Cafe Chianti crafts pretty good food

A few months ago, my bf's mother was visiting and we decided to go to dinner at Cafe Chianti.  It was a toss up between there are Elements on Hollis, but seeing as how we had never eaten at CC, this was an excellent opportunity to try it.

I had been in the space during Bear Resto's ill-fated run, and the layout is pretty much the same, save for some soft fixtures being updated.  As opposed to the larger booths, the seating is now white linen tables, and several of them were full.

Big mussel fans, we each decided to order the mussel special; a pound of mussels and pint of beer for $10.99.  Myself and momma chose the tomato sauce with wine and herbs, while Mitch ordered the white wine and basil cream sauce.  Both were delicious, although I think the cream version would have been too rich for me to eat the whole bowl.  The shellfish were supple and most (of mine) were open!

Mussels in Tomato Sauce

Lobster Bisque Acadienne 

After our mussel appetiser, M's momma ordered the Lobster Bisque Acadienne - a velvety soup with fresh lobster and a dollop of cream.  It looked delicious, although a skin had started forming on top which made me wonder how long it had been sitting on the line. 

I ordered the Calamari, lightly breaded and fried with a spicy tomato- chili sauce.  They were excellent, with the tender squid rings enclosed in a light batter and tossed in the spicy sauce. The order was quite large and I filled up quickly.

Calamari Fritti

Even after the bisque and calamari, the intention was to share the Crab Cakes, but I was so full that I barely touched them save for one bite.  These were ok.  They were heavy with the addition of risotto, and had a slightly greasy crust. The addition of the lemon-pepper cream sauce was a bit too over the top in texture which resulted in the dish being cloying.  

Crab Cakes

                        

For his entree, Mitch ordered the Halibut Special; grilled fish topped with a grilled shrimp skewer, new potatoes, leeks and a mango-ish chutney.  This was a pretty extravagant - looking dish. In terms of a visual, there was a bit too much happening on his plate; the food aside, there was a sprinkling of dried herbs and a sprig of Rosemary sticking out of the fish - I didn't think people actually did that anymore! The food itself was pretty tasty though, and moderately priced for a special.  The halibut and shrimp were both really nice - well cooked and flavourful.  

Halibut Special

Cafe Chianti is certainly moving in the right direction with one of the key points - the cooking times - being spot on as most of the items were cooked perfectly.  The dish elements and plating require a bit of a review however, as the crab cakes were far too heavy with both the risotto and cream sauce, and the halibut plate was a bit amateur in its presentation.

Though I can't say that it was one of my favourite meals in Hali, I can say that it was a really nice evening out.  Spending the few hours catching up,  over dinner in such a relaxing environment was a great way to spend the evening with Mitch's mom.  

Delicious dining at Da Maurizio

You might recall that in my list of Top Ten Bites of 2011, a certain meal at Da Maurizio was included.  It was such a great dining experience, that I had to share the whole meal with you, so here it is:

A few weeks ago marked my man and my 1 year anniversary (insert "awwww" here).  I had a hefty gift certificate for Da Maurizio and we were saving it for this special night.  We had to save it even longer too, since this girl got sick on the special day.

And so, we finally had our celebratory meal a month later - which was fine by me really, because I could actually enjoy it at that point.  And so, a Saturday evening, one month later, we finally made it  to the resto at about 8 pm.  Of course, I already knew exactly what I was having. Yup - I called ahead to make sure that a particular menu item in a photo on the website could be made!

Once we were seated, we chose two vodka martinis to start the night while we looked over the menu.   Mitch decided on the prix fix, a great deal at just $39.95 for 3 courses!  As I said, I planed my meal in advance and did so in order to save room for the Tiramisu.  I'm not normally a dessert fan, but I decided that after a meal at DM, Tiramisu would be essential!  I ended up ordering 2 apps - which I often do lately- as I leave a resto feeling fully satisfied, as opposed to FULL.

