June updates! Julie Doiron, new menu times, brewing underway!

 Spring Update!

Well, folks - spring has finally sprung and with it has come all sorts of bright green things. We've already run through the fiddleheads, ramps (wild spring onions), and nettles, and are now getting fresh salad greens with all kinds of wild flavours from Seabright Gardens and MacLennans Glenn - including a blend of baby brassicas (like broccoli and cabbages), arugula, mesclun, and beautiful pale green pea shoots. Even a pile of beautiful tender young asparagus shoots! As you can tell, we're pretty happy to be able to start featuring fresh local produce again! Even the bar is getting shaken up by a home-made rhubarb syrup we're using to make our white wine spritzer and a delicious rhubarb gin fizz. 

We're also in the midst of a bit of a menu transition for the summer, so keep your eyes peeled for new items, and we'll announce the official change over in the coming weeks!

Haddock roasted in parchment with fresh herbs - a new menu item!

Seasonal Cocktail: Rhubarb gin fizz!

Another new menu item: Lobster salad with potato focaccia & garlic butter.

Beer Update

What you all really want to know, of course, is what the heck is happening with the beer. Well, Terry is hard at the test brewing. He's about to do his 6th batch, trying out different malt combinations, hops, and slight recipe variations, in search of the perfect brew... The first few batches have been promising, but there is still a little ways to go. The beer will be a pretty classic English Bitter, and we are cask-conditioning it which means putting the beer through a secondary fermentation to produce a natural and gentler carbonation instead of force-carbonating it with CO2. Also known as "Real Ale" in England, cask beer is usually served on an old-fashioned beer engine or hand-pump. We have a beautiful reconditioned Angram hand-pump we look forward to mounting at the end of the bar, and look forward to (literally) pulling the pints from the keg.  I know this may not mean a lot to everyone, but it's a big deal in the beer world, and getting to   hwe're aiming for sometime in July, but we'd rather have it coming out late and pretty darn close to what we consider perfect, rather than launch something sub-par.

Terry in his upstairs brewery...

EVENTS....

Thursday, June 13

Julie Doiron, Live at The Townhouse, 9pm

Juno award winning chanteuse Julie Doiron returns to Antigonish to beguile us with her unique sound and songwriting–at once humorous and heartbreaking, simple and childlike one minute, dark and raw the next. The present finds Julie with 20 years on the road under her belt and probably even more albums–from her start with Eric's Trip in the early 90s, Julie went on to record 13 solo albums, plus recordings with Shotgun & Jaybird, Gord Downie, Herman Dune, Mt. Eerie, and Dan Romano. So Many Days, her newest record is the third in a series produced by Eric's Trip's Rick White. Her live shows are wonderful–unpredictable, endearing, and usually hilarious. Show starts at 9pm, come early for the best seats!

Wednesday, June 19

How to open a local food grocery store, 

People's Place Library, 6:30pm

Although we're not hosting this event, we are helping to put it on, and wanted to let as many people know about it as possible!

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Levi Lawrence of Real Food Connections, a local/organic grocery store in Fredericton, will be giving a talk to anyone interested in the possibility of opening a local food store downtown Antigonish. Jointly hosted by VOICES, the newly formed Antigonish Local Food Store Committee, and Sustainable Antigonish. Lawrence is a lively and engaging speaker, really motivating, and very successful young entrepreneur. Starting out with only a minivan and website, his business has grown to sourcing from 147 Southern New Brunswick producers, with all food groups covered, and in addition to internet ordering, and CSA/delivery, he now runs a full size local foods grocery store.

Anniversary Party - TBA, Early July, 2013!!!

Hard to believe it, but we are fast approaching year 2 of existence. Obviously, this calls for a serious party. Stay tuned!!! It's gonna be a great time...

Terry and I got away on the weekend and paid a visit to our local winery!

So, yes, thanks again for all your support in this the Townhouse's infancy, and here's to the inarguable end of winter!

