Author Archives: Ed Sum

10.01.10
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Foraging for Hedgehogs

Cakes Etc.
2821 Quesnel Street
Victoria, BC
(250) 360-2390

Dare I say it? Well, the day after, what lays before me in a secretive box is not a furry or spiny beast that I trapped from Cakes Etc. It’s what I’m going to discover in a chocolate treat that’s said to be hand dipped in chocolate, rolled in oat crumble and lightly drizzled in white icing and chocolate lace.

Better known as a Hedgehog ($1.50 per), what I dug my fork into was tough to break into. It’s not easy to simply jab the rotund cake to life. It’s hard exterior is equally matched with a meaty interior, meaning it’s a thicker product to consume.

I’m a fan of lighter deserts than something heavy, because after one forkful, I’m ready to fall over like a log. It’ll take me time to enjoy this dessert in its entirety, and I could very easily nibble on it all day than to let it go.

Okay, I’m sadistic. Given the amount of sweets I’ve been having lately, tis better to have small amounts than to eat it in one go. At least I’ll be able to burn off the calories faster.

3½ Blokes out of 5

Cakes Etc. on Urbanspoon

09.30.10
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Cakes Etc.

2821 Quesnel Street
Victoria, BC
(250) 360-2390

This week has been nothing but a series of good things. Another year rolled around for me, I received a glow-in-the-dark Ghostbusters T-shirt, and Ocean FM’s VIP Platinum Club sent me an automated email with a gift certificate of $5 to try out Cakes Etc.

Now no birthday is ever complete without cake, and the next day, I charged out of the classroom, down Hillside, and to what’s basically a bakery in the oddest of all areas—an industrial section of town. I was expecting something more eat-in than take-out; there wasn’t enough space for me to surreptitiously grab pics.

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09.20.10
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Suzi is in the Sky with Diamonds?

Editor’s Note: This establishment is no longer located at the address below.

Chef Suzi in the Square
18B Bastion Square
Victoria, BC

For those people familiar with the Blue Carrot Cafe in Bastion Square, it’s sadly closed down. It had simplicity in its menu offerings and although they’ve left, I can’t say Elvis has left the building. It’s Chef Suzi who’s in the square now.

This new diner opened up Sept 09 and it comes complete with a ghost said to be haunting the place. That spirit is a playful one, even back when the Blue was there. It was chef Suzi who was adjusting the lights when I wondered why the lights dimmed for a moment.

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09.12.10
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Flying Away on a Rib and a Prayer


Peninsula Ribfest 2010
Saturday, September 11, 2010
#202 – 9800 McDonald Park Rd.
North Saanich, BC

Cloudy days make for a great outing to the boonies known as the Victoria Airport, but that wasn’t what drew me to the 3rd Annual Peninsula Ribfest.

Initially, I was going there to take some photos, as a favour for my photographer friend, Qué Banh, but since this event involved food, how could I not? And who doesn’t love smooth as silk ribs? You can suck on it, caress it, enjoy the velvety fine flavours of tomato sauces. Ooh, baby.

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08.30.10
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Back home for more food!

Okay, Victoria, B.C. is no true mecca for gastronomic goodness, but it comes close.

After Seattle and Portland, this city feels very smaller but at least we have a certain pride for locally produced products and a few gems which does get international attention.

But as I unwind, I’ll be processing through all the drafts I’ve written up (god bless my iPod touch) of the diners in the smaller towns Yvonne Fried and I visited. We toured through various parts of Washington State, and I went by instinct to see where we should eat.

Out of every place we went to, I’d say only one was disappointing. The rest made for worthwhile stops. I’ll get the articles hopefully posted during the course of the next two weeks.

And at the same time, I’ll nudge James out of his heat induced coma to get some product reviews up.

08.26.10
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A Touch of Nostalgia

Barb & Ed’s Drive In
601 Basin St NW
Ephrata, Washington
(509) 754-2037

It’s amazing in what I can notice when my name is out there in lights and cruising down Basin St. Okay, I don’t really own this diner or even cook here, but I can dream.

Apparently this place reopened not too long ago, and locals have praised it’s return. As a fellow Ed, I have to applaud more than just that.

This place was probably once a real drive-in at some point in time, and there’s an atmosphere in here that’s reminiscent of an era long gone. It has a very simplistic casual vibe that I could just feel by looking around. I’m at home, even though the eyes say otherwise.

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