203 replies to this topic

[Nparker]

I refuse to go to a spot that has a summer and winter menu, where the only difference is the price!

They used to have all menu items priced in Canadian and (lower) U.S. dollars. I wonder if this is still done, and if so, would I be able to ask for the lower American price?

I agree, the service here has been never great, and the prices unreasonable. It is NOT a place I would recommend.

[Holden West]

A devastating one star ("below bad") review in today's Times Colonist. Lousy, overpriced food, poor service, miserable staff.

Like many cities, Victoria has its share of things to be embarrassed about. Unable to sell ourselves as a little bit of England any longer, we shake off the Victorian pretense and call ourselves the final destination in the search for the perfect orgasm. Then there's the ongoing issue of sewage disposal, not to mention Mr. Floatie, whom I would personally like to flush. Most perplexing of all, Wharfside Eatery remains in business.

I have visited several times over the years and, while the menu has changed, dining at Wharfside is, in my opinion, a consistently unpleasant experience.

Won't someone please put this embarrassing dump out of business once and for all?

[Ms. B. Havin]

^ What a great review! I truly feel that Victoria won't grow up until open criticism -- real critique vs. pussy-footing around -- is accepted as something that restaurants (and venues) should learn from to improve. I've seen restaurant reviews that were slightly harsh (I think Monday Mag had one recently, very unusual), and the typical response is outraged incredulity by either the owners or their friends or the occasional actual fan of the place.

That's so immature. I don't even bother reading reviews if they sound like they're just sugar-coating everything. So please, bring on more critical reviews. They're important if we're going to grow up beyond the myths ("olde England," "orgasmic" dining experiences, etc.).

[victorian fan]

It was busy when it first opened. Went for lunch. Something to do with shrimp salad.
A few years later we went for dinner. Three couples in the restaurant, terrible service and unmemorable food. I'm surprised it lasted so long.

[richardsandwich]

I generally stay away from Gov't/ Wharf restaurants.
Pescatores is an exception. It's great.
Ric's is sort-of okay too.
Earl's has gone seriously downhill since its move to Gov't.

Well gumgum I agree pescatores is good, but Ric's? Earl's even offers way more value than that place. You can have a burger (had one it was good)or sandwich (have had the clubhouse, also good) or salad (caesar was decent) or whatever that's filling for 10 or so bucks at Earls. I went to Ric's for the first (and last) time maybe 8 months ago. I'm not sure there was an entree less than 25 dollars and my salmon (27 i think?) came with hunks of unseasoned steamed vegetables and some rice pilaf with cold peas in it. My lady's ribs were not good and cost 32$ i think. This is not a tourist trap?

I used to like Bravo it was one of the better ones in the area.

sandwich

[gumgum]

Yeah well. I guess I haven't been there in a long time.

Earl's has since improved. I suppose they needed growing pain time since reopening.

That bistro place, Bon Rouge is very good for any meal. Wholesome french food, good service.

[goke]

I loved that review in the TC! An honest negative review, I didn't think Pam had it in her! I wonder if the TC higher-ups had a word with her about running it?

My wife is a regular on a local site KIV (kids in vic) and the site owner will not allow any critical posts about any local restaurants or retail. The site owner claims to be scared of getting sued (he claims any criticism could be construed as libel/slander) but is probably really concerned about losing ad revenue.

[aastra]

Unable to sell ourselves as a little bit of England any longer, we shake off the Victorian pretense...

Unable? We're as able to do it today as we were yesterday. We're just not willing to do it any longer.

Interesting comment re: the lousy view over the parking lot. I thought that parking lot was supposed to be an attraction unto itself? I guess not.

[Jacques Cadé]

Turn to the back page of this Thursday's Go section in the TC (May 8). The restaurant review isn't by Pam Grant.

Did her hard review of Wharfside on May 1 get her canned?

[hotdoglegz]

Turn to the back page of this Thursday's Go section in the TC (May 8). The restaurant review isn't by Pam Grant.

Did her hard review of Wharfside on May 1 get her canned?

The story from a few years ago is that, following a bad review in the TC, the owner from Warfside marched in to the TC and said that he was putting his ads from the paper (at the time the restaurant had a banner add on the front page every day)

I also heard that a downtown hotel had blocked the telephone number of the WarfSide so that guest of the hotel couldn't dial the number of "Victoria's Number 1 Seafood restaurant"

[Holden West]

Ironically, the previous savage Times Colonist review was just over ten years ago. I guess Duncan Morrison can look forward to the fact that his next bad review won't be for another decade.

