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.  

PB & Nutella; a cheap n' simple treat!

One night last week I was feeling the need to bake.  I didn't want to engage in a crazy flour- explosion mess, but simply to mix something up; feel the excitement as it baked in the oven; relish in the aroma as it wafted through the apartment and bask in my domesticity.

...I made Kraft peanut butter cookies from the label on the jar.  But wait! Before you write me off, please know that I had limited ingredients in my pantry and a trick up my sleeve.  I may have started with the humble 3-ingredient cookie, but I finished with an incredibly easy and delicious treat; perfect on it's own or to dip in a midday coffee or tea. 

BTW...I eat organic crunchy PB because I try to avoid excess sugar - I buy the Kraft stuff for the man. Just sayin'!

For the cookies:

1 c. Kraft smooth PB (Chill your PB first; the recipe is tricky with soft PB)
1/2 c. sugar
1 egg
Nutella - the amt. is to taste!

Method:

Heat oven to 325°F.

Mix all ingredients with large spoon until well blended.

Roll into 24 balls; place, 4 inches apart, on baking sheets. Flatten with fork.

Bake 20 min. or until lightly browned.  Cool 5 min. on baking sheets; transfer to wire racks. Cool completely!

Match up like sized cookies and slather with Nutella.  

Stand at the kitchen counter and eat at least three before offering them to anyone else. :) 

Peanut Butter-Nutella Sandwhich Cookies

An impromptu dinner at Fid Resto

A month or so ago, a friend and I stopped in to Fid for am impromptu dinner.  We were actually on our way to get some sushi when we walked past Dresden Row and quickly changed our plans. It was a chilly night and the atmosphere inside was warm and inviting.  It took us a while to make our decisions (well, me really) so we put in an order in for some apps while I poured over the menu.  

My friend had the traditional French soup served with rouille and Mozzarella cheese.  It was an interesting concoction, and once I was filled in on the process, it made a bit more sense.  The fish soup consists of chicken stock and pureed fish bones and the mayonnaise-based rouille with tomato and mustard are meant to thicken it up...Not sure where the Mozzarella cheese comes in, but I do know that  it's a delicious antidote to a chilly night.

I felt pretty special that night.  The 'special' was a sushi-esque roll made with snow crab just off the boat.  But...since we arrived later in the evening, and there wasn't enough left for the 'special', I got a dish that I'd wager was even better; a snow crab salad.  This was one of the best dishes I've ever had in a Halifax resto.  The snow crab's texture and flavour was light and delicate.  Paired with a variety of ingredients that complimented it beautifully; earthy Shiitake mushrooms, and a selection of herbs used in lieu of lettuce; basil, cilantro and mint, I smiled and sighed with every bite.

The Hangar steak was fantastic - just look at it.  You have to admit that it's an impressive dish - one I wouldn't event come close to finishing, but my friend had no trouble putting it away.  The steak is marinated for 7 days to the desired tenderness, and served on a luxurious bed of garlic mashed potatoes.  A handful or two of arugula was all that was needed to finish it off.

For my entree, I (finally) decided on the halibut.  FYI, I was going back and forth b/w this dish and the scallops.  But I've had Fid's halibut before, so I knew it was a sure shot at spectacular - and it was.  With a substantial crust and sprinkled with fleur de sel, the delicate fish was flaky and succulent.  Served on a bed of crisp fingerling potatoes,  a pile of tender steamed fiddleheads added freshness.  This dish was nothing if not simple; only a few ingredients, it fact.  But it was the simplicity that made it so delicious. That's what I love about Fid; generally, it's 'no fuss'.

Though I was thoroughly satisfied, I let my friend convince me into splitting dessert.  We ordered the moelleux au chocolat; a molton lava cake dusted with powdered sugar and drizzled with a lovely caramel sauce.  Incredibly indulgent, the cake was delicious.  Balanced on top was a crisp brandy snap twist; the perfect contrast to the soft, euphoric cake.

