On a whim today, Sheila suggested lunch at the WHITE ELEPHANT THAI RESTAURANT in PARKSVILLE.  Had been once before years ago. Don’t know why I had not been back. Definitely a mistake. WHITE ELEPHANT is a delightful little place owned and operated by actual Thai folks.

We weren’t too hungry so settled on two appetizers, Chicken Satay for Sheila and Shrimp Salad Rolls for me. And they were delicious. Both served with a tasty Peanut sauce and the Satay also had a Thai version of Salsa. The salsa was so good we took some home.. We paired  the food with a white wine and a SINGHA BEER, the latter from Bangkok. Last time I had a SINGHA was in that crazy city way back in 1990. It’s good beer. 

White Elephant features traditional Thai items including Pad Thai, Noodles in Peanut Sauce, an assortment of Curries, some Stir Fries and great sounding soups and salads. Their Hot & Sour soup sounds wonderful. 

We thoroughly enjoyed today’s lunch and agreed that a dinner there will be in our near future. 

If you’ve not been to White Elephant  you are missing out. Friendly and prompt service. Soothing background music.  Plus the place is spotless. Wasn’t too busy for late lunch but probably prudent to reserve if you are going for dinner. 

Full menu is here https://www.thewhiteelephant.ca

Located in PARKSVILLE at 144 Weld Street just off 19A.  250-586-6611

Just saying…

Here is another pub for your consideration. The FOX AND HOUNDS is family run pub owned by folks who came from the UK in 2006.

We joined a gang of Oak Bay High Class of 58 grads for a mini reunion. Being a group. We made  a reservation and they put us in a separate room. Very nice, too, so we could  stand around and visit before and after noshing. We even had a cake for the occasion.

The menu includes the traditional pub fare including an array of Pot Pies, Fish & Chips, Sausages, etc.There was a special on this day that several chose. An open faced Beef & Cheese sandwich with a choice of soup, salad or fries. Looked good too.

The Beef Dip was good but I’m not crazy about Ciabatta buns. A bit too chewy. Great fries though. Two lads at our Table chose the Seafood Chowder which was large and apparently delicious. 

The pub is decorated, as one expects , with lots of English photos and bric-a-brac. Quite charming. Service was excellent and the staff both friendly and efficient. 

Heading up it down the island and feeling peckish? Try the Fox & Hounds. You won’t be disappointed.

Check it out here.  

https://foxandhoundsladysmith.co

Look for the big red building.

Just saying…

Finally we made it to the FERN & CEDAR PUB in Qualicum Beach.Its been open for at least two years but for some unknown reason this was our first visit. FERN & Cedar is a brew pub with a long list of their own beer brewed right in the pub. Not surprisingly, they have 5 of their own craft beers as these are the same folks that own Arrowsmith Brewery in PARKSVILLE.  You can order a flight of beer if you are in a tasting mode. We  had heard good things about their food too so here we go. 

The pub is not very big except for its large patio, enclosed when we visited. There are about 6 seats at the bar. It’s a busy joint but we we were quickly seated at a table for two. Drinks were ordered, a delicious looking and tasting Margarita for Sheila, a n/a beer for me.

The menu here is really interesting with some great sounding dishes like Sechuan Shrimp & Lobster Lettuce Wraps, a Citrus avocado bowl, Short Ribs, and much more. We ordered Cod and chips to share.  A good choice. Perfectly cooked fish in a very light and crispy batter, wonderful skinny fries served on a wooden platter with Tartar sauce and a small bit of Mint and Peas. 

Here is the full menu. https://fernandcedar.ca/menu/

We really liked Fern & Cedar and will go again. Good food,  efficient and friendly service. It’s in Qualicum Beach at 680 Berwick next door to Meat Craft.

Here is the full website. https://fernandcedar.ca

Just saying…

 It’s been probably a decade since I last visited The Courtyard cafe in Qualicum Beach. Back then it was a crepe joint. We sat on the patio which was a mess at the time. Hoses, brooms, garbage bags strewn around just turned me off. So there was nor repeat visit. Until today. 

Well, clearly things have changed including apparently ownership and management.  Courtyard Cafe has morphed into a quite delightful coffee joint. 

