Tag Archives: Victoria

10.13.13
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It’s the Great Pumpkin Pie-Off, Charlie Brown!

Victoria Pie Co.
770 Fisgard Street
Victoria, B.C.
(250) 885-5220

Lunn’s Bakery Deli & Coffee Shop
2453 Beacon Ave.
Sidney, B.C.
(250) 656-1724

Thanksgiving is upon Canada and while most folks enjoy a great oven roasted meal with family, I’m thinking about which of the two pumpkin pies I’ve sampled so far is the best. To be honest, I know more bakeries should be involved in this impromptu taste testing challenge, but until I hear about more great places to find pie, this particular verdict is going to be a bit biased.

Perhaps in the future, the test will include more bakeries that offer a great pie (sorry, but if you’re a grocery store chain, you’re not in the running). I could have gone to Dutch Bakery to add them to the list, but I don’t find everything they make to be exceptional. Hopefully readers will submit their choices of a little known bakeries that I’m not aware of that can challenge my taste buds.

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09.28.13
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It’s Pie not π!

#6-1701 Douglas St.
Victoria, B.C.
(250) 885-5220

The Victoria Pie Company at the Victoria Public Market at the Hudson looks like they will take this city by storm. On the grey day that I went, I wanted to treat myself to something nice in celebration of my birthday. I’m a year older, an inch shorter, and my tummy … well, I won’t go there. Let’s just say that while I know I should be mindful about my health, there should be at least one day in the whole year where I can do whatever I want and have no regrets about it.

So I went for their banana cream pie with fresh whip cream on top, and my oh my, it was heavenly. The individual bananas were baked just right to ensure a soft delectable consistency in those bites where I could taste the slices. The sweetness is not overpowering and the crust is done just right so that all the textures blend perfectly once when my taste-buds make love to it.

When this company touts pie porn as part of its marketing gimmick, that is an analogy well earned. This company offers quiches and pot pies, and I’m a sucker for good pastries. I was so tempted to get a mushroom bacon quiche but alas, I didn’t have enough cash-on-hand to get everything I want and their debit/credit card machine is not set up yet. They’ve been in operation for about two weeks now, and this little detail is really minor in the grande scheme of things.

Anyone who can dangle a freshly cooked pastry or pie in front of me will have me clinging to it like a blue-fin tuna still biting into the lure. So just when is Cowichan Bay Seafood going to open at the Hudson anyways?

4½ Blokes out of 5

09.19.13
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Trying to find the Silver Lining at Japanese Village

The Japanese Village Restaurant
734 Broughton St.
Victoria, B.C.
(250) 382-5165

Yes, I’ll admit it. I have a life mission to try every Japanese restaurant in town, and one of the good places used to be Japanese Village. If this establishment can get past its modern trappings and a reduction to their ridiculously high prices, then maybe it could be something. This place flaunts its teppenyaki style of food over the traditional offerings and some of the staff must have forgotten that there are old souls like me around.

I was the odd man out in a party of five preferring to eat raw fish over cowboy meat. Is that bad? No. Technically, this style of cooking western food on a grill was introduced in 1945, conveniently after the United States occupied Japan. According to one source, foreigners preferred this style of cooking over other methods since they can see what is being made. Other than the soybeans, I think every other ingredient is Western Civilization in origin.

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09.15.13
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Impressions of the Victoria Public Market


#6-1701 Douglas St,
Victoria, BC

Tues to Sat: 9:30am to 6:30pm
Sun: 9:30 to 5pm

The Victoria Public Market finally opened its doors to let locals into its interior. On opening day, the vibe was exuberant. I liked the feeling of how expansive the main floor was but I’m unsure of the industrial look it had along the ceiling. I didn’t feel like I was being shot backwards through time and emerging into an ancient courtyard where traders and farmers would sell their wares to commoners. Okay so I’m no Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court, but I could at least hope that I would feel like a fur trader coming to ply my wares in exchange for my next day’s meal.

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09.12.13
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Forget Hot Dogs! Go Chorizo!

El Guapo Chorizo Grill
Victoria Public Market at the Hudson
1701 Douglas St.
Victoria, B.C.

While at the unofficial outdoor version of the Victoria Public Market at the Hudson, which has been pushed back to September 14th, I thought having it outside felt more natural. Markets should be open and inviting. I’d say about a dozen vendors were here selling wares ranging from specialty cheeses to organic greens. There were two food vendors that drew my attention. The first was the Smokin’ Bones which I took a lukewarm interest in but the other, El Guapo, oh my! I was drooling before I even arrived in front of the operation.

The scents coming from the BBQ had me eyeing the fresh friorelli peppers being offered for sale on top of what was being cooked. The chorizo sandwich ($7) just looked tempting and before I knew it, I was whipping out my wallet and smacking my lips at what I saw being roasted. I’d have to say the cook behind the grill can serve up a mean bun. It was warm to the touch and crisp to my lips. I was smacking them after every bite to ensure not one drop of that olive oil taste was missed.

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08.21.13
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Brickyard Pizza Doesn’t Always Slice

BrickYard1Brickyard Pizza
784 Yates St.
Victoria, BC
(250) 995-2722

E: One free movie and pizza night sounds like a good deal to me. I had a pass to an advanced screening of The World’s End and James had one for The Brickyard. And for once, that was a plan worth putting together. Who doesn’t want to have an all expense paid free night in downtown Victoria?

J: I won these coupons at one of Brickyard’s few Cosplay parties. I’ve heard differing opinions about Brickyard but a lot of it was positive and those that were in the negative were not horror stories. Brickyard seems to me to be a good choice for a bite before we attend The World’s End (I always wanted to say that). I was craving Hawaiian but silly me left the decision to Ed like it was his birthday.

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