Kofuku

Kofuku (Japanese/Thai, 2752 Robie), visited February 25. Situated in the former home of Mary’s Place (that underwent extensive renovations), Kofuku – which means “happiness” in Japanese –offers an invitingly quaint atmosphere, right down to the dishware. Although we were the lone dine-in customers during our visit, there was a steady stream of excited take-out clients, which was a good sign. We stopped by for one of their Dine Around Halifax specials, which included spring rolls, pan fried dumplings, cashew chicken and Pad Thai for 2 for just $30. We learned that everything on the menu is made with pride in house – even the soy sauce – and, simply put, it was all delicious. The starters were served quickly and piping hot, and both were great. Both mains were plentiful, fresh and packed with flavour. An absolute gem that surely won’t stay hidden for long! Verdict: 5/5 (100%) chance of returning.

Chicken Pad Thai & Cashew Chicken from Kofuku Japanese and Thai

 

Chanoey’s Pasta

Chanoey’s Pasta (Pasta, 41 Portland), visited February 12. We’d never heard of this quick serve spot, but the Dine Around Halifax special looked intriguing, so we gave it a shot at lunch time. We were quickly served generous portions of meaty, and cheesy gnocchi ragu and creamy chicken pesto, with a couple of cans of drinks and cookies (that clearly didn’t skimp on the butter!) for $30. A great deal, we left happy, and we were full for the rest of the day. Verdict: 4.5/5 (90%) chance of returning.

 

Creamy Chicken Pesto & Gnocchi Ragu from Chanoey's Pasta

Talay Thai

Talay Thai (Thai, 5164 Morris), visited February 6. We were out for a family dinner, so we were able to sample a variety of dishes. We started off with chicken satays instead of spring rolls and it was a great choice – the peanut sauce was particularly good. The cashew chicken and pad Thai were very good. The garlic beef was a bit salty and kinda tough, but still good. The ginger pork had a pleasant kick, and the Panaeng curry was packed with zesty flavour. An enjoyable visit. Verdict: 4/5 (80%) chance of returning.

The Narrows Bistro

The Narrows Bistro (Casual Dining, 101 Wyse), visited February 4. Located in the Doubletree Hilton right across the MacDonald Bridge, The Narrows looks more like a continental breakfast space than a restaurant, but don’t let the vibe fool you. We stopped by for the Dine Around Halifax special, which featured a three-course meal for two for just $50. We started off with a huge plate of nachos highlighted by a zesty jalapeño cilantro sauce. We followed it up with the Sweet Dreams Are Made Of Cheese burger – the Angus beef, pork belly and cheese sauce worked really nicely together. The Fried Chicken burger was a hot mess – in a good way! Both burgers came with huge mounds of thin fries – so many that we couldn’t even finish them, and opted to bring the chocolate torte home. Verdict: 4/5 (80%) chance of returning.

 Nachos, Sweet Dreams Are Made Of Cheese Burger & Fried Chicken Burger from The Narrows Bistro

Tomavinos Ristorante

Tomavinos Ristorante (Italian, 1113 Marginal), visited January 23. The service and menu were limited as a result of the pandemic, but that didn’t stop us from enjoying our meal. Their “famous” Caesar salad was very heavy on toppings, highlighted by lots of cheese and buttery croutons. The meat pizza was good, but quite salty. The Milano (chicken & red pepper) pizza had a vibrant taste, with a zesty sauce. Verdict: 4/5 (80%) chance of returning.

Milano Pizza, Pizza Con Carne & Caesar Salad from Tomavinos

Cafe Chianti

Café Chianti (Italian, 1241 Barrington), visited January 13. We don’t often visit fine dining spots, but M’s birthday + cabin fever + Groupon deal = special treat. The risotto balls were very generous and tasty, the Chianti Caesar was good (the fried kale was a nice touch), the chicken parmesan was huge and very good, but the unquestionable star of the show was the butternut squash ravioli – absolute perfection. It’s a bit pricey, but well worth it! Verdict: 5/5 (100%) chance of returning.

Parmigiana di Pollo and Ravioli di Zucca from Cafe Chianti