We wondered in just for an early afternoon snack and coffee and were pleasantly surprised. There is a variety of coffees and Teas and some Scrumptious baked goods. We chose a delicious scone. Orders are taken at the counter a delivered to you table when ready. The staff were young, friendly and efficient. 

They also do breakfast and lunch. Not a huge selection but enough to satisfy me. Here is the menu. 

The Courtyard is at the back and looks welcoming. Too cool today for outside dining but later in the season it should be most enjoyable. 

In Qualicum Beach and feel like a coffee or a light lunch. Give Courtyard Cafe a try. It’s located at 678 Memorial between First and Second. 

Just saying…

There is a joint in Victoria where good food, good service and some real history come together. It’s the pub at the JAMES BAY INN, one of Victoria’s oldest hotels. Recently, on a quick Victoria visit it seemed a good place to try. And we did. 

The James Bay Inn was opened in 1911and still operates as a hotel including an Art Deco restaurant and a pub. The pub is an inviting room, spotless, and has good food and good service. Best of all the menu includes Liver Cream & Onions which are hard to find on any menus. So that what I ordered. Why not!  The Liver was perfectly cooked and was accompanied by excellent mashed potatoes and perfectly cooked vegetables. The other order was a big Chicken Pot  Pie which was reported as outstanding. Of course, in this part of town there were lots of old guys who we assumed were regulars since the server knew exactly what there order would be. JBI is also open for Saturday/ Sunday brunch.  The brunch menu looks good. Check it out  here. https://www.jbipub.com/menu

Our server was a delightful lady who had worked there for 20 years. She happily provided some of the history including that from  1942 – 1945 the hotel was purchased by Mother Cecilia’s religious order and operated as St. Mary’s Priory. It was during this period that the hotel welcomed its most famous guest. Canadian artist and author Emily Carr was a patient at the Priory in her final illness, dying there March 2, 1945.There are a lot of historical photos in the pub including a large one of Emily Carr. It’s worth a visit for the photos alone. 

James Bay Inn is a great stop when you are in Victoria. Located at 270 Government Street just two blocks past the Parliament Buildings. Lots of free parking. For more info go to https://www.jamesbayinn.com. 

Just saying…

Where would you like to go for a birthday dinner?, she asked. Let’s try the PACIFIC MOON RISING BAR & GRILL, replied he. So we did! Our friend Paul, who knows good places, had been for lunch and highly recommended the place. This is at least the third reincarnation of the original Pacific Shores Resort restaurant in Nanoose. We had not been for at least a decade back when the joint had the fabulous tropical fish tanks. 

This iteration of the restaurant is owned and operated by Luise Willoughby, whose family operated the Rocking Horse Pub for nearly 20 years. The room has been redone in a charming bistro look including big white ceiling beams, an open kitchen, a small bar and at one end high pub style tables. I’d called it modern bistro. 

As it happened, the owner was both managing and serving some tables including ours. The menu is a combination of handhelds, full dinner choices and pizzas. After ordering a couple of glasses of Red Rooster Pinot Gris, we shared a very generous plate of excellent crispy Calamari served with a delightful tangy dipping sauce. Really good. We were headed for the Short Ribs but learned they were not available,  but Luise enthusiastically recommended the Prime Rib special. It’s fabulous she exclaimed!  Let’s do it was our decision. Had not had prime rib in a long time. 

Well, it was excellent! A very large slice of beef, medium rare, with a popover Yorkshire the size of a softball. Wonderful mashed potatoes and perfectly cooked carrots, asparagus and zucchini. And a dark rich gravy. Horseradish. Of course. Luise’s fathers recipe. It hot! This is a  substantial plate of food so you need to take a healthy appetite. 

Someone let it slip that a birthday was being celebrated so a complimentary Passion Fruit Creme Brûlée appeared. Beautifully presented. Best I’ve ever seen.   A nice touch and very yummy too. My thanks to Luise for being so thoughtful. Of course, I’ve never met a Creme Brûlée I didn’t like. 

The owner, Luise, made our dinner special. She is charming and so enthusiastic about her bistro. We were pleased to see the bistro so full. 

