Embracing the cold

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 11/02/2023 (1185 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

To indulge in a meal of braised bison brisket, brandied peppercorn sauce, black truffle mashed potatoes and roasted root vegetables requires an elegant restaurant to eat in, one would think.

The Den is about to put that idea on ice. Literally.

The latest addition to a parcel of land in St Adolphe, which houses A Maze in Corn corn maze in the fall and a Guinness World Record snow maze in the winter will, as of this weekend, add “adventure dining experience” to its offerings.

“Very plain and simply: it’s a restaurant made of snow,” said Dave Neufeld, one of the people behind the new undertaking.

The concept is from the mind of Clint Masse, owner of A Maze in Corn and architect of the snow maze and all its moving parts.

“People are looking for a unique experience,” Masse said from his property, just days out from welcoming the first guests to the cool (literally) new space after chipping away at it for the last 90 days alongside a team of 20.

When considering what to add to his manufactured winter wonderland for the 2023 winter season, Masse looked elsewhere in the world to see how other countries embraced frigid temperatures.

Taking ideas from Scandanavian countries and other nations who could be considered winter warriors, a snow restaurant was born.

The structure itself, carved out of over 500,000 lbs. of snow made on-site, is lit only by candles and strategically-placed lights to add to the three intimate dining rooms, with a total capacity of 100. Complimenting them is an ice bar with offerings of beer, wine and ice goblets to shoot some Caribou or Baileys out of.

“We know that that Manitobans have an appetite for something like this,” Dave said.

Dave and his wife, Jenn, were in the slow season from their wedding venue business in Niverville, Whitetail Meadow, when Masse approached them with the idea. With the construction side of things secured, Masse tasked Dave and Jenn to take care of the rest.

Jenn called the partnership a “lovely pairing” as the couple have close connections in the wedding industry, one rife with décor, booze, and most importantly — food.

WOW! Hospitality’s executive chef Luc Jean will be The Den’s inaugural cuisiner in which he created two hyper-local dinner menus for Saturday seatings and a tapas menu for Friday nights.

Lake Winnipeg pickerel, Manitoba bison and beetroot and other offerings pay homage to the prairie province on Chef Luc’s “warm comfort food” menus.

Jenn said catering to a crowd with an appetite for fine dining was intentional.

“I think there’s a certain clientele for something like this,” she said.

The couple said The Den isn’t a family restaurant; they don’t have early bird specials or endless coffee — and their prices reflect the experience: admission to the four-course seating on Saturday nights run $180 a ticket, while the tapas menu on Friday nights rings in at $130 a pop.

“It takes a colossal amount of money, manpower, and innovation to do something like this,” Dave said.

To round out the hyper-local menu, the building’s decor and sponsors working with the Neufeld’s are also from the neighbourhood: Patent 5 and One Great City Brewing are title sponsors for the ice bar, while Niverville-based roasters Negash Coffee are to come on board to assist with warm beverages.

The elements necessary for a restaurant are also from the environment around it, down to the tables — blocks of ice harvested from the Red River — and seats — local trees sawed down to chair-sized stumps. Murals carved in the walls of The Den come from local artists, too.

Those who are familiar with it will surely compare The Den to Winnipeg-based RAW:Almond, another fine dining event hosted on the frozen river near The Forks by Deer + Almond Chef Mandel Hitzer, which is hosting its tenth festival this year.

Seeing the success of the concept Masse knew there was a taste for something different when it came to fine dining. However, the Neufelds and Masse didn’t want to compete with the RAW:Almonds of the world. They instead carved out their own niche.

Unlike outdoor dining experiences elsewhere, The Den is not heated, so guests may want to opt for snow suits rather than tailored ones.

“We’re hoping that people see the value in something really different and really unique,” Dave said.

“And I’m always up for a challenge,” Jenn added.

Masse’s vision for his property is ever-evolving, with ice and snow sculptures coming and going over the last five seasons. However, he’s convinced The Den will stick around.

Plus, Masse isn’t worried about customer buy-in for the novel concept. The place speaks for itself.

“If you do something noteworthy, then people share it for you.”

The Den will run every Friday and Saturday until March 11. Tickets can be purchased at thedenrestaurant.ca.