21 replies to this topic

[VicHockeyFan]

Went there last night, not bad. It was quite busy.

[Mike K.]

Where is it?

[VicHockeyFan]

The former South Bay Pub at Selkirk.

[DelsterX]

Had lunch there. Good food. recommend it. Plus they have a lot of Palm Trees.

[FunkyMunky]

I've been there a couple of times on the weekend during the day. Its been pretty good and I have one friend who counts it amongst his favourites.

My questions is, wtf a Europub? How is that different than a regular pub? It looks more like a café to me. I find marketing can sometimes be pretty silly.

[G-Man]

Europub = same as a pub except servers treat you as if you speak a foreign language and they double the price of beer

[gumgum]

The food's pretty fusionesque. The place is pretty good but I found it a bit pretentious.

[renthefinn]

Last weekend me and my brother put on a fake european accent while we were out on the town, and a girl that worked at europub must have beleived it cause she came up to us and was like, 'you have to come to europub, it's so cool, I work there, here let me write down some directions' which she proceeded to do. I thought it was funny cause our accents were very fake, but she bought it and thought we'd like the pub cause it was so 'european'.

[Mike K.]

I just found out two people I know work there. And both times I asked "where the heck is that" when they told me. Just like I asked "where is it" on this forum a few weeks back.

What's even scarier is its in my neck of the woods.

[VicHockeyFan]

The food's pretty fusionesque. The place is pretty good but I found it a bit pretentious.

That word is foreign to me. :cry: (perhaps European)

[HOMBRE]

hey guys

when i was in France, i went to a canadian bar hahaha, it was all cedar inside and had like vintage hockey jersey's and snowshoes and rip saws on the walls, also the bannisters and support colums were little birch trees.

europub is prolly just a stereotype.

[Rorschach]

Very nice place -- good bar and music. Try the assorted flat breads appitizer -- incredible.

[G-Man]

Went there the other night it was good. I had the polenta fries. it comes in the shape of a log cabin sort of.

[larrobb]

very busy but staff go out of their way to accomodate. not a place i would become a regular, but for now and then it's nice. they seem to only hire Barbie dolls, not that i'm complaining. makes up for the wait for the food most times. worth a visit to decide for yourself.

[Doc Sage]

Same folks who run the two Med Grill's. Very similar menu.

For your money I recommend for you to go for the Tuscan evenings. All inclusive meal. Add a coffee or a glass of wine and you are set.

Doc Sage

[Galvanized]

^I had the Tuscan deal last night and it was pretty good.

They have a huge selection of imported beer, I'll have to go back and try more.

[Holden West]

Change of owners arrests waterway pub's decline

Pam Grant. Times - Colonist. Victoria, B.C.: Nov 30, 2006. pg. D.12

GLO EUROPUB

104-2940 Jutland Rd., Victoria

385-5643

Open daily from 11 a.m. until late.

Major credit cards and Interac accepted. Wheelchair accessible.

Rating 4

- - -

RATINGS

Rating 1 Serves food

Rating 2 Needs work

Rating 3 Worth a visit

Rating 4 Very good

Rating 5 Superb

- - -

After a few years of steady deterioration, when it operated as the South Bay Pub and Restaurant, this venue was rescued by the folks who oversee the Med Grill operations in Saanich and downtown Victoria.

Applying the tried and true philosophy of "if it ain't broke, don't fix it," the Glo Europub -- which has a 180-degree view of the Selkirk Waterway through massive windows -- was brought up-to-date without major change. The key differences lie in the food and the service, both of which have improved remarkably.

Visiting with friends, we began with selections from the substantial drinks list, with mixed success. We could not figure out why a cocktail named Prague would have fresh pineapple in Caribbean ginger liqueur, but it was delicious, as was a Mojito with fresh berries. I was not so lucky, though; while everyone else happily sipped their chosen cocktails, my green tea sling was quite possibly the worst drink I have ever had. This combination of Bombay gin, ginger liqueur, spice syrup and soda water also featured green tea. Unfortunately this included the leaves, making for a muddy tasting and incredibly unattractive beverage. It was the only clanger of the night, however.

