Say hello to west coast inspired cuisine and Chef Emily Butcher.
New flavours, new spaces, new tastes. Last night I went out to a new-to-me restaurant here in Winnipeg with a few childhood girlfriends. Nola had been on my list to try for awhile, and I'm so glad I finally got to go there. It just may be my new favourite restaurant in Winnipeg. If not number one.. a very close second.
The Dishes
The Nola dinner menu was everything I had hoped to be, with no expectation. It was the right balance of familiar flavours and new, intriguing ingredients and taste combinations. Food is best shared, and I highly encourage that. With the three of us hungry and ready to eat, we grazed the menu to select six dishes that we would share. It was the best decision we made, with the three of us cleaning out each and every dish leaving the plate almost completely clean. We ordered their sourdough bread, and instead of eating it as a solo dish, I recommend ordering two servings of this item and saving a little bit for each dish, to help clean up remaining sauces and juices. Trust me, you're going to want every morsel, every sip, every crumb, and every crumb that's on your plate. And the presentation? It's impeccable. I always appreciate a beautifully curated plated dish. The creativity, the colour, the texture... chefs are true artists when it comes to cuisine.
Here are the dishes we ate, in no particular order, and the list of their ingredients.
Seared Scallops + Lo Bak Go (L)
Smoked Goldeye Lo Bak Go, Black Bean Chili XO, Napa Cabbage, Dehydrated Apple, Fermented Radish Beurre Blanc
Gunpowder Roast Carrots (C)
Honey Glazed Carrots, Gunpowder Seasoning, Whipped Feta, Pumpkin Seed Butter, Candied Pumpkin Seeds
Loaded Baked Potato Gnocchi (R)
House-Rolled Gnocchi, Bacon Bits, Sautéed Kale, Crispy Fried Potato, Sauerkraut Beurre Blanc
Reuben Gyozas (L)
Hand-Made Reuben-Style Dumplings, Wasabi Mustard, Sweet Soy, Green Onion
Japanese Karaage Fried Chicken (C)
Japanese-Style Fried Chicken, Spicy Mayo, Fermented Genmaicha Slaw, Sweet Soy, Avocado, Bonito
Reuben Gyozas (R)
Hand-Made Reuben-Style Dumplings, Wasabi Mustard, Sweet Soy, Green Onion
We ate, we laughed, we said 'mmm' more times than not and we caught up on lost years and the changes of life. You'll enjoy the sultry atmosphere, the friendly service, and you'll be torn to decide which dish is your favourite. Treat your tastebuds and enjoy a tantalizing tease before you go from Nola's Instagram. Enjoy!