Onyx

I once took my sis to Onyx for Wednesday night, 1/2 priced apps...Now, it seems that every time she comes to visit, her flight always arrives on a Wednesday evening. Coincidence? I think not. As per usual when she arrives and I ask about dinner, her face lights up, and we're going to Onyx. On this particular outing, we had my 20-year-old, rugby playing cousin in tow, which meant that we needed to order alot of food. And so we did-nearly everything on the menu in fact!

Angie and I went for a couple glasses of wine, while Robbie had a luscious cucumber mojito...I know what I'm having the next time I hit up Onyx's Mojito Monday. This drink is cool and refreshing with a bit of bite from the rum.

Cucumber Mojito

We all shared the many appys that were to come. We had meat and veg, seafood and deep fried, and all were equally delicious and satisfying. We started with the Pork Belly, Chicken Chops andCalamari, as well as Onyx's amazing breadbasket containing bread (obviously) and crispy poppadom-type crisps, and maybe sesame coated won-tons? I dunno, but they were served with a rich, salty black olive tapenade.

Pork Belly
southern style marinated, slow braised, valley apple slaw

Chicken Chops
kung pao style semi boneless ginger & mirin soaked chicken wings

Calimari
curry dusted w/ ginger lime marmalade

Then we ventured into the "fast food" portion of the menu with fries, poutine and burgers gourmet-style. I use his term incredibly loosely as these dishes were a far cry from the golden arches...A super value meal is no match for Onyx's hand cut fries, truffle mayo and fois gras with gourmet burgers!

Hand cut Fries w/ Truffle mayo

Petite Burgers
trio of burgers; beef, quail and shrimp

Fois Gras Poutine

Cheese Plate
sheep, cow, goat & blue w/ seasonal fruit compote & crisps

Onyx always has an incredible cheese plate, and this evening was no different. This portion of the meal was one of indulgences- we had smooth, creamy goat cheese, a rich Gouda, a pungent blue and nutty Manchego. These were accompanied by fruited toast points and a compote. The compote, OMG-the compote. This was, sinful to say the least; warm and sweet with a touch of earthy spice that warmed your throat on the way down. Hands down a perfect ending to a perfect meal.

I've talked about this deal before, and again, I gotta give it praise...all of this food; 7 dishes in total plus our drinks came to less than 100 bucks. Not only is price a selling point here, but you can pretty much bank on a meal of fantastic quality whenever you hit up Onyx- whether it's a Wednesday, or any other night.

Onyx: Halifax' best Wednesday night deal!

We decided to do it up at Onyx tonight. The initial thrill was the fact that on Wednesday night, Onyx has, in my opinion, the best 'bang for your buck' in Halifax, with 1/2 priced appetizers. Tonight, though they showcased the food aspect, I have to say that I received some of the best service Halifax has to offer. Not only did our server Jessica recommend some delicious dishes, but she actually presented each dish in detail; how often does that happen?

We were quite ambitious with the menu. We started off with fois gras, the Burgundy sampler, Ceasar salad and the Kobe Beef. Next, we had the Venetian sampler, and calamari. Though I normally love describing everything in detail, there was just too much to describe...So here we go, jot-note form:

-Ceasar Salad; phenomenal- crunchy romaine, lightly seasoned, salty double-smoked
pork belly and crispy Parmesan tuille.

-Burgundy sampler; rich escargot, sweet artichokes and a stunningly prepared Gougere
w/smoked salmon and boursin cheese.

-Fois gras; picture this, the BEST pate you've ever had; sweet and salty, with
pickled yellow plums that explode in your mouth.

-Venetian sampler; spicy sausages, luxurious, creamy asparagus with white truffle
risotto and jumbo seared shrimp.

-Calamari two ways; cooked with a mild salsa verde, and deep-fried with a sweet
apricot sauce.

-Tender Kobe Beef: 'nuff said.

Believe me, I've had delectable treats at Onyx before. But I say with as much enthusiasm as I can: GO, you'll have an evening of great food and great service. Unfortunately, there are not many places in Hali where I can assure you both of these fine things. Fortunately, at Onyx, I can.

Onyx
5680 Spring Garden Road

http://www.onyxdining.com/

Wednesday night at Onyx

Last week, I went to Onyx for dinner. A friend and I met at the Port of Wines, picked up a delicious Carmenere, and off we went to the resto for an evening of great food. Now, I've written about Onyx before proclaiming that I think it's one of the best "bang for your buck" in Halifax. This was when they started offering1/2 price bar bites on Wednesdays. However, this sexy restaurant has sweetened the pot by adding BYOW with NO corkage fee! There's also great live music to add to the already decadent atmosphere.

