Urban Design: Round and Round the Roundabout

If one more idiot blows their horn on the former Armdale Rotary, now Armdale Roundabout, I may have to go get one of my dad's old guns out of lockup and use it. I am not talking about them blowing their horn at me, just in general. It is like everyone suddenly has decided they are Italian, and now have some God given right to hit another car, rather than touch a brake pedal on their way through the thing.

I have driven in England, and in Norway, where roundabouts are more common than four way stops and traffic lights here, so listen for one second: The key is remembering to be in the correct lane on the roundabout part. On the outside lane, you exit the next chance, thereby freeing up the outside lane for vehicles to move into (while signalling that lane change) so that they can then exit at their next opportunity.

Being on the roundabout does give you the right of way over vehicles not yet on it, but not over others who are also on it. Once there are two vehciles on the circle, normal lane right of way conventions apply. You can't change lanes indiscriminantly any where else. Or turn right from the left lane at a light. And you still have to indicate your planned movements by the use of your turn signal.

Exiting from the inside lane, as many people seem to want to do when entering from the Bay Road and exiting to Quinpool, does not work that well right now, and that is one of the things that will hopefuly be addressed in the upcoming design project HRM have recently advertised for the roundabout. For now, anyway, if you want to go to Quinpool from the Bay Road, use the right hand lane on entering the circle. Traffic from the left lane can then move over to the right after you exit and take Chebucto. There should be a quick slip ramp for Herring Cove Road, but almost no one goes there anyway.

Let's get back to being Maritimers, and hit the brakes before the horn!

And finally, there are still crosswalks there, and pedestrians we'd all like you to not run over.

O'Carroll's - the Return on my Birthday

I went back to O'Carroll's on my birthday, having a quiet lunch alone to contemplate my sorry existence. I chose the aforementioned fish cakes, after being assured by Bruce that they were indeed made there, by Colin. Yummy.

Had a few pints, including Pumphouse Scotch, Propeller Bitter, and Pumphouse Winter Warmer, and then a few of my friends arrived.

Needless to say, the evening continued apace. I started at 2 pm, and I think I hit the pillow at 2 am.

Most of the rest of the evening was spent at Rogues Roost, which is essentially my local. I am drawn for the beer, but I still eat there a fair amount. This day, I continued with the brain food theme and enjoyed the always excellent pan fried haddock with a baked potato. Several friends, including my brother and his wife, in from Calgary for Xmas, joined us, and we enjoyed a really great classic pub experience. Close friends in semi intelligent dicussion around great beer.

The evening ended up at home, following a ride in the cab turned birthdaymobile driven by Richard at Dusk til Dawn. Drank Orval with my brother until it was time to acknowledge that I really am now 49, the solstice was over, but I could go to bed secure in the knowledge that the days are now getting longer.

Lunch at The Cellar

Looking to eat at Il Mercado on this shopping holiday type day, we find it lined up out the door. Where to go? Wait, The Cellar is just around the corner, let's try there!

We are a party of 6, which can be a problem at times. Not today - we get a nice table in the corner, in the back room, which I like for the cosy warmth and overall feel.

Menus are provided, and we sit. And wait. And wait. Finally someone comes with water, I guess trying to make sure no one dies from thirst. We indicate, subtly, that we are ready to roder, and, in about five minutes a server comes to take drink orders. Um, no, we are now ready to order everything, perhpas even recite the menu by heart. But here, the journey takes a good turn.

The server figures it out, and says, OK, sure, let's go. And we get in our food, and drinks orders in one trip, bread (very tasty bread) arrives, and lunch is saved.

Remembering the old Inn at Bay Fortune potato/cheese/bacon strata thing they used to have here, I am happy to find it under the appetizer section. We order from all over the menu, and, with one aberration (they had run out of burgers?!? Huh? How does a restaurant run out of hamburgers at lunch?) everything comes as ordered. The shellfish eaters are happy, the wine by the glass is interesting, and fairly priced,the soups are very good, and flavourful. My spinach salad is yummy, with spicey coated walnuts and mandarin oranges; and the potato strata thing is excellent. The combination of the two, with my Portermill Station Chenin Blanc, makes for a nice, tasty and almost healthy lunch.

I had to leave a bit early, and don't know if the rest of my party got a dessert, but despite the initial feeling of being ignored by the wait staff, this was a good, happy dining experience. On my way out of the place, I see Cathy Levangie, the owner, relaxing at the bar with a glass of wine. I give her a wave, she acknowledges with a brief finger waggle, and I head out into the bright sun.

Fish and Chips in the BLIP Commercial Ghetto

I normally avoid it like the visual and social plague that it is, but every now and then, BLIP, which is to Clayton Park like Clayton Park is to Downtown Halifax, calls me.

Normally it is just the place to go to get your car legitimately stolen, so you can get a new one with the insurance. Just park near the theatres beside a panel van, and "poof", gone like Cinderella's panties in the pumpkinmobile.

