Food Review: The Blue Fox Cafe

The Blue Fox Cafe

919 Fort St. Victoria BC

Three words describe the Blue Fox Cafe: wow, Wow, WOW! The atmosphere is cozy, bright, and fun. The artwork on the walls is interesting and local. The serving staff and the host were impossible to beat (I really really mean this). One of the people I was travelling with is anaphylactic to eggs and nuts and this was the only place (of the 6 places we ate) that didn’t serve him something with eggs or nuts in it – and they are a breakfast joint with a mostly eggy menu! On top of this, we waited in line for breakfast for 40 minutes in the rain and even that misery didn’t get my spirits down after we tried the food.

I ordered the Jalapeno veggie burger and the lulu lemon mimosa.

The veggie burger came with a salad that was the size of my plate when I spread it out and the white wine vinaigrette was stunning. The burger itself was huge and delicious and is probably the best veggie burger I have ever eaten. The lulu lemon mimosa blew my mind and I am going to have to try to make it at home sometime. I spent a lot of time ogling other people’s food and by the look of things the french toast, the omelettes, the colossal vegetable side, and  the fruit sides, as well as the quesadilla, were probably equally stunning.  

I would include Victoria in a road trip around Vancouver Island simply to eat here again.  

Until next time,

Food Review: The Sticky Wicket

The Sticky Wicket (The Strathcona Hotel)

919 Douglas Street, Victoria BC

I had the opportunity to spend four days in Victoria BC this week for a conference. As a result I found myself in downtown Victoria without a vehicle. This meant I had a reasonable amount of time on my hands to try the local cuisine but a limited area that I could get to. One of the first places I went was the sticky wicket, and I had trouble motivating myself to go anywhere else. The service was great and the atmosphere was even better. Winnipeg doesn’t really have the same dark wood pubs in historic buildings (with the exception of The Regal Beagle, perhaps). However, I would like to mention that it got quite loud later in the evening, so it isn't the place for quiet conversation.

 I ordered:

-          Yam Fries

-          Wild mushroom ravioli

-          Pacific cod fish & chips (I actually just sampled a bit of someone else’s)

-          Coleslaw (From someone else’s fish and chips)

All three dishes were exceptional and were perfectly priced for the portion size. The yam fries ranked among the best I've ever eaten. The coleslaw was well dressed and had baby lettuce in it, which helped prevent the slaw from being a chewing workout routine. The beer menu was also impressive, stocking a large proportion of the local brews.

If you are in the area you should go!

Until next time,

Food Review: Shawarma Time

Shawarma Time

616 Ellice Ave

This is my mom's favourite restaurant (although India Palace is probably a close second). When we have lunch together it is always here. When we order in food, it is always here. The food is reliably tasty and it comes in good time. For a while I was worried that it had closed, but I guess those rumours were wrong because it looks just like it always has: the same posters, the same staff, and the same wall of photos that replace a menu.

I usually order meal #29 – the Falafel Plate, but I have also ordered:

-Meal #26: Taboli Salad

-Meal#27: Fatoush Salad

-Meal#36: Falafel Sandwich
-Meal#42: Tomato Pie
-Combo#19: Grape Leaf Rolls, Taboli Salad, Hummos, and Pita Bread
-Combo#20: Falafel, Taboli Salad, Hummos, and Pita Bread

French fries

They are all very good. I don’t know if the earthy flavours are standard with Lebanese food, but they are a pleasant addition to the meal as a whole. The main contributors to this flavour are sesame seeds and turnip pickles. I can’t say turnip pickles are my favourite, but it is nice that they haven’t totally conformed to western tastes. Flavours you aren't familiar with can be one of the great things about eating food from a different culture.

The taboli and fatoush salads are very good. There is a lot of lemon and a lot of parsley, which is everything that I want from those dishes.  The falafels are also very well made: they are slightly crumbly but they stay together, they are cooked so that they don’t have a lot of hard bits, and they aren’t tough.  The French fries are tasty but there is way way way too much seasoning salt on them for my salt-phobic taste buds. Other winners on this menu include the tomato pie, which is basically as good as any pizza I have ever ordered! The grape leaf rolls are also fabulous. 

I really like eating here. It is a great place to go before a show at the West End Cultural Centre, especially now that the Ellice Cafe is closed. I would eat here with friends before a show at the WEC, meet friends and family here for lunch or dinner.

Until next time,

Food Review: Buffalo Stone Café

Buffalo Stone Café

1961 McCreary Rd - FortWhyte

My love of the outdoors is a part of me that doesn’t come through in these food reviews, but I assure you, it is there.  I was very fortunate to be able to combine the love of eating and the love of the outdoors on a recent outing to FortWhyte. The buffalo stone cafe specialized in all things bison, and it puts an emphasis on sustainability.

The restaurant is located in the Alloway Reception Centre (the main building). It overlooks Lake Devonian and has a good view of many bird feeders. If the weather is nice they have a patio which adds to the rural feel of the place. The opportunity to scan the lake for birds and the shore for mammals makes it an activity in and of itself. The place is cafeteria style so you will have to collect your own cutlery, ketchup, and whatever else you might want.

We ordered:

-          French onion soup

-          Grilled cheese and asparagus

-          French fries

-          Veggie Wrap

The food was made promptly, and it was tasty, but not exceptional. The French fries were crispy and they weren’t soaked in grease (my guess is they were baked). The soup was above average. The veggie wrap and the Grilled cheese and asparagus were tasty, but they were nothing special.  Maybe I am a traditionalist with grilled cheese, but I would have been happier if it were just melted cheese. My notes on the meal say that “the asparagus diluted the cheese flavor and ended up making the sandwich taste healthier but not better than the traditional grilled cheese.” You can argue with me on that one if you like.

Overall, it was a good experience and it is a pleasant addition to the FortWhyte centre. I’m not sure if it would be worth the trip in and of itself, but if you are planning to be at FortWhyte for breakfast or lunch it is certainly worth eating at.

Until next time,