Extraordinary Casual Send Off!

Ever since I first visited Halifax and realized this is where Chives Canadian Bistro is located I've wanted to go there.  I remember seeing it on one of those FoodTV shows...Opening Soon maybe? and knew it was my kind of place. :)  In the two+ years I have lived here I have not had the chance to go so when the idea of a going away dinner came up I made sure to let everyone know this is where I wanted to go!

What better place for foodie bloggers to go really? 

Lynn popped by my house early with a bottle of chilled white wine to start the night.  Jost Riesling.  Sweet and refreshing!  Which was perfect because it was incredibly warm and sticky in Halifax yesterday.  (especially at my house after I decided to redo my hair at the last minute which involved an insane late afternoon blow drying...)

Cosette and I posed on the porch on our way to dinner....

 

Angie (and everyone's favourite peanut-on-the-way) kindly agreed to drive us downtown, and we scooped up Tasha along the way!

(Tasha, Angie, peanut, Lynn, & me!)(What am I doing with my feet?)

First things first, a Cosmopolitan to start our dinner experience off right!

Our fabulous server, Nick, brought out the infamous Chives biscuits (including a gluten free version for Cosette!!)...with butter and molasses...

(sorry for the dark photos...the biscuits came in a cute paper bag!)

Originally I had picked out the spinach salad from the online menu, but once at the restaurant I decided that the Mussels "Normandy" were the way to go.  I can have a spinach salad any old time and the idea of Honeycrisp apples in the mussels was very appealing.

Hands down the BEST dish of mussels I've ever had!!  (Ingmarie, I thought of you the whole time!!)  The combination of the light and incredibly flavourful garlic cream broth with the cider and fresh julienned apples was to.die.for. 

During my meal I switched to white wine to accompany my seafood choices.  I *think* this was Fairview “Goats in Villages” Viognier, but honestly I just let Nick chose something for me. :)

For my main course I just had to go with the evening's special.  How could I not order something described as Lobster Crusted Halibut?!  Especially once Nick told us it was served with a beautiful veggie risotto....um, yes please!!!

The halibut was creamy, sweet, and deliciously dense.  The lobster crust was rich and perfect!  (Explained to us as fresh lobster meat mixed with sour cream, bread crumbs and herbs, then placed atop the fish and oven baked...thus forming a 'crust'). 

All served on top of bed of amazing green risotto with zucchini, bell peppers, and a bunch of other deliciousness.

I truly wish the pictures were better.  It was a work of art!

Since it was my party and I can eat if I want to I decided that not only was dessert necessary, but so was a latte with a side of Irish Cream.  Calories be damned!

Dessert just had to be the Sugar Moon Maple Crème Brule.  Anyone that has been reading for a while knows that if a restaurant lists crème brulee on their dessert menu, then no other dessert exists to me! 

This one did not disappoint.  The custard was creamy and rich with a lovely maple flavour, but not too sweet.  The topping was glassy and had that just perfect slightly burnt sugar taste.  I may have eaten the whole dish to myself...

We all agreed that this was definitely one of the best meals any of us had ever enjoyed!  Not only was the food incredible, but we enjoyed the space, our server, and our conversation.  We giggled like little girls, chatted about life and potentially inappropriate restaurant topics, and really just had an all round LOVELY evening.

The required Tasha loves Peanut photo!

The wine vault...

We were so engulfed in our meals, chit chat and laughter that we closed the place down.  You know you are having a great time when... 

(Angie, peanut, Tasha, Lynn, me, Cosette!)

I really could NOT have asked for a more AMAZING bon voyage evening.  Thank you so much girls for making my time in Halifax so incredibly welcoming and comfortable.  I'm not quite sure what I will do without all of you on the West Coast. 

Everyone must visit!!!  Because I said so!! 

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Random window display:  a dress made entirely of fruit leather!  with a licorice belt!!