ohryan.ca

A Web Developer in Winnipeg

  • VA Café

    VA Café

    in ,

    VA Café, is located in 171 McDermot Avenue, and it’s actually open every single day of the week (8:00am–5:30pm), which is sadly uncommon in Winnipeg.

    The “VA” in “VA Café” is a reference to Vertical Adventures, one of only two dedicated climbing gyms in the city. In April 2023, The Winnipeg Free Press reported that the owner of the gym opened the café with plans build a climbing wall in the back, operating as a combo climbing gym and café. I looked around for signs of the climbing wall but saw no evidence of it. It’s possible the concept has been scrapped. Or, maybe they’re saving it for a surprise grand opening? Who knows – but for now, it’s just coffee, food, and retail according to the sign out front.

    VA near the bottom of the Reddit list I am using as a guide for this series – with only 3 upvotes. Unfortunately, I am not surprised.

    Vibe – 2/5

    VA Café is located in the historic Dawson Richardson Building1 one of those repurposed 100 year old newspaper (original home of the Grain Trade News2) buildings that makes the Exchange District so special.

    VA occupies the space formerly home Forth Café and Bar. It’s impossible to walk into this space without comparing it to the wonderful gem that was Forth – secret rooftop bar and all (which, yes, I only found out about later).

    RIP Forth3

    Visiting Forth was like taking a little European Coffee Trip without leaving home.

    Interiors designed by Berlin architect Jonas Klock, featuring: flooring made of reclaimed wood from old growth trees that fell into the Ottawa River; Danish & British school chairs; custom fabricated tables with reclaimed brass legs; lit by refurbished post-war East German factory lighting4.

    The food menu consisted of what I would call avocado-toast-adjacent “hipster snacks,” prepared by Cake-ology’s excellent Pamela Kirkpatrick.

    And the coffee and cocktails were of a quality befitting the space.

    Just take a look at their old Instagram for some examples of what we’re missing out.

    There’s an old saying “you don’t know what you’ve got (’till it’s gone).” But I think a lot of us actually did know what we had.

    Cozy, in theory

    The cozy heart of Forth remains. Much of the furniture, lighting and fixtures are still present. And that’s what makes what I’m about to write so hard: the only thing bumping this score from a 1 to a 2 are the echos of Forth.

    When I entered, the entire space was completely empty, save for the barista – who was busy fussing with packaging and not terribly interested in taking my order – and someone tending to the coffee roaster. Not entirely unexpected in the early afternoon on a weekday but still a little off-putting.

    I noticed the quirky retail shelve in front of the bar seemed to be filled with random odds and ends. I’m not certain if any of this was for sale but if this is supposed to be the “retail” mentioned on the sign, it leaves a lot to be desired.

    The space was is a little rough around the edges. I noticed an espresso machine in pieces – perhaps under repair, bicycle randomly stored behind the bar and general clutter poorly hidden behind another wall.

    The overall vibe was “we don’t get a lot of customers.” Or maybe, “work in progress.”

    And then… the smell hit me! Imagine burnt toast layered with something far worse—like the building had a sewage issue and someone tried (and failed) to cover it up with charred bread. I wish I was exaggerating, but it was overwhelming and caused me to leave earlier than intended. If this was the smell of the coffee roaster, that might explain the horrendous coffee I had.

    Coffee – 1/5

    I ordered a cortado, as per usual.

    This was, hands down, the most bitter, over-extracted shot I’ve ever had from a café that’s supposed to know better. It was rough.

    I considered bumping the “coffee” rating to a 2 for the quality foam – which was impeccable – but at the end of the day I did not finish my coffee. I kept on taking sips hoping that it would be better on the next sip but I just couldn’t do it.

    Food – 1/5

    The food may as well have been non-existent. Their Instagram account has pictures of decent looking pastries and the like. But all those posts are quite old, I’m not sure if they were sold out or no longer available.

    The pastry case held maybe a dozen very large frosted cinnamon buns, albeit covered in plastic wrap (never a good sign). And a few scones, which I originally mistook for cookies. Another café without apple-based offering.

