The Dining Car

Train car restaurants are somewhat of a staple novelty across Canada, so you can imagine my delight when I realized I was going to get to eat 4 meals in a real live dining car on my way from Toronto to Winnipeg.

Everyone knows trains are more fun and comfortable than their more convenient brother, the airplane, but one key factor that may sway more and more long distance traveller's to the train is the food. Forget small plastic trays filled with small portions of flavoured cardboard, those who are willing to stick it out on the train are rewarded with an array of fine dining options, and superb service.

I did not call in advance to advise of my dietary restrictions (not recommended, always try to call, especially if your allergies are more severe) but there was always at least one option that was both gluten and dairy free, and sauce could easily be put on the side (fresh made food! Gasp!)

Breakfast: Day One

I chose the transcontinental, eggs with sausage and hashbrowns. The sausages were amazing, perfect blend of salty with a bit if sweet, the eggs were poached nicely though they could only do medium, and the hashbrowns were a great addition.

Lunch

The salmon flower, which was mostly just a round piece of salmon covered in butter and garlic (or no butter for you strict lactose folks) was only a sign of what was to come for dinner. Unfortunately I had to opt out of desert as ice cream was the only option.

Dinner

The highlight of a great dining experience! Lightly fried Halibut accompanied with grilled vegetables and scalloped mashed potatoes. I didn't care about the cream in the potatoes because it was one hundred percent worth it. How they were able to get good fish and keep it so fresh on the train I do not know, but thank god they did! Again I had to opt out if desert with 2 cake choices, but I did not care at this point.

Breakfast Day 2

We arrived in Winnipeg early Thursday morning, and I had agreed to meet my friend for breakfast, but the train got in early so I figured 2 breakfasts never hurt anyone. I just got the continental breakfast (oatmeal or cold cereal, a muffin and fruit) in anticipation of my second breakfast close at hand. The oatmeal was a small bowl, but came with brown sugar and real maple syrup, and I wrapped the muffin up to bring to my friend. Not the most glorious end to my dining experience but an easy option for the sensitive or light eater.

While the food was amazing, It's the overall experience that really makes the dining car worth it. Whether it was hearing about 2 German ladies traveling across Canada, an Australian tracing his roots, business travelers taking their time, or an unexpected meeting with a friend of a friend, the dining car is about meeting your fellow travelers.

Unless you are really counting your pennies, spend the extra few dollars on the dining car. The food from the snack bar may not be as bad as airplane food but isn't anything you couldn't find in the freezer section of your grocery store.


 

Posted with Blogsy

The Fish House

I had heard rumors of the fish house for weeks before I went there. It had been mentioned a few times in casual conversation to me by those who know I love fish, but I had not yet experienced the joys of this place first hand. Last week I was saying good bye to Toronto so I knew I only had one last chance. I requested for my family good bye dinner to be at The Fish House.

Looking at the menu is overwhelming, to say the least. There is a full page of specials in adition to the regular menu, and the regular menu includes some signature dishes as well as every kind of fuish they currently have which you can order cooked however you like.

I first wanted to try the fish tacos, but the tortillas had wheat in them, so I ended up getting one of the specials- sweet potato crusted Halibut with a greek salad.

Our food was slow coming out, but the fish was cooked well, and the sweet potato crust was delicious. Surprisingly, it was also one of the best Greek salads I've had (and I've had a lot of Greek salads), something I did not expect from a Canadian fish house.

Our waitress was very friendly and great at checking on on allergies for me. My only regret is not checking this place sooner so I could have visited multiple times!

Both gluten and dairy free options available 

All You Can Eat $9.99

All you can eat sushi has become a staple of the GTA, and why not? Sushi is somewhat light, healthy, and easy to prepare- everyone wins with the high customer turnover and great value. But something that is often overlooked on the Toronto foodie scene is the increasing number of high quality Indian food buffets. I understand why they are overlooked, because I was not always a believer. It took one very hungry (and slightly hungover) morning to get me to the lunch buffet at Everest, and have no regrets.

Indian cuisine usually prices in around the mid-high range, and the menus rarely change between lunch and dinner, so not only was I skeptical about the amount of food I could eat at an Indian buffet, but also of the quality and variety of the food.

My friend and I arrived at the restaurant 10 minutes before it opened, but they still allowed us in and seated us, the buffet was already open so we greedily began. There was a very good variety of both meat and vegetarian dishes. They had jasmine rice, chickpea curry, mutter paneer (chunks of cheese and peas in a curry sauce), two mixed vegetable dishes; One based with potatoes and cauliflower, the other based with zucchini and cabbage. They had both Tandoori and butter chicken, and a goat curry. They also laid out a variety of sauces including raita and mango chutney.

Impressed with the variety, I tried a little bit of everything except for the paneer. I usually try to stay away from the delicious butter chicken because it is full of cream and fat, but after putting just a but of the sauce on my rice I had to go back for more. It was rich with flavor and even had a little spice to it. The chicken both in the curry and tandoori were juicy and tender, and the goat flaked right off the bone and into my mouth.

For those of you who are not gluten free, just the naan bread is worth the trip to Everest. I tried a little nibble and it took more self control than I knew I had not to eat the entire piece. Maybe it's because I haven't had a piece of naan bread (or any bread) for a long time, but I would be willing to make the claim that this is the best naan in Toronto.

The weakest part of the meal was the desert. They had small dough-y looking balls covered in a syrupy substance. I didn't have one, but my friend gave them less than stellar reviews. They did have oranges and melon, and I'm sure we didn't need any more than that after the amount of food we had just eaten.

India is one of the best places to travel for vegetarians, but I've found that a lot of Indian restaurants in Canada lack in variety and creativity in their vegetarian menu items. It was really refreshing to see four different and skillfully done vegetarian dishes in one amazing buffet.

For the price of $9.99 for the lunch buffet, Everest is more than worth it, even if you can't make it back for seconds.

Summerlicious Part 2: Creme Brasserie

"We're going to be late"
"Why is there so much traffic"
"I'm so hungry"
"Why is there so much traffic"

Rachel and I wove in and out of traffic trying to make our reservation at Creme Brasserie in Yorkville. Neither of us had eaten breakfast and were absolutely starving, so it was to our utter relief that we arrived 20 minutes late with no problems getting a table. Thank God for lunchtime sittings. We had both reviewed the menu pretty extensively online and had a pretty good idea of what we wanted but...

Game Changer: They actually outlined the gluten free options on the menu! Foolishly, I stuck with my original choice, not sure what was going to be glutinous in a cold tomato and lump crab soup. This was a choice for which I alone paid the price. The watermelon and feta was gluten free and looked like a fab choice for any future diners wondering.

Before our appetizers arrived they brought some bread and hummus over to the table. Rachel is allergic to sesame seeds and I cannot eat wheat, so we made perfect dining companions; Rachel eating all of the bread, and me shoveling spoonfuls of hummus into my face. I think this may be the best hummus I have had on this continent (sorry, Me Va Me) It had texture to it, and wasn't just a creamy spread like the hummus you get in the grocery store, and it had a hearty helping of garlic and lemon.

