cafe dario

the dario treat. a rather dull and industrial-looking location hides an unexpected and interesting little gem of a restaurant, staked out in a former residence. cafe dario is an intriguing dining experience, because of its uncommon idea of a new menu, set weekly. dinner patrons pay a flat fee of $35.00 for a 5 course meal consisting of an appetizer, soup, salad, entree, and dessert. you can choose your ap and entree among options, but the chef makes one soup, salad and dessert for all.

dietary considerations are addressed if you call ahead. this vegetarian decided to spend the night vegan for the sake of simplicity, and enjoyed the adventure of being surprised, mostly pleasantly, by each course.

it was an exciting experience, having a room full of people all served at once. (you must reserve, as the room was at capacity.) the timing of such meal preparation is an art in itself. arrive hungry. you get a lot!

everything was presented so beautifully, and with great attention to detail. my appetizer had a dipping sauce with a tasty bite, but was not a meal favourite. soup was coconut carrot ginger, which could have been more flavourful. the salad was exceptional in its simplicity and taste, with fancy lettuce so fresh, that it could have just been clipped from the garden. greens were wrapped in a ribbon of cucumber, and complemented by a delicious dressing.

the vegan main course consisted of a filling fabulous epinada--excuse spelling ;-) packed with roasted vegetables, while the artfully garnished sides included sliced carrots, and a tasty beet puree.

my alternative vegan dessert was a refreshing watermellon sorbet served in a martini glass. the chef's dessert was a beautifully presented square of mouth-watering rich mint brownie, reminiscent of laura secord's delicious french mint chocolate bar. decorated with a dollop of whipped cream and a strawberry, it was heaven!

it appears from other reviews that the lunch menu is priced much lower. the set dinner cost is however more than reasonable considering that the number of courses you get would be much more expensive ordered separately elsewhere, and also the sheer amount of food you receive.

cafe dario in quaint and cozy. there is little separation between rooms and tables, so it can get a bit noisy, but it is a real dining experience that is definitely worth it.

terrible wait time, mediocre food that is stingy & overpriced. we waited sooooo long for even bread!!! when our food finally came, it was scant to say the least (one shrimp in the appetizer - come on!), and overpriced for what you got. i would not return!!!!

birthday lunch !. took my dad for lunch the other day on his birthday and i was happy to see they have a new lunch waitress who despite being inexperienced was an absolute pleasure over the rude one they used to have here. i was also pleased to see they now had a hands on lunch menu instead of the menu board.
i had the cornmeal crusted salmon and my dad had the lamb chops with kahlua reduction. both meals came with the soup of the day which was creamy chipotle potato (excellent) ! my salmon was nicely cooked and topped with a great sauce. my dad's lamb chops were also cooked to perfection med/ rare. veggies included the usual smashed garlicky potatoes, pureed beets & grilled zucchini. flavours and presentation were perfect and such great prices too for the quality of food you receive.


-----05 dec, 2010-----

fun night !!. after my 1st lunch experience here with a rude waitress i was wondering whether or not to go back for dinner but i am glad we did !! the fixed menu was varied enough for everyone to find something they liked and the price was great ! our dinner service was fantastic thanks to lola and all the food was well prepared and tasty (though they could have been served warmer). will definitely be back .
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ps have returned and this time our meals were served hot. the elk osso bucco was divine, hearty and rich, so tender it fell off the bone. yum !

reliable menu & service. always enjoy darios. lunch menu tasty, reasonably prices and always fresh. the servers always friendly. enjoy the spicy pork tenderloin. if you like a little spice you'll enjoy chef dario's creations.

superb. we went there for mothers day. my mom had gone for lunch before and love it, so we made reservations for 5pm. (she's brought it up many times.) every portion of every dish was perfection. i have many food allergies and the chef came out and talked with me about my allergies and tolerances and made sure whatever i ordered was safe for me to eat. he even said if i called in advance they could make sure to have particular items for me. each portion came out with perfect timing, with just a bit of space between courses. the whole thing took about 2 hours which was ideal for spending time together and enjoying each course without rush or waiting. delicious and the service was excellent, checked on and had our glasses filled whenever starting to go down. our waiter was lovely and made the perfect wine suggestion. we will be back. new favorite.

presentation was very nice, but unfortunately that's where my compliments end. the food was just ok. though it was cooked well, it lacked flavor. i had the breaded cod fillet. maybe there are better options. service was adequate and the place is clean, but the decor is very grandma's-house, and so is the smell. their food would taste better if the room didn't smell so old. there are certainly better options in the same price bracket.

