Edible News + Notes: May 16, 2022
To Do
Off the Eaten Track in Victoria is re-launching their Eat Like a Canadian guided food tour. Sample traditional and famous Canadian dishes including candied salmon, Hawaiian pizza, poutine, maple syrup, Nanaimo bars, bannock and ice wine. Hear stories about the history of these famous dishes, how they came to be and what makes them truly Canadian.
Coffee lovers will want to bookmark this page. The Vancouver Island Coffee Tour is map listing all the coffee stops you could imagine, from the North Island to Victoria and everywhere in between. Experience local coffee at it finest and discover new roasteries as you enjoy your Island travels.
New Places
Black Rabbit Kitchen and Attic just opened their doors in Nanaimo. Their purpose is to be more than just a restaurant, and be a platform for gathering to connect and unite us. Working with local growers, their chef embraces the Slow Food philosophy and will be creating their whole food menus according to the seasons.
We love seeing local businesses come together, and on Salt Spring Island, Francis Bread is joining Woodshed Provisions and SaltSpring Kitchen Co.on Upper Ganges Road at the new “Jam Factory.” This will become a new food hub of the island.
A Vancouver-based vegan restaurant that has three locations in the city is making its way to the Island with a location in Victoria; MeeT is first and foremost about being a comfort-food restaurant, with a menu that showcases a variety of flavour and dishes that everyone will enjoy.
Frickin’ Delights Donuts just opened this weekend in Victoria. All their donuts and menu options are vegan; alongside all their sweet, mouthwatering donuts, they also offer a unique Dill Pickle soup, mac and cheese, sandwiches, oat lattes and more.
My Hubby’s Bagels is a new shop in Nanaimo owned by husbands Ben and Drew Quinn, who hand roll, boil and bake their delicious bagels. They also offer braided challah and other fresh bread products—prepare for your mouth to start watering the moment you walk into their shop!
Left: photo from Frickin' Delights Facebook page; Right: photo from My Hubby's Donuts Facebook page
Congratulations
OpenTable, the restaurant reservation website, recently released their list of the top 100 brunch spots in the country, with five of the locations found on Vancouver Island. Congratulations to Alpina Restaurant at Villa Eyrie Resort, Fireside Grill, Glo Restaurant + Lounge, Tea at The Empress and The Butchart Gardens – The Dining Room.
Congratulations also to the City of Victoria’s Get Growing, Victoria! program, which recently earned the BC Recreation and Park Association’s Program Excellence Award. Since its birth in 2020, the program has provided approximately 100,000 pounds of fresh produce each year by providing non-profit organizations with vegetable seedlings that are then given to underserved communities.
Congratulations to Shelter Point Distillery in Campbell River—the distillery’s Single Malt and Smoke Point Whisky were each awarded a Double Gold medal in the Canadian Whisky category at the 2022 San Francisco World Spirits Competition (SFWSC), the oldest and largest spirits competition in the world. The distillery is also newly reopened for tastings and tours this spring — open Wednesdays to Saturdays from 10am-5pm. Drop-ins are welcome to taste the spirits, though advance reservations are required for distillery tours.
Shelter Point Distillery
Events
The second annual Seaweed Days presented by Cascadia Seaweed will be taking place from June 2–8, both virtually and in Sidney. The purpose of the festival is to expand consumer acceptance of seaweed, and to leave participants feeling inspired to make a positive impact simply by inviting more seaweed into their lives.
The famous French pop-up picnic event that is held in a secret location each year, Dinner en Blanc, is returning to Victoria this year on June 23, with catering provided by Truffles Catering. The last time it was held in 2019, 800 people attended the event dressed in white from head to toe.
