Kingstonist

Tastes from Fare on the Square (2 of 2)

Harvey Kirkpatrick — Wed, 08 Sep 2010 13:09:09 +0000

In case you missed part one of our coverage of last weekend’s Fare on the Square, don’t spoil the fun and read the reviews out of order. Thus far, we’ve featured delicious dishes prepared by Aqua Terra, Atomica, le Chien Noir as well as Curry Original. In part two, we take a look at offerings from three other local restaurants as well as one from a beef producer located in Tweed. One of which ended up being our favourite dish, or in this case bowl, from this year’s event. Enough build up, let’s dig into the second helping of Fare on the Square before it gets cold.
The Kingston Brewing Company is known for two things: micro-brews and greasy, beer-based bar food. I am not a huge fan of their menu, however when I tasted the Brew Pub’s Bison Burger, my past misadventures at their resto melted away. The bison, supplied by Pykeview Farms, was good and thick, amazingly moist, and cooked just the way I like it. While I’m not sure who produced the bun, it was soft, chewy and helped to make my first Bison burger a memorable one. Now if only they’d start selling these at the Brew Pub. If they already do, please let me know.
In addition to having their meat used by local chefs, Tweed’s Enright Cattle Company offered up their own treat in the form of Marinated Beef Skewers, with one of the tastiest BBQ sauces I have ever had. The sauce struck the right balance of heat and sweet, and you could put as much or little on your skewer as desired. I’ve yet to complain about the portions at Fare on the Square, but as you can see in the picture above, my skewer is missing a piece of meat on the right hand side. I would have loved another nibble of this dish, but certainly not the end of the world.
In part one I mentioned the severe lack of vegetarian options at this year’s Fare on the Square. The Sleepless Goat also came to the rescue with an interesting looking dish, a Cucumber Roll with Roasted Tomato and Arugula Pesto, served with or without Chevre. While we opted out of chevre on this one, I think it might have made the difference, which is to say that arugula pesto isn’t all that great all on it’s own. I was half expecting the pesto to be laced with garlic, but in the end I found it a tad on the boring side, which is strange because I’ve never had a disappointing or unexciting meal at the Goat.
As you may know I’ve been to Olivea once, and while it wasn’t the best experience, I gave them the benefit of the situation and vowed to return sometime down the road. That time may have finally arrived thanks to their unbelievable showing at Fare on the Square. Olivea’s chefs dished out bowl after bowl of their Italian Summer Vegetable Zuppa with Meatballs, which the chefs described as being filled with a lot of amazing goodness. Between the two of us, we shared three bowls of the stuff, and as other returning diners in line agreed, it was hands down the best offering at this year’s Fare on the Square. Way to go Olivea!

Unfortunately we didn’t get a chance to try out the dishes prepared by King Street Sizzle, Louis’s Country Bakery or Windmills. Nevertheless, Fare on the Square afforded me an opportunity to try out new restaurants, new dishes, and get re-acquainted with the local food movement. Save for an ingredient here or there, I reckon an overwhelming majority of the menu was locally sourced. It’s fantastic to know that local chefs are doing their part to support local farmers, and it’s comforting to know that we have access to all the seasonal fare, which is on sale each and every week at the Public Market. While I will be sad to see the market close at the end of Fall, it will also mean that we’re one step closer to next year’s Fare on the Square. Don’t miss it!

Tastes from Fare on the Square (1 of 2)

