M&M's Musings » Food

Eating Our Way Through Victoria… Celebrations!

Mike Nelson Pedde — Mon, 28 Nov 2011 21:40:09 +0000

Hi Folks:

Well, last Saturday was Marcia’s birthday and since she was off on both Friday and Saturday we (I) expanded her birthday celebration into a two-day event. Fortunately Marcia was willing to go along with my schemes! Before I continue, I should add a little backstory…

Back in 1995 we shared our first two-bedroom apartment together. For Marcia’s birthday I invited a ‘few’ friends for a pot-luck surprise party and we managed to pack 37 people into our little apartment! Everyone had a great time, including Marcia, but she also casually mentioned that she’d kill me if I ever did it again. Well, since we no longer live there, and keeping to the ‘letter of the law’ so to speak, here’s a quick summary of some of the things we undertook over our weekend. It also highlights some of the reasons we love living here in Victoria!

We went to the Dales Gallery on Fisgard St. to take in their ‘Big Trees’ photo exhibit. Some amazing work there.
We took in the 14th Annual Gallery Walk, which includes visiting the Legacy Gallery, the Madrona Gallery, the West End Gallery, the View Gallery, the Alcheringa Gallery (our thanks to the woman there who took the time to highlight and explain so many of the pieces!) and the Winchester Modern and Winchester Contemporary Galleries. The official walk started Thursday afternoon, but fortunately for us it was extended into the weekend as we did the tour over two days. There was so much to see and we didn’t want to rush!
We went to the Out of Hand Artisan Christmas Fair at the Crystal Garden (twice!)
We met with local author Kate Noble at Jade Victoria and purchased a signed copy of ‘Duffy the Christmassy Dragon‘ for our great-nephew. Fifty percent of the proceeds from each book goes to C-FAX Santas Anonymous.
We met with (Victoria’s former poet laureate) Wendy Morton in Esquimalt, had an opportunity to have her read two of her poems for us… AND, since Wendy’s book ‘Six Impossible Things Before Breakfast‘ was the inspiration for Marcia writing her own book, Marcia gifted a signed copy of her book ‘A Year in the Life of a Bus-Traveling Poet‘ to Wendy.
We went to Floyd’s Diner for lunch. Floyd’s was the subject of our first food post and remains one of our favourite breakfast/lunch locations. The place was as rockin’ and riotous as ever, but the food’s always great and the staff are wonderful. Everyone on duty signed Marcia’s birthday card, and not only did the ENTIRE restaurant sing her Happy Birthday, but the staff even provided her with a birthday cake as a surprise!
We took a horse-drawn trolley tour around the downtown core, and learned a few new things about the city. For example, we didn’t know that the Swan’s Hotel was once an ‘ugly duckling’ of a grain warehouse.
We stopped in quickly at Armeni Jewelers so that Hratch and Brenda could sign Marcia’s birthday card too.
We met with about 15 or so members of the Victoria Photo Meetup group (they all signed Marcia’s birthday card too) at Centennial Square for the Tree Lighting, and while we were there had a chance to see the ice carving demonstration (reindeer and sleigh), the music and caroling and the big moment where the entire square is lit up with colourful lights.
Following the tree lighting we moved over to Government Street for the annual Island Farms Santa Claus Parade. The dinosaur float from the Royal BC Museum was certainly unexpected!

And finally, we decamped with 13 friends and members of the Photo Meetup group to the Bard and Banker for a little Christmas cheer and birthday celebration. Located at the corner of Fort and Government Streets, although we’d walked past it numerous times, neither Marcia nor I had yet been there. I had made an initial reservation for 16 people, and followed that with an e-mail to general manager Mike Boyle, letting him know that I wasn’t sure exactly how many people would be coming, and while the reservation was for a set time, we’d be coming in after the parade was over. The following week I went in and spoke with the hostess on duty, and she was kind enough to show me the space they had set aside for us and discuss seating arrangements. As it happened, the restaurant was completely booked for that night, so there was no possibility of increasing the number of seats. In the end it all worked out perfectly. The staff were most accomodating in their allowance for people coming in small groups as the parade passed by and cameras, etc. were stored away; our server handled herself with great aplomb!

Since neither Marcia nor I drink, we’re not able to comment personally on the wide selections of local beers available, but others in our group held them in high esteem. The food menu is definitely a step above what might be called ‘pub food’, very tasty and well presented. I began with the soup of the day (spicy yam), and then moved on to a main course of chicken pot pie. Comfort food, but the pot pie was served with a topping of puff pastry, which was deliciously unexpected. Marcia had the shepherd’s pie and from the bite she gave me I can confirm that it was also very tasty. Others at our table feasted on fish and chips, chicken wings and green salad, but other selections run the gamut from oysters and arctic char to pizza, burgers and sirloin steak. Based on the lack of conversation during the meal I’d say everyone shared our opinion on the food and were happily digging in!

For dessert Marcia and I shared the flourless chocolate cake, and our server was kind enough to add a candle to it! It was very tasty, with a topping of a light orange sorbet – a most unusual but wonderful accompaniment to the chocolate. Our friends J&K tried the sticky toffee pudding and announced it equally delicious.

In keeping with our policy of only writing about restaurant experiences we’ve enjoyed, we happily add the Bard and Banker to the list!

Many thanks to everyone for making us a part of your day and for joining in our celebration!

Hugs,
M&M

P.S. Next weekend we’re on for the Festival of Trees at the Empress Hotel, BearWear at the Hotel Grand Pacific, the Gingerbread showcase at the Inn at Laurel Point, the Saltspring Island craft show at the Panorama Rec Centre, the Winter Market and the Tuba Christmas at Market Square, possibly one of the Chinatown walks, the IEOA Lighted Truck Parade and the Lighted Ships Parade…

P.S. II, the sequel – special thanks also to Tourism Vancouver Island as we won 3rd prize in their photo contest, including 2 nights in a cabin at Heriot Bay Inn on Quadra Island as well as 2 tickets to the Tidemark Theatre presentation of ‘Laila Biali Trio’! It was a wonderful birthday present for Marcia and we’re really looking forward to it!!

Eating Our Way Through Victoria!

