606 Johnson St
Victoria, BC

Phone: (250) 388-3111
Hours: 8 a.m.–12 a.m. (Daily)
Website: https://www.instagram.com/cocobellacanada/

When I was downtown for Free Comic Book Day last weekend, I showed up early enough to beat the crowd, but not early enough to beat the growl in my stomach. By the time I reached Johnson Street, most breakfast options were still rubbing the sleep out of their eyes. Maybe I should’ve wandered over to Broad Street instead. Le Croissant Chaud on the 1300-block might have been the smarter call, but Cocobella was right there. When a lot of corner eateries don’t seem to last long before a changeover to another food operation, I think a lot of areas are just “cursed.”

Since I didn’t expect anything on my comic list to quickly vanish, I figured I had time. That confidence started to wobble once my order at this Indian-inspired café began dragging its feet. A fully cooked sandwich can take up to ten minutes and I get that. Not every operation microwaves the food like Starbucks. But an iced pistachio latte? At one point, I wondered if they were hand-foraging the nuts out back.

Eventually, I asked what was going on. I was only the second person inside, while another customer seemed to be picking up a full brunch convoy: cake, boxes of treats, and who knows what else. The staff were helping her load everything into her car, which was kind of them, but it left me wondering if my order got lost. From where I stood, I didn’t see any visible signs of my drink being made.

I assumed the kitchen was working on my Bombay sandwich, but at that moment, it felt like my breakfast had joined the witness protection program.

To their credit, the food did arrive, and the chicken tucked between two toasted slices brought a proper kick. The crushed red peppers gave it enough heat to wake me up better than the latte almost did. The sandwich had a nice crunch, and the chickpea filling worked well too. It was simple, earthy, and easy to imagine recreating at home with some mayo, paprika, peas, and a small prayer to the spice gods.

Once that order before me was “delivered,” I had the place to myself for a few minutes before the true lunch crowd arrived. As that time was very quiet, none of the tables needed wiping, and I decided to play Pokemon Go until either my drink or meal arrived. More customers finally entered, and the staff started paying attention. Given how many food spots have cycled through this location over the years, I couldn’t help wondering how long this one will stick around.

My drink finally arrived, and what I tasted is pretty solid. The iced pistachio latte tasted fresh and smooth, with no odd graininess. Whatever caused the delay, at least the drink didn’t suffer for it.

Would I rush back? Probably not. The food has promise and the cakes they make certainly looks fabulous, but the experience leaned too hard toward taking care of one customer at the expense of others. When the a crowd started rolling in, I had the feeling the same pattern might repeat. Hopefully they find a better rhythm, because there’s something here worth saving before this location claims another tenant.

3 Blokes out of 5