Bearly's House of Blues and Ribs
Variety: Pub
Address: 1269 Barrington Street
Date Visited: Saturday, March 23, 2013
Orders:
Burger Week Special (Texas Burger with Fries)
Taste: 9 + 9 = 18/20
Portion Size: 9 + 9 = 18/20
Presentation: 8 + 8 = 16/20
Value: 10 + 10 = 20/20
Service: 8 + 8 = 16/20
Bonus: -
Minus: -
Final Grade: 88% (Excellent)
(Scoring:
100% to 140% = Exceptional, 85% to 99% = Excellent, 67% to 84% = Good,
60% to 66% = Satisfactory, 50% to 59% = Marginal, 0% to 49% = Poor, -40%
to -1% = Abysmal)
Notes: In the midst of the Burger Week euphoria, clearly we forgot to post this review. Better late than never, right? Anyway, as referenced in our Burger Week Special, despite having lived around the corner, J had never ventured into the iconic blues house, though T had visited on occasion during her university days. Anyway, the $5 Burger Week special was the Texas Burger with fries. Automatic 10 out of 10 for value, there! They were excellent burgers (nice kick with a particularly soft and fluffy bun), decent fries, and the meal was filling but not super-greasy so we didn't feel like arse for the rest of the day. You REALLY don't want to eat a burger that makes you not want to eat another burger during Burger Week, right?
Final Verdict: Though it's usually $11.75, it's definitely well worth that. Enjoy!
Sunday, April 21, 2013
Wednesday, March 27, 2013
2013 Burger Week Special
March 21-27, 2013 was declared Halifax Burger Week by Halifax's Alternative Weekly, The Coast (and a brewery called Hop City that I've never heard of). In total, 21 local restaurants participated - eight offering a $5 special, with the other 13 offering a special that included a donation to Feed Nova Scotia.
Although it coincided with the final week of my office's Biggest Loser weight-loss challenge, I simply couldn't resist taking advantage of some of these deals. And by "some" I mean "one-third of". Aside from peanut butter, I think it's safe to say that hamburgers are my biggest weakness.
Thursday, March 21
Burger #1: I made a bee-line to the Chickenburger at the Dalhousie Student Union Building to tackle their mighty $5 old-fashioned triple cheeseburger. No messing around here, it was a serious burger! It took a hell of a long time to cook up, but it was worth every second. My only complaint was that other than the steamed bun, beef and cheese, there wasn't anything else on the burger. I jumped at the chance to add some of their spicy salsa, but such a thin layer was applied that it was barely noticeable. Aside from that, definitely an excellent eat!
Burger #2: I wasn't kidding, I am bananas for burgers, and went for the deuce that evening at Darrell's. This time, I went for the $5 Nova Scotia lamb burger served up Moroccan style, which featured curried mayo, spinach, fried onions and...as hinted earlier, banana, on a chewy bianco roll. Not gonna lie, I was still pretty stuffed from lunch, so I really didn't mind that it took forever to be served (lamb apparently takes six minutes longer than a burger to cook up). In fact, I was served about 10 minutes after my friends, which ordinarily would have been cause for rage, but the waiter insisted on comping the burger, which I could only finish half of anyway. Not because it wasn't good, but rather because I was full! Anyway, it was certainly unique (banana on a burger?), but very tasty, and the other half was a great lunch a couple of days later. Back to my food weaknesses, it turned out that Darrell's made their infamous Peanut Butter Burger a $5 special. Yum.
Friday, March 22
Burger #3: After two burgers in one day, I had serious meat sweats overnight, but the urge to tackle another burger persisted the next day as I was on a lunchtime stroll down to the library. I decided to place a take-out order at Your Father's Moustache, where there special was your standard burger platter (burger, lettuce, tomato, onion, pickle), but it also came with fries. For five bucks. When I got back, it was neatly packed up for me, complete with a fork, napkins, and plenty of condiments, and the take-out carton was seriously heavy - borderline two pounds, I'd say. The burger itself was nothing special - it tasted kinda like it came straight out of the freezer, and the fries were a little mushy, but at five bucks, the value for the money was tremendous.
Saturday, March 23
Burger #4: My wife and I planned on going skating on the Oval, which to me sounded like a perfect excuse to pick up a burger first. Despite having lived around the corner from it for numerous months, I never bothered to stop by Bearly's while I lived downtown. I now regret this decision. Their $5 special was their Texas Burger - locally produced steer beef, jalapenos, cheddar cheese (none of that processed crap, onion rings and salsa, AND fries. Even better value than the 'Stache special and considerably more tasty. In a way, I'd describe it as "light," which is a weird way to describe ground beef, but it was hearty yet didn't sit like a rock in my stomach. I left there full but not stuffed, and perfectly able to function during the one lap of the oval I was able to complete before they shut 'er down due to poor ice conditions.
