Boneheads BBQ - True Southern Flavour with Love

I love a taste experiences that represent a culture or culinary standpoint that differs from my every day experience.  I love italian food, crave indian cuisine and savor fresh clean sushi.  Restaurants of ethnic origin that feature an authentic and original menus often find success as they provide experiences that we are unable to produce in our own kitchens.  When you find a place that represents a unique culinary standpoint and does it using high quality ingredients and deep passion then you have found a treasure.  

Southern BBQ is a food style filled with tradition that is celebrated throughout the southern US.  It has been cultivated, different regions have their own approaches and styles and advocate for them passionately.  People custom design their smokers, would give away their children before their rub recipe and will spend summers going from competition to competition either sampling or competing.  It is a food style that represents a passion for food and the constant drive to improve has made it an outstanding taste experience for those lucky enough to partake.

If you have not had southern BBQ you have not eaten meat the way it was meant to be eaten.  Flavorful dry rubs and slow cooking in a smoker infusing the meat with flavour while keeping it tender and juicy.  Meats considered lesser cuts (pork shoulder and brisket) , when handled by a true pit master, become more inviting than a prime t-bone steak.  These rich meats are traditionally accompanied by vibrant sauces, some sweet and smokey others hot and spicy. My favourites are the sour vinegar and mustard based sauces that off set the richness of the meats.  To complete the BBQ meal there are usually an array of sides that complete the comfort food experience.  Southern BBQ when done well is a comfort food at its finest.

I have been very thankful to the owner and staff of Boneheads for bringing this style of food to Halifax.  They have been open for a little over a year now and they have used that time to master their style of Southern BBQ.  I have sampled their food a few times over the last year and they have continually built their skill with their smokers.   They started out producing very well cooked meats and sides and have kicked it up as they mastered their smoker (which is a tricky beast to get to cooperate) and tuned their flavorful sides and sauces.  It is now simply an amazing example of Southern BBQ.

Something you need to understand about BBQ before you go in is that the food takes time to prepare.  No I am not saying you will have a long wait, I am saying that the meat you are eating may well have taken 8 hours to cook.  This is not fast fry food, alot of time and care has gone into the preparation.  In a BBQ place if they are out of something they are out of it for the day.  The good news is that there is always something amazing on the menu and you have a reason to go back.  I was watching a review of a BBQ place on Food Network and the pit boss’s answer to complaints that they were out of something was, “well ya shoulda got ur butt movin you know its good and it aint gunna last forever.  Bet I see ya earlier tomorrow”.  The customer laughed and said "ya will fer sure".  That is just part of the charm of the style of the food.

When selecting a meal at Boneheads I start by deciding the meat or meats I desire.  They have pulled pork, beef brisket, shredded smoked chicken and smoked sausage links (Yes they have ribs but they get their own paragraph).  The pulled pork and brisket are so tender and moist, they are rich meats that I really enjoy with a nice spicy or sour sauce, both of which Boneheads has in abundance.  The chicken was delicious and the smoke added a great flavor that is not typical with chicken. I find it amazing with their smokehouse sweet sauce.  The sausage is great, surprisingly lean and meaty and the smoke really adds to the taste of the spices.  This meat all smoked to perfection and the rub flavor comes through.

Good ribs are a real treat.  To me a good rib is tender but does not fall right off the bone, it needs to have a meaty texture.  I like the meat to have its own flavor which is complimented by the sauce use to finish it.  Too many ribs are bland soft meat blanketed in sauce.  It is not easy to make good ribs, it takes a skilled hand with spicing, patience in cooking it low and slow and a delicate glazing with a tangy sauce.  Boneheads has hit that balance beautifully.  Their ribs are tender yet not to the point where you lose the meaty texture.  Their dry rub and use of smoke flavors the rich pork meat and the sauce which has been caramelized on the grill just before it is served to you sets it all off.  If you like ribs you will love these.

