Maritimes Madness | DAY 3: (Pt. 2) Departure from P.E.I. + Glenora Inn & Distillery

Read Part 1 HERE !

​We stopped for lunch at Gateway Villages, just before crossing the Confederation Bridge a second time.
Subway was our ultimate decision, as the only diner operating according to their listed hours was an overpriced lobster-centric diner.

< Pictured above: 6-ft Sweet Onion Teriyaki Whole Wheat Sandwich and Smoky Bacon and Cheese Panini >

In spite of the sandwich franchise's quick service nature, the staff maintained the amiable, unhurried attitude consistent with the province's calm temperament.

​COWS and Subway are essentially joined at the hip, separated only by a narrow corridor and two single stall bathrooms (one per gender). That said, it wouldn't have been fair to have departed without popping by. A Single Scoop of Fluff N Udder and Cownadian Mint finished off the midday meal. Chocolatey and indulgent, the duo was delicious without being overly sugary. Fluff N Udder's plush threads of marshmallow fluff and peanut butter bites made for a delightful, unexpected pairing; Cownadian Mint was refreshing whilst devoid of the icky, Listerine-like peppermint essence.

​What followed was a five-hour drive to Mabou, where our accomodations for the evening resided.

​Absent along the way were telephone poles and signal towers, which meant cellular reception was essentially nonexistent. I had initially questioned why we had brought along a GPS for the ride, since Google Maps was a reliable navigation source. But thankfully we did. I spent the trip either snoozing in the back seat or streaming pre-downloaded videos.

​At long last, we pulled into Glenora. Welcoming us was a winding pathway lined with shrubbery, with the setting sun just penetrating between the curved branches.

​Glenora Inn & Distillery was a beautifully compelling place to stay. Before its entrance was a manmade pond (that had unfortunately been drained for the upcoming winter months).
We pulled into the gravel lot to inform the staff of our arrival. This check-in destination doubled as a gift shop featuring whiskeys and locally crafted condiments; adjacent to this building was a long, narrow hall, commonly used as a wedding or event venue.

View the full album HERE !

Behind the front-facing white buildings were the suites - the "inn" portion of its name. Signal was completely obsolete here, despite a fairly strong Wi-Fi network outside of the living quarters.

​After arranging our luggage, we took to exploring the Glenora Pub and Restaurant. Live music filled the pub section, while a dim ambience in the other. The latter assumed our selection for dinner. We were lucky in given that reservations were the norm.

< Pictured below: Mariners Chowder, Belted Scallop, Whiskey Sorbet, Cape Sable Grilled Swordfish, Gillis’ Butchers Chop, The Rib and Reef, Gingerbread Cake, Sticky Toffee Pudding >

Bread rolls were served first, then succeeded by our appetizer orders. This marked my first encounter with a "twisted" buttering knife.

The Mariners Chowder was creamy and robust, as chowder ought to be. A flavourful broth paired with ample bits of scrumptious seafood spread optimism for the remainder of the meal.
A trio of scallops made its way over shortly afterwards. Classified as "Jumbo Digby scallops" coiled in "10-year Glen Breton Rare whisky and maple infused bacon", one anticipated  a spectrum of complex tones to be contained within the tiny pieces. The bacon was crispy and the dressing unique, but the scallops were far from being "jumbo", nor did they boast the spongy, silky consistency we were eagerly anticipating. (It was probably at this point that we contemplated the trip to Digby.)

​Once appetizer plates had been cleared from the table, spoons containing small, white spheres were placed before each diner. "Whiskey Sorbet" was its name, and its purpose to cleanse and prepare the palate for the next dishes. It was a more cohesive variant of granita that employed whiskey in its creation - ideal as a pick-me-up for those that hadn't ordered alcohol alongside our nourishment.

​Admittedly, the entrées were a tad disappointing. Although flawless in presentation (by means of colour and plating), the resulting compounds lacked a general sense of direction. Distinct tastes were perceived from individual ingredients, yet the execution of the final composition was obscure.

Stacked on one plate were potato salad, an overdone slab of swordfish, pineapple pico de gallo, and Prosciutto-wrapped asparagus. The fruity salsa was refreshing, and its acidic enzymes paired well with the high-sodium Italian ham. Regrettably, it was the swordfish itself that proved dry and tough.
Our server was made aware of this, and back to the kitchen it was sent. The second plate of Cape Sable Grilled Swordfish was significantly plumper, however it still exhibited a shortage of gustatory direction.

View the full album HERE !

​The Gillis’ Butchers Chop wasn't half bad, and this is coming from a being that seldom consumes red meat. The generous drizzle of blueberry moonshine gastrique was phenomenal; likewise were the maple butter baby carrots. But again, it was the centrepiece that fell short of expectations. Depicted as a "generous hand cut whisky maple brined pork loin chop", barely observed were hints of maple, and even fewer hints of whiskey.

​Little can be uttered in regards to the The Rib and Reef except that it was a solid Medium as opposed to Medium Rare, and that it was served with similar sides of asparagus and roasted baby carrots.

Dessert was adopted the form of Gingerbread Cake and Sticky Toffee Pudding. The sweet, carby delicacies were the redeeming aspects of the meal. One was infused with a unique blend of spices, while the other graceful untertones of whiskey; both were decadent.

​Our server was the greenest amongst the group that evening. She displayed politeness and professionalism, in addition to an ever-amiable demeanour. Her genuinity surpassed her extent of experience, but we were fine with that. She appeared to relate to customers on a personal level, whereas the more mature staff members did not.

Bathrooms were shared amongst the Pub and Restaurant. They featured local art, plastic stall doors, a general cleanliness, and limited flushing capabilities.

​Returning to our suite after sundown, we were met with exceptionally chilly conditions for a September evening. The forecasted temperature was a teeth-jittering 4 C.

​Besides the entranceways, the entirety of our surroundings were pitch black. And casting our eyes upwards to the clear night sky, we caught sight of countless stars.
This is an area of low light pollution! I exclaimed excitedly in my head.

​Thus, attempts were made to capture star trails. The outputs were far from my liking, but at least I had taken advantage of the opportunity.