Mitch started off with the mussels- a lovely dish.  They were served in a luscious tomato-based broth and topped with some crusty bread.  All of the mussels opened and they were tender and succulent - not like many of those I've had often, which have been chewy and unopened.  While he enjoyed the crustaceans, I ordered the calamari...and they were incredible!  Light, crispy and with a wonderful, deeply flavoured chunky tomato sauce, it was definitely the best plate of calamari that I've ever had in Halifax.

Mussels

Sauteed with garlic, white wine, onions, chillies, leeks and tomato

Calamari

Flash fried, finished with tomato, garlic, crushed chillies,
lemon and parsley.

The Bread

When it came to the entrees, I decided on a second-plate size of polenta con fungi; a bed of polenta topped with mixed mushrooms in a demi-glace.   It. Was. Incredible.  The fact that something so simple could be so delicious is outstanding.  The polenta was rich, creamy and kissed with a touch of Parmesan, while the mushrooms were succulent, tossed in the rich demi glace.  I'd go back for this meal a thousand times over.

While I died and went to polenta heaven, Mitch had a spectacular Bolognese.  There were about 5 entree choices for the Prix Fixx, and he asked our server to surprise him for the main.  He was quite happily surprised by the al dente penne tossed in the luscious Bolognese sauce with beautiful ground veal.  Needless to say, I'll take ground veal over ground beef any day.

Polenta con fungi

Mixed mushrooms in a demi glass served atop creamy polenta

Penne Bolognese

Penne with ground veal in a Bolognese sauce

And so, the moment that I had been waiting for arrived; dessert!  My Tiramisu was excellent.  Booze-soaked cake sat layered with the lovely Marscapone mousse and whipped cream.  The dessert was slightly mushy - in a good way, while the dark chocolate shards on top provided a nice crunch.  For his entree, Mitch chose an incredibly rich chocolate torte - a bit too rich for me, but he managed to finish it!  Perhaps it was the specialty coffee that helped!  I suppose I could describe the torte almost like a chocolate pate.

Tiramisu

Marscapone mousse layered with savoiardi drenched 
in espresso and brandy 

Flourless Chocolate Torte

A very 'special' specialty coffee

This was a fantastic dinner out to a resto that I hope to visit very soon.  Not only was the food delicious, the atmosphere here is intimate and personal and it was just what we were hoping for on our special night.

Top Ten Bites of 2011

Every year, around the new year, I also celebrate a very special occasion.  Yes, today is my birthday.... But it's With Bite's Bday as well.  Yup - four years ago today, I started my blog and, unbeknownst to me at the time, a new gig as a freelance writer. Granted, I'm a weeeee but older than four, but I hope that my blog will age and grow with me. 

I have a lot of plans for With Bite this year; and I can't wait to share the developments with you.  As many of you know, I recently completed the academic portion of my sommelier training - only 40 service hours left!!  This took up a considerable amount of time, and I neglected this puppy in the process.  However, although you weren't hearing about it, I certainly had my fill of food and drink in the past year.  And,  though I'm dedicated to moving forward in 2012, and not looking back, I still want to share with you my top ten bites of 2011.  Here they are - in no particular order!

Top Ten Bites of 2011

Polenta + mushrooms + sauce = a plate of amazing goodness! I had a real nice gift certificate for Da Maurizio a couple months back,  and we used it for a special night.  The blog post isn't up yet, but stay tuned to see pics of the BEST calamari in town and an incredible pasta Bolognese in addition to the dish below: the Polenta con Funghi!

I love Indian food.  I love it's rich, saucy goodness.  This particular dish, the Subz Jalfrezi is my favorite one yet.  Indian food is expensive, but I thought it was well worth it.  I sighed with delight throughout the whole meal at the Taj Mahal!

