Category Archives: Travel

Calgary Restaurant Review: WURST (Brunch)

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WURST is modern from the outside.

Flashing back to the beginning of December, Kirk and I were on our weekend getaway to Calgary. While we were visiting, I had planned several food outings. This included a Saturday morning brunch at WURST, available on weekends and holidays from ten o’clock in the morning to 3 o’clock in the afternoon. Located in the Mission district at 2437 4 Street, it was easy for us to get to by car (about a five minute drive) from Hotel Arts where we were staying.

WURST has a great interior!
Kirk sitting under the tree.
A railing near the door overlooks the bar in the basement.

I’d seen photographs of the place online, but, I have to say that the photographs don’t really do the place justice. The size of the interior is immense and I love the whimsical live trees growing in the center of the street-level room. We showed up for our OpenTable reservation and we were actually seated under one of the canopy of leaves (admittedly, somewhat dusty), which were decorated with string lights and Christmas ornaments. The bar stretches lengthwise across the room parallel to a handful of booths on the opposite side.

The bar is a nice focal point of WURST.

Towards the back of the eatery in a somewhat more private area, a large group of moms and their tots were having a gathering. Despite the occasional loud crying and shrieks from the children who ran rather rampant throughout the space, we managed to have a fairly enjoyable meal. The ambiance, through no fault of the restaurant, left a lot to be desired. Thankfully, the service and the food saved our morning.

Belgian Breakfast

Kirk went with the Belgian Breakfast ($19), which is a pretty typical plate of three eggs cooked to your liking with bacon, bratwurst, back bacon, house cut hash browns, Belgian waffle, and maple syrup. I mean, protein galore! The over easy eggs were perfectly prepared with hints of the yellow yolks emanating from behind thin layers of whites. The bratwurst and crispy bacon were delicious, too.

 

I always like to go for something classic with a twist. In this case, WURST makes their bennies using fresh baked cheese biscuits as the base rather than the usual English muffin. That made all the difference in the world with my Smokehouse Beef Eggs Benedict ($17) because I’m not a fan of English muffins. When broken, the soft poached eggs were beautifully runny, coating the shaved smoked beef brisket sitting beneath it. Super smoky and flavourful, the balsamic onion jam provided a touch of sweetness and the roasted mushrooms added an extra layer of texture and earthiness. Classic hollandaise finished it off. It also came with a side of the house cut hash browns and mixed greens. Overall, this was an excellent value and example of what their kitchen is capable of.

Smokehouse Beef Eggs Benedict
So yolky!
Mimosa & Caesar

In addition to the food, we also took advantage of their $5 beverages. Kirk got a Caesar and I indulged with an orange Mimosa. Kirk commented that the Caesar, presented in a short glass, tasted like it didn’t have any alcohol in it, so I’m not sure if that will be for everyone. Nevertheless, I thought the mimosa was standard and acceptable for the price.

The beer hall in the basement was closed in the morning.
Lockers can be rented for customers to store their beer stein.

When we finished our meal, we wandered into the basement to take a look around. It’s set up exactly like a few of the German beer halls that we frequented on our trip to Munich last year, so it brought back some fond memories for us. Downstairs, they also have lockers that regular patrons can rent as storage space for their beer steins, which is a fun element.

WURST Brunch Menu

In the future, if we find ourselves back in Calgary, we wouldn’t hesitate to return to WURST for another meal. We’d happily do brunch again or maybe check it out for dinner next time.

Calgary Restaurant Review: Elbow Room Brittania

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Happy Hour at Elbow Room Britannia

To celebrate my birthday this year, Kirk and I decided to take a page out of another local blogger’s book. Linda Hoang (a.k.a. Lindork) had gone on a road trip adventure to southern Alberta courtesy of Tourism Calgary. We followed suit, reserving a 2-night shopping package at Hotel Arts. For each evening we stayed, we received a voucher to be redeemed towards a $75 gift card at our choice of three malls — CrossIron Mills, CF Chinook Centre, or The CORE — meaning, for our mini holiday, we received $150 to spend (this deal is still on until February 28, 2019).

That turned out to be a really nice perk, and it was our major plan for our time in Calgary. We ended up going through the majority of our money within the first several hours of our extended weekend. Therefore, shopping was put on the back burner quite quickly . The rest of our time was broken out into memorable meals, including our initial stop at Elbow Room Brittania (802 49 Avenue SW).

