HAL’S KITCHEN: Bellisimo lives up to its name in Italian, it really is wonderful

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Knowing I write this column, my friends will often invite my wife Jackie and I out for dinner at their favourite restaurant. I love it because it’s a great way to try new places to eat that are almost always very good. We recently went for dinner at Bellissimo with Dr. Alan Grant and his wife Maggie Lee Grant. I’ve known them since we were neighbours in Tuxedo three decades ago. I’ve often driven by it but never eaten there, nor has Jackie. Well, let me tell you, what a fantastic Italian restaurant! I had pasta, Jackie had pizza, it was all excellent! I think the stellar service may have been the best part of the night. So if you’re craving Italian, Alan and Maggie highly recommend Bellissimo Restaurant & Lounge at 877 Waverley Street. And now Jackie and Hal do too…

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BREW AT THE ZOO

Brew at the Zoo is back and it’s apparently going to be bigger and better than ever. It’s set for Friday, Sept. 13 at Assiniboine Park Zoo. You’ll be able to enjoy unlimited samples of craft beer, cider, wine, spirits and non-alcoholic drinks from dozens of breweries and distributors. The event returned last year after a three year hiatus because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Tickets start at $55 and are available now at AssiniboinePark.ca/events/Brew-at-the-zoo and the Zoo entrance.

ORGANIC CHOCOLATE BAD FOR YOU?

A new study out of George Washington University says organic chocolate may contain dangerous levels of heavy metals. Researchers analyzed 72 popular cocoa products sold in the US and found 43% of them have more lead in them than California’s Proposition 65 allows. They also contained more cadmium. Arsenic levels were low across all samples.

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SAVING RED LOBSTER

If you’re a Red Lobster fan, I’ve got some good news for you. Even Though many of the chain’s restaurants have closed, experts say the ones that are still open can likely be saved. Fortress Investment Group predicts business will continue more or less as usual without more closures. Red Lobster filed for bankruptcy in May after offering a tantalizing endless shrimp deal.

$150 CHEESEBURGER!

The price of fast food is out of control but this takes the cake. A New York restaurant called Sip & Guzzle is offering a $150 cheeseburger that’s served on a golden platter. The Royale With Cheese (probably inspired by Pulp Fiction) is, according to one food critic, the fanciest cheeseburger you’re ever going to eat. The Royale With Cheese features A5 Miyazaki wagyu tenderloin (the highest graded beef in the world) and is topped with aged white cheddar. It’s seasoned with minced onions, a special wasabi-based barbecue sauce, smoked soy sauce, brown sugar, tomato and rice vinegar and shio koji (a Japanese condiment). And instead of being served on a bun, this boujee burger is wrapped in shokupan milk bread which is flown in fresh from a bakery in Hollywood. And then it’s all served in a golden bento-like box.

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CAFFEINATED RAMEN

Japanese brand Nippon Ham has released caffeine and ramen noodles. Boost Noodles don’t need to be heated up and can be eaten with one hand so stopping what you’re doing is necessary. The Taipa-style ramen was created by a professional gamer who didn’t want to put his controller down to eat. Boost Noodle is available for just over $4 on Japanese e-commerce websites.

— Hal has written columns for years. He’s also the host of Connecting Winnipeg weekday mornings from 10 to noon on 680 CJOB. You can email him at Hal@HalAnderson.ca.

Have thoughts on what’s going on in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada or across the world? Send us a letter to the editor at wpgsun.letters@kleinmedia.ca

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