The Fire Side in Halifax

The Fire Side

I'd been looking forward to this spot on word of mouth reports. I had high expectations, which might have made me expect a bit too much.

My party sat upstairs, which had great outside lighting (it looked dark on the lower level and since it was nice out and still early, we wanted to catch some Nova Scotian rays!). There was also seating outside, but it was a bit chilly for that not that there weren't some diners out there).

I went with the Mediterranean lamb burger (ground lamb and pork seasoned with cumin, mint, coriander, dill, oregano. Grilled, topped with feta arugula, olives and sun-dried tomatoes; served with fries, but I added the side Caeasar salad for a small charge).

The burger was quite good, but the overall experience was lacking some zing.

By the way, no reservations.

Meal: Dinner
Date Visited: 22 August 2010
Rating: *** 1/2
Address: 1500 Brunswick Street, Halifax, Nova Scotia
Website: http://www.thefireside.ca/

Minato Sushi Japanese Restaurant

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Originally uploaded by martin_kalfatovic

Minato Sushi Japanese Restaurant

Wandering around Halifax, we saw a number of sushi spots. But which one? Being near the sea, I was looking for some good sushi, so how to tell? In this case, we got lucky and were overheard discussing options in the lobby of the hotel. One of the staff quickly opined that Minato's was the best spot in Halifax.

So off we went.

On walking in, I spotted the server carrying a big bowl of kimchi! Hmmm. Interesting. On sitting down and seeing the menu, not only was kimich offered, but a wide variety of Korean dishes. Turns out the owner was Korean. So, in addition to some edamame and sushi selections as appetizers, I had the Korean beef and an extra order of kimchi.

The beef (pulkogi, bulgogi, pick your spelling!) was excellent and the kimchi just right. The sushi was also fresh and well prepared.

Highly recommended.

Meal: Dinner
Date Visited: 14 August 2010
Rating: ****
Address: 1520 Queen Street, Halifax, NS, Canada
Website: http://www.minatosushi.ca/

The Old Triangle Irish Ale House

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Originally uploaded by martin_kalfatovic

The Old Triangle Irish Ale House

When I looked online and saw such fare as "Aer Wingus" and "Blarney Stone Crabs" I had a feeling I was in for an authentic faux Irish pub experience. Though the decor went for the pub look, the food was a typical North American take on "Irish" with a extras thrown in.

Our group got two starters, the Sweet Potato Fries (served with a curry mayo sauce and some Poutine (see my first poutine experience in Vancouver). Here, the poutine had the basic fries topped with ground beef, caramelized onions, gravy, melted cheese, and the addition of a summer savoury stuffing.

For an main course, I went with the official (it seems to me) fish of Halifax, the Pan-Fried Haddock, served with coleslaw, a side salad and the highlight of the meal, a special zingy tartar sauce.

Our table had a problem with one order (wrong dish brought out) and some dishes were like more than others. Overall, an adequate meal.

Meal: Dinner
Date Visited: 16 August 2010
Rating: ** 1/2
Address: 5136 Prince Street, Halifax, Nova Scotia, B3J 1L4, Canada
Website: http://www.oldtriangle.com/home.php?site_id=1

Dofsky's does mussels

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Originally uploaded by martin_kalfatovic

Dofsky's Urban Grill

Off to Halifax for a family wedding and when in the Maritimes, one must have mussels!

The rehearsal dinner was at Dofsky's, a nice comfortable spot which offered three different styles of mussels. I went with the "home" version, which was white wine, tarragon, and a touch of cream. An interesting blend, but not sure if I liked the cream. Still, quite tasty and a nice large serving (appetizer on the menu, but made for a full meal). I added a Caesar salad to compliment the ebony mollusks.

Of note was the selection of Nova Scotian wines. I'd never had one before. At dinner, there were two options, a red and a white. I went with the Marechal Foch which was quite good.

(sorry no mussels pictures ... they were too dark!)