This trip it was to try the fish and chips at Freddie’s Fantastic Fish House. They have recently moved from their trailer on the Peggy's Cove Road, where I frequented them last summer, to a very hard to get to, small, and now fatty smelling space on some cul-de-sac with a big survey firm (SDMM) on the end of it. Look for wider survey lines being cut through the woods this winter!!

The fish was very good, clean, fresh, and with a tasty batter that did enough, but not too much. The fries were yummy, but, and this is a first for me in Halifax, they were a bit on the short side in terms of serving size! The fish had one minor fault, in my fishy books - it was a tad mushy. I am not infirm (yet), and I don't want my fish to be (yet). I still have my teeth, you know.

This place was good, and if you ever find yourself in the scorching hell that is the Bayers Lake Industrial Park cum big box haven of the damned, go there for lunch and you will feel slightly better about yourself, despite having defiled your senses by even being in the park.

But Phil's is still the best "Fish and" in my book, and this is my book.

And watch out for fat surveyors.... there are no crosswalks or sidewalks out there, they may be waddling in the road.

Zen and the Art of 50th Anniversaries

Eight people. Four who eat traditional Chinese when they eat out, four who go for sweet and sour chicken balls. Possible, barely - two generations out to dinner in two pairs of pairs.

Zen is up in Clayton Park West, a part of the world reserved for car zombies, that sub race of people who cannot survive without a car. Designed by computer programs, with plans approved by wordprocessors, Clayton Park West is my personal idea of what hell probably resembles.

But even the car zombies have to eat, and sometimes, in the burbs, great food can be found.

I drove, therefore I ate:

Fried dumplings. A bunch of them - yummy. As good as any I have had, including King Wah.
'
Lemon Chicken, stolen from my Mom's plate - nothing special, Fans/Frans in Dartmouth, near BIO, is better.

Ginger Beef, bro-in-law Pete's fave thing from here, for good reason it turns out - I'll order this again. Coated strip of pork loin, double bite size, some heat, gingery, on the sweet side.

Mongolian Beef - great spice with some real death hot lurking then leaving, tender beef, needs more veg than comes with it, but excellent stuff.

Emperor's Pork Ribs - Partly dry pork chops in a BBQ sauce - I want General Tao's Pork, or whatever that guy's name was. Fan's again.

Cashew Chicken in "Brown Sauce". I put the quotes around the "brown sauce" because the stuff was "not brown". It was a freaky fluorescent red sauce that made you feel like an extra in a zombie dracula movie when you wiped your face with a napkin. YIKES! It glows in the dark! It tastes like cherries! Save me, this can't be food! But it is. I ate a bunch. I figure it is miles better than what my buddy Ed had to eat when in China. At least this was not looking back at me, or running on a wheel five minutes beforehand.

And I also ate a whole pile of steamed rice. This was a great meal, with interesting company (OK, it was my parent's 50 Wedding Anniversary and they were there with their actual best man and bridesmaid from 1956. That couple got married later, but on seeing me, chose not to have any kids, at least that's what my Dad used to tell me when I asked). It was "interesting" to see them trying some of the food my sister and her husband, and L and I ordered. My Dad had a look on his face with the Ginger Beef that was just like babies have when they get solid food for the first time. Probably what I looked like with my first beer.

I ate so much it hurt.

Only one light beer all night. Such a nice boy!

So if I ever get stuck out in Hell, at least I'll know where I can eat.

O'Carroll's - My New Downtown Pub?

Went to lunch at O'Carroll's with PK. On the way in the door I am greeted by the former bartender/manager from John Shippey's. In a very friendly manner (gee, did I tip that well?); and the owners are both behind the bar, schlepping drinks. Now I like that. It means that you get the service the owners want you to, doesn't it?

Beer selection, on tap, is great. I mean really good - enough to keep it fresh, but with a good selection of styles. They have Pumphouse beers from Moncton, Propeller, Garrison, and some OK imports. Bruce (one of the owners) tells me if they don't move a keg in a couple of weeks, that's it. I'm there with that.

The wine by the glass selection looks interestng, and is not small (about 6 each of red and white). This merits a return, which may happen a week later (check for future posts).

My lamb burger is really good, moist all the way through, good fresh bun, good stuff on it, including tzatziki, and some miny sour cream, maybe? The fries are OK, but a bit droopy. From real potatoes.

PK's fish cakes arrive in a cloud of suspicion. They look too good to have been made there, and the breading looks too "perfect" to be anything but a frozen pre-made product. This does not look good. After tasting, he is convinced that they are not mass produced, and could be made there.

I don't know if Colin, who was the chef at O'Carroll's the last time I was in the restaurant, is still there, but I know he has the "chops" to turn out fish cakes that look that good. The verdict? Still some uncertainty, but if the things were outsourced, then the source is pretty good. PK certainly ate them all.

And I'd do the lamb burger again. Right now!

