Sun Wah Supermarket

Sun Wah Supermarket, located at 303 King Street, (204) 944-9162, is one of a number of Asian supermarkets and it is one of my two favourites. While Lucky Supermarket cannot be beat for sheer variety of produce, and the fact that you can get your western groceries there too, Lucky is also invariably crowded. At Sun Wah it is generally easier to get around and they have those little things (like apple vinegar drinks) that you just can't find anywhere else.

The market is definitely no frills in the decor department, but if you want cheap quality ingredients, this is your place. I should point out that these Asian markets are often the best places to shop for ingredients that are not for Asian foods. Making soft shell crab Po' Boys? No better deal on those than Sun Wah.

Some ingredients for our dinner party from Sun Wah.

There can be a bit of a language barrier with the good folks at Sun Wah and they were apprehensive about allowing me to take pictures inside, so instead of showing pictures from the store, I am going to show what I purchased and what my wife Rhoda and I cooked with the ingredients. What did we do? We had a dinner party!

The selection of fish and seafood is unparalleled in the city. They also have amazing Dim Sum you can steam at home, which is great if you don't feel like cooking but want some exotic flavours.


I could go on at length about all the wonderful stuff Sun Wah has to offer, but you should just go down and browse! It's fun trying to identify all the mysterious wonderful ingredients. Grab something you've never heard of and make a dish with it! You all have the Internet, find a recipe, you will be richer for it!

Flavour Bundles

First we served flavour bundles, consisting of homemade Laotian sausage, dried shrimp, toasted peanuts, toasted sesame seeds, minced shallots, bird chilies, cilantro and minced lime with the peel all wrapped in lettuce leaves.

Papaya Salad

Next, papaya salad. A kitchen mandolin really helps with this one, but you can shred it with a grater too. Julienned with a knife works too, but is pretty painstaking. A little carrot, tomato, some cilantro and Asian pear make up the body of the salad. Next, dress it with fish sauce, sugar, chilies and lime juice and top it with more peanuts and you're ready to go.

Coconut Shrimp Soup

A chicken stock (preferably Asian, with lemongrass, ginger and cilantro as opposed to the classic french mire poix), a can of coconut milk and some fish sauce make for a great soup base. A simple mild soup like this, with some shrimp and noodles, makes for a wonderful contrast to the otherwise bold and spicy dishes. You can add all kinds of stuff, oyster mushrooms, bamboo shoots, whatever you feel is right.

Rice Buddies! Kids love them!

For the main course, we served grilled chicken marinated with garlic, pepper, salt and fish sauce with steamed sticky rice. Sticky rice is glutinous jasmine rice that you form into balls and dip in sauce, or press together with hunks of meat. You can make them into little snowmen for the kids.

Rice and Chicken with Table Sauces

Sharing is what a dinner party is about. Sharing conversation, experiences and ideas over a great meal is very rewarding, but all of these are perfectly complemented by sharing music. I love vinyl, the warm pop and scratch of the needle brings me a sense of connection that I don't get from digital mediums. I love to get guests to pick a record and spin a side on the record player. If you have vinyl, a side is the perfect length to let everybody at the party have a pick or two. You never know what your guests will pick, so it is also great for revisiting forgotten gems in your collection. Alas, if you have no vinyl, get friends to pick from your iPod or computer.

Like ethnicities of food, there is no truly bad genre of music, but the true connoisseur is very picky about what they call good within the genre.

Think about the Asian dishes you love, find some recipes in a book or online and head to Sun Wah for those otherwise hard to find ingredients and have a party! No, not just a party, a dinner party!

Viena Do Castelo Portuguese Foods

Man, Oh Man! Is this place a gem! Viena Do Castelo , located at 105-819 Sargent Avenue, (204) 415-4615 is not just a fantastic market, it is also a terrific place to eat! Okay, okay, I'll try to stop with all the exclamation marks, but seriously everything from the super delicious, but dirt cheap Portuguese olive oil to the pasteis de nata (custard tarts, I dare you to try and have just one) screams quality and value.



Smooth and silky, fresh pasteis de nata
 A portuguese tradition

The menu is relatively simple on weekdays, serving homemade soup and traditional sandwiches (with a different sandwich special everyday) and an array of scrumptious baked goods.

They really do it up on Saturday with a variety of delectable authentic Portuguese specialties that are drawing aficionados of flavour from all over the city.

I sort of feel guilty paying just $ 5 for their soup and sandwich, so I make sure to grab a juice or soda and have plenty of those tarts for dessert.



5 bucks! 

Check out their Facebook page for gorgeous photos and a list of the Saturday specialties. Head down! They are also wonderful, kind, and friendly people who exude genuine passion for the food they prepare and sell!

The Nucleus

Clearly there are great places to eat all over the city, but first I want to discuss the "nucleus", Sargent and Ellice Avenue between Arlington and Salter. As far as diversity of ethnic food choices, and value, both for restaurants and markets, nowhere in the city compares.

The sheer number of options for affordable and delicious Vietnamese fare alone, is astounding. Viva, Pho Hoang and KG Saigon (just a block or two west of Arlington) are a few of the available options in the nucleus.

Harmans, on the east side of Sargent Avenue, offers Ethiopian and just next door is La Rica Vicky with Peruvian. The Green Chili serves Pakistani and Indian food, while Nou Eul Tor Korean Restaurant serves. . .well you can probably guess.

Some of the items available at El Izalco

There are many fun little markets and bakeries in the area. El Izalco is the place for all your Mexican and South American needs. Owner Sarah Esparanza is one of the friendliest people you will ever meet, and her curtido (a South American cabbage salad) is sure to tantalize your taste buds. They even have pinatas and everything you need to fill them. 

Stop by the Lisbon Bakery and grab a loaf of water bread, you won't regret it. Head to the Ellice Meat Market for some cured meats. It's all smoked in-house and you can pick up some goose fat for roasting potatoes (though duck fat is truly best).

The smoke room at Ellice meats

Take a stroll up and down the avenues and delight in the smells emanating from the restaurants and bakeries. Peruse the menus and reviews posted on the windows. Need a snack? Pop into India Palace for a samosa or try a spinach and cheese pie from Shawarma Time.

GO FORTH and EAT!

What this blog is about, FOOD!

I plan to discuss where to find great ethnic food here in Winnipeg. From the abundance of affordable restaurants to the diverse ethnic markets, I will discuss the restaurants where I love to eat. I will also discuss where to shop if you need ingredients you won't find at a regular grocery store. Do you need asafoetida for that Indian curry? I will tell you where you can find it. What about galangal for your Thai soup? I can guide the way.
I will also periodically share recipes with unusual ingredients and let you know where you can find them. Please join me on an adventure of the palate, without leaving the city limits!