Meal: Dinner
Date Visited: 13 August 2010
Rating: *** 1/2
Address: 1583 Brunswick Street, Halifax, Nova Scotia, B3J3P5, Canada
Website: http://www.dofskysgrill.com/

United 870: SYD to SFO

United 870: SYD to SFO

Dinner on the flight, served just out of Sydney, was a choice of chicken or pasta. I went with the chicken. It was alright, a little on the greasy side, served with a side of roasted potatoes (good) and carrots and green beans. A side salad with Italian dressing plus a roll topped off the savoury side of the meal. Dessert was a bit too dense bit of chocolate cake. A nice touch was a complimentary wine (I selected the Redwood Creek Cabernet Sauvignon).

For breakfast, well, I seemed to have slept through it; there was a cookie, pretzels and a little sandwich on my tray, so either that was the simple handout or there were airline fairies at work, we'll never know.

Meal: Dinner/Breakfast
Date Visited: 7 June 2010
Rating: N/A
Address: In the Air
Website: N/A

A Jewel in Canberra, The Jewel of India

A Jewel in Canberra, The Jewel of India

I wasn't expecting much from the culinary options for Canberra, my first dinner was very good, so when my colleagues suggested Indian on the second night, I felt on I was on a positive roll.

And I wasn't disappointed. The Jewel of India was among the best Indian food I've had. Our group agreed on the banquet options. This included poppadom, appetizers (tandoori chicken and samosa), a basket of naan, and four entrees (Aloo palak, Beef madras, Lamb rogan josh, and chicken korma). All the selections were fabulous. The beef madras, if I had to pick one, would be my favorite (perhaps since I don't have it very often).

There was also dessert (the obligatory golum jabba (I'm never cared for that dish, so I didn't even try it) and a mango ice cream that was very good (but took a while to soften up).

Staff were attentive and the decor quite nice. Highly recommended.

Meal: Dinner
Date Visited: 4 June 2010
Rating: ****
Address: 11 Bougainville St., Griffith, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory 2603
Website: http://www.jewelofindia.com.au

A Smart Bar menu indeed! Cutler & Co. Dining Room & Bar

A Smart Bar menu indeed! Cutler & Co. Dining Room & Bar

My colleague from the University of Melbourned recommended Cutler & Co. if I wanted some "smart" bar food instead of a full dinner. That sounded both good and intriguing and it was also on the way back to my hotel.

The ambiance was cool hip with lots of black and chrome and spot lightinng. The host quickly met me at the door and was pleasant and happy for my request for a single table near the bar. Looking over the menu, it was indeed a smart menu with too many tempting choices. I had gone in with the idea of a single appetizer, but everything looked so good, I had to have two.

I created my own "surf and turf" with a selection of three South Australian Kumoto oysters (figured June is really December and hence has a "r" in it), and Wagyu beef ribs. I accompanied it with a Hoddles Creek Pinot Noir.

Service was quick and attentive. The food was amazing. The oysters were strong, and served on a mound of salt (a nice touch); I missed a bit of horseradish with them, but made do with a squeeze of lemon. The ribs were tender and sauced just right.

Highly recommended.

Meal: Light Dinner
Date Visited: 5 June 2010
Rating: ****
Address: 55-57 Gertrude St., Melbourne, Fitzroy VIC 3065
Website: http://www.cutlerandco.com.au

Longrain Restaurant and Bar

Longrain Restaurant and Bar

When my hosts from the Melbourne Museum told their colleagues we were going to Longrain, there were many sad faces from those not going along.

On entering the restaurant, I could see why. With a modern Asian decor, fabulous smells, and a series of large, communal dining tables, it looked like a sure winner.

Our group went with pork hock with spicy sauces, a whole trout, egg net, and a tofu dish. All were as good as they looked. The egg net (this first time of had this dish), was tasty as well as interesting (a "net" made of scrambled eggs, enclosing a selection of meats and vegetables).