We'll see how the New Year works out, but I could be very comfy reacquainting myself with Heather (Bruce's partner in more ways than biz) and the staff in this place.

Citadel High vs. Citadel Hill - Urban Design

I've had two different people point out to me recently how much the new high school blocks the view of Citadel Hill as one drives from the Willowtree.

So I walked down Bell Road towards it - wow, they are right. Just about when you reach the CBC building, the famous landmark isn't a landmark anymore.

Although you can see it clearly from the far end of the Common by Cunard and Robie.

It really is a shame the school could not have been put on the old St. Patrick's site.

But it would never have made it on the QE site. I have seen plans already for a new emergency services extension from the Infirmary extending right over on to the Queen Elizabeth site - just like relatives waiting for the old girl to die, making plans with what to do with the estate.

The Local Joint

I suppose that janes on the common is my true local restaurant, but I can't bring myself to think of it as "a joint". That title falls more to Freemans New York on Quinpool, where the crowd is relaxed, and somewhat changing, and the pizza really good, if you like the style of crust they do (which I do).

This place always impresses me in that they have Garrison and Propeller beer on tap, and it is always fresh when I visit. The staff are usually very professional, and very down to earth, which I find makes me very comfortable.

We sat near the bar, and I got a pint of Propeller Bitter very promptly, and we ordered a salad, Mousakka for L, and a Pizza for me, large enough to take some home for someone's lunch the next day.

I had to promise that I would not watch the sports on TV, and I managed OK with that, although I admit to being distracted by two couples over in the corner. I may be wrong, but they sure looked like two big guys in off the rigs for some shore time R&R (nudge nudge wink wink say no more) with two of Halifax's finest "best girlfriends your money can buy". When the girls came by on a trip to the ladies room (travelling in pairs), they got close enough to strengthen my initial suspicion. But I could be wrong.... They could be teachers, or something...


The salad (a simple caesar) was competent - most likely dressing from a big plastic pail, but OK, and the Romaine was fresh, the croutons snappy. It took a while, but the pizza arrived (with another Propeller) in fine form. The crust here is fluffy and crispy at the same time. Very bready. The meats on it come shredded, and evenly distributed over the pie - just very good "za".

Joe, the manager of Ginger's, was at the bar having a beer and a snack, and I said hi on the way out. Like me, this place is close for him, and as he said, "there's just something about the place I like". I agree.

Maybe it is all the brass rails in there, reminding us of our training days, learning to drink in the bars downtown.... Or maybe it is just the entertainment over in the corner.

Art and Chives

A friend's new son-in-law had his art on display at Chives, downtown. She was going down to the viewing and planning on snacking while there. In fact she siad, "they were encouraging you to eat". Surprise, surprise.

That was more than enough reason to go, and despite the horrid weather, and L's pending dance class in the early evening, off we went.

The stuff on the walls was, well, pretty cool. Argyle Fine Art impacting on my life again, after last Friday's By The Glass wine and snacks event in the gallery, but with three new artists. And right in Craig Flinn's wheelhouse. Jason's stuff is made from styrofoam, and he gets some interesting textrues, and lighting effects on platter of it that are without scale, looking one moment like the surface of a planet from afar, and at another moment like the mud beneath your feet at low tide on the Bay of Fundy.

Not having a lot of time, I had a glass of Trapiche Pinot Noir, and ordered the bacon wrapped pork loin, with cheese perogies, red cabbage and roasted carrots. The food was wonderful, and if I could have changed anything it would have been to give me more of that cabbage! (and maybe make the perogies a bit cheesier, to match my sense of humour).

We scampered off into the night, L to her dance class, and me to an evening of brown bagged weird wines with a couple of my wine geek friends. Scuppernong! Morrocan red; Finger Lakes Riesling; and New Zealand Merlot.

Life is so tough sometimes....

janes on the common - dinner out

I already commented on how good jane's is for lunch, but last week we put it to a real dining out test. Dinner for four, during the busy time of the evening, around 7:00 pm. I think I have mentioned this mentioned before, but I am known there, as it is practically in my back yard.

Just one night after eating at Chives, we went out to jane's with my golf buddy Geoff and his wife Judy. After a preparatory drink and we walked over around 7 on a Wednesday night for dinner. It was about 15 minute wait for a table, but we did OK, and got the big old dining room table.

The specials on the board usually intrigue me, and this evening was no different. I ended up ordering both the soup and the main from the special board. Other choices around the table differed, except that most of us opted for the soup, advertised as "four onion and potato".

The wines, all served by the glass, carafe or bottle, I help the place choose them, so I cannot really comment fairly on them. Suffice to say they were served promptly, and were not corked. The odd thing about the service for the entire evening, for me, was that we seemed to be served "by committee". I know this is done in other places, but I am not used to it here, normally dining as a twosome, or even alone at the bar, I am more used to one person busing, and another doing the rest.

