Winnipeg 2.0

A passport, a plane ticket, an hour and a bit of your time and you’re in an intriguing foreign country: Welcome to Winnipeg, star of Canada’s “middle province.”

This was my first post-pandemic visit to Manitoba’s capitol city, so I set off to discover the new blooms in its garden of tourist delights as well as to reconnect with friendly faces from the past. My hotel, the Fort Garry, provided both, with a soothing new spa and the relaunch of its once-fabled brasserie to revitalize the venerable grande dame. Plus, talk about location: It’s only steps away from The Forks, the city’s most-visited attraction.

That rambling recreational site, at the confluence of the Red and Assiniboine rivers, occupies land long-venerated by First Nations tribes. Today, it’s anchored by a global food hall with taste treats ranging from pizza to pierogies to ramen, with stops along the way for a craft beer and one of Wienerpeg’s superior dogs.

Then stride across the iconic Riel Bridge nearby to say bonjour on the French-speaking side of the river, St. Boniface. It’s anchored by the town’s landmark cathedral, whose spectral skeleton hovers above the skyline–ravaged 50 years ago by a fire that spared only its classic stone façade. Today it encircles a modern church bearing stained-glass windows honoring the Native culture—a brown-skinned Virgin wearing moccasins, for instance.

The cathedral’s cemetery heralds the tombstone of Louis Riel, a Metis (half French, half Native) hero who led the Red River Rebellion for Metis’ rights—and was hanged for his efforts. Today, history resurrects him as the Father of Manitoba.

One of the current daughters of Manitoba is Emily Butcher, darling of its culinary scene, who recently opened Nola, a few blocks further along the riverbanks of St. Boniface. Her forward menu of small plates is infused with Asian touches — (Reuben gyozas, Japanese fried chicken), along with my choices—succulent corn and nori fritters aside coconut chimichurri; honey-glazed carrots with gunpowder (!) seasoning and whipped feta; and a spin on a classic Waldorf salad, glammed up with grapes, halumi cheese, candied walnut and chili honey. Dessert? Sure! How often do you have a chance to nibble on black sesame/roasted parsnip cheesecake before bedtime?

Today is going to be a three-museum marathon, so I’m off to Juneberry, in the St. Vital neighborhood, to fuel up. The cheery neighborhood café, festooned in bright berry colors, showcases a perfect Eggs Bennie, complete with rosemary hollandaise and aged goat cheese on house-made focaccia. Then the first of the day’s Uber drivers (three Punjabis and one Kurd) delivered full-on praise for his new home in this city.

First stop: the Canadian Museum of Human Rights, with its signature spiraling tower of hope rising near The Forks. Its mission: to explore what, exactly, are human rights and the bleakness of their loss—from the Biblical expulsion of Jews from Babylon on through Karl Marx, Gloria Steinem, Harvey Milk. From WWII’s Japanese round-ups to Vietnam War protesters to Canada’s own assault on its First Nations people, mirroring our own.

Today the First Nations are saluted in a stunning new addition to the Winnipeg Art Gallery, called Qaumajug. It houses the world’s largest public collection of Inuit art—primarily soapstone gently carved into animal shapes. When I win the lottery, I’ll be first in line to purchase some in the enticing gift shop.

The Manitoba Museum helps put all these discrete bits of history into context, starting with dinosaurs, on to its iconic bison in the new Prairie Gallery. Once again, we meet Louis Riel, who tried to legislate a Metis Provincial government, and the account of the Famine of 1870, when they were left to starve. Move on to the replica of the 1669 sailing ship Nonesuch (climb aboard if you wish, matey), which actually sailed around North America before docking here. Alight to explore the streets of Winnipeg circa 1920, where you can rest your feet in a silent movie house.

Dinner tonight was in a Winnipeg blast from the past, too—the James Avenue Pumphouse of 1906. Peer through glass at its muscular machinery while you dine on small-plate treats like prawns in spicy mango mayo or mango pesto cauliflowerets. Bragging rights if you finish off what has to be the world’ largest pierogi, stuffed with smoked gouda, potato, kielbasa and TLC.

Some might think you’d skip breakfast after that feast, but then some would be wrong—not when there’s a chance to grab a seat aside the locals at Modern Electric Lunch, where you’re destined to face the day with hard choices: mushroom hash or pistachio ricotta pancakes? Pork belly tostada or Turkish eggs? I went with the classic Eggs Bennie—this time on a lemon-dill scone, topped with the usual suspects plus asparagus, all drizzled with brown butter hollandaise.

Then it’s back to the airport—not to catch a plane, but to ogle them in the new location of the Royal Western Aviation Museum, where 25 aircraft are on display, including several you can climb aboard. In an inviting fashion, the museum goes beyond big hunks of metal to the human stories behind them—such as transporting wintertime food and supplies to the otherwise-unreachable far north of the province; ferrying Native kids (alas) to boarding schools; and hiring the first Aboriginal females as medevac attendants. James Bond (whose creator came from Winnipeg) might have loved the spy planes and the proto-spaceship.

An Uber rather than propellors took me to the newest attraction in Assinoboine Park—a series of biome gardens called The Leaf—inter-connected domes lush with plants, from ultra-tropical to Mediterranean to right in Winnipeggers’ back yards. Butterfly garden and waterfall, too. Linger for lunch at adjoining Gather Craft Kitchen, which makes creative use of lush local produce—cauliflower fritters to roasted carrots (although I noticed lots of uber-burgers going by). Don’t miss the lemon tart with meringue crumbles and lemongrass ice cream.

Think I cannot manage dinner? Think again. I made a fast run through the 1920s-era red-brick Exchange District’s boutiques and cafes to activate an appetite, then headed for the city’s first café heralding First Nations cuisine and personnel. It’s called Feast, and that’s truth in advertising.  I enjoyed a giant buffalo rib with bannock (like cornbread without the corn), then sweetgrass ice cream (or go for the cedar Manitoba salmon. The bannock pizza. The Manitoba pickerel). Sweet service, too.

For more information, check out www.tourismwinnipeg.com

Sidebar:

Welcome to The Peg, where Pride isn’t just a month—it’s a way of life. The city has celebrated Pride since 1987, and gay marriage since 2004. In fact, LGBTQ+ doesn’t even cover it here—it’s 2SLGBTQ to honor non-binary individuals in pre-white-contact First Nations. The city elected the first openly gay mayor of a North American city.

Clubs

Club 200 Livening the bar scene for over two decades
Fame Dance club agog with go-go dancers and DJs
Happenings The newest nightspot in Osborne Village, featuring Drag Fridays and Diva Saturdays
Drag Brunch: www.tallestpoppy.com lists monthly events
Reel Pride Oldest LGBTQ+ film festival in Canada
PrideWinnipeg.com in late May