Mike Nelson Pedde — Tue, 01 Nov 2011 06:13:11 +0000

Hi Folks!

Well, on this one night of the year where perhaps more candy is consumed by more people than any other night, we have two restaurants to share with you from this past month. Both are places we’ve been meaning to go to for some time…

1) Brasserie L’école

Nine years ago, in what was probably a fit of lunacy, Marcia asked me to marry her. Every day since has been a magical mystery tour for both of us. To celebrate our Ninth Wedding Anniversary this year, we decided to recreate a little of what went on at our wedding reception by meeting in Centennial Square with bubble makers and sidewalk chalk. People seemed to respond well to the bubbles floating around the square, including the Victoria Police Officer who stopped by on his bicycle. We each wrote a small tribute to one another in red chalk, then left the bag of bubble stuff and the box of chalk on a bench for others to enjoy. We were back in the square the other day, very pleased to see the results of the sidewalk chalk in evidence. For the record, it was not us who put the soap in the fountain! It was already there by the time we arrived, and the tablespoon of soap in our little bottle wouldn’t have had that much effect. That’s my story and I’m sticking with it.

After our tour around the square, I surprised Marcia by walking her over to the Brasserie L’école. The restaurant is located on Government street, just north of Pandora. It’s a place we’ve heard about and walked by but had not yet had the opportunity to try. One note before I continue, and that is that the Brasserie doesn’t do reservations. They used to, but it’s a small place and they found too often that either people stayed longer than expected or simply didn’t show up and they were left with an empty table. Therefore, they’ve decided to switch to a ‘waiting list’ order for tables. If you arrive when the restaurant is full, you can either wait or leave them your cell phone number and take a walk around downtown Victoria ; they’ll call you to let you know when to come back. It works better for everyone. Fortunately for us when we arrived there were a few tables available – including one at the very back, perfect for us.

In France a ‘brasserie’ is an unpretentious restaurant that serves drinks – roughly the French equivalent of an English pub. The Brasserie L’école fits this bill nicely; the décor is elegant but relaxed and the staff are efficient while still being open and friendly. The restaurant emphasizes ‘fresh’ and ‘local’ in its menu, which therefore changes frequently.

Our server listed several treats but there was one that stood out for us: a 30-0z, bone-in steak for two. We began with a small loaf of bread and butter, quickly followed by an Endive salad with a mustard/wine dressing – served with thinly sliced apples, whole hazelnuts and topped with chunks of thickly-sliced bacon. Marcia ordered a bottle of Badoit sparkling mineral water, and I asked for an iced tea. The tea was refreshing and different, with almost a passionfruit flavour to it.

Then the main course arrived. The afore-mentioned steak, served rare (for us), a dish of cremini mushrooms, one of acorn squash, another of roasted root vegetables, and finally a basket of steak frîtes to share. We each received our own dish of garlic mayonnaise. This is definitely not ‘nouvelle cuisine’; the only problem we had was that the amount of food nearly overwhelmed the size of our table! We were overwhelmed by the blend of flavours. It was, in a word, exquisite.

Believe it or not, we managed to get on the outside of every bite. Rather than opting for dessert we eyed the cheese board instead. Of the five choices presented we selected two different goat cheeses. They came on a board with thin slices of bread, more hazelnuts and thinly-sliced apples We topped it all off with a double espresso. In our opinion the Brasserie L’école is one of the top restaurants in Victoria; we’re sure you’ll agree and it is one we will happily frequent.

2) San Remo Restaurant

Some friends of ours recently returned from a vacation in Crete, so when we all went out to celebrate, a Greek restaurant was an obvious choice. San Remo is located on the northeast corner of Hillside and Quadra. I’ve been to the café on the corner but we hadn’t yet been to the restaurant part, which is next door. It’s one of a chain of restaurants owned by the same Greek gentleman, and has a family atmosphere to it. We started the meal with some flat bread sprinkled with feta cheese and black olives and drizzled with olive oil, and an order of saganaki, which is a pan-fried goat cheese, covered with brandy and lemon and flambéed at the table. We all tried different main courses – lamb shoulder, roast chicken, lamb souvlaki and beef ribs with caesar salad, which were variously served with roast potatoes, vegetables or Greek salad. Judging by the comments (or lack thereof!) I’d say everyone enjoyed their meals. We finished off with two shared desserts – tiramisu for our friends, and galaktaboureko for Marcia and I, washed down with a couple of espressos. All of the desserts are made deliciously in-house by Rose. If you’re not interested in Greek food, San Remo also serves seafood, pasta, pizza and more!

That’s it for now. Whatever you’re eating today, share it with someone you love.

Hugs,
M&M

Eating Our Way Through Victoria, and…

Mike Nelson Pedde — Wed, 12 Oct 2011 19:00:59 +0000

Hi Folks:

September was a pretty busy month for us in terms of food – and when I was at the Bengal Lounge at the Empress Hotel the other night I remembered I hadn’t written that blog post yet. So, without further ado…

Nando’s
Nando’s restaurant in Victoria is on the NW corner of Pandora and Government streets, across from Centennial Square. One quick note: while there is an emergency exit door on Pandora, one can’t enter that way. The main entrance is around on the Government St. side. A note in the window would help, as we redirected several parties while we were there. Nando’s is one of those places where the aromas enticed us every time we passed, but we’d never gotten around to trying. So we did. The essence of Nando’s is ‘Peri-Peri chicken’, reportedly a centuries-old collaboration between Portugese sailors and their discovery of the East African Bird’s Eye Chilli. The chicken is marinated for 24 hours and then slow-roasted over an open flame. It’s hard to describe the atmosphere at Nando’s – more upscale (and healthier) than a fast-food restaurant, but one orders from the menu at the counter and the food is brought out to your table. Take-out service is also available. One can choose the level of ‘spice’ desired, from Mild-Medium-Hot to Extra Hot. We decided on Medium, which Marcia was quite pleased with, and I took advantage of some of the hot sauces on the table. As sides there are rice, potatoes, salads and vegetables. The food is tasty, and while the server did come by our table once to see how we were doing, we were essentially abandoned at that point and I had to bring what was left back to the counter in order to have it wrapped for home. In keeping with our policy of only writing about places we would visit again, this one makes the cut on the strength of the flavours.