Now, I had been informed that there were some new items on Onyx's bar bites menu and I definitely wanted to give those a try. Since I'm fairly 'snap happy' when it comes to food, you can image my grief when my camera's battery died after just one photo. It's fuzzy, but it gives you a good idea of Onyx's new smoked duck spring rolls w/ Ponzu sauce.

My friend and I are both duck-lovers so in order to prevent food envy, we both ordered the same first course. Next, I ordered the grilled Halloumi cheese w/mango fennel slaw and naan crisps. What a pairing; chewy cheese, soft, sweet bread and a lovely combo of luscious mango and crisp fennel. My friend, in the meantime, ordered the Cajun escargot fritters served with a roasted garlic aioli.

In the end, though the Bar Bites menu offers many fantastic selections, we strayed to the sweet sidein favor of something that seemed, as my friend put it, "tailor made" for us. From the dessert menu, we ordered une meule; traditional duoro valley style Stilton wheel, macerated table side with port and served with roasted nuts, hand dipped chocolate truffles, fresh berries, dried figs and toasted brioche. Sigh....

It was another winner for Onyx- one that makes me want to go back again to take photos to drool over later. But really, ya'll should just go check it out for yourselves. With the Wednesday night deal, it's spectacular, inexpensive food in a decadent atmosphere- what more could you ask for?

Wednesday Night at ONYX-The best deal in town!

I've been noticing a pattern about the places that I go for dinner...I LOVE to try new restos, don't get me wrong, but there are certain ones here in Halifax that have that...something. Though I've eaten there countless times before, I have dinner plans on Tuesday at the Brooklyn Warehouse, a place I've been often, but keep coming back to for great food, service and atmosphere. Another spot, and this Wednesday's dinner plans, is ONYX on Spring Garden Road; another resto where service is fantastic and the food is impeccable, it's a 'go-to' spot where I know I won't be disappointed.

The obvious allure of Wednesday at ONYX is the 1/2 price Bar Bites menu, and the lack of corkage fee. That's right, BYOB, and no charge for the service. A deal that is, hands down, the best one in Halifax. A couple weeks ago, some friends (in wine sales) and I had a lovely evening with a nice variety of wines at ONYX, supplemented with some tasty treats.

The boys had steaks, and some oysters were shared, but I went for my absolute fave- the duck Spring Rolls; crispy wrapper enveloping rich, tender meat, accompanied by a tangy dipping sauce. I also went for one of my favorite deep-fired treats, onion rings. I don't know what kind of magnetism onion rings have that always draws me to order them in a fine dining resto, but I simply can't resist them. Case end point: Bish, Ryan Duffy's and my upcoming post on CUT Steakhouse. However, I'm pretty sure that ONYX wins for my fave O-rings in Hali!

Duck Spring Rolls

one of my Top 10 Memorable Morsels of 2009

Onion Rings

Martinis with a Purpose!

I recently went for drinks with a member of the Autism Golf Ball Planning Committee at Onyx. We were there to try one of the three delicious martinis being featured as part of the Drink, Vote & Win! contest. RCR Hospitality, who is a great supporter of the Autism Society and one of the sponsors of the Autism Golf Ball taking place on October 16th at the Cunard Center, has put together a menu of three different martinis at three of their properties and customers can vote for their favourite!

The last day to vote is September 19th, and the winning drink will be announced during the Martini Contest Taste-Off event at Onyx on September 28th. At just $40 a ticket, the evening's festivities will include samples of all three martinis along with yummy appetizers and entertainment. Tickets for the Taste-Off can be purchased at the door and all proceeds retained will benefit the Autism Society.

The three featured martinis are the Thrill Ride, Ring My Bell and Hole in One. I had the opportunity to try all three; the Hole in One goes down dangerously quickly, while the Thrill Ride was a delicious sipper!

Thrill Ride

Onyx's Thrill Ride

A sophisticated cocktail composed of Citrus Vodka topped off w/

Prosecco and a floating shot of Chambord

The Victory Arms' Ring My Bell

A refreshing mix of Vanilla Vodka, Pineapple juice and lime

CUT's Hole in One

A flavourful smorgasbord in a glass with Vanilla Vodka, Coconut Rum, Super Cassis & Pineapple and Cranberry Juices.

