Treasure at Tempest

At the end of a full day of Icewine tasting (see the summary here), we stopped in at Tempest restaurant in Wolfville for a spectacular Italian feast. This restaurant has often generated my curiosity, as I've met Chef and Proprietor Michael Howell on several occasions, but have never ventured to Wolfville late enough for dinner!

I started with a delightful plate of calamari, lightly coated and served with a lemony mayonnaise for dipping. The tender squid was enclosed within a feather-light batter that contrasted nicely with the rich dipping sauce. A squeeze of the lemon wedge served on the side added zing to the dish.

Calamari w/ Lemon Aioli

For the entree, I chose Risotto di Mare, a creamy dish with bit of bite. The grains of risotto enveloped precious jewels of seafood; shrimp, scallops, mussels and lobster were buried within the buttery rice. Oddly enough, the characteristic that I really enjoyed about this dish was that the portion size was just right, enough to satisfy, but so mouth-watering to leave you wanting more...

Risotto di Mari

Shrimp, Scallops, Mussels & Lobster

Though I don't normally allow my little belly a three-course meal, everyone at the table was indulging in dessert. Since the current theme of Tempest's menu is Italian, I couldn't help but think "When in Rome...", so I ordered a Tiramisu. This dessert was exquisite with a luscious Marscapone contrasting the earthy bite of coffee. A touch of cocoa gave it another, almost deeper layer of sweetness.

Tiramisu di Toscana

Marscapone and coffee cake

And finally, my curiosity has been satisfied, my palate sated. The fact that Tempest is a little bit of a journey, made the visit that more precious. When you anticipate an experience for so long, and find nothing wanting, it's well worth the drive!