5 minute read
Foodie days
Checking out PEI’s local food scene
BY SHELLEY CAMERON-MCCARRON
PAUL LAVENDER Point Prim Chowder House.
Ididn’t come to PEI to eat, but buoyed by bakeries, bistros and big bites of lobster rolls, I started my culinary love-in shortly after driving off the Wood Island ferry and didn’t stop until a week hence, when we sailed home. Here are a few of the highlights.
Elegant retreat and a beach treat
I still dream of the irresistible Pistol Pete lobster burger and strawberry-infused mojito enjoyed at elegant Slaymaker & Nichols Gastro House in Charlottetown, as well as the lunchtime lobster roll and potato salad feast tossed down with a “dark ‘n stormy” at popular Blue Mussel Café, sister eatery in seaside North Rustico. Not only was the food fab, both restaurants appealingly lean into their location’s history while providing a fine dining, yet casual experience. At Blue Mussel, the exterior resembles a generations-old fishing shack. Inside, the décor is modern and beachy with water views. “You truly feel like you are on vacation when dining with us,” says Steve Murphy, co-owner with wife Christine. Blue Mussel’s go-to dish? Pan-seared halibut. “When in season on PEI, you can sit on our deck and watch the halibut boats coming back into the harbour. Most of the time, the fish dinner you are eating was caught that same day!”
In capital Charlottetown, Slaymaker & Nichols (known for its cocktails) combines the vibe of a beautiful old home with the history of the Slaymaker & Nichols Olympic Circus, on their lot for a short period in 1864 before the building was built. A signature item? Murphy recommends the Chicken Aji Verde—they grill a chicken supreme, then baste it in house piri piri butter then bake it in the oven. For the sauce, they blend mint, cilantro, and jalapeño with Greek yogurt. Along with good food and atmosphere, Murphy says they believe in old-fashioned, detailed service—it’s what makes people feel so special when dining with them.
Bakery bliss
Word is, folks make the 40-minute drive from Charlottetown to Kensington just for the cinnamon rolls at the Willow Bakery and Café; and, if we’re being honest, a selection of cinny buns and raspberry scones were tucked in our car for the drive home! Located beside the former Kensington train station, the Willow Bakery is a fan favourite for folks looking for a cup of joe, home-baked lunch specials and a showcase brimming with breads and sweet treats.
Good things brewing
Following a friend’s lunchtime lead, I ordered the Fish & Boxty at Evermoore Brewing Co., then happily devoured all the PEI potatoes and corn-crusted haddock loins served at the restaurant and brewery in Summerside’s former train station on Water Street. As they don’t use a deep fryer, it’s a fun play on fish and chips, says owner Alex Clark. Made-from-scratch pizzas, a stalwart since Evermoore started serving food in 2018, are also hugely popular. Dough is made in-house (it includes beer and is hand-stretched) and each pizza has a different sauce base. The top-selling Hawaiian pizza, for instance, is spicier and more cream-based, while the meat pizza features a house-made marinara sauce with Italian seasonings, a simplicity and richness that Clark strives for throughout the menu, down to the made-in-house coleslaw and tartar sauce (a fan favourite).
Since they don’t rely on freezers or fryers, Clark says they are known to be accommodating so diners get the dish perfect for them. As a full-sized brew house, they keep about eight beers on tap. Cast Away, an earthly, light IPA has recently been outselling traditional favourites Summerside Light and Beach’d Blonde.
As for the vibe of the building, built as a train station in 1927, and later serving as a library? Clark likens it to the homey warmth of “grandma’s basement” with walls filled with knickknacks and photos—many from his grandparents—and each with its own story to tell.
The name Evermoore was even the name of his grandfather’s boat, back when Clark was a kid.
PILLIE PRISKE Point Prim Chowder House.
Blue Mussel Café.
Beachfront chowder house
Parked on prime oceanfront, in a restored 80-year-old Irish moss drying shack on the rocks along the Northumberland Shore, it’s a pleasant outing just to get to Point Prim Chowder House, maybe 25 minutes from the Wood Island ferry. The rustic seafood eatery comes into view at the end of a more than 10-km secondary road, bordering the beach near Point Prim Lighthouse, the island’s oldest (1845) light tower. Diners are drawn here (reservations recommended) for the fresh local seafood—halibut to haddock, oysters to quahogs—all sourced locally. They have inside seating as well as a beachside deck overlooking the tidal flats and lighthouse.
Chef/owner Paul Lavender says they treat their seafood with respect and cook it by simple methods that let natural flavours shine through. “The seafood chowder and the clam chowder can both be enjoyed as an appetizer,” he says. “We also have meal-size chowders that are more complex and contain whole clams or mussels in the shell. The most popular is the ultimate clam chowder, a creamy base of clams, potatoes, and double smoked bacon, with smoked haddock and whole quahogs.”
Seaside shacks and oyster love
On our last night in PEI, we take a table at Malpeque Oyster Barn, a small seafood shack on the upper floor of a converted bait shed located at the edge of Darnley Basin, which feeds into Malpeque Bay. From the window, you can see fishing boats bobbing at the wharf. It’s a picture-perfect setting to try PEI’s most revered oyster, the aptly-named Malpeque.
“When people come to town, they expect to get a Malpeque oyster. We grow our own, so ours are a true Malpeque oyster,” says owner Terry Oatway, who runs the 25-seat family-friendly restaurant with her son, the chef Daniel Oatway, who is also a champion oyster shucker. Staff at the Barn know the menu well and can guide you through the choices, which include the famed house mussels, a tried and true favourite done in the same (closely guarded) house recipe for more than 20 years, as well as the popular pan-fried oysters, done in a secret spice, lightly breaded and sauteed in butter. Nothing on the menu is deep-fried, and they’re committed to local, including growing their own vegetables.
“We grow everything we can possibly grow for the restaurant,” says Oatway.
A historic fi shing town with stunning sandy beaches and scenic views abound
