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.

Lovin' Lobstah at Richard's on PEI

This past week, I took some vacation time to stand in my bestie's wedding on PEI.  It. Was. Awesome!  The wedding was lovely, but the party that followed was one for the books.  And the next day, we had to get all gussied up again!  The groom is an art director, and had planned a series of photoshoots with Halifax photographer Scott Munn; what a day.

After the wedding, the party and the photoshoot, we were all pretty pooped and decided to have some beach time and one last incredible meal.  I wish I had taken a photo of the view as we sat on the rooftop deck at Richard's Fresh Seafood Eatery and looked out onto the bay. Richard's is an institution on PEI.  It's a place where the line goes down the street and the wait is 45 minutes - but it's worth every minute.

My friend and I split two items on the menu:  the fish & chips for about $12.95 and the lobster roll for $11.  Holy Cannoli - that shit was good!

The fish & chips were delicious.  THREE pieces of panko-breaded haddock were lightly fried and had the most amazing crunch.  The fish within was still soft, flaky and moist.  Buried underneath all that fishy goodness was a basket of yummy fries that were golden brown and crispy - just the right amount of salt too.  

Fish & Chips

The lobster roll though, was absolutely incredible.  The toasted, buttery bun was piled high with huge lobster chunks, a very light mayo dressing and just a hint of  onion to impart flavour and celery to give it crunch.  These islanders really know how to do it.  In fact, it made me a little envious.  The lobster comes off the boat around the corner, enabling them their low $11 price tag.  A roll like this in Hali would easily have cost $18.  It took alot of effort to pass half of it over to my friend...

Lobster Roll

Jam-packed with fresh lobster goodness!

Richard's also serves house made tartar sauce.  This was a new flavour combo to me, but one I'd buy in bulk if it were available.  With a creamy base, there were hints of sundried tomato, dill, smoked paprika and hot pepper that made for one intriguing bite.

After dinner, and as the sun set, we had a lovely walk on the beach.   The sand between my toes and the sun on my face made me giddy with satisfaction.  With my belly full and my body letting go of the tension that lingered during the busy day, I was happy as the clams lurking in the sand beneath my feet.