Sunday, March 24
No burger today, though I'll admit that I was seriously tempted!
Monday, March 25
Burger #5: Couldn't resist the urge to try another $5 special, so I called Ace Burger on my way out of work and placed a take-out order. Their Deluxe featured grass-fed beef, back bacon, cheddar cheese, frizzled onions and dijonaise, and I could barely get in the door before taking a bite. Again, I was far from disappointed. The quality of the meat was excellent, and totally made the burger. There really isn't much else to say - there's a reason why Ace ran out of meat numerous times over the span of Burger Week!
Tuesday, March 26
Burger #6: Being the last day of Burger Week, I was sure that I had consumed my last special, but my wife needed to run an errand on the way home, and by the time we were done, we were both pretty hungry. We eyed the canteen at Costco, but a simple "Flip Burger?" was all I needed to ask to change our course. This was the first non-$5 special that I tried, but in actuality, their Crunch special was only $6 burger, with $1 going to the aforementioned Feed Nova Scotia. The Crunch was comparable to the Deluxe at Ace, but with Oulton's beef, grilled tomato, lettuce, horseradish mayo and a couple of their signature "flip chips" - and we asked them to add pickles, too. It was very good, but would have become great had it featured a little avocado.
Wednesday, March 27
Burger #7: Wait a minute, you mean there's one more day of Burger Week? For some reason, I had it in my head that it was only six days, not seven. Nope. My wife had an event after work, leaving me on my own. "I probably won't have another burger tonight," I said. "I'm going to try not to." "Yeah, right, that's EXACTLY what you're going to do and you know it!" She knows me too well - my willpower it no match for the temptation of a good burger. After work, I placed a quick call to The Argyle and sped down to pick up their Southwest Burger - also $6, with a $1 donation to Feed Nova Scotia. And am I ever glad I did! Oulton's beef, guacamole, smoked bacon, jalapenos, crispy onions, lettuce, tomato and spicy Monterey Jack cheese. In a way, it was like a compilation of every other burger I'd tried over the course of Burger Week, with guacamole. It was huge. It was messy. It was awesome.
Final Rankings:
#1: The Argyle
#2: Bearly's
#3: Darrell's
#4: Ace Burger
#5: Flip Burger
#6: The Chickenburger
#7: Your Father's Moustache
So, yeah, I ate seven burgers in the past seven days. And I don't regret a single one. Here's hoping that Burger Week comes back again next year, so that I can give'r all over again! Thanks to all of this year's Burger Week participants, and to The Coast and Hop City for putting it on. If I may make a humble suggestion: As much as $5 burger deals ruled, I'd like to see $10 combos next year (burger, fries and a pop) with a small donation to Feed Nova Scotia.
Anyway, before I sign off, I'd like to send some serious props to the near-100 people who have started following @hfxfoodreviews on Twitter during the course of Burger Week, and to our 900+ existing Followers. Thanks to all of you, we're on the cusp of surpassing the 1,000 Follower mark, which is far more than I ever expected from our little review site! After our snub in The Coast's Best of Food poll, approaching this milestone really means a lot to us. As a way of expressing our gratitude, we'll be announcing a special giveaway contest to our Twitter followers as soon as we cross the magic threshold...stay tuned!
Although it coincided with the final week of my office's Biggest Loser weight-loss challenge, I simply couldn't resist taking advantage of some of these deals. And by "some" I mean "one-third of". Aside from peanut butter, I think it's safe to say that hamburgers are my biggest weakness.
Thursday, March 21
Burger #1: I made a bee-line to the Chickenburger at the Dalhousie Student Union Building to tackle their mighty $5 old-fashioned triple cheeseburger. No messing around here, it was a serious burger! It took a hell of a long time to cook up, but it was worth every second. My only complaint was that other than the steamed bun, beef and cheese, there wasn't anything else on the burger. I jumped at the chance to add some of their spicy salsa, but such a thin layer was applied that it was barely noticeable. Aside from that, definitely an excellent eat!
Burger #2: I wasn't kidding, I am bananas for burgers, and went for the deuce that evening at Darrell's. This time, I went for the $5 Nova Scotia lamb burger served up Moroccan style, which featured curried mayo, spinach, fried onions and...as hinted earlier, banana, on a chewy bianco roll. Not gonna lie, I was still pretty stuffed from lunch, so I really didn't mind that it took forever to be served (lamb apparently takes six minutes longer than a burger to cook up). In fact, I was served about 10 minutes after my friends, which ordinarily would have been cause for rage, but the waiter insisted on comping the burger, which I could only finish half of anyway. Not because it wasn't good, but rather because I was full! Anyway, it was certainly unique (banana on a burger?), but very tasty, and the other half was a great lunch a couple of days later. Back to my food weaknesses, it turned out that Darrell's made their infamous Peanut Butter Burger a $5 special. Yum.
