A Dinner Party Every Day

A heavy mist is dripping off the leaves of vines that surround Trellis Cafe’s patio when we arrive early Saturday afternoon.  The chill from the air lifts as we enter the cafe and are greeted warmly by Wilma, the owner of the restaurant.  She leads us through the dining room to the back corner of the restaurant where we can sit and take in the assortment of art on the walls, the strands of white lights hanging from the ceiling and the steady flow of customers taking refuge from the weather.

Though this small building on the number three highway in Hubbards has been here since 1985, Wilma took over six years ago, leaving her job in the fashion industry to be able to live and work closer to home and family.  She always liked holding dinner parties and had a knack for business, so when the building came up for sale, she decided to open Trellis Cafe.  “It’s like having a dinner party every day,” she describes. “This place is like an extension of my living room.”

The way Wilma greets everyone at the door certainly makes it feel that way, and so does the food.

“Everything on the menu is homemade except the ketchup,” our server Heather lets us know as we peruse the menus.  Wilma and Emily, the cook, work hard to use locally-sourced food wherever possible, including Nova Scotia wines, meat and eggs, cheese and produce.  Wilma describes not only using Nova Scotia product, but trying to support “her local” – the farmers market around the corner, the herb garden behind the cafe and Emily’s parents’ garden, as well as the fishers who bring their catches into the nearby harbour.

As we chat, Heather brings us two plates of lobster ravioli – one of Trellis’ signature dishes – to sample.  I can barely focus on the conversation as I bite into the perfectly al dente pasta stuffed with big chunks of lobster and spinach and coated in a garlicky white sauce.  This stuff is incredible.

After a long time checking out the menu, I order the weekend special brunch – eggs benedict with crab and asparagus, potato salad and a green side salad with orange vinaigrette. My husband, Dylan, orders the fish cakes with side spinach salad.  To start, we decide to share a bowl of seafood chowder.

Our seafood chowder comes in a giant mug, steaming and chock full of haddock, scallops, shrimp and potatoes.  Alongside is a thick slab of Trellis’ famous home baked brown bread.  Dylan and I alternate holding the baby and digging into this heart-warming treat.

As a side note, if you love seafood chowder as much as we do, the Nova Scotia Chowder Trail will take you to over 35 restaurants across the province. All the chowders are different and depending on how many locations you visit, you have a chance to win some great “seafood-inspired” prizes.

Our lunches soon arrive and we are treated to more generous portions of down-home Nova Scotian fare. Egg yolk streams into heaps of crab and tender asparagus on my plate, and I’m careful to sneak bites of Dylan’s artfully seasoned fish cakes and green tomato chow when he’s busy redirecting our daughter Ada’s attention from the salt shaker, his spoon, the table, his salad…

Wilma returns and “borrows” Ada for a while as Dylan and I enjoy eating at the same time.  How refreshing!  She parades our daughter around the cafe, greeting other families who’ve come for lunch as well.  When she returns, I ask her a little bit about the homey atmosphere of the restaurant, and what the encroaching tourist season means for business.  She describes the place as a fixture in the community, displaying the work of local artists on the walls and hosting musical performances three nights a week.

As if on cue, the Saturday night musician arrives to begin setting up.  On Thursdays it’s kitchen party night, when locals and tourists alike sit around in a circle and play, and last night she hosted a local teenage singer songwriter’s solo debut.  With beaches and a campground nearby, summer means a huge increase in tourists and Nova Scotians out exploring the nooks and crannies of this beautiful province.  It is clear that Trellis Cafe is a special place for locals and travellers alike.

Though we’re getting pretty full, Wilma has described Trellis’ desserts as having some serious “wow factor,” so we decide to go for it.  I order the special – strawberry shortcake with fresh-picked Annapolis Valley strawberries, and Dylan orders the chocolate espresso peanut brittle pie.

Wow factor indeed!  My shortcake is of epic proportions and I make quick work of the sweet berries, flaky biscuit and whipped cream.  Dylan’s pie is totally to die for – slightly frosty chocolate pie with a gooey ganache centre, covered in whipped cream and dusted with crunchy pieces of peanut brittle.  As we finish our meal and Ada starts to yawn in preparation for the car ride back to Halifax, Wilma tells us of one customer’s description of Trellis’ appeal: “fresh flowers and screen doors – I know I’m in the right place.”

I couldn’t agree more, and I know that we will be back.