tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-79649342174753063502024-02-20T10:38:30.062-08:00The Average Joe's Victoria Restaurant BlogUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger81125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7964934217475306350.post-58741463095543125942013-11-25T18:54:00.000-08:002013-11-25T18:54:14.366-08:00Shelter, Tofino BC<a href="http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/317/1447395/restaurant/Vancouver-Island/Shelter-Tofino"><img alt="Shelter on Urbanspoon" src="http://www.urbanspoon.com/b/logo/1447395/minilogo.gif" style="border: none; height: 15px; width: 104px;" /></a>
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Shelter Restaurant in Tofino....<br />
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What to say about Shelter...other than, the MOST DISASTROUS DINING EXPERIENCE EVER!!!!!!!!!!!!<br />
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As you may have guessed I am not that impressed with Shelter. Simply, it is an overpriced restaurant with crappy service!<br />
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To back up a bit, some friends of mine and I attended Shelter to celebrate an important event. We had reservations for 6:45 on a Saturday night for 20 people. On arrival we were seated upstairs at two large tables. So far so good, right? Well, about 30 - 40 minutes later someone finally came by to take our drink orders; and, another fifteen minutes later we finally got them!<br />
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About 7:30 (45 min after arrival) our waiter finally came to the table to take our diner orders. Without explaining specials or anything else, he opened with what you gettin'?<br />
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I am not going to go on forever with this review; in fact, I don't feel it is worth much more of my time. The food arrived at about 9 o'clock (2hr 15min after arrival); and, to say the least it was terrible. Oh, and did I mention we were never asked again about drink refills????<br />
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All in all, Shelter is a waste of time! Bad food, bad service and overpriced.<br />
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Dinner for two (with one drink each) : $75.00<br />
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7964934217475306350.post-21462127515990421532013-04-11T09:19:00.000-07:002013-11-25T18:40:41.033-08:00Bin 4 Burger Lounge - Langford<a href="http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/317/1736226/restaurant/Westshore/Bin-4-Burger-Lounge-Victoria"><img alt="Bin 4 Burger Lounge on Urbanspoon" src="http://www.urbanspoon.com/b/logo/1736226/minilogo.gif" style="border: none; height: 15px; padding: 0px; width: 104px;" /></a><br />
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<b><span style="color: red;">Update:</span></b><span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;"> I have been back to Bin 4 a few times since this review. I must say that I have enjoyed it much more on the subsequent visits. I have found the Dirty Bourbon to be my favourite of the burger choices; and, can't pass up their delicious onion rings.</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: red;"><span style="color: black;">__________________________________________________________________________</span></span><br />
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Bin 4 opened it's second location recently in the Westshore. And after much anticipation and hype from friends I decided to try it.<br />
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Located next to the Chevron on Goldstream and home to the first Langford Fire Rescue station #1 . Bin 4 has re-vamped the former fire station and most recently bank to create a modern vibrant restaurant. I've also heard that they have converted the former bank vault into their walk in fridge (you know it must be well insulated).<br />
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All of the burgers on the menu seem very appetizing; and, all of them are reasonably priced. It took me a while to settle on the "Pre-Season Favourite" ($13), but the sounds of jalapeno guacamole and brushetta reeled me in. Unfortunately for me, the burger didn't live up to its description. In fact, if I hadn't read the menu description I would have guessed I was eating a piece of meatloaf on a bun. Granted it was a good bun.<br />
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Let me back up a bit here, I don't mean to slag Bin 4; especially, since everyone I talk to loves it. I simply mean to say that their burger wasn't what I was expecting given all the hype.<br />
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However, I have to base my review on what I ate. In my humble opinion this burger is not a traditional burger, but rather constructed much like meatloaf. If you don't know what I mean, a traditional burger should let the flavour of the meat speak for itself and not rely upon a tonne of seasonings and binders to create it. This is where the burger fell flat. The overpowering flavour of garlic and the dry burger patty took away from all of the delicious ingredients placed upon it.<br />
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Apart from my burger experience, I did enjoy some of the menu items at Bin 4. Their Iced Tea is delicious and my wife raved about their salad.<br />
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Please don't get me wrong, I didn't detest the burger I simply think it wasn't the right choice for me. I will give it another try just, this time I will go for something a little more simpler.<br />
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7964934217475306350.post-2944146832821865032013-02-20T21:40:00.002-08:002013-04-11T08:48:02.270-07:00Crystal Jade, Saanich BC<a href="http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/317/1476212/restaurant/Victoria/Victoria/Crystal-Jade-Saanich"><img alt="Crystal Jade on Urbanspoon" src="http://www.urbanspoon.com/b/logo/1476212/minilogo.gif" style="border: none; height: 15px; padding: 0px; width: 104px;" /></a>
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Time after time, I get suckered into a Chinese buffet for lunch. Continually, I find myself leaving disappointed and kicking myself for yet another poor lunch decision. Well, the case of the Crystal Jade in Saanich is no different. Crystal Jade has surely found a spot in my top 5 worst Chinese restaurants; see my post on the Lotus Inn for the top of the list.<br />
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Crystal Jade offers a lunch buffet for approximately $15. On first impressions, I was greeted by a friendly host and noticed a huge restaurant with approximately 10 people eating their. When it comes to the buffet I have to ask myself - what buffet? I found bad tasting wonton soup; a tonne of carbs; some old looking french fries; and a couple of pieces of broccoli. Okay, okay there was probably a few more items, but the one thing I noted was that there was little to no meat. The beef and broccoli was missing the beef and was never renewed during my stay. The only other thing that resembled meat was the florescent red sweet and sour pork dish.<br />
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Now, some of you might think that I am food snob and that the Crystal Jade actually has some decent food. Let me assure you that I didn't eat alone and not one of us at the table enjoyed our meal. In fact, the one comment that stands out to me was that the food tasted old. I think that comment alone can some up our experience.<br />
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If you ever take my advice on anything - take it on this. DON'T WASTE YOUR MONEY ON THE CRYSTAL JADEUnknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7964934217475306350.post-32460034834778959602013-02-16T17:54:00.000-08:002013-02-19T20:18:09.238-08:00Irish Times, Downtown Victoria<a href="http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/317/1344868/restaurant/Downtown/Irish-Times-Victoria"><img alt="Irish Times on Urbanspoon" src="http://www.urbanspoon.com/b/logo/1344868/minilogo.gif" style="border: none; height: 15px; padding: 0px; width: 104px;" /></a><br />
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Well, the name says it all; Irish Times is an Irish pub in downtown Victoria. Typical of most Irish bars it has some old world charm and a tonne of beers.<br />