Highly recommended.

Meal: Dinner
Date Visited: 2 June 2010
Rating: *****
Address: 85 Commonwealth Street, Surry Hills, Melbourne, 2010
Website: http://www.longrain.com

Kristian's Monastiri

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Originally uploaded by martin_kalfatovic

Kristian's Monastiri

Opting for a quiet dinner outside of the group, myself and two colleagues found a secluded former monastery (which had a laughing Buddha outside, so how could we go wrong?). We started with a bottle of Grüner Veltliner (my new favorite white wine) and were soon surprised with a chef's taste (a sort of carrot mouseline). For an appetizer, we we went with the veal tartare with fois gras which was decadently tasty. For my main course, I went with the Altwiener Tafelspitz (pot roast with potatoes and a fabulous fresh horseradish sauce.

We were given the English-translated menu (don't know why!) and some of the translations were entertaining. The mystery dish on the menu that we were all tempted to try was the Osso Buco vom Seeteufel (Monkfish). Still wondering exactly what that would look like!

Our service was excellent and the dining room nicely decorated and quiet (and the background music was all Beatles!).

Meal: Dinner
Date Visited: 27 May 2010
Rating: *****
Address: Neustiftgasse 16, A-1070 Wien
 Website:http://kristians.monastiri.at/

Qantas 10: LHR > SIN > MEL

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Originally uploaded by martin_kalfatovic

Qantas from London to Melbourne

Whew, flying from London to Melbourne was quite the culinary adventure. In the, oh, twenty or so hours of the trip, there were five meals served. All quite good. Here's
the breakdown:

Qantas 10: LHR to SIN

I went with the pork goulous option (pork, potato mash, broccoli and carrots), served with a side of tabouleh. For dessert, an Eton Mess (pavolova with rasberries and cream). With it, I had coffee and  a St. Hallett Shiraz/Grenache blend.

A few hours later came a snack pack with cookies, candy, and chocolates. In the last hours before landing, there was a hot breakfast option with a leek and potato fritta with a side of a pork sausage and sauteed spinach.

Meal: Supper/Snack/Breakfast
Date Visited: 29-30 May 2010
Rating: N/A
Address: In the Air
Website: N/A

After a brief layover in Singapore, we reboarded and the food started flowing again.

Qantas 10: SIN to MEL

On this flight, there was a lightsupper of a beef and red wine cassaroll with garlic potatos, carrots and green beans. I chose the Scrubby Rise Shiraz/Cab/Petite Verdot blend. Dessert was a bit of chocolate, followed later by a Nestle's Crunch ice cream. The last serving of the trip was a continental breakfast of juice, coffee, a fruit dish, and a sweet roll.

Overall, an quite impressive amount of pretty good food!

Meal: Light Dinner/Continental Breakfast
Date Visited: 30-31 May 2010
Rating: N/A
Address: In the Air
Website: N/A

Napiers: Not just the Bogan Burger

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Originally uploaded by martin_kalfatovic

Napiers: Not just the Bogan Burger

My Melbourne connections said that we had to stop by the The Napier Hotel and it's pub since we were staying in the Fitzroy neighborhood. It had the look of a typical pub and, since it was still a bit early, not yet that crowded.

It took me a bit to get the hang of the Aussie pub and how to order. There wasn't wait service, exactly, but rather, you ordered at the bar and then the food was brought to you.

So, what to order? I wasn't that hungry, so I wanted a sandwich and ended up with the Suburban Burger. Not really a burger, but rather a steak sandwich. Quite qood and served with a side of fries. I topped it off with a variety of local beers.

But the hightlight was ordered by a colleage, the Bogan Burger (a bogan is sort of a Aussie version of a redneck, but with more positive connotations). Was is a bogan burger? Well, it's sort of the turducken of sandwiches, comprised of: Steak, Chicken Schnitzel, Caramalised Onions, Cheese, Pinepple, Beetroot, Potato Cake, Bacon, Egg, Lettuce, Tomato, Wedges and served with a salad.

