Ray’s Falafel

I am terminating my blogging hiatus with my newly acquired time, money, self-determination and a trip to Ray’s Lebanese Cuisine (commonly known as Ray’s Falafel). I have had some time to re-examine why I got into blogging and what I am trying to accomplish. As for Ray’s Falafel: totally classic.

BBQ Chicken combo platter at Ray’s Falafel

It is a big delicious mess and that is what I’m here to talk about. Ray’s Falafel has won “Best Falafel” so many times in The Coast that the category has been retired. The Scotia Square food court, and Ray’s Falafel in particular, is so awesome that hardly anyone ever talks about it. Everyone just knows.

But do they?

New Haligonians are emerging everyday and forced to navigate the culinary waters for themselves. Undoubtedly, they are bombarded by the unison of voices cheerfully telling them to “Buy Local” and that’s fantastic. Make no mistake, I am totally down with buying local. But then there are the buzz words – “organic”, “gourmet”, “chef-inspired”, “non-pretentious” (which actually sorta means pretentious)… the culinary landscape can be a minefield of “hype”, and the safest route can be the bandwagon.

Sometimes I just wanna bring it back to the basics. A cheap plate of home-made food on a tray in a mall food court. This is Ray’s Falafel.

I used to eat here all the time when Scotia Square was, for all intents and purposes, my backyard. When you walk up to the counter you’ll be taken aback by how quickly Ray addresses you (usually as “sweetheart”). A word of advice: know what you want, and don’t let Ray out of your sight. If you order a combo platter, he will automatically compose it in a certain way. You will get fattoush if you don’t adamantly request tabouli. Basically if you want to add or subtract anything, pay very close attention and make it clear. Looking into the line-up…

.. we’ve got (pictured) tabloui, hummus, garlic sauce, banana peppers, pickled cabbage, parsley, BBQ chicken, falafel, a cabbage dish, potatoes, tahini baked fish, lentils & rice, and rice. There are more items to the left (not pictured), of particular interest, fatayer (spinach pies), dolmades (stuffed grape leaves), foul (fava & chickpeas in sauce), grilled eggplant and cauliflower, and fattoush (basic Lebanese salad).

Typically, you would order the BBQ chicken or the falafel (there is also kafta) in either wrap or combo-plate form. If you order a plate, expect this: rice, lentils & rice, tahini baked white fish, cooked cabbage, BBQ chicken (or falafel), fattoush, potatoes. If you want anything done differently – make it abundantly clear! For example, I requested tabouli rather than fattoush, and ordered a single falafel on the side. Ray works so quickly that your platter will be finished in a blink, and you’d better hope you’re not a picky eater!

The BBQ chicken is delicious, and Ray makes batches that he grills up fresh each time (I saw him grillin’). For $7.75 you get a hefty plate of awesomeness. You will be full and satisfied. Everything on the plate is seriously awesome. It ain’t fancy but it’s a local gem of worthy mention.

Halifax is changing. We are seeing more bistros, gastropubs, “interactive eating”, craft beer, and local emphasis. I’m all for it. But I don’t want to neglect the “old local” – the traditional, the “no frills”,  the worthy gems that immortalized themselves in our food culture. My hat is off to Ray’s Falafel.

Nova Scotia Wine Tour 2013

Nova Scotia’s fledgling wine industry is booming, and no visit to this province is complete without a scenic drive through the Annapolis Valley visiting local wineries. The valley is a lush agricultural region, pastoral and sunny. The shores do not boast of beaches and rugged coastline, but of Acadian dykes, and muddy tidal rivers opening into the Minas Basin. There are u-picks and Farmer’s Markets everywhere, selling apples, berries, corn, and ice cream. Wolfville is a cool little university town, and New Minas is the soccer capital of Nova Scotia. One of my fondest childhood memories is discovering moon mist ice cream at Hennigar’s Market, attired in my shin guards and umbro shorts.

Now that I am well into legal drinking age, I know the awesomeness of wine touring. There is something so serene about vineyards, and something so delicious about wine! There are currently 10 wineries in the valley, and most of them are proximate to one another. The best way to visit them is a DIY wine tour, with a designated driver and a GPS. There is also the Wolfville Magic Winery Bus, a pink double decker bus that provides hop-on hop-off shuttle service to 4 wineries. For guided and custom tours, check out Go North Tours and Grape Escapes, both of which are based out of Halifax.