Friday, March 22
Burger #3: After two burgers in one day, I had serious meat sweats overnight, but the urge to tackle another burger persisted the next day as I was on a lunchtime stroll down to the library. I decided to place a take-out order at Your Father's Moustache, where there special was your standard burger platter (burger, lettuce, tomato, onion, pickle), but it also came with fries. For five bucks. When I got back, it was neatly packed up for me, complete with a fork, napkins, and plenty of condiments, and the take-out carton was seriously heavy - borderline two pounds, I'd say. The burger itself was nothing special - it tasted kinda like it came straight out of the freezer, and the fries were a little mushy, but at five bucks, the value for the money was tremendous.
Saturday, March 23
Burger #4: My wife and I planned on going skating on the Oval, which to me sounded like a perfect excuse to pick up a burger first. Despite having lived around the corner from it for numerous months, I never bothered to stop by Bearly's while I lived downtown. I now regret this decision. Their $5 special was their Texas Burger - locally produced steer beef, jalapenos, cheddar cheese (none of that processed crap, onion rings and salsa, AND fries. Even better value than the 'Stache special and considerably more tasty. In a way, I'd describe it as "light," which is a weird way to describe ground beef, but it was hearty yet didn't sit like a rock in my stomach. I left there full but not stuffed, and perfectly able to function during the one lap of the oval I was able to complete before they shut 'er down due to poor ice conditions.
Sunday, March 24
No burger today, though I'll admit that I was seriously tempted!
Monday, March 25
Burger #5: Couldn't resist the urge to try another $5 special, so I called Ace Burger on my way out of work and placed a take-out order. Their Deluxe featured grass-fed beef, back bacon, cheddar cheese, frizzled onions and dijonaise, and I could barely get in the door before taking a bite. Again, I was far from disappointed. The quality of the meat was excellent, and totally made the burger. There really isn't much else to say - there's a reason why Ace ran out of meat numerous times over the span of Burger Week!
Tuesday, March 26
Burger #6: Being the last day of Burger Week, I was sure that I had consumed my last special, but my wife needed to run an errand on the way home, and by the time we were done, we were both pretty hungry. We eyed the canteen at Costco, but a simple "Flip Burger?" was all I needed to ask to change our course. This was the first non-$5 special that I tried, but in actuality, their Crunch special was only $6 burger, with $1 going to the aforementioned Feed Nova Scotia. The Crunch was comparable to the Deluxe at Ace, but with Oulton's beef, grilled tomato, lettuce, horseradish mayo and a couple of their signature "flip chips" - and we asked them to add pickles, too. It was very good, but would have become great had it featured a little avocado.
Wednesday, March 27
Burger #7: Wait a minute, you mean there's one more day of Burger Week? For some reason, I had it in my head that it was only six days, not seven. Nope. My wife had an event after work, leaving me on my own. "I probably won't have another burger tonight," I said. "I'm going to try not to." "Yeah, right, that's EXACTLY what you're going to do and you know it!" She knows me too well - my willpower it no match for the temptation of a good burger. After work, I placed a quick call to The Argyle and sped down to pick up their Southwest Burger - also $6, with a $1 donation to Feed Nova Scotia. And am I ever glad I did! Oulton's beef, guacamole, smoked bacon, jalapenos, crispy onions, lettuce, tomato and spicy Monterey Jack cheese. In a way, it was like a compilation of every other burger I'd tried over the course of Burger Week, with guacamole. It was huge. It was messy. It was awesome.
Final Rankings:
#1: The Argyle
#2: Bearly's
#3: Darrell's
#4: Ace Burger
#5: Flip Burger
#6: The Chickenburger
#7: Your Father's Moustache
So, yeah, I ate seven burgers in the past seven days. And I don't regret a single one. Here's hoping that Burger Week comes back again next year, so that I can give'r all over again! Thanks to all of this year's Burger Week participants, and to The Coast and Hop City for putting it on. If I may make a humble suggestion: As much as $5 burger deals ruled, I'd like to see $10 combos next year (burger, fries and a pop) with a small donation to Feed Nova Scotia.
Anyway, before I sign off, I'd like to send some serious props to the near-100 people who have started following @hfxfoodreviews on Twitter during the course of Burger Week, and to our 900+ existing Followers. Thanks to all of you, we're on the cusp of surpassing the 1,000 Follower mark, which is far more than I ever expected from our little review site! After our snub in The Coast's Best of Food poll, approaching this milestone really means a lot to us. As a way of expressing our gratitude, we'll be announcing a special giveaway contest to our Twitter followers as soon as we cross the magic threshold...stay tuned!