There are so many fantastic restaurants in Calgary, but I really wanted to be able to keep within a decent budget. To help save or, at the very least, get the best bang for our buck, I made several reservations based on eateries that offered happy hour options. Elbow Room was one of those (2pm to 5pm, Tuesday to Friday; drinks and food starting at $5 each).

Elbow Room Britannia happy hour menu.

Located in Britannia Plaza, there are two stories available to patrons. The open kitchen seems to be situated on the lower-level, and the bar is upstairs. The mint green walls give the space a modern-vintage feel, and the big windows allow light to flow in. Kirk and I arrived mid-afternoon for a late lunch, and took full advantage of the discounted items by ordering Fries ($5), Brussels Sprouts ($6), Arancini ($8), Carpaccio ($8), Humboldt Squid ($8), Burrata Rossa Pizza ($12), and Tiger Prawns ($15). Had we been there outside of happy hour, we would have paid about $120 before tax and tip for the same items. The portion sizes seemed to be standard, not shrunken in order to alleviate the costs on their part, and, in total, it was about half the price for us.

Humboldt Squid

I’ll begin with the dish that was somewhat of a letdown. The Humboldt Squid was made from what came across as processed strips of the cephalopods. The lightly tempura battered pieces were pleasantly crisp, but the spongy texture of the squid wasn’t ideal. Although I do like other types of pickled vegetables, I have an aversion to typical cucumber-style pickles in the vein of dill or bread and butter flavours. The squid was covered in slices of pickle, which saturated the outer shell pretty quickly. Otherwise, the sweet and sour harissa (a Moroccan ketchup/chili paste) provided a different take on a cocktail sauce, and the lemon dill yogurt provided a cooling balance.

Fries with 3 dips!
Crispy fries

The perfectly prepared Fries were plentiful. Crunchy with a soft middle, these were elevated with three different dips: ketchup, gochujang mayo, and truffle mayo. I tried not to fill up too much on the cuts of potato, but it was hard not to snack on them when they were sitting in front of me the entire time.

Brussels Sprouts

Brussels Sprouts have fast become one of my top veggies. I love how the tightly packed heads can be flavoured with a variety of seasoning, cheeses, sauces, or oils. The outer leaves char up when fried, and they soften slightly while still retaining bite. The serrano pepper crema and sharp cheddar were excellent accompaniments, but what I think took these a notch further was the use of lemon, giving it a zest and acidity that I’d never seen utilized in Brussels sprouts in the past.

Burrata Rosa Pizza

As far as pizzas go, the Burrata Rossa was quite delicious. We were already nearing full by the time it was presented. Somehow, we still managed to eat half of it. The Neapolitan dough was thin and crisp, allowing for that helpful fold upon devouring. The San Marzano tomato sauce tasted light and fresh, and there was a decent amount of prosciutto. The only thing Kirk and I both thought was a little out of place were the ribbons of basil. In small quantities, the hints of mint and licorice can work. Here, there was just too much of the herb, which overpowered the rest of the ingredients. On the plus side, the huge dollop of burrata cheese in the middle added a sense of decadence with its warm and melty goodness.

Arancini with red Thai coconut curry sauce
Split arancini balls!

The Arancini were orbs of delight. The rice had a wonderfully creamy consistency while still maintaining the grain’s texture. There was a bit of stringy cheese inside, too. The outside was crisp, and the red Thai coconut curry cream was divine. Just the right amount of heat on the palate.

Carpaccio
Close-up of the carpaccio.

Considering that the Carpaccio is made with Brant Lake Wagyu beef, I was surprised to learn that this plate only costs $13.50 regularly. To get it for $8 during happy hour is a complete steal. I lost count eventually, but I think there were probably about 15 or more slices of beef on the plate. Topped with shallot, arugula, Grana Padano, and mosto cotto (a sweet sauce that I thought was aged balsamic vinegar), I was in heaven. The side of truffled yuzu aioli solidified the umami flavours.

Tiger Prawns

Our top choice during our entire meal was clearly the Tiger Prawns. These were the bomb. The square of crisp sushi rice laid the foundation. Atop that was a beautifully butterflied prawn with a fried, but not greasy, coating. Sesame, scallions, anise soy reduction, and gochujang ebi mayo emphasized the Asian inspired plate. I could have eaten a dozen of those, if I hadn’t stuffed myself with everything else.