    The scone was stale—like so stale the awful smell of the space had seeped into its crust!

    I only ate a few bites.

    Seating – 5/5

    The seating is perfect!

    Specifically, the butt-to-bent-elbow height is perfect for long term laptop use. Something that I have yet to find elsewhere in the city. In terms of the mechanics of sitting at a table and working, I could have been there all day.

    There’s also an enormous amount of seating! If VA Café ever manages to turn things around and start drawing in the crowds, I suspect that you would have no problem finding a spot to work.

    The summer configuration also includes some nice outdoor seated shaded by 40 year old maple trees5.

    Location – 5/5

    ♿️ The Google business listing for VA Café mentions that it is wheelchair accessible. It is very much not! The main entrance consists of 4 stone steps. In fact, the stairs don’t even have a hand railing.

    VA Café is one block from the buses on Portage Avenue, and directly across the street from a dedicated bike lane.

    If you’re driving, street parking is limited to two hours; and a private parking will run you around $15 – $20 for a full day.

    Overall – 14/25 (+4)

    I went into this series assuming most places I’d visit would earn much closer to a 20 out of 25. I can honestly say that I did not expect to write a bad review.

    I’m giving VA Café a bonus +4 here solely for potential. If they can work out the kinks, it would be a great place for a little WFH reprieve or a client meeting. This score would put it roughly on par with The Forks Market, which feels about right.

    But as stands, it’s hard to look past the smell, stale food, and bitter coffee, especially knowing the magic this space once held.

    1. A longer from Heritage Building report can be found here. It features a great photo of a cool looking 70s restaurant called “Lock, Stock, and Barrel ↩︎
    2. The Grain Trade News was apparently the mouthpiece of the Winnipeg Grain Exchange during a “pamphlet war” with the rising cooperative wheat pool movement in the 1920s and 30s. The Summer 2012 edition of The Journal of the Manitoba Historical Society (Page 53) has fascinating article on the subject. And this post about early radio in Manitoba mentions that this war extended to the airwaves. ↩︎
    3. Additional reading: Much of the background info about Forth was pulled from this old Tourism Winnipeg article. ↩︎
    4. Stunning interior photos can be found on this archive of Klock’s old website. ↩︎
    5. Instagram ↩︎
  • The Forks x Fools & Horses

    The Forks x Fools & Horses

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    The Forks is one of Winnipeg’s few attractions that was explicitly designed as a classic “tourist trap” which might make it seem like a strange choice for remote work. However, while it’s one of the city’s most lively spots on weekends throughout the year, it does tend to be quite slow on a weekday afternoon.

    Also, the posters on r/Winnipeg specifically suggested the second floor in The Forks Market building. And now that’s kind of an interesting suggestion. It seems that a few years ago after losing a major tenant, they removed all the walls and added a tonne of seating and tables. While it serves as overflow for The Commons food hall on busy days, an old Facebook post reveals it was explicitly designed as a chill work/meeting space.

    The Forks only really has one legit coffee shop Fools & Horses, so they’ll be the primary subject of the food and coffee portion of this review.

    Vibe – 3/5

    Dingy train station vibes!

    As a lifelong Winnipegger, giving The Forks a less than stellar review is a bold move! But remember, this is specifically a review of the remote work experience on the second floor.

    I love The Forks! The Commons, specifically the outdoor patio, is one of my favourite in the city, period!

    With that out of the way, let’s talk about the dingy vibe.

    First of all, it stinks, literally. The Forks Market building originally housed the Grand Trunk Pacific Railway’s Stables and I believe it served as a machine shop after that. It seems like that half century or more of stench continues to be released from the brickwork. This aroma combines with the grease exhaust from the food prepared below to form quite the unpleasant concoction. I’m smelling it emanating from my clothes as I write this.

    Second, the second floor seating area seems like a forgotten corner of the market. While I did notice cleaning staff an security check-in a few times in the two hours I was there, the general vibe is dingy and forgotten. The floor is just a little grimy. The walls are barren. It could really use some plants and artwork to liven up the place.

