January & February are, for me, kind of the winter doldrums. Not much going on. But last week my Toronto based Digital Media son came for a visit. ‘We must go out’ was his pre arrival request. Sounded good to me especially since he usually insists on picking up the tab.
He arrived on HULLO from Vancouver, a first time trip with which he was very impressed. Smooth and comfortable ride apparently. Since we both needed lunch we headed past home and pulled into Deez Bar & Grill at the north end of Qualicum Beach.
I had dined at Deez many years ago but this joint has changed ownership twice since then and since last spring has been operated by the Water Street Cafe Group who also run the Qualicum Beach Cafe and the Nanoose Bay Cafe. They seem to have a grasp of serving good food.
Deez looks the same as it always has with a raised bar area and dining area surrounding it. Service was prompt. We liked the menu, which is casual pub style fare, and ordered a Blackened Chicken Sandwich for Jackson and Eggs Benny for me. We were not disappointed. The Benny was perfect served with excellent roasted potatoes. The hollandaise was just right too. The Chicken Sandwich was excellent, which is a big compliment for a guy from Toronto.
With warmer weather in the future we look forward to dining on their patio.
In my many years of travel, both business and personal, I have had the good fortune to dine at many fine restaurants. From Brennan’s in New Orleans, to Umberto’s in Whistler, the Blue Fox in San Francisco to the Four Seasons in New York. And so many other fabulous places.
However, last night my dear Sheila treated me to dinner on my 83rd Birthday in a small restaurant located on the main drag in UCLUELET, BC.
PLUVIO! This little place probably serves most certainly the best dinner experience I’ve ever enjoyed.
PLUVIO has only about 8 bar high tables and a couple of seats at the kitchen bar. It’s owned by Chef Warren Barr and his partner Lily Verne-Downey, Learn more about their amazing story here. https://www.pluvio.ca/about-us.
We had a reservation at 6 and were told we had 2 1/2 hours to dine. We were seated at a table with a view into the open kitchen where 3 cooks were doing their magic. Two men cooking with a young lady plating. Chef Warren finished the plated selections adding various toppings like flower petals, fried Kale etc. with watchmakers perfection. Occasionally he dove into the kitchen to help the cooks, one time to grind the ingredients for the tortillas.
Our server, Katherine, was very charming and efficient. Someone had advised her of my special day( can’t imagine who) & soon a birthday card arrived signed by all the staff. Katherine asked our names and for the duration called us by name, a very nice touch.
We opted for the three course menu. The 5 course looked like too much food. There were 4 options for the Beginning, the Entrée and Dessert. We perused the very descriptive menu and made our choices.
Then Katherine arrived with an Amuse-Bouche. Miniature tarts filled with devilled egg potato salad topped with caviar, served on a tray of seeds. In another bowl filled with small rocks were two chocolate profiteroles stuffed with a delicious salmon mousse. Oh so good. And what a presentation!
We ordered a bottle of PLUVIO White Field Blend, a wine created at AVERILL Creek Vinyards in the Cowichan Valley. A Pinot GRIS with a touch of Reisling and Chardonnay. Cold, crisp, perfect.
We ordered another appie, a house specialty, the HUMDOG. A-what? A tiny hot dog bun, baked in house, stuffed, not with a Weiner, but a slice of Humboldt Squid. Winner, winner, a real humdinger.
The starters arrived. Bison Tartare for Sheila, Tuna Crudo for me. The Tuna was on a corn tortilla with toasted beans, raisin tomatoes and Mole Amarillo. The Bison included cornbread crumble, Pickled Mustard Seeds, Tarragon, Fermented Radish, Seedy Crackers. How delicious were these? You really had to be there.
Soon after recovering from the starters our Entrees arrive. Sheila’s was Poached Lois Lake Steelhead (Sunshine Coast) floating on a bed of Kelp Gnocchi. The Gnocchi were like little pillows of deliciousness. My selection was the Grass Fed Boneless Beef Short Rib. Grilled lightly, then in the smoker for 2 days then popped on the grill again just before serving. Who does that? The Kvass jus was scrumptious as was the cheese curd mashed potato served in a separate pan. Had to share that with my partner. The beef was perfectly done and the middle was as tender as butter.
At the same time a wooden box arrived with bread and two slices of indescribably scrumptious corn bread with a small dish of Sake infused butter. One could easily devour an entire loaf of that cornbread. At least I could, and would were I given the chance.
Would we like anything else to drink? Some in house made Limoncello, of course. One small glass to share. Wow. Powerful, almost like an Italian Grappa. Too strong for one of us.
Finally, the dessert course. In front of me was the ‘Forest’. Spruce Sponge, Local Blackberry, Chocolate and Candy Rocks. A you kidding? And for Sheila, the ‘Garden’. Raspberry Mousse, Garden Sorrel, Lemon Sponge, Raspberry Sorbet, Crunchy Meringue. Deliciousness personified.