What a way to start our food adventures in Calgary. Elbow Room Britannia was definitely a choice that I did not regret. I’d go back in a heartbeat. Not only were the dishes superb, the service was great, too. Hopefully, it’ll be there for a long time to come, as it’ll be a regular haunt for me on future trips to Calgary.

Halifax Restaurant Review: Agricola Street Brasserie

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The main dining room of Agricola Street Brasserie.

We’ve been home from The Maritimes for nearly a month, but it feels like our trip just ended yesterday. Looking back at everything we managed to fit in over nine days, I can definitely say that we made the most of our time. Part of the experience of travelling is the food though, and, to be honest, we didn’t have much of a chance to take in the culinary best that the east coast has to offer during this particular vacation.

However, for our last evening around Halifax, we decided to indulge ourselves with a date night at Agricola Street Brasserie. How did we come to pick this restaurant? I did have a copy of CURATED Food & Drink Magazine‘s 2018 Urban Halifax & Road Trips Edition of the 25 Best Places to Eat issue (here’s a similar list from them) to guide us. It gave a really good overview of where to go. Yet, ultimately, my way of choosing our final destination was to see which ones used OpenTable as their reservation system and then we narrowed it down further based on their menus.

A view of the dining room from the kitchen side.
The open kitchen even has bar seating.

The aptly named Agricola Street Brasserie is situated on its namesake between Charles and Willow Streets in the North End of the city. The brickwork interior has been outfitted with dream-like orb-shaped lights hanging from the exposed ceiling. Overcrowding is avoided with just 44 seats between long banquets and standalone tables. It’s also possible to perch at the bar or by the kitchen to watch their staff work. On weather friendly days, they even have a rooftop patio. Relating to the food, the word “Agricola” is translated from Latin into “Farmer.” Sticking to that theme (read their whole story here), the eatery is extremely focused on sourcing local.

The menu on our evening out.
Placebo Effect cocktail at Agricola Street Brasserie.

As we familiarized ourselves with the offerings, we sipped on drinks. My fiancé, Kirk, decided to go with one of their nine taps, which are on constant rotation. Pours are either 12 oz. ($7) or 20 oz. ($9). I imbibed in the Placebo Effect cocktail ($13) — tequila, dry vermouth, yellow chartreuse, lime and pineapple — that was just a little bit sweet with a touch of zest. It’s almost a little too smooth as I could have downed that very quickly. For the price though, it’s a beverage you want to make last.

Complimentary bread!

Fresh slices of bread and a jar of butter were presented as a complimentary start to our meal. Still a little bit warm, the butter melted right into the loaf. A sign of things to come? So far, so good.

Seasonal Soup of Asparagus & Sweet Pea

To begin, we ordered the side of the seasonal soup ($7): a cream of asparagus and sweet pea concoction with a drizzle of oil in it. I didn’t quite know how this one would turn out, but it had a pleasant consistency and was so delicious that Kirk was surprised. Granted, he kept saying he couldn’t taste the asparagus, but I found it to be pretty prominent. I think the peas came through on the palate first and then the asparagus landed at the end.

The stages of the Egg Yolk Raviolo from Agricola Street Brasserie.

We also “shared” the Egg Yolk Raviolo ($10). I sampled this one minimally since I was going to have another appetizer all to myself. This is such a rich dish. The giant pasta shell is stuffed with cheese, spinach and a beautifully yellow yolk. Laid on wilted spinach and lemon brown butter, it’s then garnished with bacon and Parmesan. If that’s not decadence, I don’t know what is.

Classic Beef Tartare

As I mentioned, I planned to eat a full dish on my own. This is because I just had to have the Classic Beef Tartare ($15) and I know full well that Kirk typically will not eat raw meat (as much as I try to convince him). The beef was finely diced and tossed with herbs and onions. A gorgeous unbroken yolk wiggled on top. Thin slices of crostini artfully towered over the round of meat on one side of the bowl. The other side was washed with a swipe of mustard. Mixed all together, this was a standout course. Simple, but so flavourful with an excellent texture (not at all slimy like some tartares can be).

Confit Duck Leg

When we were there, the bird on the menu was a Confit Duck Leg ($28). This seems to have been swapped out with their current duck breast. Kirk absolutely loved this and devoured it so quickly. I was lucky to get a couple of bites. Prepared with the skin fried to a crisp, this was actually far from the greasy meat one might expect. The duck was incredibly succulent and kind of tasted more like chicken as it did away with any of the usual gaminess (personally, I kind of like the distinct flavour of duck). Served with roasted greens, nettle cream, and rhubarb cranberry chutney, those components provided a variety of mouthfeels and helped to elevate the plate above the norm.

