cafe dario

surprizingly disapointing. my husband and i visited cafe dario to celebrate my birthday based specifically on all the positive reviews. i was quite looking forward to our meal, however it was a real let down. the service was not great, the ambiance was so-so (sort of like eating in your grandma's living room), and the food was the real disappointment.

we started with drinks - anticipating some south american flair i had a pina colada and hubby ordered a cuba libre. my drink was mediocre (clearly from a mix), and the glass had spilled over prior to it being served and was delivered to me with liquid running down the sides without any offer or attempt to clean up the puddle that spread all over the table. the empty glass and it's puddles, along with discarded dishes from previous courses were not cleared up until the end of the meal, leaving the table messy and crowded.

i realize their menu changes, and it seems most of the selections previously reviewed were not on the menu we were provided with, but most options were slight variations of similar dishes.

for starter i had mussels in wine broth, which were okay, but nothing special. my husband had the escargot diablo, and although he definitely likes hot and spicy, these were over spiced to the point where he couldn't get past the excessive heat to enjoy any real flavour. he noted that the overpowering spice of this dish interfered with his enjoyment of later courses as well.

next course was a salad with chipotle cheddar dressing, which had a nice level of heat to it and good flavour, however the dressing had an oddly grainy texture which was distracting.

the soup course was a disappointing broccoli and cheese soup - nothing interesting here, just the sort of thing you'd get at a cheep buffet - slightly watery and sort of bland.

for the main course, i had lamb shank (not rack of lamb in kahlua sauce reviewed by other posters). what made this truly disappointing was that it was a tiny portion and was terribly fatty. there was only about three bites of meat and about four to five bites of flabby fat on the tiny shank piece. bleh. this came with a tiny scoop of mashed potatoes (nothing special) and three bits of steamed vegetables including an undercooked, hard slice of carrot. my husband had a spicy pork dish which was on the dry side and nothing special as well, served with the same sides.

for desert was a chocolate mousse with almonds, which was again unremarkable. the mousse had a nice chocolate flavour, but the almonds mixed in were no longer crisp, but rather chewy, again lending an unpleasant and distracting texture to this dish.

each courses portion sizes were incredibly small, which might have been okay had any of the courses been really satisfying in execution or flavour, but this was most definitely not the case. i left thinking we could have certainly had a far more satisfying meal at any number of our other favorite spots, and being the cook in our house hold i had the even worse feeling that i could have cooked us a more enjoyable meal had we just stayed home. ho hum. would not recommend.

nice change for lunch. have eaten here many times for lunch. i think it is reasonably priced, but sometimes there isn't something i want off the chalkboard. once i ordered mussels and more than half were not opened. i was pretty disapointed. it is a different place to go for lunch, but it usually gets pretty full. they don't seem to offer very many ethnic/unusual menu items--wish there would be more latin offerings.

excellent meal. finally had a chance to try this restaurant that was on my wishlist on my birthday. the food was delicious, i had the braised lamb and husband had the pork tenderloin with spicy mango chutney. the braised lamb was perfection - tender meat in a subtle but slightly spicy sauce on top a bed of mashed potatoes and a side of pureed beets, and roasted zucchinis. the appetizers were also well made - mine, bison skewers (although tiny, but enough for appetizers), and husband's escargot. everything had unique flavor and spices and well presented, well worth the set price of $35/ 5 courses.
the only complaint i have would be that the ambience and dining room was way too dark and dreary. it was an overcast day outside too, so with the curtains drawn, and the weak lighting, the room was far too dark and dreary, and not intimate - but once we requested that if the curtains may be open, we were able to see the wonderful dishes, and fully enjoy our experience. also, the decor is a little dated - like someone mentioned, like visiting your grandma's place. and the tables in our dining area seemed cramped in tiny space.
beyond that though - the food was superb, pacing of the courses was excellent, service was attentive, and the chef himself came out to talk after our entrees came out, which was a very nice touch.
highly recommended.