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Usually, when I go to an Irish pub food is not typically on the fore front of my mind; rather, dark beer. Lucky for me Irish times has a great selection of dark beers and a decent menu which is inspired by traditional UK eats.<br />
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Most recently I tried their Bangers and Mash and I must say that it was delicious. Imagine a mound of mashed potatoes, covered in fried cabbage, sauteed mushrooms and a rich helping of delicious gravy; all of which was accompanied by to out of this world lamb sausage. If that wasn't tempting enough it was all served up for under $20.<br />
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If the large selection of beer and great food hasn't enticed you yet; Irish times also is a great bar with old world charm and live music.<br />
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Check it out, I am sure you won't be disappointed.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7964934217475306350.post-9283128775861248492012-12-31T16:29:00.001-08:002013-02-16T17:43:16.773-08:00The Rathskeller Schnitzel House, Victoria (Downtown)<a href="http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/317/1421268/restaurant/Downtown/The-Rathskeller-Schnitzel-House-Victoria"><img alt="The Rathskeller Schnitzel House on Urbanspoon" src="http://www.urbanspoon.com/b/logo/1421268/minilogo.gif" style="border: none; height: 15px; padding: 0px; width: 104px;" /></a><br />
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I am a little confused on the Rathskeller; confused, as to whether I absolutely love the place or find it a bad attempt at modeling itself after a German tavern. Thus, you can see my dilemma. Is it great or horrible?<br />
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I digress, the Rathskeller is decorated as what I assume to be a typical German eatery; however, I can't say for sure as I have never been. The waitresses wear traditional dirndl and of course they serve up some pretty traditional German eats.<br />
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As for the food - it was good. Nothing extraordinary, but tasty greasy German comfort food. My particular favorite was the bratwurst. Usually, I am not a fan of bratwurst; however, the bratwurst at Rathskeller was simply delicious. The boot of beer was also quite a treat. I know, I know it is probably a tactic to entice people to spend money their, but I couldn't resist. A boot of beer on your birthday - could there be anything better? <br />
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Overall - the Rathskeller would be a great place for a celebration or an after work drink (or two). The food is decent but not pretentious and the service is okay. Hey, they have been in business this long who am I to say they are doing anything wrong...?<br />
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7964934217475306350.post-39142307513391935862012-12-07T17:20:00.000-08:002013-02-16T17:43:32.460-08:00Asiana Pho, Duncan BC<a href="http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/317/1694952/restaurant/Victoria/Asiana-Pho-Duncan"><img alt="Asiana Pho on Urbanspoon" src="http://www.urbanspoon.com/b/logo/1694952/minilogo.gif" style="border: none; height: 15px; padding: 0px; width: 104px;" /></a><br />
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Pho is a comfort food. Whether you are sitting around with friends or simply looking for something hot on a cold night; Pho makes you feel good.
Finally, this Asian noodle delight has arrived in Duncan; along with many other classic Asian dishes. With the new addition of Asiana Pho in Duncan there is finally some ethnic variety to choose from. The only question - is it good?<br />
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I have officially eaten at Asiana Pho three times now trying something different on each occasion.
My first experience was the Pho. It had a solid broth with a generous helping of noodles and beef. Like any Pho it came with sides of cilantro, bean sprouts and lime; however, I was a little disappointed with the missing jalapeno and mint leaves. I left full, but a little underwhelmed compared to good Pho restaurants in Victoria or Vancouver; and, even compared to the Pho I make at home.<br />
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Time two was the Korean BBQ; which was tasty, but again a little underwhelming. I left this meal with the overpowering taste of raw onion in my mouth for the remainder of the day.<br />
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Finally, attempt three was the Japanese Ramen. Like the Pho it had a solid broth with generous helpings, but altogether fell flat.<br />
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I feel like I am being a little hard on Asiana Pho, there food is decent and with no other restaurant like it in Duncan they should do well. Unfortunately, my comparisons to flavours and quality originate from areas with stiff competition; where if your food is lack luster your not going to last long. I don't feel that this is the future for Asiana. Duncan is a town with limited choices and if you deliver original, decent food you'll do just fine.<br />
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p.s. I forgot to mention they do make a mean bubble tea. In fact there bubble tea was better than many places in Victoria.
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7964934217475306350.post-71348347017805798962012-09-22T19:26:00.001-07:002012-09-22T19:26:53.175-07:00T&T - Luxor, Las Vegas NV<a href="http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/18/222065/restaurant/The-Strip/T-T-Las-Vegas"><img alt="T&T on Urbanspoon" src="http://www.urbanspoon.com/b/logo/222065/minilogo.gif" style="border: none; height: 15px; padding: 0px; width: 104px;" /></a>
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T & T aka Taco's and Tequila is a kick ass Mexican restaurant on the upper floor of the Luxor. With delicious traditional style tacos and great drinks T & T is a must when staying or visiting the Luxor.<br />
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For $29 you can get 6 tacos and 6 mini Sol beers. And, if you are really feeling like starting the night off with a bang, for about $50 you can add 6 shots of tequila to your tacos and beer.<br />
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Most of the people in my party did the 6 and 6 and all thouroughly enjoyed all of the tacos. However, my wife had the tortilla soups and said it was amazing. They also have some seriously good salsa's for their chips and a killer home made habanero hot sauce.<br />
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Overall great food, great drinks and I forgot to mention great service. Our server was Orlando and he was fantastic and if your into celebrity look a likes; Orlando is a perfect doppelganger for Drake.<br />
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Taco's and Tequila - check them out, I am positive you won't be disappointed!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7964934217475306350.post-56980367177982137232012-09-22T19:12:00.000-07:002012-09-22T19:14:43.250-07:00Dick's Last Resort - Excalibur, Las Vegas NV<a href="http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/18/220922/restaurant/The-Strip/Dicks-Last-Resort-Las-Vegas"><img alt="Dick's Last Resort on Urbanspoon" src="http://www.urbanspoon.com/b/logo/220922/minilogo.gif" style="border: none; height: 15px; padding: 0px; width: 104px;" /></a>
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Dick's Last Resort isn't your typical restaurant; in fact, Dick's is anything but typical. The biggest difference with Dick's compared to other restaurants is that Dick's has horrible service. However, don't be afraid of the service, bad service is actually Dick's schtick.<br />
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The atmosphere is fun, light hearted and rude. Once you understand their way of doing things, Dick's can actually be quite enjoyable with a group of friends and some large alcoholic slushies.<br />
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As for the food... it isn't that great, but most people go to Dick's for the experience and the booze.<br />