Harvey Kirkpatrick — Tue, 07 Sep 2010 14:48:12 +0000

The slogan for Fare on the Square boasts “a feast from the fields”. This gourmet event, which is now one of my annual favourites, features a variety of treats for locavores and foodies alike. In case you missed it, last Saturday a dozen local chefs offered up their tastiest dishes, which were comprised of locally-sourced vegetables by Patchwork Gardens, Havenhill Acres and Betty’s Byre, chevre from Old Farm, bison from Pykeview Farms and the Enright Cattle Company, and much, much more. While we purchased 10 tickets with the intent of sampling 10 dishes, one of the offerings was so good we went back for more. Who reigned supreme at this year’s Fare on the Square, and who fell short of our expectations? Grab your fork, pull up a chair and strap on your feedbag as we dig in to part one of our latest culinary adventure.
Our first taste from Fare on the Square 2010 was provided by Aqua Terra Restaubistro by Clark who offered up Pulled Beef on a Corn Biscuit with Corn, Eggplant and Shallot Relish. This meat was amazingly juicy, and although it was not pork, it tasted as though it had come from a gourmet, neighbourhood pig roast. The biscuit was soft, however it came across a bit dry for my liking. Nevertheless it was delicious!
Second up was Atomica, one of my favourite gourmet pizza restos in Kingston. Their kitchen incorporated local tomatoes into Bruschetta, with Chevre and a Balsamic Glaze. This was easily the second runner up to the best dish at this year’s Fare on the Square. The bread struck a perfect balance between being toasted and having a chewy interior. While I’m not a chevre connoisseur, each bite made me want to come back for more. I could have easily spent all of my tickets on this treat, but I practised restraint so that this would be more than a two dish review.
I admittedly judged Le Chien Noir’s Grilled Flank Steak with Marinated Cherry Tomatoes, and Roasted Pink Fingerling Potatoes well before the first bite hit my mouth. This was easily the best looking dish at Fare on the Square, however something was lost in between the plate and my mouth. Perhaps it was the fact that I could not cut the meat with my plastic utensils, or that they weren’t serving wine to go along with the steak. In any case, although it did not live up to my expectations, it was still well worth the ticket. A personal reminder for next year’s Fare on the Square, be sure to bring your own steak knife as well as a flask of Valpolicella.
As you’ve probably already noticed, the vegetarian options were few and far between at Fare on the Square. Curry Original came to the rescue with their Organic Mixed Vegetable Curry on Rice, which really hit the spot. While I was warned that it was a terribly spicy dish, I found that it had just the right amount of heat, even for those who aren’t big fans of spicy foods. While I understand that none of these dishes are supposed to be supersized, I could have easily dealt with a heaping portion of this for dinner. In fact, this inspired us to make curry the very next evening.

Tune in tomorrow for part two of our tastes from Fare on the Square, featuring dishes from The Sleepless Goat, Olivea, the Kingston Brewing Company and the Enright Cattle Company. Again, we didn’t get to all the stations, so if you attended this year’s event, I’d love to hear what you enjoyed. Drop off a few comments below and let us know.

Weekly Poll: Frosh Week Folly

Harvey Kirkpatrick — Mon, 06 Sep 2010 12:47:23 +0000

It’s hard to believe, but it’s been a decade since my dad and I loaded up the family minivan and drove down the highway for move-in day at Queen’s University. During that memorable journey, we passed signs hung on the overpasses that warned fathers to say farewell to their virgin daughters. We came across purple people slamming jackets in the middle of the road, random, infectious cheering, and a city full of possibilities. During the days that followed, frosh week ended up being legendary, however with each passing year the spectacle loses some of it’s luster. Nowadays it’s more of a seasonal annoyance than a nostalgic treat. Accordingly, this week’s poll asks:
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Don’t get the wrong impression, I love the fact that Queen’s, RMC and St. Lawrence students are back in town. The annual influx of students helps keeps this city alive, overstocked with sushi restaurants and busting with new burger joints. As much as I loathe young people pillaging my grocery store, and creating extra long lineups at the Beer Store, I was once a part of that crowd. Ultimately, so long as the “kids” stay off of my lawn and don’t keep us up all hours of the night, I have little to complain about. If I failed to list your least favourite aspect of orientation week, please drop a few comments off below.

Of course, I would be remiss if I didn’t officially welcome (back) all of the first and upper year students to the Limestone City. Last but not least, a special thanks to Queen’s Alumni for today’s photo of Frosh sizzling like strips of bacon. It’s good clean fun unless you are a vegetarian, in which case you could pretend that you’re a piece of soy-based facon.

Friday Foto

Danielle Lennon — Fri, 03 Sep 2010 15:48:28 +0000

Well, this is bittersweet, isn’t it? Here we are facing a long weekend but on the other end of it is the start to a new school year and the beginning of the end of summer weather. I have to say though, I’m ready to move on and to get a regular routine going again. Mother Nature definitely made up for last summer with the weather these past 4 months so I certainly have no complaints.