delicious winnipeg surprise. attentive service and a well-executed menu. the duck was very nice. bread and brownie were served warm. please advise the host of any and all particulars when making your reservation (food sensitivities, splitting bills, special occasions) a very accommodating group.

what a great little cafe!. cafe dario's reminded us of a quebec style 'old world' cafe. awesome service and the staff easily accommodated my girl friend's need for the gluten free choices. the escargot appy was very well done and not just the usual small snails swimming in garlic butter. same with the alligator appy which was very tasty. my gf had the duck and i had the lamb shank and both were done well. also, i must say, the soup was particularly tasty. all five courses to the meal were served in a timely fashion but don't expect to be in and out of there in a hurry. this restaurant is meant for people who want to savour their food, not wolf down crap. it's small, so i would definitely suggest a reservation because even on a tuesday night, it was three quarters full. with a half bottle of wine and a generous tip, the bill came to $120 which is what i would expect to pay. i was still feeling full a couple of hours later, so between the ambiance and the food, i would highly recommend this restaurant for one of those special occasion meals to take your sweetie out to.

great value, disappointing service. after much anticipation and reading many positive reviews, myself and a few friends went to cafe dario for dinner a few nights ago.
knowing that the menu is usually planned the day of, i called the day prior to confirm my reservation for 8 and to find out if i could get a sneak peek of the menu for the following day. the reception over the phone was luke warm, but the more questions i asked (being our first time to cafe dario) the more i sensed that i was more of an inconvenience and that my questions were not appreciated.
we arrived at the restaurant and were disappointed to see that a party of our size was placed in small room adjacent to the vestibule. it made it difficult, if not impossible for some people to manouver around the table just to get to the bathroom.
the selection of items for appetizers and entrees was excellent, and the visual presentation of everything left nothing to be desired. beautiful, careful and well thought out menu and presentation was a recurring theme throughout the 5 courses.
we were disappointed to find out that extra bread would be an extra charge, especially considering one of the appetizers (escargot diablo) was quite saucy and in need of something to sop up the spicy sauce.
perhaps it's intentional, perhaps it was the size of our party, perhaps it was the assumed inexperience of the server, but we seemed to wait an extraordinarily long time between courses, and one would think that the 3 courses that we did not get to choose (soup, salad and dessert) would at least be introduced to us instead of simply put in front of us leaving us to wonder what we were eating.
granted, there is a board in the foyer, but it was not completely updated, and did not seem to reflect some of the items that were served to us through out the evening (i.e. the board said cheesecake for dessert, but we got a chocolate-orange mousse instead).
several of us had asked for refills on our drinks and never got them, and the only time that we were asked how our meal was was during the entree. what about the appetizer, soup, and salad before it?
we were never offered any coffee/tea with the dessert course, and were it not for the great company of friends, the night would've been extremely disappointing.
we eventually got our bill, but our server was never to be seen again. finally after 20 minutes or so, we all decided to get up and leave our table, while two of us went searching for our server to pay our bill.
while i do not mind an automatic gratuity being added to bills for large parties, i do not appreciate a 15% grat being added to the bill without my knowledge or consent. this is information that should be shared up front during the reservation booking, or at the very least, printed on the menu. i also do not appreciate the bill being equally divided "for me" when some people did not consume alcohol and others had "premium" entrees for which there was a slight extra charge (lamb for instance). the server's writing was also illegible, making it next to impossible to decipher the bill and determine who owed what amount.
the automatic grat might well explain the horrible lack of service.
that being said - i feel that cafe dario offers excellent value for the price paid. $35 for a 5 course meal is nearly unheard of, and the entrees are certainly not your run-of-the-mill fare. the entree options on the night of our visit included such things as an 8 oz new york strip, a 1/2 rack of lamb, tilapia, duck breast, lobster ($10 extra), chicken breast stuffed with mild mushrooms etc i can hardly think of a decent meal in this city for under $25, and throw in an appetizer, salad, soup and dessert, and very quickly you're over $60-$70/person.
i'm positive i won't be going back to cafe dario anytime soon, but would be willing to try it again under different circumstances (a weeknight with a smaller party).

