At such a beautiful spot as Peggy's Cove, one shouldn't expect too much by way of food. Especially a place that bills itself as both a restaurant AND a gift shop. But here at the Sou' Wester, the actually had a quite nice menu.
I gravitated to the Haddock Burger (though there were a number of other items that also caught my fancy. And a good choice it was. I also opted out of the fries (or, that other popular Nova Scotian dish, sweet potato fries) in favor of a really good (and by good I mean wet and creamy) cole slaw.
Good food, great view.
Meal: Lunch Date Visited: 21 August 2010 Rating: *** 1/2 Address: 178 Peggy's Point Road, Peggy's Cove, NS. B3Z 3S2 Website: http://www.peggys-cove.com/
After an hour drive from Halifax to our waterside resort, we needed a quick little lunch. Not wanting to eat at one of the resort properties quite yet, we took the fifteen minute drive to the picturesque town of Mahone Bay. At the visitors' center, they recommended a spot just down the street. Sadly, it was out of business, but nearby was the Gazebo Cafe. It was a bit tricky getting a table for nine, but after a short wait, we were able to get a table.
I wasn't that hungry, so I passed on the tasty looking mussels and seafood chowder. Not being a fan of crustaceans (as loyal readers know), I also passed on the lobster roll. Others in my party had all of the previous and came back with great review.
I, however, went with the BLT sandwich. Not bad, but served rather plain (no chips, fries, salad or even a pickle).
So, rating on the BLT, it's a bit low, so I recommend sticking with the seafood options.
Meal: Lunch Date Visited: 17 August 2010 Rating: *** Address: South Main Street, Mahone Bay, Nova Scotia, B0J 2E0, Canada Website: N/A
Sometimes you just want a good, quick, deli sandwich. Heading out on the streets of Halifax, there it was, "As You Like It".
Did I like it? Yup. I got the chicken salad sandwich on whole wheat. Served with a cranberry dressing (interesting touch), I added a package of poutine flavored chips.
Fast service and probably a popular lunch spot for office workers.
Meal: Lunch Date Visited: 16 August 2010 Rating: **** Address: 1660 Hollis St Halifax, NS , B3J1V7 Website: N/A
Salt Shaker Deli: Shake a tail feather down to ...
One needs to always be a bit wary when in tourist spots, you never know quite what to expect. So, when we stopped in the UNESCO World Heritage city of Lunenbert (Nova Scotia) I wasn't certain what would come up on the meal-0-matic. Stopping in one of the
souvenir shops, we were pointed in the direction of the Salt Shaker Deli.
A few minutes walk brought us there and luckily, there was a table for seven available!
Well, in looking over the menu, there were local Indian Point mussels, so I had to have some. Especially when saw there was a special, "Pint and a Pound" - pint of draft beer and a pound of mussels. The only trouble was there were so many options:
Provenqal
Steamed in White Wine
Propeller Honey Wheat Beer
Propeller Porter Beer
Roasted Garlic & Cream
Thai Coconut Curry
Spicy Tomato & Harissa
Portugese Style with Sausage
Creamy Madras Curry
Many of the options were tempting, but I stuck with the basic white wine option. Excellent mussels and just the right amount. Highly recommended.
A feew days later, on a boat cruise, I got to see the mussel beds in Mahone Bay:
Meal: Lunch Date Visited: 18 August 2010 Rating: **** Address: 124 Montague Street, Lunenburg, NS B0J 2C0 Website:http://www.saltshakerdeli.com/
One couldn't ask for a nicer spot and day. Right on the waterfront at the Halifax boardwalk and a beautiful, clear and sunny day.
We had an outside table with a water view and stayed mostly with a seafood meal for lunch.
I went with the fish and chips (not something I usually get, so it would be a change). Haddock seems to be THE fish here in Halifax and that's what they were battering up at Salty's. The batter was nicely textured and the chips nice and crispy.
The fish and chips were served with tartar sauce, but was brought malt vinegar on request.
The other entries at the table, maple salmon, tuna sandwich, seafood chowder, all received good reviews.
Meal: Lunch Date Visited: 14 August 2010 Rating: *** 1/2 Address: 1869 Upper Water Street, Halifax, NS B3J 1S9, Canada Website:http://www.saltys.ca/
After a meeting at the National Library of Australia (NLA), our hosts suggested that we head for lunch just across the way at the Pork Barrel (as a resident of the Washington, DC area, I could appreciate the capital city humor in that).
