A Jane's Farewell to Nova Scotia

My posts since I have arrived back in Halifax have been all about lasts', and this is the last of the lasts' post. My very last meal in Halifax and Nova Scotia. After this meal I would drive from Halifax back to Toronto. As usual, we were running late getting out of the city, so we wanted something quick and on the way. After several weeks in Newfoundland, and a week back in Halifax gorging myself, I also wanted something a little bit healthy, so we settled on Jane's on the Common; a cute little joint on Robie St. on the North side of the commons. Jane's is very famous for its weekend brunch menu, but any good Haligonian will know they also have a killer lunch.

The menu kindly points out the Gluten Free and Vegan options, so it is easy to navigate for those with dietary restrictions. I was with my parents who are both usually meat and potato kind of people, but they both found satisfying options, and I went with the Harvest Vegetable and Quinoa Stew; a stray from my usual smoked salmon and potato latke choice.

Jane's has never disappointed me and this excursion was no exception. Quinoa is a grain I discovered a few years ago from a very stealthy healthy roommate, I was intrigued and delighted by it, but it really became my best friend when I had to go gluten free. It just goes well with everything and has more protein and fibre than other grains! This stew (term used lightly, could also be called a Quinoa Salad) was perfectly spiced, and paired excellently with tender orange squash and red kidney beans. Some highlights were using red and white Quinoa, as well as a tofu "cream" as garnish, giving it a delightful creamy taste without the sore stomach! This is one of my favourite restaurants in Halifax for going Gluten or Dairy free, just remember to arrive early if you are going to try the brunch!

Gluten Free: Yes (many options)
Dairy Free: Yes (many options)

Shellfish Galore

The Five Fisherman, located in a haunted building on Argyle Street, is a favourite haunt of tourists and lucky locals alike.This night was to be my last dinner in Halifax before heading out of town the following afternoon, so I was determined to eat as much shellfish as possible. The Five Fisherman makes this task fairly simple, as along with their salad bar, there is also a mussel bar included with every entree. I filled up on three plates of mussels before the main course arrived, steamed perfectly and bathed in garlic butter (they also have a marinara sauce, lemon butter and plain butter for the more adventurous dippers).

These are just mussels I made on my own once, the Five Fish is not really the kinda joint you bring a camera into

After I was sure I could eat no more mussels, the main course arrived, Scallops stuffed with Lobster meat. I wish I did have a camera because it was very elegantly prepared, and had a nice creamy white sauce on top. I find that whenever two foods are combined together (see. mcgangbang) their flavours just kind of amalgamate, so I ended up picking out the lobster and eating the two separately for most of my bites. I don't think you could eat this the wrong way, it was delicious.  I finished off with some sorbets (your average sorbets but a nice end to the meal) and a blueberry tea rimmed with sugar (ver. tasty!)

This is not a cheap place to dine, but if you have a love for mussels and lobsters and other shellfish and steak, it is worth a trip. And for those of us winos, they have a great wine list!

They do not cook in a gluten and dairy free environment, but ask for all allergies and sensitivities after taking your order to try and accommodate as much as possible.