Mini-restaurant review - Zambri's Victoria · Saturday July 1, 2006 by colin newell
Attended a retirement dinner last night at Zambri’s Restaurant. Located in a faceless Yates Street Mall just up from Quadra Street, Zambri’s has made a name for themselves serving the freshest of slow-food, sourced from all-local suppliers of organic veg and meat.
Slow-food.
What is it?
No… No, it is not slow service. Quite the opposite.
In Zambri’s case, it is a wonderful example of quality dishes prepared fresh and served in no perceptible rush.
And rush we did not.
We arrived (on time) at 7 PM.
We were immediately handed a sparkling wine beverage.
We had one of the party rooms in the back. It is a bit sterile with a careful selection of local art hung on an otherwise unremarkable wall.
The windows looks out over the View Towers entrance. If you know Victoria, you know the View Towers. It used to be a very lively residence housing some of Victoria’s most colorful individuals.
Anyho. After all the guests had arrived and settled in, platters of antipasti started to filter in. They were good. All good. Nothing out of the ordinary mind you – just predictable offerings like brucshetta, polenta, deep fried cauliflower, tuna and potato salad and the like.
Again, at Zambri’s it is not about knocking you out of the park with drop dead amazing flavors – it is about the simple things done right.
Our main course was an offering of Fish (Salmon) or Poultry (Chicken), again simply prepared with a few twists.
There were two choices for dessert: Tiramisu or Pizelle with fresh organic strawberries. They were both wonderful.
This was a group event. My wife and I will be going back for the romantic couple experience!
Slow-food indeed! We finally left (almost the last people out) at about 11:15PM! I had about one glass of sparkling white-wine, a half-glass of a mystery red wine and a mug of 1/2-Caf with my tiramisu. I was one satisfied diner.
And you will be too! Bon apetit folks!
Sitting at Bubby Rose's Bakery... · Saturday June 24, 2006 by colin newell
Could be as close to heaven as possible.
Sitting at Bubby Rose’s Bakery, on the sidewalk.
With a mug of Sam Jone’s Discovery Coffee Yirghacheffe.
And one of Mark Engel’s fabulous Cinnamon Buns.
This is not one of your run-of-the-mill sticky buns folks.
This is a Mark Engels tour-de-force.
This baby contains real butter, flour, milk, cinnamon, more butter and some secret ingredients.
Imagine that with a great cup of coffee… on the avenue in historic Cook Street Village, Victoria.
Pretty girls walk by. Some with their dogs. Some with their pretty boyfriends. Ah. Cook Street village.
This is living!
Comment [1]
A diner for all time... · Saturday November 26, 2005 by colin newell
For all the praise heaped upon superlative gourmet coffee and, begging your pardon if I offend, slow-food in the 21 century, there are too few words spoken singing the praises of the grease n’ grill.
A significant portion of my best years (today and in the past) have been spent in diners like John’s Place on Pandora Avenue in Victoria, B.C. Canada.
I recall crossing their syrupy-sweet threshold way back in 1985 for the first time; Pancakes, sausages, bacon, scrambled eggs and black coffee. Oddly, 20 years later and (damn, I confess) 100 visits under my belt, I have the blood pressure of a 19 year old girl.
20 years ago I was a bright eyed, pre-internet, kind of guy frightened of the future. Ah, the uncertainty of being in your mid-twenties and wondering what the future would bring. Nothing takes your mind off of your worries faster than a fluffy waffle with cream cheese and maple syrup.
So, here we are in 2005. Two decades ago I sat in John’s Place with a table full of young friends, some of whom I still call friends today. Looking around, today, I see other young people (and older people) enjoying the solidarity of good food and friendship.
I really believe places like this keep us young, at least at heart. So the next time you are sitting down to your yoghurt, organic berries and 12-grain dry toast, fight back, say no… and find your diner.
CoffeeCrew.Com Micro summit · Friday November 25, 2005 by colin newell
This just in – Dave A. from Ottawa is coming to Victoria next week on business. Interestingly, I have been working with Dave on the website for 2 years or so and this is our first meeting.
Dave has not been to Victoria before so we will be lining up all the best cafes and restaurants for him to check out first hand.
Past summits have included trips to Toronto to see Sara and the Toronto gang as well as Sara’s numerous visits to Victoria.
