2020 was very likely going to be a big year for alt-country trio Petric. After years of steady growth along with a number of accolades from within Manitoba’s local country music circuit, the band entered 2020 with a highly anticipated album in the works and plans for a nationwide tour.
Like most things we looked forward to in 2020, those plans ultimately had to be put on hold due to the pandemic, but Petric is back and their first full-length album, Flashbacks, is already garnering plenty of buzz. It's proving popular with country music fans too as the album has had over a million streams since its release less than one month ago.
We recently had a chance to catch up with Petric guitarist and vocalist, Jordan Day–who officially joined the band back in 2015, but has been a key member since day one–to find out where he likes to go for food and drink in his hometown of Winnipeg.
Breakfast
With a few locations throughout the city of Winnipeg, you’re bound to find a Stella’s Cafe & Bakery near you. This local restaurant chain is one of my favourite breakfast spots for a couple reasons. First off it’s a great bang for your buck. The portion size compared to the price you’re paying is great value. They use fresh and healthy ingredients and even make all of their baking products fresh daily in house.
My favourite dish that they make is their Chorizo Hash. It has a great blend of heat mixed with the standard breakfast items that people love including two sunny side up eggs and toast. My wife will drink about 4-5 glasses of their homemade iced tea and they also have some amazing jams!
Lunch
Another locally owned restaurant here in Winnipeg, Nuburger puts a fresh take on [your typical] burger joint. These are not your run-of-the-mill cheeseburgers with the usual toppings. Ingredients that I’ve seen them use in the past include blueberry barbecue sauce, hot sauce-fried mushrooms, over-easy eggs, grilled pineapple and much more.
Every time I go here I try a different burger and it takes me a little outside my comfort zone as I’m not sure how the combinations of items on the burger are going to work. But trust me, you will love it. They also use a local Manitoba cheese, Bothwell, and have amazing home made fries and sweet potato fries.
Dinner
I was lucky enough to try The Merchant Kitchen a few years back during a work function and it has since become one of my wife and I’s favourite restaurants in the city. They have the best fried chicken that I’ve ever tasted in my life. I’m not sure what they do to it but it’s actually considered Korean fried chicken so maybe there’s a different technique that I’m not familiar with when preparing it.
There are a few staples on their menu as well as an ever-changing appetizer menu. I can honestly say I’ve never tasted one thing I didn’t like while going to the restaurant. Another great thing about this place is the atmosphere. It’s a very wide open space on one side centred around a bar as well as a more compartmentalized seating area on the other half of the restaurant. There is an energy that is always flowing at Merchant Kitchen and is a must-visit for anyone who’s never been!
Drinks
If you’re anything like me and you love a good whiskey, then this is the place in Winnipeg for you. The whiskey bar at The Toad In The Hole Pub has hundreds of bottles with a range of prices for everyone to enjoy.
Not only will you be able to enjoy a whiskey that you will never have heard of before, but they also are one of the best live music venues in the city. A lot of the city’s top musicians have played here before and you will have a great time no matter what day of the week it is.