 If you are looking for a quick lunch you can get one of their amazing smoked meats on a fresh local kaiser roll for a sandwich.  Topped with a tangy sauce this is a great lunch.  You can also add a side and I would suggest one of their locally produced sodas craft sodas to round out the meal.  This is a great mid day BBQ treat to set you for a hard afternoon at the job.

Now to go with great meat you need great sides.  They have all the southern favorites, flavorful pit beans, tangy potato salad with nice firm potatoes, fresh coleslaw (not not heavy with mayo but bright and tangy to balance the rich meats).  They also have sweet potato chips that should be bagged and sold, crisp, delicious and the dip is out of this world.  Mac and cheese is always a southern favorite and I would suggest it as a main with the chorizo.  My favorite is the dirty rice, it is a nice side to have with rich meat and the balance of flavor is perfect.    When thinking sides think about the meat you are selecting, the more rich the meat is the lighter and brighter the side should be.  Along with the sides you get the absolute must have for any southern meal.  Corn Bread!! This light sweet treat done i a cast iron corn bread pan is perfect to eat with spicy food.  The sweet crispy cornbread cools the tongue and gets you ready for your next taste.  They do this very well.  When eating BBQ think about balance of flavor, it is easy to get overwhelmed by richness.  Boneheads provides the kind of selection required to build a perfect meal.

Now before I get to desserts (oh and I am so going to talk about those) I need to talk about an item I have never had before.  Smoked chicken wings.  Now anyone who follows the halifax wingman @halifaxwingman on twitter (and if you like wings you should) knows there are a variety of wing experiences to be had in Halifax.  Battered and deep fried and tossed is sauce, that is what I think of when I think of wings.  I have grilled wings for parties but I have never had smoked wings before.  Boneheads changed all that.  These wings are dusted with a dry rub and then slow smoked.  They are unique to say the least.  The rub give you that back heat and it really sets off the smoke and the wings are moist and juicy as a result of the slow smoking.  They do not come sauced and I love that because I got to taste the delicious smoked meat.  However you can sauce them any way you desire with one of Bonehead’s great sauces.  This is not your typical wing, you wont get a wing night and they are Southern BBQ so when they are gone they are gone.  They are a wing that needs to be tried.  

Now to finish off we need to talk about dessert.  So many places that this good a job with mains and sides phone it in with their desserts.  Not here, their desserts are made in house (which is the only desserts I will eat if I go out) and made with flair.  Their chocolate peanut butter pie is by far the best chocolate peanut butter desert I have ever had and that is saying something.  Their banana pudding is so good and homestyle, and though I have not tasted it their fruit cobbler looks amazing.

When I decided to blog Boneheads I asked if I could come in and do a photo shoot and they graciously accommodated me.  As good as the food is the people are even better.  They were so friendly and warm, we talked about food the whole time and not just their food.  They have a passion for local food, support local farms and are committed to providing their customers a great food experience.  My time there was like time spent in a family kitchen and the love and warmth there shows through in the food and atmosphere.  If you ask any southern cook they will tell you the main ingredient is love.

The Coastal Cafe - Very Creative Eats for Sure

One of the keys to creativity is confidence.  In order to produce an exceptional and original product you have to be comfortable with who you are and know that what you are bringing to the table is outstanding.  This creativity and confidence is evident when visiting The Costal Cafe in Halifax.  

To quote their website  “We don't provide the ultimate dining experience, nor do we demonstrate pretentions over your latte. We are honest, and our simple mission is to provide the best food and coffee without any bullshit.”  I can tell you after a couple visits they achieve this.  The people are very friendly, they keep it warm and welcoming and as a result there is a wide cross section of people that eat there.  

I will tell you that I am no coffee expert, I know what i like and what I don't (Sorry Tim Horton’s but your coffee is sour to me).  There is something about the coffee here that makes it craveable.  I cant break it down for you so you will have to go try it yourself and comment back here and let me know what makes it so special.  It is however among the best I have ever had.

