Halifax`s Bear Restaurant

Chef Ray Bear's New Halifax Hot Spot

Mar 16, 2009 Mary Luz Mejia

Chef Bear's cooking in his own restaurant now- bringing global flavours to Haligonians who still want a flash of east coast inspiration in their meals.

Most would agree that there are few chefs that have done more to put the east coast and Halifax on the culinary map than Chef Ray Bear. A tireless proponent of his take of east coast cuisine, Bear helmed a few top notch Halifax kitchens (including the much lauded Gio) before taking the plunge and opening his own restaurant, Bear, recently.

With a nod to the great Canadian outdoors, Chef Bear’s unpretentious, warm restaurant serves global style cuisine with his own inimitable signature style. And you get to watch Bear and his team work the stoves as the kitchen is entirely open- kitchen theatre where every diner gets front row.

Starters with a Side of Asian and Latin American Inspiration

For starters, the table ordered his whimsical and delicious “Lobster Envy”- a lobster sushi roll with asparagus, chives, sweet soy and wakame, topped off with some torched Hollandaise sauce; addictive little morsels. The “Warm Sushi” plate was up next- this one was called, Hot Smoked Salmon. These bite-sized gems saw smoked salmon get the treatment with spicy mayo, jalapeño jack and mojo, egg pancake, sweet soy and frizzy onions. And whoosh- they were gone.

The best appetizer hands down however, was the Scallop Ceviche. Ceviche is a Latin American favourite where only the freshest seafood gets “cooked” or cured in citrus juice. Food Trends learned that Chef Bear is a fan of one of America’s ceviche kings himself, Miami’s father of Nuevo Latino cooking, Chef Douglas Rodgriguez- hence this particular inspiration. Bear’s ceviche featured fresh, local scallops, lime juice, cilantro, coconut flecks, fresh blueberries with cucumber rounds and rice crisps. Sounds impossible, but it was harmonious in every bite!

The Main Event and the Best Mistake Possible

Two of us went with the sable fish with black forbidden rice, bok choy and edamame, while one lone diner went turf which while wonderful, didn’t compare to our surf mains! The evening was topped off with Chef Bear’s most delectable “mistake”- Burnt Honey Ice Cream with a berry cobbler.

That ice cream was pure magic- and it all started with Bear “burning a whole bunch of honey and then I had to decide what to do with it all- so I thought, why not try it in ice cream?!” said the creative chef. You get the sweet undertones of honey to be sure, but with an edge of caramel that means business and a smokey seductiveness that whispers like a handsome stranger. It was That good! It should be packaged and sold – it would sell out!

Bear also boasts a private dining room for special events, VIPs and business gatherings where talk turns to more corporate matters. You’ll also find his line of gourmet sauces and treats at Halifax’s “Pete’s Frootique” (and in fine stores all over Canada and parts of the US). This is one east coast chef on a mission to offer Canada and the world flavours from the east with the Bear studied panache. Maybe one day, an ice cream line is in his future? One can only hope!

Bear Restaurant

1241 Berrington St.

Halifax, NS B3J 1Y2

902. 441.4233

The copyright of the article Halifax`s Bear Restaurant in Food Trends is owned by Mary Luz Mejia. Permission to republish Halifax`s Bear Restaurant in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.