Twenty-six members and guests enjoyed their first Chaîne dinner since the loosening of COVID-19 restrictions in the province at Hop Scotch Dinner Club in downtown Halifax.

The theme of the dinner was to celebrate and highlight Nova Scotian producers and the abundance of foraged, locally grown, fished and farmed products that are available in this beautiful Canadian Province on the Atlantic coast.

Hop Scotch Dinner Club Chefs Stephanie Ogilvie and Brock Unger are two young culinarians who previously worked with Halifax’s former Chives Bistro. They had also hosted a Pop-Up dinner club in the past.

Stephanie was runner up on the eighth season of television show Top Chef Canada. Brock and Stephanie decided to take on a permanent space at the site of the former Halifax farm-to-table institution Chives Bistro location. Before the chance to open they were faced with many challenges surrounding the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, as have so many in the industry.

They persevered and prepared an imaginative, delicious farm to table menu for our Bailliage’s event. Blomidon Crémant Bellinis were the high point of the reception.

MENU

Tuna
quail egg, potato, Kalamata, green bean, tomato
Benjamin Bridge Cabernet Franc Rosé

Lamb
sea buckhorn, tahini, cucumber
Lightfoot & Wolfville ‘Ancienne’ Pinot Noir

Halibut
Beluga lentils, swiss chard, fennel, sea truffle
Planters Ridge Chardonnay 2017

Buckwheat butter tart
sunchoke ice cream, yeasted caramel
Boars Back ‘Appleachian’ Cider

Each course was beautifully-presented, perfectly-prepared and lifted with the use of sea truffle, sea buckthorn, sunchoke, sumac and more. Paired with them were Nova Scotia wines and a cider. In particular, the local lamb combined with the Lightfoot and Wolfville Pinot Noir was a lovely pairing.

Vive la Chaîne!

Susan Legallais
Bailli

Ed. Only photos of the courses served are shown as the Bailliage has voted not to take any “people” photos at the events