Now in DC, I would have expected some BBQ, but the Pork Barrel was a pizza place (noted by one of the NAL staff as "the best pizza in Canberra". Not sure if I can vouch for that, but it was a quite good pizza. I went for the "Deli Pizza". Sun dried tomatoes, olives, and feta cheese.
Pizzas were made to order, so the food took a while to arrive (and we were a group of nine), but was worth the wait. There wa also a nice outdoor seating area (if you didn't mind the sulphur cockatoos, which were crowding around like pigeons, hanging around).
Meal: Lunch Date Visited: 4 June 2010
Rating: **** Address: King George Terrace, Canberra, Parkes ACT 2600, Australia Website:http://www.porkbarrel.com.au
I know there are some of you out there (@outtacontext, for example!) who say to get something at one of the gate spots before getting on the SFO/IAD route, but I just got in from Australia, and fought my way through customs and the transfer to terminal 3 and had only moments to spare (well, I thought I did, but then we ended up being nearly an hour late), so I just had time for a quick Peet's at the gate.
On board, I opted for the $9 turkey sandwich with a side of chips. Not bad. But I'll try and get something at the gate next time. Promise!
Meal: Lunch Date Visited: 7 June 2010 Rating: N/A Address: In the Air Website: N/A
Meals for larger groups can be tricky. Either the diner or the restaurant needs to make compromises that often lead to a less than satisfactory mean (see for example, some of my dines in Vienna).
But then there are times when things click. Our group of thirteen paid a visit to Il Vicola, near the Melbourne Museum after a successful morning of meetings. The menu was simple, a few starter options, a few entree choices, and some desserts. A choice of a red or white wine.
Sensing that Melbourne would be a good seafood town, I went with the Classic Queenscliff Crayfish bisque for my starter (though not usually a crustacean type of guy). A nice bit of soup, just the right touch of the sea in a tomatoe base with a dollop of cream.
For my main course, I went with the BBQ pork, veal, and fennel Continental sausages with Spanish onion sauce, and mashed potatoes. A very tasty sausage indeed and the onion sauce was nice. I skipped the dessert and finished with an espresso. Each diner also shared in a bowl of greens for the table.
Service was a bit slow, but understandable with the size of the group (and the size of the kitchen).
Il Vicola pulled off the group lunch with aplomb.
Meal: Lunch Date Visited: 2 June 2010 Rating: **** Address: 50 Grattan St., Carlton, Melbourne, VIC 3053 Website:http://wwwilvicolo.com.au
I was stopping by the Royal Botanic Garden in Melbourne and because our appointment wasn't til later in the day, we decided to have a bit of lunch before hand.
The Observatory Cafe, located by the old observatory buildings had a great selection of food. I went with the tandoori chicken wrap which was quite tasty. We sat outside and were soon surrounded by Indian mynah birds wanting a treat.
Meal: Lunch Date Visited: 31 May 2010 Rating: **** Address: Royal Botanic Gardens Birdwood Ave., South Yarra VIC 3141 Website:http://www.observatorycafe.com.au/
I had a morning business meeting and one of my colleagues suggested Das Möbel Cafe. It had free wifi as well as nice big tables (we were a group of six), so we popped in and grabbed a nice big table. During some of our stay, the woman at the table next to us was doing some interesting watercolors.
An interesting combination of cafe and furniture store, Das Möbel Cafe not only offers a full days selection of food and drink (breakfast to cocktails) but also the option to browse their furniture catalog and use examples of the different chairs and tables while enjoying your food or drink.
I went for the one hot, one cold drink, and two breads option. That would be, in my case, orange juice, a cafe americano, and two really good rolls with jams on the side.
Meeting went on and then it rained, so we decided to just stay on for lunch (two and a half hours later!).
For lunch, I went with the spinach and blue cheese quiche (with side salad) that was fabulous. A nice crispy crust and a filling of just the right consistency.
For dessert, we got a nice apple streudal that was good, but not as good as my mother's.
A bit tricky getting the attention of the serving staff, but they were pleasant and helpful. A very good choice Matthew!
Meal: Breakfast and Lunch Date Visited: 27 May 2010 Rating: **** Address: 18 Bewertungen, Burggasse 10, 1070 Wien Website:http://www.dasmoebel.at
I found a list of "classic" Viennese cafes and the one nearest my hotel happened to be Café Bendl. Looking for a lunch spot on my first day, I dropped in.
