Life in Nova Scotia
It took my friend Richard to tell me this. He’s French by origin, and so is Frédéric Tandy, the chef of Ratinaud, a gourmet charcuterie in Halifax. Good buddies in a culinary sort of way.
So here is Richard chez Fred, showing the world how to eat these fabulous sea urchins from Digby. I haven’t ever tried them – have you?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n6gN5ncTpt4
The Tidal Bore in South Maitland had passed, and we were ready for lunch. Heading northwest to Maitland, we stopped at Bing’s Eatery and Socialhouse, expecting a typical “greasy spoon” with various deep fried offerings.
We were surprised to find a cozy interior painted in a deep colour that set off the original paintings on the wall.
We split a Harvest Wrap with turkey and a Caesar salad. The lively, organic veggies were wrapped in fresh herbs and a tasty dressing, and the generous Caesar was as crispy as could be.
The pièce de résistance was the dessert, a bumbleberry (blackberry, blueberry, raspberry and strawberry) crumble with vanilla ice cream that lingered delightfully on our palates long after we left the building.
Choice of beverages included a variety of local and Canadian beers and other drinks. Propeller Ginger Beer, made in Halifax, is a very refreshing non-alcoholic choice for a hot day.
The paintings on the wall were the work the owner, Bing himself. He used to run a tidal bore rafting outfit nearby, and opened the restaurant two years ago.
They have live music on Fridays. Check out the website for more details.
Sometimes it’s hard to find quality food in rural diners, so we were delighted with our meal and eager to recommend Bing’s to you!
Father’s choice on Father’s Day, so of course we went to the Rope Loft on Chester’s Front Harbour.
We didn’t dock and dine this time, but you can do that, and berth your boat for the night too, if you’re lucky.
If the walls could talk, they would have many nautical yarns to tell. The old oak timberframe building dates back to the privateer ship Teazer, as it was built with remnants of the famous ship after she burned and sank in Mahone Bay in 1813.
But there’s no salt pork and hardtack on the menu. The Rope Loft Burger is the best around. One of our fathers was very pleased with his sirloin tip roast with baby potatoes and Yorkshire pudding which, he declared, was almost as good as his own. That’s high praise! The mothers enjoyed Baked Salmon and Seafood Marinara respectively.
A walk around the Village completed our lovely Father’s Day outing.
When the weather is warm enough, you can sit on the deck and watch the activity on the Front Harbour.
The restaurant is a busy place during Race Week. Last year, the Tanzer 22 class was headquartered at the Rope Loft.
Check out the Rope Loft website for a bit of history and some pictures – and of course the menu!