Talk about money!  This was a money meal - as in sick -  as in really, really good!  And the ironic thing was how cheap it was! This lobster roll at Richard's, PEI,  was one of my favorite meals - but also dining experiences of 2011.  The memory of sitting on the patio, watching the sun set on the beach and sharing a meal with new friends and old will stay with me forever.

Not usually one for sweets, I felt as though I had died and gone to caloric heaven with one bite of this gingerbread cake from the Elephant's Eye.  The appetizer was pretty amazing too, but you can read all about THAT in my restaurant review.

Ah, Gio!  Who doesn't love to go out for a meal at this stellar resto - it's one of Halifax's best!  Though there's no blog post for this particular meal, it's certainly unforgettable for me.  A plate of succulent scallops; rich, celeriac puree; fresh, edamame and earthy Shitake mushrooms?  What's not to LOVE?  I joke that it's the most expensive take out of my life; once I finished my app and breadbasket, I had to take most of this dish home!

No blog post for this one,  but it still made the list! Check out my restaurant review of Dee Dee's here!  Dee Dee's has incredible ice cream and I savoured every spoonful of this tart and tangy Shaker Lemon! 

I don't normally order sammys when I go out to eat, but the description of the Reuben at the Henry House really caught my eye.  I was very happy with my order. I ate the whole thing - even the half I intended to pack up!  Check out the full meal deal here - the lobster roll was also delish!

Mother! This meal at Fid Resto was incredible.  The snow crab salad was my favorite part, but it was just one of many delicious bites on this particular visit.

The Mandoo Guk at Minato has taken away the chill on more than one occasion.  Savoury and filling, it's a nice alternative to the good 'ol chicken soup.  Check out my other favorite dish at this resto here.

One of the loveliest salads in Halifax and all of my favorite ingredients in one bowl!  The Seafood Cobb Salad at The Five Fishermen includes: smoked salmon, scallops, shrimp, blue cheese, egg and avocado to name a few!  Check out our full meal here!

Unfortunately, I don't have any pics, but I wanted to give some honorable mentiones to a couple bevys that passed my lips this past year.  First and foremost; treat yourself to a Hot Buttered Rum this winter at the Bicycle Thief!  This drink is incredible and just the thing to warm you up on one of these crisp winter nights!  I also had some fab cocktails at the Drawing Room on the top floor of the Henry House and at The Middle Spoon.

Happy New Year everyone! I'd like to wish you and your family and friends health and happiness in 2012.  I hope you have the courage to take leaps and bounds and still make time for a little R n' R this year!  Thanks for reading!

KitchenAid Food Processor winner!

Merry Christmas everyone!  I have to say that I've been a bit out of my writing element this holiday.  I suppose it's good to take a break, but I'm really looking forward to getting back to blogging after a year of non-stop studying...

And I'm happy to say, that I am now a Sommelier!!  It was a lot of work, but also alot of fun - and now I'm happy to be able to share wine stories with you as well as food ones!

Please keep an eye out for my New Year's Eve post, where I'll post my most memorable morsels of 2011!!  Until then, I wanted to share with you the winner of my KitchenAid 13 Cup Food Processor!! I put all of the names in my mother's most Christmas-y bowl and my big sis drew the name.  Thanks so much to KitchenAid, for their generous donation of this awesome prize!

Without further ado, Congratulations to Carly N, for her fantastic story of a 'lobster surprise' on Christmas Eve!!  I've posted her story below so that you can all have a good laugh.  Thanks to Carly, and everyone else who posted a Christmas food memory, and thanks most of all, for sharing them with me. :)

Carly, please get in touch with me via the email link so that KitchenAid can hook you up with your new Christmas toy!

Carly's Story:

One of my fave memories was actually last year, when I brought back lobsters from Halifax to my hometown of Winnipeg for Christmas eve. We traditionally have steak and some type of seafood (usually store bought shrimp, as it's the prairies) so last year I decided to kick it up a notch and bring a taste of the maritimes back - live lobster. I planned lobster tails to go with the steak and used the rest of the meat (claws, body, etc) to make an amazing lobster stuffing - so easy; uses sherry; delicious - arranged in the shells.