Before departing, Katherine took our photo with a new version of a Polaroid Camera and gave us a print. Special touch. And then a wood box appeared filled with rocks and shells. We were advised to search for treat amongst the shells. Two Chocolate truffles. A little white box was provided for the trip home. Talk about attention to detail! We had never experienced anything so splendid as PLUVIO.
What a dinner. It’s hard to find the adjectives to do it justice . Perfection in every way. Service, congeniality, ambiance, taste, creativity, artistry all rolled into one most pleasurable evening. If you want to impress that special someone, this is the place.
If you are planning to visit the Ucluelet/Tofino area, you simply must include dinner at PLUVIO in your itinerary. Book ahead. This joint is super busy.
Tofino has a number of fine restaurants and one I have enjoyed several times is SHELTER. It was casual, pub type food with a big open and covered patio. It was on the highway on the edge of town but unfortunately burned to the ground just before Christmas in 2022 after 20 years in business.
Recently SHELTER reopened at the Tofino Resort & Marina in premises previously housing the Hatch Pub and the 1908 Restaurant.
On our last visit we tried to go for lunch but unlike the original the new Shelter only does dinner and Happy Hour opening at 4:00 PM daily.
Last night we had a reservation for dinner and we were really impressed. The former pub area is a welcoming warm room that was nearly full. We were ushered to the dining room, impressive with large water view windows, lovely soft lighting and very pleasant background music.
Service was prompt and very cordial. Our server Dave, a bloke from Wales, was charming and efficient. We shared the delicious Meares Island
Seafood Chowder which was loaded with seafood and accompanied with an enormous piece of Garlic Toast.
Our entrees were a House Burger without the bun but including cheese, bacon & tomato and a side of Cole Slaw. The Tempura Battered Lingcod was superb and included excellent Tartar sauce and the best ever Cole Slaw.
We enjoyed our diner so much we plan another visit before heading for home. This time we will try a table in the cozy bar.
This is a great spot. Great food, service and ambiance ! Check out their website and menu here.
It’s always fun to find a new to you joint for breakfast or brunch and on Saturday a quick shopping trip to Duncan led us to BRUNCH ON 3RD. What a find! Located on the edge of downtown Duncan, this converted old house is an ‘always a line up’ kind of place. About 4 groups were ahead of us at 1130 but the wait was not long.
Once seated, service was prompt and friendly. The menu has all the usual brunch items, a variety of Eggs Benny including one with Duck Confit. Several kinds of French Toast and lunch items too, Grilled Cheese, Beef Dip etc.
Sheila opted for the Roasted Tomato Soup with Croutons while I quickly honed in on Huevos Rancheros, one of my favourites. The food arrived quickly and was really delicious.
At the next table a couple were enjoying two Flights. One was a flight of 3 Prosecco Mimosas, including Cranberry and Orange. The other flight was 3 coffees each with a different Liqueur. They looked fabulous. Next time we shall try them.
If you are passing through Duncan, it’s worth a stop. Open from 8-2 Tuesday to Sunday. Here is their website. https://www.brunchon3rd.com/
It was such a stunning day we decided a stroll up and down Second in Qualicum Beach would be fun. So many little shops to visit. We ended up at ‘WHAT’S COOKING’ my favourite cookware shop where escape is nearly impossible without purchasing something. Patrick, the proprietor, was telling a customer about local eateries and Sheila asked him what he recommended. Del’ile he said without hesitation. Their dinners rival anything in Vancouver he said. Well, after a small purchase, we sallied forth down the street to DeL’ile for lunch.
This restaurant has been open for some time and on one occasion I tried their croissants. But I was not aware that they had opened a bakery next door which also serves lunch with both indoor and outdoor seating. Sidewalk seating in today’s warm sun seemed a perfect idea. Imagine lunch outside this late in September.
Lilette, the boulongerie, offers a variety of breads, croissants and other pastries as well as light lunches. Here are some of the lunch specials.
We both ordered the daily soup, a wonderfully rich Squash soup. One Chocolate Croissant and a toast with Mushrooms, Cream, Parmesan and Kale. The croissant was out of this world good and the creamy mushrooms were simply fabulous. The staff were gracious and efficient too.
This is a real find for a local lunch with a continental feel. It could be habit forming. DeL’ile is open for dinner which is on our to do list. You can peruse the menu here…
No visit to Ucluelet & Tofino is complete without a visit to the WILD PACIFIC TRAIL near Ucluelet. It is magnificent. There several different sections to the trail as shown on this map.
