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!

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.

The Skinny on Savour 2011

Well, another year's Savour food & wine Show has come and gone, and a great time was had by all. Last Wednesday night, Savourites gathered at the Westin Nova Scotian to celebrate the 8th annual event. With over 60 booths of food and wine, there was a bite to tempt every tastebud and a wine to please every palate.

The quantity of product at this show is amazing - there is so much to try that one person would never get to do it all...and there have been many to try! After 4 Savour shows, I never go in without a game plan. I check out the exhibitors and decide where I'll be stopping before venturing into the fray. As a sommelier-in-training, I checked out a lot more wine booths this year and tried to pair them with the most appropriate bite. In case you're wondering...I'm well aware of my uber-geekiness.

If you didn't get to attend this year, I would highly suggest giving Savour a shot next year. It's the perfect opportunity to try some of the best food and wine in Halifax all under one roof. There was even a Local Food Award (which went to 5Fish). And as the tagline reveals, Savour is 'Mingle-licious'!

Don't forget to check in next week to find out the winners of the 'Best of Show'!

How a foodie 'does' Savour...Mapping it out!

The Five Fishermen

Lobster Stuffed Scallops w/ a Chardonnay Beurre Blanc

Mini Lobster and Goat Cheese Cakes with Basil Aioli

Tempest

Crispy Fish Tacos

w/ Smoked Line Caught Haddock and Guacamole Coulis

Stories at the Haliburton

Tahitian Vanilla Panna Cotta w/ Drunk and Sober
Berries and Lacey Almond Tuille

Taj Mahal

Lamb Hyderabadi Biryani

Mango Juice and Chocolate Fountain

Saege

Getaway Farms Cider Braised Pork Belly, Balsamic & Red Onion Agrodolce

Sweet Potato & Thyme Blini and Caramelized Gala Apple

Chives

Nova Scotia Pulled Pork

Brioche w/ Winter Slaw and Bourbon BBQ sauce

Chez Tess

The Euro ~ Sweet Vanilla Crepe stuffed w/ Banana,

drizzled with Nutella, Caramel, Chantilly & Toasted Almonds

Chocolate Mousse ~ Chocolate Mousse in a bite size crepe cup

topped w/ Chantilly and Almond Brittle

The Press Gang

Seven Hour Bison Ravioli

tossed in a Truffled Caramelized Garlic & Bourbon Reduction

w/ Celery Toot Puree and Pistachio Wilted Chard

White Point

Flourless Chocolate Cake

Maple Creme & Pecan Brittle

Mix Fresh Kitchen

Lamb Kebabs

The Westin Nova Scotian

Mini Burgers on Brioche; Philly Steak & Crab Cake

Durty Nelly's

Fresh Shucked Oysters and Guinness

Delta Barrington & Halifax

Meadow Brook house-smoked Pork Belly topped w/ Dragon's Breath Blue Cheese

served w/ Celeriac Puree and Van Dykes Blueberry Drizzle

The Port Pub

Pan Seared Digby Scallop on Local Dulse Seasoned Cracker

w/ Apple & Fennel Slaw and Wild Blueberry-Maple Vinaigrette

The Spread at Hamachi

Morris East

Potato Ravioli

Root Vegetable Crackers

Nova Scotia Raspberry Daiquiris

Le Caveau

L'Acadie vine Smoked Salmon w/ chilled Fox Hill Quark Souffle and Leek Coulis

Wild Nova Scotia Porcini Risotto finished w/
Old Growler Gouda and Martock Glen Duck Confit

Fid Resto

The Black Pearl Shooter
Soy Tapioca Pearls & Fresh Carrot Juice

Seasoned w/ Apple Cider Vinegar, Chive Oil and a Sweet Potato Crisp

Pipa

Bacalhau a Bras

Saute of Cod, Onion, Potato & Egg

Seasons

Liquid Nitrogen Candy Pop Corn

White Chocolate Soup w/ Espresso & Cocoa Nibs

Blueberry Cocktail

My friend Stephanie and I - post event. I realized that I forgot to mention one of the other key rules to planning and making the most out of your Savour food & wine Show experience - Bring a friend!

