Monday, April 30, 2007

Out With the Old....In With the New

Before leaving Toronto for our next adventure - living in Halifax, close to my daughter, Joanna, her husband, Ezra and the most delicious Boaz...

...I planned on writing posts about all the places and people I'd miss. With all the sorting, packing and prepping for moving and garage sale, I didn't get very far with that plan. And now that I've arrived (still not quite myself) in Halifax, I don't want to be maudlin about all the things I'd be leaving behind.

But I did have to share this one experience - a trip to Phil's Original BBQ for the best BBQ Pulled Pork Sandwich and baked beans anywhere.


That's me enjoying a delicious lunch with my other daughter, Sharron. We took a break from packing, and came to one of my favorite Toronto haunts. The pulled pork, melts in your mouth. The sauce is tangy and you can have it mild or spicy. I like to mix them both together. And don't get me started on the baked beans...there are not enough superlatives to describe them. You'll just have to head over to College Street the next time you're in Toronto. I know I will.

And now we're officially in Halifax. We even have our Nova Scotia license plates on the car.

Whenever we came to Halifax for a visit we had to stop at Phil's Seafood for the best fish & chips I've ever had - honest! So good, in fact, that every time I'd book my flight out here, I'd tell my daughter to make sure our visit would include a trip to Phil's. Naturally, that was the first restaurant stop for me and my Honey. I know it will be a regular spot for lunch on our Saturday, errand day. We actually got to meet Phil himself and I can't wait to have a "Chat With" him.

Everything served is wonderful, but I must admit, I rarely order anything but the fish and chips. The haddock is flaky and juicy, never dry. Each giant filet is coated with a light but crispy breading that is never greasy. You could be more health conscious than we were and order a salad, but we wanted the full Phil experience - great cole slaw, perfect fries and lots of tartar sauce for the fish. Perhaps next time I'll order the fried clams or the fish cakes.

So now that we're establishing a new home here in Halifax, I still will have a local Phil's and one to visit when we go back to Toronto on frequent visits to see family and friends.

Come back often to help me explore the Maritime experience!

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10 comments:

Kalyn Denny said...

I'm glad things are going ok with the move. Great pictures! You look great, even with a sandwich on it's way to your mouth!

Amanda at Little Foodies said...

Just came across your blog. What's pulled pork? I think I might like it. Good luck with your new home.

Ruth Daniels said...

Kalyn, I don't usually use photos with me and an open mouth, but it really does say it all. Look at that smile!!!

Little foodie, thanks for dropping by and I hope you come back soon. Pulled pork is from the pork butt which is quite fatty and slow cooked until it just falls apart. Unbelieveably delicious!

Anonymous said...

Halifax is a fun city for food diversity. I want to suggest to you Peter's Pizzeria down on Inglis for the best garlic fingers and donair sauce. Its the only place I go in the city for such a gourmet treat...hehehe. Also, its now lobster season in the Gulf of St. Lawrence, so the Fishermen's Market on the Bedford Highway should have some good deals! Maybe you could run a "Maritime Meals" showcase?

Ruth Daniels said...

Melissa, thanks for the tip about Peter's and, since lobster is my favorite food of all time, you know I'll write about it!

And naturally, I'll be focusing on Maritime Meals. Now where do I find cod cheeks?

Rosa's Yummy Yums said...

That BBQ place seems to be great and the food looks gorgeous! I hope that you'll settle well in Halifax...

Lynette Reid said...

Welcome to Halifax!

There are frozen cod cheeks from the back of a van just to the west of the intersection between Northwest Arm Drive and St. Margaret's Bay Road. That's the only place I've spotted them so far.

After Toronto....well....Halifax has at least one of everything (sometimes two). A bit of a let-down from 50-100 of everything. But worth the tradeoff for the reduced hassle of life, the short drive to deserted coastlines and long walks.

Ruth Daniels said...

Well, it's been just over a week and still not quite myself but I did find frozen cod cheeks at the Farmer's Market today in the old Brewery Market. So they'll be on the menu tomorrow night and I'll write about it on Monday.

Thanks Lynette for the tip. In fact I've bought stuff from him on an earlier trip to Halifax. My daughter lives in Brookside, so we pass his truck often.

Nau-Dee said...

beautiful family!

Amanda at Little Foodies said...

Thank you - it really does sound delicious. Glad I popped back!