For the main I had the Striped Bass which was covered in a garlicy butter sauce and served with asparagus. This choice was Gluten Free, though unfortunately not dairy free adding to the pain already mentioned. I'm not going to go ahead and say it was worth it, but it was some of the best fish I've ever had, and I came from the east coast!

There were no options for gluten free deserts so I just had the berries without the sauce. This was a very small cup of berries, and a pretty boring desert, but probably for the best considering all the butter I had just consumed.

Overall I was impressed with the healthy choices at this restaurant. All of the deserts were fruit based, and most of the appetizers were vegetable based, the mains were chicken, fish and vegetarian options and the portion sizes were representative of healthy serving sizes. The staff were also very concerned with our food allergies, so this is definitely a safe place for the food sensitive diner!

Chilled tomato, lump crab and avocado soup

Summerlicious Begins

Well, it began 11 days ago but today was my first summerlicious meal! We went to Wildfire Wine Bar and Steakhouse at Yonge and Lawrence. I have heard mixed reviews of Wildfire, but my parents are known to never pass up a good steak, so we gave it a go. The greeter happily opened the door for us and was wearing a lovely full length dress as she showed us to our table.

I had peaked at the menu online a few times already, so I knew what decisions lay before me, but I still had a tough time. I finally decided on the escargot, the salmon (in a steak house, I know) and the flourless chocolate torte cake (gluten free diners rejoice!). One of the hard things about summerlicious is most restaurants are not willing to make substitutions for dishes so it can be hard for the allergic/sensitive diner. However, Wildfire asked about allergies on the phone when I called to make the reservation, and while some of their dishes aren't guaranteed to be uncontaminated (with gluten) they checked all of the ingredients for me. I am lucky to be not as sensitive as others, so a bit of gluten in a sauce or on a utensil will not upset me too much, so those with more sensitivity make sure to let them know ahead of time!

I have only had escargot once before, so I am no expert, but this was by far my favourite part of the meal. Covered in garlic butter, they were nice, warm, chewy and flavourful. I love sauteed mushrooms and I kind of think of escargot as super mushrooms (perhaps giving offense to the culinary world), I would go back here just for another round of this dish...and maybe a glass of wine during one of their happy hours.

For some reason the main dish is never as exciting as the appetizer or desert, but the salmon was cooked superbly, and the bean and corn salsa was nice (though I'm not sure what qualifies it as salsa as it was just beans and corn on top of the fish). The grilled vegetables had a nice smokey flavour to them. My only complaint was the rice pilaf that was a little dry and bland.

The desert was my easiest course to choose, because there was only one flourless option. Even before going gluten free I was a lover of a good torte cake. This one was drizzled with chocolate and raspberry sauce, and tasted like light and silky goodness. They also used dark chocolate which means much less dairy and much more deliciousness.

I love going to summerlicious at lunchtime, because it is always a treat to have a nice long relaxing lunch in the middle of the day, and as another bonus the food is just as good but $10-$15 cheaper! Enjoy, and let me know what some of your summerlicious favs are!

Gluten Free: With Some Difficulty

Dairy Free: With more difficulty and only if you are willing to skip desert

Nut Free: Yes!

Almond Dream Yogurt

Yogurt, filled with pro-biotics, calcium, fruits and low fats is a healthy eaters delight. It used to be a staple food in my diet, and probably the dairy product I miss the most (let's just not tell anyone I still eat the occassional piece of brie cheese). This evening I stumbled across almond dream non dairy yogurt and decided to give it a try, almond milk is the only type of dairy free milk I find bearable anyways so why not yogurt?

It was love at first spoon. While it is still no creamy cow's or Greek yogurt, it is as close as I have ever come. It has that distinct yogurty after taste, and while the texture is a little thicker than most yogurts it didn't feel weird in the mouth.

I tried the vanilla flavour, and dutifully scrapped every last bit of yogurt off the sides, happy to be united with one of my favourite treats. I will be heading back to the store tomorrow to stock up and see what other flavours they have.

I was giddy with excitement and wanted to immediately share this with you all, so go forth and try it!

A Moveable Feast

While brains fulfill the nutritional needs of zombies and other such creatures, the brain also needs to be nourished and fed. However, the brain is not the mouth, and it cannot eat such foods as a rare runny steak, a juicy strawberry or a grilled swordfish. A brain eats through intellectual nourishment, from the (dreaded) television, movies, and books.

When the brain loves food, (it can enjoy knowing of it even if it cannot crush the meat with it's teeth or savour spiciness on its tongue) many hours can be consumed reading and watching about ways to better satisfy those delightful sense organs. However, while some of my friends can watch the food network for hours on end, my desire is not so much to know how food is made, but to feel the food in my inner being. Stories of food are what I love.

They say you should write the book (or blog) that you would want to read, but unfortunately for me the book I want to read has already been written: Lonley Planet's A Moveable Feast: Life-Changing Food Adventures From Around the World. Thanks for stealing my idea, Lonely Planet. But never fear, I am not one to hold a grudge or pine away the hours thinking about the millions I could have made compiling a book of short stories about memorable food experiences.

I first picked up the book about a year and a half ago, before my obsession with food adventure had begun, but I did want to travel and it seemed like a fun concept, but not worth the $16.99. Luckily I had a wonderful boyfriend at the time who noticed my snooping and got it for me for my birthday a couple months later. I was excited and delighted but still it sat on my shelf for months, being brushed aside by such classical authors as Dickens, Austen, and Rowling. Finally I took a vacation with my family, and threw the book in my bag, excited to read a book on travel while traveling (I really enjoy it when my life is like the books and movies I am reading/watching).  I began A Moveable Feast by flipping to the stories in locations that are on my 'to visit' list, but within two days I had read the whole thing front to back. The stories range from top class dining with A Pilgrimage to El Bulli, To rare and strange cultural food experiences (like a fresh mango in the African desert, or Bat testicles...). The various authors weave tales of food that in the end somehow manage not to be so much about food, but about the way food and mealtime can act as a bridge between cultures or lead to the creation of lifelong friendships.

The most disappointing part of the book is that so many of the stories are highly personal and achieved somehow through luck and journalistic cunning, so many of the experiences could not be recreated on my own travels. At least I can always live vicariously through the stories in this book whenever my brain is feeling a little munchy.

You can also find the e-book version here

Poutine Wars: Ottawa vs. Halifax

I have eaten my fair share of Poutine. While all of them have had their charms, we can't all be winners in this world. So in honour of Canada Day, I bring you my first in a possible series of Poutine Face Offs: Ottawa vs. Halifax.

Poutine was created in our very own Quebec, but it has quickly spread to the surrounding provinces and has become perfected in its own right in the Maritimes and Ontario (who knows what they've got cookin out west). Living in Halifax for six years, I have tried many of the late night poutine options, and debated their merits in my head and with many of my friends. Every time, the fight for the best poutine comes down to Willy`s vs. Alexandra``s. The first battle:

Runner Up:

Alexandra's:

With late-(ish) night delivery, and cheap foods Alexandra's is a long time favourite with students. The poutine uses a mushroom gravy and shredded mozzarella cheese (not the squeaky kind). Despite this handicap, Alexandra's still brews up a top contender. While the service is sometimes slow the poutine is pretty reliable and tastes mm mm good. 