    The ‘train station’ vibe is actually what saves this section from a lower score. The soaring ceilings and tall windows create that distinct public transit hall atmosphere. This feeling is amplified by the eclectic mix of people you’ll find here: random shoppers getting off their feet, professionals focused over laptops, a dad catching a nap on a couch, random teenagers killing time. There’s something oddly comforting about this liminal space.

    Coffee – 3/5

    Fools & Horses doesn’t make a cortado, rather they sell a “gibraltar.” I’d always thought this was a random nod to the nearby Fort Gibraltar.

    Wikipedia has this to say about the gibraltar:

    The name gibraltar originated in San Francisco, where roasters…started the cortado trend by serving the drink in Libbey Glass Company glassware by the same name.

    The drink I received doesn’t quite match the wiki article’s description, so I’m still partial to my Fort Gibraltar theory.

    The coffee itself was fine, though pulled a bit long maybe.

    Food – 3/5

    A reminder that this is a mini-review of Fools & Horses’ snack options specifically, not The Forks in general (The Commons food court is a solid 5/5!).

    Fools & Horses stocks donuts from Oh Doughnuts, as well as other snacks from an undisclosed location. During my mid-afternoon visit, the pastry case held about 5 remaining donuts – not bad. The other treats were wrapped in plastic, suggesting they’re at least a day old 👎

    I had a vegan “Twix” doughnut. It was very good.

    Seating – 5/5

    A modern study or lounge space with industrial-style exposed ceiling and lighting. The room features a mix of seating options including black leather armchairs, grey sofas, and wooden communal tables with benches. The floor transitions from wood to concrete, and the space has exposed brick walls. A few people are seated throughout the space studying or working.
    A laptop screen showing a website 'ohryan.ca' with an article about CMU's Folio Café, featuring a blue-tinted image of the café. The laptop is positioned in what appears to be the actual café, with brown modern swivel chairs and exposed brick walls visible in the background.

    The seating is the real selling feature of this place and I suspect what r/Winnipeg most likes about this place. There is a lot of it and it’s relatively secluded from the mall-like atmosphere of the rest of the market.

    There’s a large number of solid wooden tables for four, big enough that I wouldn’t feel like I was intruding if I had to share with another laptoper. There are also a number of couches and arm chairs. As well as a few large swivel chairs, a few of them overlooking the food court.

    I found the tables to be slightly uncomfortable to sit at, so switched to a swivel chair and it was most excellent.

    As you can see there a large amount of lighting, both from the overhead fluorescents as well as the large windows. Watching a peaceful snowfall would be downright cinematic.

    Location – 5/5

    It’s The Forks! Right in the heart of the city. A good amount of car and bike parking.

    A couple of tips though:

    Bike Valet
    If you cycle down, Winnipeg Trails offers a bike valet service in their shop right next to the patio. They ask for a $2 donation in exchange. So you don’t have to worry about leaving your bike outside.

    EV Charging

    There are a total of 6 free EV chargers, but four of them are kind of hidden:

    • 2xJ-1772 – directly in front of the Forks Market building.
    • 1xJ-1772, 1xNACS – on the first floor of the parkade.
    • 1xJ-1772, 1xNACS – behind the Inn at the Forks building (AFAIK this is Parks Canada parking, not reserved guest parking).

    I should also mention that unlike many other places I’ll be reviewing, car parking is not free. It’s $2.50/hr.

    Overall – 18/25

    Overall the second floor of The Forks is a solid bet, if you’re into liminal spaces and don’t mind a little grime.

    Fools & Horses is totally fine, but if you’re thinking about maybe grabbing lunch or a beer from The Common’s vast selection of local brews, I’d say skip F&H.

    As with other downtown locations I’ll be reviewing, if you’re driving or bussing, plan to head out before 4:00 to avoid rush hour traffic. I learned this the hard way, leaving at 4:45 and getting a stark reminder of why working from home is such a privilege.