Saturday, February 16, 2013
Review #46 - Steak and Stein
Steak and Stein
Variety: Steakhouse
Address: 6061 Young Street
Date Visited: Thursday, February 14, 2013
Orders: Valentine's Day Feature (Two 7oz Striploin steak dinners) with Queso Cheese Sticks
Taste: 5 + 7 = 13/20
Portion Size: 7 + 7 = 14/20
Presentation: 6 + 6 = 12/20
Value: 7 + 8 = 15/20
Service: 6 + 6 = 12/20
Bonus: 1
Minus: 1
Final Grade: 66% (Satisfactory)
(Scoring: 100% to 140% = Exceptional, 85% to 99% = Excellent, 67% to 84% = Good, 60% to 66% = Satisfactory, 50% to 59% = Marginal, 0% to 49% = Poor, -40% to -1% = Abysmal)
Notes: J used to love going to Steak and Stein when he was younger. It was the kind of place that you could afford to go with your friends when you were in high school and felt like you were adults. He hadn't been back in several years and, well, the atmosphere hasn't changed all that much, which is both good and bad. Basically, Steak and Stein is like a blue collar version of The Keg, and is barely a step up from fast food restaurant. Lots of really young people and really old people, with little variance in-between. Being Valentine's Day, we did make a reservation and to their credit, we showed up early but they still sat us right away (bonus point). We understand that being a little miffed by the service on a busy day like Valentine's Day is like getting mad because there's a long line at Disney World, so we're excusing the server for forgetting our Queso Cheese Sticks until after our meal was served - though, as good as they looked on the menu, we wished she'd forgotten them altogether - it was like biting into tortilla crumbs into a gooey stick of salt (yuck). For some reason, they were served with sour cream instead of salsa, which might have enhanced the experience. The steaks were not huge by any means, and Ts had a huge chunk of fat on the side, while J's had big gobs of fat throughout (he doesn't usually eat steak anyway, and this meal gave him no reason to change his mind anytime soon). Another interesting point - the butter for the baked potatoes was served in those little ketchup cups from fast food restaurants. Never seen that before! The only other comment, which resulted in the negative point, was that T's red wine was served in a white wine glass, full to the brim. Not to get all "high class" here, but red wine is supposed to be served in half-full larger glasses, in order to let it breathe. That stuff was suffocating.
Final Verdict: Go if you're looking to eat on the cheap and don't care too much about the quality.
Variety: Steakhouse
Address: 6061 Young Street
Date Visited: Thursday, February 14, 2013
Orders: Valentine's Day Feature (Two 7oz Striploin steak dinners) with Queso Cheese Sticks
Taste: 5 + 7 = 13/20
Portion Size: 7 + 7 = 14/20
Presentation: 6 + 6 = 12/20
Value: 7 + 8 = 15/20
Service: 6 + 6 = 12/20
Bonus: 1
Minus: 1
Final Grade: 66% (Satisfactory)
(Scoring: 100% to 140% = Exceptional, 85% to 99% = Excellent, 67% to 84% = Good, 60% to 66% = Satisfactory, 50% to 59% = Marginal, 0% to 49% = Poor, -40% to -1% = Abysmal)
Notes: J used to love going to Steak and Stein when he was younger. It was the kind of place that you could afford to go with your friends when you were in high school and felt like you were adults. He hadn't been back in several years and, well, the atmosphere hasn't changed all that much, which is both good and bad. Basically, Steak and Stein is like a blue collar version of The Keg, and is barely a step up from fast food restaurant. Lots of really young people and really old people, with little variance in-between. Being Valentine's Day, we did make a reservation and to their credit, we showed up early but they still sat us right away (bonus point). We understand that being a little miffed by the service on a busy day like Valentine's Day is like getting mad because there's a long line at Disney World, so we're excusing the server for forgetting our Queso Cheese Sticks until after our meal was served - though, as good as they looked on the menu, we wished she'd forgotten them altogether - it was like biting into tortilla crumbs into a gooey stick of salt (yuck). For some reason, they were served with sour cream instead of salsa, which might have enhanced the experience. The steaks were not huge by any means, and Ts had a huge chunk of fat on the side, while J's had big gobs of fat throughout (he doesn't usually eat steak anyway, and this meal gave him no reason to change his mind anytime soon). Another interesting point - the butter for the baked potatoes was served in those little ketchup cups from fast food restaurants. Never seen that before! The only other comment, which resulted in the negative point, was that T's red wine was served in a white wine glass, full to the brim. Not to get all "high class" here, but red wine is supposed to be served in half-full larger glasses, in order to let it breathe. That stuff was suffocating.
