Meaty Marvels!

My sister lives in Manhattan, and being unable to go myself, I often make her go to specific restos and live vicariously through her. She, in turn, checks out interesting stuff in NY Mag that I would be interested in...Ah, sisterly love!

Anyhow, I recieved this link from NY Mag today, about one of my favorite meals; cheeseburgers. This group, however, are doubles. And, in my opinion the more meat, the better!

Ah, double deckers!

Here's the article http://nymag.com/restaurants/features/55484/

Comfy-Cozy at Cabin Coffee

When she was in town for the weekend, I took my sis to my new favorite coffee shop; Cabin Coffee. This is a sweet little spot with comfy chairs, casual service and a laid-back atmosphere. Cabin Coffee combines all that is great about a coffee shop; java and sweets but with the added touch of breakfast sammies, soups and salads.

I also love the way they present their treats; in ages-old baking trays that you would imagine in Little House on the Prairie. From these trays emerge sweet and savory, crunchy and chewy baked goods...and you know I've never met a baked good I didn't like!

Chocolate Chip & Bran Muffin

Cheese Scone

Brooklyn Warehouse tops MY Coast "Best of Food" picks

By now, it's fairly obvious that I have somewhat of a love-affair with the Brooklyn Warehouse. I could say the same old things; food's great, atmosphere rocks, service is fantastic, yada, yada, yada...but the thing that keeps me coming back is the fact that everytime I think about Brooklyn, I remember how much fun I had. This is a great place; it's a neighborhood resto, run by a father and son duo, who really care about the products that go into their meals, quality service and customer satisfaction.

Since I go there somewhat frequently, I've gotten to know George Christakos, and his philosophy on how to run a successful restaurant. It's evident, in watching his interactions with clientele, that lots are repeat customers - and repeats for a reason. Quality and consideration are two ingredients that go into every dish and drink, and for this, Brooklyn Warehouse is truly a winner.

As I write this post, I've just finished the Coast "Best of Food" Survey. Brooklyn Warehouse took top honors in several categories, but most importantly for me - Best Restaurant. After my most recent visit, in which I introduced my sister, visiting from Manhattan, to my favorite resto, Brooklyn took top honors in Best Burger as well. Had Best Caesar Salad been an category, I think it's obvious who would win.

For this meal, my sis and I chose two items that are signatures on Brooklyn Warehouse's menu. My sis also chose the refreshing Green Curry for her entree; a tasty green curry with fantastically fresh veg, but alas, my photog skills failed me for that one. Here, however, are the pics of what I would refer to as the quintessential Brooklyn Warehouse meal:

Caesar Salad
Halved Romaine heart, pancetta, foccacia croutons,
caper berry "That Dutchman's Dragon's Breath" blue cheese dressing

The Brooklyn Burger
7 oz. of grilled, organic N.S beef, Applewood cheddar, double smoked back bacon, served with tomato, onion & pickle,
house-made crispy taters and red pepper mayo

And what a meal this is. The Caesar salad dressing is rich and creamy, slightly pungent with the blue cheese, but with a touch of sweetness to balance. The addition of grilled lemon adds a freshness that lightens up the dressing while adding a smokey zing. The use of pancetta as opposed to bacon is genius, as the thin, salty slices are just the thing to contrast the crisp lettuce.

The burger...oh, the burger. I ate the whole thing - and it ain't small. The patty itself was flawless, but the addition of sweet, smokey Cheddar and salty back bacon raises the bar. The fries were just how I like- crispy on the outside and soft within, while the red pepper mayo was a great alternative to the usual cup of Heinz.

I'm a big supporter of this resto, and not just because I've grown to know and respect both the owners and staff - but because they do it right, providing a wonderful dining experience at affordable prices in the heart of Halifax.

Take a trip to the Brooklyn Warehouse and see for yourself. Then, cast your vote for Best Restaurant and Best Burger. Early bird voting is open now!

http://posting.thecoast.ca/halifax/BestofFood2009/Page/

http://www.brooklynwarehouse.ca/

MMMMussles

This past Friday afternoon, I was thrilled to find out that Superstore had mussels on sale; 5lbs. for 5bucks! I immediately phoned my best gal Maria to see if she was available to celebrate such a deal. When I got home, 5 lbs. of these tasty shellfish in hand, I decided to make a creamy sauce to coat 'em.

Curry Cream Mussels

Ingredients:

5lbs. mussels, cleaned. Throw away any with broken shells
1 sm. onion or 1/2 large
2 cloves garlic
3 tbsp butter
1 c. heavy cream
1tbsp. Curry powder

Method:

In a large pot, saute onions and garlic in butter on med-low heat. Add curry powder and stir to make sure all the veg is coated. Add cream and heat until just incorporated. Remove from heat.

In the same pot, place the mussels and pour the curried cream on top. Cover and steam on Med. heat, about 15-20 minutes until the mussels open. Note: Do not eat mussels that haven't opened on their own!

Gotta love the image of a big pot of steaming mussels!

Durty Nelly's on a Rainy Saturday

Durty Nelly's is the first restaurant venture of hospitality veteran Joe McGuiness and former St. Mary' University football player Kyle Drake. Located on the corner of Sackville and Argyle Streets, Durty Nelly's takes her name from a similar gal; Durty Nelly's pub in Bunratty Co. Claire, Ireland loved for it's food, hospitality and "craic agus ceol", the Irish term for fun and enjoyment.