Now for the food.  I have been there for breakfast and not breakfast (this is what they call lunch).  Both times I have left with a big smile and was impressed with the little creative touches that they add to their food.

When we went for breakfast I had the Huevos Rancheros Toros Locos.  This is three eggs over easy on corn tortillas with fajita beef, black beans, guacamole and pico de gallo.  The tortillas were crispy and salty, the eggs were spot on (I hate over cooked eggs) and the balance of flavors was perfect.  The best little touch was the sour on the guacamole that perfectly set off the richness of the eggs, meat and cheese.

My dining companion had the Eggs Oslo, which is 2 beautifully poached eggs on a parsnip rosti (think thick potato pancake but better) on a butternut squash jam and a red wine cranberry syrup.  The eggs were cooked perfectly and the rosti was very flavorful.  The butternut squash jam was a first for me so I dipped in and tried it and it was sweet and flavorful.  The sour component of the dish was the red wine cranberry syrup which could have been a little more sour to our tastes but we both really enjoy sour.

I am a big fan of breakfast and I can honesty say this is the most interesting breakfast menu I have seen in a long time.  They have taken the time to put a lot of creativity into their food and it is worth the little extra that you pay.  Not only are you getting really good food which is fresh, local and well prepared but you are going to experience something new and wonderful each time you go there.  I can't wait for winter to end to see what their spring breakfast menu looks like.  Though I still have to work my way through the rest of their winter menu, hmmmm a foodies work is never done.

Now as a rule I do not blog about a restaurant unless I go at least twice.  So today I ventured over to have some not breakfast.  Again I was impressed with the little creative touches on the menu.  I ordered the Tempura Haddock Burger.  This is served with a ginger wasabi mayo and sesame peppers, a beautiful salad and some thin cut homemade fries tossed with fresh herbs.  The fish was perfectly cooked, moist and fresh.  The batter was crispy and it was served on a lightly toasted english muffin.  The peppers added a nice fresh element and the ginger wasabi mayo was a real flavor treat.  When I was served the fries I was asked if I wanted ketchup, after one tasted I declined so I could enjoy the taste of the potatoes and herbs.  The salad was fresh and light and beautifully dressed.  

If you want to have a special meal in an open, friendly and unique environment and if you enjoy creative well prepared food The Coastal Cafe needs to go on your list of places to try.  Click on the hyperlink at the top of the blog to go to their website and check out the menu, there will be something there you just have to try. 

An All Nova Scotia Bagel Breakfast Sandwich

I love a good bagel.  A real bagel, chewy and soft, lightly toasted.  Though the local supermarkets are full of bagel like substances, really large doughnut shaped dinner rolls, it is really hard to find a good bagel.  I have been known to lose my mind over bagels I have bought that are bread through and through but being sold as a bagel.  

In my quest to find a real Bagel in Halifax I happened upon one made by Spice of Life Artisan Foods at the Halifax Seaport Market.  They have it spot on, nice and chewy, on the outside, soft on the inside and it toasts up beautifully.  If you are a bagel lover you have to try this.  They are affiliated with Rock Island Bistro and if you buy their delicious baked goods you get Bistro bucks that you can use toward a meal at the Bistrol.  I will have to review them soon.  Check out their facebook page.

The bagels inspired me to create an all Nova Scotia Breakfast Sandwich.  I used eggs and the amazing Berkshire pork bacon from Active Life Farms and Garlic Quark and medium cheddar cheese from Fox Hill Cheese House.  

What is Quark you ask, well I just asked that question my self a week ago.  Whitney, Fox Hill’s smiley, friendly and informative sales person (be careful she will bewitch you with free gelato samples), explained that it is German cream cheese like product.  It is spreadable and rich in flavor, it is also lower in salt then standard creamed cheese.  Click on this link and scroll down to the Quark section for more information. 

To prepare my sandwich I cooked the bacon first on low heat to render off the fat then I drained the fat and turned up the heat to crisp it.  This makes for more tender meaty bacon.  

