Save the best for last - The Coastal Cafe

Well another year has come and gone, just like that!

I haven't been reviewing lately and I would like to apologize. sometimes life just gets in the way. I have been eating out quite a bit but it's been with friends and I don't want to be bothering them with my constant note taking and picture snapping while trying to enjoy a simple meal. Many dishes have been enjoyed and others not so much, so I wanted to end it on a positive note at a place I am quite fond of, The Coastal Cafe.

While in Halifax today gathering supplies for a much anticipated three course fondue this evening, we decided to make our last stop of the year at our favorite breakfast place in Halifax. Of course I speak of none other than the gastronomically amazing Coastal Cafe!

If you haven't been here before, well you can't be my friend! (But seriously, go before I delete you from Facebook). 

Tucked away in a  little building on Robie Street, this tiny little place has got lots of punch for it's size. Although small, the restaurant makes the most of the space available. There's one very long bench on the main wall with tables for two and four.  Along the front window there's a bar style counter with seating for 4-5 people, nice for people watching. There's a couple of other tables on the other side of the room just before the cash. A special note for cat lovers, so is the Coastal cafe! There's a couple shelves with pictures of cats. I was once told they are pics of the dockyard cats, but I forget to ask every time I'm in there. I will find out some day. 

To get food at the coastal, you go to the counter, not your typical restaurant rules apply here. When available, you grab a table first then head up to the counter to order your meal. There's a couple copies of the menu on the counter if you want to return to your seat and take a moment to decide on what you want. Trust me, with all the amazing choices, it sometimes takes a while. I should note that most days you won't have much choice for seating and you may have to stand a wait for a few minutes before a table becomes available. Not to worry, the wonderful staff will hold your order until you get seated so the meal isn't waiting for you. And it's so worth the wait!

When deciding on your meal, make sure to take a quick glance at the specials board located just above the coffee station. The special was both mine and Gary's choice today. Who could go wrong with fried chicken and eggs!! Now that I have your attention, let's proceed to the food!

Whenever I explain the Coastal's food to people I say "Breakfast kicked up a notch" because that's what it is.  If I want bacon and eggs, well I'm gonna stay home and cook it. If I want fried chicken or duck gravy poutine with my eggs than I go to the Coastal.

Gary and I usually go for separate meals and share but today we were both intrigued with "The Durty Bird" special on the board. Two eggs with buffalo chicken, bacon andHavarti on an english muffin with hash browns.

Aside from squirting the yolk of one of my fried eggs all over my jacket, it was the best tasting thing I've put to my lips in a while! Aside from all the other ingredients there was also some kind of wonderful guacamole style spread on the bottom. Gary asked if gastronomical was a word  because that's how he felt about it. And the hash browns are tossed with fresh herbs which tastes just wonderful. So much flavor, so much variety, and such a reasonable price. You just can't beat it!

I'm originally from Newfoundland and I'm still somewhat new to this city, so I try a new restaurant every time I'm in Halifax, trying them all will be a challenge but I'm up for it! This is why I usually don't return to the same place twice, not because I didn't enjoy it but simply because I have so many other places to try! Only one restaurant gets return visits and has also become a tradition in bringing all CFAs (come from away) here. The Coastal Cafe. Just. Try. It.

2 x Durty Bird 12$ea

2x Coffee 2.25$ea

Total 32$ ...Money Well Spent

The Coastal
2731 Robie Street
Halifax, NS B3K 4P1
(902) 405-4022

http://www.thecoastal.ca/

Hours of Operation:
Monday to Friday - 8-3 (Breakfast Until 2pm, Lunch 11-3)
Saturday - 8-3 (Brunch Only)
Sunday - 10-3 (Brunch Only)

Cousins Village Fisher Restaurant

After finishing a nice trail on the North Cape, I figured this would be a good chance to have our Fried fish dishes! There was a restaurant at the lighthouse but it was clearly intended for tourists with the prices to accompany it. So we decided to drive into Tignish and see what our choices were. Our first stop was a take out with a small dining area located in the middle of a convenience store. We decided to check out some other options.

