A carnivore's dream at The Lane

After a very long work week, my housemate and I headed over to Sydney's swanky bar Establishment for some post-work drinks.  This is a beautiful space,  decked out with a creamy marble bar and matching colonial-type columns.   The drink menu is surprisingly affordable - I would even venture to say that I was disappointed by the quality of their wine list.  That being said, I was happy to indulge in a couple glasses of $8 Merivale-branded house bubbly, while my pal had (our) usual; a gin & tonic.  Merivale is the parent company of a slew of bars/restos in Sydney, including Establishment's adjacent fine dining resto; Est.

After a few glasses, my housemate and I headed over to The Lane in the CBD for a quick snack before heading out for...some more drinks.  Since we were both pretty new to the city's dining scene - and ravenous at this point - we ended up just walking around the corner and took a seat at the first spot whose menu was appetizing and still had a bit of life to it. Some spots in the CBD empty out at 7-8ish...

The Lane

Once seated at The Lane, we got a couple glasses of vino and put in an order for some snacks.  I'm not a huge meat eater anymore, tending to usually go for seafood option, but K and I compromised and ordered the Meat Plate - a selection of four cured meats, and the QLD King Prawns.

Meat Plate ($19.50)

The meat plate was pretty self explanatory; a plate of meat.  The selections were tasty though; San Daniele Prosciutto, Sopressata, Capacolla and Genoa Salami.  Don't get me wrong, I love a nice slice of salty, spicy Sopressata, but it was an enormous amount of salt, and I was guzzleling water for days afterward.  Well, to be honest, I guzzled a couple beers immediately afterward to quench my thirst.  The bread was super-nice though; uber soft, with a slight char on the outside.

QLD King Prawns ($16.9)

 BBQ-grilled w/ lemon and garlic butter, served w/ aioli

 

The King Prawns (I've been criticized by Aussies for calling them shrimp) were fantastic; a little messy, but well worth it.  The tender meat paired nicely with the garlicky aioli, and was further enhanced by the spicy dressed rocket garnish.  Also, they grilled their lemon wedge -  I love that.  Brooklyn Warehouse in Halifax does that.

Anywho, filled to the brim, my protein cup overflowed as we left The Lane and headed back down into the CBD towards our hood.  I'm happy that I spied this place, it's a nice spot to go for a pre-drink snack, and was still pretty hoppin' when we left at 10 pm.

Satisfying standard fare at Trapeze

I love a good burger, like love.  The unfortunate thing is that: though you often expect this standard fare to be good, sometimes it's unpalatable; you have a dry patty or a bun that tastes like sawdust.  And then, there's the burger at Trapeze restaurant at the Casino, which is none of these things.  

I went with a large group a couple months back, eight of us in fact, and the food and the service was great.  We started the night with a bunch of appetizers: bruschetta, nachos and calamari that were all pretty good, though I only had a bite of each because I was saving room for the burger.  The apps were gone in an instant.

For my meal, I ordered the Mozzarella and mushroom burger with a side spinach salad.  I love the spinach salad at Trapeze, and I've had a large one several times since.  With a generous helping of spinach, it's dressed with marinated butternut squash, carrot ribbons, red pepper strips and a tangy goat cheese - I usually get the cilantro ginger vinaigrette on the side.

                              

Anyway, on to the burger.  As I said above, it was delicious; the juicy patty was topped with a generous portion of melty cheese and succulent fried mushrooms.  Add to that, the usual fare of lettuce, tomato, onion and a pickle spear, the burger was filling and satisfying.  

                             

This was a tasty meal indeed.  We finished the night off by sharing some awesome desserts: chocolate cake and a yummy blueberry-based one too. I only had a couple bites of those as well; I was full, but I had to try them...for research purposes, of course! ;)

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!

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...

I'll say "yes" to Sushi Nami anytime!

One of the only meals that I'll never turn down is sushi.  I have to be in the mood for pub food, pizza, Mexican or fine dining, but it's a rarity when I say "no" to some delicious raw fish. Of late, our favorite spot to go is Sushi Nami Royale.  The quality of sashimi is great - important since we eat so much of it; there is a pretty good variety; and between 3-5 pm and 9:30-11:30 pm, they have a Tsu-Nami menu, where food AND booze is 20% off!  Ding, ding, ding! It's a no-brainer.

We make a serious effort to try different things when we eat at Sushi Nami, but one thing stays the same: the Sashimi Appetizer - a great deal at the regular price of $9.95, and even better when it's 20% off. The pieces of tuna are like candy and the salmon is plump and supple on your tongue.  I'm not a huge fan of the Surf Clam, but do love the little parcels of snapper wrapped around pieces of cucumber.

Sashimi Appetizer $9.95

2 Salmon, 2 Tuna, 2 Snapper & 2 Surf Clam

We also generally try to have a salad (or two!).  On this occasion, we order both the Kani and Sunomono  salads.  SN also does a good size portion of the Hiyashi Wakame (Japanese Seaweed Salad) for $6.95.  The Kani salad is delicious and creamy.  With shredded crab meat, and long strands of carrot and cucumber, I like to twirl it around my fork like spaghetti.  The good amount of avocado adds another creamy layer while also playing the role of the 'cherry on top'. 

Kani Salad $7.95
Crab Meat, Cucumber & Flying Fish Roe

The Sunomono salad is pretty delicious too - but definitely not for the faint of heart as serious octopus tentacles are involved.  Again, the texture of the shredded seafood is what I really love, paired with the slight crunch of roe.  The sauce here is based on soy and is quite mysterious.

Sunomono $9.95

Shrimp, Cucumber, Crab Meat, Octopus & Seaweed

And because a good roll is always nice, we opt for the Spicy Scallop roll which is pretty tasty with the spicy sauce and tempura bits.  A spicy salmon/tuna is a good 'go-to' as well, but the Fusion rolls are really special.   I'll have to make another trip to Sushi Nami soon to illustrate what they are all about!

