Come savor an appetizing creation at Caribou Restaurant & Wine Bar. They are open nightly from Monday to Friday and are readily reachable by public transit but also by car and bicycle. Come visit them in a surrounding acknowledged as lively and historical.
pan seared rare, wasabi vinaigrette, sweet soy and ginger-cucumber salad.
$17.00
CRAB CAKES
with sweet crabmeat, asiago cheese and chipotle-sundried tomato aïoli.
$16.00
WARM OLIVES
marinated in orange zest, herbs and chili.
$7.00
soups + salads
CARIBOU FEATURE SOUP
$7.00
CARIBOU CAESAR
herb flatbread croutons, hand cut pancetta and shaved parmesan.
$13.00
WALDORF
belguim endive, radicchio, apple, walnuts, blue cheese dressing and roasted grapes.
$13.00
WARM GOAT CHEESE
mixed greens tossed in herb-dijon vinaigrette with chevre and garlic croutons.
$13.00
FARRO
caramelized squash and beets, kale, farro grains, date-pomegranate vinaigrette.
$13.00
mains-pasta
CHICKEN PASTAA
shaved pancetta, asparagus and sweet green peas finished with parmesan cream and tossed with penne ricce noodles. topped with a wood roasted chicken supreme.
$27.00
SEAFOOD PASTAT
fresh clams, black tiger shrimp, bay scallops, plum tomatoes, premium extra virgin olive oil, tossed with bagna cauda butter and tagliatelle noodles.
$28.00
SMOKED DUCK PASTA
smoked duck breast, mushrooms, herbs, swiss chard, in a rich roasted garlic-gorgonzola cream sauce. tossed with tagliatelle and parmesan cheese.
$25.00
3 CHEESE RAVIOLI
fresh pasta sheets filled with ricotta, parmesan, mozzarella and lemon. finished with a basil-walnut pesto and asparagus.
marinara, san marzano d.o.p plum tomatoes, basil, hot capicola, marinated eggplant, parmesan and mozzarella cheese.
$18.00
ROMAN BIANCA
extra virgin olive oil, ricotta and parmesan cheese, roasted garlic and cracked black pepper.
$17.00
PANCETTA AND GOAT CHEESE
marinara, Italian sausage, chili flake, arugula and mozzarella cheese.
$18.00
MARGHERITA
olive oil, san marzano d.o.p. plum tomatoes, basil and mozzarini cheese.
$17.00
FOUR CHEESE PEPPERONI + SAUSAGE
mozzarella, parmesan, feta and chevre.
$18.00
FIG ARUGULA
olive oil, mozzarella, blue cheese, prosciutto cotto ham, black mission figs, topped with fresh arugula.
$18.00
mains -mains
PIRI PIRI CHICKEN
boneless half chicken, brined and wood roasted in a spicy lemon-garlic olive oil. served with charred bell peppers and shoe string frites.
$30.00
MAPLE SALMON
marinated in ontario maple syrup and hoisin, wood oven roasted on cedar. served with sesame snap peas and cashew studded coconut basmati rice.
$31.00
PORCINI FILET
centre cut, 7oz certified angus beef, bacon wrapped and grilled. served with buttermilk whipped potato, roasted mushrooms and braised onion jus
$41.00
MANHATTAN DUCK
duck leg marinated in makers mark bourbon, red vermouth, cherries, thyme and slow roasted. served with southern dirty rice and cherry moustarda.
$28.00
RIBEYE ALLA FIORENTINA
centre cut, 16oz certified angus beef, sea salt, cracked pepper, char grilled, carved and finished with arugula, olive oil and parmesan. served with jalapeno smashed fingerling potatoes.
$47.00
EUROPEAN SEA BASS
butterflied whole fish, wood oven roasted topped with a salmoriglio sauce. served on fennel and onion lyonaise potato with tapenade viniagrette.
$34.00
KOREAN FLAT IRON
9oz certified angus beef, spiced soya marinated, grilled and carved. accompanied with kimchi fried rice and fried egg.