Final Verdict: Go if you're looking to eat on the cheap and don't care too much about the quality.
Review #45 - Flipburger
Flipburger
Variety: Gourmet Burger
Address: 277 Lacewood Drive
Date Visited: Saturday, February 2, 2013
Orders: Blue Cheese Burger, (unsure of the name of the) Burger, Poutine, Strawberry Milkshake, Peanut Butter/Banana/Bacon Milkshake
Taste: 8 + 8 = 16/20
Portion Size: 9 + 9 = 18/20
Presentation: 8 + 8 = 16/20
Value: 7 + 8 = 15/20
Service: 8 + 9 = 17/20
Bonus: -
Minus: 1
Final Grade: 81% (Good)
(Scoring: 100% to 140% = Exceptional, 85% to 99% = Excellent, 67% to 84% = Good, 60% to 66% = Satisfactory, 50% to 59% = Marginal, 0% to 49% = Poor, -40% to -1% = Abysmal)
Notes: We've been on diets lately, hence the lack of reviews. But, a birthday resulted in a trip to Flipburger, one of the growing number of gourmet burger joints in Halifax. It was a Saturday night around 5:00 and it was quasi-busy when we arrived. Minutes later, after claiming some seats and getting in line, the place got PACKED. As such, the restaurant was a little crammed and loud, but that's probably a good sign. The crowd was quite varied, too - from toddlers to seniors, but mostly thirtysomethings. J selected the Peanut Butter, Banana and Bacon Milkshake (yes, bacon), but figured he should probably get a burger, too. Honestly, neither of us can remember what it was called, and their website appears to have been attacked by malware, so checking the menu online isn't possible right now. Basically, it was a big, beefy burger with loads of toppings, including crispy onions and avocado. And it was good. But the milkshake was the real point of interest. Bacon in a milkshake? We kinda figured it woulda been ground up bacon. Nope. A big honkin' strip of bacon. Didn't really add anything to the taste, but it was novel. T's Blue Cheese Burger was also very big and very good, and her milkshake was pretty standard. We split a poutine (yeah, our diets went to hell that night) and, honestly, it wasn't fantastic. The gravy was too watery and salty, the fries weren't cripsy and there weren't enough cheese curds (hence the minus point). But overall, it was a tasty trip, and we'll probably be back.
Final Verdict: Great burgers but pass on the poutine.
Variety: Gourmet Burger
Address: 277 Lacewood Drive
Date Visited: Saturday, February 2, 2013
Orders: Blue Cheese Burger, (unsure of the name of the) Burger, Poutine, Strawberry Milkshake, Peanut Butter/Banana/Bacon Milkshake
Taste: 8 + 8 = 16/20
Portion Size: 9 + 9 = 18/20
Presentation: 8 + 8 = 16/20
Value: 7 + 8 = 15/20
Service: 8 + 9 = 17/20
Bonus: -
Minus: 1
Final Grade: 81% (Good)
(Scoring: 100% to 140% = Exceptional, 85% to 99% = Excellent, 67% to 84% = Good, 60% to 66% = Satisfactory, 50% to 59% = Marginal, 0% to 49% = Poor, -40% to -1% = Abysmal)
Notes: We've been on diets lately, hence the lack of reviews. But, a birthday resulted in a trip to Flipburger, one of the growing number of gourmet burger joints in Halifax. It was a Saturday night around 5:00 and it was quasi-busy when we arrived. Minutes later, after claiming some seats and getting in line, the place got PACKED. As such, the restaurant was a little crammed and loud, but that's probably a good sign. The crowd was quite varied, too - from toddlers to seniors, but mostly thirtysomethings. J selected the Peanut Butter, Banana and Bacon Milkshake (yes, bacon), but figured he should probably get a burger, too. Honestly, neither of us can remember what it was called, and their website appears to have been attacked by malware, so checking the menu online isn't possible right now. Basically, it was a big, beefy burger with loads of toppings, including crispy onions and avocado. And it was good. But the milkshake was the real point of interest. Bacon in a milkshake? We kinda figured it woulda been ground up bacon. Nope. A big honkin' strip of bacon. Didn't really add anything to the taste, but it was novel. T's Blue Cheese Burger was also very big and very good, and her milkshake was pretty standard. We split a poutine (yeah, our diets went to hell that night) and, honestly, it wasn't fantastic. The gravy was too watery and salty, the fries weren't cripsy and there weren't enough cheese curds (hence the minus point). But overall, it was a tasty trip, and we'll probably be back.
Final Verdict: Great burgers but pass on the poutine.