The soup was very tasty, and I ate it quickly, despite having ordered a bowl (I would normally order a cup). My only quibble was that is was more a gruel than a soup. Is it still called soup if you take out a spoonful and the hole you made isn't filled in by what remains in the bowl? It was hearty, and tasty, and hot. Darn fine soup, or gruel. My Eagle Tree Muscat was great with it.

My main course was a breaded veal, with the carbohydrate of the day and mixed veg. It was here that I was a bit let down from past performances at this restaurant. First, I count sweet potato as one of the things that counts as a side veg, not a main course carbohydrate. I don't really like it in any large amount, and here it was, taking the rightful place of real potatoes, rice, perogies, whatever! The veal was OK, but not as interesting as I have come to expect the food here to be, and a bit on the tough side. Chewey.

I have to point out that my dining companions fared better than I, enjoying their courses from the regular dinner menu. But one of my rules - the special HAS to be as good, or better than anything on the menu - was broken.

I took a chance and tried a white wine, the Boira Pinot Grigio from the Veneto, and it showed quite well with the veal, showing off the body this wine has while staying the course with adequate acidity.

Desserts were, as usual, just about perfect. This is one of the best places for those of us with a sweet tooth in the city. Creme Caramel done right.

Of course, as always with jane's, the finale, and maybe the best part, is the bill. $147 for four people each with three courses and three of us drinking wine.

And even better, Geoff picked up the tab. There was some very serious business discussion we had during dinner, of course.

Smoked Out at Tom's

It was something I just had to do. I mean growing up in the clubs and bars in Halifax the past 30 years, tobacco smoke had always been a part of the environment. Until recently, when we have rounded up all the sinners and put them into little terrariums to smoke their brains out, and if we can trick them, give us even more of their money by playing the fruit machines.

But someone rained on the party. Seems it was not enough to win, the anti smoking Nazis had to grind people's faces in it. Of course, there has been little thought as to what will happen now - my guess is that we will see an increase in cancer from second hand smoke, as those people who used to puff in the bars that has smoking areas will now do so at home, and poison their kids, instead of other smokers, and consenting adults.

I have seen people who really really want to quit, but just can't. I never did, but I have witnessed true addictions.

Of course, the businesses who depended on smokers are now faced with having to change or go out of business. Tom's Little Havana is known as a cigar bar. But no more. You can't use that product there anymore.

Last Thursday, November 30, was the last chance to light up in semi-private in Nova Scotia, at least legally. This was one of those things where I had to attend. I go to Tom's a lot, because I have friends who have the habit, not because I like to have my clothes smell like shit the next day.

I sat at the end of the bar with two off-shift staff, Denise (my long time buddy) and Rachel, who I know only in passing, and Penelope, who most people in the downtown recognize. We had a lot of fun chatting with all the people who came in for a last smoke, or just to see smoke in a bar. Half of Halifax's bar staff visited. Owners of other bars and restaurants, former staff, people who used to be in the biz (including Tom himself) and a bunch of familiar faces from the old Thackery's/Duck/Jury Room days. And a whole pile of irrelevant political types, too.

The cigars were on for 1/2 price - so I smoked a wee one (OK, 2), just for the occasion. They went great with Garrison Brown Ale.

At the end, sharing a cab home with Penelope, we could only agree that it was worth it to have been there, to witness the passing of an era.

The next day, a normally busy Friday, there were only 25 people in Tom's at 6:30. But I bet the already fabulous food tasted better.

Drinking for Special Olympics

One of these days they are going to make drinking an Olympic sport, and then it will really be special.

Until then, we have our own annual Special Olympics fundraiser to keep us happy.

Everyone brings a wine that is special to them in some way, plus some cash for the privilege of tasting everyone elses' wines. This year the goal was to raise $1,200, and gosh darn, we did, raising $1,250 for this worthy cause.

The best part, even better than the wines, which were great, was listening to people explain why the wine they brought was special to them. This is a great equalizer, as something as sweet and innocent as Leah saying hers was the first good wine she ever drank, to something as complicated as Kevin's story about a Duke and Duchess and Nazi collaborators, all bear the same relevance, and interest.

We had a great time. I'm looking forward to it again next year.

Viva Italia! or the 'Drinker visits A Taste of Italy

Friday night, Mik and I head down to Pier 23 for the annual Amici del Vino "Taste of Italy" wine fair (and food expo). In addition to representation from a number of agencies who sell Italian wines in Nova Scotia already, plus two of the private wine stores, there were nine wineries that appear to have been sponsored by the Italian government to travel the world and try to create markets for their wines. Those wines were available for sale by the case, but only through the highly efficient NSLC Special Orders program. Hmmmmm.... I'll pass.

But it was from those wineries where the most interesting wines were found, for the most part, I thought.

It was an evening of more Barbera based wines than Nova Scotia has ever seen in one room at one time. And there were some dandies. Plus a number of Moscato based wines (Muscat) and even a couple of rare grapes, Nosiola and Brachetto.