excellent spicey food. four of us decided to enjoy an evening out and made a reservation @ cafe dario! a 5 course meal for only $35. each plus beverage/alcohol....how inexpensive can you get!

everything was deeeelicious.... i had the spicey pork tenderloini and was if spicey....so much so that i had to stick my tongue and lips in the icewater, alot! the meat was tender and delicious and i did eat the whole thing.

the server should have warned us that it was an 11 out of 10 for heat! she did tell another table it was an 8 out of 10, only after they asked. i had already eaten mine, so too late for me! she did inform us about another dish that was a 2 out of 10.

one other negative issue i had was the server's attire... the top had seen better days and her pants were dirty/stained. she had no sense of humour and did not seem very happy/pleasant. still the service and food was excellent. when you are dealing with the public, enjoy them when they are happy and trying to have a fun time, because there may be one table who are miserable and could it for you(the server).

when taking stock of the age group that was in there, i felt all those hot spicey dishes could/should be toned down. maybe have only a couple of spicey ones and more of the non-spicey.

highly recommend this eatery, spicey or not... just ask your server how hot things are first!

great lunch too!. i love cafe dario's 5 course dinner (see previous review) and i have to say their lunch is also delicious! there was a lot of entrees to choose from with most of the dishes between $12-$18, including the soup of the day and bread. you can get a pre fixe lunch menu for about $22 which includes a starter and dessert but the entree is pre-selected.

the complimentary soup had shrimp in it and a slight bit of heat to it - delicious!

the half rack of lamb with chocolate sauce ($17). it came with 3 lamb chop pieces and were cooked to a perfect medium rare. the crust was well seasoned and perfect. the sauce was a bit too chocolately but this was still a great dish. it came with some smashed potatoes, and pureed beets and a roasted zucchini. everything including the veggies were cooked perfectly and well seasoned. the duck breast ($14) was cooked just past medium and had a great cumin flavour to it!

the only complaint i have is the bread...it's the only letdown at this otherwise great restaurant. i understand it's complimentary but it's such a dry piece of bread that's feels like it's a day old. anyhow, service is great and friendly there.

you can go to a random restaurant chain like earls or moxie's for lunch and end up with the same price that i paid for lunch. but you definitely won't get the originality or quality that you get at cafe dario!


-----27 nov, 2010-----

fabulous 5 course meal. yum! 5 course meal for $35 with a hint of south american flare that is updated almost daily! the price is great and the food is delicious. of all the prix fixe menus i've tried in the city, this one is probably the best value and produces solid dishes. this was my second visit; i tried this place several years ago but i had a mixed experience - some dishes were okay and some were not. but my recent visit was great with just a few minor misses.

the ambiance is nothing special; it's on old tiny house on erin st. and wellington ave in the west end. the place is cozy and intimate.

for appetizers, you have about 7 options. i chose the el diablo escargot dish - probably the best starter i've had in a while (and i eat out a lot!) and definitely the best escargot preparation too. this dish was served in a small ramekin in an addicting spicy dark sauce filled with escargot, mushrooms and melted provolone cheese. the best way i can describe it - it's like eating a spicy french onion soup but with escargots . my bf chose the mussels which was in a delicious cream sauce - a hint of heat and parmesan.

i love bread baskets and i have to say that it was probably the least favourite part of my entire meal; it was a dry bun with some butter, 'nuff said.

the soup was a spicy beef and black bean and corn soup; wow, another winning dish. i love spicy dishes so this one warmed me right up on a cold winter night! the spinach salad with onions and tomatoes dressed with a roasted pepper and basil dressing - very flavourful and refreshing salad.

