Halifax Eats

McKelvie's
1680 Lower Water Street

When I was planning my trip, McKelvie's was on my list of potential restaurants to visit for seafood. One of my conference companions, Tanya, voted on this restaurant since it was her namesake. I was also intrigued by their colorful fishy logo and their rhyming slogan "delishes fishes dishes" (even though it defies rules in the English language).

mckelvie's.delishes.fishes.dishes

It was quite busy when we arrived at 7:00 on a Saturday night, and we didn't have a reservation. We were told that the wait would be approximately an hour. Emily and I convinced Tanya to inquire if we could get seated more quickly if she shared a name with the restaurant. The host who lacked a sense of humour curtly replied that even if you were the owner, Robert McKelvie, you wouldn't be getting a table immediately. So we went for a drink across the street at the Old Triangle Irish Alehouse, which is a delightful place for a beer or two.

When we finally had a table, we decided to split two appetizers between the three of us, the first being the Roasted Bacon Wrapped Scallops ($11.95) and the second the Jump-Up Calamari ($9.95). Both were fabulous. The scallops were plump and juicy and were drizzled with maple syrup and had a very mild wasabi tartar sauce on the side. The calamari had a crispy batter and came with a unique tasting tomato sauce with honey, jalapeno and Tabasco sauce. It was quite mild so it shouldn't scare off those who fear spice.

roasted.bacon.wrapped.scallops

jump-up.calamari

One of my food goals of the trip was to have a whole lobster to myself (something I've never done before. The lobsters started at 1.25 pounds ($34.95). Being a lobster newbie, I wasn't sure how much to get, so Tanya convinced me to order 1.5 pounds. It was way too much for me! I enjoyed as much as I could, along with the side of tasty garlic mashed potatoes. But I left my broccoli pretty much untouched. I will blame my lack of appetite on the beer we had at the Old Triangle and the pitcher of raspberry ale we had with our meal. On the topic of alcohol, I was a bit disappointed that there wasn't more Nova Scotian wines on their list, which made me resort to beer. Overall, McKelvie's is a great place to go to enjoy a seafood experience in Halifax.

nova.scotia.lobster

Ready to dig in!

4.5/5

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Greco Pizza
1672 Barrington Street

greco.pizza

I didn't know there was a regional difference in the donairs served in Canada until some other fellow Edmontonians pointed it out. Apparently donairs were first introduced to Canada in Halifax. There they use a sweet sauce that consists of evaporated milk, sugar, vinegar, and garlic powder (as opposed to the tzatziki we're used to here). The meat is served with diced tomatoes and onions on a flat pita. While it was a nice change to have the sweet sauce, I think I still prefer having tzatziki on my future donairs.

1/4 lb.beef.donair

3/5

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Obladee Wine Bar
1600 Barrington Street

I walked past this establishment several times during my time in Halifax, and being a wine lover, I knew I had to check it out. They have an extensive wine list offering over 100 different types of wines, and organized according to their tasting characteristics. They also offer a small handful of beer on tap and by the bottle. Unlike the wine bars I've seen in Edmonton, actual meal items are not on their menu here. They only offer cheese, charcuterie, and baguettes with oil and vinegar to pair with the wine. I opted for the cheese and charcuterie board ($15) which includes a selection of 3 cheeses or meats, olives, pickles, and 2 condiments. On my board was the Tomme de Grosse Île, a semi-firm cheese from Quebec as recommended by my server; Duck Proscuitto and Veal & Sweetbread Pâté, both produced locally; and ginger jelly and blueberry apple jelly. I was more than pleased with my choices and it was lovely sitting on the patio while sipping wine and killing time.

cheese.and.charcuterie

The wine I chose was the Nova 7 from Benjamin Bridge. I had gotten a tasting of it at the farmer's market the day before and I fell in love with it. The Nova 7 is a blend of seven different white grapes, with a heavy emphasis on muscat. It was deliciously fragrant and had a touch of carbonation with only 6.5% alcohol. Divine! In fact, I had two glasses of it at Obladee and I may or may not have stopped at a liquor store to pick up a bottle to drink back in my hotel room ;) If there was a way for me to to ship a case from Nova Scotia, I'd jump on it!

lightly.sparkling.nova.7

nova.7

5/5