On a recent visit we walked the Amphitrite Lighthouse trail. It meanders around the point over 2.4 kilometres and is an easy walk for most people. It starts at the lighthouse and runs along the rugged shoreline for a while before going inland through the woods. There are numerous viewpoints along the way, most with benches so one can sit and take in the stunningly spectacular views.
Part of the Broken Islands Group in Barkley Sound can be seen and if it’s not foggy you can see Cape Beale at the entrance to Barkley Sound.
Viewing this shoreline and the many rocks with waves crashing over it’s easy to understand that before modern navigation aids the were dozens of shipwrecks in the area.
The pathways are gravel and the vegetation is nicely groomed. We ran into a park worker who was trimming the lush SALAL beside the trail. At one viewpoint we were lucky enough to spot a pod of Killer (ORCA) Whales who were cruising very close to shore. We pointed them out to some British visitors who were thrilled to see them.
Some really interesting trees can be found on the trail. Caused by the wind over time probably.
The trail goes inland over a hill then back down to the water near Terrace Beach returning to the lighthouse.
Amphitrite Lighthouse was first constructed in 1906 but was destroyed by weather in 1914. The existing concrete structure was opened in 1916. Originally it was manned but was automated in 1988.
The section of trail between Ancient Cedars and Big Beach is about 8 kilometres for those wanting more.
We enjoyed the Lighthouse loop immensely and are going back in November, hoping to see some real storm activity. If you are ever in the area, DON’T miss it!
Another gorgeous sunny morning in Ucluelet was a good time for a short stroll on the Wild Pacific Trail again. Off we went just in time to see a pod of Orca Whales going by quite close to shore. A bonus for sure. The German & British tourists were thrilled when we pointed out the whales. It was wonderful. O
Since it was noon and a certain peckishness, even esurient, was developing so a stop at UCLUELET BREWING COMPANY, a Brew Pub in a former church. What a delight! The interior renovations are really well done with big beams, wood floor and a large patio overlooking the harbour. It was windy out so we perched on tall stools at a table inside.
The food menu is limited here. Some snacks, wraps, a Grilled Cheese. But they specialize in Charcuterie Boards. We chose one with 3 cheeses, 3 meats, 2 kinds of crackers, house made jame & mustard plus olives & spiced apple slices. A glass of wine and a Flight of in-house beers were the beverages. Loved the beer. 4 very distinctive tastes that were all good. The charcuterie was simply delicious and perfect for our lunch today.
Some really nice music was playing in the background. Our server advised that it was Ana Ash, a folk singer from California. Might be worth checking her out on Apple Music.
Ukee Brewery is a must stop. Good food, nice and prompt service, great surroundings and excellent beer. We even left with two cans to take home.
It seems the transformation from Church to Brew Pub was a grand idea. My kind of Church. Learn more at https://www.uclueletbrewing.ca
Here we are in Ucluelet on the west coast of Vancouver Island for a leisurely 6 days. Staying in a friend’s condo right on the water. How lucky are we?
Part of the adventure includes some serious noshing at some of the local culinary offerings. On day one we hit FRANKIE’S RESTO BAR for an early dinner. It’s a funky place in what seems to be an old house & has indoor & patio seating. The patio was almost full so we headed inside. Nothing fancy to be sure, but the menu looked really good. Bedsides not much else was open on a Monday evening.
Well, a very pleasant surprise. Good service! Great food. Pulled Pork with mashed potatoes and vegetables for Sheila and a ground ribeye burger for me. The mashed potatoes were ‘to die for’ good. The burger was one of the best in a long time. Cheese, tomato, pickle, bacon, lettuce in a Brioche Bun and served with outstanding fries. Two glasses of Haywire Pinot Grigio added to the enjoyment. FRANKIE’s is a really good joint. https://www.frankiesrestobar.com By the way, we loved the sign in the window.
When one is holidaying in this neck of the woods a good brunch is mandatory, not every day, but often. We found The Heartwood Kitchen Outfitter right on the main drag in a bright yellow old home.
They do breakfast/brunch and do it well. It was Vegetable Eggs Benny for Sheila and Huevos Rancheros for me. The Huevos included fried corn tortilla tostados, refried black beans, 2 eggs sunny side, tomato salsa, cilantro, fresh fruit & smashbrowns. I’ve not been a fan of smashbrowns but these were amazing. Best ever. This was a really wonderful dish made even better with a dollop of their in house made hot sauce. Add to all that the coffee was good too. Thinking of brunch..try this joint. You will not be disappointed.
Another night, another dinner. Well we did eat at home yesterday because Sheila’s daughter and husband came to stay and brought a big pot of delicious Chilli. Tonight it was FLOATHOUSE PATIO & GRILL, another funky Ucluelet restaurant, this one on a float right in the boat basin.