Winner:

Willy's: 

I can't imagine my life before I discovered Willies just two years ago. While it is tragic that I went an entire four years in that city before discovering this magical little place, it is understandable given that it is a small hole in the wall (literally) next to three other pizza places on pizza corner, and only open after dinner. I have been informed that they have recently expanded their menu to include different types of poutines and burgers, and are now open several days a week for lunch, but back when I lived there, there were three things on the menu: fries, poutine or burger. And no one ever gets the burger. Willy's uses a great vegetarian gravy, and real squeaky cheese, but I think the most important thing that sets Willy's apart from the rest are the french fries. Even just with ketchup these are amazing, Willy`s knows how to stick to the basics. 

Which brings us to our main battle...

Willy's Vs. Elgin Street Diner

Elgin Street Diner: 

I had just eaten a poutine from Smoke's (which did not even make it into this competition) the night before, so I had planned to get a salad when we stopped in to the Elgin Street Diner (which I was told was traditional Ottawa cuisine), but they had an exciting looking poutine menu that I could not resist. I ordered the smoked meat poutine because it sounded very Quebecois (or Montrealian) and this was the closest I was going to get to poutine in Quebec. 

A monsterous plate of poutine was placed in front of me, and I almost ate it all. The fries were thinner than willies but still a very good contender, and they use squeaky cheese! The menu didn't specify what kind of gravy was used, but it tasted heavy and beefy to me. I``m usually a fan of a lighter vegetarian gravy but this was too amazing. Despite still feeling incredibly full from the night before, I got just several bites away from completion. I left the diner feeling a little sick, but with no regrets.

As much as I love Willy`s and feel a great loyalty to Halifax, I think that the ESD is going to take the poutine crown.

Our grand winner is the Elgin Street Diner!

smoked meat poutine

The Indian Kitchen

"All you can eat $8.99" is the only thing I've known about the Indian Kitchen for years. Heavy curries are not the kind of thing I usually aim to eat in large quantities, so my only interactions with the Indian Kitchen were seeing that sign time and again as I frequented the sushi place next door. However, when I recently returned to Thornhill , my goto Indian place had closed down, and this was my only choice. We went for dinner, so I cannot speak for the affordable lunch buffet, but our experience certainly exceeded expectations.

Neither of us had been to the place before, and when we entered only one other table was filled- suspicious. We flipped through the menu, and they have great variety of both curry, vegetarian and non curry options. I ordered the goat curry with basmati rice and my dad ordered the tandoori lamb with naan bread and roti.

The last time I had ordered a lamb curry I wasn't a big fan, but this was several years ago, and I was feeling adventurous. My daring paid off because the dish was delicious! The meat was tender enough to fall off the bone and be gorged by my teeth. This was my first time visiting an Indian restaurant since becoming gluten free, and I thought resisting the naan was going to be torture, but my curry went so great with the rice that I didn't even mind missing out on one of my favourite treats.

The menu helpfully ranks the spiceyness of each dish, so those with brave souls or for the faint of heart can both find the perfect dish. By the time we were leaving the restaurant was beginning to fill up, so I guess we had just been a little keen, this is a little treasure of Thornhill that will remain hidden no more!

Love at Ahora

Ahora is tacky. I would not have noticed from the small sign outside if it hadn't been pointed out to me. I warily climbed down the stairs to a brightly coloured and rectangular room cut up by the food counter and kitchen, and a small area of raised seating in the back. The restaurant was not overly full, but the sounds from the kitchen spilled out into the dining area making it noisy and heated. We were seated at a table with menus, but then had to go up to the counter to order food (They did not tell us this, I just had knowledgeable friends that saved me hunger driven anxiety trying to flag down a waiter).

We ordered nachos with chicken to start, and I ordered the Tostada salad (my favourite Mexican treat).  Most of the menu items were under $10 which is great for those of us who are unemployed, and the portions are big enough to fill a fairly heavy appetite. The nachos arrived promptly, and had the guacamole and salsa layered right in with the cheese, chips and vegetables, making many of the middle bottom chips soggy. This sounds a little unappetizing but the soggy chips were actually my favourite because they had soaked up all the flavours. The chicken was nice and smokey, and not extra charge for including guacamole like the nachos I had had earlier that week! These immediately dashed any questions I had about the quality of food, and I excitedly awaited my meal.

The Tostada was kind of like a mix between my beloved market tostada and a taco salad. It came in a large ruffled hard corn tortilla shell and was filled with beans, chicken, salad, guacamole and salsa. The beans were at the bottom and began to leak through the shell, so it was like a race to the finish. It had many of the same ingredients as the nachos, and had both similar and distinct tastes. Even though I had just eaten half a plate of nachos, I still polished off the Tostada. By the time we finished our meals, the restaurant had filled up and we shuffled back out into the scorching heat, stuffed and satisfied, to make way for the next customers.

Dairy Free: No (cheese and sour cream)
Gluten Free: Yes! Just choose the corn, not flour, tortilla and shell options

Arriving at Multicultural City

My favourite thing about the food scene in the GTA is the readily available mountain of affordable, high quality(well...high quality taste), ethnic food.  My usual go to is Sushi, but on the afternoon of reuniting with one of my closest friends, we decided to go for something a little different: middle eastern.

Me Va Me is a small chain that just opened up a new location in Thornhill Woods. This location has a classier decor so we ventured up the road for this festive occasion. They had a new menu addition since the last time I had been there: hummus plates, so I decided to be adventurous and ordered the hummus with grilled mushrooms. Rachel ordered the classic chicken kebabs, with salad and rice.

The salad came out first and being very generous, Rachel shared some of it with me. It is topped with shredded carrots and beets over a mixed green and cucumber salad. It is all moderately covered in a nice light dressing. The vegetables are always fresh and they don't over do it on the dressing. This is probably my favourite house salad in the city.

Next the main courses arrived. I had a generous portion of both hummus and mushrooms

Hummus and Grilled Mushroom Plate

 The hummus was a little too creamy, and didn't have as much texture as  I would have liked (considering that they claim fame for their hummus). It was not quite as good as the infamous Hummus Bros in the UK. Despite the texture the taste was still great, and I'm sure it would be even better on a pita that I unfortunately had to pass up (no Gluten Free option). There were three different kinds of mushrooms which was very exciting for us hobbit like folk, and a few grilled onions tossed in to the mix.

If I was hungry I would still opt for the Chicken or Lamb kebabs over the hummus plate, but if you're just looking for something light and fresh the Hummus plate is a great option.  The place is almost always full of locals and  provides a laid back environment, great for reconnecting with old friends. Seating gets a little crowded though, so I wouldn't recommend a first date!


