EAT Magazine 27-05 September | October 2023

Our positive screening tools identify companies with excellent growth potential that meet stringent Environmental, Social and Corporate Governance (ESG) standards.

So you can feel as good about how you’re investing your money as you do about the food choices you make.

guaranteed

subject

employees may buy, sell, or hold a position in securities of a company mentioned herein, its affiliates or subsidiaries, and may also perform financial advisory services, investment banking or other services for, or have lending or other credit relationships with the same. CIBC World Markets Inc. and its representatives will receive sales commissions and/or a spread between bid and ask prices if you purchase, sell or hold the securities referred to above. © CIBC World Markets Inc. 2023. Graham Isenegger and Neil Chappell are Investment Advisors with CIBC Wood Gundy in Victoria, BC. The views of Graham Isenegger and Neil Chappell do not necessarily reflect those of CIBC World Markets Inc. If you are currently a CIBC Wood Gundy client, please contact your Investment Advisor.

affiliates, directors, officers

I LOVE THE FALL on Vancouver Island—from family dinners at Thanksgiving to smaller dinners eaten on the deck on the last warm evenings of the year. Going to local farmers markets for amazing harvest bounty, heading to cideries for a cup of spiced hot cider, and trying some new, heartier red wines in October mark the transition from daily outdoor grilling back to to the kitchen for braising meat, simmering soups and stews and some serious baking—all part of embracing the cooler weather.

Dive into our September|October issue and you’ll find our contributors have hit the streets hard for new places for you this fall (ten places, but who’s counting?).

Adrien Sala tries out Humboldt Bar, Adrian Paradis gets a first look of ATE *A Restaurant, Gillie Easdon visits Bray’s West Coast Tapas and Elizabeth Monk takes on trying out tiffin services in Victoria.

For kitchen inspiration, Isabelle Bulota stews up a new take on a vegetarian dish, Rebecca Wellman gives us a mushroom and allium fried rice, and we go retro on dessert with delicious, fragrant baked apples.

Happy autumn, and good eating everyone.

“This is my invariable advice to people: Learn how to cook—try new recipes, learn from your mistakes, be fearless and above all have fun.”

CITY EATS

We were saddened to hear of the permanent closure of Saveur Restaurant in July. We wish chef Rob Cassels and the team the very best in their future endeavours. Just recently opened at 1002 Blanshard (former location of Clarke & Co.) is Tourist Wine Bar, with a beautiful selection of by the glass and by-the-bottle natural wines. Open Thurs—Sun from 5pm–late. @touristwinebar

Jackson Brothers Coffeehouse has opened at 784 Humboldt St. Find espresso-based drinks, house-made scones, loaves, salads, fudge and more. @jacksonbrotherscoffeehouse

Nor Coffee has opened at 860 Johnson St, serving up fine coffee and baked goods in a Scandinavian-inspired setting. @nor coffee ca

Owned and operated by a registered nutritionist, West Bay Café, located in Unit 108 at 474 Head St, is 100% plant based and gluten free, offering a safe place for those suffering from celiac disease. Enjoy a delicious beverage or bite to eat in this new, ocean view cafe. Open Tues–Fri 8am–3pm and Sat 9am–3pm. westbaycafe ca

CYNTHIA ANNETT-HYNES EDITOR

—Julia Child

REBECCA BAUGNIET

Once again, Farm Folk, City Folk had to make the difficult decision to not host the Vancouver Island Feast of Fields this year. There is still a chance to join the Feast of Fields this year in Vancouver (Sept 10) and the Okanagan (Sept 17). farmfolkcityfolk.ca

At press time there were still tickets available for the Great Canadian Beer Festival at Royal Athletic Park Sept 8–9. Presented by the Victoria Beer Society—a collaborative vision shared between bar managers, beer reps, brewers, local stakeholders, and chefs, all coming together with the intent to celebrate what makes our city’s craft beer scene vibrant. victoriabeersociety com