Meal: Dinner
Date Visited: 31 May 2010
Rating: ****
Address: 210 Napier St, Fitzroy VIC 3065‎
Website: http://thenapierhotel.com/food-drink/

Chairman & Yip Restaurant

Chairman & Yip Restaurant

After attending a reception with heavy hors d'oeuvres, myself and the rest of my colleagues weren't quite in the mood for a large, heavy meal. One of the locals suggested Chairman & Yip Restaurant, where some good appetizers could be had.

Heading over, we were seated and proceeded to order (for the six of us) two rounds of three appetizers. A very nice duck pancakes, amazing scallops (served in a scallop shell), and dumplings (with a very good and spicy sauce).

Meal: Light Dinner
Date Visited: 3 June 2010
Rating: ****
Address: 108 Bunda St., Canberra City Australian Capital Territory 2601
Website: http://www.thechairmanandyip.com

Asperagus on the Danube: Das Riverside

Asperagus on the Danube: Das Riverside

The next large group dinner for my group was held at a large restaurant on the Danube. The best part of the dinner was the lovely large table with a view of the river. The food, well ...

I started off with the asperagus soup with tiny croutons. Thin, but good. For an entree, since I hadn't had it yet, I went with the Wiener Schnnitzel with side salad and potatoe salad. Good, but nothing to waltz home about.

Again, service was slow (though again, we were a large group). Bottom line, go for the river view.



Meal: Dinner
Date Visited: 28 May 2010
Rating: **
Address: Handelskai 256, 1020 Vienna
Website: http://www.river-side.cc/de/impressionen

Haus des Schweins or Schweizerhaus?

Haus des Schweins or Schweizerhaus? Karl Kolarik's Schweizerhaus.

The Schweizerhaus is located in the Prater amusement park. I mention this because I wouldn't want the unwary to be confused having to walk through a collection of curiously Viennese amuseument park rides and arcade games to get to the Schweizerhaus Beer Garden.

I didn't quite know what to expect, but was pleasantly surprised. It had been raining earlier, so the grounds (the beer garden is all outdoors under awnings) were wet and muddy. I was a bit late, so it took my a while to locate my party in the vast restaurant.

I took my seat on the bench and soon had a beer in front of me. But what to choose from the menu? Well, it wasn't hard. It had to be one of the house specialities, the Hintere Schweinsstelze. A chunk of pork (upper thigh?) spit roasted with the fat done to crispy goodness and a side of pommes frites.

When the Hintere Schweinsstelze arrived, the waiter sliced it for us and turned it over to my colleague and I. There were all kinds of  tasty bits, grilled, fatty, just done white meat. Served with two kinds of mustard and freshly ground horseradish, it was something you don't find back home (and maybe not something you'd want everyday)!

Meal: Dinner
Date Visited: 26 May 2010
Rating: ***
Address: Prater 116, 1020 Wien
Website: http://www.tripwolf.com

A wilted Palm: Palmenhaus

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Originally uploaded by martin_kalfatovic

Palmenhaus

Well, first off I'll say that having to serve a group of twenty or so
people is tricky. Second, I'll say that the Palmenhaus, located in a
the Burgarten in a botanical garden with a garden on one side and a butterfly house on the other is a lovely location.

But, well, we had some server problems this night. Just ordering took forever and the food took even longer to actually arrive (so long in fact that some of our party had to leave). And of course, the check took a long time too ...

When I looked at the drink options, I saw they had caiperanha. Hadn't had one in a restaurant since Brazil, so I had one. It was ok; not sure if it just wastn't hot enough or if it was the limes, but not a rave drink.

And the food? Well, it was asperagus season in Vienna, so I needed some asperagus, and thus chose the salad with asperagus, melon and prawns as my starter (not usually a crustacean eater, but once in a while it's a nice change). Asperagus were plump and quite tasty. Leading into the main course, saltimbocco with nettle-spinache and polenta gratinee. The saltimbocco was ok (a veal cutlett), but the nettle-spinach and polenta were both quite good.