This was the first time I'd cooked live lobster and my mother picked that moment to decide she was an animal (crustacean) lover and couldn't bear to be in the same room when I "killed" them, so I was all alone in the kitchen, attempting to pile four live lobsters into a pot of boiling water. I got them in, put the lid on, felt very accomplished... and then one popped back out, the lid went flying, and I may have yelled a bit (a lot).

Eventually they were cooked, after employing some tongs (and a lot of "I'm sorry Mr. Lobsters!"), and we sat down to dinner; it was definitely one of the best dinners and a most memorable Christmas eve.

Christmas KitchenAid Contest!

For me, as for many of you, this time of year brings a flood of childhood (and adolescent and adult) memories.  It shouldn't be a shock to you that many of these memories revolve around food.  I go home to NL (almost) every year, and indulge in a well-stocked fridge and pantry from which to craft decadent snacks and tasty treats.

There was the time that I made my first risotto with green peas and Parmesan, topped with (dad's) pan fried cod and a luscious mixed tomato salad; a Moroccan-style stew with leftover turkey; french toast with leftover lemon-cranberry loaf and last year's lovely pancakes with apple-cinnamon topping (below) for our Christmas Brunch.  There used to be photos of all the others too, which I can't seem to locate...

Our Christmas day brunch is my absolute favorite memory because all we do - all day - is EAT!  An awesome spread of scrambled eggs, bacon, lovely cheeses, clementines, brioche, croissants, pancakes and strong coffee.  Then later, we break out the bubbly, Bailey's and rum and eggnog.  We only start to acknowledge presents at 2 pm or so!  On Christmas day, it's the food, the music (Vince Guaraldi's Charlie Brown Christmas), the twinkly lights and the people I spend it with that make the memory special.

Of course, there were the more indulgent memories: Christmas Fest on the Upper West and my lovely box of chocolates from The Newfoundland Chocolate Company,  Then again, to a lesser degree of exertion,  I also remember devouring an entire crate of clementines or copious amounts of rum and eggnog.

But regardless of these meals, the majority of them were shared with my family. Living away from my parents in NL and my sister in Manhattan really makes Christmas special because we get to spend time together.  Most of the best times for me are spent in the kitchen with my mother while my sister shirks any kitchen duties in lieu of practicing her viola (convenient timing) and my dad putters around with tools, stoking the woodstove, playing the...wait for it...accordion!  And I wouldn't have it any other way.  Even as I write this, I'm filled with anticipation of a nice LONG break, where I get to relieve my stress in the kitchen with those familiar sounds.  

Anyhow, I digress.  The purpose of this post is to let readers know about an exciting contest that I'll be holding through www.withbite.ca!  The folks at KitchenAid have provided me with one of their NEW 13 cup food processors to give away to a reader.  And since I love food - and memories revolving around it - I thought I might ask you to share yours with me.

For your chance to win, simply comment on this post below with your favorite Christmas food memory - EASY! I should tell you that I don't particularly like turkey dinner, so let's get a bit more creative, shall we?  And since I have so many great memories, I'm sure you all do too, so feel free to post more than once.

I'll draw the winner on Christmas Eve, so that on Christmas Day, you'll get an extra prezzie!  Don't forget to check in on Christmas Day to see if you've won!  Look how shiny - you know you want it! ;)

Happy Holidays, Happy Baking,
and Happy Memory-making!

Big Day Downtown

My Big Day Downtown started off like any other: I got up, brushed my teeth and hopped on an amphibious vehicle that rolled through the streets of Halifax and then plunged into the harbour.  Well, I guess that’s not really the ‘usual’ morning for me, so let me tell you how it really happened.

