PRINTEat This: Smoked trout and waffles
The Wine Cellar & Bistro offers a surprising twist for brunch
Robert Swain
Chef Craig Cyr uses all local ingredients for his dish, which consists of rainbow trout rillette over cornmeal pecan waffles.
June 14, 2012 | 12:00 a.m. CST
We’ve seen it all: sweet and sour, sweet and salty but never sweet and fishy. The Wine Cellar & Bistro is the only place in Columbia where you’ll find a Belgian-inspired dish infused with flavors from the sea.
“I was trying to figure out some way to use our local smoked trout,” head chef and owner Craig Cyr says. “There have been restaurants with chicken and waffles in big cities, and I thought it would be an interesting play on it to do something with fish instead of fried chicken.”
WHERE: The Wine Cellar & Bistro, 505 Cherry St.
WHEN: Mon. through Fri., 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.; Mon. through Sat. 5 to 10 p.m.; Sun., 5 to 9 p.m.
COST: $15
CALL: 442-7281
ONLINE: winecellarbistro.com
His smoked trout and waffles has customers baffled, curious and delighted. The rainbow trout sits upon a hearty waffle, which is sprinkled with sweet corn morsels and roasted jalapeños, topped with whipped goat cream cheese and drizzled with orange-infused maple syrup.
The smell of syrup and the four pieces of golden-brown waffle make it like a traditional breakfast dish that can be found on any brunch menu. The layers of fresh trout, creamy white topping and yellow corn offer a nice, natural color palette. The syrup and whipped goat cream cheese provide a sweet taste, and the trout and other toppings give a mild fish flavor that separates this dish from the breakfast category.
“I’ve had lots of people say it’s amazing and never would have imagined it would taste anything like it did,” Cyr says.
Although the restaurant has this listed as an appetizer, the smoked trout and waffles is also the perfect size for an entrée.