It's nights like these that make dining out so fun.  We had intended on a $30 or so meal;  pretty standard and low key.  But switching it up to make a special night out of an ordinary one will make this dinner a memory, as opposed to a forgettable experience.  With so many restos to choose from in Halifax, it's these kinds of memories that will keep me coming back to Fid.

Incredible eats at the Wooden Monkey

I've been to the Wooden Monkey a few times, but it's just been for lunch or an early supper - I've never been for dinner.  A few weeks ago I met some friends for a late dinner where I was wowed by my meal.  Since we were going out later, I didn't want to eat too big of a meal.

If I only knew what I was getting into!  Since 'eating light' was the name of the game, I decided to go with the Nova Scotian seafood chowder.  Of course, that plan was foiled when my friend suggested that we split some nachos as an appetizer.  Well, we were really hungry, so I quickly obliged.  

Our nachos arrived and they were huge - not to mention delicious. And I hoped they would be, since at $17, they're likely the most expensive in the city.  The organic blue corn chips were topped with a mix of jalapenos, black olives, red and green peppers, white cheddar, Mozzarella cheese and served with salsa and sour cream.  Unfortunately, we didn't look at the price tag prior to ordering or else we may not have enjoyed them quite as much!  At this point though, they're my favorite ones in the city.

I can't stop myself from eating these things; they're delicious.  Gooey cheese, salty blue corn tortilla chips with an earthy note from the blue cheese and a fantastic (and likely organic) tomato salsa - we polished the plate in no time flat.  And then, my chowder arrived and I thought to myself, "how the hell am I gonna finish THIS."  But... you know me, I found a way!  The chowder was tomato-based (my favourite kind) and was chock full of fish:  chowder with 5 oz. of haddock, scallops, lobster, mussels, and potatoes.  Served with wedges of spelt baguette, this could easily have been enough to fill me up.

This was a great night filled with great food and good company.  I'm a pretty big fan of the Wooden Monkey for vegetarian fare or otherwise.  It often gets pegged as the vegetarian resto of choice in this town, but this spot has great stuff for meatatarians too!

A few bites at The Bycicle Thief

My first visit to The Bycicle Theif was within the first two weeks of it being open.  We were so excited.  I met my good friend at about 8 pm and the place was blocked.  We had a reservation, but the table wasn't quite ready so we sat at the bar and sipped our cocktails while we waited for our spot to open up.

And what better thing to do while you wait than to sip a cocktail?  My first bevy was a Rosemary Pink Diamond Fizz; a combo of some of my favorite ingredients.  I love a good herb-y drink and this one had flavour in spades. With Hendrick's Gin, grapefruit juice and rosemary as a base, the drink was topped off with Prosecco for a bit of bite and fizz.

There was a bit of a trend with our dinners; we both ordered two first plates:  a seafood appetizer and a salad.  My friend ordered the tuna tartare to start.  A mix of tuna, avocado, cucumber spaghetti and wasabi cream.  It was a lovely dish and the flavours came together nicely; soft, succulent tuna, piquant wasabi, cool and crunchy cucumber and creamy avocado provided great texture contrast.

I went with the crab salad; delicate crab meat with a decadent cream sauce served with dressed greens, two shrimp and a lobster claw.  It was a bit of an odd experience as it took the kitchen a couple tries to produce a good shrimp - the first two were tough and leathery, but once they served them warm and freshly poached, they were delicious.

My friend is one of those odd peopl who love bitter greens and who can never resist a radicchio salad.  This one was radicchio and rucola greens, dressed in a warm garlic pancetta dressing, and tossed with toasted pinenuts and shards of salty, nutty parmigiano. It certainly changed my opinion of a radicchio salad, and might enourage me to try one in the future!

My salad though, was absolutely incredible - and it wasn't even as though the ingredients were gourmet.  They were simple and fresh, but each flavour complimented one another perfectly: peppery Arugula, rich, toasted hazlenut, tangy goat cheese and sweet, tender fig.

