Chorizo & Co.

807 Fort St
Victoria, BC
Hours: Tues – Sat 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Phone: (250) 384-6066

The buzz around town about the “closure” of Chorizo & Co. last year (in May) was that they were not likely to continue. When I have churro cravings and the Gordon Head diner has not been in operation for more than a year now, just where can I go? There’s La Taquisa and Chorizo in the crazy downtown core. The former makes them nice and hot (but lacks variation) for a nice price of $5, and the latter–when I learned they are back open (since mid-October 2018)–I knew its time. All it takes is the craving for a particular dish to have me walking through this revamped operation.

I inquired if churros are still on the menu, and the new owners decided its best not to use the same fryer for everything. They’ve turned gluten-free for some of their tasty offerings. While not disappointed, I opted for trying out their new menu in the new digs. It’s the same address as before with a bigger wine collection and there’s plenty to savour. Since I was here for lunch, I was not ready to drink like a Greek, but rather sit down for a moment in the cozy environment and enjoy my meal.

Chef Cam is in charge of the kitchen now and has whipped up a new bouquet of sandwiches which are easy competitors to the dishes I love from Part and Parcel in Quadra village. Their pork belly sandwich have juicy slices of meat, and the slaw (fennel and cabbage) made my snack go fast. When I say snack, I mean I could have had two more! At nearly $12 per, that would have been an expensive meal, so I had to stick to one. I also opted not to have a side. The bread was as fresh as I could imagine, out of the oven the morning of (supplied by Bond Bond’s Bakery), and while the amount of aioli used was a touch too much, it certainly made the taste of cilantro and lemon last afterwards. I was still smacking my lips and wistfully sighed.

I’m glad this operation is not gone; the folks running this diner have certainly kicked the operation up a notch. They are friendly and I’m fairly sure there’s more space to boot to handle the busy lunchtime and dinnertime crowds. The sandwich gourmet in me approves. When that craving for flame seared pork hits, I know where I’m going!

Now, where can I find churros by the dozen?

4 Blokes out of 5