Category: Friends

Halifax, to more or less wrap up the year

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The Muir really has started to feel like home when we’re in downtown Halifax. We stayed there for three nights this week, and really used the heck out of the whole Queen’s Marque complex, before relocating back to Bedford prior to our flight.

Our first day at The Muir, after I got a quiet breakfast downstairs in the morning, we went for a little walk around and then ate lunch at Salt + Ash. Cool spot; nice vibe. And great view, obviously.

  • cocktails
    • warm n’ fuzzy: jim beam bourbon, apple cinnamon syrup, lemon juice, cinnamon sugar rim, dehydrated apple slice (ed: this tasted like a goddamn apple pie)
    • crystal crescent #3: blue lobster vodka soda, benjamin bridge piquette, charred citrus, grenadine, soda, drunken cherry
    • north negroni: willing to learn gin, campari, cinzano rosso vermouth, rosemary syrup, lemon juice, egg white, rosemary sprig
  • starters
    • jalapeño cornbread w/ tequila lime butter
  • mains
    • fried chicken sandwich w/ hot + spicy, beach house dip, nasty sauce, fries
    • lobster salad w/ avocado, potato, green beans, tomato, mixed greens, cider vinegar, boiled egg

That night we met up with Tess + Aravind at Peacock, the wine bar we could practically see from our window. Some of us were not feeling great, so it probably wasn’t the best way to experience the place, but it was still pretty good.

  • Food
    • focaccia, rosemary, whipped white bean dip, preserved lemon
    • fresh burrata, red wine marinated figs, birch vinaigrette
    • grilled beet salad, haskap, basil & dill vinaigrette
    • chicken fried halibut cheeks, sugar kelp, oyster aïoli
    • rigatoni, miso cacio e pepe
    • lamb sausage, spiced carrots, harissa, maple, onion relish
  • Wines
    • 2020 DeLoach, Heritage, Chardonnay – Russian River Valley
    • 2021 Famille Fabre, Tour de Rieux, Cinsault – Languedoc (x2)
    • 2021 Bodegas Alvarez de Toledo, Mencia – Bierzo
    • 2014 Bachelder, La Petite Charmotte, Pinot Noir, Nuits-Saint-Georges

The next day we woke up, faffed about in the very comfy room, and eventually braved the cold & damp to have lunch at The Narrows. We’d heard how good it was and wanted to see for ourselves…and we weren’t disappointed. A true pub (not like so many of the pre-fab joints littering Halifax) in an old house, with cozy rooms and snug tables and relaxed vibes. We ate fish & chips and a fried fish sandwich and chopped salad and drank cask beer. There was even a nearby crib board so we squeezed in a game. What a cool spot.

After that we walked back across Gottingen; Lindsay had an appointment, so I Ubered back downtown and picked up a capp from the new-ish Java Blend downtown before walking back to the hotel and drying off / warming up.

Lindsay was also out for dinner, so I just wandered downstairs to Drift for dinner at the bar.

  • starter
    • Atlantic salmon tartare w/ charred lemon, dill, red onion, capers, brown bread crackers
      • Jean-Marc Brocard Chablis
  • main
    • roasted braised Nova Scotia lamb, split pea cassoulet, lamb bacon, mint, turnips
      • DeLoach Heritage Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon
  • dessert
    • Famille Sichel Sauternes

After some room service breakfast this morning, we got ourselves together and checked out. Shortly after that Patrick met us and we went back to Drift for lunch. It was too gross out to explore much beyond that. Our food was good, but the service wasn’t great. It culminated in someone dropping an avocado-covered knife on Lindsay’s coat, and definitely noticing it, but just…not doing anything about it. Anyway.

The plan for tonight, after one last quick visit with Tess + Aravind, is to order some donair pizza and then try our best to sleep that off before our flight tomorrow.

And it was thus, that we ate our way through the Maritimes.

Taste

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A couple days ago we got back from Moncton. I’d been there nearly two weeks, Lindsay about half of that.

  • Weather was all over the place. From warm and rainy some days to full snowstorms to bitterly cold to heavy windstorms. That’s the Maritimes in almost-winter, I guess.
  • I mentioned the family & farm visits in my last post, but I also got to have a drink with a former vendor-side colleague who’s moved east, and an old university housemate who I hadn’t seen in (does quick math) 30 freakin’ years. We ended up in the same line of work, which was fun.
  • New places I tried this time: Gusto (not bad) and India King (very good), plus a bunch of delivery places because it was so g-d cold. I also got some intel on other good places, so the list has been refreshed for next time.

