Winter storm series The Victoria food scene chapter 1 · Wednesday December 1, 2010 by colin newell
Hey folks. We Vancouver Island residents live in, quite arguably, one of the most beautiful and moderate places on Earth. This is Canada after all – home of white winters for most of us North of 49. But not here in the North west. Snowfall is pretty rare up here and often an entire winter will pass without one flake of the frosty white stuff.
So it’s not bitterly cold. And it begs the question: Why is there so much hit and miss in the food department – especially when it comes to what should be hot.
We try and make a point of getting out at least once a week for a nosh, ideally somewhere new. Because it is easy to fall into a habit of finding a favorite and eating it to death. So we mix it up.
So my beef is this: What is wrong with so many restaurants in Victoria? We live a boat or plane ride from two gastronomic super-powers; Seattle and Vancouver. Two totally World class cities that have more 4-star eateries than they have any right to. And I am not saying that we do not have any winners folks… No, it is just that we have way too many losers. Why?
A couple of examples. There are a couple of “Earl’s and Cactus Club” type places in Victoria that are wildly and frustratingly uneven. And they shouldn’t be. One is Brown’s Social House. Great concept. Passionate staff on the floor and in the kitchen. And yet more often than not they fall flat on their faces. I have had orders show up at my table stone cold. The only thing that should arrive at the table stone cold is ice cream… Not a side of fries, pizza or a burger. These items should be piping hot.
Another is the Canoe Club. The food and service is up and down like an express elevator at the Empire state building – and for no good reason. I had a burger and fries there last weekend and the potatoes were raw and mealy and the burger was pinker than ahi tuna sashimi.
I have a theory. Victoria is a tourist town. We have a lot of folks that show up once. We have a lot of folks that show up often. My thinking is – some of these “so-so” places are depending on the “once served, never seen again” much like the Vancouver airport RCMP detachment. No sense giving your best if there is no return business. Which is to say that the local joints are merely keeping the bar up for one reason. This is does not explain the wild swings in overall quality.
We pay a bit of a premium for eating out in Victoria… because it is a tourist town. We have some of the best (if not the best) coffee culture in Victoria, per capita. One would think the food scene would be in step with the cafe scene. But it’s not.
And it bugs me.
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Fall Fun and Food Follies 4 Bringing home your baker · Saturday November 6, 2010 by colin newell
I have always thought that the best time to savor a cup of great coffee is early. Preferably after you have had a light breakfast. Dumping caffeine onto an empty stomach is never a good idea. Unless you are made of stone of course.
Which is what I said to Mark Engels, of Bubby Roses Bakery, while sitting in the window at the HABIT COFFEE AND CULTURE Atrium location – Yates and Blanshard.
On a damp Saturday November morning we make a note of the ebb and flow of serious coffee drinkers around us. Habit owner/team leader, Shane works the counter with the skill of a master. While ordering my single origin mug of wonder, Shane commented that his shift is the “fill in where needed” and “normal is not a word or reality that appears in his World.”
Sitting with Mark and getting in an full cup of wisdom is rarely undisturbed – because Mark is the Baker Mayor of the Cook street village area. And everyone knows the Mayor. In the space of 3 minutes we meet and greet friends and fans of the Bakery.
Friends of the Baker.
You need the Baker. Especially when the Baker is putting bread on your table. And bringing a special social energy to your community. Your neighborhood.
So between all encompassing impressions of Victoria cafe and baking culture and sips of coffee, Mark gives me the snapshot of the lowdown in his life as he plans the latest bakery game changer.
New ideas. New locations. Fresh ambition. Finding downtime. Nailing down balance.
Mark talks about finding new strength and restoration in getting away from it all or stepping away for brief periods of time.
We are distracted for a moment by my Carrot and Bran muffin.
Baked things distract Mark – it is an industrial hazard. I come to expect it.
And even I ask, why here in the Wet Coast of British Columbia a muffin at HABIT COFFEE is called a “Nantucket Morning Glory” muffin.
Like, what local bakery would give a local muffin a name like that? It should be called the Sooke River Morning Glory muffin.
Little things that rile up a baker and a coffee web maker.
Mark and I wind down the conversation/coffee date with opinions on why social networking tools, like Twitter and Facebook are actual limiters of taking business and ideas forward. My feelings on that will be explored in more detail in a later edition.
In the meantime, I have a pile of modern coffee gear to plow through, write and review.
Because the Universe abhors decaffeination.
Colin lives and works in Victoria B.C. Canada and tries to write about it from time to time. Sometimes, Social Networking gets in the way!
Summer Fun Food and Drink - Nachos - Chapter 22 · Wednesday August 25, 2010 by colin newell
Did a vegetarian nachos tonight – and for a twist, in addition to the scratch guacamole, we whipped up a fresh salsa.
Fresh Salsa:
3 chopped Roma tomatoes (seeded)
1/2 purple Onion – finely diced
1/2 Serrano chili pepper – finely minced
4 stalks of green onion – finely chopped
Mix vigorously.
Salt and lemon juice to taste.
Colin’s Guacamole:
1 Avocado (seeded)
1 Roma tomato chopped (seeded)
1 stalk green onion finely minced
1 Serrano chili pepper finely minced
1/4 teaspoon Cumin
1/8 teaspoon salt (to taste)
Several twists fresh ground pepper.
Nachos:
Low sodium corn chips in casserole dish
1 cup sharp Cheddar cheese grated coarse
1 cup Monterey Jack cheese grated coarse
3 Mushrooms sliced thinly
1/2 Roma tomato sliced thinly
2 stalks green tomato sliced thinly
Chopped pickled jalapeno peppers to taste
Bake for 15 minutes at 350 degrees (F)
Serve with Irish Ale.
Summer food fun and drink chapter 17 Victoria's best poutine · Saturday July 31, 2010 by colin newell
Mathieu Lott, owner and Poutine chef at La Belle Patate on Esquimalt Road in Victoria B.C. Canada knows his potatoes. He loves his potatoes – and it shows.
And if you think that there is only one kind of spud, you are sadly wrong.
Photo right – Mathieu Lott owner and operator of La Belle Patate has a love for the apple of the Earth!
Mathieu, or Matty as his employees and friends call him, lists off the variety of potatoes that he uses and the quantities – thousands of pounds of potatoes come into La Belle Patate to be cleaned, peeled and hand-cut into perfect fries.
Because fries are the bedrock of a great poutine.
Ah Poutine. For the uninitiated, Poutine is a dish of French fries, topped with a thick and dark vegetable based gravy and a macadam of Island made cheese curds. And for those who feel that this might not be the most healthy meal – Poutine is a cruise missile with your arteries in the cross hairs. After a platter of poutine (in our case the Vege BBQ version), two “Steamie” – all dressed steamed hot dogs (and buns) loaded down with pickled cabbage (saur kraut) and mustard – washed down with two lemon Nestea drinks that have about 15 scoops of sugar per tin… Let’s just say that if your pancreas has not packed it in and your arteries have not clogged beyond repair – then the added salt is pushing your blood-pressure into the red zone.
Which is an entirely good and wonderful thing.
We try to get to La Belle Patate once a month for a “correction” in our normally great, border line hippy eating habits – because HEY, our internal organs and cardio-vascular system need to be reminded from time to time who is in charge here!
Lunch for 2 with drinks: $14.
La Belle Patate is located at 1215 Esquimalt Road a half-block past the Civic Center and Esquimalt’s original strip mall. Bon apetit!
Mathieu Lott recently traveled to New York city to check out the burgeoning poutine-scene and found it hopeful but in need of a bit of work…