My Big Day Downtown took place during that lovely time of year called my vacation.  Weee!  I was off for a full two weeks; one of which, I spent relaxing at home in Halifax.  When the Big Day Downtown rolled around again this year, I was thrilled to spend one of those vacation days trying out something new.  You see, the objective theme of this year’s BDD campaign was to try something new – and so I did.

If you follow my blog you know that I’m a food and beverage writer and generally, my life revolves around food.  The logical response to trying something new would be to venture out to one of downtown Halifax’s new restaurants.  But I wanted to shake things up a little -- and after much consideration, I decided to base my day on some new experiences. 

My experiences were fun!  One was lighthearted and adventurous: getting to know a little more about the city I live in and learn some historical highlights.  My other experience was slightly unnerving, something every woman goes through; has anxiety about; bites her nails over, and so on.  So what were these two experiences? My first was a ride on the Harbour Hopper, and the second: a hair cut…by a new hairstylist!  That’s right, I embraced this assignment hardcore.

So the day actually started just like any other vacay day; I got up, got some coffee, checked my email, got ready and headed out for a walk with the man.  Come to think of it, the HH wasn’t even my idea; he had been trying to get me on it all summer!  And when someone gives you a $100 Visa to do with what you will, there’s no time like the present!  We stopped in to the little Murphy's on the Water hut on the waterfront and purchased our tickets at $29.89 each.  A tour was leaving in 15 minutes so we hurried over to get a good seat – the very front row, in fact!

Our tour guide was awesome; knowledgeable and hilarious, she (and our driver) guided us though the streets of DT Halifax, all while filling us in on various tidbits of the city’s history.  We went down Argyle St. and saw the shadow in the window of St. Paul’s church; we waived to all those lucky lunchers eating on the hot sunny patios of Argyle and we climbed to the top of Citadel Hill to take in the awesome view of Halifax.  From there we waived hello to Mr. Alexander Keith’s grave at Camp Hill Cemetery; cruised down Spring Garden Road and heard learned some tidbits about Keith’s Brewery, Nova Scotian Crystal and the Historic Properties’ history as we travelled along the waterfront.

The moat at Citadel Hill

A view down Spring Garden Road

Keith's Brewery

And then we got the warning: there was about to be a BIG splash!  As we rolled along by the Casino Nova Scotia, I was prepared to get soaking wet – but it was just to psych us up, and I didn’t feel a drop!   So our little vehicle that could, drew up its wheels and set sail in the Halifax Harbour.  From there we learned some facts about Purdy’s Wharf, said ‘Hi’ to Theodore tugboat and heard all about some of the most famous nautical disasters in Maritime history; the Halifax Explosion and the sinking of the RMS Titanic.  By the time we got back to shore, I was having so much fun that I was sad to have to go.  What a fun adventure for tourists, but also a great opportunity for local citizens to try something new in their own environment!

Heading into the harbour

A view of Purdy's Wharf towers

The Dartmouth Ferry

A view of the Clocktower

Once on dry land, I headed over to Granville Street for my brand new haircut.  I really, really needed one.  My hair had gotten to the point where I couldn’t stand it anymore.  And so, in the spirit of the assignment, I abandoned the usual spot where I normally get my hair cut, and I jumped into an appointment with a new hairstylist at Thumpers. 

Before...

Thumpers is a lovely salon.  With its cool location and awesome décor, I was thrilled to spend a few hours in such a nice spot.  Trust me, I needed some pampering time, so I was happy to have someone wash and dry my hair so that I didn’t have to!!  I was pretty pleased with my cut; my bangs were an the short side, but who cares really? Hair grows back after all! I know, I know, you're probably thinking: "What's different?  She looks exactly the same!"  But seriously people, I got a t least 5 inches cut, and my layers got some much-needed attention too!  Altogether, my cut + tip was $69.

After!!

I didn’t exactly try something new with the remaining $1 but instead, I threw in a couple bucks and had an old favourite: a cappuccino at Uncommon Grounds on the way home.  I had a great day trying out some new spots in the downtown core; I’m so used to focusing on restaurants that I often miss the businesses that are thriving.  I had plenty of other ideas to choose from too – but they’ll just have to wait until next year’s campaign.

