If there were 6 stars, I'd give 6. If there were 20, I'd give 20 JUST for the amazing humans running this establishment. Take the food (and we ate a lot of it) and the drink menu (and we drank a lot of it) into consideration and you can take the stars to 100. I absolutely adore this place. Props to the staff and owners for doing kick-ass things in Halifax. Bonus: Natalie is the cutest damn thing I've ever seen cook a pork taco.
Everything from the squash and smelt salad, to the beef tartare, to the cornish hen, to the donair bao buns...outstanding...the apple cake beyond, homemade candybar no words. and Ceilidh the owner is amazing!
Drinks were great! Ordered the mushroom Bao bun and it was so rich and filling. The sauce legitimately makes you want to lick the plate. The were very accommodating for my gluten-free mom!
We stopped in here a few weeks ago for a mid day drinks and some apps! Their cocktail menu was fun to look at and I ended up going with the Pandan one which was delicious! Foodwise, we ordered oysters and one of each of the baos. Though we’re not vegetarian, the mushroom baos are a MUST try. So incredibly flavourful and melt in your mouth, we could’ve ordered another ten of them.
Lots of seating options and they were pretty full when we arrived so would recommend making reservations!
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Absolutely wonderful experience end-to-end from Field Guide. This was our second time visiting Field Guide for dinner, and it was just as good as the first, if not better.
We chose bar seats right in front of the open tiny kitchen and enjoyed chatting with the cooks during service. Everyone - The bartender, the hosts, and the cooks were personable, fun, and attentive.
The drinks were inventive and well balanced, exactly what I'd expect from an eclectic bar on Queen West in Toronto, but much closer to home. Food came out at a reasonable pace, which considering the size of the kitchen (Three cooks in something smaller than apartment kitchens I've had before! A single 30" Induction range!) is impressive. I'd say we made a mistake doing 6 of the larger plates between two people, but we managed to down it all. Everything was well balanced and approachable, with a huge focus put on texture - Incredibly well thought out from that standpoint.
We left completely satisfied and look forward to our next opportunity to visit. If more places took after Field Guide when it comes to hospitality and care, the world would be a better place.
Props!
Pretty decent spot with interesting food options. Seating is rather limited - even with a reservation we were seated at the bar, which was kind of uncomfortable. Service was adequate. The charcuterie board was tasty, but also pretty large despite being included in the “sorta hungry” part of the menu, so bring a very empty stomach if you want it.
Always thought this place was lovely for cocktails and snacks, however, the “Let us decide for you” option was 5+ stars! We loved every bite and discovered new favs.
Our favorites (in order of most favorite):
1) seared scallops with cannellini beans
2) rhubarb upside down cake
3) tuna and turnips
4) fresh oysters with house made strawberry? Mignonette and hot sauces
5) the prettiest potato salad on earth
P.S. All the cocktails we had were perfection. I loved the nonino fresco (incredibly refreshing) and my partner enjoyed the campensino old fashioned.
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All around AMAZING! Im quite particular about my food and drinks, and this place did a fantastic job of creating a summer fresh, delicious and creative menu (with great service). I had minor critiques, but overall was in love and would return and recommend to anyone.
Food: We started with the bread and mussels. Best mussels we’ve ever had, as they were cooked perfectly (and fresh) and the broth was heaven. The bread pairing was perfect to soak up all the buttery broth goodness. Next was the Shrimp Bao. The bread was fluffy and light, and shrimp was at chilled room temperature, perfect for a summer day. A good flavour of celery in case you dislike that, but I’d still suggest you try it! Finally we had the Zucchini and Beef Tartare. Zucchini didn’t wow, though still fresh and summer minty vibes. Beef Tartare…hands down best we’ve ever had. The Asian fusion incorporated was perfect. Closed it out with a Strawberry & Cream, which albeit simpler was well done.
Drinks: Go for them all. Very creative and they can walk you through tasting notes perfectly. Milk Punch (method; not actually milk; recommend), Strawberry Basil Negroni (strongly recommend; not traditional negroni alcohol forward), Eucalyptus Sour (subtle, calm and collected; recommend), Corn Star (be adventurous, as the chipotle is super subtle; worth the risk; recommend), Vesper (again, not alcohol forward; recommend).
Atmosphere: Cozy and charming, yet the accents are vibrant and energizing. Indoor volume is medium, and great for a family, cocktail, date or a “i want a nice drink/bite” any day of the week.
My partner and I ventured here to check out the cocktails as it came up in a “best Halifax cocktails” google search. The search result did not disappoint! We were blown away. We sat at the bar and it was clear the staff are experts at their craft as they put intention into their creations, including making their own liquors. We also got oysters which were some of the best oysters Ive ever had. We also had the olives and were mind blown. The staff are friendly and take pride in what they do. We loved it! We will be back next time we are in Halifax and will recommend it to everyone.
Our Field Guide experience was really good. I like how they blended the small dinning room with the bar, it gathers everyone inside. It's hard to understand the restaurant pattern between all the meals, but we definitely enjoyed the food. Mushroom bao and cauliflower taco are both a must (we also really liked the gnocchi). Good place to bring a date!
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Ordered the butternut squash gnocchi and it was delicious! The portions are smaller for the price/cost but for what youre getting is a thoughtful take which reminded me of an italian dish, asian fusion flavours kick. Which i have not had a lot of until now. The gnocchi with the almost curry-like creamy sweet savoury sauce with the butternut squash gnocci paired so well with the stracciatella cheese with Seasame seeds.
The harmony of the two was well composed. I also heard great things about the baos, trout and beef tar tar (also having a nice asian touch to it).
What was more impressive was the kitchen/cooks were cooking for everyone in a very small section in the front beside the bar, using a electric stove top to prepare the food they did. As a cook myself, i really find this impressive for the quality and quantity they are serving at. Of course, keep in mind the food from kitchen to table, but trust me it’s worth the wait!
Would definitely come back, but next time would love a seat by the kitchen/bar area to observe cooking processes.
Compliments to the chefs 👌
We had a great meal here! Pretty much everything we had here was good. Obviously some things spoke to my personal taste more than others but everything was good, drinks and service included! Particularly impressed with the carpaccio, the homemade candy bar, and the tacos. I was also very fond of the The Natch cocktail.
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