Hello Winnipeg, we are Mr. and Mrs. Restaurant. We’re passionate about food, but not about cooking. After growing tired of everyday chain restaurants, we began our search for the best hidden eateries the city has to offer. Ever wonder if that trendy new place is worth the money; or if that greasy burger joint lives up to all the hype? Just ask Mr. and Mrs. Restaurant!
Paradise Restaurants
[flickr style=”border:none; padding:4px; border:1px solid #BDBDBD; float:right; margin-left:5px;”]photo:8444070357[/flickr]Paradise Restaurant and Lounge has two locations in Winnipeg and have been around for what seems like forever. You may be a regular at this place, or only ever ordered their delivery pizza, or perhaps you’ve driven by countless times but have yet to try their food. Although we’ve heard mixed opinions on Paradise, we’ve never been let down by their delivery pizza or their menu while dining in.
The décor inside the restaurants is slightly dated, with bulky furniture, dark-toned colours and drab carpet but it’s still a clean atmosphere. The service is on the slow side, the staff seem genuine but they’re definitely not in any kind of rush! On this last visit, we were seated in a very cold space of the dining room but were quickly moved to a warmer area upon request. It is definitely not fine dining, but on each of our visits, the food has easily made up for any short-falls.
[flickr style=”border:none; padding:4px; border:1px solid #BDBDBD; float:right; margin-left:5px;”]photo:8444070185[/flickr]The menu begins with their famous pizzas; our favorite for delivery is The Paradise (salami, mushrooms, bacon, onions and ground beef). However, when dining in, it’s worth it to order from the other menu items. Appetizers include choices like calamari, butterfly shrimp, Italian sausage, bruschetta and mussels. The calamari here is rubbery and disappointing, but the shrimp is crispy, flavorful and always tasty. The pastas available are all of the usual choices, and the menu specifies which pastas are handmade daily in-house (ravioli, manicotti, gnocchi and cannelloni are some examples).
For our main dishes, we ordered the Manicotti and Chicken Mushroom Alfredo. As with any other visit to Paradise, no complaints about the food! The alfredo sauce is rich and thick, and doesn’t turn pasty too quickly like many other alfredo sauces. The manicotti was hearty and satisfying; you can definitely tell it is handmade.
[flickr style=”border:none; padding:4px; border:1px solid #BDBDBD; float:right; margin-left:5px;”]photo:8445158362[/flickr]We can understand why Paradise gets mixed reviews, the dining experience tends to be inconsistent, the décor is nothing special and service can be slow. But, the food is always amazing and that really is the most important part.
Paradise Restaurants
http://paradiserestaurants.ca
789 Portage Ave.
(204) 772-2539
662 Leila Ave.
(204) 338-4659
