As much as I loved Raymonds I preferred the more casual fun atmosphere at little sister restaurant The Merchant Tavern.  We sat at the large bar that fills the middle of the room and was full of happy people sharing food having fun.

All of the staff were wearing Tshirts with a diagram of a cod fish cuts.  Cod is God in Newfoundland and we like to eat all parts.  They Cod Napes as a feature appetizer. Napes is attached to the fin and is a delicious sweet and tasty treat.

We shared grilled scallops with a parsnip puree and they were without doubt the best scallops I have ever had.

We both ordered pasta dishes.  I had Fennel Tagliatelle and I wouldn’t recommend it.  The pasta was too soft and the whole dish a bit too soupy.  Perhaps I wasn’t hungry enough.

David had the Monterosso Linquini with bay scallops, mussels, capelin, brocolli and chili flakes and I wasn’t too hungry to give him a little help with that.  The pasta was cooked and seasoned perfectly.

They have a great wine and beer list and we had a very good time.

I highly recommend The Merchant Tavern.  4 Yums Up!