This fixture of Blue Acres has been around for longer than I've been present on this plane of…read moreexistence, so it's with deep shame that I admit that it was only this spring that I tried it for the first time. While looking for a quick lunch on a sunny Saturday, I was right behind a few other people who just got their food as I was ordering, putting me at the front of the queue. Owner and sole staff member Donna guided me through the highlights of her menu and I settled on the hamburger platter. Several minutes of wonderfully pleasant chit chat with Donna followed while I watched her prepare my food like a well-oiled machine. My food was soon ready, coming tightly packed on a heaped paper plate for me to eat in my car, although you can get it secured for a trip home or elsewhere. The crinkle cut fries, while unsurprisingly from a bag, were spot on, with shatteringly crisp exteriors and light, fluffy interiors. The burger was diner-style par excellence - steamed bun; a beefy, hand-made, griddle-cooked patty; melty cheese; sauteed onions, and some bite from mustard and relish. I should have nixed the ketchup to dial back the sweetness, but this was still a great little burger. A cup of house-made coleslaw was of the creamy variety, but still had a bit of tang to it, which helped cut through the rich meal a little bit. On my return visit, I went with the fish and chips. While it's a box that a lot of restaurants feel they have to check, and they do so poorly with from-frozen, pre-battered fish, I heard that Donna batters it in-house, so I was looking forward to trying it. This was a very good order of F&C. The batter was light and airy, and the two-piece was a good amount of food, with the pieces like the half filets that you'll see around, rather than the one gargantuan piece of fish that pubs often have for shock value. The fish was firm, but tender and flakey and I don't know if tartar sauce was forgotten or isn't offered, but I truly just enjoyed the fish on its own. Ceilidh Drive-In is among a dying breed of old school greasy spoons that do the simple stuff well, and while it took me a while to get there, it won't be long before I'm back.

Great food Great timing…read more Great service , very friendly. Little loud but didn't feel unwelcome.

Somehow, I've forgotten about The Thistle since I've been back in town and it was time to rectify…read morethat with a revisit to this rebranded mainstay of New Glasgow's food and bar scene. I'm not sure when The Thistle rebranded as a "gastropub", but not too much seems to have changed with their menu or interior. Their food offerings certainly aren't the chef-driven, creative stylings of a true gastropub. That all said, I still appreciate that these guys are open seven days a week, and are actually open beyond 7-8:00pm, unlike many other places in town. I ordered the Farmhouse burger, a now-longtime fixture of The Thistle's menu, which harkens back to the Man vs Food days of food eating challenges and mash-ups of over-the-top (and belt) menus. Comprised of a 6oz patty, two chicken fingers, bacon and cheese, it's all your day's recommended calories in one meal - so efficient! My wife went with one of her go-to choices, the pulled pork sandwich. It wasn't too too busy for a weekend evening, with a wet spring day keeping some people home, so we got our food in good time. Gastropub moniker or no, pub burgers can be a bit hit or miss, depending on how much the cooks actually give a damn about their job, but my Farmhouse turned out quite well. The patty had a nice char and wasn't dry and overcooked, while the chicken fingers and bacon added some savoury crunch. I'd generally not a fan of BBQ sauces on burgers, as the cloying sweetness really isn't necessary, but the chipotle BBQ sauce had a good flavour. The cheese was good and melty, and the bun toasted - checking some more boxes in Burger 101. The fries were *incredibly* plentiful. Like Five Guys amounts of fries! They could cut back a good 20% and no one in their right mind should complain. They were on the oily side, however. I'm not sure if this is from the fryer not being up to temp after doing some orders, or just not having a proper double fry, but this was a missed opportunity for my mound of hand-cut spuds. My wife's pulled pork sandwich was a solid execution of what's now a very common sight on bar menus. Coleslaw and lettuce brought a little texture, while a large Caesar salad was shared between us (I shared fries too, I promise!). The Thistle may be trying to pull the wool over people's eyes with this rebranding, but this dependable bar is a town fixture for a reason. This meal was more hit than miss, and for that, I'll give them a star upgrade nearly 10 years (!!!) after I first reviewed them here.