In the middle of September we took the ferry over to Saltspring Island in order to take in the Saturday Farmer’s Market and also the Saltspring Fall Fair. Both were wonderful; it’s been some time since either of us have been to a traditional fall fair, and the freshly made Aeropress coffee we discovered at the market was worth the wait. We picked up some organic apples and veggies, and a taste of a Blizzard cookie sample brought us back to buy a whole one. We had intended to go to Auntie Pesto’s Café in Ganges for a late lunch, but by the time we arrived at 3:00 we were told they were closed – quite simply because they’d run out of food. That’s either bad planning or a serious recommendation; we’ll go with the latter and try them the next time (when the Fall Fair isn’t on!) As an alternate we went to the Tree House Café instead.

The Tree House Café is not (to my secret disappointment) a restaurant built off the ground in a tree, but it is essentially an indoor/outdoor patio with a tree growing up through the middle of it. Quite fun, actually. We had a table right beside the trunk of the tree, which was handy when the rain began to fall as the leaves kept us ‘mostly’ dry. We loved the eclectic atmosphere (so typical of Saltspring – if “typical eccentricity” is even possible) and the made-to-order lunch menu, and will definitely go again. Maybe next time we’ll go for dinner and take in the live music on offer.

Back in Victoria, a friend invited me to dinner in exchange for some help. We went first to Santé Gluten-Free Café on Quadra, but they were closing within 20 minutes of our arrival. Another one for the list; so many restaurants, so little time…! Instead we went to My Thai Café on Cook Street. A little ‘hole in the wall’ family restaurant, don’t let this dissuade you. The food here is very good. Again my friend and I went for ‘Medium’ on the heat level, and it was just about as much as she could stand. If you can take the heat, they can definitely dish it out! We’ve been to a few Thai food restaurants in Victoria and would recommend this one.

And finally, another place on our list of ‘must-dos’ was ‘Habit Coffee‘ in the Atrium at the corner of Yates and Blanshard. They have a second location on Pandora in Chinatown but we haven’t yet been there. We’ve been to a number of excellent coffee shops in Victoria, each one unique. The atmosphere at Habit is definitely more urban, with a modern, industrial look. They do make excellent coffee, and they’re serious about sustainability with everything from composting to CFL light bulb recycling and reclaimed wood used in construction. They have a ‘Sustainability’ page on their website that explains more ways they’re going ‘green’. Being in a building that’s targeting LEED Gold, perhaps it’s not surprising. They also have healthy cookies and other delicious treats available. Next time we’ll have to check out Zambri’s restaurant next door…

Okay, that’s it for now. Wherever and whatever you’re eating today, remember to take the time to celebrate the food, the company and the very act of eating.

Hugs,
M&M

Eating Our Way Through Victoria… Cafés

Mike Nelson Pedde — Sat, 30 Jul 2011 20:00:39 +0000

Hi Folks:

I remember reading somewhere that Victoria has the second highest number of restaurants per capita in North America… so much good food, so little time… With all of those choices Marcia and I have become a little sedate in our selections – frequenting mostly places that we’ve been to before like Floyd’s and Red Fish Blue Fish. We ‘ve written two ‘Eating Our Way…‘ posts now on some of our favourite coffee (and tea) tasting places in town, but we have another few to add to the list:

Café 932: Located (appropriately) at 932 Johnson Street – between Quadra and Vancouver – Café 932 (formerly Island Oasis Café) is a quiet little spot that we’ve walked by several times before deciding to pop in for lunch. We’re glad we did. Run by a wonderful couple, Café 932 has a wonderful European flair. Closed weekends, the café is open M-F from 7:00-4:30. With good jazz playing in the background, we happily sampled an Early Grey tea (Mike) and an Americano (Marcia), as well as a Classic Panini. The sandwich was both very tasty and very well presented. In addition to paninis they have a daily soup, fresh salads, samosas and more. They offer both Harney and Sons and Silk Road teas, and they feature Level Ground coffee as well as a variety of cold drinks. We also loved the their Salt and Pepper shakers – they hug each other! It’s definitely worth a visit.

Caffé Fantastico: With four locations in Victoria, Caffé Fantastico has been a local icon since 1993. Their locations and caffés are each unique, but they all share a common passion for local food, being ‘green’ and good coffee! So far we’ve been to the location in Quadra Village and the one at the Parkside Hotel, but we’ll be sure to check out the ones in Cook St. Village and the one at Dockside Green before too long!

The Cornerstone Café: We wrote about the Cornerstone Café in our last coffee post, but as our Photo Meetup group meets there every second week, it’s become a favourite for us. Located at 1301 Gladstone Avenue (at Fernwood Road), the Cornerstone Café is in the heart of Fernwood Village – appropriate enough, since it’s owned by the Fernwood NRG (Neighbourhood Resource Group). The carrot cake is very, very good, and they also have lots of more-healthy foods too! Over the summer, every Friday night is ‘Open Mic’ night. The Cornerstone Café is doing their best to be a zero-waste location, composting and recycling as much as possible.

The Grindstone Café: At 504 Herald Street (at the corner of Store Street), the Grindstone Café is a short walk from the downtown core. More bohemian in feel, the Grindstone has a wonderfully laid-back ambiance. We’ve stopped in there several times for a quick break and a muffin but judging from the heavenly aromas they also have great lunch fare. Closed Sundays, they’re open M-F from 7:00-6:00 and Sat . 8:00-2:00. Happy Hour is from 3:00-5:00, with 50% off all drinks!

Fernwood Inn: Okay, we have one more restaurant to mention, but this one’s not a café. We had occasion to dine at the Fernwood Inn last Friday as we were planning to attend the ‘open mic’ at the Cornerstone Café across the street. Located at 1302 Gladstone Avenue, the Fernwood Inn is sometimes described as a ‘gastropub’. Family friendly but with big screen TVs for sports nights, the Fernwood Inn combines relaxed ambiance with an emphasis on local food and ‘green’ operations. In fact, the Fernwood Inn was both the host of a UVic-led ‘carrot mob‘ last spring, and was recently the winner of a $35,000 grant from BC Hydro to improve their energy efficiency.

