Segovia Tapas Bar welcomes you in through its elegant doors to enjoy Spanish-inspired cuisine in Winnipeg. (Jesse Gair/Spectator Tribune photo)
In April, Vacay.ca will give away a Grand Prize for dinner for two and round-trip airfare to the winner of the 2013 Foodie of the Year Contest. Eligible entrants vote for their favourite Canadian restaurants and can submit their reviews of their dining experiences, some of which will be published. Deborah Son submitted the following review on Winnipeg’s Segovia Tapas Bar & Restaurant. Join in the debate over the Best Restaurants in Canada by sending in your vote to vote@vacay.ca, or providing a review of your own on our Have Your Say page!
Story by Deborah Son
2013 Vacay.ca Foodie of the Year Contest Entrant
WINNIPEG, MANITOBA — Segovia is a beautiful Spanish tapas restaurant in the heart of trendy Osbourne Village in Winnipeg. I am sure anyone familiar with the city has already heard of it; and yes, everything that you have heard is true.
Your initial impressions of the restaurant begin outside on Stradbrook Avenue as you walk up the steps and come face-to-face with gorgeous dark wooden doors and a stunning view of the restaurant’s name emboldened upon a space just to the left of your view. You can already hear the chatter inside and a brief glimpse through the windows lets you know that it is packed.
Visiting Segovia at night is an extraordinary experience. Tiny, glowing candles illuminate every table, casting warm shadows upon your plates of food and glasses of wine. Along with small light fixtures hanging every few metres from the ceiling, the restaurant is otherwise mostly dark. Much of the light comes from the kitchen in the evening, but this does nothing to take away from the overall ambience of the establishment. The lounge contains beautiful rustic wooden tables with an exposed brick wall near the chef’s work station. Although the tables are small and some very close together, nobody seems to mind and the spatial proportions only seem to lead to new and interesting conversations with neighbours about the food and drink you try that night. The dining area features more of a modern flair, with designed black walls, matte white tables, and a silver fireplace. All in all, it is an attractive, warm and welcoming atmosphere that draws you in to have an enjoyable experience.
Segovia Proves Worthy of High Praise
Now, on to the food; wow — is it delicious. I have had the chance to try a few of chef Adam Donnelly’s dishes and have never felt disappointed. Each plate of tapas overflows with fresh ingredients and a sexy mingling of flavours that delight the taste buds, leaving you only with the desire to steal another bite. One of my favourite dishes boasts Albacore tuna as the main attraction, with fried peanuts, mint aioli, radish, and Serrano peppers ($12). The fish tasted so fresh and just seemed to melt in my mouth as I took my first bite. Other standouts include savoury braised short ribs with fingerling potatoes as well as lemon mascarpone-filled dates with roasted pistachios and sweet maple syrup.
The servers are also extremely friendly and helpful, even assisting to plan out a meal for the ones who sit down in the restaurant and feel overwhelmed after staring at the menu for 15 minutes unable to decide where to begin.
So if you are ever in the mood for tapas, Segovia should be at the top of your list.
More About the 2013 Vacay.ca Canadian Foodie of the Year Contest
Vacay.ca’s 2013 Foodie of the Year Contest features a Grand Prize of Dinner for Two at the restaurant of the winner’s choice on the 2013 list, round-trip airfare to that restaurant’s destination city and a luxury hotel stay!
Segovia is one of Winnipeg’s most popular restaurants. (Jesse Gair/Spectator Tribune photo)
To be eligible for the 2013 Canadian Foodie of the Year Contest, simply follow these steps:
- Vote for your favourite restaurant by emailing vote@vacay.ca
- Follow Vacay.ca on Twitter (@VacayCanada)
- Friend Vacay.ca on Facebook (www.facebook.com/Vacay.ca)
- Tell our editors about your great culinary experiences and why you should be Foodie of the Year!
Votes from the public will be added to those of the revamped Vacay.ca academy of judges and will be used to determine the 2013 Top 50 Restaurants in Canada List, which will include a second annual People’s Choice winner (won last year by Ottawa’s Atelier).
Winners will be announced in April 2013, in conjunction with the unveiling of the 2013 Top 50 Restaurants in Canada List. In April 2012, Vacay.ca was the first publication to ever compile a list of Canada’s 50 best restaurants — and it was a huge success thanks to our audience members like Deborah Son!
More Vacay.ca Foodie of the Year Entries
- Joe Beef Delights Reader Jo-Ann Samo
More About Segovia Tapas Bar & Restaurant
Location: 484 Stradbrook Avenue, Winnipeg, Manitoba
Telephone/Email: 204-477-6500; info@segoviatapasbar.com
Website: segoviatapasbar.com
Hours of Operation: Friday and Saturday, 5 pm-midnight; Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Sunday: 5-11 pm
Menu Prices: Tapas share plates ranging from $9-$16
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