Here is a BBQ joint that has been  in business since 1995 and until a week ago I’d never set foot in it. MONTANA’S opened its first restaurant in Oakville Ontario and now is across Canada’s with over 100 locations including Rutherford Mall in Nanaimo. 

Met my old, really old, high school pals for lunch. The two Nanaimo boys apparently are regulars as they seemed to know the staff and the routine. 

Montanas is a big facility with a Western BBQ decor and ambiance. We were ushered to a booth where the Nanaimo boys had already taken up residence and drawn on the brown paper table cover with the crayons provided. 

The food here is BBQ. Brisket, steak, ribs, chicken. My choice was the Brisket Burnt Ends Tacos. Two guys ordered the very large Chicken Fajitas. And pal Phil dove into a Brisket sandwich. 

I enjoyed the casual atmosphere and the food. Nice friendly service too. 

If you like BBQ you will like Montana’s. Check out the website. https://www.montanas.ca

All the menus are there. 

Montanas is in a freestanding building adjacent to Rutherford Mall with lots of free parking. Reservations can be made on line or at +12507582388

BBQ…mmm

Just saying…

LONG TIME FAVOURITE

John’s Place in Victoria has been in business for over 40 years serving up some of the best breakfasts anywhere. But it’s been at least 30 years since I last set foot in the joint. 

Yesterday on a quick trip to Victoria we made time to expedite lunch at John’s. This is truly a joint in the same class as the venerable Pagliacci’s. It’s really Funky In fact, Howie Siegel of Pags financed John when he first opened as they were good friends. Here us the story.

John’s Story

John’s was quite busy for a Thursday in January but no line up and we were seated promptly. The menu is extensive and offers even The English Breakfast and Huevos Rancheros , a favourite of  mine. But we had already decided on Eggs Benny. There are eight different Bennys on the menu. They offer a choice of Muffins, Bagels or Cornbread for their Benny. We both thought the cornbread would be a nice change. One half Benny Florentino, one full Classic. A nice touch was a complimentary plate of warm crusty bread. Irresistible, of course. 

The Bennys were excellent. Eggs perfectly cooked, abundant ham and a generous and delicious hollandaise sauce. Mine came with roasted potatoes, Sheila’s with grilled tomatoes. Brunch was all we expected it to be. Simply outstanding! The Cornbread was really good, by the way. 

The service was excellent supplied by a very animated young man who was efficient, talkative and funny. 

Offerings for lunch include Perogies and Sausage, Meatloaf,  Burgers, Home Made Soup and the Sandwich Hall of Fame. 

Many readers have no doubt been to John’s  but if you haven’t you will get a kick out if the decor. All the walls are covered with photos, drawings, paintings,  posters etc. And they are full. No room for any more. Fun to look at. 

John’s Place is well worth a visit. You won’t be disappointed. Reasonable priced too. 

Here us their website where you can see all their menu offerings.

Home

Open for breakfast and lunch until 3. Reservations on weekdays only. They are located at 723 Pandora just up from City Hall. You really must go. 

Just saying…

Last weekend we decided at the last minute to go out for brunch. Oh, Eggs Benny at FINAL APPROACH are outstanding, let’s  go there. Alas, when we arrived at the Qualicum Beach airport Final Approach was closed for a few days. Not to be discouraged we said maybe the BAYSIDE RESORT is open. I’d heard they were good at breakfast. We were certainly not disappointed. First of all we were seated at one of the window tables for two and the view was stunning. 

The service was prompt. A Prosecco and a Caesar were ordered followed by Classic Eggs Benny and Coconut Prawns. 

Both the orders were excellent. Perfectly poached eggs and very good Hollandaise. Beautiful plating too. Very tasty. The prawns were slightly spicy served with a lemony dip. Perfect! Unfortunately I forgot the take a photo to share so you will have to imagine. 

We have enjoyed the Bayside several times for lunch, dinner and Happy Hour but this was our first brunch experience. Would we recommend it! Absolutely. They definitely know how to do breakfast and brunch. 

Friendly, efficient servers, great food and a fabulous view. Lots of free parking too. 