Ring My Bell (r) & Hole in One (l)

For more information on the Autism Society's Annual Golf Ball or for the Martini Taste-Off, contact Renee Fournier at fournier@eastlink.ca, or visit the website: www.autismgolfball.com

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.

'Eat Your Heart Out' Halifax!

I want to write about a great event coming up, here in Halifax on Tuesday, April 24th.  Save room for dinner that night, because over ten restos in Halifax will be participating in 'Eat Your Heart Out', a fundraiser in support of the Maritime Heart Centre. 

The inaugural ‘Eat Your Heart Out, Halifax’ event is a unique approach to fundraising that celebrates the HRM food scene while raising critical funds for heart disease care and prevention in the Maritimes.

‘Eat Your Heart Out’ is a novel concept; on Tuesday April 24th 2012, participating restaurants will donate 15% of their food sales for the evening to the Maritime Heart Center. This gives diners an opportunity to support the Maritime Heart Center simply by enjoying a meal at one of a number of local restaurants.

“This is a unique fundraising model that holds great benefit for everyone involved” says John Britton, Executive Director for the Maritime Heart Center. “We hope to make this an annual fundraising event that removes the need for expensive tickets and dressing up. We want Haligonians to go out en-masse on this one night and have dinner with friends and family at one of our numerous participating establishments. This means raising money for heart disease is as easy as raising your fork”.

In addition to raising money, the event also celebrates HRM’s incredible restaurant industry. “Halifax has such a vibrant food scene” says Nancy Tissington of the Spring Garden Area Business Association. “This initiative showcases both our city’s innovative cuisine and social conscience. The restaurants get health-centred exposure and promotion and the Maritime Heart Center receives the proceeds, which stay right here in the Maritimes supporting heart disease care and prevention. It’s a win-win all round”.

The fundraising model is based on other wildly successful dine-out events that take place across North America, and as HRM doesn’t have a city-wide charitable dine-out fundraiser the Maritime Heart Centre is hoping to grow this event year-on-year to include more and more restaurants and, eventually, more communities across the Maritimes.

“Heart disease is Canada’s biggest killer” says Britton, “and nowhere is this more obvious than right here in the Maritimes, where 1 in 3 people will die of a heart-related condition. This is a fantastic opportunity for people to contribute to our charity simply by doing what they would normally do – enjoy a great meal at a great restaurant. When you choose to eat at any of our participating establishments on April 24th you are automatically supporting heart disease care and prevention in your community”. Early reservations are highly recommended.

‘Eat Your Heart Out’ takes place on April 24th 2012. For a full list of participating restaurants visit the Maritime Heart Centre or call 902 446 3669.

Currently, participating restos include: 
Onyx, Saege, Moda, Estia, Fid, Chives Bistro, Economy Shoe Shop, Mexico Lindo, Vinnie’s Pasta Bar, Rockbottom Brewpub & Morris East. 

Restos coming together for Eat Your Heart Out Halifax

As I mentioned Wednesday's post last week, there are plenty of restaurants on board for the Eat Your Heart Out Halifax event happening on Tuesday, April 24th.  And I just might have eaten at a few of them, ok, a lot of them!


Check out the participating restos below, as well as the links to my past posts on some of the participating restos and decide for yourself where you'll dine on the 24th! Be sure to visit on Monday to see my post on one of the first participants of EYHO;  MODA!


Onyx, Saege Bistro, Estia, Fid Resto, Chives Canadian Bistro, Morris East Restaurant, Pipa Restaurant & Bar, Cafe Chianti, Durty Nelly's


Harbour City Bar & Grill, Economy Shoe Shop, Mexico Lindo, Vinnie’s Pasta Bar,  Rock Bottom BrewPub and Baton Rouge.

              

Mouthwatering Meal at CUT Steakhouse

Earlier this spring, I did some work for an organization writing about various restaurants and food festivals in Halifax. In exchange, I ended up with a gift certificate to CUT Steakhouse (my choice) for a staggering sum...

Yeah, that's right...300 bucks!

When asked what resto I really wanted to visit, CUT was at the forefront of my brain. Certainly not cheap, it's the kind of resto that I was saving for a very special occasion. With my GC in tow, I knew that I could spend without a care in the world (relatively), which just enhanced the vibe of Marie-Antoinettish indulgence.

