Huntsville Report [Muskoka]

We spent the week at a cottage near Huntsville and while we mainly cooked and ate at the cottage, we made a number of forays into town.

For shopping, Farmer’s Daughter is a lovely gourmet food store that carries many local products (preserves, baking, pickled vegetables), sophisticated city treats (frozen ramen), and higher end produce. Bullock’s Independent Grocer, a Loblaws affiliate, carries pretty much everything else you might need (jicama! key limes! Piano Piano frozen pizzas!).

The nieces wanted a patio, so we tried The Mill on Main. The patio has a covered and otherwise open top floor and a floor below enclosed by screens. They didn’t do a great job of wiping the table, so we grabbed supplies to do the job ourselves.


The Summer Spinach Salad with strawberries, goat cheese, red onion, and candied pecans was pretty decent.

With a wood-fired pizza oven in the front, we figured we should try the pizzas.


Taste of Autunno sounded interesting, with garlic and oregano-infused olive oil, roasted butternut squash, brie, and crushed walnuts, drizzled with balsamic reduction. The flavour was only so-so in the end and the pizza crust itself reminded me of water crackers in terms of lack of flavour.


Maple Bacon benefitted from more flavourful toppings: tomato sauce, mozzarella, pecorino, caramelized onion, confit garlic and bacon.

According to my brother’s family (who are quite discerning), the wings, pulled pork sandwich, prime rib dip, and burger were all pretty decent.

While we consumed leftovers for lunch, other family members went into town. Gangnam Korea got their thumbs up for the Korean fried chicken, jap-chae, and bubble tea. They also liked the hot dogs at Muskoka Dog House.

We took out from Smokin’ Hot BBQ, which is only open on weekends.


The stacks of wood and smokers looked reassuring.


Larry’s Signature Ribs were the best option: fall-off-the-bone, smokey, with a sweet but not cloying sauce.


Pulled pork was OK. The brisket had nice crust, but the meat was dry and had little flavour. Turkey had a bit of smoke, but was also dry. Fries and beans were OK.

Bottom line, just get lots of ribs.

For the last night, we sat on the patio of 3 Guys and a Stove. Firstly, we had great service. They were missing a server and thus initially told us that we would have to wait 90 minutes for a table. However a server who was training someone else offered to serve us on the unused portion of the patio and then we were seated within minutes. She provided great service through the evening, attending to water glasses, taking modifications to orders, and putting on a fresh pot of decaf for us.

This place aims to be more ambitious in its cooking, also reflected in its higher prices, and while it does miss sometimes, most things were hits.


They had some nice homemade coolers. 3 Guys Sunrise (banana liqueur, cherry brandy, grapefruit and soda) was fun and not too sweet.


Sweet potato, apple and cashew nut croquettes with coconut banana curry had a lovely mix of fruit and nut flavours and were fried well, without leftover oil.


Calamari with tandoori whole wheat flour was only OK, being a bit heavy on the batter and the squid was a bit too done.


Moroccan lamb meatballs had nice cumin notes, but a bit too much bready filler.


Tandoori Georgian Bay whitefish, while having no obvious tandoori spicing, was nonetheless delicious and perfectly cooked, with crispy skin and delicate white flesh. The raita-ish sauce over top was a nice addition.


Profiteroles stuffed with vanilla bean wildflower honey ice cream (from nearby Belly), served with hot butterscotch, shredded coconut, and raisins was a good finish to the meal.

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I stayed overnight at Killarney Lodge in Algonquin Park. Dinner, Breakfast and Lunch, as well as cookies and chips, are included in the stay, so I didn’t eat anywhere else.

Killarney Lodge has always had good homestyle cooking. I like the food options a little better at Arowhon Pines, which tends to be fancier, but the meals at Killarney always taste good. It’s a nice place to stay.

There’s a choice of soup or salad, a choice of 4 mains (beef, turkey, trout or fettuccine Alfredo), and a choice of 2 desserts at Killarney for dinner each night.

I had a Caesar salad, turkey dinner with stuffing, for dinner. Blueberry pie for dessert.

Omelette for breakfast

and salmon kebabs for lunch. There is an option for a picnic lunch with a sandwich. In retrospect, after my breakfast, I should have taken a picnic lunch for the road, instead of the salmon kebabs.


Basil in a planter at Killarney

Happy to stay at Killarney Lodge again.

I stopped by Music on Main in Huntsville for my coffee.

https://musiconmainmuskoka.ca/

Cheeseburger at Weber’s on the way home for old time’s sake.

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That is a very fine view for a meal!

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Has anyone dined in Huntsville recently? Did any new places open in 2023?

A friend recommended 3 Guys and a Stove. It has been around a long time.

3 Guys and a Stove can be good and also can overreach. See my visit above from last summer.

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Yep. Thanks!! Another friend is not a fan of 3 Guys and a Stove. I think I’ll like get old school Chinese take-out one night and Italian take-out or Deerhurst’s The Angler take-out the other night.

http://chinahouse96.com/

Hakka

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I ended up ordering a Caesar salad and tandoori whitefish from 3 Guys and a Stove. It was okay/ fair. I order fish on Fridays and wanted something local.

The whitefish prep at Tall Trees didn’t appeal to me.

Next time, I may try the whitefish at the fish and chips place. They offer whitefish as well as cod and haddock.

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https://westsidefishandchips.com/

Banquet beef from Deerhurst


Buffet breakfast from Deerhurst ($25.95ish plus tax)

It’s a Sunday breakfast buffet. This is their big day. The English muffins tasted stale. Tomatoes sad.

Deerhurst was bought by Freed in 2021.
I haven’t been to Deerhurst preciously.

The food is much much much better at Killarney Lodge and Arowhon Pines in Algonquin Park, and much much much better at the Sherwood Inn in Port Carling.

I haven’t been to any of the family resorts closer to Dwight.

Next time I have a conference at Deerhurst, I may stay elsewhere and get my breakfast in town!

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From Tall Trees. I plan to visit Tall Trees next time I’m in Huntsville.

Tall Trees on IG

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