08.24.22
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When It’s Time to Return to Parks Kitchen

20220724_140815606 Trounce Alley
Victoria, BC

Hours: Weds to Sun 11:30am to 9pm.
Phone: (778) 265-2227

ES: Park’s Kitchen reinvented itself many years ago. The last time I’ve been there, this restaurant was a Japanese only restaurant but these days (even prior to the pandemic), they expanded their menu to include Korean, and I think that’s a good thing! The only downside is that their Japanese selection isn’t as varied anymore.

I’ve been meaning to return here, but every time I walk through Trounce Alley, it’s en route to Quazar’s Arcade to play video games rather than for a bite. I’ve often been tempted in because of the daily specials, but alas, I’m meeting up with other pals. After hanging out with Don at the said place and challenging each other to Street Fighter and other intensive battle games, we worked up an appetite!

DK: Let’s see now–I’ve got a notepad open, a photo of Park’s lunch special for inspiration, a refreshing glass of ice water–all the elements required to knock off another barn-burning blokepost.

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08.10.22
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Too Hungry While At North Park Multicultural Festival

20220724_113628DK: Victoria, BC’s North Park Multicultural Festival is unique for a couple reasons: 

  1. Vendors aren’t charged any fees 
  2. It’s explicitly marketed as culturally diverse. 

Does this make the quarterly event wildly different from any of the other market-type events hosted throughout the CRD? I certainly hoped it would!

ES: I wasn’t aware of this event until Don told me, and I suspect it started up when health restrictions were lifted to allow for such gatherings. Out by my neck of the woods, Saanich, we also have a similar type of show but do I really want to go to Uptown Mall? 

Downtown is a better choice–North Park is west of the city core, and it’s a beautiful area with a handful of diners and other goodness to wander around in. 

With this event at Royal Athletic Park, it took up one side more than to use the baseball diamond field. All I can say is batter up! Don and I were there to see what was offered, and there were some interesting goods that I could’ve picked up, but I wanted to fill up instead. I didn’t have breakfast.

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07.27.22
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Maham & Pop’s Donair & Poutine Serves ’em Up Hot and Sweet

20220628_131850Maham & Pop’s Donair & Poutine
2639 Quadra St B
Victoria, BC

Hours: Daily from 11:00am to 11pm.
Phone: (778) 265-6889
Website: https://mahamandpops.com/

Sadly, Poutine 66 closed and in its place is Maham & Pop’s Donair & Poutine. Technically, I’m not all that surprised since there’s only so much any cook can do with the classic Québécois comfort food, but as for putting donair on the menu, I’m all for it! They opened two months ago, and it seems locals love it. I got there on a not so busy time and am glad to have avoided the lineups.

It’s said they have Halifax-style beef here, and I’m inclined to agree. As for whether it is roasting on an open fire will define whether the sandwich is called a donair, gyro or shawarma. I love to have my meat seared with belching flames, but alas, this operation doesn’t cook ’em that way.

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07.13.22
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Tomahawk Chips, A Brand Needing to Find It’s Fire.

Indigenous-owned, Manitoba-based potato chips brand heading to shelves across Canada - Winnipeg | Globalnews.caThe Tomahawk is being thrown far and wide for its particular brand of potato chips to hit everywhere in North America. While the production is no different than how Lays makes ’em, the huge selling point for this brand is that it’s Canadian and sales of this company’s art from its web store help support local Indigenous youth initiatives.

The eye-catching packaging is enough to get me to notice, and when I saw them on sale at Thrifty’s Foods, I had to try each flavour out. Of the three different designs, I find the turtle and eagle are the most eye-catching. I’d love to put those images on my wall.

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06.29.22
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Hot Dog Hu$tlin From The Causeway to Catering

20220612_110841Inner Harbour Causeway
790 Government St
Victoria, BC

Phone: (236) 838-4091
Hours: Thurs to Sun 11am to 5pm 

ES: Hot Dog Hu$tlin expanded their operations from Vancouver sometime ago and after talking to the owner/operator, he said they are often the competitors to Japadog. They were the talk of the town for the North Van. 

I’m glad they came to sell at Victoria’s First Annual Prawn and Fiddler Festival, as that was the scent that drew Don and me towards the cart when we patrolled the area before the official start of the event. It wasn’t just the scents of the bratwurst and the grill that had my spider sense tingling!

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06.15.22
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Is it Too Fast and Furious with Finest at Sea’s First Annual Spot Prawn and Fiddle Fest?

Screen Shot 2022-06-14 at 10.25.23 PM

DK: If I were more prone to hyperbole, I would encourage Ed to title this post “Angry Protesters Clash With Security, Disrupt First Annual Spot Prawn and Fiddle Festival.”

But that is not the real story of this promising new event. True, three young protesters were escorted out of the park shortly after the festival started, but most people missed whatever their message was. My advice to young activists: make sure your banner is facing the crowd when you’re being whisked away.

Maybe next year we’ll all learn why listening to fiddle music while sucking down prawns and watching youth rugby makes us bad people. For now, however, blissful ignorance! The real story of this year’s event was a large crowd got the chance to enjoy some damn good BBQ spot prawns.

20220612_131822

ES: June 12th marked the end of the season for harvesting these sweet, lovely crustaceans, and I’m going to miss them. Technically, one can buy them in the freezer section, but there’s no denying when they’re from the ocean to the tanks to the grill, the taste difference is enormous!

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