43 replies to this topic

[gumgum]

:smt088
Damn G-man. Way to screw with my head.
There's a Lebanese restaurant in every corner in d/t Ottawa, why can't there be just one in Victoria???

Listen up, if anyone's experienced in Lebanese cuisine, open a restaurant in Victoria! You will be rich!

[Jada]

Victoria is totally lacking in ethnic restaurants.

There isnt an all you can eat sushi location. The first business that opens one will make mad cash in Victoria.

And like I said earlier, Pho is relatively unknown in Victoria. In Vancouver you can find good Pho on nearly every block.

And how about brazilian BBQ?

Even just a small downtown shawarma spot would be popular with the kids. It would compete fairly with subway or even the dollar pizza places.

If I were to move back to Victoria and start a business I would do two things... open a restaurant in a niche that is obviously missing in the culinary scene, and build a live venue that can house around 1000 people.

[Doc Sage]

The lebanese restaurant at the south end of Langley is called Sidedish. Ben, owner/chef, will introduce a new menu in the next few weeks. Great food, not spicy at all yet very flavourful. Oh!!! and large portions too.

Keep some tummy space for the rice pudding, lactose free, made with rose water and saffron. To die for.

Doc Sage

P.S. I work in the food service sales, hence my name (Sage the herb, not for my wit. Sorry)

[Doc Sage]

Worth seeking, Adrianna's Cocina, mexican food for the gods. Be aware you will not find an available table on weekends without an reservation.

On Amelia, between Quadra & Blanchart off Pandora.

Doc Sage

[Mike K.]

Listen up, if anyone's experienced in Lebanese cuisine, open a restaurant in Victoria! You will be rich!

My family used to run a place in Market Square for quite a while called Pita Pocket. The place had plenty of Lebanese foods on the menu (falafel, lamb, tahini, tabouli...) along with souvlakis and other pita-centric foods. It was a great business but the downtown market turned sour in the late 90's and the decision was made to get out of the downtown scene. For a time there was potential to move into the Cook Street Village but it didn't materialize so that was the end of that.

It remains a great business opportunity especially now with all of the renewed interest in downtown.

[Willa]

Wow, thanks everyone for all the suggestions. We ended up going to Temple last night based on some of the good reviews in a previous thread. It was the first nice upscale dinner we've had since moving out here -- good food, good ambiance, good wine, good presentation, etc. (Although my other half would agree with a previous post about the szechuan fries -- they're salty!!) Are there other places like it? If my reading of the posts is right, Paprika's Bistro and Cafe Brio seem to be up the same alley.

Thanks also for some of the hole-in-the-wall recommendations. We live downtown, and I've walked by several of the places you guys have mentioned, so now we're going to try them. We actually have tried Adrianna's Cocina -- don't ask me how we found it! -- and it was great. Also stumbled on a tiny Thai place on Johnson near Government (the Thai bistro?) that had an excellent lunch.

In fact, Zambri's is very close to where we live, so perhaps we'll have to go out tonight!

[Mike K.]

I think something similar to Temple would be the place formally known as Hugo's, on Courtney and Gordon Streets at the bottom of the Magnolia Hotel.

The name has recently changed but the ownership is still the same I believe. Btw, there are two parts to Hugos. The only I'm referring to is the lounge part and not the bar/pub part although the menu might be interchangeable.

[Doc Sage]

^^^^Same owner, new chef and kitchen staff. New menu also. The head chef, I forgot his name at this moment (darn old age. LOL), is well know for his forward approach to food selections and preparations.

I have yet to try it but I heard good things.

Doc Sage

[renthefinn]

If you want decent Pho, Lemongrass in Royal Oak isn't bad, but doesn't compare to what's available here in Vancouver. I too am amazed there aren't more vietnamese places in Victoria, there's so many in Vancouver.

[Willa]

Just discovered two more tasty new places today -- what a great day! Went for lunch at Union Pacific Coffee Co. (I think that's the right name) on Herald Street. Yummy paninis, and very friendly staff! Then had a coffee at Bubba's Brew also on Herald -- it's a coffee shop PLUS bookstore. I think I've found my mothership. :-)

[gumgum]

For its size Victoria has a lot to choose from!

[rayne_k]

The places I find myself eating constatly are :

Floyd's
Fifth Street Bar and Grill
The lebanese place on Langley Street (name?)
Sabri's
Maja Raja
Wah Lai Yuen
Pluto's

Maha Raja - that's the little buffet on Johnson? I love it there. I also like the Thai Bistro.. I remember when they first opened and had looow prices (woo hoo!). Il Terrazzo, always a reliable one.