My favourites, in no particular order:

Scambia wines siriaulivieriscambia@libero.it (someone should rep this winery). They showed three wines, and all three were excellent, interesting, and very well made. The Orvieto was complex, and intriguing (from the DOC Gualdo di Meana and priced under $20). The Rosso Orviento from DOC Runico was perhaps my favourite lower priced wine of the evening, and their biggie, a Sangiovese from the DOC of Brunaio was wonderful stuff, but at $80 and from the 1997 vintage, it should be.

From Marenco wines (www.marencovini.com) the Moscato Secco Muma T.W. was great stuff, and I really wanted one bottle to compare with our own Nova Scotia dry Muscats. Their Barbera D'Asti was also impressive, huge dark and complex - not what one thinks of with this grape.

Pisoni wines (www.pisoni.net) showed the very interesting Nosiola IGT from Trentino, a rarely seen grape in North America making a clean white wine that reminded me of Chenin Blanc.

Sgarzi Luigi (www.cantinesgarzi.it) showed a bunch of wines from the south, and from Emilia Romagna. I liked the Nero D'Avola-Syrah blend from Luigi Leonardo in Sicily. ($14!!)

Villa di Maser (www.villadimaser.it) showed the best wine of the show, their Montello Il Maserino DOC 2001. This was a $100 wine, but it showed wonderfully.

And finally, I would be remiss in not praising the Tre Donna Barbera D'Alba, 2001, from Vin•Art. Yes, it is $37 but it is quite the substantial wine.

And the chocolate grappa? Gag gag gag gag gag, spit.

Did I mention the food? It was great. I spent most of my time drinking and gabbing. Here is the gossip. Alanna is back from Italy with her Italian husband to follow by mail. Simone and Terry are opening an Italian restaurant in Lunenburg. And Susan, the wine goddess, will be really pissed that she missed this one.

Later time spent at Seven and then the Armview (what was I thinking, I was not nearly drunk enough for that?) proved very boring and unproductive, other than watching gorgeous young women get very drunk and fall down. Why is it that the music has to be so loud you can't hear a blonde hit the floor anymore? These young people just don't know how to party.

Oh, and somewhere there, I lost Mik. Let me know if you find him.

Wine of the Week, November 20

Trapiche Broquel Malbec, 2005, Argentina. (POW, and POW Sections $15.19)

Yes, I KNOW Ron Crooks at the Port of Wines is pushing this one like he owns shares in the company, but dammit, he is right on this one. And if you don't yet know about this wine, you should. Extraordinary value for the $15 and change. Plus it looks just fine on a table. Malbec is normally a wine for big red meat, game and the like, and can even handle some spice. This one is refined, almost Bordeaux like, and exhibits class not normally found at this price. It will keep for a few years, if you can keep your hands off it. Buy more than one.

The Ceilidh, or Thank you Mr. NSLC!

Every year I swear I am not going unless someone comps me a ticket. This year I scored two! Meeting my contact and effecting a sly handoff at the Midtown Tavern moments before the show starts (Thank you Mr. NSLC!), I drag The Skipper along, kicking and screaming "No more free booze!, what is WITH you guys!". I know that sooner or later, Kempton and I will drive him back to the more sedate practice of home agriculture.

We arrive to a lineup - a room full of people from various backgrounds and interest. And why not? This is not just a Scotch show, no way, José Cuervo, there is a lot of other stuff in there too. Like Rum. Lots of Rum. I am thinking already that this ain't a-gonna be purty, no matter how it stacks up.

But what the hey, we're in like flint, and when the doors open we make our way (no we did not run) to the already well formed lineup for the $1,800 bottle of Macallan that has been opened in the farthest corner of the room. In the line I greet erstwhile Brewnoser and seal milkmaid extraordinaire Sarah, with best biologist Bruce waiting their turn for the purported elixir that none can afford to drink.

It ain't bad, actually.

The alcohol has dropped from some previously higher cask strength level, via the path of the Angel's Share, leaving a fiery somewhat dark whisky that simply explodes in aroma and flavous with a wee drop of good water, which the gentleman at the booth is happy to offer. (more on the water thing later - yes a rant is surfacing). Watching the bottle diminish, I figure that my share is worth about $175. Not a bad sip. Hey, I'm already up $220, maybe I should go to the Casino!

I wander around a bit, seeing a lot of familiar faces, few of which I can rember by name, which makes sense as I usually see them in similar circumstances. I boldly head out on a blends tasting binge, but find myself drawn to the peat. In Auld Reekie, and especially in a mystery malt from Wilson and Morgan, called W&M House Malt.

I managed to get some of the Port Ellen 21 year old, toasting the loss of this now dismantled still with Sarah and Bruce, and whoever else was close enough to hear; enjoyed the Bunnahabhain; the Icewine version of Glen Breton, and a lot of other fine things.

