12.21.22
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Yule Don’t Have to Be JOIE for Fine French Holiday Dining

20221113_121528JOIE Grillades
104-1175 Cook St

JOIE French Café
1610 Cook St
Victoria, BC

Hours: Daily from 11am to 3pm
Phone: (250) 590-9193
* Reservations recommended

DK: Cook Street between Caledonia and Pandora has always been my favourite commercial district in Victoria. During my 20s, it was home to the best bar in town, the best pizza slice in town, and the best bakery. I’m still grieving the loss of Logan’s Bar, and the 420 slice cravings will never go away. Thank God, Pâtisserie Danielle survives. 

When JOIE French Cafe opened, I was excited by what it could add to the neighbourhood (namely the opportunity to get a decent croque monsieur). It didn’t completely live up to my own hype back then, but I was glad to be back at JOIE to try something else on the menu.

ES: I too miss Logan’s. It’s been a punk rock haven for decades, since one can truly enjoy the acts up close. I was there when Thor (no, not the Marvel Cinematic hero) was in town. Ira Hunter, Editor-in-chief of Absolute Underground Magazine, invited me to come join him, and I think he was hoping I’d write a review of that show, but I digress. I showed up early just so I could hit Cold Comfort Ice Cream. 

But on the day I was out with Don, I needed something to warm me up. On the lunch menu, the French Onion Soup was exactly what I needed to soothe these old bones of mine. Yes, I’m the older one between Don and me, but I won’t say by how much.

20221113_121452

DK: But just like Becel Margarine, Ed is young at heart. What an insane ad campaign that was. Cure your fears of ageing by smearing this oil spread on a bit of toast. Slurp up that fuckin linoleic acid until you’re sprinting around your neighbourhood park like a 4-year-old. Anyway, speaking of healthy eating choices, I went for the salad at Joie. And hoo boy did they ever strangle that spinach in sliced almonds and goat cheese. No skimping here.

ES: While the prices here are reasonable for lunch, I suspect heading over to their main restaurant, JOLIE Grillades, will make a dent in anyone’s wallet. Authentic French cuisine on the island isn’t cheap. What I got as a sampler was certainly worth the $14, if I remember correctly. That is, if you want to feast on fresh salmon, duck or even lamb, their market price can be a shocker, especially if you’re visiting off season and have a particular craving. 

Would Don and I return for that? I’d be on the fence, but would be willing. I will return to this operation for a crepe though! I’m anxious to taste what a chef can do with bacon though. But as for the bigger operation, what say you, Don?

DK: I’m interested in whether their croque monsieur has improved from when they were a younger eatery. Crêpes don’t really get me moving, though. So am I excited to return? No. Does that say anything about this café? Probably not. Enthusiasm for mornay sauce will likely dictate your own enthusiasm for Joie and its offerings.

4 Blokes out of 5
Final score for both operations: pending.

12.07.22
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Where’s the Beet with the Bear and Joey?

20221113_112508Bear and Joey
1025 Cook St
Victoria, BC 

Hours:  Daily from 9am to 2pm
Menu: bearandjoey.ca
Phone: (250) 590-9193

ES: My big question regarding the popular diner, Bear and Joey, is where’s the Australian influence? On the late Sunday morning when Don and I arrived there for a bite, it was busy! I thought about doing reservations, and probably should’ve since there’s a few menu offerings not on the take out. It seems that rain or shine, patrons will flock here for a warm meal. 

DK: Ed and I both knew an Aussie aesthetic was part of this operation’s pitch, but nothing stood out as culturally unique after our initial visit. Bear and Joey owner Peter Cook, a native of Sydney, Australia, described Australian cafe culture as “coffee every morning and a simple breakfast grab-and-go” in a 2020 interview with Victoria News. 

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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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