For dinner we had to start with their signature Carrot, Coconut and Ginger Soup. Marcia then had the Salade Niçoise, and Mike opted for the Chipotle Prawn Arrabbiata. ‘Arrabbiata’ mean ‘angry’ in Italian, and refers to the spiciness of the sauce. Marcia’s salad had a lettuce base, well mixed with kalamata olives, potato, bacon, hard-boiled egg, green beans, cherry tomatoes and albacore tuna (cooked very rare). It was just delicious! The pasta had a fettucine base, and the ‘angry’ tomato sauce came with capers, slices of green onion and an abundance of prawns, with garlic bread on the side. We didn’t stay for dessert as we were making our way across the street to the Cornerstone for the ‘Open Mic’ night, but we look forward to visiting the Fernwood Inn again!

That’s it for now! So many good restaurants, so little time… (heavy sigh)

Hugs,
M&M

Eating Our Way Through Victoria… And Beyond!!

Mike Nelson Pedde — Wed, 04 May 2011 20:00:01 +0000

Hi Folks:

This will serve as two months’ worth of ‘Food’ posts for us! We’ve had some interesting culinary adventures over the past couple of months… actually we were waiting for a writeup from a ‘guest blogger’, but that didn’t pan out so you get me instead. Let’s see now, where have we been?

Saluté
Downstairs at the corner of Fort and Langley Streets, Saluté was formerly the Temple Restaurant. We ate there on a Monday night back in early March, and as it happened we were the only two patrons in the restaurant for the entire time we were there. I seem to have misplaced my notes and I can’t recall what we ate with any great detail, so I can only give overall impressions. Fully-packed, the restaurant would seat around sixty people. The décor is either eclectic or somewhat confused, depending on how you look at it. There’s a wonderful Romanesque fireplace in one corner, and blueish LED lighting under the glass-fronted bar, with various other accents scattered around. Our strongest impressions were that the prices were average to a little high, the food was very good and the service was, if anything, too attentive. Yes, we were the only two people there at the time, but still. Normally I would have chalked this up to an inexperienced server, but he told us about all of his other experiences at various establishments in both front of house and back of house operations, so there’s no excuse there. Our food-writing policy here at M&M’s Musings is that we only write about establishments to which we would return, and the food was very good. Recommended with caution perhaps.

Port Renfrew
Now, the title of this post is, “Eating Our Way Through Victoria… And Beyond!!” and at the end of March we took a day trip from Victoria to Port Renfrew to visit Juan de Fuca Provincial Park, specifically the Botanical Beach area. Not having been out that way before, when we saw a sign for “Tomi’s Homestyle Cookin’” in Port Renfrew we thought it looked like a great place to stop for coffee!! And it was, despite the fact that her ‘fancy coffee’ machine wasn’t working because of hydro problems. Marcia said the brewed coffee was very good, and I was pleasantly surprised by both the tea selection and the size of the gigantic cookies that were on offer. Tasty too…

Properly refueled, we finished the last of the drive to the park and walked down to the beach. We had sun and we had rain, pounding waves, surf and more. It was an incredible place to be. The tumultuous weather didn’t bother us at all – that IS why it’s called a rainforest after all, and the combination of sun and rain and warm climate leads to some dramatic growth.

As we were returning to Port Renfrew we decided to stop at the “Coastal Kitchen Café” for a bit of late lunch. A family-style restaurant run by a wonderful couple, it was surprisingly busy even in that quiet season. There’s even a play area for little people, and the owners’ daughter was making friends with some visitors while we were there. After a quick look at the menu board we both settled on the carrot and ginger soup and orders of sweet potato fries. They were very good, so the Coastal Kitchen is a worthwhile stop either to or from the beach! I wouldn’t be surprised at all to find the place packed during the busy season.

Posh
Our most recent dining excursion was to Posh Sukiyaki Restaurant. Located on the south side of Fort St. between Cook St. and Vancouver St., it was a place we had passed often but not yet savoured. It was time. Posh Victoria is the Vancouver Island contingent of a chain that also has restaurants in Richmond and Vancouver. Posh serves both sukiyaki and teriyaki, essentially the Japanese version of ‘hot pot’. We began with a miso soup, and then we were ready for the main course. As we were new to the concept, our server was very attentive in explaining the procedures to us. Essentially, each table has a gas burner in the center, onto which is placed a heavy, cast iron open pot. The pot contains both a sauce mixture and shredded cabbage; the cabbage is mostly water and as it cooks it releases its fluid into the broth. There are also bottles of water and sauce on the table, to be added to the pot as the liquid is evaporated. Using this liquid as a base, each person adds their own complement of meat (razor-thin slices of beef and/or pork) and accompaniments to the pot to cook. The guidelines are that one pot can be shared by up to four people, but with only two of us we were carelessly adding and pushing each others’ selections out of the way to make more room. The list of accompaniments is both very long and quite varied, including tomatoes, zucchini, several mushrooms, bok choy, cabbage, spinach, yam, different tofus, bean sprouts, rice noodles… it seemed to go on forever. There is a fixed-amount menu option, but we went for the ‘all you can eat’ and it was worth it. Not being sure what to expect, we began with our server’s recommendation of a ‘sampler’ of various dishes and then ordered more of what we each liked best. I should also mention that at the beginning of the meal each person is given a small bowl and a raw egg. One breaks the egg into the bowl, stirs vigorously and then uses the egg as a dipping sauce (this can be omitted if you’re not so inclined). Overall it’s a wonderfully fun, interactive meal. Our only word of warning is not to wear your best white silk shirt as splashes can occur! We were pleasantly surprised by the bill, and look forward to going again. One final note is that after we worked our way through the sampler and got to the order sheet, we ordered small quantities of those items we wanted. Despite that we were amazed at the quantity of food that showed up! We both thought there was no way we were going to get through it all, but we did, down to the last bean sprout. Our server did mention that often people order larger quanties than they can eat and much food gets wasted. Since all of the food is fresh and cooked at the table, our recommendation would be to order in stages. Take your time and enjoy!!

Ah… so many good restaurants, so little time…

Hugs,
M&M

Eating Our Way Through Victoria… Fresh Fish!!