never again. we all agreed later we should have listened to our initial "gut reactions", and left the cafe.

these reactions occurred as we were issued an order from the kitchen to get seated! we hadn't yet finished perusing the lunch offerings on the board located at the entrance (no menues were to be offered at the table).

once seated, one of our chairs was quite wobbly, and we chose to switch it for a more comfortable one located at an empty table. from the kitchen came a very audible criticism about the exchange!

i was informed by the waitress my order would come as a wrap. the soup was very, very good. no wrap...the food item that arrived was such that i could have made at home with a slice of meat and an unexceptional bun. i refused to accept the offering, and became vocal about it.

the chef came out of the kitchen and following a very unpleasant exchange, i was told to leave the premises. another dissatisfied patron in our group left, as well. on the way out, i informed folks with questioning expressions on their faces what the problem was.

i imagine the few remaining patrons were left in a tense atmosphere, as were the other women in our group who wanted to finish their good lunches.

when friends and acquaintances talk with me about this cafe incident, their reactions are quite interesting, and i think it is important folks know about the range of experiences that do occur at an establishment.

always a great meal here. a unique cost and romantic place with wonderful food. i always take out of town visitors here and we've never been disappointed.

this is a different place than the regular chain restaurant and is very reasonable for what you get. if your celebrating something this is a great option. food, service and ambiance are very good.

after much anticipation i finally visited cafe dario friday evening. it was everything i’d hoped it would be. my husband and i went with another couple and we all enjoyed ourselves thoroughly. each course was delicious and beautifully presented. the atmosphere was relaxed and cozy - we were able to all have a conversation at the table and not have to shout to be heard. our server was so friendly and attentive (and also celebrating his birthday), and just added to our overall experience.
it was a fantastic place - we all agreed we would return and recommend in the future.

great food, 5 fabulous courses! many gluten-free options. creative, flavourful dishes. friendly, attentive service. best meal out in a long time!

was good for first time there. food was excellent, service could have been better. other tables got served coffee/tea after dessert, but that was never offered to us... just got given the bill right away. not sure if it’s because my boyfriend and i are younger... kinda seemed snobby.

food, pricing and presentation is exceptional.  the escargot is highly recommended.  my girl friend and i made a reservation to try their $28 ciao dine about 3 course meal and a few other menu items.  this was our second time here, and unfortunately our service was not at an exceptional level. i made a reservation a week in advance, but we had to wait over 30 minutes to get our seats.  i could tell the man who was taking care of us was stressed out. i think it was the owner.  the other servers seemed really great.  it was a rough start, we finally sat down, and the waiter was annoyed that we sat in the chairs that didn't have the plates and glass, and he made it clear that " he cannot reach the glass".  my girl friend told him that she was highly allergic to raw onions, so we thought he would advise us if any of the dishes we ordered had raw onions. i ordered the seafood ceviche which was filled with a lot of raw onion. i ended up asking another server to switch to the chicken tostada instead.  the owner came by our table with the bill and explained that he charged us for the seafood ceviche because we didn't tell him she was trying a piece of it.  at the end of the day, people will go where the customer service is supreme. i love the food here, its top quality and the presentation is beautiful. i hope they work on the customer service part. its easy to give great service when its slower, its when you have a full house that shows how capable your business is at providing a supreme level of experience in regards to both product and service.

i have had dinner and lunch twice now at care dario's, and i have never been disappointed. this has become my favourite romantic dinner date restaurant in the city; the special on sunday, monday, tuesday is great (dinner for 2 with a bottle of house wine, $109). the food is exquisite here. last night my partner had the elk ossobuco and he said it was the best meal he ever ate. i had the spicy escargot with mushrooms as an appetizer and loved early bite of it, and had the beef tenderloin with chimmichurri, and it was cooked to perfection. i love the atmosphere here, it's a small restaurant decorated with masks all over the walls. the dinner courses are brought out slowly, so be prepared to dine and have lots of time to chat with whoever you are having dinner with. dario, the owner and head chef, came out during the meal to chat with all the patrons, he is hilarious and clearly cares about ensuring his guests have a great experience. he even took drinks orders for people and helped his waitress bus a table. all around, a great experience every time. seriously one of winnipeg's best restaurants.

cafe dario is an amazing restaurant!!. went for a meal last night and was blown away by the delicious food .. atmosphere.. and price. the variety and beautiful presentation of each dish was fantastic. highly recommend for the flavorful cuisine, cozy setting and friendly staff. truly a little gem in our city!.