345739 Sun Nov 26 04:00:04 -0800 2006 13 24 Canada 0 2047220 After parts of two days eating and drinking around Halifax with Jim Leff, I have found myself returning to my previous "chowhounding" ways that I seemed to have lost. But I'm back on the trail again. So, here are my recommendations from recent "Chowhounding" around town. Bach's Cafe on Agricola - real Korean food. I usually order a soup/wonton thing with hot sauce and kimchee on the side. This place is not a normal restaurant experience. You have to go to see, or actually, hear, for yourself. Iqbals Grocery on Charles St. near Agricola - they moved a while ago, and at first glance this appears to be a samosa factory. But they serve great food to the 6 seats in front of the take out counter. The samosas are pretty good too. Smith's Bakery on Agricola and Charles (in sight of Iqbal's) - great lunches, not just baked goods from one of the city's last family bakeries (most small bakeries have left the tax-burdened HRM). I like the pasta bakes/lasagna when they have it, and of course, fresh baked goods. Ranni's Roti Hut - In the old IGA store on the corner of Queen and Greene St. Not sure if I have the name right, but you won't miss it. Order lamb roti. Wonderful. Mexico Lindo - on the old Dutch Village Road, near where Titus Street comes down to it, almost on the corner. Homemade style Mexican - not cuisine, but really good, hearty and spicy enchiladas, burritos, etc. I always seem to order the enchilada plate with one each of beef and chicken. They go south for most of the winter. Scotia Square Food Court - The Indian and Korean places in there rock. Especially the Indian place on the days when they do a buffet - you load up your plate with what you want for I think $5.99. Plus PG's Special - one of the best burgers in Metro, but not called a burger, at PG's, where, on Thursday, I think it is, the roast quarter chicken special is yummy. Phil's Seafood - You probably know about this already, but it is the best Fish and Chips in town. On the Purcell's Cove Road across from the Armdale Yacht Club at Melville Cove, or in the newer location on Quinpool, near Preston. Kababji Restaurant - The best Lebanese food I have had outside of Montreal. In Burnside, off Commodore Drive on the street heading towards the Ramada in the industrial mall. Everything we tried was great. Sun Nov 26 04:00:04 -0800 2006 48066 Brewnoser 1 2047573 I concur on the Indian and Korean places in Scotia Square and on Phil's. Have to try some others, espeically Bach's. But the real reason I am responding is Smith's Bakery. Can it be true that Smith's is still run by the same family? I saw the gentrification of it and assumed it was bought by someone else. Do they retain some of the same recipes? Because when I was a lid, Smith's was "Our Bakery" in our family as my parents were acquaintances of Mrs. Smith and in particular 3 of their things were childhood must-haves: - the layer cake: golden cake with the world's best chocolate icing; instead of birthday cake, I insisted on a slab of this instead every year; - the lemon squares; thin pastry crust top and bottom, lemon filling in the middle, and a wonderful glaze on top; - the "chester squares", with the same thin pastry top and bottom with a sort of spice cake concoction with raisins in between, with sugar sprinkled on top. When fresh these were fantastic, though a day later they were dry and awful. I may have to go there RIGHT NOW if they are open today! Sun Nov 26 13:39:35 -0800 2006 2047220 12103 Greg B 2 2050995 You know, Greg, I don't know if it is still in the same family, but I can tell you this: The baked goods are good. They are made there. It seems to still be "local people" and not a recent immigrant family (nothing wrong with that, mind you, but it suggests the original family of Smiths might still be involved). It has a bit of a retro thing going. I was hoping to start a series of responses to add to the list. I still have a few other places and dishes I can recommend.... Ardmore Tea Room for Corn Beef Hash, an almost primitive throwback breakfast; John's Lunch in Dartmouth for a mountain of clams and chips (disclaimer - I'm allergic, but I have seen them eaten in front of me a LOT); The Chickenburger for the shakes, and cheesburgers as well as the unique chickenburger; Rogues Roost pub for soup (almost every soup of the day there rocks) and for the Quesadillas; Certainly Cinnamon for the Spicey Thai Pork Sandwich (and usually soup of the day); Sticks (lunch today) for the Rosemary Lamb Skewer; Tarek's Cafe for the Beef Taco Pita (under reno, opening soon); janes on the common for lunchtime's Grilled Cheese Sandwich (and all the desserts); Epicurious Morsels for the Bierock meat bun; Willmans (Kane and Isleville) for extra greasy, batter driven Fish and Chips (I am sure they used to sell batter balls with no fish in them....); Venus Pizza on the corner of Barrington and Blowers for the Chicken Shwarma plate; The coconut soup at Baan Thai; Fish with Potato Salad (instead of chips) at the Midtown Tavern; Fish Cakes at Bob and Lori's Food Emporium; Fish Cakes (quite different from the above) at The Cheapside Cafe in the AGNS; Salvatore's Pizza - the Quattro Frommagi Pizza - is it a quiche or a 'za? The Seitan Sandwich at The Wooden Monkey; Bud the Spud. You know I could go on..... But suddenly, I am hungry...... Again...... Mon Nov 27 23:26:23 -0800 2006 2047573 48066 Brewnoser 3 2054181 Let me add some