It’s been a few years since our first Canada visit, so we were eager to return to the friendly north. Our research showed that Winnipeg is only a 12-hour drive from Kansas City. This made it easy to pick our next destination. We liked that our first taste of Manitoba would be in a city that resembles our hometown. Situated at the confluence of the Red and Assiniboine Rivers, The Forks have been a meeting place for 6000 years. This seemed like the perfect location to begin our explorations.
We want to thank Travel Manitoba and Tourism Winnipeg for hosting our visit. Rest assured that all opinions are our own.
An Iconic Meeting Place
Archeological digs in the late 20th century uncovered the campsites of Indigenous hunters from 4000 B.C. They also discovered subsequent camps in this same area. Fast forward to 1738 and the first Europeans arrived by canoe. Before long, trading posts and forts were constructed. These days the historic meeting place still holds a special place for locals and visitors alike. 30 years ago, Winnipeg transformed an abandoned railyard into a dining and shopping destination. Returning the area to a gathering place has resulted in drawing roughly 4 million visitors annually.
Modern Setting
The Forks Market is a collection of eateries and shops within two structures. We made our way along the stalls, checking out the dining choices. There are a couple dozen options, which all looked tempting. It was too late for coffee and the ice cream would have to wait for later. That only left Caribbean, Filipino, Mexican, Italian, Greek, and many other cuisines to choose from. A decision we had thought easy, had become a real test.
Local Favorite Fish Stop
Moving between the cavernous halls, we spotted Fergie’s Fish & Chips. This cuisine often falls short in the middle of the continent. We spotted pickerel (walleye), as an option, and our meal choice was decided. Like most eateries in The Forks, Fergie’s uses locally supplied ingredients. The fish comes from Lake Winnipeg and their potatoes are Manitoba-grown. The line moved quickly and after ordering we went to find a table.
First Taste of Manitoba
The meals came wrapped in newspaper-style fashion. This reminded us of a long-ago eatery in Kansas City, named Arthur Treacher’s. The fish filets are coated in a beer batter and fried to perfection. The crunch of my first bite exposed the tender white filet inside. My first bite was without tartar sauce so I could taste the true flavor of the fish. Memories of many less-than-favorable fish filets were erased with that one bite. The pieces were piping hot, but the flavor tempted me to risk a burn to get another taste.
Foodie Approved Fish & Chips
We dined in silence, as we were completely taken with the freshness of this meal. Crispy fries were dunked in ketchup, before disappearing. In place of the fish filets, only crumbs remained. This first taste of Manitoba would be a precursor of fantastic meals we would find all around Winnipeg. The two-piece fish meal cost $15 Canadian, equating to about $11 U.S. We discovered that Winnipeg, Manitoba is easy on the pocketbook of travelers.
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