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Eco-conscious dining in Winnipeg

By Sarah Musgrave

The Dandelion Eatery is crafting local produce into elevated cuisine.

Dandelion Eatery looks no further than its own backyard for inspiration, and there’s plenty to inspire at its location adjacent to Winnipeg’s thriving Organza Natural & Organic Market. Since opening one of Winnipeg’s best new restaurants in 2006, chef Ben Kramer has kept his outlook as local and as organic as possible, showing a firm commitment to eco-friendly practices, be it wines sourced from sustainable vineyards or seasonal menus printed on recycled paper.

If it all sounds like old-time flower power, it isn’t. Dandelion elevates its earth-loving attitude to match the times. During the day, sun pours in through huge south-facing windows; in the evening, the high-ceilinged space flickers with local beeswax tea lights. Equally appealing to those in suits and shorts, the casual setting is a counterpoint to Kramer’s refined fare. Vegetarians are welcome, of course, but in addition to sections labeled Big Greens and Little Greens, the menu covers the bases with Land, Ocean and Garden.

A signature dinner dish, Stonewood Elk is rubbed with Kicking Horse Coffee from the Canadian Rockies, enhanced with the scent of truffles and served with an array of veggies from nearby farms. Lunchtime highlights include the pecan mushroom burger, a seafood sandwich containing hand-peeled shrimp and cold-smoked salmon and a crisp, clean salad of buckwheat soba noodles, edamame beans and toasted cashews. Desserts do their part to prove that wholesome can be wholly appreciated: The banana chèvre cheesecake stands on its own merits.

What about the namesake dandelions? You’ll find them honored in the oversize painting that dominates the premises, tossed into the salad mix and baked into bread available at the bakery next door.

Getting here

Dandelion Eatery, 230 Osborne St., Winnipeg, 204-453-5755 organzamarket.com/whatsinstore/restaurant.htm
Destination Winnipeg, 1-800-665-0204, destinationwinnipeg.ca
Travel Manitoba, 1-800-665-0040, travelmanitoba.com

Sarah Musgrave is a Montréal-based food journalist. She is the casual dining restaurant reviewer for the Montréal Gazette and the author of Resto-À-Go-Go: 200 Cheap and Fun Places to Eat and Drink in Montreal 2007.