Winter is finally arriving this weekend and will be sending Windsor, Ontario, into a deep chill. Thankfully, Winter Bites Restaurant Week is still happening until the end of Sunday. The popular event has restaurants across the region offering up discounted prix-fix 3-course menus to enjoy.
Here are 7 dishes that are certain to warm your body and soul, keeping you warm throughout the next few frigid days.
GANG KA-REE (YELLOW CURRY)
The spiciness and thicker broth in this dish from Thai Time is perfect for that quick warm-me-up that will be needed this weekend. It’s Thai yellow curry paste mixed in coconut milk, with red pepper, onion, bamboo shoot, potato, and Thai basil leaves. It’s served with steamed jasmine rice that you can put in to soak up all the warm, creamy deliciousness that’s in the bowl.
HOT CHICKEN & WAFFLES
Hot and spicy will always help you warm up on a cold day. Plus, waffles. Pour some maple syrup over top for a spicy-sweet combination and you’ll be happy you went to Beacon Ale House.
MANICOTTI
A stuffed pasta to stuff your belly and get your body to kick itself into heat making mode. The manicotti from Mezzo Restaurant is loaded with wild mushrooms, goat cheese and ricotta cheese and served in a vodka blush sauce topped with Asiago cheese.
SWEET AND SOUR CHICKEN
It’s common to cook with beer as an ingredient to elevate a dish. How about using two different brews within the same dish? Leave it to The Grove Brew House to perfect that idea. They use their George the Ghost beer to batter the chicken breast and then their Division IPA to make the sweet and sour sauce. It’s not only incredibly delicious but surprisingly filling as well. Plus, if you get snowed into the brewery while dining there, it could be worse considering you’re surrounded by award winning brews and attached to a hotel.
VERN’S PIEROGIES
Pierogies are one of those comfort foods that can easily warm your soul. These homemade pierogies from Bacchus Ristorante on Via Italia also come with an oversized meatball covered in a warm and creamy mushroom bechamel.
VITELLO PARMIGIANO
The sheer portion size of this dish from Enzo’s will almost ensure that you’re inside a warm building while you eat straight through the weekend. Vitello Parmigiano is a breaded veal scallopine topped with tomato sauce and mozzarella cheese and served with a side of pasta. I mean look at it….LOOK AT IT!
TOURTIERE
Another comfort food that will also warm your soul. Rino’s Kitchen is offering three different versions of tourtiere to choose from as part of their 3-course Winter Bites menu.
MAC ‘N CHEESE
Yes, please! Like many of the dishes mentioned above, comfort food is the best way to beat away the cold weather. One of the most popular comfort dishes is mac ‘n cheese and Nola’s is serving it up with Louisiana style with Andouille sausage, sautéed lobster or crawfish.
Winter Bites Restaurant Week runs through to January 20, 2019. It’s a great way to head out and enjoy a new restaurant you’ve been dying to try or even an old favourite you haven’t been to in a while. To view all the participating restaurants and their menus, visit winterbites.windsoreats.com.