Saturday, December 22, 2012
Review #44 - Morris East
Morris East
Variety: Casual Dining
Address: 5212 Morris Street
Date Visited: Tuesday, December 11, 2012
Orders: Nacho Special, Margherita Pizza
Taste: 8 + 8 = 16/20
Portion Size: 8 + 8 = 16/20
Presentation: 8 + 8 = 16/20
Value: 7 + 8 = 15/20
Service: 8 + 9 = 17/20
Bonus: 2
Minus: -
Final Grade: 82% (Good)
(Scoring: 100% to 140% = Exceptional, 85% to 99% = Excellent, 67% to 84% = Good, 60% to 66% = Satisfactory, 50% to 59% = Marginal, 0% to 49% = Poor, -40% to -1% = Abysmal)
Notes: We were all dressed up for a fancy holiday party and didn't really want to head home to make a boring stir-fry, so we decided to stop into Morris East for a bite. It was Nacho Night and they had a special on a platter that had some intriguing items - roasted garlic, oven-dried tomatoes, chicken, blue and mozzarella cheeses - so we gave that a shot, and added a margherita pizza to ensure that we didn't head home hungry. The nachos were, again, intriguing and quite tasty, albeit there was too much salt on the chips themselves, causing J to down an entire carafe of water. T is a salt fiend, though, so she was in heaven. Bonus point from each of us on the creative ingredients. The pizza was good but nothing particularly special. While the price tag was a little high for our liking, the quality of the food was good and the atmosphere was a nice cap to our soiree.
Final Verdict: Creativity and atmosphere make it a solid option in the south end.
Variety: Casual Dining
Address: 5212 Morris Street
Date Visited: Tuesday, December 11, 2012
Orders: Nacho Special, Margherita Pizza
Taste: 8 + 8 = 16/20
Portion Size: 8 + 8 = 16/20
Presentation: 8 + 8 = 16/20
Value: 7 + 8 = 15/20
Service: 8 + 9 = 17/20
Bonus: 2
Minus: -
Final Grade: 82% (Good)
(Scoring: 100% to 140% = Exceptional, 85% to 99% = Excellent, 67% to 84% = Good, 60% to 66% = Satisfactory, 50% to 59% = Marginal, 0% to 49% = Poor, -40% to -1% = Abysmal)
Notes: We were all dressed up for a fancy holiday party and didn't really want to head home to make a boring stir-fry, so we decided to stop into Morris East for a bite. It was Nacho Night and they had a special on a platter that had some intriguing items - roasted garlic, oven-dried tomatoes, chicken, blue and mozzarella cheeses - so we gave that a shot, and added a margherita pizza to ensure that we didn't head home hungry. The nachos were, again, intriguing and quite tasty, albeit there was too much salt on the chips themselves, causing J to down an entire carafe of water. T is a salt fiend, though, so she was in heaven. Bonus point from each of us on the creative ingredients. The pizza was good but nothing particularly special. While the price tag was a little high for our liking, the quality of the food was good and the atmosphere was a nice cap to our soiree.
Final Verdict: Creativity and atmosphere make it a solid option in the south end.
Tuesday, December 4, 2012
Review #43 - Cheese Curds
Cheese Curds
Variety: Gourmet Burger
Address: 380 Pleasant Street
Date Visited: Friday, November 30, 2012
Orders: Legendary CC Porker with onion rings, BBQ Triple Bacon Burger with poutine
Taste: 9 + 8 = 17/20
Portion Size: 9 + 9 = 18/20
Presentation: 9 + 9 = 18/20
Value: 7 + 7 = 14/20
Service: 8 + 9 = 17/20
Bonus: -
Minus: -1
Final Grade: 83% (Good)
(Scoring: 100% to 140% = Exceptional, 85% to 99% = Excellent, 67% to 84% = Good, 60% to 66% = Satisfactory, 50% to 59% = Marginal, 0% to 49% = Poor, -40% to -1% = Abysmal)
Notes: This was J's third visit, but T's first - first to any gourmet burger joint in Halifax, that is. They've seemingly sprouted up all over the place in the past year or so, with no signs of stopping. Upon entering, the server was very enthusiastic and charismatic, attempting to build rapport right off the bat. T thought this was cool, but J thought it was borderline annoying - he was there for the burger, not the chit-chat. Cheese Curds burgers always take a while to make, but that's probably because they're made fresh. They're worth the wait. J went for the double decker classic CC Porker, which was massive and required utensils. No knives available, so he made do with a couple of forks. Solid burger, onion rings were coated with buttermilk batter and drizzled with honey. Good stuff. T is a poutine aficionado, and gave this one an instant 10. The burger...not so much. You see, in his attempt to build rapport, the cashier would not rest until she ignored the menu board and looked at the photos of the burgers above the grill. Unfortunately, she's not the type who like a whole bunch of extras on her burger, so the Triple Bacon one looked the "most" normal. Had she had a chance to look at the menu board, the plain Black Angus Beef Burger would have been her weapon of choice, and she would have left happier, and with a few extra coins in her pocket. Hence the minus point, and the docked taste score. Although the gourmet burger craze is a welcome one in Halifax, we both find that the burgers are a little too expensive. Clearly, they're no McDonalds, but they're still a little pricey for our liking. Nonetheless, it was an enjoyable experience, and as good of a reason as any to take a trip over to Dartmouth!
