Category Archives: Food

Your guide to some of the best and inviting food establishments.

10.28.16
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Eerie Ed’s Guide to Haunted Victoria, BC Eateries

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Supernatural tales permeate throughout most of Victoria, British Columbia and there’s a handful of ghosts who love visiting eateries. With Halloween near, interest in this world is at its peak, and some may want to dine at an allegedly haunted establishment.

As a paranormal enthusiast who is trying to keep up to date with new tales, I present a catalogue of nearly every haunted eatery in this city. Some I’ve been to dine at and others are still on my bucket list.

In a few stories I’ve personally been told, Monty’s Showroom Pub (closed) was also haunted and I was invited to investigate this place with me and my PARAVI friends. We did not find anything conclusive, but to be in this venue after hours and quiet certainly had a different ambience.

The area around Bastion Square has a fair number of haunts within a square block. With a few friends who once operated a restaurant or late-night pub in this area, they have related to me a few experiences: a past owner/operator of Baja Surf Grill (no longer in operation) mentioned finding wall hangings strewn on the floor and while I think he’s pulling my leg, the area is old enough to have some secrets. But in all the tales he tells me, I figure the ghosts of downtown Victoria love him. He used to run a downstairs pub, close to The Churchill, many years ago and recalls seeing something on the stairs!

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10.26.16
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On the Road to Tibetan Kitchen

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Tibetan Kitchen
680 Broughton Street
Victoria, BC
(250) 383-5664

E: Tibetan or Mongolian, those are two worlds I’d love to explore for the many mysteries that lurk upon the land. In this case of wondering if they’re open on an early Saturday evening, the secret is that they are! quite often, James and I would walk by to find them closed. And I’ve always wanted to dine there because of the lavish desserts they offer.

J: Frankly I can’t see myself donning robes, shaving my head and sitting on a mountain top looking for eternal peace. Give me the vices of city life. Give me the wine, the women and the international cheeses. But perhaps peace of some sort can be found within the walls of the Tibetan Kitchen. They’ve been profiled on Food Network Canada but does that really matter to me? Many of the television programs today are just glorified infomercials. Ed and I were lucky to get a table, most of the tables were reserved. It didn’t occur to us that a cozy place like Tibetan Kitchen would be booked solid.

E: With James’ bald spot, I’m sure he would fit in, but a friar he is not. There was a short time where I could have sworn the city of Victoria had a Mongolian Kitchen but maybe I’m wrong. Can you imagine me going Kahn against a lamb or calf? Well, I’m not 100% knowledgeable about the ethnic food of this region, but exploration is in the name of the game. My eyes gravitated towards the traditional foods of this country and that included a Sha Phaley (bread with meat stuffed inside it) baked to a nice crusty and chewy delight.

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10.19.16
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Broughton Street Deli Blues

BroughtonDeli1Broughton Street Deli
648 Broughton Street
Victoria, BC
(250) 380-9988

J: Broughton Street Deli is one of those places I’ve always wanted to try but I could never get to its location at the right time. It has to do with their early closing hours. They’re a daytime operation but I’m sure they would make at least some money if they were open on Friday and Saturday nights. Sometimes people going to the bars or movie theatres (what few of the theatres there are left) don’t need the hassle of the full dining experience. Some people just want a quick bite to eat that isn’t McDonald’s.

E: By some fortune, we managed to come in here when the place was empty of all life. But when the operation only had another half hour left before closing, maybe a quick bite to eat elsewhere seemed to be the better idea. Upon walking in, James and I were treated to a sign purporting that this operation offers authentic Montreal smoked meat.

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10.12.16
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[Seattle, WA] Getting drunk on Sazerac

IMG_20160407_205656540Sazerac Restaurant
1101 4th Ave.
Seattle, WA
(206) 624-7755

Once the ragin’ Cajun in me saw the Sazerac offered upscale Southern (Louisiana) inspired food, I knew I had to make this place a must during my next visit to Seattle! As I stay in different hotels, I like to explore what’s nearby instead of walking to another district for my usual grub. This city has more wide and varied tastes within reach in the downtown core than any other I’ve been to. While my knowledge is mostly centered around feasting in either Emerald City or Hollywood North, there’s a reason why I love living in the Pacific Northwest. The access to seafood is immediate and fresh.

I think both cities have eateries that are worthy of earning at least a star in the Michelin guide. That book is not the be all end all for diners looking for new and exotic tastes. At this place, their Buttermilk Panna Cotta is an Italian dish that I could eat forever! The strawberry foam settled upon my lips like an air nymph and I was sent to heaven with how added basil cream made my tongue dance. A symphony with little gelatinous berry nubs was playing hallelujah in my mouth!

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10.05.16
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[Everett, WA] They Build Their Meals High at The Totem

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The Totem
4410 Rucker Ave
Everett, WA
(425) 252-3277

The Totem Family Diner has been serving the residents of Everett, Washington since 1953 and I was there with my friends, enjoying some time with them before returning to Seattle again for yet another event. This time, I’ve gone down to checking out BrickCon to get my LEGO on.

I enjoyed relaxing in this diner’s quiet and casual ambience. It had the homey feeling of people coming here to share stories, relax and chill in after a stressful day at the office. One can have soda and coffee refills as often as they like, but when I had an orange juice it was sadly limited to one. Thankfully I was replenished with water to wash the huge Tucson Omelet I ate down. I only needed half of it to keep me going for the rest of the day, and just how I managed two-thirds is a miracle in itself.

I was told by my friends most people are not able to finish their dishes and take the rest home.

Four eggs made up the eye budging meal. A sweetly seasoned and smoked pulled pork lined the inside. The pepper jack cheese oozed with delight and the green peppers crackled as I chewed. I didn’t find the onions special only because I favour the sweeter red variety’s more flavour enhancing, especially raw, over the traditional yellow. This half cake was very filling and I wondered how I was going to wolf down the biscuit that came with it.

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I maybe ate the equivalent of one sliced bread to go with the avocado salsa that topped my meal. This topping made this meal king. I had little crouton sized bits of starch to fit into my mouth along with some egg. But I don’t know how anyone can consider this as a small breakfast, let alone a lunch. I’d be afraid. I’m not against large meals but I’m thinking I understand why the obesity rate is high in the United States because some restaurant’s idea of a portion is the size of a dinner plate instead of half.

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09.29.16
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Want Sushi Cake? The Next’s Creativity Shows No Bounds

img_20160928_185748779#104-240 Cook St.
Victoria, BC
(778) 433-4490

If you want a sushi cake for your birthday, The Next Modern Japanese Cuisine certainly delivers. You have to call in advance about it (I’m not sure how long this promotion is going to last) and they need at least a days notice to collect the ingredients in order to prepare it to your specifications. As much as I’d love to try fugu (blowfish), I’m sure that’s not easily available in North America.

Having some knowledge in what’s available for the season is required, otherwise the chefs will use their judgement. In what I asked for was a complete representation of every type of fish often seen in a regular menu. I tasted tuna, salmon, red snapper, ahi, scallop and prawn. They were definitely quality cuts and the rice was even sweeter than I recall. The mackerel was very mild and the bed of rice was huge. This cake alone is a meal in itself! The inclusion of salmon roe was a nice touch, and this particular flavour is not for everyone. When paired with the avocado, my taste buds were in for a treat!

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