Mike Nelson Pedde — Sat, 26 Feb 2011 21:24:00 +0000

Hello, Dear Reader:

Today Marcia and I celebrate our 100^th Monthaversary of being married, so it’s only fitting that today we should profile where we went to celebrate our 18th Anniversary of the day we met. (In case it’s not really obvious, we find some way to celebrate ‘Us’ every day…)

On February 19^th we went to a restaurant we’ve been meaning to try for some time: Red Fish Blue Fish. To say that the restaurant is small is almost an understatement; the primary structure has been built out of a shipping container. Their address is listed as 1006 Wharf Street but you’ll find them down on the wharf, behind the Inner Harbour Centre and near the float plane docks. Just look for a long line-up of people…

In our opinion, Red Fish Blue Fish has several good things going for it. First, the location is wonderful, right by the ocean and out in the fresh air. There are a collection of tables and stools randomly distributed around and also a section of benches to sit on, but you can also take your selections away down the shore if you prefer. Second, the food is very good. The fish is fresh, the batter is very light, and the fries are tasty! In addition to battered fish they serve chowder, salads, fish tacones (grilled tortilla hand rolls or taco-cones), and for vegetarians they serve an edamame tacone. Third, the operation is very environmentally friendly. The footprint of the restaurant is small, but it goes beyond that.

All of their seafood is sustainably caught and certified by the Vancouver Aquarium’s ‘Oceanwise‘ program.

“The Vancouver Aquarium is a self-supporting, non-profit association dedicated to effecting the conservation of aquatic life through display and interpretation, education, research, and direct action.

Overfishing is the number one problem facing the world’s oceans…

Ocean Wise is a Vancouver Aquarium conservation program created to educate and empower consumers about the issues surrounding sustainable seafood. Ocean Wise works directly with restaurants, markets, food services and suppliers ensuring that they have the most current scientific information regarding seafood and helping them make ocean-friendly buying decisions. The options are highlighted on their menus and display cases with the Ocean Wise symbol, making it easier for consumers to make environmentally friendly seafood choices. The Ocean Wise logo next to a menu or seafood item is an assurance that the item is a good choice for keeping ocean life healthy and abundant for generations to come.”

In addition, there are no garbage cans for the customers. Instead, they have a two-bin system (in cooperation with reFUSE, I believe). A blue bin collects metal, glass and plastic for recycling, and a green bin collects leftover food, napkins (paper), dishes (pressboard), coleslaw/condiment cups (paper) and cutlery (pressed wood fibre) for composting. If they told me that their fry oil went for biodiesel production and that the vegetables for the salad and slaw were locally harvested, I’d be in ‘green’ fast food heaven!

We were there for lunch on a February afternoon; out of the wind and with the sun shining down it was a lovely day for al fresco dining! Red Fish Blue Fish is closed over the winter, but open 7 days a week for most of the year. They do close early during inclement weather, so please call ahead if you’re uncertain.

Bon appetit!

Hugs,
M&M

Eating Our Way Through Victoria!

Marcia Mae Nelson Pedde — Tue, 01 Feb 2011 20:00:34 +0000

Hello Dear Ones!

January 2011 held a myriad of dinner meetings for me with no time left over for both Mike and I to go out for a meal together … just the two of us. However, we’re already remedying that by planning a dinner out alone next weekend …

Here are a list of the restaurants I was fortunate to experience in the past few weeks:

Milestones: Dinner in the downstairs conference/banquet room was set pleasantly for a crowd of 30 people. Rather than a pre-selected buffet, we were each blessed with being able to choose off the menu. Having been out to a breakfast/training that same morning (see White Spot below) I was less than hungry and wanted something light to eat. The atmosphere was relaxed, service exceptional, menu delightfully varied and the presentation impeccable! I wisely chose the goat cheese with roasted beet salad: generous portions of goat cheese with sumptuous amounts of golden beets julienned and roasted to perfection. The maple glazed pecans added a sparkle to the taste buds and the eye in their appeal, layered on a bed of spring greens. The salad was then drizzled with a light ‘house’ dressing and presented on a large platter with a splatter of balsamic roue for visual effect. Yum!

White Spot: Breakfast out with colleagues … arriving at the restaurant at 7am … many of us still bleary eyed and looking for coffee to wake us up fully! The gathering was to be a meeting and training session; for each of us it was practical use of our time. With busy schedules all, this arrangement seemed appropriate. We had one server for the group and she handled our individual and unique food requests with graceful aplomb and each order was met precisely to our specifications. Breakfast is always my favourite meal out, having eaten at many restaurants – both mom and pop places as well as many food chains – over my lifetime. This particular food chain had a wide variation of menu – both traditional as well as some tasty surprises. I chose one such surprise:

NEW Giardino Satisfying and flavourful, this omelette is filled with sautéed mushrooms, zucchini, sweet bell peppers, spinach, scallions and cheese and topped with our house-made Arrabbiata sauce.

Delicious!

The Delta Victoria Ocean Pointe Resort and Spa: Look below. If this doesn’t tempt the taste buds, not much will! Our particular buffet selection was a wee bit less affluent than this one, but not by much. The selection was varied, well presented, still nicely hot, and decorated to appeal to the eye and the taste buds – especially the curry and coconut milk-baked halibut – a melt-in-the-mouth-with-eyes-closed-to-savour-the-flavour experience!