After getting quite frustrated listening to our smartphone's GPS provider, we finally found Cousins Village Fisher Restaurant (nowhere near where it was pointing us, I'd just like to add). It looked like we were walking in just after a little busy rush, it was a round 3pm. The place was decorated nicely. We made our way to a booth and the waitress returned with some menus.

We took a quick look through the menu and decided on some onion rings for appetizer, if they were homemade. I decided on clams and chips with a side of gravy and Gary was having fish and chips.

Unfortuately, the onion rings were not homemade, so on two choice number two, Mussels. No luck, they were out. So then we decided on fishcakes. The waitress was very apologetic and explained that this was their last weekend open and many menu choices were no longer available. This made complete sense. Our mains were still available so all things considered, it was understandable.

The fish cakes arrived and they were excellent, nice ratio of salt fish to potato and a very nice seasoning.  Our mains followed shortly after. My clams were done perfectly. No grit, and a nice golden color on them. Gary enjoyed his fish, also nicely fried with just the right amount of batter.. Both our dishes had a side of coleslaw and it was damn good coleslaw, the creamy type. Only thing I'd object to would be the tarter sauce and the fries, neither were homemade. Overall it was a good meal. 

I usually don't order dessert but today I in the mood for something sweet and I noticed coconut cream pie on the menu.What grabbed my attention was the description, "House made, a customer favorite". I ordered my pie and waited patiently. And finally it was here, I grabbed my fork and got down to business. With the first bite I was reminded why I love coconut cream pie so much...Such a creamy filling, topped with that wonderful whip cream and a dash of coconut over the top. The texture was amazing, did I mention how creamy it was?...So creamy! . The sad part is, my lack of control caused me to dive into the pie while forgetting to get a picture :( I guess this means I'll just have to order more pie while visiting PEI!

Bill total, was $51 with taxes and tip included. (prices are approx.)

Fish and chips 12$

Clams and Chips 13$

Fish cakes (6-7$ maybe?)

Two pop 4$

Dessert 4$

Didn't make note of price on the fish cakes as I had originally planned on onion rings and I forgot to  note the price after I had changed my order.

All in all it was a decent lunch, besides the little hick ups along the way. I'm sure during the summer months when they have a complete menu, it' all worth trying.  The bill was a little higher than usual but then again, we don't usually order and appetizer or dessert with our lunches. What the hell, we're on a mini vacation right?

Cousins Village Fisher Restaurant
276 Phillip Street
Tignish, PE
902-882-5670

Happy Eating Everyone!

By the Bay - North Rustico PE.

This is one of my favorite breakfast places on the island. This was our second time back and we're glad we returned. It's your typical little diner spot with all the regular items on the menu. I've only ever been here for breakfast but I'm sure the rest of the menu is just as tasty!

Not feeling much in the mood for breakfast food, I decided on a BLT with homefries and Gary went with the Steak and eggs. 

We didn't have to wait long at all for the meals to arrive and we dove right in! I couldn't wait to get into the homefries, last time we were here, they were the most amazing homefries I had ever had. Wonderful pieces of potato fried with onions. Don't know if there's a secret spice, they just have yummiest taste! Gary enjoyed his steak and eggs, his steak was cooked to order as were his eggs.

Not much to say except this is a nice little diner that provides a filling meal for a long day ahead. 

Our bill came to $30.00 tip and taxes included. A little pricey for a plain Jane breakfast but still quite good!

BLT 6.00$

Side of homefries 2.50$

Steak and eggs 12.49$

and a couple of coffees, good coffee.

Couldn't find a web page, so here's the rest of the info...

7207 Main St Po Box 259

North Rustico, Prince Edward Island

C0A 1X0

 902-963-2290

Schnitzel Haus (New Brunswick)

On our way to PEI for the long weekend, this was a good spot to stop!

