local cuisine

The Planet Bakery

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When it comes to moving, I am the ultimate procrastinator. The job always seems so daunting and I am always in disbelief at just how much junk I can actually fit in one little bedroom. Not to mention I have the arm strength of a 6 month baby and am completely useless when it comes to heavy lifting. The only good thing about moving day was that I got to have another meal in Peterborough.

 

My wonderful parents met me at 8am to get the party started. By 2pm, we had barely made a dent in the packing so we decided we needed a food break. Both of my parents are vegetarian so we went to this cute little vegetarian shop in downtown Peterborough called The Planet Bakery. IMG_0685 copy

Every time I visit this shop, I can’t help but think of one of my best friends, Sam. The orange floors remind me of the bright orange walls in his old apartment and just everything from the minimalistic design, to the mismatched recycled chairs, to their openness and friendliness of the atmosphere just screams out Sam Robertson. I could easily see him working his chef magic here.

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We were so hungry that we ate most of the food before I thought to take a photo to share with you guys. So the only thing I have pictured is their rosemary walnut burger. SOOO good! Moist and flavourful, it sits on a fresh Focaccia bun with basil mayo, melted cheddar, and a sweet and savoury cranberry-onion confit. YUM!
We also had their green apple & old cheddar sandwich, as well as their cranberry and brie sandwich. I personally preferred the crisp freshness of their green apple sandwich over the sweet tartness of the cranberry.

 

These flavourful dishes will make even the biggest meat lover opt for a vegetarian option every once in awhile.

The Planet Bakery

374 Water Street,

Peterborough, ON

 

La Petit Bar

My week isn’t quite complete without a visit to Le Petite Bar on Water st in Peterborough. Although it’s only 7 months old, this cozy little restaurant has made quite an impression with its made in-house charcuteries, cheeses from the neighbouring shop (Chasing the Cheese),  and home made mustards and desserts. It’s a very intimate setting with only 7 tables and a few bar stools, so be prepared to stand if you pop by on a Friday or Saturday night.

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I’ve started coming here every Thursday after work with colleagues and have been slowly making my way through their meat and cheese options. With a frequently changing list of options, I’ve rarely had the same thing twice.
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Along with your chosen cheeses and meats, you also have dills, olives, apples, dashes of their amazing house mustards, arugula, and sometimes chutneys or honey.

I’ve had so many of their meats and cheese and I’ve never once been disappointed by my choice. Their servers are happy to help you pick out pairings that go well together. I personally have a soft spot for their creamy rich pates and flavourful blue cheeses.

I had the pleasure of speaking with many of their staff and it was quickly evident how passionate they all are and how much they all genuinely love being a part of Le petit bar. Jamie, the mastermind behind the food is given creative license and from my experience, he’s been hitting it right on target. Billy and Sarie are my usual servers and they’re both knowledgeable about the food and attentive without being over bearing.
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IMG_9984Their beer list is somewhat limited, though I do like the fact that they only carry microbrews. I usually grab a bottle of the Mad Tom IPA which is flavourful and fragrant and pairs well with most of their meats. They have one tap and it pours Kings Pilsner. It’s fairly hoppy with a bitter finish. Not my favourite beer until one of the servers (Billy) introduced me to what he calls the “Billy Torpedo”. The simple mixture of the King’s with a splash of ruby red grape fruit juice completely changes how the beer finishes. If you’re hoping for a larger variaty of beer, their neighbour, St Veronus might be more up your ally. But I’ll write about them in a later post. My colleague Catherine is a major fan of their creative cocktails. Their crisp and refreshing Thyme for Collins is a crowd pleaser. But for these cold winter days, Catherine always starts her meal off with some Apple Cinnamon Hot Toddy. YUM! This image below is their “Real Housewife”.

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Though I always opt for cheese and meats over sweets, we decided to splurge one day and also get their dessert board. I was so excited about it that I completely forgot to take a picture! It had candied oranges dipped in chocolate, chocolate meringue on top of whipped cream, lavender shortbread cookies, decadent mini brownies, and a little bowl of berries and pomegranate. Everything came in a pair so it was perfect for two of us to share. I’m not partial to sweets but I do find myself day dreaming of that dessert board.
Their delicious meats, cozy atmosphere, and steller service keeps me coming back! If you ever find yourself in downtown Peterborough, make sure you make a pit stop here!

 

Le Petit Bar

399 Water Street

Peterborough, Ontario