ZEST FOR LIFE

And don't we all wish we had it all of the time? For the most part it's not difficult for me to achieve that. Take a rainy Wednesday afternoon add a ride in the new red truck out to Port Hope and find a little gem tucked away on John St. and you have one very happy camper.

I didn't even know that this place existed until we fortuitously stumbled upon it. I'm talking about "Zest bar + bistro." Immediately struck by the citrus coloured decor (I am all about the colour in life) and the lovely abstract paintings that adorned the walls.

The menu has several options from sandwiches, salads, light meals and mains. These are not overwhelming in number that you find in so many other places. They are listed with ingredients that shout fresh, tasty and individuality.

We both went for the 3 - course pasta special which at $24 was a great deal. We started off with fresh minted pea soup which was divine and of course wonderfully green. Followed with the daily pasta special which consisted of linguine with caramelized onions, bell peppers and chirozzo sausage. The 3 dimensional flavours were all bought together with a little olive oil and topped with Parmesan cheese. The dessert was again excellent. Cenci (Italian doughnuts) served with a coconut caramel ice cream. I can recommend the Splendido Pinot Grigio, very light and refreshing. The plating techniques are kind on the eyes and senses, the portion sizes ensured that we left feeling full but not bloated.

The friendly staff were both knowledgeable and delightful to chat to. Our meals were cooked expertly by the lovely Sous chef. I guess it was Chefs night off. As most of my friends know I am difficult to please when I go out to eat but all I can add to this is a huge BRAVO to Zest. We will definitely be back.

Go check it out people and tell them Sally sent you!