This week at The Townhouse

BOOK LAUNCH 
& READING
Tuesday, April 16th, 7pm
THE TAILINGS OF WARREN PEACE by Stephen Law



Join author Stephen Law as he launches his social justice thriller, Tailings of Warren Peace. A corrupt mining company, repossessed gravestones, a man’s fractured past, mysterious notes posted to lampposts and murder deep in the highlands of Guatemala. In Tailings of Warren Peace, Stephen Law effortlessly weaves these elements into a powerful story of love and memory, exploring how the past haunts us and how solidarity can save us all. Mysterious, passionate and powerful, Tailings of Warren Peace shows us the interconnections that exist between us, transcending social class, culture and geography. 







AL TUCK
Thursday, April 18th, 9pm
Tickets at the door.

The Townhouse is very happy to announce our next live musical performance: Al Tuck, PEI native, and long time fixture of the Halifax music scene, he is one of Rose & Terry's all-time favourite singer/songwriters (and if you know Terry and his general feelings on the subject of the singer/songwriter you'll know that's saying a lot). Here's an excerpt from his bio:

So – who exactly is he? Well, he’s not exactly a folk singer (Al is too funny to be a folk singer), and he’s nobody’s indie darling (he’s too steeped in roots to be an indie rocker). Country, blues, r&b, rock, dub and maybe even a little vaudeville are all on his map, but he doesn’t really live inside of them. He is, as anyone who has ever met the man will tell you, his own one-of-a-kind creature from first to last. His consummate musical grace and dreamy drawling vocals belie one of the sharpest and most deliberate songwriting minds in music today. He is as perversely funny as the best of Randy Newman, as warm and inviting as Mississippi John Hurt, and as quick with a turn of phrase as Cole Porter. He is one of that rare breed who is tuned to observe life’s details, sympathetic to our devils as well as our angels, and never failing to find the punchline on either side of the line. And like a fine wine or an old song, he seems to only get better with the years.

His music might be difficult to define, but it is definitely not to be missed! If you don't want to take our word for it, how about the word from some of the biggest names in contemporary Canadian music? His fans include Old Man Leudecke, Joel Plaskett, Jason Collett, Sloan, and a gal named Feist. 

“I feel like we have our own living legend. And he’s alive, he’s out on tour… everyone in their right mind should just go sit and listen... We’re lucky he’s got the words and he’s sharing them.” - Feist


St. Patrick's Day Celebrations

While we have never claimed to be an Irish pub, the green exterior, our Irish chef, and some of the traditional dishes on our menu (e.g. Fisherman's Pie), my last name (Murphy), and the Sunday evening Irish trad music sessions have apparently given many that impression. 

Well, we're going to go with it this weekend, and we're preparing to enjoy our first St. Patrick's Day tomorrow. Our glasses are poised for toasting, and the old songs will be sung! It will be grand old time, and what's more - and this is our promise to you - you will find no green beer, Leprechaun hats, or large shiny shamrocks here!

That is not to say that we don't have some very special treats in store. Due to the fabled Irish luck, tomorrow is a Sunday which means it's Irish music night! It will be an extra special session tomorrow, with a few guest appearances... if you haven't checked it out yet, you should, and see why Sunday night is our favourite night of the week at The Townhouse.

Here's a little taste of what to expect:

We're offering some Irish inspired specials, as noted below, and, as per usual, we'll be serving traditional pub fare found on the Emerald Isle like our Fisherman's Pie, Banger's & Mash, and Steak & Ale Pie.

St. Patrick's Day menu:
Black Pudding pastries to start
Lamb Burgers with bacon and mint yogourt sauce
Apple crumble and vanilla ice cream

While we do have cans of Ireland's biggest export in the fridge, tomorrow we'll be featuring the Granite Brewery's delicious Keefe's Irish Stout. We'll also have plenty of Irish whiskey on hand, and have we mentioned that we do a terrific and authentic Irish coffee?

So come join us and raise a glass to your favourite Irish men and women, songs, traditions, and food! We'll be toasting some special friends and family, and if the Irish luck holds out, a St. Patrick's day baby for Susie (host of our sessions) and Will (Dubliner, and chef extraordinaire!)!