First off, whoops, forgot, smoking is common in restaurants outside of Arlington, VA. Not very crowded, it was a late lunch, there was only one other customer (and a dog) at the Café Bendl. I took a seat in a backroom (with all kinds of old movie posters on the walls) and ordered a beer and a baguette pepperoni pizza.
The beer was good, the pizza just ok.
Probably not a good time to visit Café Bendl, I had the feeling it was much better later a night, with more smoke, and more liquor!
Meal: Lunch Date Visited: 26 May 2010 Rating: ** Address: Landesgerichtsstraße 6 1010, Vienna, 01 4083087 Website:http://cafe-bendl.at/
You'll probably recognize the outside of this restaurant if you ever watched Seinfeld. Though it was called "Monks Cafe" in the sitcom and a used a different interior, the wrap-around neon sign was unmistakable. But I came by Tom's Restaurant from another pop-culture angle, Suzanne Vega's 1987 son, "Tom's Diner."
Doo doo doo doo, doo da-doo doo ...
So, after hoping off the M60 bus at 125th St., I strolled down past the Cathedral of St. John the Divine and popped into Tom's to find myself "sitting at the counter." Since it wasn't breakfast, I didn't order coffee, but instead got a burger, fries and ice tea. The restaurant was packed with late brunchers and lunchers; the counter itself was packed elbow to elbow, but the counter help was friendly and served me quickly.
The mostly Greek staff had me thinking for a minute about the Billy Goat Tavern ("Cheezborger!"). Burgers at both were pretty good (basic and nothing fancy), and like the BIlly Goat, there was a touristical element (tee-shirts!), but it was a good meal and looked like a fun local spot.
Museum restaurants are either really good or downright awful. The MAM Cafe in SãoPaulo is certainly in the former.
The cafe offers a fabulous buffet full of very interesting foods. It was so good in fact, that after my first visit, I had to come back a second day in a row.
Over the course of my two lunches, I sampled a variety of choices: fillet kabobs, potato cake, asparagus casserole, a broccoli and cauliflower casserole, chicken stew, cod wrapped in something that was ALMOST a puff pastry – but wasn't, rice and beans, and more!
But here were my favorite: the chili con carne (a lush chili with tiny strips of meat and just a hint of beans, lightly seasoned and delicious), and deep fried leek wrapped in cheese. I'm not really sure how to describe this one, is it deep fried cheese wrapped around a leek? Or vice-versa? In either case, though it looked like an egg roll at first, on first bite, you had crispy cheesy goodness and then the hard resistance of the just done leek. You needed to work a bit, but then got a great taste of leak plus the wonderful taste of the cheese!
Service for drinks is fast and friendly; and though not cheap (about US$25 for the buffet and a water), it's worth it!
Meal: Lunch Date Visited: 11 & 12 February 2010 Rating: ***** Address: MAM Museude Arte ModernadeSão Paulo, Av. Pedro Álvares Cabral, São Paulo, SP, 04094-050 Website:http://mam.org.br
On a day off, I took the subway up to the Mercado Municipal. I was expecting something amazing, but it was even bigger and full of more interesting foods than I thought.
The fruit rows had a wide selection of things I'd never seen before, as well as crates of pineapples, papayas, and bananas. The smell on those aisles was simply intoxicating!
In the meat areas, the most interesting shop was the one devoted to the "rest of the animal". No chops, steaks, or even legs. Just organs, feet, heads, faces, you name it.
In the fish rows, huge fish I'd never seen or heard off, both salt as well as freshwater.
Working up an appetite, I had the famed Mortadella sandwich from Lanchonete Tigrão. Huge mounds of mortadella, cheese, and sun dried tomatoes piled high on bread and served warm.
Meal: Lunch
Date Visited: 6 February 2010
Rating: ****
Address: Mercado Municipal, Rua da Cantareira, 306 – Sé, São Paulo, SP, 01024-000
The two hops from Belém to São Paulo, via Brasilia on this trip were again the breakfast and light lunch. As before, the flight attendants handed out various toffees before taking off; I was told Brasilians have a sweet tooth, and I guess it's true!
JJ (TAM) 3499: BEL to BRA
Full flight from Belém to Brasilia, so a bit snug to eat. Also, onlly slept for 45 minutes or so the previous night, so I fell asleep as soon as we took off and missed the serving. Luckily, the fellow next to me noticed and called the steward back and I had my breakfast box and orange juice (suco do laranja as I know call it).
