On Friday I met some pals for lunch at the BLACK GOOSE on Resort Drive in Parksville. It was not the first visit but the first lunch there in a long time. The former McClure house is a funky old building, quite charming with lots of classic wood paneling. It seems like a pub and acts like a pub but it’s not a pub. It’s a restaurant masquerading as a pub.

The menu is loaded with items that you would expect to find in an English Pub. Fish & Chips, meat pies, bangers and mash etc. They also feature a good range of beer. My choice for lunch was a Steak & Mushroom Pie, a small one, which was delicious. To wash it down I enjoyed an Erdinger no alcohol beer probably the best one yet. On other visits I have enjoyed the Fish & Chips and the Hamburger. All good. You can perouse the menu here:

http://www.blackgooseinn.com/menu-at-the-black-goose-inn/

In true English Pub style you place your order at the bar and the food is delivered to your table.
In the summer a large outdoor area is available too. Lots of parking in front.

The Black Goose is not my favourite pub but it is pretty darn good. If you have not been you really should try it out.

Just saying…

We commented on FRANJIEJO’S Bakery Cafe on their opening day in July but on a Costco run to Comox today we decided to revisit Steven & Carol and have lunch. Glad we did.

Who would think to put a slice of crispy pear in a sandwich? Carol, of course. Prosciutto, Brie, carmelized Onions, a slice of pear and some spinach in between two slices of her own Fig -Walnut Bread. Are you kidding me? This Sandwich was fabulous and only $8.75.  The bread was amazingly flavourful and worked so well with the other ingredients. If you wish, add a soup or salad or both

As expected, we engaged in lively repartee with Steven. When I suggested to him the wine list was somewhat wanting, ie., non existent, he said by the new year they may have a liquor licence. A chilled glass of Pinot Gris from a Vancouver Island winery would go well with many if their menu items. We look forward to it.

If you are in Courtenay/Comox and looking for an interesting lunch give Frankiejo’s a try. You will like this little joint. Here are today’s specials:

You can find them at 501 4th Street in downtown Courtenay. They are on Facebook too. Open Monday through Friday.

 

Just saying…

Despite its fabulous location right on Qualicum Beach, the Beach House Restaurant is, once again, closed and out of business. Too bad the owners couldnt make a go of it. Restaurants are a tough business.

Just saying…

 

 

 

 

An old colleague visiting from Ontario invited us to join him for lunch in Cowichan Bay last week. So we met him at the COW CAFE WEST COAST GRILL located at the south end of the village in the Oceanside Suites Hotel.

We were pleasantly surprised with the place. The cafe overlooks Cowichan Bay through very large windows so you can see the marinas and the boats anchored in the bay as well as a bit of Saltspring Island.

The menu looked really good and all our choices were excellent. Our friend decided on Halibut & Chips.  I chose the Fish Tacos that were delicious while my favourite girl enjoyed some great looking Chicken Tenders. Their fries were hand cut in house and amongst the best I’ve had all summer.

The service was excellent too and our server was a charming young lady who grew up right on Cowichan Bay.

If you are in the area, the Cow Cafe is a good choice if you are looking for lunch.

Check out the menu here: http://cowcafe.ca/menu/

 

Just saying…

For 3 or 4 years we have been driving by RISO in Lantzville, usually heading for the Lantzville Pub. Each time I think, we must try RISO. Friends Mike & Lorna raved about it and said we must go. So today, finding myself in an uncooking mood, we decide on a late lunch at RISO.

Not knowing how busy they were we made an advance reservation for a table on the patio. It was going to be 27C today so outside dining was the right choice. We arrived at 1:15 and were seated on the large and rather funky patio. It was perfect. After perusing the menu, we saw Brunch items. Too late for brunch. Why NO!

Eggs Benedict with salad. Full order for me and half order for my favourite girl. She ordered a glass of Kettle Valley Pinot Gris while I ordered my first Bloody Caesar of the year. Where have they been?