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<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7964934217475306350.post-32196937403781199082012-09-15T14:44:00.000-07:002012-09-22T19:14:19.716-07:00Spinnakers, Lido & Canoe - Victoria (Waterfront)Last night some friends and I decided to check out the <a href="http://victoriaharbourferry.com/pickle-pub-crawls/" target="_blank">Picklepub Crawl</a>. The Picklepub Crawl is a self guided pub crawl sponsored by the harbour ferry's and four of Victoria's waterfront pubs (Spinnakers, Lido, Flying Otter & Canoe Brewpub). <br />
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<a href="http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/317/1349019/restaurant/Spinnakers-Victoria"><img alt="Spinnakers on Urbanspoon" src="http://www.urbanspoon.com/b/logo/1349019/minilogo.gif" style="border: none; height: 15px; padding: 0px; width: 104px;" /></a><br />
<b>Spinnakers - </b><br />
The first stop on our tour was Spinnakers. Spinnakers is on the other side of the harbour closer to Songhees. It is a two story brew pub overlooking the water. Spinnakers is well know for great beer, but not so well known for their food.<br />
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This being my first visit to Spinnakers, I was quite excited about trying some great beer and maybe some appy's too. While on the Picklepub tour you also get a free appy at each pub provided you are in a group of four. We being a group of eight were supposed to receive two free appy's at each pub we visited.<br />
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Unfortunately, for us Spinnakers only offered one appetizer for our large group; in fact, we didn't even get to choose our appetizer, but were given one instead. I now know why Spinnakers isn't know for their food because their food isn't good. The appetizer that was bestowed upon us looked like croutons made from a baguette with some sort of dip that looked and tasted like a combination of mushroom soup and Cheese Wiz.... DISGUSTING!!!!<br />
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The service and Spinnakers was much like the food - horrible. The service was slow, unattentive and altogether lack luster.<br />
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I will say that Spinnakers makes some decent beer, but lucky for me you can buy it at your local liquor store and are not required to attend their establishment.<br />
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<a href="http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/317/1457179/restaurant/Downtown/Lido-Waterfront-Bistro-Victoria"><img alt="Lido Waterfront Bistro on Urbanspoon" src="http://www.urbanspoon.com/b/logo/1457179/minilogo.gif" style="border: none; height: 15px; padding: 0px; width: 104px;" /></a><br />
<b>Lido Waterfront Bistro - </b><br />
Destination # 2 was a new venture for our entire group. We had all heard of Lido, but none of us knew where it was. Lido is located on the water below Warfside in the hotel.<br />
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The first thing I noticed about Lido was the prime waterfront location and huge patio. The second thing was their extremely small interior.<br />
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Lido, much unlike Spinnakers, serves up some delicious looking food. Also unlike Spinnakers they had great service and offered our group two appetizers of our choosing from their menu. We settled on the hot wings and chips with artichoke dip. Both appetizers were delicious. The only down side to Lido would be they have a very limited selection of draft beer and no dark beers on tap. Other than that Lido is head and shoulders above Spinnakers for food and service.<br />
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Note: if you are going to go to Lido's on a less than favourable night I would suggest going early as it looks like it could fill up quickly.<br />
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<b>Canoe Brewpub - </b> <br />
Our final stop was the Canoe Brewpub which has got to be my favourite pub in all of Victoria. I have written a review before on Canoe and nothing much has changed, they still have delicious beer, good service, a great view & delicious braised beef poutine. If you want to know more about Canoe read my <a href="http://theaveragejoesvictoriarestaurantblog.blogspot.ca/2011/05/canoe-brewpub.html" target="_blank">previous review</a> or check out the many other great reviews on <a href="http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/317/1349022/restaurant/Downtown/Canoe-Brewpub-Victoria" target="_blank">Urbanspoon</a>.<br />
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P.S. The Picklepub tours are $15 per person and end in mid September. So go soon and check out some Victoria pubs for yourself.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7964934217475306350.post-43694368125566125412012-08-05T19:53:00.000-07:002012-08-05T19:53:12.004-07:00Kon Thai Eating House, Langford<a href="http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/317/1682198/restaurant/Victoria/Westshore/Kon-Thai-Eating-House-Colwood"><img alt="Kon Thai Eating House on Urbanspoon" src="http://www.urbanspoon.com/b/logo/1682198/minilogo.gif" style="border: none; height: 15px; padding: 0px; width: 104px;" /></a><br />
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Kon Thai, is the newest edition to the Thai food craze sweeping the CRD. One might wonder if Kon Thai can survive in the Westshore with the Thai restaurant giant Sabhai Thai just down the street. I guess time will only tell.<br />
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I have tried Kon Thai and I must say that it is a welcome change to the former site of Happy Wok. Kon Thai did a total renovation of the former Chinese restaurant space. The new space is small, but skillfully decorated. With polished concrete floors and a bright colourful interior, Kon Thai makes you want to sit down and eat instead of ordering and quickly running out the door to the comfort of your own home.<br />
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The food is good; however, I cannot compare it to Sabhai Thai as I still haven't eaten their yet. I can pit it up against Zap Thai and must say that Zap is still my favourite. Kon Thai does have a couple of things on Zap, first being the decor and second the friendliness of the service.<br />
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If you want good quality Thai food without the fuss, I suggest trying Kon Thai. I am sure you won't be dissapointed.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7964934217475306350.post-66388001245241943892012-08-05T18:17:00.000-07:002012-08-05T18:18:21.742-07:00The Clay Pigeon, Downtown<a href="http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/317/1658795/restaurant/Downtown/The-Clay-Pigeon-Restaurant-Victoria"><img alt="The Clay Pigeon Restaurant on Urbanspoon" src="http://www.urbanspoon.com/b/logo/1658795/minilogo.gif" style="border: none; height: 15px; padding: 0px; width: 104px;" /></a><br />
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The Clay Pigeon is a welcome addition to a once plagued restaurant corner. With a friendly attentive owner, good food and extremely reasonable prices; I am sure that the Clay Pigeon will be a staple on the corner of Blanshard and Broughton for many years to come.<br />
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My wife and I were downtown recently for the International Buskers Festival and stumbled across the Clay Pigeon. The first thing that caught my was their special board. I have never seen a food special that I was so interested in trying - Crispy Fried Pigs Ear!<br />
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I know pig's ear sounds disgusting, but all I could think of was a large piece of crispy, smokey, pig!!!!<br />
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We were seated right away and were greeted by a friendly server; whom, I later learned was the owner. Water with lemon was brought out to quench our thirst (while we waited for the beer). This is a smaller more intimate restaurant without being to pretentious. The food is all reasonably priced and from my experience quite tasty.<br />
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I had a Jamaican jerk sandwich with mango salsa and root chips on the side ($9). Oh ya and some crispy fried pig's ear for my appy ($6). Now, I know you are probably wondering how the pig's ear tasted and I wish I could say it was everything I imagined, but it wasn't. It was definitely crispy; however, it was also quite hard to eat - due mostly to all the cartilage found in the ear. However, I am still happy to have tried it. As for my sandwich, it was unbelievably good. I haven't had a sandwich packed so full of flavor in... forever! <br />