The review would have been looked over by the section editor but I don't know if they have a policy that particularly bad or controversial reviews get sent up the ladder to higher editors. I don't think editors really fear bad reviews. They're popular and great to read and if the restaurant threatens to pull their ads, well they're shooting themselves in the foot because the local paper remains a good advertising site.

[gumgum]

Heaven forbid the guy would actually try and improve his restaurant after a review like that.

[Pam]

Well, I hope he does try to improve things there. It's a waste of potentially great location otherwise.

And nope, I wasn't canned. Alistair will be writing a column in each month where there are 5 Thursdays

[Caramia]

Hahaha Hi Pam, welcome to the forum!

[gumgum]

Ah, yes. Another lurker bound by immeasurable forces to offer their own side of the story. Welcome. You are one us now. /evil laughter

[Ben Peterson]

Well, I hope he does try to improve things there. It's a waste of potentially great location otherwise.

And nope, I wasn't canned. Alistair will be writing a column in each month where there are 5 Thursdays

hello pam,
i've always wondered how you choose where to go. is there a scientific method or is it more gut instinct?
ben

[Rorschach]

Advice for Wharfside Eatery:

Clean the place from top to bottom - especially the kitchen. Completely redecorate.

Simplify the menu to cut your costs and ours. Simple, uncomplicated local themed fare is best.

Use fresh local ingredients for every dish and cook it to order. Get a relationship going with the local fish mongers, butcher shops and produce suppliers. Everything fresh and everything local. Everything freshly prepared. You can't go wrong.

No microwave heating of food and no frozen re-heated store bought stuff.

Serve the local wines and beers exclusively. Serve Canadian liquor too. We have lots of good stuff in every variety, vodka, rum, gin, whiskey, etc. In short, follow the advice of Gordon Ramsay which he gives to every restaurant ever profiled on Kitchen Nightmares.

A quick and easy formula for success.

[gumgum]

^Better yet, just call Gordon Ramsey.

[Pam]

Hi Caramia, Hi Ben

No, there is no scientific method involved in where I chose to go, but I try to make sure I am not writing about the same type of food each week. The TC has asked me to concentrate on the CRD for the most part, but other than that, I just choose what I like. I guess some papers direct what is reviewed, but not the TC. That's not to say I do get suggestions from them on occasion and sometimes a friend will tell me about a place they have visited or someone will contact the paper, such as was the case with Amuse Bistro up in Shawnigan.

When I started writing the column, I said I wanted to write about a range of venues and meal types because I think that people want to know about a good place for a decent breakfast just as much as they do a good place for dinner. I am fortunate that they have been supportive in that regard and that with the exception of the odd grammatical error, they don't change my copy.

As for Wharfside, I hope they can get it together and if not, I hope they sell up to someone who can. I liked Rorshach's comments above with regard to the food, though I am a little more globally inclined with regard to what I drink. This is precisely the formula that good restaurants always used before they started relying on minimum wage and microwaves --people used to cook! Local ingredients were the stuff of choice --after all, 30 years ago, you couldn't find a kiwi fruit or daikon radish in Safeway in this town.

People used to cook!

Ciao,

-Pam

[Rorschach]

I have no doubt that Ramsay would dole out this advice. The idea of Canadian liquors, wine, and beer is part of a local theme - somewhat of a gimmick, because people are particular - but the Canadian variety is actually world class regardless of the snob appeal people may have for established brand name liquor. A good example is Iceberg Vodka. It has won a lot of awards around the world and here at least, it's the same or cheaper than the other more well known super-premium Vodka.

And no one isn't going to like Vancouver Island Brewery, Phillips, or Lighthouse's offerings. They cover every popular style in very high quality.

If tourism is our main business, a place like Wharfside Eatery is in a good location for such an attempt. How hard can it be to clean the place up, simplify things and reduce everyone's costs by buying local sourced ingredients as much as possible.

Instead of the bogus "Voted Victoria's #1 Seafood Restaurant" they could legitimately appeal to their fresh local ingredients with pride. And such food prepared fresh is always appealing. Good food reasonably priced prepared fresh -- a shocking idea I know, but a guaranteed formula for success.