The Eggs Benny were exceptional, perfectly cooked with the brightest yellow free range eggs served on in house made toast. The Hollandaise was especially tasty and our server shared a secret with us. They put a little grapefruit in the sauce. Oh my!

 

The Pinot Gris was a beautiful rose colour so after finishing the Benny’s we decided to each have a glass and enjoy the patio for a while. Delicious.

RISO is also a Bakery so lots of great looking breads and deserts are offered. The menu includes a roster of pizza, two of which passed by out table. They looked wonderful. They have soups,  sandwiches, salads and daily specials.

Here is the fall schedule.

 

Heading to or from Nanaimo, consider a stop at this really delightful spot right on the main drag in Lantzville. We will be back.

https://risofoods.wordpress.com/about/

Just saying…

Who doesn’t like good Fish & Chips? Not us, that is for sure. On Vancouver Island there are many excellent places to enjoy this perennial favourite. Most pubs have good Fish & Chips. Even the White Spot does an excellent rendition. There is Bare Bones in Port Alberni, Red Fish Blue Fish in Victoria, and the Rock Cod Cafe in Cowichan Bay. All worthy of a visit.

However, last night was FISH and CHIP night at the EAGLECREST GOLF Club in Qualicum Beach. Some neighbours organized a table for eight at the golf course. TALON’S, the clubhouse dining room is fairly modest, definitely not Capilano or Oak Bay, but the food was good, served promptly at very reasonable prices.

Two piece Cod & Chips for $14. One piece Halibut $16. I enjoyed the Cod while my favourite girl ordered the Halibut. The piece of Halibut was really large so, of course, I was able to help out with it too. The coleslaw was excellent and a generous serving. The Tartar sauce was ok, but I’ve had much better. Chips were excellent and plentiful too.

Eaglecrest Golf Course is open to the public so if you are in the Qualicum Beach area and have a Fish & Chip craving, check it out. Friday nights are Fish and Chip nights. Talon’s has other special nights too. Wings on Wednesday, Prawns on Thursday, Schnitzel on Saturday.

Here is the full menu: http://www.eaglecrestgolfclub.ca/golf/emailer2020/img/eaglecrestgolfclub/2017_Talon’s_menu.pdf.

There is also a very nice patio overlooking the course waiting for you.

Just saying…

Yesterday. We paid another visit, probably our fourth, to the Zanatta Winery just south of Duncan. Not to taste wine particularly, but rather to enjoy another lunch on the porch of the 114 year old farm house. We took in the Duncan Show N Shine on the way and then met friends Paul & Theresa at Zanatta.

To get there you take some twisty country roads which feel far from any town. Fun to drive on, quite charming. Once there you will find ample parking. On the way to the restaurant you pass the small tasting room. Zanatta specializes in sparkling wines surprisingly, and they make 4 different ones. They also produce a Pinot Nero, a Pinot Grigio, an Ortega and a Merlot.

At lunch we chose a glass of the Pinot Grigio which was so enjoyable we had two. Our friends chose the Brut Tradizionale and the Pinot Nero. We were all happy.

The menu here is interesting and the food is good. Our friends chose the Beet Salad and I picked the Short Rib Sliders which met my  expectations and then some. Since they were already out of the crab cakes, my favourite girl settled for a Panzanella salad which looked fabulous and she claimed was delicious. For dessert we shared The Lavender Cheesecake. It is not to be missed.

The chef at Vinoteca is Fatima Da Silva. She has been here for several years and clearly knows her stuff. Interestingly, she is originally from Mozambique. Her menu changes often and she uses local produce as much as possible. The result is seriously delicious food, beautifully presented. The service is good too. Our servers were efficient, friendly, and charming.

Sitting on the old country house porch that wraps around three sides provides a delightful ambiance. Take time to relax here and enjoy. If you go, make a reservation by phone. They are busy.