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I almost forgot to mention the second best part of the meal (behind my sandwich) was the homemade butterscotch pudding ($7). The pudding was simply delicious and the perfect way to end a nice meal.<br />
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I would highly recommend the Clay Pigeon the next time you are downtown.<br />
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On a side note to the owner - please add the Jamaican Jerk Chicken sandwich to your permanent menu!!!!!<br />
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7964934217475306350.post-27652985021519507512012-07-04T09:04:00.002-07:002012-07-04T09:05:23.916-07:00Mama's Mexican Kitchen, Seattle WA, USA<br />
<a href="http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/1/4893/restaurant/Belltown/Mamas-Mexican-Kitchen-Seattle"><img alt="Mama's Mexican Kitchen on Urbanspoon" src="http://www.urbanspoon.com/b/logo/4893/minilogo.gif" style="border: none; height: 15px; padding: 0px; width: 104px;" /></a><br />
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Mexican food seems to be all the craze where I come from. With Mexican restaurants, food trucks and even floating Mexican eateries, but none of them seem to peak my interests. However, on a recent weekend getaway to Seattle me and the family stumbled across Mama's Mexican Kitchen. At first glance it was like "POW", "Boom", "Bang" we got to eat their.<br />
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Mama's isn't the run of the mill Mexican restaurant we have in Victoria which is trying to cater to the "traditional" Mexican cuisine. No, Mama's is serving up authentic southern California style cuisine; and, they have been doing it since 1974. Any restaurant that has been in business since 1974 and is still busy on a Sunday evening has to be doing something right.<br />
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With a cool decor and eclectic group of employees, Mama's is simply a fun spot to grab a cerveza and a burrito and enjoy the night with family and friends.<br />
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As I said it was me and the family out for dinner and each of enjoyed the food. Oh, I forgot to mention that the servings are humungous! Not one of us finished our plate.<br />
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<u><b>What we ate:</b></u><br />
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(3) Pop's ($2.25 each) - $7.5<br />
(1) Elvis Presley Burrito Plate - $11.25<br />
(1) Carne Asada special meal - $14.95<br />
(1) Huevos Rancheros special meal - $12.50<br />
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<b>Total Bill = $50.86</b><br />
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The only criticism for me was our server was not very friendly, but from all the other staff I had interactions with.... the rest of them seemed great.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7964934217475306350.post-35457710443674143702012-07-01T21:41:00.002-07:002012-07-04T09:06:10.010-07:00Serious Pie - Seattle WA, USA<a href="http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/1/8114/restaurant/Belltown/Serious-Pie-Seattle"><img alt="Serious Pie on Urbanspoon" src="http://www.urbanspoon.com/b/logo/8114/minilogo.gif" style="border: none; height: 15px; padding: 0px; width: 104px;" /></a> <br />
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Serious Pie - How about seriously good!
This is one restaurant where I can honestly say even the equine crave the food. If you don't believe me, check out the photo. As we were waiting outside for a table we saw a Seattle police officer and his horse walking up the sidewalk; and I wouldn't believe it if I hadn't seen if myself, the horse was wanting to walk right into the restaurant.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKb62dOOljIpOrIty7qARtEbnOvCMp4DhZ9_5uyCvlnF5zyp1iFY13GfSToELnLU9wEY_gvwvenlh_OF9XOfxCLMmM6D2BZntTT9fPPXTHXnyWm9Yhg8lH8-s8fnoIDQYRHC63MksPm-A/s1600/IMGP7869.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKb62dOOljIpOrIty7qARtEbnOvCMp4DhZ9_5uyCvlnF5zyp1iFY13GfSToELnLU9wEY_gvwvenlh_OF9XOfxCLMmM6D2BZntTT9fPPXTHXnyWm9Yhg8lH8-s8fnoIDQYRHC63MksPm-A/s320/IMGP7869.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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As for the food, I have had wood fired pizzas before, but this was by far some of (if not) the best pizza I have ever eaten. Now it's not your normal delivery pizza, Serious Pie takes pizza to a whole new level. With succulent creations such as: roasted morel mushrooms, truffle cheese; and, penn cove clams, chilies, house pancetta, lemmon thyme. Really, how are you supposed to have just one?<br />
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Well, the answer is this - go at happy hour. You get any pizza you want in a tiny size (6 small pieces) for only $6. For only 6 bucks you can splurge and try a whole bunch. I will suggest that you save a little room for dessert as they are to die for.<br />
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If there are any criticisms to make (small ones at that) it would be that the server was kind of slow, but the food came out fast.<br />
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KUDOS to you Serious Pie - I will be back.<br />
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<u><b>What I ate:</b> </u><br />
<b>Pizza: </b><br />
(2) roasted morel mushrooms, truffle cheese - $6 each<br />
(1) penn cove clams, chilies, house pancetta, lemon thyme - $6<br />
(1) Soft cooked egg, mustard green and prosciutto - $6<br />
(1) buffalo mozzarella, tomato sauce, fresh basil - $6<br />
(1) sweet fennel sausage, roasted peppers, provolone - $6<br />
<b>Drinks: </b><br />
(1) Pitcher of Big E rootbeer - $15<br />
<b>Dessert:</b><br />
(1) stacy's rhubarb semifreddo, lavender syrup, pistachios - $8<br />
(1) cannoli, pistachios, strawberry-honey sauce - $8<br />
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<b>Total Bill: </b>$73.37Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7964934217475306350.post-8992255521302868782012-06-10T17:47:00.000-07:002012-07-04T09:06:32.028-07:00Sura Korean Restaurant, Downtown<a href="http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/317/1431267/restaurant/Downtown/Sura-Korean-Restaurant-Victoria"><img alt="Sura Korean Restaurant on Urbanspoon" src="http://www.urbanspoon.com/b/logo/1431267/minilogo.gif" style="border: medium none; height: 15px; padding: 0px; width: 104px;" /></a><br />
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Over the years I have had the opportunity to try many Korean dishes from homemade to restaurants; and, I have to say that I absolutely love Korean BBQ. There are numerous things I enjoy about Korean BBQ, from the delicious marinated meats, kimchee, friendly staff, but the number one thing is the dining experience. Where else do you go to eat at where you get to grill your own food right at your table?<br />
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Sura, definitely nails all the things I love about Korean BBQ. They have amazingly friendly and attentive staff, great selection, reasonable prices and delicious food. The only difference is that at Sura, the waitstaff cook your food for you. Now, this was a bit of a disappointment for me, but thinking back, it was actually a nice change. It ensured the food was cooked properly and it allowed me more time to socialize with my family.<br />
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If you are reading this and wondering if Sura is the place for you? I say try it, you won't be dissapointed - I know I wasn't!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7964934217475306350.post-49864206630818690542012-04-22T08:18:00.000-07:002012-04-22T08:19:05.421-07:00Baan Do's Stirfry, Duncan<a href="http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/317/1431585/restaurant/Victoria/Baan-Dos-Stirfry-Duncan"><img alt="Baan Do's Stirfry on Urbanspoon" src="http://www.urbanspoon.com/b/logo/1431585/minilogo.gif" style="border: medium none; height: 15px; padding: 0px; width: 104px;" /></a><br />
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A friend of mine took me to Baan Do's for lunch the other day. I had never heard of it, but he insisted that it had some pretty good stirfry.
