Author Archives: Ed Sum

01.04.23
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Lots of Great Umami Exists with a Kiss at Kissato Sushi

20221116_175220Kissato Sushi
2027 Oak Bay Ave
Victoria, BC

Hours: Tues to Sat, 11:30am to 2:30pm and 5 to 8pm.
Phone: (250) 370-5195

I’m surprised that I never noticed Kissato Sushi before in my sojourns to the municipality of Oak Bay, which is one district over from where I live. The main reason is that there aren’t a lot of areas to park my car. It’s almost a must bus in the zone, given how restrictive the area is for vehicle traffic along the strip.

When I am here, I make the most of my time here. The avenue is even more of a throwback to the yesteryear than any other area, and I’m glad there are no signs of modernisation here, except maybe one operation or two.

The best known operations for eats here include the Ottavio Italian Bakery & Delicatessen and The White Heather Tearoom (review link). For where to buy alcohol, I highly recommend The Cork and Barrel; they are one of the few places that keeps a good stock of Strange Brew’s holiday drinks. Also, the Penny Farthing bar can be hit or miss, but as for buying delicious meats, I heartily believe The Whole Beast is tops. I go there to purchase their maple rosemary bacon. 

With all that said, this district has only three sushi operations still running. Sadly, Osaka Sushi (review link) is permanently closed, and I consider them one of the best. Thankfully, Kissato can fit the bill, even though their selection is not as extensive. That is, sea urchin isn’t available. In what they offer is a terrific catalogue of the staples. The fish was especially fresh since my friend Max and I arrived at the opening, and we had enormous appetites going on. 

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11.23.22
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[Port Angeles, WA] When All Residents Need is Songoku Hibachi and Sushi!

20221009_142702Songoku Hibachi and Sushi Japanese
134 W Front St
Port Angeles, WA

Hours: 11:00 am to 9:00 pm (daily)
Phone: (360) 477-4315

In a small town like Port Angeles, the primary industry is fishing and tourism. In October, it’s the 21st Annual Dungeness Crab & Seafood Festival. For the adventurous hiker, there’s Hurricane Ridge and the Olympic Mountains, but they are typically closed when the seasons change. Because there’s plenty of rainforests nearby, harvesting mushrooms (as my review from a few weeks ago explored) is no doubt next.

But instead of local delights, I had to see how Japanese food and the Pacific Northwest can be fused up. Fusion food is a big thing and can be a selling point for some operations, and Songoku has crawfish! I don’t think I’ve seen it offered in sushi before! Out of all the places I’ve visited in the past, I don’t think I’ve ever seen it offered in the menu.

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11.09.22
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All’s Welly in Port Angeles, Ice Cream and More!

20221009_160104Welly’s Real Fruit Ice Cream
115 E Railroad Ave
Port Angeles, WA

Hours: (Closed Tues)
12:30 AM to 8:30 PM daily
Website: https://www.wellysicecream.com/

While I’m not sure how well this ice cream parlour stays afloat when the weather is wet, there’s always room for this delight any time of the year! Welly’s is popular because they offer a dairy-free version. It’s not strange at all that Lillie and Jacob, the proprietors, took up residence in Port Angeles. Part of it may well be due to how similar it is to New Zealand. As explained from the company web page, the woman discovered how the Kiwi love making their ice cream and decided to take the idea home to set up shop here. This also includes buying the proper equipment to provide an authentic grind.

The milk trickling down the ridges and the taste of freshly blended fruit made my taste buds do the hula. The fact some fruit was kept chilled and was then crushed gave the ice cream an extra texture.

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10.28.22
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There’s More Than Mushrooms “Up on the Mountain,” A Documentary Review

mountaiunPlaying at Devour! Food Film Festival on Oct 29, 11:00am

Al Whittle Theatre
450 Main St, Wolfville, NS

Olivier Matthon‘s fly on the wall approach to looking at the problems “commercial” mushroom pickers have in Up on the Mountain is very eye-opening. While we as consumers love chanterelles, morels and lion’s mane, we don’t know the story behind how it got to the dinner table, be it in a restaurant or home-made. 

In British Columbia, those mycelium grown in farms most likely follow strict guidelines in terms of when they’re food ready. But to get them from the lands, the Crown posted guidelines for those wanting to pick and sell. But to be a watchdog is impossible; I suspect the issues are the same as it is Stateside. That is, there’s not enough staff in the Forestry department to go around. With this documentary, we follow in the footsteps of three groups who travel on the “mushroom circuit,” and have to fend for themselves against other poachers and local enforcement.

In the official synopsis, “[They travel embark on] a year-round migration that can take them anywhere from Alaska to California, Washington, Oregon, Montana, Idaho, and Wyoming—to harvest wild mushrooms from public forests.

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10.21.22
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Vancouver, BC’s Dave Letford Has Big Plans for Devour! Food Film Fest and The Future of Food

Dave Letford is a chef based in Vancouver. British Columbia, who quite the name for himself in this city. Not only has he worked at some great places to earn his cred, namely Hawsworth where he started as a sous chef, but also is now working as a culinary instructor at Pacific Institute of Culinary Arts. He’s proud to share his knowledge to the new generation of cooks.

Next week, he’ll be taking a lineup of his best talents to Devour! The Food Film Fest, which runs Oct 24-30 in Wolfville, Nova Scotia. They’ll be part of a culinary school event where they’ll be serving up some tasty foraged meals. He’ll be the facilitator.

Although not verified, his team is considering a faux pulled pork sandwich served on a black-eyed pea bun. They’ll also be contemplating another dish with oysters from a nearby bay, and as for what mushroom magic they’ll fashion hasn’t been approved. They thought about bringing the Pacific Northwest to the East Coast, but know better. Since the theme concerns the future of food, namely staying green, they plan on using what’s local to the region.

His role at this event goes beyond teaching the next group of culinary artists to innovate not only from their hometown but also anywhere else they get jobs at. Some stay, but others head off to other prestigious institutions to further their training. All the world is a garden. Instead of what Shakespeare wrote about an individual’s life from birth to death, we also consider the value of those successes, measure for measure.

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10.19.22
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Blind Ambition, South Africa and Wine-Tasting, A Formula for How to Succeed

blind ambit

Robert Coe and Warwick Ross have developed a documentary that not only looks at the situation faced by many in South Africa concerning black immigration to other nations within this continent, but also shows “Blind Ambition” should set no one back.

Here, it’s about whether four Zimbabwean immigrants can succeed as business people in a very demanding restaurant industry. Here, the focus is on wine. And what Joseph, Tinashe, Pardon, and Marlvin have to learn is if they got the right stuff. They want to enter the 2017 World Blind Wine Tasting Championship and because of the economic situation, they had huge obstacles to face if they were to fly to Burgundy, France, where it was being hosted.

This film focuses on four individuals wanting a better prospect for not only themselves, but the family they’re taking along. What they left behind is important, and the examination is more than dutiful to let us understand what goes on a world away. Back home in Zimbabwe was civil unrest, and unless we understand this social-policital background tableau, what viewers won’t learn aren’t as relatable.

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