for the entrees, you get to choose 1 of 7 options again. no worries as you will find something you like here as they have beef, pork, lamb, fish, chicken and duck options (though some had an add-on price, like the lobster for an extra $10). i chose the crispy skin duck breast; unfortunately the skin was not crispy at all, plus my dish was quite cool in temperature compared to my bf's piping hot chicken dish. the duck breast was cooked medium rare (though i think the server should have asked how i wanted the meat to be cooked). i ate the medium rare duck and it was fine, but the meat was a tad too chewy. if the duck was more tender, it would have been a great dish. otherwise, the sauce was great, the sides were terrifically well seasoned. there was an addicting potato mash and a sweet beet puree along with steamed some carrots and broccoli. my bf had the stuffed chicken dish - now the skin on this dish was perfectly crispy! the chicken was moist and well seasoned!

our final course was a small square of warm sun dried cherry brownie with some whipped cream and mint on the side. i love warm fresh baked desserts and i liked the portion size - about 4 bites worth. the perfect amount for me at least, since i never have room for dessert.

i liked that you leave full but you won't feel overly stuffed. granted, i think if you have a massive appetite, you might not feel as satiated. but for the average person, the portions are appropriate.

our server was friendly and attentive; it's not fine dining experience but i liked the casual atmosphere of this place.

they are open for lunch on the weekdays with many offerings, many are in the $10-$14 range. the owner also operates the maple tree in selkirk with the same concept and pricing - a coworker went and there and thought it was fantastic.

it's tough to get reservations on the weekend so make a reservation!

absolutely wonderful. i have to start out by saying that in preparation for my first wedding anniversary i searched high and low for a nice place to eat that would be absolutely perfect for our big night. i looked at countless reviews and couldn't find anything with legs to actually stand against cafe dario.
now on with our night!
i had called about a week and a half in advance to reserve for the following thursday evening and mentioned that it would be our first anniversary. upon entering and giving the reservation name, they exclaimed, "oh! happy anniversary!". how nice! but i'm not so easily swayed.
they had a table prepared for us and we were promptly sat and drink orders were taken nearly immediately while water was poured upon first visit. since the food is a little exotic i asked the server for some input and he helped out rather nicely.
this is a $35 prix fixte menu where you choose only your appetizer and your entree while soup, salad and dessert are chef's choice.
for our appetizers my husband had an alligator empanada which had the flakeyest and most tasteful pastry i think i have ever had. the alligator was very well done and prepared, we find, nicer than the way they do it in florida. i had a spicey chicken stuffed roll w/ sour cream lime glaze. it was not quite as stunning as my husband's dish but still great.
our fresh green salad w/caper dressing was suprizingly delicious and probably my husband's favourite which is suprizing since he doesn't like vinaigrette! the soup was incredible, a shrimp jalapeno, which let you taste all the flavours and only had a hint of head on the back of your throat so you could feel it but could also get around it to the flavour!
the meals, baked crusted cod and jalapeno, cheddar &apple stuffed chicken breast, were both wonderful with a great balance of flavour; lots! i loved that the chef could flavour a dish so wonderfully without relying on salt as so many others will!!
because of the way they bring the courses to you, you get a chance to talk in between and enjoy your evening. the portion sizes, in comparison to chain restaurants, are rather small but are actually perfect for the evening. you get a enough to sate your stomach but still keep you looking forward to the next one!
after dinner, we were happy! we could have gone without dessert and been perfectly fine. which is exactly why they brought out a small tartelette of strawberry rhubarb filling w/whipped cream and a slice of strawberry. i nice light sweet that didn't make you feel guilty for eating it after such an incredible meal. capped off our night perfectly.
you want some cons, you say? well... they sat us at a table near the kitchen/front door and under the open sign so i was a little chilly but the weather outside was awful and our reservation was late. the restaurant was nearly full when we got there, so now i know! if you want to avoid this, ask to be sat in the cozy side of the restaurant furthest from the door and you'll be safe. on the bill the server wrote in the wrong drink which added $2 to the bill, however, when we mentioned it he promptly took it off and apologised.
all in all, i have to say, we will certainly be back to sample the rotating menu and i suggest you make your way around as well!!