Although I was a little miffed about having to send my shrimp dish back, twice, I did really enjoy my meal.  There are some incredible cocktails on The BT's list, and an enomatic machine which offers fresh wines by the glass.  I'm looking forward to another night out at the BT soon, so that I can try an entree...and maybe a little dessert! :0

Sun's out at the Foggy Goggle

And...it's fall.  How quickly did that happen?  I went from frolicking in my flip flops and denim cut-offs to having to resort to my space heater at work to take away the chill.  Yes, autumn is upon us, and that means comfort food; thick soups, hearty stews, red wine and no more patios. :( 

But last week, when my friend and I ate on the patio at the Foggy Goggle, there was nothin' but sunshine-y skies and a warm summer breeze.  It was one of those evenings where beer was $2 off and we had nothin but time.  My friend ordered the Man Salad - and that's exactly what it was: a 6 oz. steak cooked med-rare, served on a bed of organic greens with toasted almonds, sun dried cranberries, crumbled blue cheese and red onion drizzled in a Balsamic vinaigrette.  


It's not often that we share the same food cravings, and I've never, ever seen him order a salad in a resto, but this one turned the tables on the 'usual' salad.  The flavour combos were excellent and the textures intriguing.  The steak was juicy and had tons of flavour; the almonds and red onion provided crunch, while the sweet chewy cranberries and creamy, blue cheese were 'besties' in this dish with the tart flavour playing off the pungent one.

While he dove into his vibrant plate, I had the Marinara mussels; a pound of mussels in a spicy marinara with tomatoes, onion and jalapeno.  They were OK - not the best mussels I've had in this city, but certainly not the worst either.  i think that I was hoping for a thicker sauce; which it wasn't.  Still, I ate the whole dish as the shellfish themselves were plump and moist.

I'm sad to see the summer end and to have to head back indoors to dine; one of my favourite summer activities - like half of the people in this town- is to drink an icy cold beer on a patio.  I suppose that's life though, the seasons come and go, and so too must our eating and drinking habits.  I guess I should look on the bright side: now I can sit at the bar and drink red wine/hot buttered rum/Dark n' Stormys/Bailey's/etc. to my heart's content!

Early dinner at The Bicycle Thief

A few days ago I got one of those texts that brings a smile to my face.  A good friend of mine who used to live in Halifax was back in town for one night only. She always seems to come on a Wednesday too; generally Onyx is our stop of choice.  This time, however, she was interested in trying something new, something “mad tasty”. Since like me, she was a big fan of Bish, I suggested that I introduce her to the Bicycle Thief.

We met at 5:30; she had a flight to catch at 8.  The early bird gets the worm, so we got a nice spot on the patio.  We chatted for 20 minutes or so before even opening our menus, but once the server came by for the 3^rd time we decided to stop being so annoying and placed an order: Propeller Bitter for her, and a Montes Alpha Chardonnay since I was planning on the corn and lobster chowder.  My friend went for the Lobster ravioli.

Her ravioli were lovely – two big pieces, stuffed full of lobster in a rich sauce.  There was also a huge lobster claw on the plate.  And, in the grand theme of lobster, my chowder was also delicious.  With a good amount of lobster meat, there were sweet corn kernels, smoked bacon and chunks of potato that absorbed the flavour of the broth.

Handmade Ravioloni stuffed w/ Lobster, mascarpone, chives, 

Parmigiano & crispy breadcrumbs

Lobster and Sweet Corn chowder w/ double smoked bacon 

I was too full for dessert, but my friend has a weakness for lemon, so she chose a slice of the lemon-meringue pie.   I can't quite remember all the details, but I'm pretty sure the crust was made with brown sugar, giving it a deeper flavour that contrasted well with the tart lemon. Ever since a piece about tea came out in a local weekly newspaper, I’ve been a bit of a coffee snob – only going for the best.  Since I was feeling coffee deprived, I ordered a cup of the Bicycle Thief’s Illy coffee and it was just what the doctor ordered, perking me up for a long night of studying French wines.