I'm always up for trying something new, and well this was it.We were just approaching the border of New Brunswick and Nova Scotia. Not wanting to stop at a fast food joint and knowing that I may have to eat an arm if we waited til PEI, I went to my phone and did a search of restaurants in the area. I noticed this place pop up and seemed to remember wanting to stop here before but they were closed. This time, we were in luck.

First thing I noticed when we walked in was the waitresses, dressed in what I called "Heidi" dresses. I soon learned they're called dirndl. The restaurant is decorated with everything from string lights to pictures and dolls, a little dated but interesting indeed! Also had the feeling I was in some sort of Swiss chalet, a real one not the franchise!

The menu starts with a little introduction to the restaurant including an explanation for a possible wait on the food, explaining that everything is prepared fresh and to order. Music to my ears!

The appetizers were a bit of a let down, I was expecting German themed items, and got tossed salad, french onion soup and clam chowder. They did have escargot but we decided on the evening's feature appetizer.

There were many different choices for mains but I concentrated mostly on their German offerings of Schnitzel dinner or Bratwurst dinner. Schnitzel is a choice of boneless meat that's been flattened with a mallet then breaded and fried. You can choose plain or have it dressed with a wine or even a cream sauce. Bratwurst is a sausage which can also be enjoyed with a sauce or gravy.

I chose to have the curry bratwurst with a homemade curry sauce, German fried potatoes and a red cabbage side dish. Gary ordered from the special board. He had a Reuben sandwich with German fried potatoes. For an appetizer, we had a homemade pretzel served with mustard. 

There wasn't much wait at all for the pretzel. Nothing special but tasted decent. The mustard had a nice flavor, I would beg to guess it's homemade or possibly a specialty type, maybe imported.

 

Despite the warning of a possible wait and there being quite a few people in the dining room, we got our mains in a respectable time.  I have to start with Gary's meal because that was the best Reuben sandwich I've ever had! Not that I was dissatisfied with my meal because it was great but that Reuben! It wasn't your typical Reuben but the flavor was amazing!  Perfect amounts of sauerkraut and meat with nicely melted Swiss cheese. The dressing was nice and creamy. Thumbs up!

 

My Curry bratwurst was nice. I enjoyed the taste of the sausage as well as the sauce. It wasn't your typical curry sauce, I had the expectation of a yellow sort of cream sauce but It was a dark red sauce with with the texture of a thick ketchup. It a nice curry taste along with almost a chutney flavor, maybe mango. Either way, it was something sweet and tangy mixed with the curry to make a very nice sauce that was enjoyed with the sausage and also the German potatoes. The potatoes were wonderful, they had a nice seasoning to them. They were sliced and fried with onions and seasoning. By the time I got to the cabbage dish, I was getting quite full but I did give it a try. It had a unique taste indeed, sweet but tart.

Unfortunately, we were too full for dessert but I guess that's sign of a good meal!

Our bill came to about 40$ (taxes and tip included). 

Pretzel 3$-4$

Curry bratwurst dinner 12$

Reuben Sandwich w/ fries 10$

Two Pepsi  3$

 (All prices are approximate)

In conclusion, glad we've found a good spot to eat while out on one of our many road trips! Give it a try next time you're heading out of the province (on wheels, that is), see what you think!

www.schnitzelhausaulac.ca

Onward to PEI....Happy Eating!

Thanksgiving weekend in Prince Edward Island

Didn't think I would be traveling so soon but away we went and ended up Prince Edward Island for the weekend. Thumbs up is all I can say! Well actually I've got quite a bit to say, we ate out for mostly every meal and of course I took notes and pictures!

We had a great time exploring the area and all the wonderful places to eat! PEI in the fall is so beautiful and peaceful. Most of the tourists are gone for  the season and the roads can take you to many beautiful places. The only downfall would be the fact that many places close aft labor day making a little tricky to find many places open outside the major hubs of Charlottetown and Summerside.

So the next few blogs will be ones from our adventure to PEI starting with Schnitzel Haus in Aulac, New Brunswick.