Fishmonger Cut: Seared Tuna Steak

I went for their Fishmonger Cut. This is essentially their daily sustainable seafood feature, and, that evening, it was a Seared Tuna ($29). First of all, I have to say that the portion for the price was unbelievable. The amount of quality tuna received made it so worth ordering. With at least four slices of inch thick (height and width) perfectly seared tuna, this was unbeatable. For summer, they paired the fish with a balsamic dressing and strawberries. I never would have come up with that combination, but it worked well, and it made for a lighter main.

Rhubarb Frangipane Tart

Dinner was completed with their Rhubarb Frangipane Tart ($10) for dessert. Basically an almond cream inside a pastry shell, it was then covered with a lattice of rhubarb strips. Rhubarb sorbet and basil cream finished it off. I didn’t really like the pieces of rhubarb as I found them tough to bite apart and they were impossible to cut with a spoon. The sorbet was super refreshing though, and the basil cream balanced out any tartness.

For our one big night out in Halifax, Agricola Street Brasserie did not disappoint. The atmosphere and service were absolutely stellar. We left the restaurant feeling full, satisfied and happy. If you’re ever visiting the area, this is a spot that I’d highly recommend.

Maritimes 2018 Trip Recap: Halifax to Cape Breton

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Lakies Head on Cabot Trail

Much has changed over the past twelve months. My boyfriend became my fiancé just after Christmas this year, and we’re now busily planning a wedding that simultaneously feels ages away, but also like it’ll be here before we know it. Marking another milestone was our second trip to the Maritimes to see his family earlier this month.

My first visit to the East Coast of Canada took place last summer. Our goal was to relax in Dalhousie, NB and explore PEI. This time around, we, of course, spent a few days with relatives in New Brunswick. However, the remainder of our week was split between Halifax and Cape Breton Island.

Halifax, NS

Crossing the Angus L. Macdonald Bridge in Halifax

The handful of days we spent in Dalhousie were book-ended by a few evenings in Halifax. Having been a year prior, the sights weren’t the priority. What was important was giving my fiancé a chance to catch up with friends while we experienced the food and nightlife.

I’ll start off by saying that The Lower Deck on the Waterfront, although it may be a Nova Scotia institution, is not my cup of tea. I just felt out of place. It’s true that there are more casual, quiet spots in the pub, but, late at night, when it turns into a club, it’s not for me. I was uncomfortable being around a ton of rowdy people, so we didn’t stay long. If live music out in their courtyard or dancing to top 40 hits in dim lighting on their second floor is your thing, I’d tell you to give it a go because a lot of people have told me this is where it’s at.

The new Halifax Convention Centre on Argyle Street.
Durty Nelly’s

The spot my fiancé really wanted to show me was Durty Nelly’s. It’s located right on Argyle Street (across from the new Halifax Convention Centre), making it a part of the lively downtown scene on the weekend. He has reminisced about the Irish pub often, and I didn’t mind it. Sure, it’s a bit noisy, especially when trying to make conversation. Yet, the atmosphere is decent and there is also live music playing later in the evening.

The taps at Stillwell Bar
My amazing brownie dessert at Stillwell Bar.

Deciding to continue on after a couple of drinks, we strolled down the hill towards Barrington Street to hang out at Stillwell Bar. Designed with a NYC subway station aesthetic in mind, I found it to be fun. The place was packed when we arrived with just a few seats left at the bar. The guys stuck to beer, available by bottle or on tap. I opted to grab their Peanut Butter & Jelly brownie for dessert. It was incredibly rich and decadent with a sort of salty caramel top, whipped cream and hints of mint. It got a full thumbs up from me.

Maple Dijon Salmon at Boondocks
Bacon Wrapped Scallops at Boondocks
The view of Fisherman’s Cove from Boondocks Restaurant’s deck.

On our second night we ventured to the Dartmouth side of the Halifax municipality for dinner with one of my fiancé’s old colleagues. We ate at Boondocks Restaurant, which has prime real estate along the boardwalk of Fisherman’s Cove. The seafood focused menu is decent. I wouldn’t say it’s anything to write home about. Nevertheless, the salmon and scallops we had were cooked quite nicely and flavoured well.