But it was two comments, from people there, telling me what to do, or not to more like, that got to me a bit. The first was one guy, watching me dump a part finished sample of a not-so-special malt into a dump bucket, looking at me and, like that demented child porn sucking turd who did the Keith's ads, telling me I was violating some ancient law of nature by allowing it to be wasted. I told him to go drive his pickup into a bus load of kids later on, and to make sure the breathalyzer was calibrated when he blew. Coulda been the whisky, as they say.

Then it was this old fart with a Scottish tartan tie and a name tag with a "Mac" in front of his real family name. Seeing me add water to a malt and taste it, then add a bit more and get it right, he looked at me and exclaimed "What are you doing to that fine malt?". I asked him where the hell he was from, Rhode Island? I then explained to him, in what seemed to me to be quite a patient voice about how one really should add some good water to a malt, especially the cask strength stuff I was currently sampling, in order to be able to taste the g.d. thing properly! I figure my Carnoustie golf shirt outranked his little tartan beret. And no, I was NOT shouting at him. Really. Arsehole poser that he was.

I then saved someone's evening, as he had been listening to me explain to the old ponsy fart about the water thing. Turns out it was Dave, who used to work with me long ago and far far away. He was a helpless beer drinker, stranded in hard liquor land. I told him to just keep adding water to it until he liked it. That is what they do in the pubs in Fife, I know for sure. I ran into him later on, and he was smiling, and raised a glass to me. "The water helping?" I asked. "Damn straight", he says, "I like to get a big mouthfull of stuff into my mouth just like beer. This is great!". I ask what he is drinking, and he point to the bottle on the table beside him. It is a 25 year old Cognac. Oh well.....

As the thing ends, I go buy a bottle (hey 10% off, yee hah, Thank you Mr. NSLC!) of the W&M, and we eventually head out on the town. Someone (Pierre?) has it in their head to go to Bubbles Mansion. That is full, packed and lined up. And us with a full bottle each of scotch or rum in tow, we could have had some fun in there! The Alehouse next door is empty, dead, nada happening. But they turn us away becasue they want $5 for a band we are not going to stay and hear. (good business decision, they would have sold a hundred dollars worth of beer, plus some snacks, I bet).

We bail and head to Rogues Roost, where the Friday started, as it usually does for me. Back so soon? asks the (cute) server. We order beers, and I now think, though I am not sure, that I walked out on my one-beer tab, thinking someone else got it. Oh well, they won't forget that next Friday.

I head down to Onyx, in the rain, and drink a few freebie Champagne cocktails with the Moet rep. The manager of the Joe Howe liquor store even gives me a lift home. Thank you Mr. NSLC!

Sunday Brunch at Saege

Sunday was maybe the last time this year to go for a warm afternoon stroll and have a late brunch in the city. Plus it was the last day the Public Gardens would be open, so L and I chose to head down to the Spring Garden Road area and have brunch at Saege. Now, this is not a place I can go and be anonymous, as I know several people who work there, including the manager and one of the chefs. Sure enough, on entering we are met by the lovely Karin, who greets us warmly and shows us to a seat by the window on the sidewalk.

The full menu is there on the table, but on top of it is a Special Brunch menu. About 10 or 12 different items are listed, and we don't get past this before we both find something we like the look of.

I order a Mimosa (hey it's brunch!) and the chicken crepe, and L chooses a fritata. The Mimosa comes quickly. As I look around the room, I see that just about everyone has their food, or is already finished eating, and as it is about 2:30, I'm looking forward to food, soon.

The Mimosa tastes like it has bourbon added...

I watch Karin do a wonderful job helping a slightly handicapped senior with a walker find a seat and get comfortable. She seems to have just the right sense of when to help, and when to allow the person to do for themselves.

Just as I have decided that maybe the Mimosa tastes like it has tequila in it, and not bourbon, the food arrives. Now that was fast! Our server agrees, saying that the specials come quickly.

Both dishes are atrractively presented, and hot. No waiting around under a heat lamp. L's fritata is excellent, tasty, and approaching comfort food. My crepe is less intensely flavoured, and starts off as a bit plain. The smokey bacon sauce does tend to grow on one, as you eat it. One thing I can say - don't order a Mimosa with it! The combination was downright unattractive.

Both brunch items are over $10, more like $12-$13, which seems a bit pricey, but not for the location, I suppose.

We leave happy, taking our time through the Gardens, and walk down to Botticelli's at Bishop's Landing, where we are completely blown away by the gelato (pistachio, Italian cream, mango, pumpkin pie). Waddling back up the hill to Pete's Frootique for late supper groceries, it feels like a great day to be living in Halifax.

I am still wondering what was in that Mimosa, though....

Tony Aspler Dinner at Chives Bistro, November 9

I attended this event in the company of Susan (the aforementioned wine goddess Sommelier from the Mystery Wine search). We sat with Gina Haverstock, also a Sommelier. Gina is a graduate of the Brock University Cool Climate Viticultural Instiutute. She now makes wine as well as drinking it.

