Hospitality and Product Recommendations, Recipes and Resources in Victoria BC and more, since 2003
2232 Oak Bay Ave 250-590-7524
By far the Victoria culinary powerhouse of the moment. Great vision, execution and innovation. There's a lot of intellectual and physical work going into this menu. Patty and I have been sitting at Vis a Vis, rubbing our heads overwhelmed with the energy going into som…
The Black Hat by Bistro 28 has opened at Langley and Broughton St in downtown Victoria and in the process transformed the appearance of the entire block. Holly financial investment! They've converted the old Tony's Trick and Joke Shop into a flashy 85 seat restaurant. It looks great. This kind devel…
I continue to be delighted by the increasing availability of Middle Eastern food in Victoria. I have now consumed all of the Beirut Express menu and last night's lamb schwarma platter ($11.99) and falafel platter ($10.99) definitely take the cake for variety and value. The wraps are tasty too, but …
The Whole Beast: Artisan Salumeria 2032 Oak Bay Ave (between Foul Bay and Elgin) tel: 250-213-1226,Tues-Sat 0am-6pm
Adjoining the new Village Butcher location on Oak Bay Avenue, The Whole Beast brings some new meat to Victoria shoppers. Unlike the raw products sold at the butcher shop next door, the…
When the temperature rises in Victoria, you know summer festival season has arrived. It's time to buy your tickets and block off days in your calender:
ICC Food Fest, Sunday June 12: The Island Chefs' Collaborative annual fundraiser at Fort Rodd Hill in Colwood. The ICC is taking a slightly differen…
The Oak Bay Bistro opens today, replacing the venerable albeit creepy, Blethering Place Tea Room. Having spent several years of my life drinking coffee under a cloud of cigarette smoke at the Bleth, it's a little sad to see it go. That said, I'll be happy to not to see servers in oppressive looking …
This year’s Dine Around line up (Feb 17-March 6), much like every year, has a number of lame efforts and an over-abundance of soup, mixed greens, stuffed pasta and stews. That said, there are always some hidden gems in the mountain of average dining, where true value (relative to food cost and/or th…
Chef Ito is leaving his position as executive chef at the Fairmont Empress and reportedly heading to the Inn at Laurel Point to lead their kitchen. Apparently, Chef Ito is looking to spend his culinary golden years in a kitchen where he can better express his personal vision and creativity.
The h…
Two new lunch options have just emerged. For those of you looking for an elegant end of week lunch break Paprika Bistro is serving lunch on Fridays and Saturdays. There is a shortage of fine dining lunches in Victoria outside of hotels, so this is a nice addition.
Also, Foo is now serving lunch on S…
The Island's Chef Collaborative Cookbook Committee met for the first time yesterday at the English Inn. That's right, planning is underway for ICC fundraising cookbook celebrating local food, farmers and producers. We're looking to have the final product available for Christmas shopping next year, b…
My pastry chef Vicki, checked out Mexican House of Spice earlier this week. Due to holiday madness I won't be able to make it until next week, but I was so excited I had to share the news now.
Vicki reports an extensive selection o…
Zambri's at the Atrium 820 Yates St
If you're thinking about checking out the new Zambri's, I'll start by recommending you visit at off peak times, unless of course you enjoy the social camaraderie of a big queue. Patty and I arrived at 530pm on a Saturday night to be seated quickly, but by the time…
Patty and I are enjoying a rather indulgent culinary adventure. We've spent a week in New York state and are now at our home away from home in the Auvergne region of France.
Some highlights of the trip so far:
Seattle Airport: My friend Rob highly recommended the fish tacos at the take away windo…
Nostalgie Restaurant - 3838 Cadboro Bay Rd, 250-590-5159
I may be alone on this one, but I think there should be more Russian/Eastern European culinary choices available. I'm a fan of what I think is the original comfort food. Nostalgie offers a combination of pub style fare and Russian specialties…
Puerto Vallarta Amigos Mobile Vendor - parked at the bottom of Yates St
Well you can't have too many tacos, can you!?! PVAmigos has a small, but yummy menu of tacos, quesadillas and tortas, with a variety of fillings to choose from, including chicken, beef, pork, sausage, bean and soy chorizo. Eve…
509 Fisgard street, Victoria, BC 250-590-8795 dinner from 5:30 Tuesday to Saturday
Call it a bad economy, legitimate fear of opening a new restaurant, or what have you, but it seems like a long time since a swanky new restaurant opened. I was so excited about something new, I actually got down there…
Ayo Eat in Market Square is filling a protruding culinary gap in Victoria, serving a small menu of classic Indonesian dishes. From the take away window on the second story of the northwest corner of Market Square you'll find some fairly sophisticated dishes. Look past the styrofoam box and even the …
I remember the first time my dad let me order the wine for a family dinner outing. It was Christmas Day 1999, I was 23 and we were at the Empress Dining Room. My dad, a former wine columnist for the Vancouver Sun, had been nurturing my interest in wine and wine service for many years. I have no idea…
Chinese takeaway is a comfort food to most. Like many comfort people tend to be fairly particular about the contents and executions of their favourite dishes. Once you’ve found your Chinese food restaurant soul mate, it can seem treacherous to divert from your ordering course. On principle, I try to…
Little Yering Pinot Noir 13.5% Alc $14.98
A nice value Pinot Noir from Australia. Unlike most Australian wines, this one is vinted in a old world French style, with lighter fruit and medium body. Delicate cherry and strawberry notes as well as soft vanilla , delivered from ageing in French oak. Almo…
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