If you are thinking of a casual lunch and don’t want to go far you must consider UPSTAIRS at Quality Foods in PARKSVILLE. It’s a cool venue with lots of nice seating as well as a large deck if you want some sun. There is a direct outside elevator so you can avoid the crowds of shoppers on the main floor.
Good news! It’s licensed. They have a nice assortment of Craft Beers on tap as well as a selection of wine. On Thursdays the wine is on special. 9 ounce glass for $7. On Friday it’s cheap Beer. Martinis are $11, Cocktails are $9.
The food menu is limited but good and includes Pulled Pork or Beef on a Brioche Bun, Sizzling Nachos, Tandoori Chicken Pizza, Tacos, Chicken Wings, Prosecco Buttered Prawns, Panninis, and more. And the prices are reasonable. Wings are $15 for a generous plate. The Tapas are $10.
Even better, Wednesday is WING DAY. Wings for $7.50. And they are delicious with a variety of sauces including BBQ, Honey Garlic, Thai Chili and Teriyaki.
For a casual lunch UPSTAIRS is a good choice.
You can sit at the bar and watch your Favourite sports or at the window watching the food shopper below, or find a comfy chair by the fireplace or lounge outside on the deck. It’s all good.
Today was a day to revisit the BAYSIDE Resort in PARKSVILLE. It’s been several years since my last visit and the whole resort has been renovated during my absence. My dear Sheila suggested we go out for lunch and directed me to the BAYSIDE and I’m glad she did.
We were seated at a perfect table for two in the window with a fabulous view towards Lasqueti Island and the expansive Sandy PARKSVILLE beach. Service was immediate and two glasses of Iniskillan Pinot Grigio arrived quickly. An order of Calamari and a Monterrey Chicken Sandwich soon followed. The Calamari was excellent, the best we’ve had for a while. We shared the sandwich which contained a generous portion of grilled Chicken breast and was delicious. Accompanying the sandwich were really good fries. Also the best in a long time.
Lunch at the BAYSIDE was a delightful experience and we would highly recommend it. You can look at their website here. https://www.baysideresortparksville.com
Not long ago I reported on Seascapes, a restaurant in Schooner Cove. Well it didn’t make it for whatever reason. However, the folks who own the Qualicum Beach Cafe and the Water Street Cafe in Vancouver’s Gastown, saw an opportunity and a month ago reopened the property as THE NANOOSE BAY CAFE.
Today we met my favourite brother and sister-in-law at said Cafe for lunch. We reserved a table for 4 on the patio which is quite spacious and overlooks the Schooner Cove Marina with a view to the mainland across Georgia Strait. Our table was perfect right in a corner by the rail.
The menu here is really excellent. They serve lunch, dinner and have a daily happy hour every day but Monday. In addition they have a breakfast/coffee spot open daily from 8 to noon.
As we soaked in the view, which included sighting two 37 foot Tollycrafts, we perused the menu. D’Arcy & Pat headed for the Spring Rolls and Dumplings, a house specialty. Sheila and I satisfied a recent hankering for oysters and ordered Po Boys with pan fried oysters.
Our waiter, Mike, was both charming and efficient, which one might expect from a chap from London.
The food was delicious. Everyone enjoyed their choices. Then Mike arrived with a dessert menu. Who has dessert after lunch? Apparently we do. Sheila targeted the Citrus Tart. Pat went for the Chocolate Mousse Tort and your scribe merely told the waiter “I’ve never met a Creme Brûlée I didn’t like. Were the desserts good? They were outstanding.
The newly opened Nanoose Bay Cafe is excellent. Great ambiance, View service and food. We plan to return soon. Highly recommended.
Since the RUSTED RAKE FARM BREW PUB reopened we had not paid a visit. My next door neighbours highly recommended it. So did my brother. So today, having skipped lunch and still recovering from our Canada Day celebrations we drove the slow way to Nanoose and the RUSTED RAKE. And we are so glad that we did.
We arrived at 4 for an early dinner and were seated a a perfect table outside on the very spacious deck. That made me happy since I remember that it is a very noisy place inside.