Best Places to Eat issue of Curated Food & Drink Magazine

Canada Day ended off with a view of the fireworks from Kings Wharf Place next to the Dartmouth Cove. Should there ever be an opportunity to watch the festivities from that vantage point, I’d highly recommend going there. Parking can be an issue, but we managed to find a spot. Also, once the fireworks started, people literally just parked in the middle of the street and stopped there until the pyrotechnics were over before driving off again. The fireworks look huge from there. Plus, sticking to that side of the water means avoiding the downtown crowds. On another note, my fiancé’s friend generously gave me his issue of Halifax’s Curated Food & Drink Magazine’s 25 Best Local Eateries, so I could plan for future holidays.

The main dining room of Agricola Street Brasserie.
Placebo Effect cocktail at Agricola Street Brasserie.
The stages of the Egg Yolk Raviolo from Agricola Street Brasserie.

When we returned to Halifax from Dalhousie at the end of the week, we had date night in the city. Named as one of the top restaurants in Curated, Agricola Street Brasserie was our eatery of choice and it absolutely did not disappoint (watch for a full review to come). The space is very cool with a converted warehouse style. Brick walls, exposed beams, an open kitchen with bar seating, lots of floating pendant lights, and a striking backdrop to their main bar created an excellent setting. They have several local beers on tap, and their cocktails were stellar. The menu items we sampled were fantastic, too. The chef definitely seems to be adventurous with flavour combos and textures. I actually wish we could have fit in more of the food in one sitting.

Dalhousie, NB

First time I’ve ever seen watermelon flavoured beer.
Mika taking over the chair.
Mini hoping to be let outside.
Apparently, watermelon is a big thing in the Maritimes?

 

This is my fiancé’s hometown. Here, I was reunited with my future mother-in-law’s younger cats, Mika and Mini. We also went on their annual (my second) family canoe trip down the Restigouche River (please read my post from last year for more info on booking something like this). Not one of us walked away without some sort of sun burn — thankfully, mine was minor — after several hours paddling on a very warm and sunny day. We also had a fire in the backyard most nights and set off our own fireworks over the water.

Canoe trip!

The town used to house a successful paper mill and power plant, which employed many of its residents. Today, both of those businesses are no longer. As we drove into and out of Dalhousie and around the neighbourhoods, we noticed an abundance of homes for sale. I’m not sure what’s spurring so many people to pick up and go, but if anyone is looking for an affordable summer home near the water in Canada, this may be a good option.

The main church in Dalhousie is so pretty.

Dalhousie is super quaint and I think this is why it becomes a bustling place during the warmer months. Plenty of visitors come into town to camp in their RVs and just get away from all of their cares. I got to visit the seasonal ice cream shop pretty much every day we were there. They are often so busy that the line snakes through the store. It’s literally the place everyone wants to be. It’s no wonder though. They offer the most options with dozens of flavours of hard ice cream, soft serve, frozen yogurt, and sundaes available.

The lighthouse at Inch Arran.
A public mural on wall of a shop next to Inch Arran Park.
Mr. Bon Ami

The town has also beautified the area around their Inch Arran Lighthouse with the addition of a sundial and stone seating encircling it. There are even a couple of pieces of public art near the shops, including a new statue of Mr. Bon Ami.

Out on the boat.
Boat for sale near the marina.
Boats are stored on land at the marina.

We lucked out with a ride on a family friend’s boat as well. We took the vessel out on the water, travelling from the marina out into Chaleur Bay. From afar, Dalhousie is the epitome of picturesque.

Cape Breton Island, NS

Along Cabot Trail

Despite growing up in New Brunswick, my fiancé had never been to Cape Breton Island, so we thought it’d be something new to experience together. We spent about a day and a half there, staying each night in Sydney. During our one full day, we drove the entire length of the World Famous Cabot Trail.

I guess this was actually a slight detour off of Cabot Trail. It was on the southwest side of the island heading north towards Mabou.
Not the best panoramic, but I found my name spray painted!
Windy roads make up most of Cabot Trail.
This was gorgeous.

As a heads up, the roads on Cabot Trail are narrow, winding, and quite worn out in certain stretches. Much of the trail allows for speed limits of 80 kilometers per hour. Some sharp turns have warning signs. But, there are many spots along the way where there aren’t any indications of those turns or lower speeds posted. If in doubt, just slow it down.