The box was different than on my previous TAM a.m. flight. Today it was a toast-like bit of bread with “grape” jam (more of a paste, curious). Also some white spread that I passed on. Lastly, a nice chocolate chip cookie.
Meal: Breakfast
Date Visited: 10 February 2010
Rating: N/A
Address: In the Air
Website: N/A
JJ (TAM) 3703: BRA to CGH
Fell asleep on this leg also, but was awake in time for food service. Just as on my previous TAM lunch service flight, I had the “classic sandwich”. This time, it was clearly ham, cheese, and tomato. Not a gourmet treat, but tasty in a fast food sort of way.
TAM Airlines, from São Paulo to Belém (via Brasilia)
JJ 3702: CGU to BRA
Breakfast (somewhere over the Patenal)
Up at the crack of dawn to fly from São Paulo to Belém (via Brasilia), I didn't have a chance for other food, so I was counting on TAM for a nice something. TAM served a nice little breakfast in a attractive box. Inside was a small bottle of the popular drinkable yogurt, small dish of fruit, and a small sandwich of ham and tomato. I added orange juice and a coffee to top it all off.
JJ 3444: BRA to BEL
On the lunch flight from Brasila to Belém, the fare was an interesting hot sandwich, at first I thought it was an empanada, of cheese and turkey (or maybe chicken? or ham?). Not the greatest, but served its purpose.
Meal: Breakfast/Lunch Date Visited: 7 February 2010 Rating: N/A Address: In the air Website: N/A
Christmas Eve in Harvard Square, I suddenly had a hankering for kebobs! But it was getting a bit late for lunch and I didn't want to wander around too much, so I ducked into the Garage (a collection of shops, fast food places, not so fast places, restaurants, and a Starbucks.
The corner spot near the Starbucks was a place I hadn't noticed before, Flat Patties. The name sounded interesting and the menu looked good. The main choices seemed to be the burger, but there was also a pork BBQ sandwich. The price was right (cheap), so I got that and a side of slaw.
There was also a small "fixin's bar" with a nice selection of hot peppers and onions.
Not bad for a quick hot sandwich.
Meal: Lunch Rating: *** Date: 24 December 2009 Address: 81 Mt. Auburn Street, Cambridge, MA 02138 Website: N/A
I'd finished up at the conference I was attending and wanted just a light lunch. I knew there are a number of places in Gastown that were still on my list and I decided to go to Pourhouse.
Unfortunately, it being Remembrance Day (aka Veterans' Day) they weren't open for lunch. I tried the Lamplighter, but the bar area was not responsive, so I headed a few streets over to a place I'd noticed earlier, Chill Winston.
The restaurant proper was quite full, but I planned on eating at the bar and easily found a seat. A nice little feature, the bar had a variety of magazines available for the single patron or the unsociable! I settled in with a copy of the Economist (and learned about declining population rates around the world) and ordered up a local IPA and an order of poutine. I was offered some pulled pork on the poutine, but after a moment of hesitation, said no.
For those of you who don't know what it is, here's the definition of the “classic” poutine:
The French fries are of medium thickness, and fried so that the insides are still soft, with an outer crust. The gravy is a light chicken, veal or turkey gravy, mildly spiced with a hint of pepper. Heavy beef or pork-based brown gravies are typically not used. Fresh cheese curd (not more than a day old) is used. To maintain the texture of the fries,the cheese curd and gravy must be added immediately prior to serving the dish. ("Poutine" from Wikipedia )
Chill Winston did a variation on it; a nice brown gravy on the fries and a selection (jack and chedder) of shredded cheese (not curds). Nice bit of a peppery taste, and overall, quite good.
The food was good, the beer tasty and the barkeep suitably attentive. Probably a good place to spend more time with the food.
Heading back East and this time United was offering up a variety of sandwiches and salads (along with a selection of boxes of various snacks).
I opted for the turkey sandwich. Much better than I was expecting. Nice, old fashioned sandwich bread (no fancy roll or focaccia) with turkey slices and lettuce. Along with it came a very tasty aioli mayonnaise that was pretty good.
Finished off with a small bag of classic Kettle Chips (and I added in some orange juice).
Not bad for $9 (which is about what the various "grab and go" offerings at SFO were going for).
Meal: Lunch
Rating: N/A
Date Visited: 23 October 2009
Address: In the Air
Website: N/A
