Preservation Hall

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Preservation Hall Eatery/Wine Bar
655 Empress St
204-783-2386
info@preservationhall.ca
Facebook:  @preservationhall.eatery.wine
Instagram:  @preservationhall.eatery.wine

October, 2023

I've been a long time fan of Owner/Chef Tritan Foucault, dating back to the day Oui Bistro opened its doors.  Now, 20-some years later, his dishes continue to show the same passion and elegance at this tucked-away strip mall near Polo Park.  Preservation Hall carries many of the same, delicious menu items I remember from Oui (later Peasant Cookery) and some new entries.  

As a dog owner, I am very appreciative of the pet-friendly patio, abutting the tranquil Omand's Creek, although the clamour of Empress Street is still within eyesight.  







What drove me here excitedly was the "buck-a-shuck" oysters event, which occurs every Wednesday (regular $3/oyster).  There's no limit to the number of oysters you can order and my restraints are off.

Here in Winnipeg, we're about as far from any ocean as you can get in North America and thus, our selection of oysters is very limited--often you can only find the malpeque.  The server describes these as an east coast oyster, although they could not say specifically the species.  They're considerably smaller than the usual malpeque but they taste somewhat more delicate and don't have much brine.  I love them with a touch of mignonette to augment the flavour, but stay away from the Tabasco which can easily overwhelm the taste.

Each meal starts with sourdough bread, which tastes as sour as anything I've had since my last visit to San Francisco.  The crust tastes wonderfully crispy and the slices come comfy-warm, straight from the oven.  The scratch-made butter melts deliciously onto the bread.


One of my absolute favourite dishes aboard cruise ships is the Salmon Tartare, hugely flavourful and delicate at the same time, featuring the raw meat of the salmon.  On the cruise ships, they normally use Atlantic salmon but here at Preservation, they use Pacific king salmon, touched with dill, shallots, cornichons and a tad of horseradish.  The fried arugula adds a zing and the entire thing sits wonderfully on the super-crunchy crostini pieces.


Presented almost identically, the Steak Tartare comes lightly smoked and has cured egg yolk as a binder.  I can't get enough of the rich flavour of this wonderful raw beef.  It's course cut, so those of you who can't get past the texture of eating raw, ground beef may find the one-centimetre chunks of beef more palateable.  I find it heavenly.

The Arctic Char comes perfectly seared, somewhat crisp on the outside and beautifully flaky and pink on the inside.  The brown butter makes the perfect accompaniment, with the almonds adding texture.  The green beans maintain an al dente doneness, rounding out this decadent dish.  


If you'd rather stay local, the PIckerel Fish & Chips comes with light and delicate pickerel in a super-crispy and puffy beer batter.  The homemade chilli aioli tastes aggressively spicy, wonderful for me but if you have an aversion to spicy foods, this isn't for you--stick instead to the homemade mayo.  

They keep the fries in oil for a while, giving them a deep, golden brown colour, along with the nuttier taste.  This gives for a lot of crunchy bits, if that's your thing.  The coleslaw side tastes quite tart and vinegary, which cuts through the unctuousness of the fish and fries.


I first discovered the flatiron cut of beef from Oui 20 years ago and it remains today, as one of my favourite steaks.  It's too bad that not many restaurants nor grocery stores carry it but when I see it, I get it.  It has a lot more flavour than tenderer cuts like tenderloin or striploin, but if cooked correctly, it's still quite tender.  Overcooked, it becomes leather, which is why you don't get a choice here--it's medium rare or nothing.  If you're the type who wants well done steak, don't order the steak.  The melted garlic butter on the steak adds umami depth to the meat.



To expand my palate, I try the Bison Meatloaf today, and in all my years of eating Foucault's food, this is my only disappointment.  The meatloaf doesn't have a lot of flavour (which is understandable because bison itself is a softer meat) but I hoped the mushroom sauce would take over.  I barely taste any mushroom in the shiitake cream sauce.  The greatest disappointment is the density of the loaf, which is just too thick.  To cut through the density, I would need another cup of the sauce.  It comes with house-cured bacon, which I thought would add flavour, smoke, and fat to loosen up the thickness; it doesn't address that shortcoming enough. The blending needs some more bacon.


The Chocolate Terrine tastes just as dense as the meatloaf but when it's dessert, it's perfectly fine.  This chocolate punch in the mouth tastes wonderful when combined with the creme anglaise and the pistachios add umami and texture--truly decadent.

Aside from the Bison Meatloaf, everything else here tastes absolutely fabulous, and there are still another dozen items on the menu I can't wait to try.  Even though it's hidden away in an obscure strip mall, this restaurant's great food is no secret, evidenced by the full dining room every time we've been here.  Why not?  It's simply one of Winnipeg's best all-around dining places.

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As usual, thanks for reading and good food to you!

Ray Yuen, Pit Master / Grill Master
Certified Kansas City Barbecue Society Judge – Badge #97736
Certified Steak Cook-off Association Judge – Badge #7788
Canadian Barbecue Society Member





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