In Ferno’s on Academy
414
Academy Rd
204-475-7400
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/InfernosAcademy
February, 2013
When the original In Ferno’s
opened on rue des Meurons, it stood as one of the hottest restaurants in the
city for a long time. You had to reserve
days in advance to grab a piece of Ferno’s excellent food, affordable prices and
killer, secluded patio. The patio is
definitely the place to be as the squishy restaurant often meant that you
crammed to fit into your seat—and eating the way I do, that means getting out
of the seat may be a problematic manoeuvre.
The Academy location doesn’t
have the park-like patio but it has a roomier dining area and soothing bands
regularly. The place hasn’t changed much
from its Academy Bar and Eatery days, or its J Fox days. The interior still looks rustically woody
with a view to the bright, open kitchen.
A chalkboard overlooks the dining room, proudly announcing today’s drink
and wine specials.
I would include the day’s
food specials on the board as well.
Although our server competently recites the items like a Shakespearean
play, the diner easily forgets the list by the time the monologue completes. Throw in the Dining Out Winnipeg menu, and
the wealth of choices leaves you floundering for your food fancies.
The ubiquitous fried calamari rings are nicely herbed and perfectly al dente. Squids have a very fine line between firm and rubber and these elastic length rings are definitely not elastic-tasting.
Of the mains, the salmon with a grapefruit caper beurre blanc comes medium well, which would satisfy most diners, although I like my salmon more on the rare side. Capers always add a lovely zing to most dishes and the citric edge of the grapefruit goes well with the fish.
Unfortunately, I’m a little disappointed by the Texas Longhorn ribeye. When someone mentions Texas or Longhorn, a number of images come to mind. To stay political, let’s just say that I envision a monstrous slab of meat that leaves the toughest of roughnecks belching and declaring that everything is big in Texas. This longhorn comes barely a ¼ inch thick, making this one of thinnest steaks I’ve seen in a while--kudos to the chefs for still grilling the steak to perfection.
From the regular menu, the oysters on the half shell provide a light and natural start to any meal. While the oysters taste divine, the highlight comes from the sushi-reminiscent boat, complete with multiple levels and holds.
Ferno’s probably better known for their other bivalve, the moules et frites, or mussels with fries. The steak-cut fries (with skin on) taste deliciously crispy on the outside and soft/starchy on the inside. I love the French for coming up with the idea of marrying fries with mussels; the only thing better than bread for sopping up mussel juices is fries. For the purist, the light Greek herbs with tomato, wine and feta (fay-ta, as in beta, not fetta, as in betta) cheese tastes light and simple, leaving the mussels mostly unadulterated.
Otherwise, the Madagascar mussels in brandy, peppercorns and cream give you a punchier sauce that offers more depth and complexity. For both dishes, I’m a little disappointed in the mussels themselves. The perfectly cooked mussel fills the entire shell, looks plump and fat, and bursts in your mouth with juices and flavour. For every erg of extra energy that goes into a mussel, the more shrivelled the meat becomes. Some of these mussels absorbed enough heat to reduce them the half the size of the shell.
Still in seafood, many people will shy away from the smoked halibut chowder for fear of fishiness. That can’t be farther from the truth. This rich, hearty soup doesn’t have a hint of fishiness, yet it maintains the essence of the ocean. The leeks add perfect texture and flavour contrast to this wonderful soup. Throw in the rich, bacon jam crostini and this course alone can fill you up.
Coming out of the ocean, the Pasta Inferno comes with substantial pieces of chicken in a fantastic chilli-spiked cream sauce. You specify your level of spiciness and I asked for them to make it hotter than they’ve ever made it before. A side dish of habanero chilli came with the plate, which offers an extra zip. The spinach leaves both add colour, texture, flavour and health to this excellent option.
For dessert, the popular chocolate lava cake guarantees to satisfy the sweetest of teeth but drinking liquid chocolate can be a bit overwhelming for some. As an option, the chocolate raspberry torte with Callebaut crispearls blends the bitter chocolate with delicious fruit, including the texture of the raspberry seeds. The crispearls add yet another facet to this complex dessert.
If this sounds like a lot food, indeed it is. Ferno starts you off with three types of bread. While each of them allures you with their discrete tastes, don’t overdo it or you’ll be sorry. Instead, you can wander through the exhausting menu for the perfect wine, or enjoy one of the many, excellent microbrews.
Most of the outstanding foods leave you wanting more, which is probably why I have trouble getting out of my chair. In Ferno’s is simply one of Winnipeg’s great dining experiences and with a few tweaks, it could become one of Winnipeg’s greatest dining experiences.
****½ /5
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