MARCH / APRIL Upcoming Events

Well the winter is starting to wear on us all, but spring is just around the corner... In the meantime, we have lots on to keep you busy! Grab a pen (or I suppose your phone) and mark your calendars.

HAPPY HOUR 
Every Tuesday, Wednesday, & Thursday 4pm - 6pm

Full pints of the Maritimes best craft beers on for the price of a small!



SESSION NIGHT 
Every Sunday night, 6:30ish

Every Sunday night, The Townhouse and Susie Murphy host an Irish traditional music session - it starts around 6:30 and goes until close. More like a kitchen party than a formal concert, the sessions are seriously good craic, as they say – lively, casual, unpredictable, and open to anyone who plays trad music. And for those of us who don't play, it creates the best pub atmosphere imaginable. Come in for dinner or dessert, or just a enjoy a quiet pint and take in the tunes. There is no cover charge, the kitchen is open until 9pm on Sundays, and last call is around 9:30.

QUIZ NIGHT 
Wednesday, March 6th and 13th
Our first quiz night, hosted by Katie Edwards, was a roaring success. We had a great turn-out and some stiff competition, but ultimately Team Panda prevailed. Sharpen your pencils, gather your team of 4 and come by at 8:30 for another few rounds of serious brain bending and beer...



GAMES NIGHT
Every Other Wednesday
We have on offer crokinole, darts, backgammon, blokus, rummikub, dominoes, and you're welcome to bring your own board games! Players get one large beer for the price of a small!


MORGAN DAVIS
Saturday, March 30th 
Blues night! Juno and Maple Blues award winning musician Morgan Davis's great guitar sound, clever songwriting, and wicked sense of humour sold out The Townhouse when he was here last in September, and we're looking forward to having him back!



BOOK LAUNCH
Tuesday, April 16th
THE TAILINGS OF WARREN PEACE by Stephen Law
A corrupt mining company, repossessed gravestones, a man’s fractured past, mysterious notes posted to lampposts and murder deep in the highlands of Guatemala. In Tailings of Warren Peace, Stephen Law effortlessly weaves these elements into a powerful story of love and memory, exploring how the past haunts us and how solidarity can save us all. Mysterious, passionate and powerful, Tailings of Warren Peace shows us the interconnections that exist between us, transcending social class, culture and geography. Facebook event site here.


AL TUCK
Thursday, April 18th

One of Rose & Terry's all-time favourite singer/songwriters (and if you know Terry and his general feelings on the subject of the singer/songwriter you'll know that's saying a lot), the inimitable Al Tuck is coming to town! And if you don't want to take our word for how great he is, maybe you'll take hers..

“I feel like we have our own living legend. And he’s alive, he’s out on tour… everyone in their right mind should just go sit and listen. He weaves slow stories from the infinite wide range of things that usually stick in the rest of our throats. We’re lucky he’s got the words and he’s sharing them.” - Feist


Stay tuned for more info and updates, and send us an e-mail if you'd like to be added to our mailing list...

February's visiting Blues artist, Doc MacLean,
and the winner of one righteous blues tour jacket, Mr. Pat Curry.

Winter Menu and Beer List

Maritime Craft Beers

12 oz  $5 ,  20oz  $7.50

Granite Peculiar (Halifax)

Our best-seller! This award winning Peculiar is a dark Yorkshire Style Ale, a full bodied brew with a sweet but slightly dry palate.

Granite Keefe’s Irish Stout (Halifax)

This is a true Irish Stout; black and bitter with a buried hint of sweetness. It pours with a thick creamy head that is said to support currency.

Propeller Pilsener (Halifax)

This Pilsener is a refreshing brew in classic Bohemian lager style. It displays a distinctive Continental hop aroma, a light malt sweetness and a refreshing bitter finish.

Propeller London Style Porter (Halifax)

A dark, full-flavoured beer from the 1750s. Smoother and less bitter than stout, this multiple award winner is a blend of pale, roasted and chocolate malts, British and North American hops.

Garrison Tallships Amber Ale  (Halifax)

This refreshing premium ale is golden-amber with light maltiness, crisp hop aroma, and smooth, clean finish.