Stay tuned to With Bite for updates on a really cool project that I was thrilled to be a part of; Big Day Downtown, The Series!! For the past month, I’ve been running around downtown Halifax speaking with business owners, residents and city planners to learn more about what’s happening downtown now, and what’s to come in the future.  Make sure you check out the Downtown Halifax Business Commission’s website to keep up-to-date on the series; it will air in November.

I’d like to do a big shout out to the folks at DHBC; particularly Ivy Ho, as well as Tracy and Julian at Firefly Digital Media for being great directors, cheerleaders, make-up/wardrobe assistants and coaches.  It was an absolute blast, and I can’t wait to see the end result!

A Birthday Feast at 5 Fishermen Grill

Last month, my friend celebrated his Bday so we took advantage of the specials at the Five Fishermen Grill.  For the whole month, the Grill offered a 'no corkage' option as well as a $5 lobster tail!! Who wouldn't want to make this a dinner destination with these offers on board?

I dropped off our wine earlier in the day to keep it chilled, and we arrived for dinner at 7:30 with another bottle in tow.  The staff was super-friendly and sat us in a mammoth booth for about 6 people, but we still took up the whole table with our orders.  Along with a glass of white and the irresistible bread basket, we took in a plate of the Calamari.  I've had these suckers before (and loved every lick of them - see here), but it was my friend's first time here, so it was nice to watch him discover this new, mysterious flavouring from both the Hoisin and the 5-spice on one of his favourite dishes. 

Calamari

 Flash fried, Hoisin-glazed w/ 5-spice aioli

Once our entrees came, I was already feeling almost satisfied, so the fact that I finished my entree and still had room for dessert still baffles me to this day.  My friend ordered the 10 oz. Black Angus strip steak; a huge piece of meat, and a great value at just $24.  It was beautifully cooked - better than I've tried in some steakhouses.  Grilled to a medium rare, it was served with richly seasoned mashed Yukon Gold potatoes, steamed spring vegetables and a hearty peppercorn sauce.  I don't normally go for a big steak in a resto - especially a seafood-based one, but I would certainly come back specifically for this dish, and I've recommended it to several people.

My salad was unbelievable; talk about a protein plate!! The Seafood Cobb Salad consisted of grilled shrimps and scallops a piece of hot maple smoked salmon, crumbled bacon, egg, 1/2 an avocado, corn salsa & tomatoes and a generous portion of Stilton cheese.  Believe it or not, there was lettuce at the bottom of the bowl as well.  

And if that wasn't enough of a treat, the 5Fish featured a $5 lobster tail w/ drawn butter as a special as well.  Needless to say, I got more 'Surf', while my friend had a bargain "Surf n' Turf"!  The lobster meat was succulent and tender and we finished every bite.

Since a pal of mine was the manager of 5Fish at the time, and caught wind of our Bday celebration, dessert was on the house, and we couldn't say 'no'.  A 'Field of Carrots' cake was his dessert of choice, and it was decadence to sum it up.  5 layers of moist and spicy cake was topped with a rich, but light w/ cream cheese icing and sprinkled with walnuts.  A lovely creme anglaise and caramel sauce kicked the indulgence up a notch.  It was a bit much for me, but the Bday boy sure was happy.

Two bottles of wine, some cocktails, sweet and savoury later, we closed down the resto and stepped out in to the crisp March night.  Though normally I would have called for a cab, I needed some serious movement to walk off my food baby.  The 5Fish Grill could easily be one of my favourite restos in Halifax.  Though some may think of it as a tourist trap, I think it's precisely the opposite.  Sure, tourists flock to this destination, but it offers quality like no other seafood resto on the waterfront does.  The quality is consistent, and there is a focus on local product, wine in particular.