Dining, restaurant and food news and updates

[eastcoastal]

Originally Posted by Summerville

Are there any restaurant in Halifax that serves good seafood? Some do a nice fried fish and chips, but I don't know if there are any that do anything creative.

Once ate at a fish restaurant while travelling the Florida Keys and discovered that seafood in Nova Scotia was in a pretty sad state.

As mentioned by others, Bar Kismet has excellent seafood. Despite being an RCR animal, I've had good meals at Shuck (I feel RCR tends to understaff its restaurants leaving too few people to serve too many tables and leading to uneven service... at least this was the case for me when I visited pre-pandemic).

[Coldrsx]

The Press Gang - amazing room, good service, maybe the best risotto we've ever had.





Bar Kismet
Fresh ideas, quick service, just ok food execution; maybe trying a bit too hard.


Afrites - an amazing donair benny for me and pork belly bowl for my better half. We really like it here and would go back.

[Keith P.]

Originally Posted by Coldrsx

The Press Gang - amazing room, good service, maybe the best risotto we've ever had.

What's up with the Nazi meeting going on at the table behind you?

[Coldrsx]

Pilots... but did have an Inglorious Bastards feel.

They were here for a Stag and Doe, but due to the WestJet situation, the bride and groom didn't get there and so they continued on in spirit.

[mleblanc]

Originally Posted by Keith P.

What's up with the Nazi meeting going on at the table behind you?

I almost spit out my drink when I read this lol, how did I miss that?

Nice photos, we're very lucky to have such great restaurants locally - definitely punching above our weight population wise

[Keith P.]

A popular local place closing, apparently in advance of the building being demo'ed to build housing. Thank JT and the HAF gold I guess. I wonder if there will be an uprising to designate the birthplace of the donair as a historic landmark?

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/nova-...ifax-1.7224001

[Summerville]

Originally Posted by Keith P.

A popular local place closing, apparently in advance of the building being demo'ed to build housing. Thank JT and the HAF gold I guess. I wonder if there will be an uprising to designate the birthplace of the donair as a historic landmark?

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/nova-...ifax-1.7224001

It doesn’t appear that you read the article. They decided against renewing their lease and the building is probably at the end of its lifespan.

Anyone who knows about this corner knows that the plan has been in the works for some time to develop it.

[Keith P.]

Originally Posted by Summerville

It doesn’t appear that you read the article. They decided against renewing their lease and the building is probably at the end of its lifespan.

Anyone who knows about this corner knows that the plan has been in the works for some time to develop it.

But it is a historic building. Surely it can be rehabbed in order to save it from greedy landlords?

[OldDartmouthMark]

Just curious, has there been any word of another restaurant going into the old Bedford Row fire station, AKA the former Mckelvie's?

[ns_kid]

Originally Posted by OldDartmouthMark

Just curious, has there been any word of another restaurant going into the old Bedford Row fire station, AKA the former Mckelvie's?

As far as I know, the “former” McKelvie’s is still open.

[OldDartmouthMark]

Well, that's good news. I could have sworn that I read somewhere that it had closed, or was closing.

Thanks!

Now, back to our scheduled programming...

[ns_kid]

Originally Posted by OldDartmouthMark

Well, that's good news. I could have sworn that I read somewhere that it had closed, or was closing.

Thanks!

Now, back to our scheduled programming...

There was a story, last fall I think, that the building was sold and McKelvies would be vacating, but I guess no one told the restaurant. It’s been awhile since I’ve dined there though.

[OldDartmouthMark]

Originally Posted by ns_kid

There was a story, last fall I think, that the building was sold and McKelvies would be vacating, but I guess no one told the restaurant. It’s been awhile since I’ve dined there though.

I just checked Tripadvisor and there are reviews written within the past week, so yeah, sounds like they're still going strong.

I haven't been down there in quite a while, but recall being saddened about its rumoured closing. I guess I'm due for a downtown walkabout and a seafood dinner!

[Arrdeeharharharbour]

Bearly's is closing its Barrington St. location this coming Sunday...CBC has reported. They'll be moving up to Grafton St. Once Bearly's moves, like McKelvies does, they'll be occupying what was once a fire station.

[Arrdeeharharharbour]

20240830_150340_HDR by AJ Forsythe, on Flickr


An outdoor bar is being built in front of Water Polo, one of the new restaurants along the waterfront and in the base of The Cunard. Last week I visited another of the new restaurants in The Cunard, Asia, with out-of-town friends. We had drinks on the upper outdoor terrace. It's a beautiful space with great views.

[Arrdeeharharharbour]

20240830_145727 by AJ Forsythe, on Flickr

The Halifax Pier Pub was popular with cruise ship passengers yesterday. Both inside and outside. Previous to yesterday I didn't know this pub existed.

[Keith P.]

Originally Posted by OldDartmouthMark

I haven't been down there in quite a while, but recall being saddened about its rumoured closing. I guess I'm due for a downtown walkabout and a seafood dinner!

When I worked DT I had many lunches and dinners there. I always enjoyed the space itself and the bannock bread they served with the meal. As for the cuisine itself, it always left me somewhat disappointed. It just seemed rather unadventurous and not very creative. Not quite at the level of tourist trap, but not far away. It's been a few years since I've been there since I now avoid DT at all costs.

[OldDartmouthMark]

Originally Posted by Keith P.

When I worked DT I had many lunches and dinners there. I always enjoyed the space itself and the bannock bread they served with the meal. As for the cuisine itself, it always left me somewhat disappointed. It just seemed rather unadventurous and not very creative. Not quite at the level of tourist trap, but not far away. It's been a few years since I've been there since I now avoid DT at all costs.

I’m actually okay with non-adventurous, as long as the quality is decent, with fresh ingredients and proper preparation. I’ve always found that to be the case, although obviously it’s been a while since I’ve been there.

FWIW, I’ve tired of “creative” and “adventurous” restaurants as often l’ve found that they try so hard to create something different that it’s less appetizing than if they had just prepared the meal really well to some standard recipe. There has been such a move to bring in tastes of other cultures through some “fusion” recipe or whatever, that it has become somewhat run of the mill in itself. Meanwhile, it gets more difficult to find good quality ’maritime’ food (whatever that is… haha), that would be more indicative of our actual location and history.

Just my two cents, but the only logical path for endless creativity is eating stuff that you probably shouldn’t or wouldn’t eat, dressed up in whatever the latest flavour trend might be. So give me a basic restaurant that serves up ‘regular’ fresh, well prepared food any day, and I’ll leave the “creative” restaurants to those who want to follow the masses by appearing to be avant-guard.

[Arrdeeharharharbour]

A beautiful fall evening on Portland Street. We had drinks and small plates at Dear Friends, a bar I hadn't been to prior. A great cozy spot and an excellent and interesting food menu! It's nibblies rather than dinner so perhaps go elsewhere if you're really hungry.

20241010_190249 by A.J. Forsythe, on Flickr