The Posh Foodie

Winnipeg’s food scene is on fire! 🔥 The city added 4 new non-chain Asian restaurants in January and February 2025.

I’ve tried them all and they’re worth the visit. Whether you’re into authentic ramen, AYCE hot pot or BBQ, there’s something new for everyone in Winnipeg.

Below are my experiences, plus a YouTube video featuring all four restaurants!

1. Isekai Ramen

https://www.isekairamen.com/
📍1039 Cathedral Ave. Winnipeg MB R2X 1J6

Winnipeg’s ramen scene just leveled up, and it’s all thanks to Isekai Ramen. Seriously, we’ve waiting for more authentic ramen in the city, and our ramen prayers have finally been answered. 😊

Isekai Ramen is the brainchild of the team behind the beloved, but now-closed Dwarf no Cachette Cafe & Gift. So, no reservations here – get ready to put your patience to the test on a busy night. But trust me, it’s worth the wait.

The place has a cool fantasy-themed vibe with a menu that’s just as playful (hello, Gryphons and Krakens!). Staff is very friendly. We tried two appetizers and two signature ramen dishes.

• Fried Gryphone (Chicken Karaage) – Crispy outside, tender inside, and the karaage mayo was so good!

• Kraken Balls (Octopus Balls) – Perfectly savoury and flavourful.

• The Oak Tree Ramen – Rich broth with handmade noodles that had the perfect texture.

• Dwarf’s Curry Ramen – Bold, deep flavours and a broth that was absolutely outstanding!
  The shrimp tempura didn’t get soggy even after sitting in the bowl for a while.

If you love authentic ramen in Winnipeg, this place is a must-visit! 🍜🔥

2. Yama Sukiyaki 温尼伯首家日式寿喜锅

https://www.instagram.com/yama_sukiyaki_wpg/
📍730 St Anne’s Rd. Unit Q, Winnipeg, MB R2N 0A2

Yama Sukiyaki opened on January 18, 2025, right next to Tang Dynasty Chinese Restaurant (食間酒家). According to the restaurant, it is the first all-you-can-eat sukiyaki hot pot restaurant in Winnipeg.
While it’s not exactly like the sukiyaki you’d find in Japan, China, or other Asian countries, it’s still a fun and enjoyable experience.

Sukiyaki is a Japanese dish where thinly sliced beef is simmered in a sweet soy sauce-based broth and often dipped in raw egg before eating. However, due to possible salmonella contamination in January 2025, raw eggs were not offered at the restaurant during our visit.

Yama Sukiyaki is so new that it didn’t have a sign yet, just a standee at the entrance. Inside, the restaurant is spotless – even the sauce station is pristine. The menu is simple but has everything you’d want: beef, seafood, veggies, and more.

The beef slices were thick and tender, and the shrimp were massive. One surprise favourite? The tofu pouches – no idea what’s inside, but they were delicious! 🤩 The only thing we wouldn’t order again? The beef balls – a bit too tough to chew.

The service was attentive and friendly.

💰Price

• AYCE Hot Pot – $38.99 CAD per person.
• Soft Drinks (Can/Bottle) – $5.99 CAD

If you’re looking for a unique dining experience, this place is worth checking out! 🍲

3. Seoul Korean BBQ 首尔韩式烤肉

https://www.instagram.com/seoulkoreanbbqwpg/
📍1855 Pembina Hwy #102, Winnipeg, MB R3T 2G6

Seoul Korean BBQ opened in January 2025 and has already become a popular all-you-can-eat spot, so reservations are highly recommended! The restaurant shares the same location as Morals Village Hot Pot (德庄火锅), with BBQ in the front and hot pot at the back.

The self-serve area offers unlimited soft drinks, dim sum, Korean BBQ, and hot pot ingredients. They have a variety of marinated meats: chicken, lamb, pork, and beef, a meat-lover’s heaven. Everything was tender and tasty. We even grilled a few hot pot items, and they turned out great, even though it took a bit longer to cook since they were frozen.

The Dim sum was just okay, but I did enjoy the red bean buns. We mainly went there for the BBQ!

There is no overhead ventilation, but the electric grill has a built-in fan. My jacket still smelled like Korean BBQ for the next two days!

Time limit is 2 hours – grab as much food as you want! But food waste is charged at $8.90 per 100g.

💰 Price: $39.99 CAD per person.

Overall, it was a great experience, and we’d definitely go back! 

4. Fan Jiang Hu Hot Pot 饭江湖火锅

📍 1480 Pembina Hwy, Winnipeg, MB

Entrance is on Crane Ave. Be careful not to walk into Dowon Korean Restaurant by mistake – they share the same address but have separate entrances.

I found this gem on RedNote (小红书), but couldn’t locate it on Google. Turns out Fan Jiang Hu is now part of Balangza Uyghur Cuisine 疆进酒, which opened in early February 2025. The restaurant operated in trial mode with promotional prices until February 28 and is now open permanently. While Balangza Uyghur Cuisine is still serving its original dishes, they’ve added Fan Jiang Hu to offer hot pot alongside their Uyghur menu.

💰 All-You-Can-Eat Promotional Prices:

• Hotpot Only – $27.99 CAD/adult, $16.99 CAD/child and senior.
• Hotpot + BBQ – $34.99 CAD, $20.99 CAD/child and senior (Possibly featuring Uyghur kebabs)

Now:

Types of Hotpot (They will ask you when you make a reservation which one you prefer):

• 1 Flavour Big Pot (大锅) – A single Soup Base
• 2 Flavours Big Pot (鸳鸯锅) – Divided into two sections
• 2 Flavours Big Pot (子母锅) – A small central section surrounded by a larger outer section 
• 3 Flavours Big Pot (三味锅) – Divided into three sections
• Individual Small Hotpots (一人锅) – One per person

Soup Bases:

• House Spicy Soup (Premium beef tallow) – $4 CAD
• Other soup bases – $3 CAD

Unlimited canned soft drinks: $2.99 CAD

🥩 Menu Orders:

Broth, select cuts of beef/lamb, and staples like fried rice or sesame balls need to be ordered from the menu.

🥬 Self-Serve Area:

Grab veggies, seafood, garlic beef, spicy beef, and more yourself.

💯 Food Highlights:

The garlic beef and spicy beef were tender and full of flavour. We also spotted frog legs – rare to find at hotpot restaurants in Winnipeg, though they don’t absorb flavours as well as other meats.

Great service with attentive staff. Water refills were frequent. 

Food and condiments labels are currently in Chinese, but English labels are coming soon.

Business Hours:

• Sun. – Thur.: 5 pm to 10:30 pm (Closed on Tuesdays)
• Fri. – Sat.: 5 pm to 11:30 pm

⚠️ Limited seating – only 7 tables. Reservations are highly recommended. I booked mine through RedNote private chat, but they also accept phone bookings during business hours (204-416-0555).