Enjoy and Happy Eating!

dhaba Express

I want to start by saying thank you for your support! Food has always been a passion of mine whether it be cooking or eating and I am more than happy to pass along my thoughts to all of you.

Here it goes!

dhaba express is located at 8 Oland crescent in Bayer's lake, just next to Freddy's Fish and chips (yes, I will add Freddy's to the list).

As we entered dhaba express, I felt like a kid at Christmas, filled with the anticipation of things to come. The new owners have done a great job with the decor, keeping in mind that we're in a business park not entering the Taj Mahal itself! What I really enjoyed was the fresh flowers at every table, gives me the feeling that there's a great effort being put into the business.

We were greeted right away by what I think was the owner, either way he was quite the jolly man.

Our server is very polite. The staff give off a good vibe. This is a big thing for me. A bad mood amongst the staff makes me think that the kitchen staff is not happier and that will show through to the food. Happy staff gives you better odds in receiving a good meal!

The menu is nicely arranged including, vegetarian meals, combination plates, and halal dishes (proper slaughtering methods for animals, which obeys Islamic law).

Just after we ordered our meals, our server returned with some papadums, a very thinly fried dough with the crispness of a potato chip but with it's own unique flavor.

The appetizer selection was limited but I shouldn't complain I enjoyed my selection.

For an appetizer Gary and I both chose samosas. They had a choice of mango chutney or green chilli sauce to accompany them. Of course we chose one of each. We dove in when they arrived, and they were great. The pastry was crispy and the filling was flavorful. The two sauces were a great accompaniment, one spicy and the other sweet with a bit of tang.

For my main dish I selected the dhaba chicken biryani, a curry chicken and rice mixture which came with a small side salad and raita a wonderful yogurt and cucumber sauce. I also ordered a side of Naan bread. It was a nice amount of food. The flavors were nice and it had just the right amount of seasoning.

Gary had the beef vindaloo combo with salad rice and a smaller version of Naan bread although he substituted regular for a small additional charge. The vindaloo wasn't as hot as he's had before but the flavor was good, I found it quite enjoyable but I'm not a fiend for the heat like he is!

I'm usually a water girl when it comes to beverages but I figure why not try a specialty beverage, so I ordered a Mango Lassie. A thick Mango drink, pretty good but second one might start to fill you up. I blame the drink for the inability to order a dessert item. Couldn't do it, just couldn't do it....

Our bill came to 41.00
Two appetizers (approx3$each)
Two combo plates (approx11$each)
Specialty Drink (approx4$)
Pepsi (approx2$)
and of course the taxes.

I had a smile on my face and my belly was full. It's also a good sign when Gary says, "Next time we'll get dessert".

Happy eating everyone!

P.S. If you've never tried Indian food and you don't really know what you'll enjoy, give their Saturday lunch buffet a try! 11:30-2:30. Try a dabble of it all!

http://www.dhaba-express.ca/

Why not give it a try?

After spending close to 10 years working in restaurants I figure it's time I use my knowledge and share my opinions with others.

Not all palates are the same so my thoughts on a dish might not be the same as yours, gladly there's enough restaurants out there to please us all! My intention is to bring you a full experience from the decor to the service and mainly the food!

Your input thoughts and requests are greatly appreciated as I set out to review my first restaurant. I have no guidelines or minimum requirements on chosen restaurants. You can never judge a book by it's cover nor can you a restaurant by it's exterior. I've spent 300$ on a meal that's left me empty and disappointment and I've spent 10$ on meal leaving my taste buds mesmerized and in awe! So send me your thoughts!

Have you heard of a new place but unsure of what they serve? Have you been disappointed by a restaurant and wondered if it was an isolated experience? Well here's your chance to find out the truth! Send some suggestions my way and I'll set out to give you my opinion, and that of my partners as well (because two opinions are always better than one).

I've always believed that the eyes eat before the belly, so rest assure there will be pictures with these reviews!

So send me those requests and keep an eye out for my first review this weekend!

Happy eating everyone!