Durty Nelly's has been the subject of restaurant buzz as it is one of 13 restaurants across Canada selected to star in an episode of Restaurant 101, a new show premiering on the Food Network and Food Network Canada, with host Chef David Adjey. When I spoke with David, he said that this was a great match. Producers of Restaurant 101 were looking for restaurants with a real "story" behind them. When David pitched the story of Durty Nelly's, an unlikely pairing of Hospitality guru and university graduate teaming up to open an authentic Irish pub, the producers jumped on board.

Durty Nelly's isn't your typical Irish pub, or...come to think of it, maybe it really is. Everything in the restaurant was made in Ireland. That's right; from floor to ceiling, everything was built in Ireland by the Irish Pub Company, packaged up, and shipped to Halifax for assembly. You can't get more authentic than that.

The menu, of course, is reminiscent of any Irish fare that comes to mind, but inherently richer, fresher- better. For DN's I use one of my favorite culinary terms, one I don't throw around lightly, but DN's menu is gourmet comfort food. I had the fortunate opportunity to meet with Chef Adjey and chat about the ideals behind this menu.

Now, in general, I view chefs as rock stars and often get heart palpitations whenever I come into contact with one. But, having a Food Network chef in the vicinity almost gave me a heart attack!

It was clear upon meeting with him that Adjey has care and concern for the meals that he designed, The menu items at Durty Nellys were built "from the ground up", with Adjey and the kitchen staff sourcing meats and veg from local farmers and producers.

Later that week, my friend and I check out the food for ourselves. We order two dishes, and share them both: Kilkenny-battered Fish & Chips, and the Nova Scotia Lamb Stew.

Kilkenny-battered Fish & Chips
w/ homemade tartar sauce

I can say with extreme confidence that this is the best F&C that I've had in Hali. Fresh, meaty fish is enclosed within a light batter with mega-crunch. The chips, "fat chips" as they're called in the resto, are crispy wedges of seasoned potato. The F&C is served with a flavourful coleslaw and a house-made tarter sauce- creamy and with a touch of earthiness from smoked paprika.

Nova Scotia Lamb Stew
w/ bread and butter dumplings

The lamb stew is the epitome of what one would want to eat on a cold, rainy (or snowy) day. Tender chunks of meat in a deep, rich broth accompanied by sweet root vegetables and savory dumplings make for a meal that rivals any of mom's cooking- and granny's too, for that matter.

The pub itself offers a great spot to hang out any night of the week. With lots of beers on tap, and fantastic fare from the kitchen, Durty Nelly's has all areas covered. Add to this the sent of peat moss burning on the fire, a variety of comfy seating to choose from and live entertainment several nights of the week, and you're sure to have fun at Durty Nelly's!

Heatin' Up Halifax

Hey Halifax- Another event to warm your heart during this never-ending winter...

H(eat)! up Halifax



The 2nd Annual H(eat)ing Up Halifax! will take place from Sunday, February 22 to Saturday, February 28, 2009. This exciting one-week event pits restaurants against one another in a competition to sell the most "hot bowls" in support of the Alzheimer Society of Nova Scotia.

Restaurants competing to H(eat) up Halifax include:

• 44 North at the Halifax Marriott Harbourfront where they'll be cooking up Pulled Pork Chili with a Dragon's Breath Biscuit
• Bluenose II Restaurant will give you a true taste ot Maritime flavour with the "Hot Bowl" of Clam Chowder
• Granite Brewery on Barrington Street will be serving Chili
• Milano's Ristorante will be serving their Winter Harvest Soup
• Casino Nova Scotia has a favorite with Chicken Noodle Soup
• Press Gang, the 2008 H(eat)ing up Halifax! winner, will be serving a three onion and sherry soup with Fontina topped crostini.

Visit any of the participating restaurants during the week of February 22 to February 28 and order their designated "Hot Bowl" (soup, chili, chowder) and $5 will be donated to the Alzheimer Society of Nova Scotia for every bowl served.

To learn more about H(eat)ing up Halifax and the Alzheimer Society of Nova Scotia, please call (902) 422-7961, or 1-800-611-6345 (outside metro), email communications@alzheimer.ns.ca or visit our website at http://www.alzheimer.ns.ca/.

Very well might be Halifax's best muffin!

I think that by now, it's fairly obvious that I love a good muffin. And found another one I have, in the form of Deli Green Bakery & Catering. The bakery itself is on Hollis Street. Though I've never actually made it there, I often get their incrEDIBLE creations at Atlantic News on the corner of Queen and Morris.

I cannot count the number of rushed weekdays and lazy weekend mornings that I trot over to the store to pick up something sweet and satisfying. All of Deli Green's baked goods are made with fresh eggs, Nova Scotian Berries and Apples from the Valley. They're made with Buttermilk to reduce the fat content, and are all trans fat free.

My favorite treat? It's almost impossible to name one. I've tried their Cinnamon Buns and Apple Cinnamon Buns. I've tried their Oatcakes, Chocolate Oatcakes and Peanut Butter Oatcakes. Their Cheese Scones and Very Berry Scones are to die for.

But, this post is about muffins, so I'll focus my attention there. They have amazing Blueberry, Apple & Oatmeal and Chocolate Chip & Banana muffins, but my absolute fave is their Morning Glory muffin.

Actually, this just might be my favorite muffin in all of Halifax. It's so incredibly dense, that it leaves me full for the better half of the day. With nuances of cinnamon, and a touch of vanilla, this baby is packed with raisins, nuts and a sprinkle of coconut. Deli Green's Morning Glory muffin is sweet and satisfying.