 

Should you want to complete a few of the hiking trails throughout the area, plan ahead. Find out the distance and estimated time it takes to finish them. You will have to bring the proper gear and work with the daylight to ensure you make it back to the starting point before it’s dark. Additionally, pets may or may not be allowed, so check in advance. Also, consider staying overnight at some of the smaller inns rather than heading back to Sydney each night as it’ll give you more flexibility. Well-known hikes like the Skyline Trail Loop are almost 10 kilometers.

Attempting to get a photo of view we saw from the road.
A window display made of leather scraps at Leather Works by Jolene.
The yard of the Glass Artisans Studio.
Look at these giant poppies!
Glass fish from the shop.
This is the glass studio.
Ingonish Beach
Lakies Head
Lakies Head
The Lighthouse Ice Cream Parlour at Neil’s Harbour
The path leading to Lone Shieling.
Selfie time!
We stopped to talk to a park employee about whales.
Coming back from a photo op.
I think this is around Cap-Rouge.

In our case, we didn’t have the time to fit in anything like that. All we were able to do was the loop by car. However, we did peruse works by local artisans (Leather Works by Jolene and Glass Artisans Studio & Gallery) and we made several stops for photo ops. Highlights included: Ingonish Beach, Lakies Head Look-out, Neil’s Harbour (cheap, ginormous scoops at The Lighthouse Ice Cream Parlour), Lone Shieling (within Cape Breton Highlands National Park, this is considered a historic example of a traditional shelter used by shepherds in Scotland and those who settled in the Maritimes), and the village of Baddeck.

Red Show Pub piano
The piano innards.
The lobster sandwich special with lobster bisque at Red Shoe Pub.
Pulled Pork Poutine at Red Shoe Pub
The Red Shoe Pub is in a cute little house.

 

If in search of a meal, many of the small coastal towns have local restaurants. Usually, the hotels, motels and inns have a kitchen. We ate lunch on our second day at the MidTrail Motel. Nothing fancy, but it was alright and it helped to sustain us for the last few hours of the drive. Otherwise, in Mabou, closer to the southwest side of the island (but off of Cabot Trail), you’ll find the wonderful Red Shoe Pub. The proprietors are the Rankin Sisters of the Canadian musical family. The lobster sandwich special was simple yet tasty (the side of lobster bisque could use some improvements though), and the pulled pork poutine with sweet potato fries was delicious and filling.

Our hotel room was equipped with a whiteboard for meetings.
My breakfast at the Hampton Inn. Bacon on an everything bagel with cream cheese.

Both evenings, we drove back into Sydney. We called the Cambridge Suites Hotel home the first night and The Hampton Inn by Hilton our abode on the second. There’s no question, the facilities at the Hampton Inn were far nicer. We splurged just a little bit more (the cost difference wasn’t much) to get their Boardroom Suite, and it was amazing. There was a full boardroom table in the living room, which had a dual-sided fireplace that also faced into the king size bedroom. A bar with a mini fridge, sink, and microwave was built in as well. Lastly, the bathroom was huge! We could have had a dance party in there. The complimentary breakfasts at each location were similar with meat (bacon or sausage), eggs, toast, yogurt, pastries, juices, etc.

Tempura Banana with Sesame Ice Cream at Naru Sushi.
Look at these giant poppies!
This is the first street art I found in Sydney.
Then I found this one!
I love the public art in Sydney.
For scale, I’m standing next to his legs.
We can do it!
I’m a tree.
The World’s Largest Fiddle found at the Port of Sydney. Also, our best couple photo in a while.
The 2nd floor dining room of Naru Sushi.
Place setting at Naru Sushi.
Our plate of rolls at Naru Sushi.
Spider Roll at Naru Sushi
The main floor dining room of the Govenor’s Pub.
Artichoke Dip from Govenor’s Pub.
The lobster sandwich with Caesar salad at Govenor’s Pub.
Maple-Curry Seafood Linguine at Govenor’s Pub

In Sydney, I was surprised to find quite a few public mural paintings around the city as well as the World’s Largest Fiddle (I got a photo with something giant again!) at the port. There were also some satisfying restaurants.