Baan Do's is has a pretty cool concept in the fact that they are two restaurants put together. On one side is Baan Do's which serves up stir fry's and on the other is Baan Do's Too which is a burger joint with shakes and fries. The first thing that I notice and very much appreciated was that they chose to leave their kitchen completely open for viewing and not try to hide behind walls. This makes it quite easy to tell that your food is being made in a clean environment.<br />
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My second observation was that the staff are very friendly; and thirdly that they have a ton of stirfry's to choose from. I actually found it quite difficult to choose what to order from the huge selection before me. Lucky for my my friend pointed out the "spicy" board so, naturally that is where I focused my attention on. I ended up choosing the Thai Peanut stirfry with chicken and noodles. My decision was mostly based on the fact that it had 3 red chili's beside it on the menu and secondly because I love Thai food.<br />
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Our meals arrived quite quickly and the portions were quite large for the price (about $9.50). However, a couple of things weren't up to my own particular standards. One, the noodles were similar to the ones out of a Mr. Noodles package; and two, the spicy peanut sauce wasn't spicy. In fact, I didn't notice any heat whatsoever. I will say that overall the stirfry was pretty good, but definitely nothing to shout to the masses about.<br />
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Overall, clean restaurant/kitchen; friendly staff; reasonably priced and alright stirfry. For Duncan this is probably one of the better Asian style restaurants, but no comparison to some of Victoria's or Vancouver's Asian stirfry joints.<br />
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Next time I am going to try Baan Do's Too as I saw a burger on their menu that looked really appetizing - The Goober Burger: topped with bacon and peanut butter.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7964934217475306350.post-20393228878655264252012-04-15T08:46:00.000-07:002012-04-15T08:46:43.551-07:00Wah Lai Yuen, Chinatown - Victoria<a href="http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/317/1507855/restaurant/Downtown/Wah-Lai-Yuen-Restaurant-Victoria"><img alt="Wah Lai Yuen Restaurant on Urbanspoon" src="http://www.urbanspoon.com/b/logo/1507855/minilogo.gif" style="border:none;width:104px;height:15px" /></a><br />
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I have read and heard from a few that Wah Lai Yuen "isn't what it used to be"; and, "it's gone down hill". Well, let me tell you what it used to be: It used to be good food with not so good service. The food always came out quickly, but the servers were always a tad on the rude side.<br />
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Now, let me tell you what it is currently: the food is still good, but now the service seem good as well.There is now a younger male server who has a better command of the English language and is quite friendly. I did notice some flashes of their former self when all of our dishes came out a different times, but overall much better. <br />
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So, in summation; Wah Lai Yuen is still serving up great BBQ Pork Noodle Soup and fantastic Honey Buns, but now they have good service as well. Furthermore, the food is still cheap. For three of us to order three separate dishes and be full afterwords it only cost us $27.00Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7964934217475306350.post-64854104435399544552012-04-12T16:01:00.000-07:002012-04-12T16:01:52.868-07:00Zin Sushi & Noodle, Langford<a href="http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/317/1568874/restaurant/Victoria/Westshore/Zin-Sushi-Noodle-Langford"><img alt="Zin Sushi & Noodle on Urbanspoon" src="http://www.urbanspoon.com/b/logo/1568874/minilogo.gif" style="border:none;width:104px;height:15px" /></a><br />
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Once again - Sushi Disaster! <br />
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Why is it that every time I try and go out for decent sushi; I find myself disappointed and wishing I had just saved my money and gone to McDonalds's or some other fast food joint.<br />
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We started off with a Bubble Tea each and for food, I ordered the Bulgogi (Korean BBQ Beef) and a Deep Fried Spicy Tuna Roll. My wife and son ordered the dinner bento boxes; which came with sunomono salad, miso, teriyaki beef or chicken, 3 pcs of nigiri (salmon, tuna and ebi) and a piece of semi-frozen cheese cake. <br />
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The bubble tea's were all very good; unfortunately, I can't say the same for the food. The noodles used in the sunomono were slightly thicker than normal and the broth was way too lemony. The the nigiri was scary at best and looked as though it was cut by a five year old with a dull knife. The part of the nigiri that seemed the most off putting was the big brown spot in her salmon (eww). The bulgogi was okay at best and looked and tasted almost identical to the teriyaki beef my son had. As for the deep fried spicy tuna roll - it was okay, but nothing to rave about. <br />
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I was also slightly disappointed with the service at Zin Sushi. It wasn't overly busy, but they only had one waitress on to cover the tables and the front counter which also served as a bubble tea bar. To say that we rarely seen our server is an understatement. Oh did I mention she only gave us one saucer for our teriyaki for the whole table to share.<br />
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Overall - good bubble tea and bad everything else.<br />
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...the search for decent Japanese food continues...Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7964934217475306350.post-48904444958750905432012-04-07T20:53:00.000-07:002012-04-07T20:53:32.080-07:00Floyd's Diner, Langford<a href="http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/317/1641925/restaurant/Westshore/Floyds-Diner-Victoria"><img alt="Floyd's Diner on Urbanspoon" src="http://www.urbanspoon.com/b/logo/1641925/minilogo.gif" style="border:none;width:104px;height:15px" /></a><br />
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The one thing the Westshore really lacks is good breakfast joints. Hopefully that problem has been solved with the opening of Floyd's Diner. Floyd's has taken over and remodeled the old Smoken Bones location into that of a classical American diner, complete with random posters of muscle cars, James Dean and Marylin Monroe.<br />
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For a Saturday, Floyd's was just as expected - BUSY. However, we were seated fast and they had plenty of staff on to deal with all the tables. All the servers seemed quite friendly, but I felt a little rushed to place my order.<br />
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I ended up settling on the First Kiss Burger. The First Kiss is described as a beef burger with cheese, bacon and BBQ sauce with lettuce, tomato, onions and a pickle. They also described it as a little messy which led me to believe that it would be really juice. Unfortunately, this wasn't the case, in fact, I wouldn't even call it a burger patty as the consistency was that of meatloaf. What happened to good old 80/20 burger patties where it was the quality of the meat that made the burger good, not all the crap you put into the meat. This tells me one thing, that the restaurant doesn't believe enough in their beef to serve it straight up. So to say the least, the burger was dry and tasted like a mixture of bread crumbs and seasoning salt. <br />