Sheila had heard that the Seafood Chowder was outstanding and she was not disappointed. Mussels, Clams, Smoked Salmon and Scallops in a wonderfully cream broth. Simply delicious. She also ordered the Burnt Ends. BBQ Beef Brisket pieces served with a luscious Aioli and some raw veggies.
I chose the Beef Brisket Dip. My brother, who spent years in Texas and knows all about BBQ Brisket, suggested getting the Aioli on the side so as to ensure the perfect flavour of the Brisket. Served on a bun with fries on the side this was a very generous portion of brisket in a bun. Absolutely delicious.
They don’t have a huge menu but what they do they do WELL!
A glass of Blasted Church White and a ROSA THE REBEL MEXICAN LAGER. Both were just what we wanted. Cold and tasty.
The service was excellent! The location looking out onto a field, part of the farm, was relaxing. Lots of free parking right in front.
RUSTED RAKE! It’s just a great place with delicious food and good service. Check out the
Recently we thought a visit to TELEGRAPH COVE might be worthwhile event so we booked a place to stay and pointed the Acura westward. It’s a three hour, twenty minute drive from FRENCH CREEK. But it’s a most enjoyable one. Once past Campbell River the highway is a good two lane road with long straights and gentle curves. Used cruise control all the way. Some fabulous vistas of surprisingly high mountains. By the way, just past Campbell River is a view spot with a spectacular view of Seymour Narrows.
A stop on the way for a picnic beside a small lake was a hit. Just fancy Cambazola Cheese, Pate & Crackers with a sip of Pinot Grigio.
Arriving at our destination mid afternoon, we checked in and shuffled down the boardwalk to our room. Telegraph Cove is rustic and so was our room. Spotless but sort of 1950’s Auto Court. A kitchenette, a small table and two single beds. This is in a building on piling hanging over the water.
Since we were a little peckish a short walk down the boardwalk took us THE OLD SALTERY PUB, a really cute pub with a long deck overlooking the harbour. An order of Calamari with a glass of wine was so good a second was ordered. Interestingly, our server was a charming young lady from Brittany in France. Turns out that most of the staff here are from overseas. We later met a girl from Austria, two from New Zealand and another from Germany. All were loving the west coast experience. We were, too as we watched a variety of boats come into the marina.
We took a tour of the boardwalk along which are a bunch of old houses, cottages, a bunkhouse, a restaurant, a whale museum and more.
All rustic and totally charming. There are a variety of accommodations here including a 100 site campground. For more information go to
Dinner was in the KILLER WHALE CAFE, right beside the pub. Its quite large and was full on a Wednesday night. Since we had overindulged in Calamari we opted to just order an entree. No appetizer or salad. Sheila chose the Chicken Souvlaki with Pita Bread and I liked the Seafood Carbonara. Both were delicious. A half litre of Pinot Grigio washed it down. We had a window table with a view of the Marina. We enjoyed it all. Check out the menu here. https://telegraphcoveresort.com/2021-dinner-menu/
Thursday morning, even though the room had a kitchen and I’d packed coffee and our French Press, I sallied forth to Sally’s Coffee and picked up some pastries and coffee to savour in our room. And we did.
After check out we drove to Port McNeill and back. Nothing in McNeill warrants a visit in my opinion. Back at Telegraph we hit the pub again for lunch. A bowl of Seafood Chowder for both of us and to my delight I found FISH TACOS. They were good too. But different. Small pieces of Cod pan fried rather than a single piece found elsewhere.
We loved our visit to TELEGRAPH COVE and would certainly go again. If you are looking for funky, rustic, historic, this is the place.
Was picking up some coffee today at CREEKMORES COFFEE at the Coombs/Hillier junction on Highway 4A and Since I was a little peckish I perused their lunch menu and ordered a wrap to go. Oh what a good idea.
I ordered the CRUNCHY CASHEW THAI WRAP. Shredded carrots, cabbage, romaine, vermicelli rice noodles with a spicy house made peanut sauce and toasted cashews wrapped up in a warm tortilla. Talk about delicious! Wow. I would stop for one anytime.
CREEKMORE’S roasts their own coffee, which I have been buying since moving to the area 12 years ago. They have a variety of breakfast and lunch items for take out or to enjoy on their patio. You can see the whole lunch menu here. https://www.creekmorescoffee.com/cafe?lightbox=dataItem-l618zvr
They serve breakfast all day and make some delicious Smoothies too.