Steak Frites at Brooklyn Warehouse

So, I know that it's evident that one of my favorite restos is The Brooklyn Warehouse, and this meal further adds to my love affair. I recently went to dinner with a friend of longtime family friend of mine who has been away from Hali for about 4 years; long enough to miss the opening and rise to fame of Brooklyn Warehouse as one of Halifax's best restaurants (in my opinion).

On this visit, I knew what I wanted to order from the moment I sat down. It didn't take long to convince my friend that she wanted the same. We decided on the Steak Frites; an 8 oz. NS Striploin, oven roasted potato wedges, olive oil poached tomato with chevre and Pommery mustard dip.

Holy mother! Look at that piece of meat! Not only was the steak incredible and perfectly cooked for my taste, but the fries were just right as well - fat chips with a crispy shell.

The Pommery mustard was a great addition to the plate - the savoury, spicy sauce added a nice kick to the steak. On the side, an unexpected, luscious bite was provided in the form of a sweet, supple, olive oil-poached tomato. Topped with creamy, melted goat cheese and drizzled with tangy balsamic, it was a wonderful accompaniment! This was definitely one of the most lovely, well-balanced plates I've ever eaten in Hali...yet another reason why Brooklyn is one of my fave spots for a quick bite, or an meal of all-out, local-product awesomeness!

Strawberry Picking in Nova Scotia's Annapolis Valley

A few weeks ago, a friend of mine and fellow blogger, Maria of The Right Coast Nova Scotia, took an adventure into the Annapolis Valley to take advantage of the lovely NS strawberries in season and have lunch at a local resto.

After a pit stop at Just Us! Coffee Roasters in Grand Pre for some coffee, we headed into Wolfville to pick up breakfast at the Wolfville Farmer's Market. I was jonesin' for a baked good - as per my usual Saturday morning plan - and after scoping out 'the goods' we both decided on a lovely stall that sold muffins, squares and all other types of fruity, chocolaty goodness. Judging from the map on the WFM website, I think it must have been Ariel's Baking. My pal went for an oatcakey-type option with dried cranberries, pumpkin seeds, nuts and chocolate chips, while I decided on my favorite type of muffin - a Morning Glory, studded with walnuts, carrots and coconut. We were both full by the time we were halfway through, and put them aside for the real task at hand, the Strawberry U-Pick.

Maria's oat cake got a little messy as the sun beat down on us and melted the chocolate chips!

We pulled the car up to the Elderkins' s U-Pick field and proceeded to marvel at the rows of berries - shocking really, as we were fairly late in the season. As we hunched over the bushes in the hot sun, exclaiming over the bountiful red jewels, we were thankful for the intermittent rain showers that came our way. We picked and picked, and finally decided that enough was enough - we should leave some for other pickers to enjoy.

I love the way strawberries hide themselves - like demure southern belles under frilly parasoles, or geishas behind their ribbed fans...such a tease.

Our baskets full, and our bellies only slightly (I only snacked on 3 strawberries while picking!) we headed back into town for lunch. As I had hoped, my friend was in agreement, and we headed to Tempest Restaurant to sit on the patio, sip some wine, and enjoy some of chef Michael Howell's spectacular cuisine.

We ordered wine - pronto! I sipped on a glass of Grand Pre's Verrazano Rose, while Maria chose a Nova Scotian white.

We ordered two small dishes each, with both of us choosing the Hutten's Roasted Beet and Microgreens salad. This was a lovely flavour combination; the tart beets and creamy cheese are a classic flavour pairing, while the sweet nuts provided a bit of crunch. While Maria started with the Dynamite Sushi Roll, I went for the cooling appeal of Tempest's 'Soup of the Day', a vegan Gazpacho. Though I didn't try Maria's sushi, there was a fair amount of "yums" happening. I was so pleased with my choice; a savoury soup, Gazpacho is served chilled and was a refreshing pairing to my glass of chilled rose.

Gazpacho

a tomato-based summer soup, served chilled

Dynamite Sushi Roll

Willy Krauch's BBQ eel, avocado, red pepper & ginger slaw

Hutten's Roasted Beet & Microgreens salad

w/ goat cheese and candied pecans