Garrison Hopyard (Halifax)

A deep golden, medium bodied & nicely bitter West Coast pale ale. Generous hopping in the boil & further dry-hopping produce a fruity/floral aroma & refreshingly bitter finish.

Pumphouse IPA (Moncton, NB)

A powerful west coast style IPA, it’s hoppy, fruity and citrusy with a fantastic caramel malt backbone and medium body. Fantastic with spicy foods or tangy salads. (7%)

Pumphouse Special Old Bitter (Moncton, NB)

A honey-coloured unfiltered West Coast style session beer. The fresh aromatic hop bouquet and malty undertones are in excellent balance, and finish with a pleasant lingering bitterness.

We hope to have our own beer on tap very soon!

The TownHouse Kitchen

At The Townhouse we believe good food is simple – it should be fresh, made from scratch, and as local as possible. We make our own paté, pickles, chutneys and salsas, bake our own desserts and breads, and feature local produce whenever it’s in season. Anything we don’t make ourselves, we source from excellent local suppliers. We serve local organic cheese from Knoydart Farms, The Pork Shop’s gluten-free sausages, Antigonish & Guysborough Co. beef, and Atlantic haddock, cod, mussels, scallops and shrimp.

Portugese Salt Cod Fritters

Snacking

Spanish Tortilla

A tapas classic! a hearty wedge of warm potato & onion omelette (GF)   4

Portugese Salt Cod Fritters

Salt cod and potato cakes served with zippy lemon-cucumber relish (GF)    10

Ploughman’s Lunch

Rustic pork paté, apple chutney, pickled red onion & radish, Knoydart cheese, dilly beans (GF), soda bread   12

Townhouse Tapas

Spanish tortilla, artichoke & olive tapenade, Double Gloucester cheese, greens (GF), baguette     12

Mexican Pizza

Chorizo sausage, black-bean spread & old cheddar on whole wheat tortilla with fresh salsa, cilantro & greens   12

East Coast Mussels

Steamed in ale with garlic, bacon & parsley, served with home-made bread    13

Ploughman's Lunch

Sandwiches

On organic foccacia bread with Covered Bridge chips.

Gluten free? Try any of our sandwiches as a baked potato!

For cup of soup or side salad add  4, cup of chowder 6

Italian Tuna & White Bean

marinated with lemon, garlic & parsley, artichoke & olive tapenade & greens         9

Rosemary Ham & Gruyere

Rosemary baked ham, grape chutney, Gruyere cheese, Dijon aioli & greens   9

Moroccan Carrot & Goat’s Cheese

sweet & spicy marinated carrots, creamy goat’s cheese, tapenade & greens   8

Soup & Chowder

Soup of the day     cup  6,  bowl  8

Always made from scratch, usually vegetarian, gluten & dairy free (ask your server for details)

Red Chowder        cup  8,  bowl  10

Our iconoclastic tomato & tarragon chowder, with smoked cod, fresh haddock, scallops, & shrimp and topped with whipped cream & arugula oil  

Gourmet Baked Potatoes

Choose any 3 toppings!   9, extra toppings, add  1

Black olive tapenade, chutney, black-bean spread, salsa, onion gravy, sour cream, sharp cheddar, blue cheese, goat cheese, feta, smoked bacon, chorizo sausage, smoked bratwurst, Italian tuna 

­­

Hearty, Main Dish Salads

Roasted Pumpkin

Caramelized onions, feta cheese, marinated lentils, smoked bacon, arugula, balsamic vinaigrette (GF)  15

Townhouse Waldorf

Seared chicken breast, apples, walnuts, blue cheese, endive & mixed greens, pomegranate & dijon vinaigrette (GF) 15

Albacore Tuna Tataki

Seared tuna, vermicelli rice noodles, citrus and sesame slaw with red cabbage, bell peppers, cilantro (GF)   17  

Townhouse Specials

Served with side house salad or pickled veggies.