There are lots of options for wine tour providers in Nova Scotia.

I’m going to talk a bit about some of the valley wineries: what makes them unique and what are my favourite wines. I am no wine expert, and these are just my opinions. The beauty of wine is getting to discover it for yourself, so this is merely a guideline or bathroom reading material, if you wish. You may notice that I left out Muir Murray, Sainte Famille, and Annapolis Highland. I assure you that this is nothing personal, but that I regrettably lack experience with these wineries.

Avondale Sky
80 Avondale Cross Road, RR#2 Newport Landing

Avondale Sky’s claim to fame is the church that houses their retail and tasting room, which floated 42km down the Avon River to its current home in Newport Landing. Click here to see that I am totally serious. This is also one of the most beautiful retail/tasting rooms that you will ever visit.

Avondale Sky’s signature grape is the Geisenheim, a Riesling-Chancellor hybrid. I recommend Bliss, which is sweet and fresh with a slight effervescence. In other words, a celebration in your mouth! Another popular wine from Avondale is Lady Slipper, a rosé made from estate grown Léon Millot grapes. This dry rosé is quite drinkable on its own, though its pairing notes suggest “chips and dip, cheese, pork, and nice weather”. I taste raspberry and a touch of cinnamon. Lady Slipper is actually sold out at the winery, but you can still pick it up at various farmer’s markets and the NSLC. I must also praise Avondale Sky’s Tidal Bay, which is one of the best expressions of this appellation wine. It has a crisp citrus quality from L’Acadie Blanc, rounded out with Geisenheim and a touch of Vidal. Summerville, an unoaked L’Acadie, has recently been released, after selling out in 2012. Then there is Pinnacle Hill, Avondale Sky’s award-winning ice wine.

Tastings are free at Avondale Sky.

Luckett Vineyards
1293 Grand Pre Road, Wolfville

Luckett Vineyard’s claim to fame (other than being owned by Pete Luckett) has to be the iconic red phone booth in the midst of the vineyards. You can actually make free phone calls to anywhere in North America. Luckett is also famed for its patio lunches. The view is incredible! This winery is always bustling, with a market feel to it, and there are cheeses and preserves for sale, as well as wine.

Luckett makes a few fruit wines and dessert wines, such as the rich peach dessert wine I sampled on my last visit. There is also a respectable blueberry wine, a raspberry liqueur, a blackberry port, an ice cider, and a sparkling apple & blackcurrant wine, to name a few. As for traditional wines, Luckett’s Phone Box Red is considered to be one of the better Nova Scotian reds, and the Phone Box White is a decent white blend. But my top pick for Luckett is the 2012 Ortega.

Tastings: $7 for 5

Gaspereau Vineyards
2239 White Rock Road, Gaspereau

This is easily one of my favourite wineries. The tasting room is pleasantly rustic, and the customer service keeps me coming back. Katie Barbour, the boutique manager, is particularly friendly and helpful.

Gaspereau is known for the Lucy Kuhlman grape. I usually don’t enjoy single varietal Nova Scotian reds, but I was convinced by a taste of Gaspereau’s Lucy to buy a bottle of the stuff. The not-too-sweet 2010 Gaspereau Estate Riesling is made from the Riesling grapes grown on the upper slopes of the Gaspereau vineyard, and the winery also makes two other distinctive Rieslings from nearby vineyards. This is the go-to winery for any Riesling lover. Gaspereau’s Tidal Bay is also one of my top picks for this style – it is slightly sweet from Muscat and balanced with Seyval Blanc and Pinot Grigio. The straight up Muscat and Seyval Blanc are also worth trying, and I’m pretty sure that Gaspereau is the only Nova Scotian winery producing a Pinot Noir. Their Maple Wine is a favourite of my mother’s, and they also make a respectable Reserve Port (i.e. “Port”) which is sweetened with a “local delicacy” (i.e. mmmmmaple).

