Category Archives: Reviews

Read along as we seek out the best of what the British Columbia coast (and beyond) has to offer.

03.03.15
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Tracking GottaCon’s Foodie & Game A-Fair? It’s a Deadbeetz.

GottaCon has shifted in direction for the 2015 year, and that’s to make use of all the available spaces as possible for their gaming fair. For such a dramatic shift, I’m surprised they did not have a huge banner across the Victoria Conference Centre to say we are here. I really like the design of their new logo in their program guide, and I was sad to not see this plumage advertising this event to this city at large at this building or across the street at the Crystal Gardens.

Although my interests for this show have faded, to wonder if they chose wisely for which food trucks to bring can make for some interesting allusions. Do gamers need more grease for those late night munchies? When I didn’t spot or smell these operations running on a Friday evening before Geekenders‘ Star Wars Burlesque Show, I suspect not. They might have been running, but there was no spotlight on them to let curiousity seekers know. The same can be said for GottaCon’s presence. Without a huge banner, many passers-by will pass them by. Sandwich boards just will not do. Not many people really take a bite at that kind of street advertising.

During a beautiful sunny day (Saturday) when the air is crisp and I was nearby, my nostrils certainly wanted to sniff out the operations. Thankfully, the trucks were advertising their hours. But I did notice a particular trend: of the three trucks, two of them were serving mostly burgers. Thankfully, James and I provided a more robust listing of various eateries around the area so attendees can grab sandwiches or sushi if they wanted to.

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02.26.15
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Looking for Sea Life at Ocean Garden

568 Fisgard St
Victoria, BC
(250) 360-2818

It’s not often that I’d swim with the fishes at Ocean Garden in Chinatown. If I want authentic Chinese, I’d go to China or ask my family elders to cook for me. But for tourists and many a local in this area, this establishment is a mainstay of the Victoria scene. Between this and four other places on this side of the road, just where I really like to go depends.

After watching the lion dance and kung fu demonstration to really kick Chinese New Year off to start in the “first” weekend of the lunar year, I was feeling a bit peckish. My friends and I thought a visit to the Ocean was required and while I pondered what I should grab from the sea, the choice ultimately boiled down to Deep Fried Prawns ($10.50), Beef and Broccoli Chow Mein (10.50) and a Seafood and Vegetable platter (8.95).

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02.22.15
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Gung Hay Fat Boys 2015: Don Mee Strikes Out

Don Mee Seafood Restaurant
538 Fisgard Street
Chinatown
Victoria, BC
(250) 383-1032

J: As a friend recently told me, Don Mee isn’t for Chinese, it is for Caucasians who like western style Chinese cuisine. Perhaps there is a ring of truth. After Ed and I had finished dining there for Chinese New Year, what we ate wasn’t close to authentic. He’s been to Shanghai and sampled the cuisine around this region.

Back in Victoria, however, I’ve heard there’s food you can order off the menu but perhaps if I had prior knowledge, It would’ve made for some wiser decisions.

My parents first came to eat here back in 1975 and I was to follow them 30 years later. I’ve had lunch here to some extent but never dined. On this occasion I was flying blind. Both Ed and I failed to notice the poster at the front door and the sign on our table advertising their new year’s special. But was our choice to go with a regular dinner for two (and an appetizer plate) the best choice to make?

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02.20.15
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Naughty Nellie’s Slaps More Than Just Fish!

Naughty Nellie’s Not Just Fish & Chips
4081 Shelbourne Street
Gordon Head
Saanich, BC
Phone: (250) 721-5555

Not to be confused with the downtown operation, Nautical Nellies, Naughty Nellie’s in Gordon Head is certainly a delight for high school students and retirees alike. Depending on the time of day, I often see the latter type of clientele coming in. Also, certain species of fish goes faster into the frying pan or should I say fryer?

Lingcod was not available on the last two visits I made. It’s a touch frustrating since I like the flavour. Regular cod was ordered so I would not make a bad pun since I wasn’t in the mood for the halibut. The batter was nice and crunchy. It’s a familiar taste, without any amped up mix of extra spices to really kick the dish up a notch. The fish was cooked fast and fresh, for a moist center, though sometimes what I get hardly tastes exceptional. Fish n’ chips is comfort food and not many places really do anything special when crisping this dish up.

NAUGHTY-NELLIES-2013-10-25-16.43.37

The fries were quite good, and they’re done right. If given a chance to bash McDonald’s fries, I will because properly home cut and freshly prepared fries tastes infinitely better than anything processed at a plant and shipped cross-country to all the outlets. Even the coleslaw was nice. Some days they make it right and other days it’s just too mushy.

Overall, for the volume offered, the dish is very good. When I’m in a mood for fish and chips and I don’t want to travel far, the walk will do me good. I can do take-out, which is what this operation specializes in, but it won’t necessarily benefit burning off the meal. With a hill separating me from home to this diner and back again, I have a means to work off the calories!

3½ Blokes out of 5

Naughty Nellie's Not Just Fish & Chips on Urbanspoon

02.17.15
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GottaCon Foodie Survival Guide 2015

Gottacon2015In less than two weeks Victoria will be flooded with people from all over Vancouver Island and the Pacific Northwest with obsessive gaming habits. Cards will be dealt and dice will be rolled but if you think I’m speaking of a convention for those with gambling habits, think again. I speak of gamers, people who show up (sometimes in costume) with their card games (Pokémon, Magic: The Gathering), their table top books (Pathfinder, Dungeons & Dragons), their customized PCs and their mini figurines (Warhammer). And to quote a Trooper song, they’re here for a good time, not a long time.

And when you convention hop on a budget it is important to maintain your energy levels with some nourishing food. Cheap is good too. Presented to you is James and Ed’s list of top eats.

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02.11.15
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[VFF’15] Final Recipe’s Family Aspirations, A Movie Review

9:15pm Feb 10
Odeon Theatre

With a movie title like Final Recipe, I had to wonder if this foodie film is the be all and end all of films celebrating Asian-style culinary delights. I’m very grateful to the Victoria Film Festival for bringing in a variety of independent movies to my attention, and when every year manages to include some kind of food themed film, all my taste buds can do is salivate in anticipation!.

It’s tough to beat the first film (Chef of the South Polar) I ever saw. I became really hungry for Japanese food, and the lesson I learned that ramen cannot be ramen without kansui — a kind of mineral water containing elements of sodium carbonate along with a few other chemical compounds.

In Final Recipe, I learned that at least in China, there’s 1200 variations of what a noodle can become when cooked up. Flavours can be instilled, presentations can awe, but what about bringing pleasant memories from long ago? Especially that when one has become a conneiseur because of that first dish that mama made for you with love. Those kind of memories are not easy to forget.

This movie succeeds because it evokes those kinds of memories when the competition begins. I came home feeling hungry for a noodle-based dish and after satisfying my belly, I’m finally to ready to write!

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