We decide to have a bite at the Elephant’s Eye on a rainy Tuesday afternoon. I call to check their hours and discover that the restaurant closes at 3pm. We hurry down to Barrington Street and when we arrive at 2:30, they’re still accepting tables. It’s muggy in here, as any restaurant would be on such a humid day. Thankfully, there are a couple fans and an AC unit blasting cold air.
Elephant’s Eye used to be an antiques store with an eatery attached, until the food side of the business grew to push the retail out, which may explain the logic of the decor. The floor is almost L-shaped, making two dining areas: one by the front window and one in the back of the house. The kitchen is visible from the dining room, showing the restaurant has nothing to hide. There are a few antique-looking bookshelves with knick-knacks and some elephant statuettes. One of the owners is our server, and when I ask why the cafe is called the Elephant’s Eye, she says that in many cultures an elephant is a symbol of good luck.
It’s a late lunch and we’re staving, so we order the roasted red pepper and artichoke dip ($8) right off the bat. Items on the menu are listed by name only with no description, as the ingredients change daily. I get the vegetarian crepe ($11) and choose the tomato-based over a cream sauce. On the side, my options are soup or salad; I decide on the soup, a savoury carrot. My friend orders the smoked salmon pasta ($13) with fettuccini noodles. Not a fan of cream-based sauces, he requests a substitution to tomato, which the server happily obliges.
Our dip arrives shortly after, delivered by a cook sporting a head rag and kitchen apron. We’re not keen on the idea, and agree that the roles of cook/server should be kept separate. The dip plate is lovely in appearance and full of flavour. Not masked by cloying cream cheese or mayo, we can tell that it’s composed of just a few ingredients and really lets them shine. To me, though, the show-stopper is the bread made in-house. It’s incredible: soft, almost sweet white bread with a slightly chewy texture envelopes a mix of olive oil, herbs and green olives. I’m sad to see it go.
I’m still hungry when our entrees arrive moments later. My friend’s pasta is tasty, even if a cream sauce is intended. The tender pieces of smoked salmon, feta cheese and al dente pasta play well together, while a ton of vegetables adds body to the dish. I lack the same enthusiasm about my entree. The crepe consists of roasted vegetables: tomatoes, peppers, carrot, broccoli and spinach in a thin, soupy tomato sauce. A few pieces are slightly burnt, leaving an unpleasant taste in my mouth. The carrot soup on the side is unpalatable; with chunks of carrot and leek, it’s a savoury broth indeed —savoury is all I can taste.
And then, dessert arrives and the sour taste in my mouth disappears. The gingerbread with hot buttered rum sauce is to die for, and worth every minute I’ll have to spend working it off in the gym. The soft, fragrant cake is served warm in a pool of luscious, silky sauce that expertly balances the flavours of butter and rum. I keep picking up my fork again for “one last bite.”
When I leave in a dessert coma, I can’t help wondering what went wrong with my entree when everything else is so delightful, but I’m pleased that the co-owner serving us recognizes my distaste and removes the crepe from the bill. I guess that’s one of the benefits of going to a small independent operation; the owners care about your experience—and if it’s not all good, they’ll try to fix it.
This article appears in Sep 15-21, 2011.
I love the Elephant’s Eye! I think it is one of the best places for lunch and/or brunch in this city. And I think the reviewer should go back a few more times to experience its special qualities. I agree with the reviewer that the owners care about the place. They certainly do and the fact that they swap roles- cook/server and vice versa is one its many charms. Because of them- Brenda and Daphne- it’s a place you want to be in- fed by them, served by them and entertained by them (Daphne has a drier sense of humour than Bob Newhart). And the food is consistently really good- especially the homemade soup- so I was surprised that the reviewer had bad soup- I never have. The Elephant has great food, wonderful owners and I recommend it all the time. Go back! Enjoy!
Next time you go- check out the “Daphne of the Year Award” on the wall. It’s one of Halifax’s most prestigious honours.
I love the Eye as well and find it the best place for lunch in the city which is why I was shocked to read this review. I have been to many of the major food cities in the world and the Eye stands right up there with the wonderful Osteria Alla Botte in Venice (the pasta!!!), the amazing place in Toyota Japan that served the best Oyakudon I have ever had (can’t remember the name) and le Train Bleu in Paris.
It is my understanding that a restaurant reviewer is supposed to review the entire experience which includes the ambiance, service, decor, and food. Coming late to the restaurant when, perhaps, a reduced menu was being offered and staff would be pared down does not assist in getting a real feel for the experience. A reviewer then usually chooses several items from the menu perhaps asking the server what the favourites are. It appeared that each item the reviewer ordered was adjusted in some way thereby not assisting the reader since they would also have to make changes to the menu to have the same taste experience.
And I’m not sure if the reviewer has ever eaten out of Canada, or Halifax, but in most countries I have visited, Canada included, it is an honour for the chef to leave the kitchen and bring the food to the table. One of my favourite food moments was in Cinque Terra when the chef brought out the freshly caught and cooked fish to our table of gregarious girls.
I was also under the impression that if a reviewer felt that their experience was less than satisfactory they would go again to see if the first experience was “one off”.
Maybe this reviewer should stick to chain restaurants where the serving staff will always be nondiscript, the food will always be boring, and the chef is non-existant.