Betty’s East

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Earlier this week we met up with M2H2 at Betty’s East, the reincarnation of a now-closed King East spot that we all loved, now in the home of what was The Burren, and Ceilidh Cottage before that. It was good to catch up for the first time in ages, and to have…you know, beer. Which I don’t have very often anymore. After a nice hazy IPA I stuck to my usual poles, a light sour and an imperial stout.

They also brought a bottle of 2018 Tzum Fèis Spring Ephemeral Scorched Earth Vineyard that had been sitting in their cellar, so we walked home with a lovely parting gift.

As I type this I’m in Moncton again, having arrived last night, and I lucked into a fridge stocked with local craft beer. I’m also about to head out and meet brother #2 and family at Tide & Board Brewing, so I daresay there’s more craft beer in my very immediate future.

Post Lily

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I wanted this post to be about Leaning Post winery’s 10th anniversary party yesterday, about their delicious wines, and Ilya and Nadia and all the nice people who work there, and the amazing library wines (2013 Lowrey Pinot, 2013 Wismer Chardonnay, etc.), the yummy food, and so on. Unfortunately the drive there and back was a nightmare of traffic and we spent twice as long in the car as we did drinking wine. It’s hard to be enthusiastic about these events that are ostensibly under an hour away when you know your soul is going to be crushed by the Gardiner.

Still, it was fun to try that 2013 Pinot again. Pretty sure the last time I had it was eight years ago at Barque along with three other winemakers producing Pinot from the Lowrey fruit.

This morning’s activity was a little closer to home: breakfast at White Lily with Matt & Lisa on a crisp, sunny fall day. Makes me think this whole car thing is a scam.

Latesommar

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I have to say, the week or so that we’ve been (prematurely) back from New York have been pretty amazing, weather-wise. Even though Lindsay’s lingering sickness has kept us from fully taking advantage, it’s made for some beautiful days on the back deck, and out and about.

We’ve also had a bunch of (somewhat hurried) friends & family visits, like Lindsay’s friend K, drinks with old colleagues, drinks with new colleagues (patio!), a drive-by with other colleagues, a beer at Beerbistro (patio!) with my friend Matt, and a visit from brother #2 and sis-in-law which has thus far included lunch at Slowhand (patio!), some fun bottles of wine (backyard!), brunch at Avling, and coffee from Maha’s Café.

I start my new job next week, so this September of vacation — ending as beautifully as it has — has felt pretty nice.

Busy backyard season

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I haven’t been writing them up, but it’s occurring to me now how filled with visitors the house & backyard have been since we got home from Ottawa. A full-week visit from N+J. Another full-week visit from the sister-in-law, and a chance to meet her business partner. A full-Sunday throwdown with six friends & a lot of meat a while back. Visits from V and her new gorgeous doggo Xena, including last night when we watched Idiocracy (imdb | rotten tomatoes), a movie I’ve been meaning to watch forever, but which hasn’t aged super-well.

It really is such a luxury & privilege to have that space, postage-stamp-sized as it is. Now we just need to have it tended to.

Carismatic

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Last night, after many foiled attempts, we had dinner out with M+LK at old neighbourhood haunt Carisma. It was a nice little catch-up, with excellent service (including a discovery that our server was an active birder who also just got back from Costa Rica, like M+L) and very-nearly-too-much delicious food.

After some cocktails and a glass of Falanghina for me, we dug into the burrata special, some pan seared scallops, and hand-rolled ricotta gnocchi in a four cheese sauce. Our mains were lamb, tuna, truffle pasta, and a ribeye special — the latter being mine, and being superb. We washed it down with an excellent bottle of Sangiovese.

We somehow managed dessert, which came to us just as a cheer went up from the bar as the Leafs scored to tie their game late. Lindsay and I had affogato; the others went for strudel and cheesecake. Three of us got a little sip of Vin Santo; Lindsay got a glass of Brunello.

No surprises expected, none delivered. Just a fantastic meal with old friends.

And with the warmer weather come the visitors

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It has been — and continues to be — a week of visitors. Petite mainstay friend N (sans J, this time) is in from Montreal and has hung out with us a few times. Then Lindsay’s brother and his girlfriend arrived Friday. The five of us had a later dinner around the corner at Frankie’s, our first time back there in yonks. Their servers did yeoman duty, bravely surviving a lot more traffic than they expected, and helped us through a menu in transition for our first patio meal of the year. Felt nice.