This event was one of the best I have attended in terms of the pairing of the wines with the different courses. There were 20 people, and Chef Craig Flinn and his staff really did a wonderful job of plating interesting food, with real honest flavours and attractive presentation. But kudos go to Sommelier Craig Michie, who now works at The Bishop's Cellar, for his choices on which wines to serve. He had the unenviable task of choosing wines when the winemakers were going to be in attendance with Tony Aspler, who is, without question, Canada's best known and probably most read wine writer. The winemakers in attendance, in addition to Gina, who is currently working at Gaspereau Vineyards, were Suzanne Corkum of St. Famille, Jurg Stutz of Grand Pré, and Hans Christian Jost (you guess where he works).

Host of the event was the ebullient John Stuart of Bishop's Cellar, and the wines all came from their store. The event was the launch of Tony's new book, The Wine Atlas of Canada.

The evening started with a glass of Gaspereau Vineyards NY Muscat. Susan and I (and I think Gina too) all recognized it. First as NY Muscat (that's not hard), then as NOT Jost Eagle Tree (a bit harder) and, finally NOT Grand Pré (the real test). It made a perfect aperatif, with the aromatics filling the senses with that muscat love we all appreciate, and the crisp acidic finish readying the palate for what was to come.

The starter course of soup, a roasted celery with balsamic vinegar concoction, was well matched by the Petite Riviere Vineyards Cotes de Lahave Blanc sur lie. This wine has a striking nose, like that of fine champagne, without the carbonation. There is a slightly vegetal thing happening there that seemed hard to distinguish between the soup and the wine, as the two melded to become better with the other.

Acadie Blanc Reserve from Grand Pré matched well with a mixed green salad with pear, especially matching the pear (we assume that was Craig's thought). Susan went back to the Muscat and encouraged us to try that with the salad, and we were glad we did. A very successful pairing, different from the Acadie Blanc, more integrated and almost sexy.

The next course was a seared pork loin, bacon wrapped, in a smokey fruity sauce (cranberry?) with a stacked scalloped potato. The Jost Trilogy matched this extremely well. This Baco Noir, Foch, Leon Milllot blend seemed to have an answer for all the various flavours the dish offered, but most effectively matched the smokey character of the sauce and the bacon.

Dessert of apple tart with vanilla bean ice cream was very happilty matched by the 2004 St. Famille Icewine. This wine has a great nose, of apple cider, caramel, and creme brulé, with stunning acidity in the mid and finish that really stood up to the sweet dessert.

Tony's book, which I purchased, is an extremely attractive package with thoughly researched content. I bought it for the summaries of just about every Canadian winery, and the good coverage of our part of the world.

And for the ladies, there is a great full page picture of "hunky" Hans Christian in his vineyard. Clothed, though - it is not a calendar. I am sure I saw Susan getting that page of her copy of the book specially autographed by HC as he was leaving....

Anyway, I know the NS winemakers have to be proud of how their products showed on this evening - they certainly owe a debt to Craig Michie for the great job he did in allowing them to show so well, and to be a full and equal partner to the great Chives menu.

Chowhounding I

After my two days eating and drinking around Halifax with Jim Leff, he of chowhound.com fame, I have found myself returning to my previous "chowhounding" ways. That is, finding small, unlikely places that make great food....... and eating it of course. In company of my friend Peter, I had been in a groove of finding and eating at a lot of places we in Halifax now take for granted, prior to their becoming famous. We were regulars at Mexico Lindo back when they were up on Convoy Avenue next to the old laundromat. We almost felt like we personally discovered the old Sisters of the Carribean outlet in Dartmouth, and we were seeking out and finding places on a regular basis.

Look out, we're baaaaack!

So, here are my recommendations from recent Chowhounding in HRM

Bach's Cafe on Agricola - real Korean food. I usually order a soup/wonton thing with hot sauce and kimchee on the side.
Iqbals Grocery on Charles St. near Agricola - they moved a while ago, and at first glance this appears to be a samosa factory. But they serve great food to the 6 seats in front of the take out counter.
Smith's Bakery on Agricola and Charles (in sight of Iqbal's) - great lunches, not just baked goods from one of the city's last family bakeries (most small bakeries have left the tax-burdened HRM). I like the pasta bakes/lasagna when they have it.
Ranni's Roti Hut - In the old IGA store on the corner of Queen and Greene St. Not sure if I have the name right, but you won't miss it. Order lamb roti. Wonderful.
Scotia Square Food Court - The Indian and Korean places in there rock. Especially the Indian place on the days when they do a buffet - you load up your plate with what you want for I think $5.99.
Phil's Seafood - You probably know about this already, but it is the best Fish and Chips in town. On the Purcell's Cove Road across from the Armdale Yacht Club at Melville Cove, or in the newer location on Quinpool, near Preston.

Fine dining can have its place. But not every meal requires the finest silver too!

jane's on the common, lunch October 31

After Sunday's somewhat disappointing supper, it was time to get recalibrated to good service, great detail, and delicious food. Yes, I hold a bias towards jane's but so what. At least I'm correct in doing so, and in case no one has noticed, I'm not alone.