nominations: Both from the Italian Gourmet on Doyle St. (Kate Abato's place, not the one on Young St. run by her ex, Gus, which I find inferior): the Thai Chicken Soup, possibly the best soup in the world the Tuna sandwich on a ciabiatta roll, sublime. the Meatloaf on Tuesdays at the Midtown the breadbasket that comes before your meal at Windows (esp. the rosemary selection) the Caesar salad at Rogi Oratio in the Hydrostone Wed Nov 29 00:27:49 -0800 2006 2050995 12103 Greg B 4 2064238 Agree on the meatloaf. Will try the Thai Chicken soup this week. Have not yet been to Rogi Oratio when it was open yet (was there late late one night partying with owner). I keep meaning to lunch at Windows. Is it good? I went to Tom's Little Havana on Thursday, I am not a smoker, but it was an historic night of sorts. Jim Meek eulogized it in today's Herald. The food at Tom's is amazing. I love the Havana Rolls. Now with no smoke, one can eat it there. I dropped in yesterday (Friday) and it was half full. Wonder where all the smokers are? Home with their kids, smoking in front of them? Sat Dec 02 17:33:30 -0800 2006 2054181 48066 Brewnoser 5 2064453 Windows food is pretty good, although the place itself is a little sterile despite the great view and I find sometimes it isn't run all that well. They tend to cater to corporate types. One the plus side, it's seldom very busy. I've never eaten at Tom's. The one time I was there the stench was pretty bad even though I like an occasional fine cigar myself. I imagine all the smokers will be staying home from here on out. One hopes places like Tom's will be able to survive. Sat Dec 02 19:28:27 -0800 2006 2064238 12103 Greg B 2 2053741 Went there this morning for some baked goods. Sold by the Smith's 2.5 years ago to the family of one of their employees. Same recipes. Had a lemon square - you were so right. The pound cake is still there, not sure about the layered part. The people running it now will know of what you speak. The cake apparently is a unique recipe, with LOTS of eggs. That is why it is so yellow. I bought a couple of Nanaimo bars, and "Presidents Bars" plus some lemon squares, and a loaf of fresh baked multi grain bread, just out of the oven. My car still smells great! And I was half wrong - the husband of the woman who used to work there, now the co-owner, is British, or at least from the UK! Tue Nov 28 21:59:16 -0800 2006 2047573 48066 Brewnoser 3 2054152 I went by on Sunday, but they were closed. I was jonesing for some good bakery stuff after talking about my memories, so I zipped up to Julien's and treated myself to a few yummies. Now that you've confirmed the survival of the Smith's lemon square I have to go up there for sure. Wed Nov 29 00:18:32 -0800 2006 2053741 12103 Greg B 3 2064476 Update on Smith's. I went in earlier this week. Quite the change from its previous incarnation when it was all glass showcases and no seating area. The old Smith's had no eat-in, hence the change. I bought some lemon squares. They were pretty good, but not as good as the original, which had much more glaze on top and a bit less lemon filling. Still, it was a nice memory. No "chester squares" any more; in fact, all the squares are of the more modern type. I did buy a couple of raspberry almond sqaures and they are very nice. The old Smiths had a "jam square" made similarly to the lemon square but with raspberry jam instead of the lemon filling. These new ones are better. The cake no longer comes in a split-layer variety. They have a golden pound cake and a chocolate variety, and it only comes in one size, unlike the old days when there were various cut pieces available. I asked the owner if the chocolate icing is the original Smiths recipe and was disappointed it was not. I'll have to try the golden cake with choc icing (a custom order) and see if it brings back memories. I did buy a loaf of their bread and it was excellent. So I'm sure it's a good place, but I'm not sure it's as good as the original. Sat Dec 02 19:36:43 -0800 2006 2053741 12103 Greg B 4 2362512 Interesting. Thanks for the memories. I have to tell you, I LOVE those lemon squares. And what they told me was that they make things the way they were when they bought the place, so the original owners may have changed things in between the era you were frequenting the place and when they sold it. I think I have to walk over there now. I live 4 minutes walk away..... Wed Mar 07 12:19:33 -0800 2007 2064476 48066 Brewnoser 1 2051208 The Korean food in the Scotia Square Food Court very tasty for 'fast' food. I have Seoul Chicken once, sometimes twice a week with a bit of kimchi. Tue Nov 28 00:45:31 -0800 2006 2047220 48287 redraven 2 2052098 I like the Bulgagi (sp?) a spicey garlic pork. Very high strength garlic - great for those afternoon meetings with people you don't like. The chicken may be the hottest "fast food" I have ever had. I like it, but it does tend to bring a tear to my eyes, as I continue to eat it. Tue Nov 28 12:27:54 -0800 2006 2051208 48066 Brewnoser 2 2054502 I always go for the Ramen at the Korean place. It's of listed on the wall at the side (not on the main menu board). It's really yummy - you can get it spicy or not. It takes them a few minutes to make it (like 7 or something) and they serve it to you in a bowl that you take back when you're done. Wed Nov 29 02:52:15 -0800 2006 2051208 14955 parleek 1 2052095 Real "Seoul Food" eh? Tue Nov 28 12:25:31 -0800 2006 2047220 48066 Brewnoser