The two we tried were Naru Sushi and Govenor’s Pub. The former was such a surprise. The rolls we ordered maybe had a tad too much rice, but the texture was just right and the ingredients tasted fresh. It was a far cry from our terrible sushi lunch in Shediac, NB the year before (it made me think the East Coast didn’t know how to do sushi). If you go, make sure you try their tempura banana dessert, too. It’s so good, and the portion is ridiculous for the price. We thought they accidentally gave us two orders until we saw the bill. As for Govenor’s Pub, the service wasn’t the greatest, but it’s a really nice spot that overlooks the water with two patio spaces. I’ll admit, I didn’t love that they put celery in their lobster sandwich. Nonetheless, they won me over with their Maple-Curry Seafood Linguine. The spicy-sweet sauce was creamy and the mix of mussels, scallops and shrimp were all prepared well.

Literally my favourite store name ever. It’s so punny.

All-in-all, we fit in a ton — family, friends, food, and plenty of sights — over our vacation. We clocked 3,000 kilometers on our rental vehicle by the time we returned it at the airport. The thing is, there’s still so much more to see in the Maritimes. I’m looking forward to our next trip either next year or in 2020. Newfoundland, here we come!

Edmonton Happenings: Streetcar Shows Edmonton

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Singer Ken Stead performs for us atop the High Level Bridge.

Streetcar Shows Edmonton has been chugging along since 2013. Founded by Tad Hargrave and Zizi Lievers with Peter Seal hosting and photographing events, it’s probably one of the city’s true gems. These are intimate concert experiences taking place on electric streetcars run by the Edmonton Radial Railway Society. I’ve been registered to their mailing list — currently closed on their site, so check their Twitter page or join their Facebook group for updates — for two or three years now, but I always found it difficult to get my hands on tickets. By the time I’d read the newsletter and linked over to Eventbrite, the 32 spots would already be sold out.

The streetcar being prepped for our trip across the High Level Bridge.

This year, I happened to sign into my webmail account at just the right moment and I snagged two tickets for the inaugural show of the 2018 season. I was ecstatic to finally be going to a Streetcar concert. Taking place last Thursday, May 17, we arrived at the train platform located behind the ATB Financial Arts Barn in Old Strathcona about 15 minutes prior to embarking. Peter checked our names off of his list and we waited until we were told to climb on. NOTE: There are no washrooms on board. If needed, make sure to use the one in the barn beforehand.

Ernie, one of the drivers of the streetcar, gave us a history lesson.

The restored streetcar had two drivers for the night, but Ernie was our guide. He gave us a little bit of a history lesson as the vehicle made it’s way down the tracks towards the middle of the High Level Bridge. Moving along, Edmonton’s downtown skyline eventually game into view. Once we’d come to a full stop, Peter introduced our performer of the evening, Ken Stead. While he sang (and joked), the river and traffic flowed quietly beneath us as we basked in the slowly setting sun.

 

Ken Stead, born and raised in Edmonton, and now residing in Calgary, has a soulful voice. Despite living in Canada, his Irish-Scottish background seems to come out, in the form of a slight lilt, when he speaks. He flipped between his own original songs and covers that ranged from Foy Vance to Bill Withers, fully encompassing the persona of a down-to-earth folk-rock artist.

 

Lasting about 45 minutes, the first half of the show went by quickly. The streetcar then trundled northward towards the other side of the High Level Bridge. We were supposed to take a break at the stop directly across the street from the Legislature Building, but the driver overshot it, and we ended up going all the way to the Grandin Station terminal. There, we were able to get off and stretch our legs while the musical equipment was shifted to the other end of the streetcar. The backrests of all the seats were flipped to face the opposite direction, allowing passengers to be seated again in the direction of travel. It also gave all of the riders an opportunity to be closer to the show as those who previously sat at the front were now at the rear of the train.

At the Grandin Station terminus during intermission.
A view of the Legislature Building as we made our way back onto the High Level Bridge.
The Walterdale Bridge to the east of us.
Right in the middle of the High Level Bridge.
Ken Stead, up close and personal.

Out on the bridge once more, we were treated to another 45 minute set. Being above the water, it started to get chilly as the darkness fell, but the close quarters and the music helped to warm me to my soul. As we returned south, we came to a surprise standstill in a heavily graffitied tunnel for one final (sing-along) song. It sounds like this is something they do at every show, but I won’t give every single detail away. All I can say is that it makes for a special moment.

Inside the tunnel at the end of the night.

Two hours after our departure, we found ourselves back where we started our musical journey. It’s definitely a night that neither my fiancé or I will ever forget. It was so much fun, and I’m already itching to go to second Streetcar Show as soon as possible. Haven’t been yet? I urge everyone to follow their pages. You may luck out and catch a post about tickets in the nick of time.