Photo courtesy of RAW: almond

As the winter wind howls its way through Manitoba, foodies dive into their winter woolens and head for the river to check out one of Canada’s trendiest dining experiences.

RAW: almond, a pop-up restaurant in Winnipeg is only open for a few weeks each year, and only as long as the waters where the Assiniboine and Red rivers meet stay frozen. Now in its fourth year, RAW: almond heats up Manitoba’s food scene Jan. 25 to Feb. 14, 2016.

A recipient of the 2015 Tourism Association of Canada’s Innovator of the Year award, RAW: almond runs for 20 days with three sittings for 40 guests per night. What’s more, diners have no idea what’s cooking until they sit down on their fur-lined stools inside the tent, at two long, communal tables. One table features an out-of-town chef while the other is hosted by a band of top local chefs host the second table. Chefs rotate nightly.

Guests are served a multi-course meal with fine ingredients and creative flavours. Menus from past years have included duck pierogis sprinkled with duck prosciutto and bison tartare flavoured with dried salsa, chimichurri aioli and cured yolk.

RAW: almond is the brainchild of Mandel Hitzer, chef/owner of local restaurant Deer + Almond and architect/designer Joe Kalturnyk of RAW Gallery. The winter pop-up restaurant was designed to connect Winnipeg’s art and food communities, create a local food experience and help redefine the city’s winter reputation, according to Hitzer.

“It’s the kind of experience that connects people,” said Hitzer.

RAW: almond is located along the Red River Mutual Trail, which holds the Guinness World Record as the longest naturally frozen skating trail. The trail stretches for nearly six kilometres down the Assiniboine and Red Rivers.

Dinner tickets are $120 per person, but all dinner seatings have already sold out for 2016. A walk-up brunch is available for $25 (cash) per person and is served on weekends.

For more information, visit www.raw-almond.com.

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