Dinner Buffets
Victorian Dinner Buffet

Salads
Medley of Gourmet Salad Greens
Maple Balsamic Vinaigrette & Creamy House Dressing
Yukon Gold Potato, Sundried Tomato, Gerkins, Olives,
Mustard Seed Dressing
Chick Peas, Sweet Peas & Bell Pepper Salad
Coleslaw, Apple & Pecan Salad, Buttermilk Cilantro Lime dressing
Tomato, Red Onion, Artichoke, Goat Cheese, Pesto Salad
Asian Style Salad, Chicken, Snow Peas, Water Chestnuts,
Sesame Soya & Ginger

Cold Platters
Smoked Turkey, Black Forest Ham, Pastrami, Salami & Prosciutto Ham
Grainy Mustard, Pickles & Olives
Smoked Trout, Smoked Mackerel, BBQ Salmon Fillets
Horseradish Cream, Capers & Lemon

Hot Items
(Choice of 2)
Sautéed Chicken, Penne Pasta, Chorizo, Shiitake, Spinach, Lemon Caper Cream
Roasted Chicken, Onion, Garlic, Tomato, White Wine Tarragon Sauce
Baked Wild BC Salmon Fillet, Beet & Orange Salsa, Orange Ginger Cream
Roasted Pork Loin, Spiced Cocoa Rub, Sautéed Apple & Cranberry, Calvados Jus
Coconut Crusted Baked Halibut, Curried Lemon Cream, Toasted Almonds
Roasted Alberta Beef Striploin, Mushroom Medley, Green Peppercorn Red Wine Jus
Panko & Herb Crusted Baked Snapper Fillet, Chili & Red Bell Pepper Sauce
Maple & Juniper Glazed Baked Ham, Golden Raisins, Rum Scented Grilled Pineapple
Chef’s Selection of Vegetables & Appropriate Starch

Dessert
Assorted Tortes, Cakes, French Pastries, Tarts & Mousses
Domestic & Imported Cheese Platter
Sliced Fresh Fruit Platter
Bread Rolls & Butter
Freshly Brewed Coffee & Specialty Teas

The Delta Ocean Pointe location was another dinner/training meeting and the ballroom was huge, tables round to seat 10 at each one. There were challenges for some to be able to see around posts to catch the slide presentation at the one end of the room. Other than that, the staff were silently effective and the evening was a productive success.

That’s it for this month’s post. Do get out to support and enjoy the local fare in your own community!

In Light and Laughter,

Marcia

Eating Our Way Through Victoria… Tea Time!

Mike Nelson Pedde — Wed, 01 Dec 2010 22:00:27 +0000

Hi Folks:

In a couple of previous ‘Food‘ posts we’ve discussed some of our favourite coffee shops in and around Victoria. We thought we’d switch that up a bit and talk about tea instead.

1) Murchie’s Tea and Coffee: Murchie’s has been an icon in Victoria for somewhere around a century. Located on Government Street, it’s a short walk from the Inner Harbour, and a ‘must stop’ location on many visitors’ agendas. Murchie’s has a seating capacity of 110, and in addition to fine teas and coffees they have a wonderful lunch menu and many different choices for desserts or accompaniments to ‘afternoon tea’. There’s also a large shop with loose teas, coffees, spices, teapots, coffeemakers, cups, saucers, kitchenware and more. The ‘tea rooms’ at the top of the stairs also feature work by local artists. If you’ve walked out of Munro’s Books (just up the street) with a package under your arm, this is a great place to sit and flip through your purchase!

2) Silk Road: A little farther north on Government Street, Silk Road is in the heart of Victoria’s ‘Chinatown’. There’s no ‘tea bar’ here, but there is a huge space with many different varieties of teas – from organic blends to flower teas – along with all of the requirements to steep the perfect cup. The staff are open, friendly, and offer wonderful guidance. Silk Road also offers workshops and ‘tea tastings’ throughout the year, combining entertainment and information with wonderful tastes and aromas. Finally, Silk Road offers aromatherapy products and there is a spa onsite. Definitely worth a visit!

3) Teaopia: A newer arrival to Victoria, Teaopia has two locations in town. One is at the Mayfair Mall, and the other is on Fort Street in the heart of downtown, between Government and Douglas. They also have a number of other stores across BC, Alberta and Ontario. Teaopia offers a hundred varieties of loose tea for sale, either for home purchase or to try in store. If you’re hungry they offer muffins, scones and more to accompany your drink. They also have cast iron and red clay teapots, cups and other accessories in a quiet, relaxed environment. NB: If you order a cup or a pot of tea, you will have to wait a few minutes to receive it as each one is matched to it’s own tea timer to ensure perfect steeping time.

4) Fairmont Empress: A tradition in Victoria for more than a century, ‘the’ place to have high tea in Victoria is the Empress Hotel. Not for the faint of wallet, it is nonetheless an experience not to be missed. The Empress serves their own secret blend of tea, along with raisin scones, heavy cream and strawberry preserves. For this festive time of year, special dates and times have been set aside to enjoy gingerbread men and hot chocolate or hot apple cider as well.

Those are just a few of Victoria’s places to have tea. We’ll cover some more in an upcoming blog post! In the meantime, if you’re serving tea to company this season, why not a little ‘Sticky Toffee Pudding’ to accompany it?

From Martha Stewart magazine, Feb, 2007 issue:

Sticky Toffee Pudding
Makes 10

3 cups (750 ml) all-purpose flour
1 tsp (5 ml) baking powder
¼ tsp (1 ml) baking soda
8 oz (225 g) seedless dates, chopped
½ cup (1 stick) (125 ml) plus 1 tbsp (15 ml) unsalted butter, room temperature, plus more for ramekins
2 cups (500 ml) packed dark-brown sugar
3 large eggs, lightly beaten
Toffee Sauce (see below)
Vanilla ice cream, for serving (optional)

Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C). Butter ten 4-ounce ramekins; set aside. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and baking soda; set aside.
In a small saucepan, combine dates and 1-cup (250 ml) warm water. Simmer until most of the water is evaporated, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a small food processor and process until smooth; keep warm.
In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Slowly add the eggs, and beat to combine. Scrape down sides of bowl. Add the flour mixture, and beat until fully combined.
With machine running, add date purée, a little at a time, beating to combine after each addition. Divide evenly between prepared ramekins, filling each about three-quarters full. Bake until a cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean, 20 to 30 minutes.
Cool to room temperature, slice off top, and discard. Cut in half horizontally, and layer with sauce. Serve immediately with ice cream, if desired.

Toffee Sauce
2½ (625 ml) cups heavy cream
2 cups (500 ml) sugar
⅓ cup (80 ml) corn syrup
½ cup (1 stick) (125 ml) plus 1 tbsp (15 ml) unsalted butter

In a medium saucepan, combine 1 1/4 cups (310 ml) cream, sugar, corn syrup, and butter. Place over medium heat, and cook, stirring occasionally, until caramel colored, about 15 minutes.
Remove from heat, let stand until cool, about 30 minutes. Place over low heat, and stir in remaining cream until smooth.

