Local Food, Brews & Views at The Port Pub
Imagine a place where you can savour carefully prepared local food and sip on-site crafted beer, while taking in a view of one of the sites competing to be one of the new 7 wonders of the world. You can do all of these things simultaneously at The Port Pub in Port Williams, Nova Scotia. Opened in 2007, The Port Pub prides itself on minimizing “food kilometers”, making every effort to use local ingredients and to serve as a pillar of the community.
Driving across the dykes from Greenwich, The Port Pub comes immediately into view as you cross the Port Williams bridge… a red beacon of local-deliciousness nestled against the Cornwallis River. I’d been there before –after a long day of cycling in the Valley, there is no better place to refuel and re-hydrate (or dehydrate – as the Sea Level Brewing Co. beers are irresistible after a day of pounding the pedals).
Housed on-site, the Sea Level Brewing Co. is an independent microbrewery producing craft beer. Brewmaster Randy Lawerence has carefully crafted something for just about everyone: Planters Pale Ale, Blue Heron Extra Special Bitter, Rojo Mojo Red Ale, and Port in the Storm Porter.
This time around, I opted for a Rojo Mojo Red. A medium-bodied beer with a balanced hoppy flavour, the Rojo Mojo was a great start to my lunch, the perfect compliment to a view of the rising tide of the Cornwallis River from a great window seat (make sure to secure a window seat for the optimum Port Pub experience). As well as beer, The Port also offers a unique drink menu, including the all-Canadian bacon-infused Caesar. As patio season approaches, I’ll look forward to sampling one of these while watching the tide of the Cornwallis River rise…
As you may know, I’m a real sucker for lamb (see my Blomidon Inn post). Kelly, my girlfriend and senior blog advisor, recommended I order the Pulled Pork Pile Up. While this certainly looked delicious, I did not have the shear determination to stray from lamb (yes, that was a yet another bad pun… if you are lactose intolerant, the level of cheesiness of my posts may lead to an upset stomach). Seeing the Local Lamb Burger on Chef Peter Welton’s menu, complete with sweet potato fries, I grinned sheepishly and went ahead with my order.
The burger was delicious. Topped with tzatziki, Monterey Jack and sprouts, there was nothing “Baaaa”d to say about it. Served on a fresh sesame seed bun and set aside a healthy portion of crisp sweet potato fries, the burger was tender and not overwhelmingly gamey, making it accessible to anyone looking to start a life long love affair with lamb.
If you are looking for a great spot to enjoy drinks and fine local food this summer, make a point to head to Port Williams to check out The Port Pub.