Category Archives: Food

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

06.28.11
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Boylan’s Natural Root Beer

Available at Aubergine Specialty Foods and the Market on Millstream.

If I have to describe Boylan’s product in one word it would be “delicious.” But I don’t have to and if I did, it’d make for a very short article and this company deserves better. I discovered their brand of old-fashioned soda on a trip to one of the well-known local eateries, the Little Piggy.

Jersey’s Boylan Bottling Company is located in the area of the Hackensack River Watershed (a funny Jersey name) in the small town of Moonachie (which even sounds funnier). Their product was registered a year before Coca-Cola (1891.) And there are other good things that’ve come from New Jersey, such as the Four Seasons, Kevin Smith and Abbott & Costello. And if you believe the Moonachie locals, the Berry Creek Restaurant.

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06.21.11
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Wannawafel To My Heart


Wannawafel
Market Square
102-560 Johnson St.
Victoria, BC
(250) 590-5300

J: Wannawafel as a business is a complete no-brainer. Victoria has always been accepting of a good waffle recipe but it took a local Belgian family with their own recipes to turn something good into what might become a multi-million dollar franchise.

The family has gained previous success on an episode of CBC’s Dragon’s Den, a show where millionaires sit and listen to business ideas and product pitches only to get richer in the process. It’s not my cup of tea but something must be right if the Dragons see the potential.

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06.19.11
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Golden Boy Blues

Golden City Restaurant
721 Fisgard Street
Victoria, B.C.
(250) 386-8404

Going out for dim sum with my relatives have often made for a traditional Sunday brunch. That’s when it’s most popular. But to sate a sudden craving, it can be found served on other days of the week and sometimes not even brought out in a cart. That’ll depend on the restaurant.

When going out with friends, it was a plan concocted the night before. My friend, Qué Banh, had a craving and checked to see who was interested in an impromptu gathering. Also there was her father, Chan Hai, and her friend, Triana Avis.

When we arrived at Golden City, Qué was disappointed that the carts weren’t being wheeled around. She said it took away from the entire dim sum experience.

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06.13.11
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The Cook St Time Warp

Rosie’s Diner
253 Cook St.
Victoria, B.C.
(250) 384-6090

I must’ve walked through a time warp when I entered what felt like a 50’s era diner in the middle of Cook Street Village. Upon entry, I was greeted with many images of Betty Boop. Complete with some pre-requisite furnishings and many more artwork of this vintage icon, my pal Shane Priestly and I sat down and reminisced.

As odd as it sounds, a year after our graduation from the Applied Communication Program at Camosun, I had to ask the question of where are they now. True to the nature of any scholastic life, most of us went off to go spread our wings and fly away, trying to make a name for ourselves. Whoever we really wanted to stay in touch with afterwards is best left for sociologists to explain.

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06.09.11
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Putting a Heart on Fire

The Spice Jammer
852 Fort Street
Victoria, BC
(250) 480-1055

Today’s installment comes from our guest writer, Michael Allen, the webmaster of 28 Days Later Analysis, an informative website dedicated to news and reviews in the independent horror entertainment scene.

Spice Jammer is one of the true dining delights offered by this small West Coast town. They have East African cuisine and are highly regarded for its flavourful curries and marsalas. The food, combined with the service and atmosphere, create an exceptional casual dining experience.

Is the Spice Jammer the best Indian restaurant in Victoria? This exotic food lover would give an emphatic yes. If you’re lucky enough to enjoy a night here, then your first memories will likely be about the fine service. Immediately upon entering Spice Jammer, I was greeted by a host wearing a dark red kurta. I was quickly seated in a lushly coloured sitting area and my order for appetizer samosas and naan bread was promptly taken. The only imperfection in service was the slower time in preparing the meals; with over 15 occupied tables, the reason for the delay was understood.

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05.25.11
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Burger’s in the Village

The Village Burgers
Unit 105 – 3800 Bayview St.
Richmond, BC
(604) 275 6710

While away from the rock, and adventuring to a part of Richmond that I haven’t been to before, I found a little dive known as The Village Burgers. They serve up a variety of burgers. And the French fries I saw the kids there nibbling on looked good. I was treated to a rousing rendition of “O Canada” while waiting for my Hinden Burger ($9.95), and the wait was worth it.

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