Spicy Scallop (6pcs) $ 5.95

Chopped Scallop, Green Onion, Tempura Bits & Spicy Sauce

But you can't have sushi without a bit of deep fried...so we try the Karakuchi Shrimp Fry - three large shrimp stretched on skewers and deep fried in tempura batter, then coated with a spicy sauce. What a crunch!

Karakuchi Shrimp Fry 7.95

Lightly fried Shrimp and coated with the house Spicy Sauce

 

This is such a great deal and is really one to take advantage of.  How can you go wrong with a guaranteed 20% off almost everything in your order?  I say "almost" as there is a specific Tsu-Nami menu with limited items, but I'm sure your palate will be more than satisfied with those available.  

Hearty lunch at the Hart & Thistle

A few weeks ago, on one of those random days where we actually saw the sun, we went to the Hart & Thistle Gastropub & Brewery on the Halifax waterfront for a quick bite.  Well known for Brewmaster Greg Nash's fun, hoppy beers, the H&T also has  good pub food and was the perfect spot to stop on out way over to Dartmouth.  We saw several tables heading inside, having been beaten down by the crazy winds, so we settled at a table by the window and ordered some heartwarming comfort foods.

My friend ordered the Thistle's Bigger Burger, topped with Sweet William's sausage, spicy Havarti cheese and the standard burger fixin's.  This was a huge burger, like a: "I gotta cut this in half" kind of burger, and with flavour to rival Darrell's.  The addition of sausage added another rich  layer, and bumped it up to a 'hearty appetite' dish in my books. The fries on the side were crispy and clean,  just the way I like them, not grease-laden.

Thistle’s Bigger Burger 

topped w/ Sweet William’s Italian sausage,
peppered Havarti, lettuce, tomato,
red onion & dill pickle 

I wasn't feeling uber hungry so I opted for the Kettley's Kettle, a soup of the day.  On this occasion, the soup was described as a corn chowder with pulled pork.  Unfortunately, it wasn't really what I had in mind; being moreso a BBQ'd pork soup than a yellow corn chowder as I had envisioned, it was just a bit too sweet for my taste.  

I did leave satisfied, however, as we ended up swapping plates so that my friend gobbled up the rest of my soup and I chowed down on his yummy fries...!

Kettley's Kettle (Soup of the Day)

Pulled Pork & Corn Chowder

Beat the Heat with Stutz Hard Cider

I'm sitting on my balcony this Wednesday evening being thankful for several things; thankful that I'm not moving today (Sept. 1st), thankful that there is a slight breeze way up here on the 4th floor; thankful that I'm not the crazy jogger who just ran by; and thankful that I have a refreshing bevy in hand.

You see...it's currently 40 degrees...for real! I've lived in NS for 5 summers now, and never have I experienced this kind of heat. I'm not really complaining either....except that there is only 1/2 of my bottled beverage left, which means that I'll have to go to the store - at this point, there's no way my life can go on without this icey-cold treat in my hand.

The icey-cold treat in question? It's Stutz Cider, what else? There's only one word for Stutz; delicious, no two; refreshing, wait three; crisp....well you get the idea. Stutz Cider was developed in 2002 and has been amassing a devout following ever since. It hails from the Stutz family in just outside Wolfville at Grand Pre Vineyards. Sure, I could easily drink a Strongbow cider, but why would I want to when Nova Scotia offers a delicious equivalent?

Seriously, this is a drink that not only tastes great, it makes you feel great for supporting a local business. And talk about feeling great? As the ad indicates, when you drink Stutz, you've got serious Sex Appeel!

A Happy Hour Feast at Morris East

A friend of mine was in town a little while ago and we managed to consume quite a bit of food! We went to Trader's Bar for their $5 unlimited mussel deal, Ryan Duffy's for an incredible steak dinner, and ended the weekend at Morris East.

Morris East is what I would consider a traditional 'neighbourhood' resto. It's small and lively, has amazing food and is often packed - a great sign! My friend and I stopped in at 5 to take advantage of the 5-6 Happy Hour when wine is just $4. Though ME is famous for their wood-fire grilled pizzas, we were both in the mood for lighter fare. We decided to split an appy and go for one of the restos intriguing salads.

We split the Beef short rib to start; a hunk of supple meat atop a pillowy potato cannelloni and tender greens.

Beef Short Rib with Potato Cannelloni and Microgreens

My friend ordered the Roast Chicken and Pastina salad for her main - an unusual combo, but one that had both a delightful flavor and texture contrast. The pastina grains were light, almost rice-like, and rolled around on your tongue. Along with the smokey chicken and earthy portobello mushrooms, the mild 1608 cheese added yet another meaty element.

Roast Chicken & Pastina Salad w/ Portobello Mushroom, Leek

and Prosciutto-wrapped '1608' Cheese

Though I'm not normally one to order a Cesar salad, I had a feeling that Morris East would do it justice. My gut didn't disappoint. With a vinaigrette dressing as opposed to the traditional cloying cream-based one, this salad had lots going on while still maintaining its freshness. Sweet preserved lemon and thick-cut smoked bacon accented the crisp Romaine and salty Parm.

Vinaigrette Caesar Salad w/ Smoked Bacon, Croutons & Preserved Lemon

Though both of us were decidedly full, we couldn't resist the S'more. Toasted in the wood-fired oven, ME's house made marshmallow had a crisp crust and a gooey interior-mmm. A graham cracker was sandwiched between this and a pool of thick chocolate ganache. MMM! I do love me a good S'more!

Wood-fired S'more

House made marshmallow toasted in the wood-fired oven

w/ chocolate ganache and graham cracker