Gluten Free: Many options but you have to forgo the free pita at the start
Dairy Free: Many options as well, just ask about sauces

Last stop for seafood

It was 9pm, and after a day of walking around Vieux Quebec it took all my self control not to gorge away (or even nibble at) the bowl of French crusty bread the waiter, dressed all in white, placed on our table. We were stopping over in Quebec City for a couple days, and decided to try out a restaurant called Le Contintental (or: The Continental for us Eglish speaking folk). The menu looked great, but it had very few reviews anywhere online. In a moment of uncharacteristic daring, we decided to give it a try.

Even though I had eaten mussels, scallops and lobsters just a few nights before, I was feeling nostalgic and recalled that the French also make a great shellfish; so I went for one of the daily specials:  the steamed lobster. It arrived out of its shell on a small mound on the plate. I was a little disappointed that I couldn't show off my lobster cracking skills developed over my six years in Halifax, but this was not the establishment for such barbarianism, and with a full lobster shell there would not have been room on the plate for my green and red display of vegetables, next to a mound of creamy orange mashed sweet potatoes.

My parents ordered the Duck l'orange for two, which was flambe right next to our table! After the amazement that the fire did not burn the already cooked food, they spoke very highly of the duck.

To the untrained palette, it may seem like an easy task to steam a lobster, but many a home lobster cooked meal has gone astray due to a lack of steaming or boiling skills. This was not the case with my shelled lobster at Continental. It was not dry, and it hit that perfect spot where butter wasn't necessary because the meat was so sweet and juicy by itself (of course I used a little butter anyways).

I was very excited to eat the sweet mashed potatoes, but was a little disappointed at how creamy they were. I am a rara avis in that I prefer mashed potatoes that are a little grittier and more flavorful rather than creamier (maybe it also has to do with the lactose intolerance) and I could taste the butter in these more than I could taste the potato. The vegetable medley was very nice (though a little small), and they had a nice selection of sorbets for desert that I was much too full to try.

Perhaps most impressive, was the astute service throughout our entire meal. We had multiple waiters: one for wine, one for water and one for food and the service on all three fronts was attentive and speedy. The bill was a little pricey but worth it for the traditional French dishes, live cooking and wonderful service. However, be prepared to feel much too young and under-dressed for the establishment .

We left the restaurant full, satisfied, and ready for a great night's sleep.

Gluten Free: Yes, with a little self control and menu navigation
Dairy Free: hard pressed, especially in the side dishes, but you can substitute those if necessary  

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. 

Market Adventures: The Last

My last sunny Saturday in Halifax, I did what all good Haligonians do; go to the Market. I had a small snack  before leaving the house to avoid buying everything I saw at the market, but it did not end up stopping me. I walked around for a while, admiring all of the options, before settling on my snack:

Middle Eastern Spinach and Chickpea Patties

These are "spinach and chickpea" gluten free patties, from a small middle eastern booth somewhere in the middle of the Market (I had never seen it before, and it was just called "Middle Eastern Food"). I clearly need to have a better self control strategy, because I had these heated and ate them immediately. They were deep fried in oil but also had spinach in them, so it is a completely acceptable option, right? They are made with potatoes and chickpeas, spinach and spices and then deep fried until delicious. They were just crispy enough to taste the delicious oil, and then mushy enough on the inside to have a delightful texture.

Next I decided to try something radical, and buy some food to bring home and cook! I have a lovely little cookbook called "Out of Old Nova Scotia Kitchens" with exciting old Maritime recipes:

Out of Old Nova Scotia Kitchens

I decided to make myself a "South Shore Boiled Dinner" with codfish, white sauce, potatoes and broccoli. Preparation involves soaking the fish overnight (I skipped this step), boiling the fish, and then boiling the vegetables in the nice fishy water; frying up some bacon, and covering everything with bacon and white sauce. Yum. Now,what you may not know, is that the main ingredients in white sauce are flour and milk. But never fear! I was ready to make the gluten and dairy free version. I used buckwheat flour and almond milk. This did not mix together well, and I was reluctant at first (it did not look appetizing), putting the sauce on the side. It ended up tasting not the greatest, but completely edible, so I dumped it all over for my excellent feast.

South Shore Boiled Dinner

The dish is typically made with root vegetables, not broccoli, but I substituted and it went well with the dish. I also used Pemeal bacon, but in retrospect I would probably have stuck with normal bacon to get a nice crispy touch.

Overall my last trip to the market was a success! If you are in Halifax for a Saturday or Sunday I would definitely recommend heading down to the Market and sampling some seafood (they have breakfast oysters!) or any of the local and international dishes scattered throughout the pier

Gluten Free: Yes

Dairy Free: Yes


The Halifax Farmers Market is Located at 1209 Marginal Road. Hours and vendors can be found on their website: halifaxfarmersmarket.com

Lobster Poutine

Back in Halifax for just one week, I felt a wave of nostalgia coming on and began frantically purchasing seafood and donairs. But the one Halifax treat I had yet to try was a lobster poutine. I only discovered these existed a little over a year ago and have been thinking about them ever since. The time to try one was now, and the place was the Halifax Farmers Market.

I feel a great fondness for the fish shop at the market, I have tried many of their catches, eaten their oysters for breakfast, gotten a free lobster because it’s limbs were falling off, and just had an overall positive experience. I had yet to try their cooked dishes, so this was a double first! The lobster poutine is $14, a little steep for us recently unemployed folk, but when in Nova Scotia…

It was ready in a matter of minutes, and they did not skimp on the lobster meat which makes me love them even more. For those of you who don’t know (and shame on you), a lobster poutine is fries, topped with lobster meat and cheese curds (squeaky cheese as it is sometimes referred to), covered in a hollandaise-esque sauce (but who can say exactly what it is?).

Everything about this poutine was amazing. The lobster was great, the cheese was fresh and not fake (it came from FoxHill cheese), the fries were thick and perfectly spiced and every bite was an orgasm in my mouth and body. I’m not sure when or how lobster poutine came to be, who thought to mix two of the best eastern Canadian foods, but whoever did, I would like to personally thank you for this treat you have bestowed upon the world. 

Gluten Free: yes!

Dairy Free: no :(

I Find Treasure at Last

We left St. John’s for a 12 hour drive to the Port Aux Basques ferry, and I began to feel desperate. Desperate but not hopeless, because when is some of the worst food eaten? Road trips! I was certainly not disappointed by our first lunch stop, a few hours outside of St. John’s, at Mary Browns Chicken.  There was pretty much nothing on the road between St. John’s and this stop, and our driver was starting to get a little hangry (anger that arises from excessive hunger). Mary Browns seemed cheap, easy and fast so we pulled over, stomachs growling. There were three of us, so we got the family bucket- 6 pieces of chicken, a plate of taters and a side salad for just over for just under $25. According to their own signage, they were very famous for their taters, so this seemed like a great plan.