I selected 2 beautiful farm fresh eggs to poach.  Notice in the picture the different colors, which occurs because the eggs are from different breeds of chicken.  If you talk to Kevin and Heather from Active Life they can tell you which eggs come from which types of chickens.  When I visited the farm I was impressed with how the chickens were treated, I even saw one of them jump into Kevin’s feed bucket, it was pretty cute.  Free range eggs are the only eggs I want to eat, not only are the chickens treated better than egg factory chickens but the eggs are better for you.  For information on this go to the Active Life Farms Egg Page and click on the hyper link for the specific nutritional benefits.  In addition to this the eggs taste amazing and are not watery and runny like factory eggs.

To poach the eggs heat up some water to a simmer (not a rolling boil).  Add in salt and 1 tsp of vinegar(I prefer rice wine vinegar).  The vinegar will help to quickly set the egg whites.  Poach the eggs until the egg yokes are just firm, you don’t want them runny, but you don’t want them dried out and bright yellow.  When they are set allow them to drain on a plate.

I then lightly toasted the bagel, spread it with quark, put the bacon on the bottom and added the eggs, which I sprinkled with black pepper and paprika.  I then topped with Fox Hill Cheese Medium cheddar and enjoyed.

This is just an example of the kind of high quality, flavorful food you can have while eating local.  It is good in so many ways but from a selfish perspective, it just tastes great.  That is all the reason I need.

Sushi Nami Royale – A great local option for Japanese Cuisine

When I was on the west coast I learned to enjoy the Japanese food.  Teriyaki became a favorite flavor and I nervously tried various types of vegetarian sushi, and even a couple Maki rolls containing fish.  I really enjoy the fresh clean flavors and condiments such as pickled ginger, wasabi and spicy mayo appeal to my desire for spice.

Recently in search of a healthy and local lunch option I discovered Sushi Nami Royal in Dartmouth Crossing.  I am more open minded now than I used to be about food so I have returned several times and have tried many different menu selections.  I have even on a few occasions brought friends in to dine and they too have found this a great taste experience.  I have talked to the owner of the restaurant and it is locally owned with three Halifax locations.  He strives to use Nova Scotia product where ever possible but as is understandable has to send to Japan for some of the specialty ingredients.  He talks with passionate and pride about his restaurant and this passion shows in the food that is produced.



Maki Lunch

 For those who do not know sushi does not mean raw fish, it actually means its sour, referring to the vinegared rice which forms the base of sushi.  Sliced raw fish (or other proteins) is called sashimi and is also served.  There are many types of sushi and if you want to try it without the raw proteins you can enjoy a vegetarian sushi though I would encourage you to try some of the sushi containing fish.  This style of fish has been enjoyed world wide for decades and if prepared correctly is flavorful and very healthy.

Cold Saki

For those who have never tried sushi I would suggest you try the Maki Lunch.  Maki sushi is rolled sushi with rice, nori (a pressed seaweed wrapper), and various fillings such as fish, crab, avocado, cucumber, etc.  This dipped in soy sauce topped with a little picked ginger and/or wasabi (Japanese horseradish) is a wonderful taste treat.  The Maki lunch is served with a salad and miso soup and is very light and refreshing.

I have also sampled the Sushi Lunch which has Maki Sushi and Nigiri Sushi (a rectangle of rice topped with a piece of fish or shrimp as well as the Sashimi lunch which has nice slices of fresh Tuna, Clam, Albacore, Snapper and Salmon.  These are also served with a nice fresh salad and miso soup.

Bento Box

If sushi is not for you there are other options.  They have a nice variety of bento boxes.  These are compartmentalized trays with a cooked protein (chicken, pork, beef or seafood) a fresh salad, miso soup and a choice of Maki sushi, Japanese Dumpling, Assorted Tempura or a spring roll.  This is beautifully presented and very tasty and well balanced.  They also Teriyaki bowls which contain rice and your source of meat all cooked in a spicy teriyaki sauce.