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Unfortunately, the burger was the best part of my lunch, the fries that came with burger were so salty that I could barely choke them down.<br />
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Now, I know what you are probably thinking...Floyd's is a breakfast joint not a burger joint. Well, you are probably right so, I will have to rely on my wife's opinion on that. She had eggs benny with a pesto hollandaise. She didn't have too much to say about it other than they messed up on her eggs. She ordered them poached medium and one was hard and the other soft. She also noted that the eggs benny at The Reef are much better. If that doesn't some it up...I don't know what will.<br />
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Verdict: It's nice to have breakfast option in the Westshore, but I think I'll stick to going downtown.<br />
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P.S. our two meals and one pop each came to just under $40. Definitely not deserving of that kind of dough.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7964934217475306350.post-53211337636570538892012-04-06T12:58:00.000-07:002012-04-06T12:58:04.604-07:00Cactus Club Cafe, Abbotsford BC<a href="http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/85/1622983/restaurant/British-Columbia/Cactus-Club-Cafe-Abbotsford"><img alt="Cactus Club Cafe on Urbanspoon" src="http://www.urbanspoon.com/b/logo/1622983/minilogo.gif" style="border:none;width:104px;height:15px" /></a><br />
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I haven't been to a Cactus Club in quite a while (probably 4-5 years); however, while in Abbotsford and looking for somewhere to eat lunch I thought the Cactus Club would be better choice than Burger King or the Old Spaghetti Factory.<br />
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Cactus Club's menu is now under the creative control of the Iron Chef slayer...Rob Feenie. Feenie a former owner / chef of two Vancouver restaurants (Feenie's and Lumiere) and now residing as the "food concept architect" for the Cactus Club group of restaurants. One might wonder what is one of Canada's most highly recognized chefs, who once defeated Iron Chef Morimoto and owned two of Vancouver's most prized restaurants doing at the Cactus Club... I too wonder...<i>what went wrong? </i>Regardless, of his past, Chef Feenie is still deserving of his accolades.<br />
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In my opinion, having Chef Feenie at a restaurant franchise such as the Cactus Club now allows more people to experience his culinary creativeness. Unfortunately, even having a great chef design the menu doesn't mean that a great chef is cooking your food. Case in point, my recent excursion to the a fore mentioned Abbotsford Cactus Club.<br />
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In my struggle to figure out what to order, I decided to ask our server how the grilled albacore tuna club tasted? The response: <i>um, good...</i> <i>I had one today and it was really good. I don't know how to explain what it tasted like other than, good...</i> Wow! That really sold me. However, regardless of the waitresses piss poor explanation of the food, I decided to give it a try. Upon arrival the food was well presented and looked quite appetizing. The tuna was cooked almost as described - medium rare, okay maybe a little more on the rare side, but I can't complain as I quite enjoy sashimi. Unfortunately, the sandwich was bland. I thought for an award winning chef that the food would pack some punch! Some flare! Maybe eve some flavour...too bad that wasn't the case, the sandwich was just that a boring sandwich, albeit well presented.<br />
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I have no idea what the rest of the Cactus Club menu tastes like, but if this sandwich is any idea; I can understand why Chef Feenie is now at the Cactus Club and not running his own restaurants. I do have to give credit to where credit is due though; and that is to the marketing team at the Cactus Club. Between the scantily clad waitresses and the big name chef, it is no wonder why they are so busy. <br />
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If only foresight was twenty-twenty, I would have considered a more tasty lunch option. In my opinion, if you are deciding to go out for lunch and you have the choice between the Cactus Club and say Earls: go to Earls. Chef Ruben Major of the Earls chain of restaurants definitely creates a much more flavorful and creative menu.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7964934217475306350.post-3884775457895356792012-04-02T21:11:00.000-07:002012-04-02T21:11:15.850-07:00Shiki Sushi, Downtown<a href="http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/317/1410968/restaurant/Downtown/Shiki-Sushi-Victoria"><img alt="Shiki Sushi on Urbanspoon" src="http://www.urbanspoon.com/b/logo/1410968/minilogo.gif" style="border:none;width:104px;height:15px" /></a><br />
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I find Victoria to have an abundant amount of Japanese restaurants; unfortunately, most of them aren't very good. I may have found one place that steps away from the norm a little and produces some half decent (retract that) good Japanese food.<br />
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Shiki Sushi puts a modern spin on your typical Japanese restaurant, both in the decor and the creative rolls the chefs concoct. <br />
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My wife and I ordered some of our usual Japanese faves: Beef Tataki ($8.95), Tuna & Salmon Sashimi ($11.95) and a couple of rolls. For the rolls we decided on the My-My-Mai!! (Tempura Prawn, Crab, Cucumber Cream Cheese, Spicy Sauce Topped with Salmon and Masago on Sauce)- $11.95 and the Sunshine Roll (Crab, Cream Cheese and Cucumber Topped with Mango, Avocado and Sauce) - $11.95.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9VVeQ0txqzcMErquOMxYhLcZuqBb-haaqdThjeQYT7U2AEtFaBe-F-aFIHswdTi_ZBquOD15dCqm0TgbZjYzgkoxt-snDDb50Vn13-8NI_j767DvhGEAS-uroWBcxmjH3xrR1jxmtZ2I/s1600/Sushi.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="166" width="221" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9VVeQ0txqzcMErquOMxYhLcZuqBb-haaqdThjeQYT7U2AEtFaBe-F-aFIHswdTi_ZBquOD15dCqm0TgbZjYzgkoxt-snDDb50Vn13-8NI_j767DvhGEAS-uroWBcxmjH3xrR1jxmtZ2I/s320/Sushi.jpg" /></a></div><br />
They started off by serving us the Beef Tataki which I must say I was slightly disappointed in. The beef was cut slightly too thick and the ponzu sauce tasted off. However, the rest of the meal was great. The fish tasted fresh and was cut nicely, making it melt in your mouth. The rolls were both fantastic. I especially like the My-My-Mai roll. The cream cheese and crab tempura played exquisitely off of the spicy sauce. KUDOS to the Chefs for these fabulous rolls.<br />
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Overall, we had a fantastic dinner (minus the Tataki) and the service was great as well. I will definitely be back.<br />
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p.s. sorry about the bad picture, first time with the new Black Berry.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7964934217475306350.post-7052904362931361102012-04-02T20:34:00.000-07:002012-04-02T20:34:18.654-07:00Royal Roads Cafe, Colwood<a href="http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/317/1516610/restaurant/Victoria/Westshore/Royal-Roads-Cafe-Colwood"><img alt="Royal Roads Cafe on Urbanspoon" src="http://www.urbanspoon.com/b/logo/1516610/minilogo.gif" style="border:none;width:104px;height:15px" /></a><br />