Final thoughts? Well, might deserve a return visit, in a smaller group and when you're not in any hurry.

Meal: Dinner
Date Visited: 25 May 2010
Rating: **
Address: Burggarten 1, Vienna, 01 5331033
Website: http://www.palmenhaus.at

Austrian Air: IAD to VIE

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Originally uploaded by martin_kalfatovic

Austrian Air: IAD to VIE

Thanks to the world of codeshare, the flight that I booked on United was actually flown by Austrian Air. I was curious as to what the food selection was and it turned out farily good.

The first meal served was dinner. There was a choice of chicken or pasta. I went with the chicken. Served with a nice cheesy potato and a very tasty spinach, the chicken was a bit over-sauced and greasy.

For the breakfast, served somewhere over Belgium, there was a nice entry to Europe type bread, meat cheese, along with a muffin and yogurt.

As an added bonus, during the dinner service, wine (red, white, rose) were free flowing. I also give kudos to Austrian Air for the wonderful triangular shape of the plates.

Meal: Dinner and Lunch
Date Visited: 24/25 May 2010
Rating: N/A
Address: In the air
Website: http://www.austrianair.com

Something fishy in Rochester, MN

Pescara

I was invited to join the official dinner of the meeting I was speaking at, but my host found the room to chilly and suggested we go elsewhere. We'd seen Pescara across the street from Michael's, so off we went.

Located in the trendiest Doubletree I'd ever seen (I would have guessed it was a W Hotel), we had a wait a bit for a seating for our group of five, but were soon at a table.

As you might guess from the name, fish is the speciality. There was a great selection of market fresh fish (though I hesitate to get fish in the Midwest!). I decided to start off with an apple salad (though the oyster option looked good). For a main course, I went with one of the recommendations, paella. And a good choice it was. Not an overwhelming serving, there were just enough treats (mussels, shrimp) and a tasty, though not too spicy sauce.

I wish I could catalog the four other meals my colleagues had, but there was only one: Mushroom risotto! Yes, our table had one paella and four risotto (to be honest, it was my second choice). The risotto received good reviews as did the other sides and appetizers at the table (grilled asparagus, ahi tuna).

The decor was very 21st century, glass, chrome, basic greenery, ambient lighting. Quiet a change from Michael's. So, I'm sure in thirty years, if Pescara is still there and I were to return, and if it doesn't change, it will be that, oh so 2010 kinda place!

Meal: Dinner
Rating: ****
Date: 28 April 2010
Address: 150 S. Broadway Ave., Rochester, MN 55904
Website: http://www.pescarafresh.com/

That 70s Place: Michael's

Michael's Fine Dining

Well, the website made Michael's look like a good, basic steakhouse. My colleague picked it out and since we were communicating by text, it wasn't easy to make deep, thorough decisions.

There was something about Michael's as we stepped in that gave me deja vu, but I just couldn't put my finger on it. We were led to our booth with the large leather seats. Our helpful waitress soon appeared and told us we had to get the onion rings (so we did). Menu was a selection of steaks and chops, pasta, chicken, but also with a Greek twist.



After some thought, I went with the pork chop. The entree came with a side salad and vegetable (asparagus with hollandaise). Very basic salad and tasty asparagus. The pork chop was good, but not great. For dessert, we split the raspberry bread pudding (again at the  suggestion of our waitress).

As we left, my colleague hit it on the head; it was the 1970s! Michael's reminded us of a place out of the 70s (not that there's anything wrong with that!). Michael's was probably a great and trendy (in a 70s sorta way) in its time, but it was stuck in the 70s. Plastic menus, iceberg lettuce (not a wedge!), a certain style of oil painting on the walls ... well, you know. Not bad by any means. but just well, what it was.

