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

Piatto

Piatto Pizzeria + Enoteca (Italian 1299 Hollis), visited January 6. We were dying for a meal out after another pandemic-related shutdown, and jumped at the chance to visit Piatto when it opened back up. Always a favourite, we enjoyed the beet and goat cheese salad, the meatballs, fried gnocchi and the Margherita pizza. You really can’t go wrong with anything on the menu! Verdict: 5/5 (100%) chance of returning.

 Polpette all'Italiano, Barbabietola Arrostita Salad, Gnocchi Fritto & VPN Margherita Pizza from Piatto