The next day was another lovely one, so after dealing with a minor plumbing emergency, we walked to Eastbound for brunch, then took a streetcar up to Riverdale Park east where half the city seemed to be gathered. We sat under a tree and drank beers & pet nat. I got to throw a ball with a cute dog a few times.

Today was a bit more sedate — I did contemplate a Jays game but had too much to catch up on, so watching on TV sufficed — but we did squeeze in a late dinner at Richmond Station:

  • Cocktails
    • Black Walnut Old Fashioned
    • Cardi P
    • Spring Fling
  • Appetizers
    • Brigid’s Brie w/ truffled wildflower honey, brown butter, petits croutons, grilled sourdough focaccia
    • Pain Au Lait w/ grass-fed butter, Vancouver island sea salt
    • Spanish Mackerel Sashimi w/ granny smith apple, horseradish, pickled celery, buttermilk sauce
    • Smoked Cookstown Beets w/ whipped ricotta, aged balsamic, roasted hazelnuts, endive
  • Mains
    • Berkshire Pork w/ Brussels sprouts, caramelized apple, potato rösti, apple cider vinaigrette
    • Duo Of Muscovy Duck w/ dry aged breast, grilled endive, confit Cookstown rutabaga, orange-cognac jus
    • Cave-Aged Comté Agnolotti w/ grilled wild spring onions, morel mushroom jus, ramp oil, verjus butter
    • Grilled Leek & Chickpea Burger w/ beet chutney, aged cheddar, green chili & coriander mayo, iceberg lettuce, rosemary fries
    • 2020 Domaine Breton “Trinch” Cabernet Franc

Grapes for Humanity: Southbrook x Richmond Station

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Earlier this week Lindsay and I attended a dinner we won in the Grapes For Humanity charity auction with three other couples (two of whom were also at last year’s Bachelder dinner at Barberian’s). This year’s prize was a dinner at Richmond Station with Southbrook‘s owner Bill Redelmeier and a board member from Tree Canada. Southbrook has long been a favourite of mine, but I’d not yet met Bill, so that was an extra treat. I also knew the food at Richmond Station would be great, but wow…they stepped up their game even more than usual.

This was the menu:

  • Canapes for the table
    • Cured Salmon Tartlet w/ creme fraiche, trout roe
    • Beef Tartare w/ Yorkshire pudding, porcini mayo, horseradish
    • Gougere w/ applewood smoked cheddar
    • Duck Liver Pate w/ candied buckwheat, bourbon-maple gastrique
    • Paired with Southbrook 2020 Estate Vidal Orange
  • Striped Bass Tartare w/ shio koji, sea asparagus, yuzu
    • Paired with Southbrook 2021 Estate Rosé
  • Cookstown Greens Parsnip Velouté w/ brown butter, granny smith apple, lemon thyme
    • Paired with Southbrook 2020 Saunders Vineyards Chardonnay
  • Confit Chicken Tortellini w/ truffled celeriac puree, smoked butter, crispy chicken skin
    • Paired with Southbrook 2020 Saunders Vineyard Cabernet Franc
  • Shalom Farm Venison w/ mushroom tartlett, chestnut puree, spruce hollandaise
    • Paired with Southbrook 2018 Estate Merlot
  • Dessert
    • Cookies & Cream Tart
    • Chocolate ice cream, white chocolate ganache, chocolate shortbread
    • Paired with Southbrook Cassis Dessert Wine

Lindsay and I just went back over the menu trying to pick out a favourite course, and realized every single thing was excellent.

As for the guest of honor: Bill’s been in and around this space forever, and it was amazing to pick his brain and hear his thoughts about the industry. Terrific wine, excellent conversation, superlative food, and great friends. The kind of night you wish wouldn’t end.

Les fins de semaine Québécoises

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As of last night we have dear friends staying with us for a few nights, visiting from Montreal. We drank wine and ordered late dinner and talked and laughed until late. They’ll be here only too briefly, but any visit is a treat.

[Update: on Sunday we walked up to Maha’s for brunch but the line was too long, so we walked back down and tried OK OK Diner for the first time. Outstanding classic diner brekkie. Instant weekend staple going forward.]

Next weekend we’ll be headed to Quebec ourselves, visiting Quebec City for a weekend. It’s something of a replacement trip for Lindsay’s birthday, a getaway postponed because of COVID.

Now I just have to survive this week.