amazing. i have heard so much about this place but kept driving by and thinking , no way.. finally took a chance and i can't believe how impressed i was. i cant remember the last time i have had such a great 5 course meal. i had the spicy mango pork that was so juicy it melted in my mouth. 2 people 5 course meal with a bottle of wine for $110 .. i would highly recommend to anyone!

awesome quality and value. cafe dario was a great dining experience - excellent staff and service, food was well-prepared and delicious, and at an amazing price. perfect portion sizes as well. i love that the menu is different each time we visit for a whole new experience.

i love this place!. my boyfriend and i went here last friday after waiting two weeks from when i made the reservation. we've heard nothing but wonderful things about this restaurant, and now that we got to see it for ourselves, we are beyond satisfied! one thing i was unhappy about was why we weren't given steak knives for our steak and lamb.. the table next to us got steak knives for fish! the meat was cooked to perfection though, so the butter knife was sufficient to slice with! i just find it kinda weird..

enjoy this place!. i read a review by marry me... and he/she summed it up very nicely. i 100% agree that this establishment cares about the food, quality and making their guests feel like they are at home. $35.00 for what you get is a great deal when your dealing with food in this caliber.

best dining experience. my boss took us here for our x-mas party this past year. him and his wife frequent this place and have recommened it several times.

the decor- the restaurant is really a refurbished house so it is made up of several rooms and you may miss it if you drive by. but they we able to accomidate 17 of us in one area. the atmosphere is cosy, like a house and with there being more than one room you get some privacy when dining.

the food- amazing! i had never had south american food before but loved it. everything has a bit of spice and fruit flavour (ie. mango, passion fruit) mixed together to get something great. every lunch and supper they have new specials menu. most places have a beef, chicken fish, and maybe pork. they had beef, chicken, pork, lamb, duck, and fish on the daily menu. now this is a group function so i don't know if it's always like this but we got to sample several appetizers which were all great. the salad was good and had a nice dressing. the soup was sooo goood, i could of just had that and been happy. i'm told by my boss's wife that you can get a appetizer, starter, entree and dessert for $35 which is a good price considering what you get. i remember the white wine being very good as well.

the service- the server did really well with a big group and they able to accomidate to special dietary needs a few coworkers had. we had let them know ahead of time that there were a few vegetarians in the group so they had items just for them. but really we had one vegan, one vegetarian with a dairy allergy, and one vegetarian with a gluten allergy. this is something the staff didn't know ahead of time and were able to adjust on-the-fly or in the case of the appetizers the server just let them know which ones were ok to eat. so even with all of our dietary needs the server was still pleasent and the food tasted great.

i would recommend it to anyone

marry me. dear cafe dario, please be my life partner? no? well fine then.

i really have no complaints. small, intimate setting, and although the meal is gourmet, timed perfectly and the waitstaff polished to the extreme, this isn't a hoity toity downtown, nose in the air, overpriced "lifestyle" dining establishment. this is ridiculously good food, prepared by people who obviously care about the quality and yes, even artistry of what they serve. to boot, it's served by waitstaff who are clearly treated well and want to do well (also the redhead is hot, but you didn't hear that from me).

the menu varies and you will need a reservation, but dinner was exemplary. there's no point in commenting on the salad or appetizers, as those change so frequently, except to say they were well done, delicious, and perfectly timed.

although the specific preparations change, there always seems to be a choice of entrees between beef, chicken, duck, lamb, fish, lobster, and whatever else. i had the duck and it was delightful. they suggest a preparation level, but for duck, beef or lamb, if you prefer more or less rare, just say so.

long story short, for the prix fixe price of $35, you really can't get a better deal - no hidden costs, a great meal, prepared and served by people who seem to enjoy working there, and the menu changes, so your "chef" isn't just a habit-driven prep/line cook.

if you want to blow the bank, i recommend taking advantage of one of the most reasonably priced (and least crap-filled) wine lists in winnipeg and having their damn fine coffee (although you're still going to end up way