This summer I enjoyed growing a rather fruitful garden, learning to build a fence, watching movies at the drive-in and at Market Square, eating delicious gelato (probably more than I should have), running at LeMoine Point, taking in concerts at Confederation Basin, dancing at the Blues Festival, busking on Princess Street, sitting on our many patios with a cold pint, going on the Haunted Walk…I could go on forever. And yet, there are still so many things for me to explore in and around Kingston.

This weekend I plan to eat something delicious at Fare on the Square and maybe to catch some live music (Mauricio and The Latin Fusion Band are at The Mansion tonight and The Ones are at the RCHA tomorrow) and to generally enjoy these last few days of freedom. Hopefully the weather will co-operate.

What was your favourite thing to do this summer? Did you try anything new? And just because school is starting, doesn’t mean the great weather is gone just yet. So what else is in store for you before the cool winds start to blow and the leaves start to turn?

Thanks to LexnGer for the yummy photo of last year’s Fare on the Square.

Pabellon Gastropub

Russ — Wed, 01 Sep 2010 14:00:12 +0000

The Gastropub is a new concept to me. I tried out Wellington Gastropub in Ottawa (definitely worth checking out if you are in the area) and loved the idea of pub-feel combined with high quality food.

When I drove by Pabellon Gastropub and saw the term Gastropub, I was not sure how to respond. Would they ruin a great idea in the way the Joy Supper Club ruined the idea of a supper club? I decided to check it out.

The patio is one of the best in Kingston. While not busy just yet as they haven’t really done a lot of advertising, it is spacious, well furnished, and I was lucky enough to get some nice live acoustic guitar when I went. There is something relaxing about being on a patio with a cold drink, listening to live music, with cars driving by below you. The interior is equally well furnished. Lots of wood trim and cushy benches line the area. It is quite a large space so I wonder how it will fill out in the coming months.

This is the blackened swordfish steak (dusted in Cajun spices then pan roasted and served with a creamy chorizo sausage and leek fettuccini) for $20.50. I really enjoyed the seasoning and the firmness of the swordfish. It wasn’t dry and fell apart in nice flakes. The pasta was made in house, fresh, and nicely bouncy. The sausage added some nice zip to the dish.

This is the vegetarian gnocchi (blanched then sautéed with mixed mushrooms, oven-dried cherry tomatoes and asparagus slices, coated with a four cheese sauce then broiled until golden brown) for $12.55. J had this dish and really enjoyed it but found it a bit rich. It was difficult to finish the whole thing without feeling really heavy. The gnocchi had a nice texture. Pretty satisfying for a vegetarian dish.

This is the baby spinach, baby lettuce leaves, feta cheese, cucumber cubes, oven-dried cherry tomatoes, crispy bacon and sweet chili raspberry vinaigrette for $10. R had this dish and said she enjoyed the dressing but found the lettuce slightly bruised.

This is the crispy calamari (calamari strips flash fried until golden, lightly dusted in lemon pepper seasoning and served with a roasted red pepper aioli) for $10.15. C had this dish and said she liked it.

This is the Baked Tilapia and shrimp (served with provencal fork mashed potatoes and caper lemon butter sauce) for $19.75. I had this and said she liked it.

These are the Otter tails (deep fried pastry, dusted with cinnamon sugar and filled with both vanilla and chocolate pastry cream) for $5.50. The tails read better on paper than they tasted. The main problem was the deep fried pastry. Deep fried pastry should be a lot lighter and thinner or you risk having it get too heavy and drowning out the other flavours in oil. I didn’t love this dessert.

Overall, Pabellon Gastropub is a welcome addition to the food scene in Kingston. They have an extensive wine/scotch/beer list and their patio is really quite comfortable. The food is interesting and it is quite well made. I look forward to more Friday evenings here.

Busk a Move

Harvey Kirkpatrick — Tue, 31 Aug 2010 15:10:18 +0000

Kingston plays host to numerous notable festivals throughout the summer, including last weekend’s hugely successful Limestone City Blues Fest. These events not only pack the streets, restaurants and stores with paying customers, but they also create an unmistakable buzz and elevate the spirit of the entire community. In between the Blues Fests, Busker’s Rendezvous, and other affairs on the Square, downtown Kingston is hardly a ghost town when it comes to street performers, as we have many local, licenced buskers adding to the ambiance of our quaint downtown quarter. A unique performer that breaks away from the traditional musician on the street corner was on display this past weekend in front of Kingston City Hall. While I would like to forget my failed attempts to master the hacky sack back in high school, my personal experience serves to reinforce just how awesome this freestyle performance really is.

