Will There be Further Adventures of Ape Man and Fish Boy for Victoria, BC?

ape man and fish boyEach Adventure of Ape Man and the Fish Boy will no doubt be different and I certainly like to see them again. On May 3rd, they were billed as a duo of secret agents and on May 4th (the show I attended), they are performers going on a trip through time to undo a misfire as they took to the Intrepid Theatre Club stage to play … well, they did not even get that far in a funny way.

This act is still in development and in what I saw, I loved the camaraderie Rod Peter Jr. (Atomic Vaudeville) and Charlie Ross (One Man Star Wars) shared on stage. They’re buddies in real life and the concept they are shaping (mixing a hint of mime, pre-recorded cabaret-style music and geeky stand-up) feels like a blend of what I loved seeing from the days of the Carol Burnett Show when Harvey Korman and Tim Conway took to stage for their acts. In reality, they are working in the absurdist theatre medium, like in Monty Python. In the cinematic sense, I can see a style reminiscent of Rob Brydon and Steve Coogan’s show in Michael Winterbottom’s movie, The Trip. I could tell they’re fellow nerds (my Spidey sense kicked in) when they were riffing on recent pop culture products like Back to the Future, Batman, Doctor Who and Mad Max, to name a few. I look forward to keeping tabs on where this new comedic duo will go next. There’s a possibility of taking the show to Vancouver and Toronto according to Peter Jr. He also mentioned the thought of testing it out in the Fringe theatre circuit before going nationwide.

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Ayo-oooga! Let’s Set Sail to Indonesian Styled Fast Food

ayo IMG_20151020_160902535_HDRAyo Eat
Market Square
Unit 140 – 560 Johnson St.
Victoria, BC
(250) 590-4231

If Indonesian food simply means adding prawn chips to the dish then I’m sold! Ayo operates out of a corner space in Market Square and the small space should not be a deterrent when the space downstairs is a stage to sit, snack and relax in. In any season, this hub is a nice place to visit. I miss it; I frequented this space more in my youth during the early 90’s when Island Fantasy Comic Shop occupied the lower quarters beneath this food operation. Ever since they closed their doors, I don’t frequent this space as often.

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Is Hanks Just “A” Restaurant?

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Hanks * A Restaurant
Unit G2A – 1001 Douglas St.
Victoria, BC
(778) 433-4770

I have to wonder if Hank’s in Victoria has separated from the Ucluelet operation which does Untraditional BBQ. Because if they did, that might explain why there’s inconsistency in their product and menu offerings. I’ve noticed on their page no mention of the city operation. Despite my concern, after seeing the Douglas street operation closed for a few weeks, I was glad to see them reopened, with new signage, look and everything.

Yes, they’re open, and no, they did not suffer from the curse this particular space seems to suffer from. On a busy Friday early evening, it was populated with hungry hippos (men) craving drinks and protein. Their Wagyu meat offerings certainly explain why this place is popular. For those who do not know about this particular breed of cattle, they’re known for a marbled fatty texture and are from Alberta.

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Bringing Japan’s Ambrosia to Earth; Nakano’s Shuzo Ichigo No Osake

sakeSake lovers already know not all brands are alike. Everything comes from the purity of the water, type of rice used and how it’s brewed. But when it comes to additives, what can be added to transform this drink to become a holy nectar of the gods? Nakano’s Shuzo Ichigo No Osake is created using the natural waters flowing from Fujishiro Mountain Range and every time I sample this strawberry-infused delight, I believe I’m kissing Amaterasu’s smooth divine lips!

I discovered this delight when in Vancouver many months ago. As I drifted by Gyoza Bar, the harmonies I heard from within drew me inside and as I sat down, I eyed the drink menu over the food instead.

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[Seattle, WA] Can You Be My Sansei?

Sansei-Horizontal-Logo-ReverseSansei
815 Pine St.
Seattle, WA 98101
(206) 402-4414

I figure Seattle, Washington has more truly upscale Japanese restaurants than Victoria, British Columbia. If that says something about finding a place to enjoy my meals and sample the unique, perhaps I should live in this State instead of the province to get my fusion-style cuisine on. I noticed this operation while here for my annual nerdvana. Emerald City Comicon (ECCC) and Star Trek Ultimate Voyage took place on the same weekend.

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When I arrived at the historic Paramount Theatre, I was more than gobsmacked. I was licking my lips at seeing Sansei, a seafood restaurant and sushi bar across the street. I seem to have a knack for wanting to visit well-established operations when in the States without knowing a lot about their reputation beforehand. Hitting Portland, Oregon blind years ago demonstrated that. I had little knowledge about Jakes Famous Crawfish and only heard a few stories about Voodoo Doughnuts. I rode through this city with my road trip buddy, and we lucked out in getting into two of this city’s most well-known operations.

I was not too sure about what to expect when I visited Sansei the next day to get a bite, a simple dinner — or so I hoped. I had no idea about this establishment’s excellent reputation in Hawaii until I read the literature. A quick chat with the waitress and search via Google revealed them as “one of America’s Best Sushi Bars” to which I could have spent my entire convention food allowance on or I could sit at the table for a ramen dish only to tease James from afar later. His only words over the phone were, “You’re despicable.”

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[Seattle, WA] The Unicorn can Delight a Sweet Tooth & Hardly More

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The Unicorn
1118 E Pike St
Seattle, Washington
(206) 325-6492

Perhaps one of Seattle’s strangest operation is a cryptozoological pub is The Unicorn. This watering hole is good for its exotic sweets but the rest of the food is nothing too special. But where else can you say you ate narwhal balls? or had a phallic looking Deep Fried Snickers? Not since Voodoo Doughnut in Portland have I found some surgery Wunderbar goodness.

The food is decent but I can’t recommend this place for its service.

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