Koolkatz — Sat, 01 Oct 2011 12:46:52 +0000

So, i became a non-beef-itarian about 2 years ago, and I’m only 12. People laugh at me when i tell them this because i collect cows. like little trinkets or cow buttons or cow stuffed animals, to name a few. i have this theory: i collect cows, but i dont eat them, and i dont eat them so i can have more of them.
yeah, thats all.

By: Marta

Marta — Wed, 22 Jul 2009 14:03:15 +0000

Kokeb is particularly awesome because of its vegetarian lunch buffet, only $8.05 a person for a variety of 8 different DELISH veggie dishes!

The Dragon Bowl at Mondragon is SENSATIONAL. Brown rice, marinated tofu, greens, shredded carrots and beets, all in a creamy dressing and ALL vegan all the time!

The Tallest Poppy has an impressive 4 course Sunday brunch offering meat or meatless options, coming to $22 a person with bottomless coffee and a 15% tip included. Plus, once a month they do a completely vegan 4 course brunch, I think they might be doing one this Saturday!

The Vietnamese Garden on McPhillips has about 3 pages of menu devoted to veggie choices. Their sweet and sour eggplant rocks my socks!

Spring Roll Restaurant can be hit and miss (their fake shrimp taste WAY too much like real shrimp) but their selection, as far as veggie Chinese food, is IMPRESSIVE.

Affinity is always a wonderful choice. Try their Crispy Black Mushrooms for a flavour sensation of crunchy, salty, cilantro tangy, and ginger spicy — the best best best!!!

I’m beginning to wonder if I eat out a little bit too much….

By: Donovan

Donovan — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 18:50:36 +0000

Most vietnamese restaurants, such as Thanh Huong on Sargent; will have a fairly large vegetarian portion to their menu’s. Due to their Buddist beliefs they have to eat meatless on certain days.

By: Aaron

Aaron — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 14:16:49 +0000

That’s right Ned – Manitobans *love* a good deal, don’t they? I suppose that plays into the allure of possibly winning an entire animal, free!

And if Ned and Wikipedia are anything to go by (and in this case, of course they are!) pork is indeed technically red meat. Clever marketers, tricking us into believing it’s white meat.

By: Ned

Ned — Sun, 14 Jun 2009 13:48:43 +0000

Pork is actually red meat…just clever marketing has labeled it, the “other white meat”.

Also, it’s common in my family to purchase a cow or a pig and divide it up between us. It’s a far better deal…something Manitobans love more than meat.

By: averagecity

averagecity — Sat, 13 Jun 2009 23:55:12 +0000

I’m vegan and the least veggie friendly places are remote First Nations – and since my job has taken me to First Nations quite a lot, it’s difficult to manage. Otherwise, Winnipeg is above average for veggie friendly choices – better than Edmonton I would say, and on par with Calgary, which had a surprisingly good choice in veggie restaurants.

I’ll second the Fiesta recommendation – great food. My favourite is Kokeb (used to be Yenat) on Ellice – they have a vegetarian lunch buffet Monday to Friday. Awesome Ethiopian without the three hour wait you get a Massawa in the Village.

By: greg2point0

greg2point0 — Sat, 13 Jun 2009 22:26:14 +0000

Thanks for pointing out La Fiesta Cafecito, Regan. I’ve yet to try their food as I am rarely in that part of Winnipeg, but I might have to make a special trip to try a vegan combo platter.

By: Regan Wolfrom

Regan Wolfrom — Sat, 13 Jun 2009 16:31:30 +0000

I think it’s time for a Cafecito shout-out. La Fiesta Cafecito is a really great example of a good Winnipeg restaurant, in that it provides vegan and vegetarian choices. Of course, I’ve never bothered to order anything vegan style, but that’s because I can’t keep away from their Trio Burrito Platter (along with far too many pupusas).

More info: http://www.lafiestacafecito.com/

By: greg2point0

greg2point0 — Sat, 13 Jun 2009 03:22:46 +0000

I’m a vegan living in Winnipeg and unless I’m forced to go to the big chain restaurants (ie Boston Pizza, Olive Garden) I don’t usually have a problem finding something to eat. That being said, when you are vegan you are used to going out of your way to finding places that accommodate your diet.
It may be true that Manitobans love their meat, but there is also a large community of people who don’t, and there are quite a few restaurants and grocery stores that cater specifically to my kind. Winnipeg has a fine selection of vegan: cafes, chinese, vietnamese and thai restaurants.

The least vegan/vegetarian friendly place I’ve lived is actually Northern Ontario. When I first moved there I was constantly being asked “What do you mean you don’t eat meat? Is something wrong with you?” “But, you do eat chicken right? How about Pork? Moose? Bear?”
After living in Northern Ontario, Winnipeg is a vegan haven.

By: Aaron

Aaron — Sat, 13 Jun 2009 02:21:24 +0000

Emma – thank you for articulating what I haven’t been able to articulate!
I’ve never been a beeficionado, and to be honest the last time I tasted beef it was a bite of BB’s minute steak…horrendous. This means even my most recent (7 years ago) impression of beef is completely negative.
I love the enthusiasm Winnipeggers and Manitobans carry for their cultural traditions. I would even attend a meat draw-type event for the kitsch of it. I think it would be semi-voyeuristic, like the way you feel when you purposefully choose the trashiest looking bar in the scariest one-horse town to be your rest stop.
*Please don’t hurt the vegetarian for saying that!*