[rayne_k]

The places I find myself eating constatly are :

Floyd's
Fifth Street Bar and Grill
The lebanese place on Langley Street (name?)
Sabri's
Maja Raja
Wah Lai Yuen
Pluto's

Maha Raja - that's the little buffet on Johnson? I love it there. I also like the Thai Bistro.. I remember when they first opened and had looow prices (woo hoo!). Il Terrazzo, always a reliable one.

[Holden West]

T-C's Pam Grant on the best of 2007:

Thursday, January 03, 2008

Matisse
512 Yates St., 480-0883

Carlos' Cantina and Grill
9816 Fourth St., Sidney, 656-3833

Da Tandoor
1010 Fort St., Victoria, 384-6333

Kingfisher Oceanside Resort
4330 Island Highway South, Courtenay, 338-1323,

Fuse Waterfront Grill
5449 Sooke Rd., Sooke, 642-0011

Smoken Bones Cookshack
101 - 721 Station Ave., Langford, 391-MEAT (6328)

The Pointe Restaurant
Wickaninnish Inn, 500 Osprey Lane, Tofino

17 Mile House Pub
5126 Sooke Rd., Sooke, 642-5942

Blackberry
101-2755 Beverly St., Duncan, 250-715-2070

Sushi Rock Cafe
101 - 1600 Government St., Victoria, 383-7788

Panache
Bear Mountain Resort, 1999 Country Club Way, 391-7160

Green Cuisine Vegetarian Restaurant
#5, 560 Johnson St. (Lower level, Market Square), Victoria, 385-1809

Fernwood Inn
1302 Gladstone St., Victoria, 412-2001

Cherry Point Vineyards
840 Cherry Point Rd., Cobble Hill (250) 743-1272

La Pommeraie Bistro, Merridale Estate Cidery
1230 Merridale Rd., Cobble Hill 743-4293, Toll free: 1-800-998-9908

Sushi on the Sea
On the wharf at 6669 Horne Rd., Sooke, 642-6669

Vinoteca, Vigneti Zanatta Winery and Vineyards
5039 Marshall Rd., Duncan, 709-2279

Stage
1307 Gladstone Ave., Victoria, 388-4222

Bon Rouge Bistro and Boulangerie
611 Courtney St., Victoria, 220-8008

Platinum Bar And Grill
759 Yates St., Victoria, 386-3040

Sanuk
625 Courtney St., Victoria. 920-4844

Pier One Restaurant
2500 Beacon Ave., Sidney. 656-1224

Vista 18
Chateau Victoria Hotel, 740 Burdett Ave., Victoria, 382-9258

Kaz
1619 Store St., Victoria, 386-9121

Craig Street Brew Pub
25 Craig St., Duncan, 250-737-2337

Saigon Night Restaurant
102-915 Fort St., Victoria, 384-2971

James Joyce Bistro
1-1175C Douglas St., (lower concourse of the CIBC building), Victoria, 384-3332

Riverwalk Café
Quw'utsun' Cultural and Conference Centre, 200 Cowichan Way, Duncan, 746-8119

Abkhazi Garden
1964 Fairfield Rd., Victoria, 598-8096

Woody's Grill
2305 Beacon Ave., Sidney,

[Mike K.]

Vista 18? The view is impressive, the service tends to be good but the food leaves a lot to be desired. It's fairly average at best and hardly the sort of fare I would expect to see on a best-of list.

[Holden West]

From the article:

Things have improved considerably in Victoria's loftiest restaurant, with informed, considerate service and tempting dishes by chef Garret Schack. Start your dinner with a couple of choices from the small bites menu -- marinated olives or white bean and garlic dip with slices of baguette, oyster fritters and tamarind chutney or perhaps something from the appetizer section where choices include mussels in smoked tomato cream sauce or seared scallops paired with leek and shiitake turnover and pumpkin butter. Main courses are equally tempting.

[Mike K.]

I am aware that there is a new chef at the restaurant, but even under his wing the meal I had was hardly as tempting as she suggests.

[duvaroo]

I'm also still not that impressed with Vista 18...and it need some serious upgrades to the decor. The view is amazing, but I think Gordon Ramsey could have a heyday in there!

[gumgum]

Vista 18 is so early nineties.

[Zanjabil]

The lebanese restaurant at the south end of Langley is called Sidedish. Ben, owner/chef, will introduce a new menu in the next few weeks. Great food, not spicy at all yet very flavourful. Oh!!! and large portions too.

Keep some tummy space for the rice pudding, lactose free, made with rose water and saffron. To die for.

Doc Sage

P.S. I work in the food service sales, hence my name (Sage the herb, not for my wit. Sorry)

I created a thread for this Persian place. They have a site with a menu on now that I posted in the thread.