Tastings: 4 free

L’Acadie Vineyards
310 Slayter Road, Gaspereau

L’Acadie is Nova Scotia’s only organic winery. Not only is it organic, but it also uses biodynamic techniques. The tasting room is small and simple, and traditional method sparkling wines are the speciality. Not being a huge fan of brut “champagnes”, my favourite was the 2009 Sparkling Rosé. This wine is made from Maréchal Foch grapes (which sort of makes it a sparkling red, but whatevs). The available samples vary from day to day, so I didn’t get to try everything this time around. I think when I visited several years ago, I had more freedom to sample what I wanted. If my memory serves me correctly, I think I was quite impressed with the 2009 Alchemy, which is made in the Appassimento style of drying the grapes to concentrate the flavour. It is also worth noting that L’Acadie makes traditional method Organic Cider.

Tastings: $5 for 4, free if you purchase a bottle.

Blomidon Estate Winery
10318 Hwy 221, Canning

I am quickly falling in love with Blomidon. It all started with the 2011 Crémant, a very drinkable bubbly with a hint of sweetness. It was love at first sip, and a bottle purchased from the Seaport Market for my New Year’s Eve. Then, Blomidon’s Tidal Bay won 1st place at the Tidal Bay tasting party I hosted a couple weeks ago. Most recently, I visited the winery and learned that there is a cult following of the Baco Noir. As I said, I am not usually a fan of single varietal Nova Scotia reds, but Blomidon’s Baco is a definite exception. This is good stuff! I was even more impressed with the rich and balanced 2011 Ridge Reserve – a blend that could fool any palate typically averted to Scotian reds. This winery is nailing reds, bubbles, and Tidal Bay. I’m impressed, to say the least.

Tastings are free with the purchase of 2 bottles.

Benjamin Bridge
1842 White Rock Road, Gaspereau Valley

Nothing like a glass of Nova 7 on a summer day!

Until recently, Benjamin Bridge was not open to the public. I got to go with my school on a field trip (yay school!) but now the winery is doing private tours by appointment. I believe a minimum of 6 people is required.

Benjamin Bridge makes the most high profile sparkling wine in the province (and also the most expensive). Its Method Classique Rose was one of two Canadian sparkling wines selected to represent Canada’s best at the 2012 London Olympic Games. Its method classique Brut Reserves are said to be strikingly similar to the best Champagnes. All of this prestige is great, but most Nova Scotians associate Benjamin Bridge with the dangerously refreshing Nova 7, a rose coloured lightly sparkling white blend, highlighting Muscat grapes. Nova 7 is wildly popular in Nova Scotia, and no summer is complete without it.

Domaine de Grand Pré
11611 Highway 1, Grand Pré

Tasting bar at Grand Pré

Among the valley wineries, Grand Pré is the institution. It is located along the main road, and has the most stylized and organized tasting room to receive the public. The style is contemporary and deco. The tasting menu is structured into sampling packages*. Grand Pré is also known for its restaurant, Le Caveau. One of my most memorable meals was eaten here: the lamb shoulder, which is still on the menu, though not the version I had, which was served in a chèvre sauce.

Local lamb shoulder at Le Caveau

Grand Pré seems to specialize n Marechal Foch, a grape I have mixed feelings about. However, I quite liked the full bodied 2010 Reserve Foch. Grand Pré also makes an interesting blend of Baco Noir, Marechal Foch, Leon Millot, and Castel, lightened by the addition of L’Acadie Blanc (2010 Moulin Rouge). I would also recommend trying the spicy Castel, and the fruity 2011 Muscat (one of the best ones I’ve tried). Grand Pré makes some excellent ice wines from Vidal, Ortega, Muscat and Foch grapes, as well as the lovely Pomme d’Or, made from Annapolis apples.

*Regular Tasting: $5, Premium Tasting: $10, All Whites: $5, All Reds: $5

Visit the Winery Association of Nova Scotia for more info.

Tips for the Scotian Newfie

Buckets full of cured and salted meats.

Judging by my readership, I would say I have a decent amount of homesick Newfies stumbling onto my blog (this post). Are you a homesick Newfie living in Nova Scotia? Well this one’s for you!

I have been asked: “Where can I get bakeapple jam in Halifax?” First of all, you can actually find this in Superstore and Sobeys marketed as “Cloudberry Jam”. (Yes, this is what the rest of the world calls it. Strange, eh?) But more importantly, you can get bakeapple jam at The Newfoundland Store! Hell, you can even get whole bakeapples.