    In the end, there’s something fitting about doing modern remote work in this historic railway building – it’s a uniquely Winnipeg mix of practical necessity and historic grandeur.

  • CMU: Folio Café

    CMU: Folio Café

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    This is the first post in my new “Laptop-Friendly Café Guide.”

    Nestled in the library building of Canadian Mennonite University at 2299 Grant Ave. They’re open 8am – 7pm on Weekdays and 9am – 4pm on Saturdays (closed Sundays and holidays).

    I’ve worked here a number of times in the past and there’s good reason so many posters on Winnipeg Reddit suggested this as a location to work from.

    Vibe – 5/5

    Folio Café is the type of place you’ll as likely to find an 80 year old Mennonite Grandma who uses a plastic McNally Robinson bag as a purse meeting up with her retirement age daughter; as you are students cramming in a snack between classes. Which is to say, while it is technically located on a college campus, it’s not necessarily primary patronized by college students.

    The café is in the large atrium of the modern library building, which giant two story floor to ceiling windows. It must be absolutely stunning in on a nice summer evening or a little earlier in the fall when the leaves in the adjacent Assiniboine Forest.

    It’s a cool space. Good vibes.

    A rustic-looking scone with visible chunks of apple baked into it, dusted with sugar crystals on top, served on a white plate. Behind it is a cortado, served in a clear glass on a white saucer.

    Coffee – 3/5

    The coffee is promising but leaves room for improvement.

    The brew (and sell) Little Sister beans — I like Little Sister and intend to visit them later on this series. While their menu covers all the standard coffee drinks plus seasonal specials, some technical execution issues hold them back.

    Case in point: my cortado was at least a 1:2 espresso-to-milk ratio, if not verging on flat white territory. For cortado purists (myself included) who prefer the traditional 1:1 ratio, this might be a slight disappointment.

    Food – 5/5

    The food offering is where Folio truly shines. Their pastry case, still well-stocked at 1:30 PM (a rare sight in Winnipeg), features treats from the exceptional Hildegard’s Bakery. The apple chai scone I sampled lived up to Hildegard’s sterling reputation.

    Beyond pastries, they offer a variety of sandwiches and delicious smelling soups. But perhaps their secret weapon is their impressive gelato selection — possibly one of the city’s finest, though I’ll need more research to make that definitive claim.

    Seating – 4/5

    There’s a tonne of seating here! I had no trouble finding a spot despite a number of tables being occupied by students working on homework or seniors on longer coffee visits.

    The seating loses points on account of:

    • The bar-height tables facing the windows suffer from mismatched chair heights, making them uncomfortable for laptop work.
    • Most tables are large rounds designed for 4+ people, which can make solo seating awkward during busy periods, thought I did not experience this during my visit.

    Honourable mention goes out to the comfy study chairs on the second floor balcony. They were occupied by students, so I did not get to try them out.

    Location – 3/5

    I wanted to give this location a 5/5.

    It’s in one of the most picturesque parts of the city, right next to Assiniboine Forest and near the park. It’s well connected to the bike network and relatively straightforward to bus to. It’s also very convenient for me to get to.

    However, its position in west Winnipeg means it’s a substantial 30-minute drive from many parts of the city.

    The parking situation also poses challenges: the lot has a strict 2-hour limit, and the nearest street parking requires a 10-15 minute walk.

    Overall – 20/25

    Folio Café’s popularity among Winnipeg Reddit’s remote workers is well-earned.

    The college atmosphere is super conducive to working remotely. And the fact that it’s used by the general public means you’re not going to feel out of place spending time there as a non-student.

    Combined with exceptional food options and ample seating, it’s a solid choice for remote work—especially if you’re in anywhere west of Route 90.

    Additional Note: CMU is affiliated with Mennonite Church Canada and the Mennonite Brethren Church of Manitoba, you may have preconceived notions about what a religious affiliation implies, but the campus–and Folio Café in particular–maintains an inclusive, welcoming atmosphere. During my visit, I noticed the café proudly displayed a trans flag at the bar, reflecting their commitment to creating a space where everyone feels welcome.