We walked around the corner (it is left, left, left, left from out our door to in jane's) for a quick lunch.

Table for two? No problem.
Fresh tasting cold water, menus? Right away.
Drink order/ask? Immediately.
Fresh bread? Arrived with the drinks.
Food turnaround? 9 mins.
Soup of the day? Magnificent.
Regular menu item? Great, and consistent with the last visit (shrimp cakes).
Clear? Right away.
Dessert/coffee ask? With the clear.
Coffee? Very good coffee (Just Us) arrives next trip back, with cream, and with milk to choose.
Desserts? 5 mins. Great.
Coffee refill? Automatic, and unobtrusive.
Bill? Arrives intuitively, when we are ready to go.
Cost? Affordable, and happily paid.
Total time elapsed, home to back home? 35 mins.

OK, who is next?

Vivo Bistro, October 29th

I would love to be able to tell you that I love the place. In one way I do - the space is great, it would make a perfect neighbourhood pub. And that is where the owners should aim, but instead they are trying to hit the bistro thing, the janes on the common buzz, the almost fine dining, but not downtown "schtick".

This was our second visit. On the first occasion I was somewhat appalled at the wine list - it was 100% Bishop's Cellar. This was later confirmed by Bishop's salesman extraordinaire, Wayne Coyle (what else can you say about a guy who gets their wines into so many places without really knowing very much about wine?). I can't blame him, but I do object to a restauranteur who allows a significant part of their menu, and their image to be "subbed out". What's next I ask? The salads? Maybe soups brought in from some outsourcing soup kitchen? In the end, a restaurant has to take ownership of their entire menu, and that includes the wine list, and, more troublesome, the beers for sale. Most restauranteurs know a tiny bit about wine. Very few know squat about beer, and even less about beer and food matches.

On this visit, the wine list had changed. Substantially. But not for the better. In fact it provides an even greater inside joke for someone who understands the local wine scene. The list now reads like a Port of Wines "old favourites" list. There was not one wine that has anything original, unknown, or is adventurous in the slightest. The Bishops only list provided a lot more interest, and frankly, matches with the food stuff than the one the place has now.

And the beers are no better than they were my first visit. Not one smell of a good beer - only Molson products, and Heineken (does Molson distribute that now? It was on a Molson tower). As far as I am concerned, a restaurant in Halifax, heck, Nova Scotia, without at least one true local beer choice has a flawed drinks list. Check out the good places, and you'll find Propeller, Garrison, even some special label efforts (Opa has its own brand, from Propeller). So Vivo, this beautiful little spot 10 minutes from my house has Rickards Red, "beer by colour" from Molson, made somewhere in Ontario, probably.

The food was good. Well there were a few things you would not expect. Although it was Sunday evening, they open from 5 til 9, and one would hope they'd have some bread that was somewhat fresh. Nope. Stale bread. I asked for some fresh, and they brought me more from the same loaf, I'm sure, but heated up so it is temporarily fresh. Not a good start.

The menu was somewhat disjointed, in that the Appetizers appeared to be designed to allow the place to function as a pub on its restaurant license (like the Nail and Kneecap does). This meant that chicken wings, quesadillas, and the like, shared a menu with beef bourguignon. A bit bizarre...

But the carrot ginger soup of the day we both ordered after the chilly, windy walk was good, a trifle sweet, perhaps, but hearty, warming, and apparently made there.

L's lamb shank was earthy, tasty and not tough, and the veggies were done right, with her waxy mashed potatoes to her liking. My coconut chicken curry was just spicey enough for Halifax, and the use of wild rice was a bit different, but it worked for me. The chicken was a sliced up breast, added to the curry during a stir fry, and therefore did not offer the same experience one gets by cooking it into the curry properly, but the menu offered the dish as vegetarian, with chicken, beef, or shrimp(I think). So I was not expecting it to be "cooked in". Despite my rag about the beer above, the Rickard's Red I had worked very well with the curry, in fact I think the wild rice made that match even better.

We passed on dessert, being full and having some good ice cream waiting at home.

So, in the end, will I go back? Hard to say. For lunch maybe, but the place sorely needs a knowledgeable sommelier to help them with their list. I'd say keep some of the old favourite wines, add some of the new exciting things now available in town, improve the by the glass selection (how many couples buy a bottle anymore?), and try to better match a few things up with the food. Plus there was not one Nova Scotia wine! Perhaps the owners are from away? Maybe they don't drink?

And the beer? Serve some real beer on tap, and have a few different things in bottle. A Hoegaarden would have been wonderful with my curry.

My initial comment about the place being lost between a pub and a restaurant did not hold when I got the bill. Dinner for two, with one beer, no dessert and tip was $68. No, that's not a pub, is it?


UPDATE, SUMMER 2007 - This place is gone, gone, goone. NOT MY FAULT!! Soon to be a coffee bar. Should be a pub.