Whole bakeapples at The Newfoundland Store on Willow St., Halifax

Need a huge hunk of salt beef for a Jiggs Dinner? This store has you covered. Personally, I am not sure how I feel about buckets of meat in brine open to the wonders of the world….  I’m sure the brine would kill anything harmful, right? I will leave this up to your discretion! There are also fish products stored and sold from freezers.

Also available at The Newfoundland Store: Pineapple Crush! … and hard tack.

Now, if you are really craving a back-home treat I suggest you drive to Berwick. There you will find Jonny’s Cook House, a local hotspot owned and operated by Newfies. There is Newfoundland memorabilia on the walls, and the menu features none other than fries with dressing and gravy. Real Newfoundland dressing too, not Stovestop.

Fries w/ dressing & gravy at Johnny’s Cook House

You can also get fries, dressing and gravy served poutine-style (which I think I would prefer). Please note that they do not use traditional cheese curds, but local Foxhill mozzarella. I had a peanut butter milkshake with my meal that was out of this world! Jonny’s is a Dairy Bar as well as a “cook house” and they have a little window serving up some excellent looking soft serve ice cream. Most importantly, however, Jonny’s makes the best hamburgers in Kings County using none other than local “off the bone” beef and locally baked bread.

This was a pretty good burger experience. I love the taste and texture of fresh hand-pressed beef burgers, and the subjective enhancement of eating local. The beef did a good job of holding it’s own despite the minimal seasoning in the mix. It was a little sloppy, as the bun couldn’t really secure everything properly, and it lacked the savouriness of a good sauce. (I ordered the basic burger so as to not be swayed by the luxuriousness of toppings and sauces, but next time I would recommend going for something with a little more kick. The burger pictured is my buddy’s burger – which had kick).

The point is, I would go back. This is a great local gem with fresh quality products and a Newfoundland theme. Killer milkshakes and local beef? Can’t go wrong!

Jonny’s Cook House & Dairy Bar
4287 Hwy 1
Berwick, Nova Scotia
(902)-375-3033

*Jonny’s Cook House closes down for the off-season! Get there before November 6th to get your cravings fixed! 

The Newfoundland Store
6061 Willow, Halifax, NS
(902) 423-6209 ‎

Unique Foods of Nova Scotia

After writing my post about the unique foods of Newfoundland, I was inspired to do one for Nova Scotia.

I know what you’re thinking; oh! foods of Nova Scotia! Mussels, scallops, haddock, clams and the omnipresent lobster. Yes, these are all celebrated foods of Nova Scotia, and yes, they are fantastic. But you can get quality seafood anywhere there is a decent shoreline.  I want to talk about food that is unique to the Maritimes, and while lobster and wild blueberries are indeed regional delights, I’m instead going to talk about what poor ass Nova Scotians really eat besides … well… pan fried haddock.

For musical accompaniment, click here or here.

1) Solomon Gundy

Solomon Gundy is just pickled herring. It is sold in a jar, and typically placed on a cream cheese laden cracker. This is one of my favourite snacks. Pickled herring is not uniquely Nova Scotian. Germans, for example, roll it around pickles and call it “rollmops”. What is particularly interesting is that the only place in the world that refers to pickled herring as “solomon gundy” is Nova Scotia. Elsewhere, “solomon gundy” is known as a Jamaican pate of pickled smoked herring spiced with chile peppers.

2) Dulse
Stay focused on the above picture of the Solomon Gundy for now. See the purple stuff? That’s dulse. That’s Nova Scotia’s favourite dried seaweed. Most often, it is just eaten right out of the bag.

3) Garlic Fingers

Garlic Fingers with donair sauce from Pizza Delight.

The uninformed have often informed me that you can get “garlic bread sticks” anywhere. As if all sticks made out of a bread-like substance and flavoured with garlic were created equal!