Now the best part about this meal was that I invited my best foodie friend and told her NOTHING about the night! OMG - I had so much fun taunting her! For weeks I told her how amazing the mystery was going to be. The night arrived, and I went to J's place and was thrilled when she had a glass of sparkling wine prepped for my arrival! We finished that off, called a cab, and I whispered the address to the cabby, who played along with my little game. When we pulled up at CUT, and I whipped out my GC, the look on J's face went from confusion - to shock - to sheer delight as she realized what was in store.

We started off with cocktails; mine was my 'usual' a straight-up Grey Goose martini w/ loads of olives. J went with the Berry Foam Collins; gin, fresh raspberries and lemon, shaken and topped w/ Prosecco. Our server quickly followed up our drinks with an amuse bouche-type course; a tangy goat cheese-based dip with crudites, followed by CUT's breadbasket. With a selection of soft savory loaves and crispy breadsticks it sated our virtually empty stomachs! Sidenote- I rarely fill up on bread in restos, but in RCR Hospitality's restos, the bread is pretty hard to resist!

After much, much consideration, we finally decided on our orders. As apps, on our server's recommendation, we chose 1 Shrimp Almondine each - he said the dish was very rich and filling. In addition, we ordered the broiled bone marrow to split.

Ah, the shrimp! These suckers will absolutely, positively make it on my list of Top Ten Memorable Bites of 2010. The shrimp themselves were plump and perfectly cooked- not a hint of chewy-ness. These were served on a beurre noisette with (what I think was) a puree of almonds. The contrast of juicy seafood, crunchy almond slivers and crisp breadcrumbs along with the velvety puree, had my tastebuds doing a happy dance indeed. It's not often that you find a dish whose components work so harmoniously together.

The bone marrow...well, it's not for me. I just wasn't a huge fan of the texture, though the accompanying jams were delightful and fragrant!

Jumbo Shrimp Almondine

U8 Jumbo shrimp, pan seared w/ almond slivers & garlic, beurre noisette

Broiled Marrow au Gratin

Broiled marrow bone topped w/ black truffle cheese,

brioche crisps & fig and apple-cinnamon jams

So as to avoid food envy, we both ordered the Kobe Beef rib eye- also on our server's suggestion. More on that later...For our enhancements and starch we chose a potato, mushrooms and onion rings.

I knew the O Rings were a good choice, as those at Onyx (one of RCR's other properties) are out of this world. While the onion rings were crisp, the mushrooms were tender, with an incredibly earthy flavour and aroma - a fantastic addition to the table. The potato was the perfect combo of both of these textures; a smooth truffle infused mash was wrapped in a layer of crispy potato to form...well, the phallic-like shape below - heretofore referred to as Penis Potato. Yeah, said it.

Tempura Onions Rings

w/ Smoked paprika-saffron mayonnaise

CUT Pommes de terre

Yukon Gold potato strings surrounding

white truffle infused mashed potato

Sauteed seasonal mushrooms

You're probably wondering how a 5", 100 lbs. chick put this all away by now hey? Well, it took a lot of effort, but absolutely worth it when the melt-in-your-mouth piece of meat arrived before me. This steak was the epitome of all the characteristics you want in your beef; tender, flavourful and rich, and smooth throughout - without any annoying bits of grizzle.

Kobe Beek Rib Eye

Sake & miso rubbed

Holy cannoli- this steak was like crack!

And here we are; two very content little ladies. This was a great experience in ways above and beyond the food. The service and hospitality at CUT certainly enhanced the evening and determined that a return trip is definitely in the future!

Top 10 Memorable Morsels of 2009

While I was planning yet another New Year's Eve menu, I got to thinking about all the meals I've planned throughout the year. Subsequently, this got me thinking about all the great meals, snacks and bites that have made their way to mah belly as well.

As I scoured through a full year's worth of posts, I painstakingly chose my top 10 memorable morsels of 2009. They include fantastic deals, amazing flavor combinations and decadent bites. I decided to refer only to dining experiences available in Nova Scotia. Here they are, dating back from last January up until the present. And....now I'm real hungry!

Duck Confit Spring Rolls at Onyx

Best sushi I've had in Hali at Doraku

Empanadas at Pipa

$5 Classic Breakfast at Athen's

Lemon Meringue Cheesecake at Stone Street Cafe

(center)

S'more from The Sweet Spot Chocolate Shop

Lobster Risotto at Bish

Onion Bhajia at The Taj Mahal

Brooklyn Burger at The Brooklyn Warehouse

Fish & Chips at Durty Nelly's Irish Pub

I hope your New Year is full of

happy mouths and bellies

Best wishes for a fun and food-filled 2010!