Crazy Adventurous Food & Friends Weekend

Mug & Anchor in Mahone Bay

I was totally spoiled with fantastic company and food this weekend. It began on Friday with my fabulous friends Mark and Colleen who were in Nova Scotia on a visit from Ottawa. Colleen is the dear friend who helped me survive that horrid cake decorating class I took on Vancouver Island.

I just adore her and have missed her so deeply. We had so much fun together when we lived out west. It has been way too long.

We went to the Mug & Anchor Pub in Mahone Bay. Mark and I both got the seafood platter. Mine was a huge piece of fish with clams and mussels. Mark got calamari instead of clams. So much seafood, what a treat!

We also stopped by Lunenburg and while we were there got homemade ice cream. I got the pistachio and it was so hot that day it immediately started to melt. Divine though, such a wonderful treat.

As we ate our ice cream we walked down to see the Bluenose and wow, has she ever come a long way since we saw her last fall. Didn’t have to wear hard hats this time! She is almost all done.

We went to Tom’s Restaurant in Lower Sackville for dinner. I highly recommend the chipotle chicken wrap. 

We had not seen Mark and Colleen since the night before we left Victoria four and a half years ago. It had been way too long. Such dear and special friends, I hope to see again much sooner than later!

On the way to Chester

Every other Saturday when husbands get together for some gaming fun, the women take off on an adventure. This time it started at the Second Cup in Bayers Lake. We needed coffee for the road and…

Thanks to my Facebook foodie friends, I found out that Second Cup actually sells flavoured syrups! What joy. I got classic hazelnut and on Sunday for brunch I made hazelnut flavoured French toast. So good! Thank you foodie friends and Second Cup!!!

Seaside Shanty Restaurant

This photo was taken right off the dock where the restaurant is located.

With my hazelnut syrup paid for, we took off to Chester and went to Seaside Shanty Restaurant and Chowder House. Emily had been telling us about how good the fish cakes were and it sounded like the kind of place I would love.

It is quite adorable and there was a line up out the door of people waiting to be seated when we arrived! Yes, I took this photo as we were leaving, the people were not invisible.

So we hung out on the dock for a a while and watched the ducks swimming around Chester Basin. This is also the view of the restaurant by the way. Gorgeous.

Emily & Alissa. Jen, we missed you! Next time…

It only was a 15 minute wait before we were seated in the sun room overlooking the water and the menu.

Alissa got the most amazing seafood Caesar salad in the world. I mean seriously, could it be more gorgeous?

Emily got a smoke salmon and cream cheese wrap which I am absolutely going to make for myself one day, genius!

I got the seafood crepe with side Caesar salad. The seafood and the crepe were so tender and the sauce… delicious!

We all ordered the blueberry grunt which is made in house and can you ever tell. Came to our table steaming hot off the stovetop, covered in ice cream and whipping cream. It wasn’t too sweet, the dumpling was fluffy and the blueberries divine. Heaven.

I wrote one word on the comment card. Perfection. I loved it and can not wait to go back for more food. Seriously some of the best food I have ever had and very reasonable prices.

Salty’s in Downtown Halifax

Sunday we were spoiled by our friends Nigel and Kenora who were also visiting from Ottawa! We went out to dinner at Salty’s. I was worried Reg would not find anything to eat since he is not a big shellfish fan but he got probably the best meal of the night, the Maple Curry Chicken Pasta. It smelled so good and Reg loved it.

Kenora ordered the Maple Ginger Salmon and let me have a taste. So tender but very light on the flavouring. The salmon was, however, cooked perfectly.

Nigel got the fish cakes which looked superb but I forgot to ask him how it was since we were so busy talking and catching up.

When I went to Salty’s for my birthday a couple of years ago I promised myself that if I came back, I would get the seafood casserole. Sadly, it was so thin and soupy… I absolutely can not recommend it. The salad was bland and pretty flavourless I am afraid. Oh well, now I know! And now YOU know.

The most important thing was getting to spend time with old friends down by the water on a stunning night in downtown Halifax. Reg and Nigel used to work together back when we lived in Ottawa and we have not seen them in six or seven years!

I am actually wearing earrings Kenora made me, she is such a sweetie! A talented jewellery marker and a dear spirit and friend.

Cows

We could not be downtown on a stunning night and NOT get some Cows Ice Cream. Last time I was there was the last weekend in 2011 they were open. I had waited long enough!

Now I have wanted a Cows t-shirt forever and was going to buy one but could not decide between Cowxinga! and The Milking Dead. So please vote in my poll on the right to help me decide.

I loved watching them make the waffle cones, which I always thought were deep fried but they’re not!

They use that cylinder thingy to shape the cones. So cool!

When Reg and I found out that the espresso ice cream had chocolate in it (mocha, my fav!) we both had to get it. Damn, it was strong! Which… rocked. I believe Kenora got the Mooey Gooey which she loved and Nigel got one of those waffle basket sundaes. Total decadence to end the weekend on.

It was absolutely amazing to see so many friends this weekend and celebrate through food. Totally indulgent, especially after coming home from my trip to Toronto. The great thing is it has fuelled my fire to make fabulous homemade food and I may just start having time and energy to do so now.

Hope you enjoyed my foodie weekend adventures! Coming back to real food from a real kitchen tomorrow.