Garlic fingers are more revered than pizza by many Maritimers. We are talking about pizza dough slathered with garlic butter and mozzarella cheese and baked just like a pizza. It is then cut into strips, dunked in sweet donair sauce, and regarded very highly among starving students, late-night drunks, sailors, hipsters, thugs, crusty punks, yuppies, blue collar roughians and all the fine folks that make up the Haligonian demographic. Other “garlic breads” are bland bready boredom in comparison. This magnificent decadence is made possible merely by a combination of garlic, cheese, pizza dough and, most importantly, donair sauce. Apparently they were invented by Pizza Delight, based in Moncton, NB but are literally available at every pizza shop in the Maritimes.

4) Hodge Podge

I’m not sure if hodge podge is eaten everywhere in Nova Scotia, but it is certainly enjoyed in it’s south shore; never in restaurants, but in homes. Come spring and summer the local markets start advertising their “hodge podge potatoes” and various vegetables like carrots, peas, parsley and wax beans that compose this celebration of Nova Scotian gardens. It is prepared lovingly the same way all homestyle Nova Scotian meals are cooked – in cream.

5) Beep

A Beep slushie from Sugah! Halifax

So apparently Beep used to be sold all over the place in the 1960s but continued in Nova Scotia until just a few years ago. Suddenly, this year, Farmer’s Dairy brought it back! … for a limited time only (we’ll see). This is the funky juice, sold in a carton, that a lot of us grew up on. It is a mixture of various chemicals, as well as apple and orange juice, apricot puree and prune syrup. The above picture shows a Beep slushie I found at the Tall Ships festival this summer.

6) Meat Paste Eggrolls

A meat paste eggroll from Look Ho Ho, Halifax.

Eggrolls drastically vary from city to city, I’ve learned. The ones I grew up eating had ground pork and cabbage in them. But when I moved to Halifax, I was abruptly introduced to the “meat paste eggroll”. For a while I wasn’t sure if this was really a Halifax thing, or a Nova Scotian thing, but the more research I do, the more I see people in forums asking the same questions: “What the hell is up with the eggrolls in Halifax?” or “Help! I’ve moved to Ontario and their eggrolls don’t have meat paste in them!” I grew to really miss these when I moved to Calgary, which is a springroll city, NOT an eggroll city. Expect more on the topic of eggrolls in the future!

7) Potato Skins (East Coast Style)

A potato skin from Maxwell’s Plum, Halifax.

Sitting in a pub in Ontario I noticed a dish called “potato skins” that were .. not quite right. As I moved westwards, I kept seeing these “not-quite-right” potato skins. It was like, a potato chopped into quarters and carefully topped with cheese, onions, and bacon. Could it be, thought I, that the rest of Canada makes potato skins differently than back home? My suspicions were reinforced when a Maritime-themed pub opened in Calgary and served “East Coast Potato Skins – all skins, no potato”. These are laid out like nachos and baked with cheddar cheese, bacon pieces and green onions. Sour cream on the side. In my not-so-humble opinion, this is what potato skins were meant to be.

8) Deep Fried Pepperoni

Deep fried pepperoni from Colby Ale House, Cole Harbour.

For the longest time, I had no idea this was a Nova Scotian thing. That same pub in Calgary that served the east coast potato skins also served deep fried pepperoni and even bragged that they imported it from Nova Scotia! I’m not so sure that this step was necessary, but I guess the intent was to be as authentic as possible. Most pepperoni in Nova Scotia is produced by the Brothers Deli or Chris Brothers. When deep fried and served with honey or hot mustard, this is a real treat.

9) The Legendary Halifax Donair

*Disclaimer: The following image may be disturbing to some viewers.

A donair from Venus Pizza, Halifax

*Disclaimer: Eating the above item may alter your body chemistry for up to 3 days.

Here is a preliminary introduction to the Halifax donair; a topic that I will be discussing at length in the future.
1) Donairs were invented in Halifax in the 1970s.
2) It is different than a Turkish/German “doner kebab”, a Greek/American “gyro” or a “beef shwarma”.
3) Donairs in Alberta consistently fail to replicate the monstrosity of the Halifax donair.
4) There is only one sauce that goes on a donair, i.e. donair sauce.
5) Donair = donair meat + pita + donair sauce + onions + tomato. Acceptable additions sometimes include mozzarella, pepperoni, or lettuce.

That’s all for now! I completely welcome feedback and/or debate about what I had to say about Nova Scotian foods. The comment section is right below!