Final Verdict: A little pricey, and kinda hard to focus, but worth the trip.
Variety: Gourmet Burger
Address: 380 Pleasant Street
Date Visited: Friday, November 30, 2012
Orders: Legendary CC Porker with onion rings, BBQ Triple Bacon Burger with poutine
Taste: 9 + 8 = 17/20
Portion Size: 9 + 9 = 18/20
Presentation: 9 + 9 = 18/20
Value: 7 + 7 = 14/20
Service: 8 + 9 = 17/20
Bonus: -
Minus: -1
Final Grade: 83% (Good)
(Scoring: 100% to 140% = Exceptional, 85% to 99% = Excellent, 67% to 84% = Good, 60% to 66% = Satisfactory, 50% to 59% = Marginal, 0% to 49% = Poor, -40% to -1% = Abysmal)
Notes: This was J's third visit, but T's first - first to any gourmet burger joint in Halifax, that is. They've seemingly sprouted up all over the place in the past year or so, with no signs of stopping. Upon entering, the server was very enthusiastic and charismatic, attempting to build rapport right off the bat. T thought this was cool, but J thought it was borderline annoying - he was there for the burger, not the chit-chat. Cheese Curds burgers always take a while to make, but that's probably because they're made fresh. They're worth the wait. J went for the double decker classic CC Porker, which was massive and required utensils. No knives available, so he made do with a couple of forks. Solid burger, onion rings were coated with buttermilk batter and drizzled with honey. Good stuff. T is a poutine aficionado, and gave this one an instant 10. The burger...not so much. You see, in his attempt to build rapport, the cashier would not rest until she ignored the menu board and looked at the photos of the burgers above the grill. Unfortunately, she's not the type who like a whole bunch of extras on her burger, so the Triple Bacon one looked the "most" normal. Had she had a chance to look at the menu board, the plain Black Angus Beef Burger would have been her weapon of choice, and she would have left happier, and with a few extra coins in her pocket. Hence the minus point, and the docked taste score. Although the gourmet burger craze is a welcome one in Halifax, we both find that the burgers are a little too expensive. Clearly, they're no McDonalds, but they're still a little pricey for our liking. Nonetheless, it was an enjoyable experience, and as good of a reason as any to take a trip over to Dartmouth!
Final Verdict: A little pricey, and kinda hard to focus, but worth the trip.
Wednesday, October 24, 2012
Review #42 - Hamachi Mura
Hamachi Mura
Variety: Sushi & Thai
Address: 540 Southgate Drive
Date Visited: Sunday, October 21, 2012
Orders: Thai Spring Rolls, Beef Pad Se-ew, Chicken Masaman Curry
Taste: 4 + 5 = 9/20
Portion Size: 8 + 8 = 16/20
Presentation: 8 + 8 = 16/20
Value: 3 + 3 = 6/20
Service: 6 + 6 = 12/20
Bonus: -
Minus: -4
Final Grade: 55% (Marginal)
(Scoring: 100% to 140% = Exceptional, 85% to 99% = Excellent, 67% to 84% = Good, 60% to 66% = Satisfactory, 50% to 59% = Marginal, 0% to 49% = Poor, -40% to -1% = Abysmal)
Notes: We loves us some Thai food. In fact, two of our top three reviews to date come from Thai restaurants. Unfortunately, Hamachi Mura currently finds itself in the bottom three on our scoreboard. Neither of us had been to a Hamachi restaurant before, although we'd heard very good things, and had enjoyed some of their fine cuisine in the VIP Room at Halifax Rainmen basketball games. Hamachi Mura and its sister restaurant, the Mediterranean-themed Son Vida are the only restaurants in the vicinity of our home in the Larry Uteck Boulevard area, and we were hoping that it might become our new "go-to" dining option close to home. The fact that we got a discount coupon in the mail only helped its cause, and after a long day, we decided to stop in to give it a try. We ordered the Thai Spring Rolls to start, and they were hot, fresh and tasty. Off to a good start, but it all went downhill from there. In short, the Beef Pad Se-ew, one of T's all-time faves, was an epic fail. They got the "ew" part right - the rice noodles were mushy, the beef was stringy, the egg was just plain icky, the vegetables were barely cooked and to make matters worse, the dish smelled very strange, too. We flagged down the waitress and informed her of the problem and to her credit, she offered to get us a new order, but we asked for another recommendation instead. She suggested the Garlic Ginger Beef, so that's what we went for. However, it took nearly 15 minutes for the order to come back, leaving our other order to get cold. Said other order was one of J's faves, the Chicken Masaman Curry. Mysteriously, it was made with sweet potato instead of regular