Steeltown Takeout opened up around the same time I moved out of Nova Scotia, so it was way off my…read moreradar until recently when I moved back to the county. The casual fare of takeout spots, diners and chip trucks are at the worst a mediocre indulgence, but when they do the simple things really, really well, they become a thing of beauty. It was with this hope that my first visit saw me come by with my brother-in-law and nephew, fueling up before a guys movie night. I opted for the one piece fish and chips ($13.95). The fish was a decent size - not absurdly big, but not tiny either. The rest of of container was loaded with chunky, skin-on fries. The fish was nice and flaky, with no mushy fish-to-batter interface. Despite it being the end of their day, neither the fish or fries tasted like old oil. Overall, it was a very solid performance for a place that doesn't specialize in fish and chips. My fries were crispy and piping hot out of the fryer. They could have used more salt before serving, but this was easily remedied. I swear it's a thing in small towns that fries aren't pre-salted in the kitchen. Judging from the approving nods and animalistic sounds of eating, my brother in-law and nephew were quite happy with their BBQ mozza bacon burger platters ($14). On my return visit, I came by with an even bigger crew, bringing visiting family from my wife's side. Hungry after a day of entertaining our two nieces, I strategically ordered a cheeseburger ($7.50) a la carte, knowing that I'd be getting a significant portion of my wife's turkey dinner poutine ($13.50). The cheeseburger hit all the right notes of a good, simple diner burger - a little char on the patty from the grill, a hint of sweetness from fried onions, the sweet tang of relish and pickles, the melty umami of processed cheese, and a sharp hit from the mustard. I axed the ketchup (#TeamNoKetchup), and tomato and iceberg lettuce were there, but hardly noteworthy. Before ordering, I had specifically checked to see what the size of the turkey dinner poutine was, and it basically comes in a family-sized fry container. Opening it up, we were treated to the delicious scents of the hot mess within - thick-cut fries, chunks of dressing, bits of turkey, and shredded mozza - all slathered in a hefty dose of hearty gravy. Having moved back to Pictou County from Ottawa, poutines that don't use cheese curds are a bit ruined for me, but Steeltown's TDP was still a tasty delight of rich, savoury flavours. We also added on a cup of cranberry sauce, which was a nice touch, and one which my cranberry-sauce-loving wife greatly appreciated. "Downtown" Trenton may not have much, but it has Steeltown Takeout and that's more than enough to bring you there.

Service and food are way above average here. They go out of their way to customize your meal if you…read moredesire. The wait staff are friendly and make breakfast, lunch or dinner a pleasant experience. I highly recommend this restaurant.

After moving back to the county, a return to Appleseed was inevitable. We swung by for a late…read morelunch, after the hordes of kids amped up from the arcade next door had mostly left. Now that I'm back on the East Coast, I can both trust fish at restaurants more and pay less for it, so I went with the salt cod fish cakes ($17). You know how they say your plate should have lots of different colours of food? Well this was NOT that. While this meal won't win any awards from the Canada Food Guide, it did well by my taste buds. The fish cakes themselves were loosely packed and had a pleasant punch of salty fish, and the green tomato chow brought a contrast of sweet and tangy to the mix. The side of beans had a smattering of what appeared to be bacon in it, and were just the right doneness - not chalky or mushy. Thumbs up! The corn beef hash was a bit greasy, but it was delicious - crisp bits of beef and potato with sauteed onions - it's hard to go wrong here. My wife went for the diner staple, meatloaf ($17). After this meal it became her go-to dish at Appleseed, and I can see why. The generous slab of meatloaf is light and moist, and a slathering of mushroom and onion gravy makes it even more hearty. Ultra-smooth whipped potatoes are a classic pairing, done picture perfect. A medley of veg likely came out of a massive freezer bag, and while a diner fixture, it's one that could be easily replaced with any sort of seasonal veg that is prepared in a better manner than steaming. On our return, I went with the hot chicken sandwich ($17). The roasted chicken was moist and tender, although a little sparse. A hearty slathering of gravy was good, and not too salty. I really appreciated the thick, quality bread that stood up well against the onslaught of gravy. As always, their shoestring fries were spot on. I doubled down on diner decadence and got a strawberry milkshake ($6.50) to drink. Appleseed gets a tip of my cap for using the classic milkshake glass, plus topping it with whipped cream and a maraschino cherry. Further bonus points for the extra bit of milkshake coming in the aluminum cup it was mixed in. It was a thick, tasty treat. I still wish Appleseed was in a better location with an interior that called back more to its cozy diner peers rather than strip mall industrial chic, but you can't win 'em all. It's still not easy to get more creative, casual food in Pictou County, so Appleseed is definitely an asset to the local food scene.

The food was hot and filling. Best onion rings and poutine I've had in a long long time. They…read moredidn't take too long making it either but long enough to know it had been made right. The place is great if you don't mind the incline of the hill you have to walk/drive up to enter their business. Been going there for years. Decent accessible seating is available inside but my preferred option is to take it to go almost every single time. The place is normally either packed or nearly empty but their food is always good.