Haven’t been there? You are overdue. Easy access off 4A and lots of parking.
Dropped in to TREES DINER & BAKERY in Errington this week for lunch. Had not been since the ownership changed some time ago. The diner looks better than I remember and still has their bakery goods on display including cakes, pies, sausage rolls and croissants, all of which looked really good.
The menu here is pretty standard diner fare. We ordered a BLT with Cole Slaw and a Turkey club with fries. Service was prompt and friendly and our food arrived quickly. Both sandwiches were very tasty and the BLT was loaded with crisp bacon. They bake their own bread, White, Whole Wheat, Mulitgrain, Sourdough, Cheese, Marble Rye or Gluten-Free
We have it on good authority that the Hot Turkey Sandwich is a must try.
We checked out the Breakfast menu which include 6 different Eggs Benedict. They sound good and We’ll be back soon to sample. They serve Breakfast Wraps, Skillets and the usual Diner breakfast items.
Trees Diner is at the corner of Highway 4A and Church Road across from the big COOP gas station on the way to Coombs. Open 7 days a week from 8 to 8. They do TAKE OUT too.
I know, I know. I have reported on several Taco serving restaurants recently. But there are more out there on Vancouver Island and they are good.
In Victoria yesterday for my Grandson’s Grad Ceremony, I met with his family at ROMEOS in Broadmead Village for a pre ceremony bite. As it happens there were Fish Tacos on the menu and two of us ordered same. Three Tacos in the order served with some tortilla chips and Guacamole. Very delicious and nicely presented. Here they are. By the way the Calamari here is outstanding.
Today, on the way home we decided to catch the Brentwood/Mill Bay ferry and since we arrived at the terminal almost two hours early we headed immediately to the SEAHORSES Cafe right beside the ferry dock. They have a nice deck over the water and we we directed to a perfect table for two. Today’s special? TACOS! Chicken, Pulled Pork or Fish.
Fish it was. Three Tacos served with a very spicy dipping sauce. Oh so good. Why does food seem to taste better outside?
If you are in Brentwood you can’t go wrong at this joint.
A recent trip to Victoria to see the play COME FROM AWAY included a dinner out at CAFE BRIO on Fort Street. CAFE BRIO is operated by the same couple who ran the very successful Herald Street Cafe for many years and they seem to have transferred their magic from Herald Street to Fort Street.
CAFE BRIO is an upscale joint with an Italian influence. Almost all the menu items are available in full or half portions, a great option for those with smaller appetites or those who want to try multiple dishes.
We chose two different half sized salad, both delicious. Sheila selected Spaghettini and I chose half orders of both Gnocchi and Seared Scallops. We enjoyed everything. We passed on dessert but we did enjoy slurping a very tasty bottle of Kettle Valley Pinot Grigio. It was cold, crisp and had a surprisingly beautiful colour almost like a rose.
Our server, a young lady from PARKSVILLE was friendly, prompt and efficient.
Cafe Brio has a street-side patio in front, a nice bar, and both tables and booths. Very much an Italian influenced decor. Only open for dinner Wednesday to Saturday. This is a very popular restaurant so reservations are a must.
Not often would one drive to Port Alberni seeking food but there is a case to be made. We happened to have an appointment at the local hospital today and finished in time for lunch. We had heard good reports on PORTO TACO, a funky joint a block or so up Argyle Street from the Quay. Tacos it was.
PORTO TACO is a small restaurant with a few stools in the window and a long community table that can probably seat 16 or more. Outside is a small patio as well as a couple of tables on the sidewalk. But it’s all about the food here.
Ordering is done at the counter where you receive a number so the food is delivered to your table. We chose Fish Tacos, made to order and they were delicious! Not as much fish as the Lantzville Pub but very tasty. We didn’t slurp a Margarita, but they looked fabulous. Instead I enjoyed a Mexican Cola. Had never seen one before. Really good.
The menu here is quite extensive and includes Burritos, Chimichangas, Taco Salad etc. here is the full menu.
MURPH..Just Saying. 