potato, which frankly was not a solid choice. It was also served with a random bowl of extra masaman sauce, which was kinda weird, but whatever. The whole thing was far too salty, but passable. At long last, the Garlic Ginger Beef arrived, which was edible, but that's about it. A run-of-the-mill stir-fry, it relied far too heavily on salt, yet the meat itself was neither well-seasoned nor well-prepared. T referred to it as "a bit of salt water poured over some vegetable with big sticks of ginger." To add insult to injury, the pre-coupon bill came to over $50 (without gratuity), and that was without anything other than water to drink. Needless to say, we were not at all impressed. On the scorecard, T insisted on two negative points "for the experience, period," and J echoed that sentiment. We've been far more satisfied with the fare at Thai Express in the Halifax Shopping Centre, and have walked away from there with change in our pockets. Although we walked in hoping for the best, we went home very disappointed with this dining experience, which T aptly summed up by saying: "We were bound to get an unexpected fail someday."
Final Verdict: Stay home and make it the right way for 1/6 the price.
Variety: Sushi & Thai
Address: 540 Southgate Drive
Date Visited: Sunday, October 21, 2012
Orders: Thai Spring Rolls, Beef Pad Se-ew, Chicken Masaman Curry
Taste: 4 + 5 = 9/20
Portion Size: 8 + 8 = 16/20
Presentation: 8 + 8 = 16/20
Value: 3 + 3 = 6/20
Service: 6 + 6 = 12/20
Bonus: -
Minus: -4
Final Grade: 55% (Marginal)
(Scoring: 100% to 140% = Exceptional, 85% to 99% = Excellent, 67% to 84% = Good, 60% to 66% = Satisfactory, 50% to 59% = Marginal, 0% to 49% = Poor, -40% to -1% = Abysmal)
Notes: We loves us some Thai food. In fact, two of our top three reviews to date come from Thai restaurants. Unfortunately, Hamachi Mura currently finds itself in the bottom three on our scoreboard. Neither of us had been to a Hamachi restaurant before, although we'd heard very good things, and had enjoyed some of their fine cuisine in the VIP Room at Halifax Rainmen basketball games. Hamachi Mura and its sister restaurant, the Mediterranean-themed Son Vida are the only restaurants in the vicinity of our home in the Larry Uteck Boulevard area, and we were hoping that it might become our new "go-to" dining option close to home. The fact that we got a discount coupon in the mail only helped its cause, and after a long day, we decided to stop in to give it a try. We ordered the Thai Spring Rolls to start, and they were hot, fresh and tasty. Off to a good start, but it all went downhill from there. In short, the Beef Pad Se-ew, one of T's all-time faves, was an epic fail. They got the "ew" part right - the rice noodles were mushy, the beef was stringy, the egg was just plain icky, the vegetables were barely cooked and to make matters worse, the dish smelled very strange, too. We flagged down the waitress and informed her of the problem and to her credit, she offered to get us a new order, but we asked for another recommendation instead. She suggested the Garlic Ginger Beef, so that's what we went for. However, it took nearly 15 minutes for the order to come back, leaving our other order to get cold. Said other order was one of J's faves, the Chicken Masaman Curry. Mysteriously, it was made with sweet potato instead of regular potato, which frankly was not a solid choice. It was also served with a random bowl of extra masaman sauce, which was kinda weird, but whatever. The whole thing was far too salty, but passable. At long last, the Garlic Ginger Beef arrived, which was edible, but that's about it. A run-of-the-mill stir-fry, it relied far too heavily on salt, yet the meat itself was neither well-seasoned nor well-prepared. T referred to it as "a bit of salt water poured over some vegetable with big sticks of ginger." To add insult to injury, the pre-coupon bill came to over $50 (without gratuity), and that was without anything other than water to drink. Needless to say, we were not at all impressed. On the scorecard, T insisted on two negative points "for the experience, period," and J echoed that sentiment. We've been far more satisfied with the fare at Thai Express in the Halifax Shopping Centre, and have walked away from there with change in our pockets. Although we walked in hoping for the best, we went home very disappointed with this dining experience, which T aptly summed up by saying: "We were bound to get an unexpected fail someday."
Final Verdict: Stay home and make it the right way for 1/6 the price.
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