FLOATHOUSE is charmingly rustic with both inside and outside (covered) seating. No reservations are offered here so we were told there could be a 40 minute wait. With our good luck we were seated outside in about 20 minutes. Service was prompt! The wine list is brief. 2 reds, 2 whites by the glass which worked perfectly for us. Right beside the patio are fish boats lining the nearby dock. Very west coast.
The menu is great. Lots of seafood although they are known for ribs. Sheila chose the Ribs & Caesar Salad. Fish Tacos for me. Oh, what a surprise! Colleen liked the Cod & Chips and Erick picked the Blackened Rock Fish & Slaw. We were all pleased with our choices.
Good food, good service and a charming West Coast ambience. As it cooled propane heaters were fired up to take off the chill. Our server, a charming young lady from Edmonton, is a musician on the side and said there is quite a music scene around Ukee and Tofino. She sings & strums guitar under the stage name CAMERON COAST.
It was a last minute thing. My favourite brother announced that they were taking the MV FRANCES BARKLEY on the trip to Bamfield. Would you like to join us? Why not?
So it was a very early Saturday morning drive to Port Alberni to board the coastal freighter, The FRANCES BARKLEY. It was a beautiful fall day as the ship slipped out of Alberni ready for the all day trip.
The ship is old. Built in Norway in 1958. She is 118 feet long, powered by an eight cylinder Bergen diesel that produces 400 horsepower at 450 rpm and a cruising speed of 9.9 knots. There are two decks with indoor and outdoor seating on the upper and seating and a cafe on the lower. They serve breakfast and lunch on board. They have beer and wine too. Both kinds of wine; red and white served from a box. But cold. One could describe the interior of the ship as early school Bus. Rustic but quite comfortable. One can go up to the bridge and chat to the Captain who is full of great information about the ship and the area.
The ship makes the trip to Bamfield three times a week to deliver freight and passengers. On this day she made three stops on the way. At Kildonan, a beautiful inlet, she unloaded propane & groceries onto a float. Then a septic tank & new propane stove on another. Later she dropped off a guy who was the caretaker at a church camp. Watching the ship manoeuvre into tight spots to unload cargo was real west coast stuff. The scenery along the way is simply Spectacular! We even saw Humpback Whales.
We arrived at Bamfield just after noon and disembarked. Fortunately, Sheila’s son, a former Coast Guard member had arranged for us to have a tour of the Bamfield Base. Really an interesting tour including boarding the Cape McKay, the resident Coast Guard Rescue Vessel.
Then a visit to Bamfield Mercantile, the only store in town, a stroll down the boardwalk and a hot dog before reboarding the FRANCES BARKLEY. The trip back to Port Alberni was delightful. Warm, sunny and smooth.
It was a 9 hour round trip. Well worth the price. We would recommend this day trip to everyone wanting a west coast experience. For more information go to
It’s not the first time to report on the KINGFISHER RESORT near Courtenay but a recent visit for lunch warrants a repeat look.
An old business colleague and his wife from Ottawa were visiting Vancouver and came to the Island for a day. Since they had never been past PARKSVILLE we decided to take them for a drive culminating in lunch at the Kingfisher. And we are all so glad we did.
We arrived and settled in to a window table in the OCEAN 7 dining room. While we surveyed the menu we sipped on some UNSWORTH Pinot GRIS from the COWICHAN Valley. It’s crisp and delicious.
Selections were made. An order of Calamari for the table to start. It arrived with a cucumber yogurt dip and their special lemon preserve dipping sauce that is wonderful but difficult to describe. We all enjoyed it.
Then we ordered. One Seafood Chowder, Raw Marinated Albacore Tuna Tacos, Green Curry & Coconut Saltspring Mussels and A Korean Chicken Bowl.
The chowder here is excellent with a variety of seafood in a rich creamy broth. Always a good choice. The Sashimi Tuna Tacos (2) looked stunning with the tuna served in little cubes.
The mussels were the best I’ve seen in ages and we all got to sample. Large, plump mussels in an amazing green curry & coconut broth with Garlic Toast on the side. So good and a generous portion.
The Korean Chicken is a star. A bowl with sticky rice julienned carrot, a small taste of kimchi topped with the most amazingly crispy and tangy pieces of fried chicken tossed with black sesame seeds. Simply the most delicious chicken one can imagine. And a generous portion too. I can’t wait to order it again!
Finally, we shared an amazing dessert platter which included Creme Brûlée, Cheesecake, Macaroons, and and Ice Cream. A spectacular presentation.
The Kingfisher is not inexpensive but one cannot mind paying for truly outstanding food.
If you are driving to Courtenay or Comox it’s a good place to stop. Wonderful food, excellent service, enjoyable ambience. Be sure and check out their gorgeous garden and peek in at the Spa.
The resort recently won the HOTEL OF THE YEAR AWARD FOR BC. Justifiably so!
MURPH..Just Saying. 