Let’s begin with the taters. Mostly, they tasted like salt. I’m not the kind of gal to shy away from a bit of extra salt on my fries, but this was excessive, like can already feel my blood pressure rising kind of excessive. The chicken was no better, it tasted like it was coated in salt and butter- moreso than your average fried chicken joint, which I did not think was possible. Between the three of us we couldn’t even make it half way through the taters, and we had to pick away some of the breading off the chicken to get it down. I left feeling physically unsatisfied but mentally satiated. Finally, a meal worthy of those old Newfoundland fisherman!

As much as I delighted at finally finding a nice artery clogging meal, it felt like a bit of a cop out to have a fried chicken chain win. The world already knows fried chicken is much too greasy and salty for any sane human. I had one last chance for a traditional meal, all my hopes and dreams rested on one last dinner.

We pulled up at the Harbourside restaurant, right at the beginnings of downtown Port Aux Basques, and next to the ferry terminal. As I read the menu, things were already looking up- they had cod tongues! For once I didn’t have a hard time deciding, so this was already a win. They came out lightly battered and fried and served with mashed potatoes. I have been told that cod tongues are quite the delicacy, and locals rush to the markets at 6am, to get a bag of cod tongues for the week. Surely these had to be tasty as well as salty and fatty, right? I took my first bite to the delightful feeling of hot oil rushing into my mouth and down my chin. They were a little chewy and more firm than your average fish part, but over all they were edible. I was even able to finish almost all of my plate! On the ferry later that night, I felt a little bit like throwing up. Some may say it could have been sea sickness, but I like to think that my body was rejecting all of the fats and salts in had consumed on this lovely day, my last day in Newfoundland, and my search complete.

Next time you find yourself wandering around the wilderness of Newfoundland, don’t be afraid to taste a cod tongue, or cheek, or a seal flipper pie- and you’ll truly begin to question how anyone survived here pre-confederation. 

Gluten Free: no

Dairy Free: yes

The Harbour Restaurant can be found at 1 Main, Port Aux Basques, NFLD

Into a sea of doubts

As we drove from Twillingate towards St. John's, munching on some fries and gravy we had picked up from a truck at the side of the road, I began to despair. Sure, we had eaten our fair share of greasy, deep fried, vegetable-less meals, but I still wasn't satisfied. St. John's, holding a quarter of the population of the entire island, loomed with fine culinary establishments of the new world- how would I find my overly deep fried and salted fish here? Should I just give up now and get something tasty? Maybe even some vegetables? At first that seemed likely, because we stumbled upon a little cafe and bakery called The Rocket. I started with their soup of the day- potato leek. You may not really think of potatoes as a nutritious gem, but it was a vegetable and that was good enough for me! Soup (along with fries) is one of my favourite foods, and this soup was no exception. Not too thick but not too thin, not to salty but full of flavour, this soup was just right.

We were taking an easy day, hanging out in the cafe, catching up on some emails, working on our blog, reading, etc. and so after a couple hours I wanted more, but what? To my delight and surprise they had a flour-less chocolate brownie! And only $2.00!

I love flour-less chocolate cake because it is a mixture of everything good. Fudge like consistency, and taste of a chocolate cake and chocolate bar all mixed into one. I also had a lovely almond tea to balance the sweetness. My friend caught me licking the paper after it was gone, we locked eyes and began to laugh, but only another gluten free-bee could understand my joy at a delicious, non-pain inducing, desert. 

Gluten Free: yes!

Dairy Free: maybe...

The Rocket can be found at 272 Water St. St John's, NFLD

Later that day we decided on a world famous fish and chips joint for dinner- Ches's Fish and Chips. We were a little tipsy heading into the restaurant and ordered some fancy cocktails to start. As I sipped on my drink and read through the menu my hope began to return- fries with gravy and stuffing, deep fried cod tongues, battered cod and chips; in fact, most things on the menu were fishy and deep fried, with barely a vegetable in sight! Unfortunately they were all out of cod tongues so I settled for the fish and chips with fries and gravy (my staple food of the trip). The food was greasy but delicious. The fries did not disappoint, and I am beginning to think Newfoundland could give Quebec a run for their money in the Poutine department. The fish was perfectly cooked and the breading was probably worth it, though it fell apart quite a bit. Nevertheless, I had faith renewed, we still had a long day of driving ahead, and what are road trips for if not for eating and greasy highway joints!?

no, those shiny bits are not the reflected light.

Gluten Free: nope

Dairy Free: yes!

Ches's can be found at 9 Freshwater Road, St. John's, NFLD

The Search on The Rock continues (Day 6)

Today is a special day, because it is taking the prize for Newfoundlands BEST meal. Home prepared and made by an official half Newfoundlander, and readily eaten by yours truly. Today we ate Moose. Newfoundland Moose? Not quite, but it is from Northern Maine; hunted and prepared by our fearless hostess.

The meat had been marinating in jar with tomato, onions and Moose juices (not quite like this specialty Newfoundland wine: http://www.aukislandwinery.com/page.php?id=1 ). It was prepared by simply simmering in a pot and adding rice.

It tasted kind of like beef-chicken: the best of both worlds. The meat was tender and juicy, and a nice welcome after a day of driving. I know this is the kind of fine dining I said I was sick and tired of, but sometimes a gal needs a break from deep fried foods and gravy. Tomorrow I will return to the artery clogging goodness, but tonight I feast!

Gluten Free: Yes!

Dairy Free: Yes!

Perfect Meal: Yes!

My Search for Newfoundlands Worst Meal (Part 2: Days 2 and 4)

The morning of day 2, we decided to do something crazy, hike the Copper Trail up Blomidon (lit. blow me down) Mountain. It took about 4 grueling hours and much encouragement and peer pressure to make it to the top. I mentioned before that they call Newfoundland "the rock". This trail lovingly shows that by having the last hour of the trail wind up a steep rock cliff that seems to never end. Finally our troupe made it and part of me wanted to collapse, but the rest of me anxiously anticipated the delicious, hard earned meal awaiting me at the bottom.

Pretty impressive, am I right?

What some of you may not know about me, is that I have very poor balance (I blame this on being tall), so getting down the mountain can often be just as difficult as getting up. Luckily, thanks to the 'side step' I made it down injury free and was ready for some Newfie style eatings! Our knowledgeable guides told us that we needed to call ahead and order from the 'chip stand', or we would have to wait forever. This already sounded exciting.We ordered a regular fries, onion rings, and fries with burger and gravy (a Newfoundland specialty).

The stand was about half an hour away from the mountain, my anticipation grew stronger, my stomach more growly . Fries are one of my biggest guilty pleasures and favourite all time foods (just earlier today I was asked if I had to pick one food to eat for the rest of my life what would it be? I answered, 'poutine').

The stand was mostly visible because of the lineup of cars parked on the street in front of the hut, and patrons were in and out of the little shop, mostly eating in or outside of their cars. Our guide went in to pick up the goodies and we waited anxiously outside. In what seemed like forever (around 2 minutes) our food came out and we began to eat. Onion rings first as our "appetizer". The rings were topped with paprika, which added a delectable flavor, and the breading was good (if not gluten free). What was probably most impressive was that the onion rings stayed together, and there was no separating of the onion and the breading. I will not pretend to be an onion ring expert, as this is the first time in several years I have eaten them, but I would still take it upon myself to name them the best in the country.