If you’re in a brunch mood this weekend you may want to call the Bayside. 250 248-8333. 

Here is their breakfast menu.  

Not familiar with PARKSVILLE? The Bayside Resort is just off Highway 19A at 240 Dogwood Street. 

Just saying…

What a pleasant surprise we had today. Our good friend Phil asked us to meet for Sunday Brunch at GARY’S BISTRO in Qualicum Beach. It’s been many years since visiting Gary’s and this long standing restaurant has since changed ownership. My expectations were not high as it always seemed to be a burger kind of joint. How wrong was I. 

First of all, the joint was packed. Couples, families, singles. Surprisingly, Gary’s has a great Brunch Menu with no less than five flavours of Eggs Benedict including my choice, Mexican Eggs Benny. Eggs with Onion, Red Pepper, Salsa, jalapeños, Hash Browns and very good Hollandaise sauce. DELICIOUS! 

They also have Bistro Bagels, Breakfast Burritos, and regular Bacon & Eggs as well as Omelettes and Pancakes. 

On top of all that deliciousness, Corinna was an outstanding server. Efficient, cheerful and serving the entire restaurant by herself. 

Since Qualicum Beach is the venue for the huge Father’s Day Car Show, Gary’s is decorated with dozens of photos of hot rods that have been in the show. Plus a life size section of a vintage Cadillac on the wall. Friend Phil is hoping his recently purchased 48 Ford, aka Bessie Ford, will have its photo on the wall after the 2026 car show.

We really enjoyed Gary’s and will return for a weekday lunch. 

Gary’s is at 115 Second Avenue E in Qualicum Beach. 250-752-5800. 

Open for Breakfast and Lunch from 9-4 daily. 

Just saying…

For several years I searched the local food stores looking for pickled onions to no avail. I had had them often in restaurants as a garnish on a salad or in a Sandwich and I really like them. 

Since I couldn’t find any I made my own a few times. They are easy to make but my recipe suggested they had a short shelf life. 

Then, by chance, the other day I saw them in the local THRIFTY’S. Pickled red onions produced right here in BC. In Falkland BC, located between Vernon and Kamloops. Yes a young couple in Falkland make and market this wonderful product. 

BC BRINE  produce a whole line of pickles using fresh local vegetables which you can view on their website. https://bcbrine.ca

If you like pickles you must try these. Fabulous. 

Isn’t it great that we have ambitious young people who will start up a business like this. 

Just saying…

No doubt everyone has heard of the famous Montreal Deli, Schwartz’s. They have been serving up Montreal Smoked Meat since 1928 on St-Laurent Boulevard. 

This is their most popular sandwich. Smoked meat, mustard on Rye Bread. According to their website “Schwartz’s prepares smoked meat, beef brisket, the old-fashioned way, on location, using a secret blend of locally produced fine herbs and spices, marinated for 10 days; smoked overnight, steamed all day; and sliced “à la minute” by hand with love”. 

Here is some great news for all Smoked Meat lovers. My good friend Phil introduced me to this fabulous item he picked up at Costco. 

6 individual pouches of Montreal Smoked Meat. Take one, pop it in boiling water and slap it on your favourite bread or bun. 

It can be steamed or microwaved but boiling like this might be the best.

“Boiling is a straightforward method for reheating Schwartz’s Smoked Meat from Costco. Start by bringing a pot of water to a rolling boil. Ensure the pot is large enough to fully submerge the vacuum-sealed pouch of smoked meat.

Carefully place the entire pouch into the boiling water. Allow it to cook for approximately 7 to 10 minutes, as indicated on the packaging. This process heats the meat evenly. Monitor the pouch to ensure it remains submerged throughout the boiling process.

After the designated time, carefully remove the pouch from the boiling water using tongs or a slotted spoon. Let it cool slightly before opening to avoid steam burns. Once cooled, slice the smoked meat and serve hot. Boiling is a quick method, but be mindful not to overcook”. 

Save the airfare to Montreal.. just slide by Costco and pick up a package. 