Enjoy!

Hugs,
M&M

Eating Our Way Through Victoria… Pumpkin Time!

Mike Nelson Pedde — Mon, 01 Nov 2010 02:36:57 +0000

Hello Dear Reader!

Well, we’ve had a few culinary adventures to share with you this month.

Before we get to that, however, earlier this month Marcia went out to dinner with the folks she works with at a restaurant downtown. She ordered the equivalent salad to the one we’d shared at Café Brio last month; in her estimation there was no comparison. Café Brio was far superior. She found the service at this restaurant was good but the restaurant was somewhat dark and the food overly salty, so in keeping with our only ‘rule’ about our food posts we’re not going to mention them – at least until we have a second opportunity to try dinner there. Café Brio we recommend without hesitation! Actually, we planned to go back there this month, but plans changed.

As we mentioned here, we had a somewhat ‘unconventional’ Thanksgiving this year. We went to Vancouver to visit family on Sunday/ Monday, but on Saturday night we went out to dinner with our son Nick at a Japanese Fusion restaurant called ‘Bon Sushi‘. They have two locations in Victoria that we know of: one is in Oak Bay, but the one we went to is on West Saanich Rd. at Royal Oak Plaza. If you’re familiar with the Royal Oak area, Bon Sushi has taken over at what used to be the Lemongrass Café. We’ve had Japanese food before but we’re definitely not connaisseurs so we were quite happy to let Nick do most of the ordering.

We found the staff quietly reserved but friendly, which is typical for Asian culture. When the server came to take our order she listened attentively and asked for clarification when required. We weren’t sure of the portion sizes so we ordered more food than was probably necessary, but it was all delicious. Every platter was elegantly presented, with clusters of pickled ginger ‘flowers’ and wasabi paste in the corners (no fresh wasabi, but it’s expensive, hard to get, and doesn’t ‘keep’ long). We may have ordered more food than we should have, but we managed to down every mouthful, along with copious amounts of tea. Having been there once, it’s definitely on our list of places to visit again!

Continuing our quest for the perfect coffee, when we were in Oak Bay a couple of weeks ago to see the show at Lúz Gallery we wandered down the street to Discovery Coffee. From their website:

“Our new shop proudly boasts the first vacuum pot and halogen bar in the city and we’ll be glad to tell you all about it while we brew some stellar single origin coffees, one cup at a time to order, or one of the other drinks you have come to know us for.”

With a build up like that, we’re not going to say any more about their drinks. You’ll have to go and find out for yourself! We found it intriguing that most of the tables in the café are old sewing machine trestles (sewing machines removed). The tables are just the right size for two people to get cozy. They also have a turntable (it’s nice to know we’re not the only ones) and some classic vinyl. For anyone born after 1980 or so, an LP is like a CD, only bigger, more fragile and without the digital tracks. It may be ‘retro’ for the staff, but quite familiar to us! The staff are very diligent in what they do, and they’re also open and always willing to share a smile. If you’re in the area, it’s worth dropping in.

October 26 marked our 8^th Anniversary of the day we were married (our 96^th Monthaversary). We were originally planning to go back to Café Brio to celebrate, but it turned out that the 26^th was also the day of Nick’s convocation from Royal Roads University. The ceremony was held in the morning at the Royal Theatre, and after the ceremony and photographs and paparazzi (okay, so we exaggerate a little) we headed to Floyd’s Diner. Floyd’s was the subject of our first ever food post, and remains a favourite downtown lunch spot for us. It was as boisterous and as good as ever, and the staff still give great hugs.

Hugs,
M&M

P.S. I’ve been threatening to share some recipes in these food posts for some time, and as Hallowe’en draws to a close the one thing of which people will have a surfeit (okay, beside candy and possibly hangovers) is pumpkins. In their honour, I’m offering two pumpkin recipes. Both are amalgamations of different recipes from others, so I offer my appreciations to those cooks who provided the inspiration!

Mike.

MIKE’S PUMPKIN PIE

1 un‑baked 9 inch pie shell*
2 large eggs
½ cup (125 ml) sugar
2 tbsp. (30 ml) molasses
½ tsp. (2 ml) salt
¼ tsp. (1 ml) baking soda
1 tsp. (5 ml) ginger
1 tsp. (5 ml) cinnamon
½ tsp. (3 ml) cloves
½ tsp. (3 ml) nutmeg
2+ cups (500 ml) of cooked pumpkin, mashed and drained**
1 cup (250 ml) sour cream
½ cup (125 ml) milk

Prepare the pie shell with a fluted standing rim, and preheat oven to 450°F (230°C). Mix the eggs, molasses, sugar, salt and spices in a blender or mixer until well mixed. Add the baking soda, sour cream, milk, and pumpkin and blend well. Turn the mixture into the prepared shell, and bake for 10 minutes. Reduce heat to 400°F (200°C) and continue to cook for about 30 minutes more.

* For years and years and… I went in search of a good pastry recipe. I tried many that just didn’t measure up, and tried and tried again. One year for my birthday my mother bought me a copy of ‘More Food That Really Schmecks‘, by Edna Staebler, and in it was a recipe called ‘Barbie’s Perfect Pastry‘ (named for Edna’s friend, not the Mattel toy). Without much enthusiasm, I tried it and was amazed by the results! It was great!! I was so excited I showed it to my sister Liz, who said, “That’s just like Grandma’s old recipe.” All those years and nobody told me about it…

** COOKED PUMPKIN

Wash pumpkin and cut into quarters; clean away the seeds and stringy fibres. An ice-cream scoop works great for removing the seeds and fibres. Place the quarters in a low-sided baking dish containing ½” (12 mm) of hot water. Bake at 350°F (180°C) for about 40 minutes or until tender. Remove pulp from rind and mash or rub the pulp through a sieve or food mill. Alternately, you can add the pulp to a blender and blend on high, stopping occasionally to stir and push down the chunks. Pour the purée into a large colander and let drain – preferably overnight. Pack 2 cups (500 ml) at a time into freezer bags, leaving ½” (12 mm) headspace. Seal and freeze. Keeps for 1 year.