Green Chile Mac & Cheese

Rich, creamy & cheesy penne pasta with crunchy crust and a nice little bite! Also available without the chilies 13

Bangers & Mash

Classic pub fare! Smoked bratwurst sausages, mashed potatoes & sauerkraut (GF) or onion gravy 14

Fisherman’s Pie

A Kinsale classic! hearty casserole of smoked cod, fresh haddock & scallops in tarragon cream sauce, toasted herbed crust & spring onion mashed potatoes 17

Steak & Ale Pie

Locally raised beef, veggies & mushrooms in a rich and savoury gravy with Keefe’s Irish Stout, puff pastry crust 15

                                   

Daily Curry Special – ask your server for details!

Desserts    

Polish Cheesecake

A Syperek family tradition, warm vanilla cheesecake in light pastry crust            6

Double Ginger & Stout Cake

With candied ginger & whiskey whipped cream         6

Chocolate Almond Torte

Intensely rich and chocolatey, with whipped cream (GF)         6

Dessert Sampler – try a taste of each above!    6

Lemon Tart

Seriously lemony, with blueberry & star anise compote    6

Christmas hours/Irish Sessions!

Hi, folks! We just wanted to let you all know about the best night of the week at The Townhouse. It's Sunday or "session night." My very talented sister, Susie, hosts an Irish traditional music session every week from 6:30 to close. She has been playing for 12 years or so, and spent several of those years playing several nights a week at sessions in and around Cork, Ireland. If you haven't experienced a proper session before, it's high time you did. They are wonderful. Relaxed, informal, unrehearsed, fun, and especially these days, very festive. The music is lively and lilting, mostly instrumental, but punctuated by the occasional song. Flutes, fiddles, whistles, banjos, guitars, accordions, bhodran, and small pipes are unpacked from their cases and played by a rotating cast of devotees who come out and join in for the sheer pleasure of it. Some are self taught and still learning, some are seasoned professionals. Their numbers range from 3-4 players some nights to outnumbering the audience on other nights. The music is always fantastic and infectious. We have players traveling from Cape Breton and Pictou Co., and several you'll recognize from right here in Antigonish. If you're into the tunes you can sit close by and catch all the nuances, if you're getting together with friends and family, nothing makes for a more pleasant atmosphere. 

The music starts around 6:30ish (these things are, after all, very casual) and continues until closing. We do last call at 9:30ish (again, it depends how much fun we're all having!).  The kitchen is open from 5pm until 9pm, and we suggest coming infor dinner a bit early to score yourself a table as the session is catching on, and the place fills up rather quickly most nights.

Anyway, we have 2 more sessions in December - the 23rd and the 30th, and we'll be resuming them after a brief break on Jan 13th. Check out our decorating efforts - nothing gets us in the X-mas At-mos like edible decorations, real fir and pine, and twinkling lights... Thanks To Susie and my mum for all their help!

Home-grown garlic bulbs and gingersnaps hanging from the boughs.

And just so you know, here are our Holiday hours:

Last day before Christmas: Sunday, Dec. 23 (SESSION!)

CLOSED Dec. 24-27

OPEN Dec. 28-30 (regular hours) (Dec. 30 = SESSION!)
We didn't want to miss out on all the Christmas cheer! Come in for tasty craft beers, or a seasonal sipper like a Hot Scotch Toddy, a proper Irish Coffee, Rum'n'nog, or a new fave of ours the Hot Port!

CLOSED Dec. 31-Jan. 7

REOPENING Jan. 8

Merry Christmas to all! We hope to see some long missed and much loved faces through the Townhouse between Christmas and New Year's - make sure yours is among them!

Cheers,

Rose, Terry, and the whole Townhouse crew!

Pete, Jordan, Noella, and Terry wishing you all a very merry, and peppery, Christmas!

NEW HOURS!

NOW OPEN TUESDAYS! 

KITCHEN HOURS 
TUES-THUR: 5PM-9PM
FRI-SAT: 5PM-10PM
SUN: 5PM-9PM
EVERYDAY OPENING: 4PM
LAST CALL IS AT 11:30 EACH DAY, 
EXCEPT SUNDAYS WHEN IT'S 9:30.

The cold snap is upon us here in Antigonish. We want to know, what's your favourite cold weather libation?