Canoe Brewpub, Victoria

I Went to the Canoe Brewpub with a bunch of friends for the first time last night. I have to say that of all the pubs I have visited in Victoria this has to be my favorite so far. The place is huge, but very well laid out. Most places you sit have a half decent view to the water looking out the massive windows. I imagine the view would be pretty nice in the summer as opposed to a raining evening in May.

As a micro brew beer lover, I had to try their Fleet ($11.75). The Fleet consists of their 4 in house brews and 1 of their seasonal brews, all served in half pint glasses, plus a glass full of peanuts. I am usually partial to dark or amber beers; however, each offering of the Fleet was quite satisfying. I even think I have found my new favorite beer.... the Beaver Brown Ale! The Brown Ale was a delicious, dark, smooth tasting beer that you must try if you enjoy darker beers.

As for the food, it was decent. I can't say that my food review is all that in depth, in fact, I didn't eat that much....I was at a pub. However, I was fortunate enough to order the Poutine with Braised Beef (about $12.5). This poutine was by far the best I have ever had. The fries were crispy, yet fluffy in the middle; there was a large helping of cheese curds which melted beautifully under the braised beef demi glaze; and the braised beef was rich in flavor and extremely tender.

So far, this place had me sold...great beer and delicious food. So, I had to try one of their Caesars from the Caesar bar menu; this place has some of the craziest Caesar concoctions that I have ever been witness to. I felt my self leaning towards the Bangkok Caesar. The Bangkok Caesar was, somewhat how it sounded, a spicy Asian inspired Caesar with Sriracha sauce and a szechuan peppercorn rim.  However, I was unable to try it as the bar had run out of Sriracha sauce. The bar tender did recommend a Jalisco Caesar instead. This drink had a Mexican influence and was made up of Tequila,  Cilantro,  Clamato Juice and a Cumin spiced rim. The Jalisco was a delicious drink; however, the amount of cilantro in it made it somewhat difficult to drink.

It is hard to be perfect; and, if there are any downfalls, it would be this:
-Service can be slightly slow
-A little pricey; and
-The surrounding area can be a little sketchy at night time (near a homeless shelter).