Lucky Supermarket

Today I went shopping at Lucky Supermarket, 1051 Winnipeg Avenue.

Lucky has the best variety of any supermarket in town, hands down. The thing that makes them different from the rest of the Asian stores is their huge supply of western groceries. You can get milk and cheese, and all kinds of other items not available at most of these specialized shops. 

Their produce section is beyond compare, with little signs to explain what the more exotic items are and where they come from.

There is also a little restaurant that features buffet items, both Chinese and Vietnamese ranging from between $ 6 to $9 depending how many items you desire. They also have a limited dim sum menu with most items costing $3.

The thing about Lucky is the savings. Tons of items are always on sale for the best prices in town. We filled a full shopping cart today and spent just over $200. A cart filled with all kinds of normally expensive goodies like a full side of beef ribeye that was under $5 per pound! 

Head down and start saving !

Thai Bochi

The lovely dining room at Thai Bochi

Thai Bochi Restaurant is located at 870 Logan Avenue, (204) 832-7192. They serve Thai, Cambodian and Chinese cuisine. The food is delicious and their dishes stray from the usual dishes you find repeated on many Thai menus across the city.

We started with the fish-tofu stuffed with mushrooms for an appetizer. Light and delicate with a crispy crust, they were bursting with earthy flavour and tender on the inside. They came with a sweet chili sauce that complemented them nicely.

Next, we had the shrimp pad thai. Unlike the all too common red ketchup-studded variety, this fried noodle dish, loaded with mung bean sprouts, was less sweet. It came with chunks of fried onions, roasted crushed peanuts and perfectly prepared shrimp. The musky, but slightly sweet fish sauce, which came on the side, rounded out the flavours beautifully.

The absolute highlight of the meal and one of my all-time favourite dishes in the city is the Cambodian sour beef stew with natural herbs served with rice. Spicy and tangy, the stew is filled with chunks of tender stewed beef. Every bite is filled with sumptuous delicious mystery. Probably my favourite thing to find at a restaurant is a dish I don't have any idea how to make. I am at a total loss as to what is in this incredible stew.

Finally, we tried the battambong style dry noodle with pork liver, kidney, pork patties, ground pork and sliced pork, that came with a light savoury broth on the side. It was topped with cilantro, fresh bean sprouts, a red chilli and a lime wedge. It is a Cambodian dish and was unique and delightful. Perfect for anyone who wants to get all kinds of porky goodness in a single dish. It was mild and light which made for a nice complement to the rest of the flavour packed meal.

The bill was less than $40 for the whole shebang and we still took a pile home. Thai Bochi also has a very reasonably priced liquor menu which includes some import beers, including Tsing Tao from China and Singha from Thailand. Head on down, they are exceptionally friendly and justifiably proud of their great food!

El Izalco

696 Sargent Ave.

El Izalco Market is located at 696 Sargent Avenue (204 779-7092). This fun little market is owned by Sarah Esparanza and features Mexican and South American grocery items and more.

Candy!

For such a little place there is an astounding variety of goods. If you are serious about this kind of food and want to make your food from scratch, there is everything you need. Masa flour for tortillas, pupusas and tamales, dried black and red beans and herbs like epazote.

The selection of chiles includes guajillo, arbol, ancho, pasilla and chipotle. There are more. She even has dried hominy corn for the posole lover.

There is also a wide assortment of delicious packaged items. The Ducal brand of refried beans are my personal favourite and there are all kinds of tortillas.

The hot sauce selection is huge and cheap. Cholula is my go to sauce, but they're all good.

Sarah stocks all kinds of South American sodas and juices, along with snack items and candy that are very unique. I particularly like the sweet sour burst of the tamarind candies.

Homemade beans

One of the best things about shopping at El Izalco is that you can go home with pre-made items and sample some of Sarah's cooking. She has tamales, pupusas, chile rellenos and more. She has a variety of salsas and hot sauces of her own and curtido (sort of a South American coleslaw) she makes with homemade vinegar. It goes on top of pupusas and also makes a great taco filling.

Get me a stick!

The pinata selection is a fun addition and livens the little market up nicely.

Whether you want to cook from scratch or just have some great prepared food around for those busy days, El Izalco has what you need for a delicious feed!

Kimbaek Restaurant

Kimbaek Restaurant is located at 193 Isabel Street, (204) 942-1833. They make absolutely delicious and very authentic Korean fare. The entree prices range between $9 and $11. With an entree you get regular tea, four side dishes (called banchan), a bowl of rice and dessert tea. Four of us hedonistically shared five dishes and left stuffed, while the bill, before tip, was only $55.

Banchan

The banchan at Kimbaek consists of kimchi, a fermented suey choy (napa cabbage) dish loaded with fish sauce and Korean chili powder (gochutgaru or kochukaru, actually the western spellings I've encountered are much more varied than the product itself), wakame seaweed, crisp and light with a sweet chili sauce, blanched mung bean sprouts with sesame and potatoes that are served room temperature in a slightly sweet and spicy sauce. Every Korean restaurant serves banchan, but selection differs immensely. A friend of mine ate at a restaurant in Korea that featured 26 varieties of banchan, including one dish which consisted of fish eyeballs and orange crush!

Kimchi Chigae

We started with kimchi chigae, a spicy stew of pork, kimchi, potato, tofu and green onion. Served boiling hot in a heated stone bowl, the dish was a perfect start to the meal on a snowy fall day.

Haimool Pajun

Next, we devoured the haimool pajun, a savoury seafood and vegetable pancake served with a strangely delicate sauce considering its ingredients. Green onions, sesame, vinegar and soy all mixed together somehow seemed to balance each other out and made for a beautiful combination with the robust pancake.

Doenjang Chigae

The doenjang chigae, my least favourite selection, was exceptional. Doenjang (sometimes spelled doenjjang) is a fermented soybean paste, a Korean miso if you will. The soup was loaded with slices of zucchini, tofu, daikon radish and green beans. Topped with green onions, it was definitely the healthy pick of the day.

Beef Kalbi

Peppery beef kalbi, thinly sliced beef ribs are wonderful and simple, yet somehow mysterious with their subtle charbroiled flavour. Served sizzling on a hot plate, I could've scarfed the whole dish by myself. Lucky for my dining companions I can occasionally show some restraint and share.

Pork Bulgogi

Ah, the delectable awesomeness of pork bulgogi, the true staple of Korean barbeque. Loads of Korean chili powder and gochujang (fermented chili paste) are the key to this dish. Other ingredients vary, but it is  usually a bit sweet and salty. My favourite recipe for home has honey and pureed Asian pear. I don't know how they make it, but I can can hardly get enough. If I could choose my way to die, I think it might be to drown in a sea of bulgogi!

Demolition. Carnage.

Korea is a northern country and that is reflected in the cuisine, it is hearty fare and great on a cold blustery day (though I could have it and do on any day). There are other good places in town, but for truly authentic country Korean cooking at an astonishingly low price, Kimbaek rises to the top.

Picture Menu

P.S.
We forgot to order bibimbap, but it it a rice dish served in a hot stone bowl, so the rice gets fried and crispy, then topped with a whole bunch of fresh vegetables and finally a fried egg. Oh lord. . . so delicious, and a great way to go if you are eating alone. And really, who doesn't enjoy saying "bee bim bap".