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Always in the mood to try a new restaurant, my wife and I decided to check out the Royal Roads Cafe last Saturday. My wife is taking some courses at Royal Roads University and was told from some of her fellow students that the RRC was really good. <br />
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We arrived around 11:30 and the place was packed. It was clear to us that the RRC had a strong following; however, their clientele appeared to have an average age of 70 something. First glance at the menu and you could tell what attracted all the senior citizens; they serve up home style classics that tend to please our elderly population. Menu items such as Liver & Onions, Prime Rib and mashed potatoes with gravy. However, like I said I arrived close to lunch hour on a weekend so, most everyone was ordering breakfast. Another attraction item for the RRC is they have managed to keep their prices low and their menu big.<br />
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As for decor... outdated, old, plastic... hmmm, how many words do I need to say that the RRC is in need of a makeover both inside and out.<br />
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Enough of my verbal diarrhea, I am sure you are reading this to know about the food, not my critiques on plastic plants and old carpet.<br />
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The Food...<br />
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Yikes! That about sums it up. However, you've read this much nonsense, I will try and provide you with a more descriptive review on the culinary atrocities I experienced at the RRC. We ordered an appetizer platter to share and a couple of bowls of french onion soup. The appy platter consisted of chicken strips, deep fried zucchini, onion rings and chicken wings. What they should have called it was a plate full of oil. The oil obviously old due to the colour of the food, either that or, the <strike>chef</strike> cook way over fried everything. There were only two chicken strips and they appeared to come from the freezer section at your local Walmart. The chicken strips were so overcooked and flavorless that I could only manage to choke down one! The zucchini sticks were adequate and the onion rings were well... on par with the rest of the plate. <br />
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As for the French Onion Soup...it was awful! I couldn't figure out why it had a reddish oil all over the top of the melted cheese; then it hit me, they used vegetable soup for the broth instead of beef broth. The flavour was bland and other than that I have nothing good to say about it. You can get better french onion soup at your local Timmy's.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDM7rM5VyrzDvA1SFCnC96f_gfqhb0NIdkio3GZkvBFnIagwhBm0fO6uCpH6HPvViogUvifPy4-DN43aj13bC63dONsO0vMwYj3nxHCsb7Kh7CsUN3khlphdpbVtT3utBzeZEnlhSn0IE/s1600/IMG111.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="240" width="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDM7rM5VyrzDvA1SFCnC96f_gfqhb0NIdkio3GZkvBFnIagwhBm0fO6uCpH6HPvViogUvifPy4-DN43aj13bC63dONsO0vMwYj3nxHCsb7Kh7CsUN3khlphdpbVtT3utBzeZEnlhSn0IE/s320/IMG111.jpg" /></a></div><br />
Overall experience - not good! However, I haven't written it off for a greasy spoon breakfast joint yet! I also think that this restaurant has a place in the restaurant world. In my experience elderly people like to be able to go out and have more simple food that reminds them of home cooking - I think the RRC serves this purpose. Not too many restaurants these days want to specialize in home-style cuisine.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7964934217475306350.post-87823627380626798232012-03-25T13:02:00.000-07:002012-03-25T13:02:48.133-07:00Mai's Vietnamese Restaurant, Langley BC<a href="http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/14/1429664/restaurant/Vancouver/Langley/Mais-Vietnamese-Restaurant-Langley-Twp"><img alt="Mai's Vietnamese Restaurant on Urbanspoon" src="http://www.urbanspoon.com/b/logo/1429664/minilogo.gif" style="border:none;width:104px;height:15px" /></a><br />
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Unfortunately, due to the nature of my work, I spend a lot of time traveling; however, on up side it gives me plenty of opportunities to try new restaurants. Recently, while staying in the Langley I had the pleasure of stumbling across Mai's Vietnamese Restaurant. Now, I will not profess to be an expert on Vietnamese cuisine, but I will say that I do enjoy it. <br />
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Mai's isn't your typical Vietnamese restaurant, it comes off as a little more upscale than most I have been to. As I noted earlier, I am not an expert on Vietnamese; therefore, I tend to stick to what I know (BBQ Pork, Vermicelli & Spring Rolls or Pho). This time I chose the Vermicelli, BBQ Pork and Spring Rolls ($16). I must say that the pork was delicious and the spring rolls were also very good. I have had better spring rolls, but I wouldn't kick these ones out of bed for eating crackers. Seriously, they were pretty good. I cannot comment on the service or the overall dining experience since, I got my food to go. I will say though, that the food was made fast, the portions were large, it tasted fantastic and the price was reasonable.<br />
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I enjoyed Mai's so much that I went back again for the same thing on the last day of my stay!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7964934217475306350.post-1097107976237136232012-03-25T10:32:00.002-07:002012-04-06T08:10:39.676-07:00The Reef, Downtown<a href="http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/317/1344864/restaurant/Downtown/The-Reef-Victoria"><img alt="The Reef on Urbanspoon" src="http://www.urbanspoon.com/b/logo/1344864/minilogo.gif" style="border: medium none; height: 15px; width: 104px;" /></a><br />
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I have been patiently waiting for a while now to try the Reef. Well, the time finally came on St. Paddy's day, but not for dinner, instead I went for brunch. The wait was definitely worth it or, should I say...why the hell did I wait so long? The Reef was bloody freakin' awesome!<br />
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Big bold flavours of deliciousness; something, that I rarely find in Victorian restaurants and definitely something that I crave. However, I don't rate restaurants solely on the food, but the overall enjoyment and I must say that between the tasty food and impeccable service, the Reef really hits the nail on the head.<br />
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Brunch started off with a couple of "special" coffees ($6 each), which is something I wouldn't normally order, but since it was St. Paddy's day...what the hell. My wife ordered the Callaloo Benny ($11). The Callaloo Benny is an assortment of grilled spinach, tomato and provolone cheese topped with a poached egg, chimichurri sauce and their delicious citrus hollandaise. My wife absolutely loved the Callaloo and said the combination of the chimichurri sauce and citrus hollandaise was simply divine.<br />
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I ordered the Jamaica Me Crabby benny minus the eggs ($11) which consisted of english muffins topped with curried crab cakes, citrus hollandaise and fresh tomato salsa. Again another home run for the Reef. My benny was fantastic! The crab cakes were flavourful, yet the curry wasn't overpowering. I would say that this was probably the best benny I have ever eaten (period).<br />