NB: If using canned pumpkin (shudder!) with this pie you may need to add a little more liquid to the mix.
_____
MIKE’S PUMPKIN BISQUE

~3 cups (750 ml) good stock (chicken, turkey, vegetable, whatever)*
1-14 oz (400 ml) can coconut milk
4 cups (1L) + cooked pumpkin, mashed or blended
1 tbsp. (15 ml) balsamic vinegar
2 tbsp. (30 ml) olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
2-3 cloves of garlic, crushed or chopped
1 tsp. (5 ml) salt
½-1 tsp. (2-5 ml) cayenne pepper (be careful with this, depending on your palate)
1 tsp. (5 ml) nutmeg
½ tsp. (2 ml) black pepper

Combine the stock, coconut milk and pumpkin in a large pot and heat on a low heat.

Add the onions and the olive oil to a frying pan at low heat and cook until brown – about 20-30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Cooking the onions on a low heat caramelizes them and adds flavour. Cook them until nicely browned; when the onions are about halfway there, add in the garlic. Toward the end of the cooking time add the spices, salt and pepper and stir to mix.

If you have an immersion blender, add the contents of the frying pan to the soup pot and blend to mix. Otherwise, add the mixture from the frying pan to a blender and add enough soup stock to allow this to blend easily. Pour the contents back into the soup pot. Add in the balsamic vinegar, stir and serve.

Can be served alone, with a nice chunk of bread, perhaps with a sharp cheese or with pepitas (roasted spiced pumpkinseeds).

* The amount of stock can vary a little depending on how much liquid is in your pumpkin mixture and how thick you want the final soup to be. Canned pumpkin tends to have less moisture.

_____
Enjoy! And if you prefer pumpkin coffeecake or pumpkin muffins or pumpkin bread or… let me know.

Eating Our Way Through Victoria… Café Brio

Mike Nelson Pedde — Sat, 25 Sep 2010 19:47:58 +0000

Hello, Dear Reader:

If you’ve read our other ‘Food‘ blogs you’ll know that we both have some background in the hospitality industry. We’ve also travelled extensively (both individually and together) over the years, and when one has gotten used to eating in restaurants day in and day out for months at a time, the novelty wears off very quickly. Having said that, we both enjoy a really good restaurant, and a few weeks back we realized that we had yet to discover Victoria’s ‘signature‘ restaurant. In other places we’ve lived we’ve found that there is usually one place, sometimes a very few, that we come to associate with that particular area. When we lived in Ontario, for example, Ottawa’s signature restaurant was Chef Pierre. In Kingston it was Mino’s. In Toronto there was Penelope’s and The Old Mill. We’ve tried some good and very good restaurants in Victoria (and one we chose not to write about), but so far, nothing really defining. For us a signature restaurant is about more than just the food; it’s about the ‘experience‘. Good food is a given, but there are a few restaurants that, for various reasons really go above and beyond in providing a combination of wonderful tastes, presentation, exemplary service, ambience and an excellent overall evening.

Well, September 18 marked our 190^th Monthaversary of being a couple so we made a reservation for dinner at Café Brio. We’re very glad we did. Situated on Fort St. a short walk from the Inner Harbour, from the sidewalk Café Brio appears unpretentious, almost hidden. In fact, were it not for the tantalizing aromas cascading out into the street, it would be easy to walk by without noticing it was there. A vine-covered stone wall and portico leads to a small courtyard and beyond that to the front door.

Co-owner Greg greeted us as we entered, and, noting our reservation, offered us a choice of four seating locations. Based on old habits we took a table by the kitchen. When we were resort managers such a vantage point allowed us to survey the room and make quiet comments to our staff as they passed. Greg took our coats for us and left us to peruse the menu. The idea of being ‘unpretentious’ carried on inside; instead there was more of a feeling of being at ‘home’. The dining room is large and open, with a cathedral ceiling and skylights. An assortment of artwork decorates the walls; much of the art is for sale to those interested. Linen napkins adorned the tables, but there was nothing ‘fancy’ simply for the sake of being so. Wooden tables and chairs, hardwood floors, and music loud enough to be heard without overpowering conversation. We had a quick look through the wine list but we don’t drink, so Marcia had a San Pellegrino and Mike ordered an iced tea (unsweetened). The tea had a curious tang to it that we finally decided was wintergreen. Quite refreshing!

The menu is based on ‘fresh‘ and ‘local‘, and ‘organic‘ wherever possible. Because of that the food offered is always ‘in season‘ and the menu changes daily. By the salad course we were undone, and we had to stop Silvia ( co-owner) to let her know. We’d ordered a salad of mixed greens with roasted beets, walnuts and chevre (fresh goat cheese) and it was exquisite – easily the best salad we’d had in a very long time. The dressing seemed to have a mustard base mixed with orange juice perhaps… we’d be guessing at the rest. For the main course Marcia ordered the lamb, and Mike had the rockfish. The lamb came with a Laguiole knife as a steak knife – an elegant touch but completely unnecessary as the lamb was so well prepared it literally shredded at a touch of the fork. The rockfish was equally well prepared, the vegetables perfectly al dente… All in all, sublime. We should mention that every item is available as either a full order or a half order for those with smaller appetites and those who’d like to mix and match various smaller plates. We finished the meal with an espresso, and since we were having a difficult time choosing a dessert to sample it was fortunate for us that they offered a sampler platter – the best crème brûlée we’ve ever had, biscotti, lemon sorbet and a chocolate truffle.

The food was excellent, but as we mentioned at the beginning of this post, a wonderful dining experience for us is about more than just the food. This is where the Café Brio truly excelled. When we managed our resort we would have given much to have the staff that work in this restaurant. Everyone from the owners on down is aware of every table, unobtrusive but accommodating. There were many simple things: like a dinner knife, dirtied during the salad course, that was discretely replaced before the next course arrived. The care that went into every action was evident from everyone. Greg is friendly but reserved, Silvia is wonderfully effusive, and their staff are a treasure.

Are there any other restaurants in Victoria that can match the Café Brio for a consummate dining experience? Potentially. Maybe. Perhaps. We haven’t yet been to every restaurant in town. But based on our first experience at Café Brio, for now we can imagine everyone else vying for second.

Hugs,
Marcia and Mike.