Next we moved onto the main course: fries. I took a bite of the plain fries first. Only lightly salted, and not too greasy tasting, it had the right combination of crispy outside and mushy, creamy potatoe-y inside. You can tell these are handmade from real potatoes. Satisfied with my taste testing, I moved on to the Newfie specialty: fries with burger and gravy. This kind of works like a poutine except instead of cheese curds there is ground beef. This actually turned out great for me, because I didn't have to attempt to 'eat around' the cheese as I normally do when sharing a poutine. The concoction was everything I could have asked for: heavy, salty, meaty, fatty. All the ingredients of fine Newfoundland cuisine!

I don't know if this will take the prize, after all, it was very tasty as well as heart-stopping, but we are on the track to success!

The Ultimate Tuna Sandwich

Days 3 and 4 were pretty uneventful food days, but I just want to take a moment to describe the lunch I made today. Peanut butter and Tuna sandwiches. I know you are having your doubts, my travel companions had their doubts too ...at first. The idea came from my aunt, who used to eat peanut butter and salmon sandwiches when she was younger. It never sounded appealing but I was always curious to try, so I made a sandwich for one of my travel companions. He gave me many funny looks (the thanks I get for preparing the meal!), but did not keel over, or even vomit after the sandwich, so I made some more for the rest of the crew! I may be biased, but I thought they were great. This isn't Newfoundland cuisine, per se, but I would highly recommend giving this a try! Especially with school house gluten free bread (the only brand I've tried that tastes anything like real bread).

Signing out, still on my search but feeling hopeful already!

My Search for Newfoundlands Worst Meal (Part 1: Day 1))

I don't know about you, but I'm sick and tired of good food everywhere. How is France or Italy supposed to hold any culinary appeal when globalization has brought fine dining all around the world. Now, I can eat creamy French food in Halifax, gourmet Japanese in Toronto, street vendors galore in Vancouver- and never have to leave my own country. But what happened to the days when I would only get some stale bread and cheese in the UK, or stringy beef and potatoes all along the northeastern coast of North America?

Newfoundland, also known as "the rock", has lacked access to many culinary tools due to the cold climate and rocky terrain. For years all Newfoundlander's could eat was salty fried Cod, and the occasional root vegetable.  But with advances in technology food is beginning to come to Newfoundland: green vegetables, fruits, delicious mints, and fine wines are all making their way to Newfoundlands shores. This may be great news for Newfoundlander's in search of better nutrition and variety, but not great for me, on a search for traditional, salty, fatty, grey, Newfoundland cuisine.

I have 10 days in Newfoundland to find my prize, I will report back with any mentionable news soon!

Day 1: A Failure. Had a BBQ with some friends, homemade burger patties with sauteed onions and mushrooms. Probably the best home made burgers I've ever had. Was not even privy to secret ingredient. Double fail.

Nocular Nachos

Just one week ago, if I had been asked about the best Nachos in Halifax, I would probably rattle off pubs like the Economy Shoe Shop or Rogue's Roost, but I have now lived to spin a different tale.

Most tortilla chips that exist outside authentic Mexican restaurant are a mix of corn flour and wheat flour and thus not gluten free. That is why I was pleasantly surprised to notice the little gluten free symbol next to the nachos after several plates had been ordered for the table. I had eaten lunch at the lower deck once before, and had not been overly impressed, so my expectations were pretty neutral. I had already eaten a big lunch so I was content to just order something light and pick at it for most of the evening, I had no need of an amazing meal, I was really only there to support my friend. However, as usually happens whenever I am in the near vicinity of food I began to get peckish, and by the time the nachos arrived I was ready to devour whatever was in front of me.

I picked up a chip with not much on it, (I was trying to avoid the cheese), scooped up some salsa, and took a bite. My first emotion was surprise- "holy moly"! These chippies were good. Much better than just your average tortilla chip. I grabbed the menu to learn more and saw these were cooked in basil oil, the secret to success?

The nachos were covered with the normal dressings, cheese, peppers, jalapenos, etc. They also had the brilliant idea to caramelize the onions before dumping them on top, giving a bit of a sweet kick to the plate. I began eating shyly, I was sharing the plate with 4 other friends, but soon the chips started to disappear much too soon and I began feeling a little frantic. In a moment of fateful luck, some of the other appy's started to come out at that time, and I was left to polish off the plate of nachos, complete with picking at the little pieces of pepper and tomato stuck on the wax paper on the bottom.

While my surprise at getting amazing food when I was expecting mediocre may have added to my delight, these nachos are definitely in the top 3 of the city, so before you go running to the Shoe Shop for your favourite bar side snack, give the Lower Deck a try.

Gluten Free: yes

Dairy Free: no (unless you are crafty enough to avoid the cheese)

Lower Deck: 1869 Lower Water Street
www.lowerdeck.ca

Lifesaving Lattes

Last weekend something horrible happened- I had to come into work on a Sunday. One could say it was my fault for slacking off most of the week, but I'm not here to point fingers, I'm here to relent on how depressing it is to have to drag yourself into the office on Sunday to try and hurriedly finish your work that will determine your legacy (it's my last week). As per usual, when things started to get really depressing I started getting hungry. I waited as long as I could but eventually I had to cave and go get lunch. Coburg Coffee is the closest cafe to my work, and being the cool hipster joint that it is, it is always filled with healthy and sensitive choices.

My first recommendation is not to go into Coburg too hungry, because I always get distracted by the book exchange shelf on the way to the counter. There is something about (free) books that I just cannot resist, and usually spend a good 20 minutes looking through the shelf to see if there are any keepers before I make my way to order.

I always have a hard time when there are so many gluten and dairy free options to choose from- There usually aren't very many options that suit my dietary needs, and I'm just not expecting the staggering weight of a food decision when I've committed to going gluten and dairy free. I was craving a green tea latte so I skipped the salads and went for a soy latte and Pakora, (which I would describe as a giant Indian style potato latke) probably the least healthy of all my options. I had not gone out drinking the night before, but it was Sunday morning so I felt like I deserved at least a bit of grease.

I smuggled the food back to my office so I could eat on a couch and catch up on some TV before I had to get back to work, sipping the latte as I quickly walked, desperate to get to my food. The green tea latte was as flavourful as ever, the best in the city, in my opinion. I usually find when I order tea lattes, they mostly taste like warm milk or syrup, but this one, made with real green tea finds the perfect combination of green tea flavour and creamy soy milk.

The pakora comes with a side of chutney or hummus, the chutney sounded more exotic so I went with that. It was perfectly greasy without the overwhelming breading or bacon grease that these dishes are usually fried in. It had gotten a little soggy on the bottom during my walk, but that did not effect the taste. The chutney gave it a little kick, and the pakora had a hint of spice mixed in with the potato, cauliflower and chickpea flours.

As my show ended I slowly made my way back to my desk to continue my work, anxiously awaiting my next meal.

