The Daily Catch
Where? The Daily Catch (Saint Lunaire-Griquet, Newfoundland, Canada) Map
When? Thursday June 27, 2024
Who? John, Sunshine and David
Food Style? Seafood
Our time in Newfoundland is coming to a close. It’s pouring with rain and quite cold now, but we’ve been lucky with the weather so far. Our final meal is a local restaurant down the road with a very appetising name - the Daily Catch. I’m super down for some fresh seafood on our last night here.
Appetiser
Crab cakes: Atlantic snow crab blended with sauteed peppers, served with dill sauce
Not gonna lie, I think two is a bit of a small portion. They’re okay, soft but not a strong crab flavour. I kinda feel like they should be more crispy on the outside. It does make me a bit nervous about my mains though.
Mains
Halibut: Grilled with basil butter
The fish is so delicious and meaty, but perhaps a tad overcooked. It’s really good though, my fears over the size and quality have been dispelled. The rice is nice and flavourful, but the salad is pretty standard fare. It doesn’t particularly go with anything else but it’s fresh at least.
Dessert
Berry crumble with ice cream: made with local organic partridgeberry
Since I had bread pudding last night, I’m going for the berry crumble today. Partridgeberry is making another appearance, so I’m keen to have some before I never see it again (until I return to Newfoundland). It’s lovely and tart, the real berry taste coming through nicely. Actually I’m really impressed by the ice cream, it’s soft and creamy, and pairs well with the crumble. A delicious way to end our time here.
Posted by Jeremy at 2:45pm on Thursday October 23, 2025 :: 0 comments :: 
The Norseman
Where? The Norseman (L'Anse aux Meadows, Newfoundland, Canada) Map Menu
When? Wednesday June 26, 2024
Who? John, Sunshine and David
Food Style? Newfoundland
In the historic site l’Anse aux Meadows, the Vikings made their first landing in North America. This area is beautiful, though bitterly cold and windy today. In the distance, we can see the province of Labrador on the mainland, and an iceberg drifting in the ocean. Newfoundland is proving to be an expensive place for good food, most of the stuff we find here is deep fried seafood and we're not really in the mood to have that every day, so instead, we're going to try the award-winning restaurant close by, The Norseman.
Drink
Vinland Martini: Bakeapple liqueur, iceberg ice, iceberg vodka, partridgeberries, cranberry juice
The first thing we notice is the cocktail special on one of the placards. Sunshine loves her alcohol but won’t drink if she’s the only one, so I relent and we order two Vinland Martinis. She beams at the prospect of a nice drink after the waitress takes our order. The name Vinland was given to the area by Icelandic explorer Leif Erikson, around 1000AD, and refers to the area in North America beyond Greenland that was travelled to and inhabited by the Vikings. In addition to the appropriate name, the use of local partridgeberries and the iceberg ice makes this a very thematically apt cocktail. Sunshine wants to taste the iceberg ice but she drops it and a splash of the cocktail falls on the pristine white tablecloth. I wince and cover my eyes instinctively.
Mains
Duck confit: rutabaga gratin, partridgeberry reduction
Despite the temptation to get lobster for a second day in a row, I’ve gone with the duck. Partridgeberry is a small red berry commonly found in Newfoundland, and in fact I’ve encountered this before in Sweden, where it is known as the lingonberry. I've seen it growing in bushes around the island, especially in Gros Mourne National Park. It is very tart and has many different culinary uses - I’ve seen it in ice cream, in cakes and pastries, and here in this restaurant, it’s a sauce and a drink. As the duck is served, I immediately notice its aroma. Wow. It smells amazing and the meat pulls away so easily. It’s got that delicious fatty skin and the tartness of the reduction helps cut through that richness perfectly. I want more of it. The sweet rutabaga stack is really nice and the vegetables add that freshness and crunch to the meal. It is a bit small though, I’m going to need dessert, but that was delicious.
Dessert
Figgy Duff: blueberry, screech, bread pudding, screeh butter sauce
That’s fantastic. That sauce really has some richness and depth to it beyond the sweetness. The bread pudding is so soft and moist. Screech is a kind of liquor normally accompanied by kissing a cod - locals call this being “screeched in”. I’m still hungry after all of this, I think I’ll be eating fruits back at the Airbnb.
That was a good, solid meal with great local elements, but maybe a little small on the portion sizes.
Posted by Jeremy at 3:51am on Thursday October 23, 2025 :: 0 comments ::
Java Jack’s
Where? Java Jack's (Rocky Harbour, Newfoundland, Canada) Map Menu
When? Monday June 24, 2024
Who? Sunshine and David
Food Style? Canadian
We're on holiday in Rocky Harbour, in Gros Mourne National Park on the island of Newfoundland for a week, exploing the best natural scenery and Viking history that the west side has to offer. We haven't really made food a priority on this trip, but since the group has split up for meals due to various budgets and dietary restrictions, Sunshine, David and I have decided to head out together for something nice. The local motel’s restaurant is fully booked out with a 45 minute wait, so the three of us wandered down the road to Java Jack’s, a bright yellow coloured house with an art gallery.
Mains
Cod: Pan seared 6oz fillet, tomato confit, garlic mashed potatoes, seasonal fresh vegetables and lemon dill butter
I love the different colours on the plate, they're vibrant and lively like the paint job on the outside of the building. That tomato relish is excellent and perfectly acidic. I love the herb butter that’s soaked into the fish. The fish itself is nicely cooked, it's soft and flakey. The vegetables need a bit of seasoning, or maybe a dash of olive oil, but they’re still pleasant to eat. I’m so hungry that I just dive straight into my meal while David goes off to wash his hands. By the time he’s back, I’m about 90% the way through. It’s not that this was a small portion, I was just super speedy. But, there's always room for dessert.
Dessert
Sticky toffee pudding
Despite there being pavlova on the menu, even in the absence of an Australian or New Zealand chef, I’ve gone with the sticky toffee pudding. It’s warm and soft and moist and it soaks up that delicious toffee and ice cream perfectly. Like the cod, it vanishes even before the waitress has had a chance to ask me how it was.
Posted by Jeremy at 12:37am on Thursday October 23, 2025 :: 0 comments ::