Tag Archives: Vancouver Island

05.21.13
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The Lolly Gobble Sweet Shop (A Pictorial Tour)

Lolly Gobble Sweet Shop
A – 9774 Third St.
Sidney, BC
778-426-2541

Sometimes, looking is better than reading. In this case, the eye candy to behold and experience is to find that one-of-a-kind treat in a candy store. In this case, it was me finding authentic astronaut food, dehydrated ice-cream, up in Sidney’s Lolly Gobble Sweet Shop. Now some may wonder if it tastes like the real thing. I can say for certain that the tastes are vividly recreated, but the texture is not. But I thought it was cool to find this product nonetheless, and I came home feeling stellar.

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05.15.13
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Side Dish: Eastern Food without the Exotic


Side Dish Restaurant
1008 Langley St.
Victoria, B.C.
(250) 477-9995

E: Strange. In a region that was once known as Persia, I would expect the food to include the exotic. I’m fascinated with the ancient culture because of the sun god Mithras. His secretive religion is as mysterious as the restaurant that does not bear his name.

At Side Dish, I love the baklava desserts offered and that’s what I should have picked up instead of one of their traditional dishes. I have to agree with what another fellow blogger, Your Restaurant Sucks, wrote about the quality of service and the food. As colourful and simple as my dish was, I wondered where did the flavour go? Was the pomegranate fruit forgotten or the sumac spice not applied?

There’s nothing wrong with the freshness or simplicity of the meal. I also think seasonal visits to this place is required to find the best in what the harvest can offer. I think it’d be neat if this place also offered the very delicious Sangak bread.

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05.09.13
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The Banker Defaults on Fish

Bard & Banker Pub
1022 Government St.
Victoria, B.C.
(250) 953-9993

J: When I step through the doors of the Bard & Banker, it’s hard not to feel like it’s Christmas.

Could it be the daily specials (drink must be bought to qualify)? No. Is it the grandiose look of the Bard that makes me appreciate this self-proclaimed “Scottish” pub? No, it’s not that either. I know, it must be that the Bard used to be the former location of the Spirit of Christmas.
With its lights, ornaments and decorated trees, Spirit of Christmas was one of the happiest places on Earth, next to Disneyland that is.

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04.28.13
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Get on Board with the Cherry Bomber!

The Pig BBQ Joint
1325 Blanshard St.
Victoria, BC
(250) 590-5193

Cherry Bomb Toys
1410 Broad St.
Victoria, BC
(250) 385-8697

Every Kaiju fan knows that the monster always returns … always. In this case, it’s a behemoth pork burger that I tackled some months back. The latest creation from Cherry Bomb Toys and Pig BBQ Joint is aptly named the Cherry Bomber, and have I succeeded in taming the savage beast? I had to partner King Ghidorah and Godzilla to see if they were up for the challenge. Since they were toys and couldn’t talk back (and couldn’t eat thankfully), I was on my own to meet this limited run burger head on.

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04.16.13
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Looking for a Real Taste of India

Real Taste of India
768 Fort St  
Victoria, BC 
(250) 477-8883

E: One of the essential rules of waitressing includes knowing which is which on the menu and being able to know who ordered what. To not know can spell trouble. That can be excused when taking orders from a large crowd, but when James and I were the only two in Taste of India, I can’t be too kind. The food was great, but the service really needs to be worked on.

J: The service was poor and I’m saying this kindly because I want to use a manure reference. Our first server made many fatal mistakes; the first one was with upselling us more food without explaining his reasons for doing it.

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03.27.13
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Getting Splashed with Sockeye Sushi

Sockeye Sushi
726 Johnson St.
Victoria, BC
(250) 388-4338

E: I honestly should not leave the decision-making to James and his frugalness to suggest that we try out Stone’s Throw Restaurant. One look at their small buffet table and I was ready to high tail it out of there. It was not because of the food, but I don’t see three buffet warmers to be a shining example of what a buffet should be.

I’ve been to enough to know that a smorgasbord of visual delights be offered to entice diners in, not something out of an archaeological dig! And between the two of us, we’d most likely clean their taco offerings out in no time and be kicked out afterwards.

J: The buffet was much like the old Atlas ads in the comic books. Well this buffet could’ve had sand kick at it and not do a damn thing in return.

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