Just saying… 

Shopping this morning in Qualicum Beach led us to a light lunch at the FRENCH PRESS on Primrose. Not the first time, for sure, but we really enjoyed lunch today. 

You order at the counter and they call out your name when your order is ready. Here is the lunch menu. 

In addition they serve a variety of really delicious baked goods, particularly the scones. Of course a long list of teas and coffees is available. And they do their own coffee roasting. 

We were craving their Tomato Basil Soup so both ordered a cup. One with a large cheddar/Basil Scone, one with a Rueben Sandwich. 

I like the personalized receipts they use. 

Today the Tomato soup was outstanding with lots of Basil. Simply delicious. 

The Cheddar Scone was substantial and flavourful. The Reuben was perfect. Corn Beef, cheese and sauerkraut in a crusty Rye bun. Warm and cheesy and a nice size. Not overwhelming. Would have it again. 

If you are in Qualicum Beach French Press is a great joint for coffee or lunch. Breakfast is an option that we’ve not done but it looks good too. 

If you are not in Qualicum you can head to their other location in PARKSVILLE at 102- 425 Stanford E. where the roasting is done. 

Here is their website. 

https://www.fpcoffeeroasters.com

Just saying…

Recently we enjoyed a 7 day Alaska cruise departing from Vancouver. Since we had to travel from Vancouver Island we decided to use HULLO, the fast ferry from Nanaimo. It was our first time on Hullo and we were impressed.

Hullo is a passenger only ferry that accommodates up to 350 passengers. It departs from a terminal just east of downtown Nanaimo and cruising at about 35 knots (65 kilometres per hour ) and arrives in 70 minutes at the float plane terminal in Vancouver harbour. From there it’s a short walk to the cruise ship terminal. So convenient.

There are 3 classes on Hullo but we chose Comfort Class, the cheapest. For seniors it’s only $35 return. Seating is airplane style and very comfortable. If you can’t survive 70 minutes without nourishment there is a snack bar onboard. 

We found Hullo to be very well organized,very efficient and convenient. Fast and comfortable. 

On our return trip we were in 4 foot seas but the ride was still very smooth. 

 Check out their excellent website. 

https://hullo.com

Reservations are easy. And they have late night sailings for Canuck fans. Plenty of parking at the Nanaimo terminal too. 

If you haven’t tried Hullo, you must. It’s fabulous 

Just saying…

On the spur of the moment we headed to the Qualicum Beach Cafe last night for a light dinner. We still had a balance on a generous gift script from son Jackson and it was time to use it up. 

We chose a Pinot Gris from Hillside Winery in Naramata. Small glass for Sheila, large one for me. Cold, crisp, delicious! They have an extensive wine list but it is a little sparse on wines by the glass. Nothing inexpensive either. 

Then we decided to share a large Caesar Salad. So glad we did. The salad was outstanding! Crisp cold Romaine with whole Roasted Garlic Cloves, fresh Parmesan and toasted Capers. The latter I had never seen in a Caesar before. Must try that at home. The dressing was perfect. Tangy & creamy. And it was a generous portion, plenty for two octogenarians. 

We will go back again just for the salad. Not cheap at $20 plus but worth it. 

Check it out at 

https://www.qualicumbeachcafe.com/main-menu

Just saying…

A couple of years ago while strolling through Florence we stopped at a lovely sidewalk cafe for lunch. The feature on the menu was an Endive/pear salad. It was fresh, cool and delicious and perfect for a very warm Tuscan day. 

Ever since I have planned to replicate that salad at home. Procrastination seems to have been involved as more than two years later the salad has not appeared. Until today. A very warm day in FRENCH CREEK. 

The salad includes Belgiun Endive, Fresh Bartlett Pears, Fresh Burrata Cheese, chopped walnuts and a vinaigrette dressing. 

It turned out very well and was probably as good as the one in Florence. Perfect for a warm day. We enjoyed it on Sheila’s patio overlooking the 13th fairway at Morningstar. We paired it with an inexpensive French Rose which is quite delicious. 

Thinking of a cool salad. Try this. 

Just saying…