Luckily, there’s at least one month of decent weather left for our street performers, so get out there and drop a few coins in their hats, cups, and instrument cases. Not only will they appreciate it, but it will keep them coming back for more, and add to the atmosphere on our street corners. Further, with initiatives such as Busking for the M.I.L.L., a part of the proceeds from some of the performances go towards supporting fantastic community programs. Outside of the Buskers Rendezvous, what’s your favourite type of busker? Give a shout out by dropping off a comment below.

Weekly Poll: Kingston’s Indie Rock Band

Harvey Kirkpatrick — Mon, 30 Aug 2010 12:00:22 +0000

During my teenage years, I unfortunately had very limited exposure to the local indie music scene. Whether it was simply in short supply in small town Ontario, or lingered in the shadows of what was being sold on radio and music video stations, my introduction to homegrown, emerging acts was somewhat delayed. After living in Kingston for a few years, I began to recognize the depth of the local music scene, which goes far beyond notable bands such as The Tragically Hip, Bryan Adams, and Bedouin Soundclash. When I learned that one of The Hip’s songs had recently been selected for inclusion on the popular Rock Band video game series, I wondered:

Note: There is a poll embedded within this post, please visit the site to participate in this post's poll.

When I first got the idea for this week’s question, I did a quick, informal poll on Twitter, which yielded all of the options above. However there simply was not enough room for everyone’s suggestion to make the cut. It’s highly likely that your favourite homegrown band isn’t listed, in which case please drop some comments off below as to who you think is most deserving. While I’ve only played Rock Band twice, the thought of playing any song by any one of these Kingston-based aritsts with faux drums, guitar and mic seems very appealing. For the video game aficionados out there, is there any way to upload your own music to Rock Band? On another note, pun intended, the more I think about it, how the heck would one go about playing a song by the Gertrudes on Rock Band? So many instruments you’d need the ultimate expansion pack.

Thanks to Adam Foster for the photo associated with this week’s poll.

Friday Foto

Danielle Lennon — Fri, 27 Aug 2010 16:42:13 +0000

Happy Blues Fest everyone! I was out and about last night with some friends checking out some great bands. First, I headed to Confederation Basin to see Carlos del Junco. I have never heard anyone play a harmonica like this guy, it was incredible! And equally as incredible was the wonderful vibe around the stage outside city hall. The street was blocked off and there were probably 400-500 people there. It makes me wonder why the city doesn’t host more evening concerts there in the summertime.

After Carlos, we made my way to the Nog to catch The Jimmy Bowskill Band for a bit. Another really tight, energetic performance – and Jimmy is only about 17 years old. I was thoroughly impressed. After a few great tunes there, we headed to the RCHA Club. They have been known to be “the” destination during Blues Fest. The club hosts a jam with a different house band each night of the festival. Last night was the first time I was sent to the second floor when I got there because it was so busy (don’t worry, you can hear the music from there too and it didn’t take long to be moved back upstairs). If you’re interested in checking out some local musicians as well as some of the great folks we have in town for the festival, the RCHA should be your destination of choice later in the evening.

If the blues aren’t your thing, it might be worth it to get yourself a bracelet anyway. For $10 you get into all the venues all weekend long and you’ll get $10 off purchases over $50 at a whole bunch of downtown stores. And this deal last until September 30th! Pretty sweet. So check out the schedule for the fest, get your dance on, show your local establishments some love and then share your pics with us in our Flickr pool!

TGIF!

Thanks to Bill Gracey for today’s backstage photo.

