Elephant’s Eye Décor and Cafe
1727 Barrington St.
420-1225

Rating: *** 1/2
Dinner & drinks for two: $40
Signature Dessert: Gingerbread
Signature Drink: Coffee

What a lovely little café, warmly decorated including one corner with antiques for sale. Lunchtime is busy and we’re warmly greeted by the server.

We are brought a delicious slice of toasted olive bread, made on the premises.

My friend orders the Seafood Crepe ($12). Its texture is light as one would expect, well stuffed with seafood including tiny shrimp and scallops, and mussels on the side. It comes with soup or salad so she chooses the House Salad, a refreshing mix of lettuce, cucumber, tomato and feta.

I have the Smoked Salmon Melt ($11) on Panini. Oh so decadent, with roast vegetables underneath including delicious asparagus, cooked al dente. On the side is the Vegetarian Soup of the Day which on this day is Sweet Potato and Broccoli including carrot and green onion. It’s rich and tasty.

We can’t resist trying the Elephant’s famous Gingerbread ($6) with rum sauce and whipped cream — small, but yummy.

The Elephant is a favourite with the downtown lunch crowd and now I know why.

Dining out

GREAT PARTY PRICES
Jean’s Restaurant, 5972 Spring Garden Rd., offers lunch specials every day from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. and offers party prices with up to 35 per cent discounts for groups of 10 to 40 people. Call 444-7776 or visit: www.jeansrestaurant.ca.

DINING SLOWLY
Join slow food chefs Michael Howell and Peter Jackson, and the national leaders of Slow Food Canada, for a four-course dinner at Tempest Restaurant celebrating local food: Friday, April 30, 7:30 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. $75. Information: 902-542-0588 or mail@slowfoodns.ca.

In brief

BLUEBERRY SUCCESS
Nova Scotia’s own Van Dyk’s by Nature 100% Pure Wild Blueberry Juice has been judged as Best Beverage 2010 by the Canadian Liver Foundation in their 2010 LIVERights Awards. Visit www.vandykblueberries.ca.