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Like I mentioned earlier, dining out is not just about the food - service is also important. The lone waitress at the Reef was friendly, attentive and strived to make our experience one that would make us come back again. The Reef adds the little touches of comfort to your dining experience. While waiting for our meal they brought us out a bowl of Johnny Cakes (fresh donuts filled with mango) and cocunut mango butter to go with. The Johnny Cakes were fabulous. The server was also kind enough to add a few more Johnny Cakes to our bowl for the lack of eggs on my benny.<br />
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Overall - It was awesome and I can't wait to return (for dinner).Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7964934217475306350.post-50815760493662860792012-02-22T09:51:00.000-08:002012-02-22T09:51:10.143-08:00Re-Bar Modern Food - Bastion Square (Downtown)<a href="http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/317/1344948/restaurant/Downtown/Rebar-Modern-Food-Victoria"><img alt="Rebar Modern Food on Urbanspoon" src="http://www.urbanspoon.com/b/logo/1344948/minilogo.gif" style="border:none;width:104px;height:15px" /></a><br />
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A couple of years ago I bought the Re-Bar cookbook for my wife. We are not vegetarians, but absolutely loved most of the recipes we tried. My favorite being the Three Sisters Burritos. So, after much anticipation we decided it was time to experience their food first hand. <br />
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Last night I took my wife to Re-Bar for a belated Valentines dinner. We arrived about 5:45pm and the restaurant was already starting to fill up. I was actually quite surprised at how busy it got for a blustery Tuesday night.<br />
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For a restaurant that has such a large and diverse cookbook; their menu is relatively limited. In fact, I am certain that they offer more house made drinks and smoothies then they do food. One other thing that boggled my mind was that they don't have any appetizers listed on their menu, or maybe I am just blind.<br />
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After perusing the menu for a while we finally settled on our food. I ordered the Shitake Mushroom and Tofu Posticker Bowl ($13) and my wife the Huevos Rancheros ($13) with baked fries. My wife also had an Atomic Glow smoothie and I had a Blue Bridge smoothie both ($5.50). The food arrived quickly - which I guess is a benefit of not having to cook meat. I quite enjoyed the postickers; especially, with the spicy soy lime sauce they were served with. However, I found my wok fried veggies and rice to be quite bland - boring if you will. My wife enjoyed her Rancheros, but seemed slightly disappointed that it was no better than the ones she makes at home. I think of this as a testimate to either my wife's cooking or the Re-Bar cookbook; however, for the purposes of this I will say my wife's cooking. <br />
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One downfall I did notice about Re-Bar is that their servers either have too many tables or aren't very experienced - as ours had a tough time keeping up. It took her quite a while to clear our dirty plates and even longer to come back to offer us our bill or a dessert menu. We did decide on dessert which by the way is made by outside bakeries; one of which is my favorite - Pure Vanilla.<br />
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We shared a piece of the Coconut Carrot cake ($6.75) which was very rich, but a little on the dry side.<br />
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Overall, Re-Bar has creative vegetarian menu with both vegan and celiac options. Of course this makes it a popular restaurant downtown Victoria. Even if you are a meatatarian you will be pleasantly surprised that there might just be food that you enjoy. Their staff are friendly, but the busyness of the restaurant can cause the service to be slow. I did enjoy my meal, but feel that with the help of their cookbook I can make it all myself and it will taste just as good. I would not rave to my friends about Re-Bar but would suggest it to skeptics of vegetarian food. Well, I might return, but not after I sample more of what the city has to offer.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7964934217475306350.post-8318562660882220312012-02-18T11:13:00.000-08:002012-02-18T11:13:25.291-08:00Smoken Bones - Downtown<a href="http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/317/1648892/restaurant/Downtown/Smoken-Bones-Cookshack-Victoria"><img alt="Smoken Bones Cookshack on Urbanspoon" src="http://www.urbanspoon.com/b/logo/1648892/minilogo.gif" style="border:none;width:104px;height:15px" /></a><br />
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I have been wondering if the move from Langford to Victoria would be a wise choice or a regretful one for Smoken Bones. Victoria does tend to be a magnet for the granola munchers, vegetarians and vegans alike. Whereas, Langford's roots are still made up of the blue collar and redneck carnivores. <br />
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However, I can't seem to argue with the packed tables and line ups on a Friday night at their new "Hudson" location. They have stepped away from the minimalist decor of their former venue and have revamped their look with a trendy open ceiling - post and beam feel. Regardless, of their new look and larger location, the aroma when you first walk in is still that of smoky delicious smelling barbecue.<br />
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Now, this is where are night starts to go sideways. The server took 15-20 minutes to take our order. When she did (from their dine around stay in town menu), she wasn't familiar enough with the menu to know the wine pairings; instead, my wife had to explain each of them to her. Granted her or the menu might be new (maybe both), but you shouldn't have to ask for the type of wines - I am sure the bartenders are familiar with them.<br />
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After waiting another 20 minutes, or so, our appetizers finally arrived. My appy was truly delicious (fried pork wings), but everyone else wasn't as impressed with theirs. <br />
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Over an hour into our night - dinner finally arrived. I ordered their catfish with a side of butter cabbage and my wife had the Pear and Bacon Cured Pork Chop. Both meals were okay, but nothing to rave about. The butter cabbage which I have loved in the past fell short. For food that took so long, they undercooked the cabbage so much that it was almost raw.<br />
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Finally for dessert and another 20 minutes later it arrived. Who knew it took 20 minutes to scoop ice cream and heat a crumble and cut a slice of cake... The Peanut Butter Crunch Cake was way overpowering and altogether gross. The Peach Cobbler was okay, but the overabundance of nutmeg ruined it. The Bacon Ice Cream was decent, but surprisingly enough I couldn't taste the bacon.<br />
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Two hours and forty five minutes later we finally got our bill and left. I feel that I have given Smoken Bones enough opportunities to impress me, but they always seem to drop the ball. Their service was lack luster and extremely slow and not unlike every other meal I have eaten their, the food was mediocre. <br />
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Best of luck Smoken Bones - I don't think I'll be back.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com4