Feet don`t fail me now · Tuesday June 17, 2008 by colin newell
A human foot was discovered partially submerged in the water near Westham Island in Ladner, B.C., Delta police said Monday.
It’s the fifth human foot police have found in the province in less than a year.
I am prepared to make a declaration about this…
If you want to find out who belongs to the missing feet – simply do a head count of gangland types in Vancouver…
Or a show of hands…
“Uhm – We get it Colin!”
Yea. I figured.
Heron Rock Bistro #4-435 Simcoe Review · Sunday June 15, 2008 by colin newell
And now for something completely different…
Heron Rock Bistro, in the historic James Bay neighborhood of Victoria B.C. is one of a handful of 3rd wave restaurants focused on locally sourced meats, poultry, veg and creatures of the sea.
And where they succeed is – is taking great ingredients and carefully preparing them in an environment not so formal that it becomes a parody of itself.
The Heron Rock Bistro is anchored by sharp, attractive, attentive and informed staff – and in my books, this is always a reflection of what is happening in the kitchen.
My two female companions had the same thing – the steak fettuccine: It was perfectly prepared with the AAA Striploin attentively prepared to the gals discerning specifications.
I had Moules Frites – steamed Island mussels and hand-cut french fries in a cilantro curry cream – the fries served with a garlic aoli.
Overall – I would brazenly put the Heron Rock bistro in the same category as Victoria’s legendary Cafe Brio and Brasserie l’ecole. Still, I need to pop by a few more times to get a better feel for their consistency. Concluding, I hear from regulars who eat here almost weekly – and the rave never ends.
Quattro Stagione Cafe 7060 West Saanich Rd review · Sunday June 15, 2008 by colin newell
Quattro Stagione – I have no idea what it means.
Quattro Stagione is a restaurant on West Saanich road on the Saanich peninsula.
From the outside it appears to be a bit of a dive or visually unstructured. I mean, there is nothing to indicate here that there is anything outstanding or unusual on the menu. Patience yields a surprise however.
World famous coffee-tamper artisan (and vegetarian) Reg Barber swears by the joint. His shop is in Brentwood (no, the Keating industrial park actually…) and he lunches here.
So while picking up some stuff from Reg Barber, my wife and I popped in for a late lunch (3 hours before having a fabulous dinner at the Heron Rock Bistro – my next review)
Ok. The food here is really good. It is of a middle-eastern bent; falafel, pita’s, wraps, intriguing sandwiches and very original and healthful salads.
Which were very tastefully and artistically served.
The only minor downside at this late hour in the afternoon, 1/2 hour before closing:
Was the owners kids – a 7 year old boy and 11 year old girl kept buzzing in and out of the cafe… endlessly.
We were sitting out at a sidewalk table and the 7 year old boy spent 3 or 4 minutes running around us, hiding behind me giggling and mugging… at some point asking me if I wanted to hear a song with rude lyrics…
I think my bored and slightly irritated expression drove him away… or his boredom took over.
The 11 year old daughter roller-bladed non-stop… into the cafe, out of the cafe, into the cafe, out of the cafe… I am not sure… food safe violation ? No? Yes?
Overall verdict: Really great creative food. But come mid-day before schools out!
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Gas Price Rant #15 Criminal investigations coming to Victoria B.C. · Thursday June 12, 2008 by colin newell
Sometimes there is good news.
And although the skies over Victoria B.C. Canada did not rain gold coins, virgins or 20 dollar bills today… there is some interesting activity on the ground…
close to your neighborhood Gas station… maybe.
On the other side of the country, criminal charges have been laid against 13 people and 11 companies accused of fixing the price of gasoline in Quebec.
The suspects and companies operated in Victoriaville, Thetford Mines, Magog and Sherbrooke.
And we all know that gas prices in Victoria B.C. Canada are fixed by a automated telephone system called Viper. It’s collusion. It’s price fixing… and it’s criminal. And maybe, just maybe, lower Island residents may get a wonderful dose of schadenfreude.
As Jackie Gleason use to say… “How SWEET it IS!”
And although I personally have no evidence that criminal charges are about to be laid in the Victoria area… I can hope. And you can hope with me.