Ordered a flamethrower combo with no tomato and extra pickles, split it with my good pal Julia…read more Service was speedy and very friendly. I could tell the burger was made with intention and love. It was perfect. Sublime even. Napkins and ketchup already await at the table. This saves unneeded steps to that messy condiment section we are all accustomed to visiting. Kudos on the efficiency and the "at home" vibes I suttonly will be back. I can feel Dairy Queen beckyoning my return in the very near future.

This is a overpriced chain restaurant with mediocre food. There is an odd thing on the menu that…read moreyou may like but their burgers are processed and are actually formed because you can look at the shape of them, which is pretty pretty bad when it comes to you can't actually have a burger on, a menu with like a whole burger section I was actually pretty yeah pretty surprised it's definitely a place known for its atmosphere and its alcoholic cocktails but I will say I do enjoy the atmosphere because it is quite dark and has booths and it's private and great staff. I typically just played. It's even got fish and chips. They got lotta flak because they started serving cod instead of haddock which I'm perfectly OK with cod. Great actually, but not so much with many other people.

Always loved it in the jungle. Huge menu with lots to mix and match through. Just off the highway…read moreand always good service.

Made the long drive from NB to New Glasgow, found this place along the way…read more My boyfriend and I walked in, it was a large area with lots of seating. We sat by the windows. We both ordered the fish and chips and were very pleased. Everything was clean, with fast service. (They were not busy on a Sunday afternoon). We also had a cider and a cocktail. If we're ever in the area again Marinas would be a first choice.

Monday can be a bit iffy when trying to find a restaurant that's open and that goes for double in a…read moresmall town. Marina Bar and Grill came to the rescue, and this was as good an excuse as any to make the drive over to Pictou to try them out for the first time. The place was pretty quiet, with just a couple other tables occupied, and we sat out in the sizeable addition at the back. When seeing the work going on last year on both the front an back of the building, I thought that they would be three-season enclosures, but they're better insulated than the house I'm living in right now! It was festive with Christmas lights and a tree still up, and although we were there for dinner and it was pitch black on the harbour, it would make for excellent water views during the day. The menu is relatively small for a bar and grill, just a one-pager, with your standard sandwich and deep fryer fare, plus a heavy slant toward seafood, of course. I went for the one piece fish and chips, while my wife ordered the cranberry and brie chicken wrap with sweet potato fries subbed in. My fish and chips was a decent size - not crazy big, but certainly more than enough for a meal. The fish was quite thick, and while the ends were good and crisp, the rest of the portion had a mushy fish-to-batter interface. Not sure if that's from par-cooking and then sitting around, or coming out of a bag, but here we are. The fish itself was a bit on the watery side, and didn't flake away in even segments, which also made me question its freshness. The fries seemed to be of the from-frozen, skin-on variety, and while not mind-blowing, were still decent, having had a good cook. The packet of Kraft tartar sauce wasn't a surprise, and was a canary in the coal mine for the rest of the meal. A creamy, green cabbage coleslaw was at least a step up from the neon green stuff, although I prefer the vinegar-based ones for cutting through fatty dishes like this. My wife seemed happy with her cranberry and brie chicken wrap, being a big fan of those flavours, and the wrap was a good portion. The sweet potato fries were nice and crisp, and the chipotle mayo had much more chipotle flavour than what you normally get at most places. Service was friendly and attentive during our meal. While I'd been hoping for a diamond in the rough, Marina Bar and Grill was just about what I expected. It's a great spot for the views and not having to cook and do dishes yourself, but temper your expectations.

This vibrantly yellow truck on Pictou's waterfront has been piquing my interest all summer long,…read moreand I was finally able to grab a bite recently while in the area. The menu is mostly what you'd expect from an East Coast chip wagon - fries, burger, hotdogs and fish and chips - but it does have a few items to stand out a little bit, like deep fried pepperoni, mozza sticks and a steak sandwich. We areived close to closing time, so they were out of fish and I went with their cheeseburger instead. My wife chose good ol' mozza sticks. It was a short wait, and it'd ve hard to complain with the water views anyway, and we soon had our hearty fare. My cheeseburger was minimally adorned, with just the cheese and some fried onions (optional), although you could top it yourself with ketchup and mustard by the trailer's window. The flavour was classic diner burger, with a crisp crust from cooking on a flat top, and the melty cheese and fried onions were *chef's kiss*. A lightly toasted bun further supported these spot-on burger fundamentals. With apps like mozza sticks, whether at a food truck or pub, you know they're coming from a freezer bag. However, they were still properly cooked, with golden-brown breading and melty cheese inside. The flavour took me back to my days of crushing orders of these at The Thistle for dinner while working weekend shifts at Aberdeen Cinemas! While it'd be nice to see a few more specialty dishes and/or add-ons (bacon?!) at Mama Red's, mother definitely knows best and is doing what she does very well.