Illustration by Fig & Ginger, drawn from the review. The venue's own photo is on its way.
Contemporary restaurant with Chinese influences in St. Boniface, Winnipeg
Nola
A Garden's Worth of Texture
Chef Emily Butcher calls herself a maximalist, and the menu backs her up. She grew up cooking from a Chinese heritage, trained in Vancouver at West, and worked under Mandel Hitzer at Deer + Almond. All three show. Nola came in at number 88 on Canada's 100 Best for 2026, which is a respectable place to be when the city's own pantry is the star.
The dish to chase is the smoked goldeye lo bak, served with seared scallops, grilled cabbage and a beurre blanc made with fermented radish. Read that again. Goldeye is a Manitoba fish with a smoky history, and lo bak is the radish cake you know from a dim sum cart. The judges praised a garden's worth of textures and sauces shot through with acidity, and that is accurate. Nothing sits flat on the plate.
The dining room looks out over the streets of St. Boniface, a neighborhood worth a detour on its own. Book ahead, sit by the window if you can, and let the kitchen decide how much is too much. With Butcher cooking, the answer is usually a little more.
- Order this
- Smoked goldeye lo bak with seared scallops, Anything with the fermented radish beurre blanc, Whatever vegetables are in season
- The damage
- $$$
- Go
- A weekend evening, booked ahead
- Find it
- 101-300 Taché Ave, Winnipeg, MB
- Website
- nolawpg.com