As its name suggests, Landmark’s claim to fame is its unique location at the longitudinal centre of Canada. The cozy rural town caught the eye of Winnipeg chef Enzo Costantini for his newest entrepreneurial venture: Big E’s 206 Grill.
“I was looking for a restaurant in the city, actually, but then I saw the ad and decided to come out and take a look,” says Costantini.
He was immediately impressed with the community and its quick access to Winnipeg, where he resides. But it’s not his first foray into the small town experience, having worked as a chef in Sioux Lookout, Ontario in his earlier years.
Costantini proudly boasts a long history of chef experience, from the Caboto Centre, a banquet facility specializing in Italian cuisine, to Hy’s Steakhouse and later his very own restaurant on Corydon: Sofia’s Café. It’s his diverse restaurant experience that makes him a well-rounded chef. During his years at the Caboto Centre, he catered the Italian pavilion at Folklorama. At Hy’s, he learned the fine art of broiling the perfect steak and prime rib.
Though his Italian-influenced spaghetti, fettuccine, and chicken parmesan are on the menu, Big E’s cuisine options are varied and small-town traditional. The chef’s signature dish is a one-pound burger topped with chili, cheese, bacon, coleslaw, onions, lettuce, and tomato. The dish is aptly named the Big E burger, bearing the nickname of its formidable creator. The burger stands eight inches tall and has been a regular patron request. One could speculate on the kind of dare it might take to polish off a feast of that size.
When asked whether his Italian background makes his pizza different from the average, Costantini says it does. “To me the biggest flavour in the pizza should be the sauce. That’s what makes a pizza more than anything else.” This chef makes his own sauce from scratch, as he does with most of the dressings and staples of his entrees.
To fully appreciate what a Red Seal chef means to a small town eatery, one must experience it. And so I did, joined by hubby and sister in the comfortable deli-style atmosphere of the Main Street business. Between us, lunch consisted of a chicken Caesar salad, a chicken bacon wrap, and a sausage and eggs breakfast. Though my wrap was fresh and flavourful, with hand-breaded chicken and crispy bacon, I couldn’t help but steal my fork into hubby’s plate for a taste of his buttery-fried potatoes and thick-cut toast. It was worth it. Judging by the fact that virtually every table in the restaurant was full, others think so too.
In business now for two months, Costantini is looking forward to hosting theme nights featuring prime rib and other fine dining. The restaurant is fully licensed, and by fall he’s hoping to incorporate a broiler into the kitchen which will enable him to add quality steaks to the menu.