Consider a day trip to the Cowichan Valley wine country. Zanatta is just one of the great places to visit. Check out their history and their wines at https://zanatta.ca

Just saying…

For a couple of years there has been the slow construction of a building on Northwest Bay Road, about a half mile from the Petro Can on 19 towards Fairwinds. I could not determine if it was going to be a home or a business. Well, today I found the answer. It is an Eatery!

We were driving by and saw the sign so peeled in to check it out. It is called the RUSTED RAKE FARM EATERY. It is a soup, salad and sandwich joint with a large list of coffees and teas. Alas, no beer or wine. But it’s a cool place with big highly varnished rustic tables inside and a few tables on a deck outside. The staff were very friendly but disappointed when they couldn’t sell me anything. Their menu changes daily and today’s looked interesting as you can see.

 

We will try it another day but if you are in the area and are a bit peckish it may be to your liking. Let me know.

Just saying…

If you happen to have a fondness for beer, you might be interested in visiting the TWIN CITY BREWERY in Port Alberni. It’s a micro brew pub that brews some interesting beers and ales. Their line up includes RUN OF THE MILL, a West Coast IPA, TICKETY BOO, a British Pale and SWEDISH GYMNAST, a hopped up Blonde. These folks certainly have a sense of humour too

We have driven by to check it out but have not gone in. It was Drag Race day in town and everything was really busy so we will take a crack at it on a weekday. Our neighbours have been and enjoyed a good lunch there. The menu is limited but looks good. Take a look here:

http://www.twincitybrewing.ca/home/#ourbeer

You can find Twin City at 4503 Margaret Street in Port Alberni. Turn left just a block before the turn to Tofino.

Just saying…

On a recent warm sunny day, another drive to a lunch destination seemed a good plan. So we pointed the ILX up 19A and ended up passing through Campbell River and turning into Painter’s Lodge. It was after the lunch hour rush so there lots of empty tables on the expansive deck outside. The deck overlooks Discovery Passage, the narrow body of water between Vancouver island and Quadra Island, just south of the famous Seymour Narrows. The view is wonderful with all manner of vessels passing by. Tugs, sail boats, power boats, fish boats and float planes keep it interesting. Unfortunately, during the day a Cruise Ship is unlikely to be in these waters as their schedules and the tide change at Seymour Narrows make them appear mostly in the evening or later.

Painter’s Lodge is a bit of an institution in these parts. The original Lodge was built in 1929 by boatbuilder, Ed Painter. It burned down in 1985 but in 1987 the Oak Bay Marine Group bought the property and built the current Lodge. Later they purchased April Point Lodge directly across the water on Quadra Island. When the founder of Oak Bay Marine Group passed away a year or so ago, the company decided to get out if the resort business and sold the two properties to North Coast Resort Hotels.

For more on the history,go to http://www.painterslodge.com/the-lodge/history.htm.
For more on April Point read this… http://www.aprilpoint.com/the-resort/history.htm

Painter’s has a good menu with lots of seafood option, of course. The Seafood Chowder looked amazing at the next table. My favourite girl chose Fish & Chips while her chauffeur ordered Painter’s take on a Philly Cheese Steak. Both were delicious and to our liking. A glass of Pinot Grigio and a pint of Blue Buck quenched our thirst. Service was good and our server was very cheery and friendly. All in all, a perfect late lunch. In addition to the deck, there is a Dining Room, a comfortable Lounge and a Pub!

We have lunch here several times and have stayed in the hotel a few times too. The rooms are well appointed and fishing lodge rustic. The rooms overlooking the water are fabulous as you can sit on you deck and, at this time of year, usually see cruise ships heading to Alaska.

If you would prefer to try the dining room at April Point, they operate a complimentary water taxi shuttle back and forth. It takes about 10 minutes to cross Discovery Passage much of the trip with the boat sliding sideways in the strong current here.

If you gave not been to Painter’s, you should go. It’s just past Campbell River a few Kilometers on the highway to Port Hardy.

Just saying…