Stats:

Gluten Free: yes!

Dairy Free: yes!

A Real Francais Lunch at Chez Tess

"we can go anywhere!"

"anywhere?!"

My roommate and I are horrible at making decisions, especially when it comes to food where there is so much at steak (pun intended). So when she ducked out of work to pick me up at the airport earlier today and we decided to stop for lunch, we began the usual "where do you wanna go?" , " I dunno, where do you wanna go?" routine that we so often get stuck in. Luckily for us, we had been planning the staff dinner for our office, and had gotten a few suggestions from the staff about good places to eat. We decided to give Chez Tess a try. From my experience, the North End of Halifax is filled with little dining gems, and we were already outside of the downtown core so it would be a convenient stop. After a little glitch with my inability to tell direction on a smart phone map, we found the place, looking Mediterranean and a little understated next to it's bright bakery neighbor. The interior had a bit of an Italian feel to me, which is strange, because it did not look like any restaurant I had ever been to in Italy, and I have never been to France for comparison, but my instincts began filling me with fear about a menu filled with pasta and pizza.

Fortunately, the main items on the menu were crepes, soups and sandwiches, and they even had Gluten free batter for their crepes! I ended up going with the mushroom salad because I was still full from my holiday meals, and we got the liquid gold tasting platter to start. This is unfortunately not as exciting as it sounds; it is a tasting of oils and vinegars for bread dipping. We had decided this was a special occasion (it's not everyday you get to duck out to a nice restaurant for lunch)and what better way to celebrate that then by ordering a 3 course meal? We got the blood orange olive oil and the fig vinegar. It came out pretty fast with some nice crusty bread (not gluten free, oops). We were both surprised at how much you could actually taste the flavours in the oil and vinegar, we ran out of bread but our waitress told us to keep the rest of the dips because we had some bread with our meals as well. This was turning into a not so light and healthy lunch, but what's a gal supposed to do when faced with such a culinary treat!

Usually, when I order a salad, I feel great about myself at first, and then in the impending moments leading up to the arrival of the food I begin regretting my decision; thoughts of bland lettuce, cold vegetables and over-dressed salads begin to cloud my thoughts and I almost wish I had the guts to ask to change my order (I never do). But on a few very rare occasions, I have actually been presently surprised at the arrival of my salad, and end up enjoying it like it was a plate full of big juicy steak. And luckily this was one of those times. The mushrooms and red peppers were warm and sauteed so that already alleviated some of my concerns. There was a good amount of dressing, and not an overcompensation of lettuce. Now, just having nothing wrong with a dish, may not seem like cause for joy, but as I prepare myself for the release of the upcoming Hobbit film I slowly begin to feel my Hobbit-like features return, and an intense love for the perfectly cooked mushroom is one of those such features.

We had already been eating for over an hour, so a little desert with some tea and coffee couldn't hurt anyone. We got the banana ice cream desert and sat for another hour, chatting, eating banana ice cream and sipping on green tea. By the time we eventually left, it was already after four- too late to go back into work! So we just went home, overly full and satisfied, in true french fashion.

Overall:

Gluten Free: If you have some self control

Dairy Free: Order without cheese

Tastiness: délicieux

www.cheztess.ca 

5697 Charles Street 







 

Market Adventures: Part 1

Foodie haven. Every Saturday morning the seaport is packed with locals, tourists and hipsters alike trying to squeeze their way through the crowds of the double level farmers market to get the freshest catch of the day, a slimy breakfast oyster, dark raw chocolate, marinated chicken skewers or apples; always so many apples.

North America is not kind to us Gluten free folk, but the farmers market sure is, and this Saturday I woke with a craving for a taco or Tostada. There is a great little Mexican place on the second floor of the market, squeezed in between a Greek and bakery stall. An array of green, red, brown and orange dips are displayed at the front of a table, with (gluten free) corn chips for sampling. Beautiful ceramic Spanish pieces line the shelves behind the counter, "all authentically made in Mexico" I am told. The menu features tacos, tostadas, burritos and enchiladas, all either gluten free or with gluten free options. I go for the Tostada, because I need my guacamole fix, and skip the cheese.

There are some people who love a messy meal. They finish eating epically with wing sauce all over their face, burger juice dripping down their shirts, sauce in places where no one is quite sure how it got there- I am not one of those people. I like the food to go to my stomach.

If you've never had a tostada, it is a crunchy corn tortilla topped with exciting things such as black bean paste, lettuce, guacamole, and sour cream. And while some would jump at this challenge I found a space at a table and tried my best to figure out how to get this thing in my belly.

HOW DO I GET YOU IN MY MOUTH!?

The plastic fork was no help, but with a little picking off the top, breaking the tortilla and eating it like chips and dip seemed to work out pretty well, only a few pieces of lettuce made it into my hair and a bit of guacamole made it's home on my nose. The mixture of crunchy chip and creamy black bean spread and guacamole would tempt me to go back for seconds, but I took control of myself to search for other munchies around the market.

Overall:

Gluten Free: yes!

Dairy Free: yes! (sans cheese and sour cream)

Tastiness: extremely

Having family from Poland, I am always drawn to the small Polish stand with rich looking pastries decorated with strawberries, kiwis and cream and homemade pirogi's. Unfortunately, all I see when I walk buy are hand fulls of gluten so I usually steer clear. But today was a special day. I hadn't been to the market in a while, and I had my camera with me so I could immortalize this moment forever and never have to go back again. All I wanted was one pirogi but they came in dozen or half dozen, and how was I supposed to say no now after I had made so many excuses to allow myself to eat them? With my gift for rationalizing I told myself I could bring a few home for my room mate. But once I took the first bite I knew I would eat them all.

look at all that delicious grease.

They reminded me of the best Pirogi's I've ever had, mixed with the potato blintzes my mom used to make when we were younger. The dough was not crispy, which was surprising at first, but I don't think I could ever go back to the pirogi's I thought I knew. The dough was a little chewy, this may throw some off, but loving the texture of raw meet and fish and cookie dough this was my perfect treat.

I paid the price the rest of the day with horrible stomach cramps, and I've still to determine if it was worth it, but they score high on the tastiness scale.

Overall:

Gluten Free: no

Dairy Free: possibly

Tastiness: absolute

The Halifax Seaport Farmers Market can be found at 1209 Marginal Rd. Halifax. It is open 7 days a week but has the most vendors Saturday mornings/early afternoons.

Spring BBQ

If you've ever been to Halifax, you know that the weather can best be described as...spastic. It can start off cold in the morning, be boiling in the afternoon, and freezing by night time. Similarly (as is currently happening), there can be a snow day, followed by a couple blistering hot days, followed by more cold and snow. It seems that every spring we are teased with a little hope of summer, only to have our dreams dashed away when the cold wind comes whipping back. Even knowing that it won't last, these small blotches of warmness after a cold and wet winter will always be celebrated with cute summer dresses, shorts, and most importantly beers and BBQ on a friends balcony.