Meal: Dinner
Rating: **
Date: 27 April 2010
Address: 15 S. Broadway, Rochester, MN 55904
Website: http://www.michaelsfinedining.com/

Have you ever been had in clubland?

Nope, not a night club, but a club, you know, the kind where they have memberships and ties and all that ... I'm not a club member, though I can see how there are benefits. I've had the luck to be traveling in circles where I've been invited to some of the nicer clubs in the country. Over the past few years I've dined at:

• Harvard Faculty Club (Cambridge, MA)
• St. Francis Yacht Club (San Francisco)
• University Club (New York City)

At the Harvard Faculty Club, we had an intimate dinner for about 25 people all sitting at one very very long table. Needless to say, that didn't make for much mingling or mixed conversation. There was a nice menu to choose from, I ended up with the creamed squash soup and a steak with vegetables. A very good soup and a nice steak. There was a good wine list and service was good. The ambiance of the club was pretty much everything what you might imagine a club to be, at least it was for me!



The St. Francis Yacht Club was a much different experience. Again, we had 20-28 people, but instead had three large round tables and after a while, people were started to mix and mingle. Being in the corner (with a beautiful view of the Golden Gate Bridge). Dinner was a buffet (which helped with the mingling). It was a pretty good buffet, nice large selection of salads and some nice entrees (including grilled cheese triangles for the younger set - of which there were quite a few). There was also a pasta bar where the chefs would whip up pasta and a sauce to your taste. And to top off your calorie intake, there was a sundae bar for dessert.



In New York City, however, was my ultimate (to date!) club experience. The University Club is located in a fabulous building that just squeals "old New York." We had a small party, about sixteen people, split over four round tables. After an open bar to start, we were seated and given a choice of the meat, fish, or vegetables. There was a soup and salad option for a starter, I went with the salad (quite good) and followed with the meat option (a good steak and potatoes, though the salmon option looked good too). Lovely food and a charming environment. As we were leaving, we had a  brief tour of the members' reading room and were entertained by the slightly tipsy guests at a wedding reception. 



So, overall, the "club" experience is interesting. You may not get the best food, but you get an interesting environment. So, as Elvis Costello said (about a different type of club):

With a handful of backhanders and a bevy of beauty
You’re going off limits
Going off duty
Going off the rails
Going off with booty
They tell tales of fiction found on all the criminal types
Lead to a higher ranking man or a face with thin red stripes

The boys next door
The mums and dads
New weds and nearly-deads
Have you ever been had in clubland?

(which I guess is apropos of nothing! but I liked the title!)

Harvard Faculty Club
Meal: Dinner
Rating: ****
Date: 19 March 2008
Address: 20 Quincy Street, Cambridge, MA 02138-3899
Website: http://www.fas.harvard.edu/

St. Francis Yacht Club
Meal: Buffet Dinner
Rating: ***
Date: 18 October 2009
Address: On the Marina, San Francisco, CA 94123
Website: http://www.stfyc.com/

University Club
Meal: Served, fixed dinner
Rating: ****
Date: 29 October 2009
Address: 1 West 54th Street, New York, NY 10019-5485
Website: http://www.universityclubny.org/

Yaku in Arlington, R.I.P.

Yaku: R.I.P.

Yaku suffered from an odd location (an apartment building with very little walking traffic, and a strange name (is it Japanese? Is it Latin? Is it Fusion?).

I only had a chance to visit once before it closed in January 2010. Service was very good (contrary to some reviews) and the food was very mixed. The dumplings we had (pictured at bottom) were quite good - as were the other appetizers, but the main courses were lacking.




Restaurateur Mauricio Fraga-Rosenfeld, founder of the Latin Concepts group, still has a number of other locations in his stable, including the nearby Gua-Rapo.

Meal: Dinner
Rating: **
Date: 8 November 2010
Address: 1900 Clarendon Blvd., Arlington, VA 22201
Website: http://www.latinconcepts.com/