Tasty Indian fare at the Taj Mahal

Last week a TeamBuy ticket was burning a hole in my wallet. We had $35 bucks to the Taj Mahal and we were dying to use it. I love Indian food. There’s just something so satisfying about white rice being soaked up by a warm, earthy sauce flavoured with baking spices like cinnamon and cardamom and with a bit of heat from some chilies. I also love a good piece of naan bread to sop up the often rich and creamy sauces.

At about 6:30pm we made our way down and took a nice spot on the patio. After MUCH consideration my friend finally made his decision. Normally it’s me in this predicament, so I was quite happy to sit back and gloat in my being prepared – for once.

Another thing that I appreciate about Indian cuisine is that, since every dish is so flavourful on it’s own, I don’t feel as though I need any meat. The sauces are generally full of cream or butter, so I sometimes find the meaty flavour overkill.

  

With that in mind, I ordered a signature vegetarian dish; the Subz Jalfrezi ($15), which consisted of mixed vegetables, cashews and cheese cubes cooked in a Korma sauce with spices and cream.  This was absolutely delicious!  The sauce was incredible in it being both sweet but with a hint of spice. There was a tonne of vegetables and it was topped with parsley and red pepper which made for a lovely presentation.

My friend chose an Indian classic; lamb Rogan Josh.  Here, the lamb is cooked in a thick onion and tomato sauce with spices, fennel, saffron, bay leaves and yogurt.  It was really tasty and provided a good amount of heat.  I knew that Indian food is quite pricey, but he was less than impressed when his $18 dish came with only about 4 chunks of lamb.  The serving dish itself is small; about 5 in. in diameter. Adding salt to the wound, it wasn’t even very good – verging on overcooked.

 I liked the contrast in that my sauce was a heavier, creamy sauce, while his was thinner and more intense.  

We also get two orders of naan bread ($3) which proves to be way too much. I’m a little annoyed as when I checked with the server she motioned that each order was about the size of a side plate, which clearly wasn’t the case – one would have been plenty.

 I have to say that, though the food was delicious, I was kinda turned off by our server and the amount of additional items she was trying to push on us. Up selling is ok, obviously great for a server’s sales and tips, but I found her technique to be way too pushy.  I went home with a decadent doggy bag that night.  As if this meal wasn't filling enough, we topped the evening off with ice cream on the waterfront! 

A Moveable Feast

Last weekend I was on vacation; this week, I am not.  :-(  However, while the timing was right, I took advantage and loved every minute of it. After a long Friday of trotting around in dt Hali, we decided that the time was right for oyster Happy Hour. The Five Fishermen Grill hosts a HH everyday from 4:30 - 6:30 featuring a variety of delicious oysters and generously-priced drinks.  We settled in at a table on the patio and waited for our meal: an order of grilled fish tacos, a dozen oysters with all the accouterments and two oyster shooters.

The shooters arrived first.  A mini-Cesar in a glass, they were (a touch too) spicy for me and left me reaching for the bread basket - a delicious selection from Julien's Bakery.  The oyster inside though, was delicious and went down just as easily as those in their shells.  While I enjoyed my bubbly and Stutz Hard Cider, my friend chose a draft beer, remarking on how good the HH prices were.

The tacos were lovely.  The rustic tortilla was house-made and made me realize how fabricated store-bought corn tortillas really taste.  The fish was flaky, lightly grilled and served with guacamole and a tangy salsa.  When our oysters arrived we were delighted at the selection of big 'uns and little guys.  I was more partial to the smaller Malpeques, so my friend and I swapped plates.  On the side, 5Fish serves a mix of wasabi mayo, horseradish sauce and a mignonette-type sauce plus the cutest mini bottles of Tabasco you've ever seen!

