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 

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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?

What's on tap at The Townhouse?

The current line-up:

Propeller Pumpkin Ale (Halifax)

A fall classic, created in fall of 2004 at the request of the Town of Windsor's  Pumpkin Festival. Brewed using Howard Dill's® world famous Atlantic Giant Pumpkins® and a special blend of spices - It’s the next best thing to pumpkin pie. Get it while it lasts!

Propeller IPA (Halifax)

Not for the faint of heart. True India Pale Ales had to withstand long sea voyages before quenching the thirst of cranky British troops stationed in India. Our IPA is true to this style, it’s bracing, bitter and higher in alcohol (6.5%alc./vol) and made with the trademark Propeller quality. It’s full-bodied ale for full throttle beer lovers! Gold World Beer Championships (Chicago) 2006, 2007 and 2008.

Granite Peculiar (Halifax)

Peculiar is a dark Yorkshire Style Ale, a full bodied brew with a sweet but slightly dry palate. Winner: The People's Choice Award at the Toronto Beer Festival, and an "exceptional" rating from the Chicago Beverage Tasting Institute.  Peculiar is also featured in Michael Jackson's Great Beer Guide.

Granite Keefe’s Irish Stout (Halifax)

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

Garrison Red Ale  (Halifax)

This classic beer style was inspired by centuries of Celtic brewing history. Specialty kilned malts such as dark caramel and munich dominate the Irish Red resulting in a ruby red colour and smooth malty taste.

Garrison Hopyard (Halifax)

Deep golden, medium bodied & nicely bitter, Hopyard Pale is exceptional in the West Coast style. Generous hopping in the boil & further dry-hopping produce a fruity/floral aroma & refreshingly bitter finish. A true thirst-quencher!

Pumphouse Premium Lager (Moncton, NB)

A tribute to the Reinheitsgebot (beer purity law) of 1516, brewed using just barley, hops, yeast and water. Cold aged and matured for more than six weeks, there are no adjuncts, or artificial carbonation - resulting in a 100% natural lager.

Pumphouse Special Old Bitter (Moncton, NB)

A deep honey-coloured unfiltered west coast style session beer with the classic fresh aromatic hop bouquet mingling with malty undertones for excellent balance finishing with a pleasant lingering bitterness. A great thirst quencher or the perfect buffer with spicy foods!

Fall Update: Townhouse open and back to regular hours

Hi again everyone,

Last night was our first night back from our brief hiatus. It's so good to get the doors open and see some of our regulars again, so we thought we'd give you all a brief update. We got an awful lot done upstairs on the brewery reno over the last week and a half–new sound-proof walls, painting, floors prepped for new industrial tiles, and a start on demo-ing the existing kitchen and bath–but there is still a ways to go with the renos before the brewing operation is a go. There is a fair bit of additional fire-proofing to be done, and as we've learned over the past few years, no matter how carefully you plan and prepare, there will always be unforeseen obstacles and roadblocks that pop-up along the way. So we're aiming to have our own stuff on tap for the New Year. I know it's a long wait, but we just ordered some of Propellor's great Pumpkin Ale which should come on line in a week or two and help everyone finally embrace the glorious autumn season. 

In culinary news, our friend Wes dropped by last night with half of a massive pig which he raised for us in Beaver Meadow and butchered at Ferguson's in Pictou County. We're planning to use it in a  home-made paté (or French Canadian style cretons?) for the Ploughman's Lunch, so look for that addition to the menu in the coming months. The pork belly was delivered directly to The Pork Shop where they will brine and smoke it and magically turn it into delicious bacon - so don't let those warnings of global bacon shortages cause too much panic. Wes and The Townhouse have you covered. And we're still planning to add Tuesdays to our opening hours, probably sometime mid-October - but, of course, we'll let you know!  

Pressing apples for cider at my folks' place a few years ago.

In the meantime, hope you are all enjoying the fall, our favourite time of year, and that we'll see you soon for a cozy pint or two or a nice crisp NS cider...

Rose & Terry

Morgan Davis Live at The Townhouse, 09/08/2012

The Townhouse is pleased to announce our second musical event, Juno and Maple Blues award winning bluesman Morgan Davis, Saturday, September 8th. 

We'll be closing the kitchen early (last orders at 9:15) and the show will get underway at 10pm.

 Here's some background on Davis from his website:

For nearly four decades Morgan Davis has been on the road travelling across Canada, the United States and Europe. His performances draw from a rich tradition of country blues, as well as his own contemporary songs infused with wit and a large dose of humour.

Originally from Detroit, Davis grew up listening to a prolific mix of rhythm and blues. The music of Jimmy Reed, Ike and Tina Turner,Chuck Berry and Fats Domino was in the air. He later moved to California with his family, and then in 1968 left for Canada.

While living in Rochdale College, Toronto's mecca for the subculture of the late 1960's, he immersed himself in the study of Delta Blues, especially the music of Robert Johnson. Toronto's music scene in the early 1970's was the perfect place for Davis to cut his teeth as a journeyman, having the opportunity to see and play with many legendary performers. Bukka White, Johnny Shines, Sunnyland Slim,Snooky Pryor, Hubert Sumlin, and John Hammond were encouraging supporters.

Davis hit the road with the Rhythm Rockets, The Knights of The Mystic Sea, and David Wilcox's first band, eventually forming his own trio.

Over the years he has had the priviledge of opening for Willie Dixon, John Lee Hooker, Albert King, John Hammond, Albert Collins, and Eric Bibb. A highlight of his career was backing the phenomenal Dr.John. Morgan has shared the stage with Colin Linden, who also produced his second album, shared the stage with James Cotton, Huber Sumlin, Sunnyland Slim, Snooky Prior, James Harmon, Gene Taylor, Dutch Mason, Gene Taylor, Sue Foley, Ray Bonneville, Carlos DelJunco and many other great blues artist over the years.

Davis' songwriting talent received international recognition whenColin James covered his searing ballad "Why'd You Lie".
Morgan's recording "Blues Medicine", on Electro-Fi records, garnered critical acclaim as well as awards for songwriting and production. His multi- award winning release "Painkiller" won an impressive four awards at the 2004 Maple Blues Awards and not long after took home Canada's top music prize...the Juno for Blues Album of the Year.

Davis has established a rich career as a solo artist, and also performs with stellar lineups of musicians as a trio or full band.

Morgan's passion for the Blues has never wavered... and he fully expects to be on the road for the rest of his life.