Lori's choice of appetizer, Spanish Prawns ($10), featured tiger prawns wrapped in bacon, served with a salsa rich with roasted pineapple and chili-lime aioli. The prawns could have been bigger, but it was an interesting combination of flavours and, like all dishes we ordered, visually appealing. John ordered the substantial tapa platter, at $13 the most expensive appetizer on this reasonably priced menu. With marinated olives, grilled vegetables, dips, artisan cheeses and cured meats, it made a good dent in John's appetite, but would also be a suitable choice for people wanting to share.

Laurie chose the Tuscan Table menu -- one of the best deals in town -- offering four courses for $16.97 after 4 p.m., Sunday through Wednesday. Though many of the dishes on this menu change frequently, they all begin with a small selection of antipasto, best described as an abridged version of the tapa platter. Opting for salad, she had a Caesar she rated as very good, chosen over a melange of spinach with strawberries, candied pecans and slices of sangria-poached pears and a more classic combination of sliced fresh tomatoes and bocconcini on a bed of young greens drizzled with a honey vinaigrette.

I ordered beef carpaccio as my appetizer and would have been happy with this dish if it had cost twice the $9 price tag; a good portion of paper-thin slices of rare, peppercorn encrusted beef, garnished with lightly dressed baby greens and aioli, infused with chives and horseradish served with a handful of garlicky crostini, it was beautifully presented and tasted even better than it looked.

Lori's main course was a substantial salad of earthy greens and succulent duck confit, chosen at the last minute over pan-seared wild salmon, thoroughly enjoyed and noted as a successful marriage of contrasting textures, colours and flavours. John's entree, seared bites of lamb sirloin ($18), were drizzled with pan juices enriched with blackcurrants -- a successful departure from the usual rosemary and garlic -- and well matched with mashed potatoes and lightly grilled peppers and root vegetables. I eventually narrowed my choice down to garganelli ($15), a good but not excessive portion of quill- shaped pasta slathered in a creamy sauce with crimini mushrooms, roasted garlic, spinach, sundried tomatoes and smoked chicken. It was worth every calorie. Laurie was equally happy with her ample portion of medallions of beef, tender and highlighted with a rich wine sauce.

Most of us couldn't even think of dessert, but Laurie's dinner included it, so we shared a light but rich creme brulee topped with fresh strawberries. Other options included lemon tart and chocolate fudge cake, served with vanilla bean ice cream, both of which I have enjoyed on other visits and recommend highly.

Lori and I returned a couple of weeks later and shared superb chicken wings -- plump, juicy and marinated in wickedly hot jerk spices. To contrast these, we also shared a dish of polenta fries, crunchy with soft centres, dipped in citrus and chili aioli and Cambazola mousse.

Truth be told, we could have stopped there, as we were no longer hungry but we continued anyway. Lori chose pasta, selecting beef tortellini, finished with caramelized red onions, black truffle tapenade and a cream sauce enriched with gorgonzola, Gran Padano Parmesan and asiago cheeses. I devoured a steak sandwich smothered with sauteed portobello mushroom and onions on lightly toasted garlic ciabatta bread, oozing horseradish and chive aioli. Instead of the usual fries or salad, I chose the soup of the night, a rich, buttery-white bean soup which was almost a meal in itself. All was washed down with a bottle of Noble Vine Shiraz, offered at a very reasonable $29 from a selection of 100 wines.

If you have stayed away, I recommend you go back. The food here has been consistently good in my experience and, while the staff were always friendly, now they know the menu. Whether you visit now, or wait until warmer weather and sit on the large patio, watching the boats drift along the Selkirk Waterway, you won't be disappointed. Save your parking receipt for reimbursement.

[Willa]

Went today for lunch -- not too busy, and the service was quite fast. And they didn't mind that we stayed three hours, just chatting over our after-lunch coffees! Sweet. It's a lovely area, too. As a newbie here, I didn't know about whole Selkirk waterfront area. It's really quite cool, and I can imagine would be even better on a sunny summer day.

[Icebergalley]

Hope you also enjoyed the Purple Martin sculpture on the plaza...

And the place gets real "animated" when there are rowing regatta's, outrigger and dragon boat competitions..

[Galvanized]

The only thing that area needs is more residents, if you are ever down there on the weekend it's like a ghost town.