Beef Sashimi

Everything I have mentioned here I have tried and would recommend highly.  I have sampled a number of their appetizers and have enjoyed them all, my favorite has to be the beef sashimi which is thinly sliced raw beef seasoned which you then dip in a Ponzu (Japanese sour citrus) sauce.  The velvety rich beef contrasted with the sour salty sauce is a real treat.  If you are not into raw proteins there is a wide variety if cooked appetizers which are also outstanding.

I highly recommend that you try Sushi Nami Royale for a special night out or a nice light lunch.  It is a healthy way to enjoy some local product produced in a locally owned restaurant. Enjoy.

Satisfaction Feast - A Healthy Taste Treat

I was in the mood for something healthy and homemade last night so I went a little vegetarian restaurant that I have been going to for years.  Satisfaction Feast http://www.satisfaction-feast.com/ has been serving excellent vegetarian food in Halifax for over 20 years.  They follow the teachings of Sri Chinmoy and are dedicated to "fostering a brighter and happier future of oneness and harmony".  They express this philosophy through their food and their hospitality.  The atmosphere is very relaxing and the staff is friendly and open.  I don’t hold to any religious or philosophical dictate, I consider myself a happy wanderer through the world of spirituality open to all views.  The people at Satisfaction Feast are not evangelical in nature which is a nice change, their view as repressed through their kindness and the love shown in their food.  Eating there adds to my wanderings.

As usual the food my guest and I selected was fresh and tasty.  We started with appetizers of Fried Samosa and Hummus and Pita.  The Samosa was crisp and filled with and abundance of mashed bean and potatoes seasoned with flavorful spices and fresh herbs.  It was served with chutney, this time it was spicy tomato chutney but I have had different chutneys each time.  The pita was soft and warm and the hummus had a nice amount of garlic but could have used a little lemon and fresh herb to balance the flavor.

For mains we had a bowl of spicy borscht.  It has julienned beat in a tomato and beet broth which had a nice level of spice.  It was finished with a nice dollop of sour cream and a sprinkle of dill. If you are spice averse you should notify your server, the food here is flavored with an Indian flair and some dishes are a little spicy.  I had the cup of soup so I could try their ‘Root Burger’.  I think vegetarians need some help naming their food but trust me this burger was excellent.  It had a base of sweet potatoes and brown rice and contained grated carrots and there was a nice level of spice balanced with fresh herbs.  It was served on a fresh whole grain bun with bib lettuce and tomato.  I also had a soy based mayo which I found very nice.  The patty was homemade and I would go back in a heart beat for another one.

For dessert, and trust me if you go for nothing else go for this, we enjoyed one of their homemade peanut butter balls.  They should be served with a warning label because they are very habit forming.  They peanut butter is natural and chunky, the sweetness is well balanced with the peanut flavor and it is dipped in a dark chocolate coating.  It is the best peanut butter ball I have ever had. 

I enjoy homemade vegetarian food.  When done well it is not only healthy but flavorful.  I have experimented with vegetarian food at home and have good friends who are vegetarian.  Some of them are amazing cooks who are dedicated to fresh flavorful food and their cooking is full of love.  Others make eating a test of courage and though their food is healthy it will not make you happy.  I will post vegetarian recipes from time to time on my blog.  I search different cultures for their traditional non meat meals and this is what I enjoy.  I will share this with you and I beleive you will enjoy it as well.

A word of warning, not all vegetarian food is healthy.  Satisfaction Feast does have some soy bacon and a factory vegi burger on the menu.  I would stay clear of those and enjoy their amazing homemade options.  Factory produced meat analogs can be filled with trans fats, salt and are so over processed that in my opinion they are not fit for human consumption.  If you want to be vegetarian I respect and admire that, but try to do it using the abundance of vegetarian tradition found around the world and try to stay clear of the North American factory food.  From a health standpoint you are better off with good farm fresh meat than plastic meat substitutes.

As for Satisfaction Feast, it is a must try for all foodies.