I love BBQ's because they require very little patience and table manners. You bring you food, find a spot on the grill, and when it's ready you take it off and eat it. No waiting for everything to be done and everyone to have food before you can start digging in, no fear of being out of food when others still have tasty treats in front of them. The BBQ is about sharing, sharing food, and chocolate and beer so no one is ever empty handed. The BBQ meal is a delicious art that allows for hours of continuous eating and fun. This is my kind of meal.

Very fittingly, on the first day of spring (and my birthday!) we had a couple of these lovely summer days amidst a cold and rainy winter. So following tradition I trekked over to my friends place with a bag full of salmon, eggplant, shitake mushrooms, pineapple and fudge to kick off the season.

My first project was the eggplant. I've never made grilled eggplant myself but I do know it is delicious, so I chopped it up and put it on the grill. Others had made sausage that I munched on while I waited for more room to clear for the same. It was that cheese filled salmon that is usually only good over the campfire or for a hungover morning, but it was perfect for the occasion and  filled my grease quadrant for the night. A bit of space freed on the grill so I through on the salmon and mushrooms. I nudged the eggplant right on top of the big fire in hopes it would cook faster- the munchies were beginning to set it.

The eggplant looked a little dry on the outside, and it was very hard to bite into. The inside was nice and juicy but not very flavourful. My grilled eggplant was definitely a fail.  Pro tip: next time wrap in foil and throw some sauce in.

Next were the mushrooms, which I made a last minute decision to stuff with blue cheese. These certainly made up for the dryness of the eggplant, they were squishy and juicy and filled with cheesy mushroomy goodness. The juices leaked all over my shirt, but that's what barbecues are all about!

I got one of those pre-spiced salmon fillets, and it didn't grill the greatest. I remember it not cooking in the oven that nicely either, it does flake up the nice way that normal salmon does and it makes me wonder what they actually put on it... I still finished it though, fish is fish and I am a fish girl through and through.

It started to get dark so I brought out the fudge and pineapple. Everyone was extremely full but the fudge made it around the circle twice. So sweet yet so addictive nobody could say no. The pineapple came off the grill tasting meaty, another pro tip: clean the grill before putting on fruit. But we devoured it nonetheless, for people had started to get a little buzzed, and it was still nice and warm out even though it was now dark. The stars were out and we tried to name constellations. I can name about zero. We talked about movies we were excited to see, books we had just read, next semesters, and new degrees. It was a lazy summer night in the middle of spring. And then I got a text, asking me to go back to the office to sign a few things, and the dream was over, I had to head back to reality.

Friday morning was cold and dreary but that nice summer night was enough to get me through to July...hopefully.

Eggs on Tostadas

In honour of St. Paddy's Day I would like to introduce a segment of the blog called "inebriation food". We all know a glass of red wine every now and then can stop heart disease along with other endless health benefits, but sometimes it leaves one a little hungry later on that evening or early the next morning. Halifax is a very student friendly city (5 universities) and the options for late night foods and weekend brunches are vast and varied. I've nailed down a few of the best spots, but there are still many more to discover that I will share with you here!

Today me and my roommates headed to the coastal for brunch. It is a small joint in the North End that I had never heard of, but I had been told it was the best 'hipster breakfast place in town', so I was willing to give it a try. They also listed some gluten free options so things were really looking up. There's only about 5 or 6 tables in the place, so three of us had to squeeze around one tiny table, and the menus were just plain pieces of paper in plastic bags. So far it had all the signs of either a hipster haven or a disappointment. The menu is ever changing, but I went for their staple item: Heuvos Rancheros. Fried eggs and cheesy Tostadas. I had just eaten my first Tostada at the Farmers Market a few weeks ago and it was messy and delightful so I was anxiously awaiting round two.

First came the orange juice, straight from the Tropicana carton and pulp free, my first disappointment. My thirst made me chug it down anyways, but I jealously glanced at the fresh smoothie and chai latte my roommates had gotten that looked much tastier.

Our food arrived in less than ten minutes- which was imperative for our hungover greediness, and the wafts of spicy and greasy food we kept getting  were not helping the situation.

Meanwhile...just as our food arrived about 10 or 15 new customers were piling in the door with no empty tables and only 2 staff working out front. They somehow managed to turn over a few tables and get out a bunch of take out orders by the time we were done eating...very impressive.

Back at the table...my plate was a saucy, gooey mess with runny eggs on cheesy Tostadas topped with salsa, guacamole and black bean paste. Being a half finger food and half not finger food kind of dish the tight space made eating, and trying not to drop my cutlery or get sauce all over me quite the challenge, but I was ready to face anything this morning after St. Paddys! The combination of the eggs and salsa had just the right amount of spice and oily goodness and the Tostadas soaked in all of the sauces and egg and cheese juices still maintained some crunch, though they served less as a flavourful shell, and more as a vessel to get more guacamole to my mouth.

Now that the desperate hunger was gone we noticed some of the neat pictures, and 50's style memorabilia around the room, but we didn't stick around for too long, a new rush of customers was coming in and they had to get the tables turned over.

Info:
The Coastal can be found at 2731 Robie Street and is open  Mon-Sat 8-3 and Sunday 10-3

Gluten Free: Some options (my choice included) Dairy Free: Unlikely on the original menu but they try to accommodate food allergies as best they can.

The Eternal Search for a Perfect Meal

Like opening a book for the first time and getting a whiff of new book smell, the first post on a brand new blog is also a special thing. The glow of the screen, the short scroll bar on the side, I could just scroll up and down for hours! So with this weight of importance, how do I begin? How do I introduce readers to a blog that will be life changing, heart wrenching, edge of your seat entertaining? Do they know what it's about? Have they already read the sidebar?

After staring at the screen blankly trying to bring out my inner writer, I have begun my blog by circumventing my topic: food. Why haven't I begun talking about food yet? For one, I haven't had any life changing food experiences this past week, so it felt like a very fraudulent time to start writing. But then I remembered what had happened when I ordered my lunch today, it is something that happens almost every day when I get lunch so I barely even noticed. I eat lunch at the same place almost every day- I know everything that is on the menu, and yet every time I stand for 5 or 10 minutes, staring at it, trying to decide what I want to eat. When it comes to choosing food, I am as indecisive as they come. I'm the kind of person who makes the waiter take my order last so I can have a few more moments to deliberate, I open every cupboard, open and close the fridge for hours before I decide what I want to make for dinner. I have an innate fear of choosing the wrong food.

At first this seemed a little crazy, how much of my life has been wasted deliberating between 'soup or salad'? But then I remembered the times when I made the wrong choice. I can only describe those times as nightmarish and catastrophic. It's as if my body is trying to say' THIS IS NOT WHAT I WANTED, and in return you will feel hungry, unsatisfied and bloated all day'. But when you find that really perfect meal that just 'hits the spot' nothing else seems to matter anymore, and the fact that you are going to have to go back to work in a few minutes is just a far off dream as you revel in the gloriousness of good food.

so that is my mission with this blog, to search for that perfect meal every day in all corners of the world, and take you along for the ride. Thanks for reading!