Victoria Food Worth Seeking

Sculpture Victoria

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Victoria, the capital of British Columbia and the largest city on majestic Vancouver Island, was renamed in 1843 in honor of Britain’s Queen Victoria. Restaurants in this quaint, walkable city across the Strait of Juan de Fuca from Washington’s Olympic Peninsula have access to great local seafood and produce, and creative chefs put it to good use. Learn about eight of my favorite Victoria restaurants that I enjoyed on a 2017 family trip, listed in alphabetical order.

5. Foo Asian Street Food

Asian Food Victoria

Chef Patrick Lynch and Sterling Grice have found enduring success with Foo Asian Street Food, a downtown draw since 2009, and have since expanded to Calgary. Foo specializes in pan-Asian comfort food in a space with counter seats, photo mural of Chinese figurines, and relaxing open-air patio. Tuna Tataki + Soba Noodle Salad starring seared rare albacore tuna, buckwheat noodles, cucumber ribbons, and sesame miso vinaigrette. Sweet + Sour Pork Belly with crispy pork belly, chile fried green beans, sweet soy and tamarind glaze, with steamed white rice. Specials included General Tso’s Cauliflower with crispy cauliflower, green beans, sesame seeds, sweet and sour sauce, served with steamed rice. Watermelon + Feta Salad with fragrant mint, black pepper, Chinese black vinegar, and pomegranate molasses dressing. A seemingly bottomless bowl (I’m not complaining) of Duck Fried Rice combined pulled duck confit, mushrooms, Asian greens, fermented chile bean sauce, herbs, and crispy onions.

MUST ORDER: Duck Fried Rice, General Tso’s Cauliflower, Tuna Tataki + Soba Noodle Salad, Watermelon + Feta Salad

6. OLO Restaurant

Pasta Victoria

OLO is a farm-to-fork restaurant sandwiched between the Johnson Street Bridge and Chinatown. The dining room touts a brick, rust colored, and light wood color scheme, with wood chandeliers that resemble tumbleweeds. Olo means hungry in Chinook, and their seasonal comfort food ensures nobody leaves in that state. I didn’t love my opening snacks – cornbread with buckwheat honey butter or fried chicken chunks served with honey mustard, but the rest of my meal really rolled. Of-the-moment tomato salad combined cucumber, melon, seeds, cheese, and tangy red wine dressing. Silky alderwood smoked salmon complemented cultured cream, beets, birch syrup, and sorrel. Gemelli is a spiral-shaped pasta they tossed with sunflower seed pesto, snap peas, and smoked Padano. Take OLO’s opportunity to add savory lamb bacon. Juicy seared Ling cod joined smashed warba potato, broccolini, sea asparagus, snap peas, and milky fish veloute.

MUST ORDER: Gemelli Pasta, Ling Cod, Smoked Salmon, Tomato Salad

7. Parachute Ice Cream

Ice Cream Victoria

“Every problem has a solution and more often than not, that solution is ice cream.” That mantra certainly applies to Parachute Ice Cream, a charming scoop shop from Robyn Larocque and Kevin Fung. The glass-fronted storefront near Rock Bay houses a single table and 12 bins of house-churned ice cream. Fantastic flavors might include happy grapefruit, whiskey hazelnut, and brown sugar vanilla. Dial up your experience one more notch with a house-made sugar cone.

MUST ORDER: Brown Sugar Vanilla Ice Cream, Happy Grapefruit Ice cream, Whiskey Hazelnut Ice Cream, Sugar Cone

8. Red Fish Blue Fish

Seafood Victoria

Red Fish Blue Fish, a retooled shipping container right on Victoria Harbour, is probably Victoria’s most popular restaurant. Simon Sobolewski and Chef Kunal Ghose (now with Fishhook) founded this eco-friendly gem, which Sobolewski, Libby Gibson, and Barbara Houston operate March through October. They’re clearly skilled with a deep fryer. Crispy Fried Oysters shattered golden crusts, served with tartar sauce. Fish & chips is also must-try, whether you choose Pacific cod, wild salmon, or B.C. halibut. Jerk fish poutine was a fun oceanic play on a Québécois classic that simmered halibut, cod, salmon and tuna in a Caribbean jerk sauce and blanketed golden brown French fries, along with creamy Million Island dressing and green onions. Grilled salmon is thoughtful and beautifully balanced, drizzled with lemon honey and topped with lemon-pickled onions, cucumbers, pea shoots, and green onions. Even salad was compelling thanks to organic greens, romaine, roasted pumpkin seeds, pea shoots and house-pickled onions with dill Caesar vinaigrette.

MUST ORDER: Crispy Fried Oysters, Fish & Chips, Jerk Fish Poutine, Salad

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Joshua Lurie

Joshua Lurie founded FoodGPS in 2005. Read about him here.

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