Guide to the Limestone City Blues Festival

Harvey Kirkpatrick — Wed, 25 Aug 2010 12:00:47 +0000

Thankfully I don’t really have a whole lot of experience with the blues, which is to say that life is pretty good. That said, I truly appreciate great rhythm and blues music whenever I hear it. From August 26th to the 29th, Kingston will once again play host to some of the world’s greatest rhythm and blues musicians, who will be taking part in the annual Limestone City Blues Festival. Admission to the 4-day festival is a steal of a deal at $10, while programming includes over 50 shows in over a dozen participating venues. Official festival shows as well as performances in local bars and clubs are as follows:

Thursday, August 26

Carlos del Junco @ the Confederation Park Stage (Infront of City Hall ) from 7pm.
Georgette Fry Blues Band @ Brandees (178 Ontario St – map)
The Jimmy Bowskill Band @ Tir Nan Og (200 Ontario St – map)
MoJo Shooter @ The RCHA Club (193 Ontario St – map)

Friday, August 27

Miss Emily and Bryan Lee and the Blues Power Band @ Princess and Barrie (map) from 7pm.
Maurice John Vaughn @ The Ale House (393 Princess St – map)
Jordan John & the Blue Angels @ Brandees (178 Ontario St – map)
Jack de Keyzer Band @ Old Stones, Four Points Sheraton (285 King St E – map)
MoJo Shooter @ Megalo’s (226 Princess St – map)
JW Jones Blues Band @ The Merchant Tap House (6 Princess St – map)
Agent Blue @ The Queen’s Inn (125 Brock St – map)
Marg Bass Band @ The RCHA Club, 3rd Floor (193 Ontario St – map)
Runaway Slide @ The RCHA Club, 2nd Floor (193 Ontario St – map)
Shaun Riley & The Chrome Hearts @ The Royal Tavern (344 Princess St – map)
Danny Marks @ Tir Nan Og (200 Ontario St – map)
Little Bobby & The Jumpstarts @ The Toucan (76 Princess St – map)
Bryan Lee & The Blues Power Band @ Zappa’s (178 Ontario St - map)

Saturday, August 28

Matt Andersen, Prakash John & the Lincolns and Hubert Sumlin @ Market Square Stage (map) from 7pm.
Maurice John Vaughn @ The Ale House (393 Princess St – map)
Prakash John & The Lincolns @ Brandees (178 Ontario St – map)
Jack de Keyzer Band @ Old Stones, Four Points Sheraton (285 King St E – map)
Big Mo & The Blues Mission @ DOX, The Holiday Inn (2 Princess St – map)
MoJo Shooter @ Megalo’s (226 Princess St – map)
JW Jones Blues Band @ The Merchant Tap House (6 Princess St – map)
Agent Blue @ The Queen’s Inn (125 Brock St – map)
Retroactive Blue @ The RCHA Club, 3rd Floor (193 Ontario St – map)
Al Duquette @ The RCHA Club, 2nd Floor (193 Ontario St – map)
Shaun Riley & The Chrome Hearts @ The Royal Tavern (344 Princess St – map)
Danny Marks @ Tir Nan Og (200 Ontario St – map)
Little Bobby & The Jumpstarts @ The Toucan (76 Princess St – map)
Bryan Lee & The Blues Power Band @ Zappa’s (178 Ontario St – map)

Did we miss anything? If you’ve got a line on another blue-related show, please drop off the details via a comment below. Special thanks to Xopher Smith for today’s photo of Hubert Sumlin in action at the Sioux Falls Jazz Fest.

The Pilot House

Russ — Tue, 24 Aug 2010 13:30:25 +0000

I really like fish and chips but it is hard to taste test them frequently because they are quite oily. I’ve heard from various sources that the Pilot House served the best fish and chips in Kingston so I decided to check it out. It is sort of a dodgy looking place but to be honest, most of Kingston looks like this. It isn’t without its charms.

And here they are! These are the Halibut Fish and Chips for $10.99. There are a variety of other types, including sole and bass. I figured that the fish should be thick and meaty so halibut seemed like a logical option. The batter wasn’t too heavy, the fish wasn’t too oily, and the chips were light and crisp. I quite enjoyed this dish.

This is the Clubhouse sandwich for $10. Julia wanted a healthy option and I guess this was the next best bet. I guess salad was an option but who goes to a pub for salad? The club was well made, not too salty, and had pretty fresh ingredients. There was perhaps a touch too much mayo but otherwise it was pretty tasty.

I like the Pilot House but as I said, fish and chips isn’t something you can eat all the time. I live close to it but I’ve only been 3x in the last year.