"Every leaf speaks bliss to me, Fluttering from the autumn tree."
-Emily Bronte
OCTOBER is a good month - especially when it kicks off like this one has.
The days start soft and cool, but by afternoon there's a bracing crunch in the air, the sun dazzles; it feels like a crime to stay indoors.
Now is the time to go exploring. The mountain trails are still dry for hiking and biking, and our seaside villages are no longer surging with summer crowds. In fact, business and restaurant owners in neighbourhoods that rely on seasonal customers are happier than ever to welcome locals as the weather cools off.
Which is why now is a great time to dine in Horseshoe Bay. My pal T2 has been talking it up since she moved to the 'hood over the summer, and she's found some favourite spots for eating and drinking on the streets that line up along the waterfront.
Tops on her list is Olive & Anchor (6418 Bay St.). Owners Rick and Lisa Kim took over the old Ya's Ya's Oyster Bar in 2009, and last year they renovated, rebranded, and reopened. Since then, the restaurant has been making a name for itself with an ocean-wise menu stacked with crowd-pleasers like smoked salmon flatbread, the teriyaki brown rice bowl, certified angus beef burgers, and of course, oysters, served raw on the half-shell or roasted. The wine list is terrific, with picks by the glass or bottle, plus there's a decent selection of local and imported beers. During recent visits, the place has been jampacked; with autumn perhaps the crowds will abate some.
It's hard to believe that one small community can serve so many orders of fish & chips, but the deep-fried standard is a Horseshoe Bay must. Olive & Anchor serves it, as does Bay Moorings at the east end of Bay Street, and Troll's (in the middle) is famous for theirs.
T2 has been getting hers from C-Lovers (6640 Royal Ave.).
"The halibut burger, which is a steal at $6.49, is a treasure," she told me when I asked about her favourites. She puts her money where her mouth is: when I dropped by to try it, I caught her just as she was leaving dinner there.
She was right about the burger. The soft white bun is left open, heaped with tart coleslaw, then bedecked by a golden filet of deep-fried halibut. I broke the fish in half and stacked my burger. It's good all right: a contrast of squishy bun, crisp fish and vinegary coleslaw. The six-piece cod and chips I took home - wrapped in layers of paper and newspaper to soak up the grease - were equally well-received. The batter is light and crisp, the fish moist, the fries well cooked and dense.
Another regular stop for T2 and her family is Horseshoe Bay Chinese Restaurant (6612 Royal Ave.), for bubble tea; sweet flavoured tea anchored by chewy tapioca balls.
If you're in the bay you can't miss Flour Bakeshop (6363 Bruce St.). I was sorry to see this jewel box of a bakery leave more easily accessed Ambleside a few years back, but it's worth the extra kilometres for their pumpkin muffins, apricot ginger scones, pear and almond tart, pecan ganache bar, lemon coconut bar . . . shall I go on, or are you convinced? Baker Christine Morse - along with her business partner, mom Debby - specialize in custom cakes, but their "quartets," foursomes of sweet treats released for special occasions, should not be missed.
There's more, but I'm out of room here. The weather forecast for this holiday weekend is spectacular, why not get out and do a little North Shore exploring of your own?