With a taste for sea-salty goodness, I was on a role with seafood.  I wanted mussels for dinner, so we packed up and headed further dt to Brussels Restaurant and Brasserie on Grafton St.  I ordered a pot of the Provencal, tossed in a mix of tomato, garlic and basil ($8.95),  while my friend ordered the Brussels burger; a AAA burger with aioli, smoked Gouda and caramelized onions ($10.95).  Since he ordered a side garden with his burger, s I clearly had to get an order of fries and mayo ($3.95) to go along with the meal.  


My dish was pretty good; the mussels were a nice size and the tomato sauce was just thick enough to actually stick to the little suckers.  The fries were awesome with a good mix of big, tender fries and the little crispy bits that I've come to love.  My friend's burger good too; juicy and flavourfu, and with tasty toppings.  

Mussels, fries and beer are one of my all-time favorite meals, so you can imagine how I felt when Brussels opened a few years ago.  You can also imagine how I felt when I couldn't eat at least seven mussels because they were damaged or hadn't opened. I've been noticing a trend on that front in Halifax restos lately; I often have to chuck 7-10 mussels out of a 1-pound order.  If chefs/cooks, etc.  would simply throw in an extra 3-4, it might cost them a bit more, yes, but they would have a satisfied customer...as opposed to one that's pissed off about throwing half her meal in the trash...

P,p,p, patio at Pipa!

One of my favorite restos in Halifax at the moment is Pipa on Argyle St. Actually, since Pipa opened in 2008, it's been a favourite.   It's a husband and wife-run resto that specializes in Brazilian and Portuguese food. One of the things that I find appealing about this spot is the fact that most of the dishes are unfamiliar, and each one is a new adventure! 

As luck would have it, the very day that we decided to head out to dinner and not get into the drink, pitchers of sangria are $5 off.  Obviously we ordered one; white sangria with peaches and strawberries. It was an incredibly hot evening and this delicately sweet bevy was just the thing to quench my thirst.  Since we planned on taking our time, I asked that they put ice only in the glasses so as to not water down our 'punch' .

As is often the way at a spot like this, my eyes were bigger than my belly and I ordered three apps; my friend ordered one plus an entree.  Loving a good game of chance, he often leaves his choice up to our server -  in this case, the owner, who suggested the pork and clams.  He prefaced this meal with more crustaceans, an order of Black Point oysters, while I ordered lobster soup, hearts of palm salad and lamb meatballs.

The soup was broth based with chunks of potatoes and other veg. I checked it out before ordering  as I'm not particularly fond of a creamy chowda on a hot day like this.    It was O.K. There were nice pieces of lobster, but it was lacking in flavour. My friend's oysters were super tasty and sea-salty fresh.  Served with some of Pipa's uber-spicy green salsa they set my mouth to waterin'. 

And then came the entrees; my two small plates and my friend's lovely stew-like pork, clam and potato mix.  The hearts of palm salad was original and refreshing.  Reminiscent of artichokes, the palm hearts were quite tangy after marinating for several hours in a lime-cilantro dressing.  On a bed of mesculn mix with chunks of corn, avocado and tomatoes, this salad was full of flavour and a nice change from other resto's typical salad options. 

The show-stopper was the meatballs.  Admittedly an odd dish; meatballs in a delicious tomato sauce sans pasta, they were served with crispy grilled baguette.  It was a decidedly simple, rustic preparation and it was delicious.  Ground veal was mixed with the usual suspects: garlic, basil and oregano, but the intriguing edition of a baking spice - nutmeg, made them all the more mysterious.  

My pal's pork and clam dish was awesome - and I don't even  like clams!  Pieces of pork and clams in the shell were cooked in a flavourful sauce,  sprinkled with verdant cilantro and served with grilled bread -  which he used to mop up the sauce.  These are some of my favorite meals; where bread is a utensil!

If you are - or even if you aren't adventurous, try heading down to Pipa to sit on the patio this summer, or in the atrium in the winter.  Though there are options for the curious palate, there are also plenty items on the menu for those with a more vanilla palate.  Of the 25+ menu options, only 6 are NOT gluten free, so it's a great spot to take friends and family who are trying to avoid gluten.