Elements on Hollis – Guest Post by Michael Sandoval

            While with family as we visited Canada, we stopped over in Halifax for a meal, among other things. Being tourists, we had no idea which places were good, which were new, etc. So we drove around a little and saw Elements on Hollis, pulled in, and hoped for the best. As for what we got, let me begin with how I see the typical dining place:

            The average restaurant, no matter where you go, tends to be very conservative with their offerings. Sure, some small businesses use locally grown ingredients, but what they make is very normal for the area - for us Americans, a burger, fries, maybe some steak, some grilled pork... Not so with Elements on Hollis - they mix local support with a very diverse menu! Sitting there and reading that menu was both tantalizing and stressful - in an "oh God what'll I choose to get?"- indecisive kind of way.

        Once I had gotten over myself and made a choice, I went with the Apple Cider Pork Chop - not too far from what I'm used to, but it definitely sounded like quite the adventure:

    I was thoroughly impressed with the flavor of the chop, especially considering pork chops are not usually among my personal favorite foods. Moreover, I found it to be very tender, and thus easily chewed.  While the price escapes me as I write this, I was completely satisfied with it and found my decision worth it nonetheless. The only complaint I have is that I don't have an infinite stomach to try the rest of the menu!

Michael Sandoval is a caterer from California.  He is the online community manager for Better Cater (www.bettercater.com)  During his free time he enjoys traveling, discovering new restaurants, and BBQ.    

The Fickle Frog

Like many university students, Rebecca has gone home for the summer months to work and be with family. I, however, am a born and raised Haligonian, and won’t be going anywhere any time soon. I’m stuck here, moping around until Rebecca returns in September…and for me, moping means a whole lot of eating. This is the first edition of Lonely Benjamin Blog.

(Now we do have a few extra posts saved up from the school year, so this won’t be all you get this summer. Wouldn’t want things to get too melancholy)

A few nights ago a couple friends and I wanted to go for a drink. Our first idea was Rockbottom, but they had a band setting up, and sometimes we just want quiet while we get our drank on. We were also lazy, so we decided to just cross the street over to the Fickle Frog, a great place for some laid back conversation, cold beers that aren’t Molson or Coors Light, and surprisingly delicious pizza.

Last summer, Gatsby’s, a Halifax staple, went through a much-needed facelift, renovating and rebranding itself as the Fickle Frog. I remember reviews from that period were mixed – Haligonians don’t always like change, after all, and the frog mascot annoyed more than a few people at first. The daily specials, however, immediately caught my eye; from Toonie Tacos to $7 unlimited spaghetti, each day of the week means a different deal. Rebecca and I used to love going for the $7.50 steiners of Sleeman’s on Fridays after a long week of school.

Look how pleased she is.

This was a Thursday night, so pints of Sleeman’s were $3.75. We opted for the pitcher and pizza deal for $20, however, since we were feeling a little peckish. I had heard from my dad and sister that this pizza was fantastic, so I had to try it myself. And it didn’t disappoint! We got the works, which had everything you would expect – green peppers, mushrooms, ground beef, bacon, onions, etc. The sauce was sloppy and got everywhere, but it was still delicious; not exactly gourmet, but better than Pizza Hut for sure. The cheese didn’t stretch an outrageous amount (one of my pizza pet peeves), and didn’t fall off the slice. It was thick crust, of course, but who really wants a gourmet pizza as they’re sitting over beers after a long day?

Possibly the worst picture I have ever taken

Apparently you also have the option of making the center of your pizza garlic fingers. This intrigues me, but I’ve heard it needs to be done with one of the larger pizzas. Oh well, I’ll just have to go again sometime when I’m hungrier.