We enjoyed Moon Rising. It’s a bit noisy but most restaurants are it seems. Live music too, on this night. We are looking forward to going back for lunch. By the way, they have a nice deck overlooking the water so a summer lunch is something you may consider.  They have Happy Hour every day from 2-5 and Prime Rib is the regular Saturday Dinner Special. Live entertainment on Saturdays too. When we go back for lunch we’ll let you know. 

Pacific Moon Rising Bistro is in the Pacific Shores Resort located just off Northwest Bay Road at 1600 Stroulger Rd, Nanoose Bay. Turn left off Northwest Bay at Beaver Creek Wharf Road. 

For reservations call 250-468-0474. 

Check out the website and menu here. https://www.pacificmoonrising.com

Just saying…

Recently we returned from an Alaska Cruise and thought some comments about  the on board food would be fun. We were on the Holland America ship Zaandam for 7 days and enjoyed every moment. Great scenery, great crew, great service and great food. 

The Zaandam has several restaurants to supply the 1450 passengers on board and they are all good. Starting at the most casual at the  DIVE IN,  a take out joint adjacent to the Lido Pool. A variety of burgers, make your own Tacos and , my favourite, Nathan’s Famous Hot Dogs are available all day. Had a Hot Dog which came with Crispy fried onions. So good. The French Fries were excellent too which on several occasions we paired with a cold glass of Pinot Grigio whilst lounging near the pool. The Burgers looked good and we saw many passengers choosing them. 

For casual dining, breakfast, lunch or dinner,  the Lido Market is the place. I’m not an enthusiast of buffets but on Zaandam they do a really good job . Not self serve. There are serving stations where crew plate the choices for you. Very civilized and it eliminates the fill your plate to the top syndrome. The lunch buffet includes some ready made delicious sandwiches, an expansive salad bar, Pizza, Asian food featuring quite good Sushi, Chinese Food, the noodles were excellent, Indian and Indonesian specialties. The Butter Chicken was really a treat. Then there is a daily roast with vegetables, pasta and desserts. Really everything for an interesting different lunch daily. Didn’t do breakfast or dinner here. Why would you when there is the formal dining room. 

In 7 days we did room service breakfast twice. continental with delicious pastries and fresh fruit. Great service and it’s available 24 hours a day. 

But the Dining Room. A two level elegant room at the stern of the ship. We chose it for breakfast most days and were not disappointed. Sheila enjoyed the fresh fruit and super thin bacon. For me their corn beef hash with perfectly poached eggs was wonderful. One day I succumbed to the Lobster Eggs Benedict! Oh my. So good. Outstanding Hollandaise sauce and perfectly cooked poached eggs again. The service here was first class. the waiters are all Indonesian chaps, very gracious and friendly. 

Dinner in the dining room was a treat. Once again, exemplary service and a good choice of entrees. On our first night we enjoyed fabulous Rack of Lamb, one of our favourites. The portions are modest so one can enjoy an appetizer, entree and dessert without over doing it. Other favourites included escargots, fish, and brisket. I broke out once and tried the Indonesian Bami Goreng and thoroughly enjoyed it. 

There are two specialty venues on Zaandam.  The PINNACLE GRILL, a steak and seafood room and Il Canaletto an Italian specialty restaurant. We dined twice at the latter. There is a surcharge of $25 per person. The food was very good. Best ever Short Ribs one night. The flight of Gelato for dessert won me over. But probably not worth the surcharge considering how happy we were with the main dinning room. 

Did not try the Pinnacle although I did on a previous cruise. Here is the menu: 

https://www.hollandamerica.com/en/ca/onboard-experiences/dining/pinnacle-grill

One night it became a pop up restaurant featuring a menu by famous Japanese Chef Madaharu Marimoto.  We didn’t try it but it was an exciting menu. You can peruse his menu here: 

https://www.hollandamerica.com/en/ca/onboard-experiences/dining/morimoto-by-sea-pop-up

We love food and we love restaurants. The various offerings on Zaandam certainly did not disappoint. All good and most enjoyable. And unlike cruises when I was younger we avoided gluttony and arrived home looking the same as when left. 

We really enjoyed the 7 day Vancouver to Vancouver cruise and didn’t want to disembark on Day 7. Highly recommended by both of us. 

Just saying…