$30.00
ALBACORE TUNA
grilled pacific tuna, topped with a parsley radish salsa verde. served with farro aglio e olio.
Caribou restaurant is our restaurant of choice. Whether it is just a small group of us or a large group in for a party Caribou is the place to be. Personally I manage a local hotel and we send our guests there time after time. The food is excellent and consistant whether it is just their gourmet pizza's or full dinner entre's. Desserts are to die for especially the creme framboise. The service is always personable and efficient. Their wine list is the best in town and they have won many awards. Its a great dining experience.
Terrible service. No black olives, no gluten-free pasta or gluten-free soya sauce!
The Caribou Restaurant was busy so host sent us to the bar to wait for a table. The bartenders made eye contact with us a multiple times but none asked us if we wanted anything. We sat at the bar for over 15 minutes watching the bartenders walk by. Every time they would look at us yet, they didn't stop to even say hello, much less take a drink order. I finally called to one of them and asked if anyone was going to help us. He looked a bit ashamed and apologized and asked what we wanted. My wife ordered a cosmopolitan (she said it was nice) I asked if they could make a special martini for me. They said 'sure' so I asked if they had any black olives. They said no. Even the kitchen didn't have any (!!?). A supposed 'top quality bistro/restaurant' in Thunder Bay without black olives? Anyway, I didn't get my custom martini. I instead chose an Argentinian Malbec. It was very nice especially for the price.
The table was slow in coming so we asked the bartender to take our food order. He did and we waited. ..and waited. ... and .... oh, finally our appetizer arrived. It was prosciutto wrapped shrimp. A nice start, very flavorful. We ate it at the bar. Our entrees took another 40 minutes. The host came by to take us to the table. We had to carry our own drinks (to the table). We waited some more. Finally our waitress introduced herself and took care of the rest of our dinner.
I had the seafood paella it was nice -a little dry and not flavorful enough. I make a nicer one at home. My wife had a spicy chicken. Nothing outstanding. It was supposed to be an East Indian dish. It somehow tasted 'dumbed down' for western appetites.
Dessert was a creme brule with berries on top. They comped that for us because it was my wife's birthday. Other places I've enjoyed have comped two desserts or aperitifs on an occasion such as a birthday. Somehow I felt not appreciated.
We didn't complain. Paid our bill. Gave a nice tip (Always tip well). And left.
I'd eat there again only because I live in Thunder Bay and the choices for world-class food is pretty much nil. So, Caribou gets more of my business than I'd like because they're one of the best of a poor selection of places to eat.
Be warned: This place has NO PRIVACY. It is LOUD. and there are no buffer zones between the tables. It's a small town so people will interrupt your meal to say hello or introduce you to a friend or business interest.
If you want quiet and intimate go somewhere else (good luck finding it in Thunder Bay) or stay at home.
I have dined here twice and feel it is completely overpriced for the portion size and taste factors.
I have dined in other establishments that fared much better...I know my food and the qualities in taste and was disappointed both times, and the portions very small.
Love the wines though, great selection, staff is always great and atmosphere very, very appealing.
Every year my boyrfirend and I go here for the Valentine's dinner, and it is ALWAYS delicious! The crab croquettes are to die for and their mushroom chicken was absolutely delicious. We've only gone there once outside of this since we're students and don't always have the money to eat out somewhere like Caribou, but we were quite suprised when the bill was only about 40 dollars! For a delicious meal that is not bad at all! I highly recommend it for a laid back yet sophisticated dinner date!
Been there several times before. Unlike a friend...
Been there several times before. Unlike a friend of ours who goes there two to three times a week, we go there less often but every time, we have enjoyed the food, the service and the ambience. Very lively. I like the fact that they keep changing the menus.
Surprisingly their wood-oven pizzas are excellent (my daughter ordered one). I had their lamb and my wife had the chicken. Everything was great. Our friends had the wine and they thoroughly enjoyed it.
Definitely, a reliable place to go for good food and great ambience.