The Esquimalt Ribfest is the largest family charity event in the South Island, drawing in up to 40,000 visitors. Running from Sept 8–10, Ribfest, organized and run by volunteers, supports the project to provide Esquimalt with an all-weather playing field. Six professional rib teams cook for the coveted People’s Choice Award. There will also be local craft brewers, and cider and wine available. Live music and free children’s crafts and activities. esquimaltribfest.com

The 5th Annual Cider Harvest Festival is taking place on Sept 24 at Merridale Cidery. Featuring 15+ farm-based cideries from all over BC, this rare opportunity to taste a variety of ciders has a pop-up liquor store with a selection of featured BC products that aren’t available anywhere else. Each ticket includes school bus transportation, admission, and a souvenir tasting glass. Pickup locations are available in Victoria, Langford, Duncan, and Nanaimo. $45 per person. merridale.ca

The Victoria International Wine Festival will take place at the Victoria Conference Centre Sept 24–30, including wine dinners, grand tastings and seminars. This is a festival that showcases some of the best international wines and is directed at building the knowledge of the average wine consumer, demonstrating new wines, and acknowledging beloved wine standards to veteran consumers. vicwf.com

Victoria is where Brewery & the Beast was born! On Sept 24, chefs and hospitality experts will gather to throw down a truly West Coast experience. This festival delivers a unique blend of cooking techniques, food philosophies, and Island-grown ingredients to create a memorable culinary event. breweryandthebeast.com

If you’re up for some island hopping, the 24th annual Salt Spring will be held on Oct 1 this year. All host farms will be open for apple lovers. More details to come on the website. saltspringapplefestival org

A fundraising event for the Victoria Film Festival, Vancouver Island’s biggest cocktail celebration, the annual Art of the Cocktail, is returning to the Crystal Gardens on Oct 14. General Tasting tickets $89, VIP Grand Tasting tickets $119. artofthecocktail.ca

Chocolate: A Tasting Event is the newest fundraising event for the Victoria Film Festival. Taking place at the Crystal Garden on Oct 15, this will be the launch of a truly sweet event for chocolate lovers. Every chocolate exhibitor will be handing out a delicious chocolate treat. There will also be live demonstrations, tips for using chocolate, learning everything about chocolate, and cooking demos as well. $20 per person. victoriafilmfestival com

FOUNDER

Gary Hynes

PUBLISHER

Pacific Island Gourmet

EDITOR

Cynthia Annett-Hynes

CONTRIBUTING EDITOR / COPY EDITOR

Carolyn Bateman

SENIOR WINE WRITER

Larry Arnold

ART DIRECTOR

Cynthia Annett-Hynes

PRODUCTION AND DESIGN

Rhonda Ganz

REGIONAL REPORTERS

Victoria, Rebecca Baugniet

CONTRIBUTORS

Isabelle Bulota Elizabeth Nyland

Cinda Chavich Adrian Paradis

Jacqueline Downey Adrien Sala

Gillie Easdon Shelora Sheldan

Michael Farley Johann Vincent

Elizabeth Monk Rebecca Wellman

REGIONAL/NATIONAL ACCOUNT MANAGER

Susan Worrall

ADVERTISING ACCOUNT MANAGER

Ron Metella

CONTRIBUTING AGENCIES iStock.com 3, 5, 8, 10

FACEBOOK/EATMAGAZINE

TWITTER/EATMAGAZINE

INSTAGRAM/EATMAG

For advertising and other inquiries:

PHONE

250-384-9042 | 778-350-6962

EMAIL editor@eatmagazine.ca sales@eatmagazine.ca

ONLINE EatMagazine.ca issuu.com/eatmag

MAILING ADDRESS

Box 5225, Victoria, BC, V8R 6N4

STOCKISTS

EAT is delivered to over 200 pick-up locations in BC.

PRINTED IN CANADA

EAT® is a registered trademark. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the prior written permission of Pacific Island Gourmet / EAT Magazine.

EST. 1999

Sip into Autumn with New Releases

2182 Lakeside Road Duncan BC 250-743-3834

@bluegrousewines #bluegrousewinery

Liquid Assets

CRISP WINES FOR FALL CLIMES

Larry Arnold shares this luscious selection of wines for the changing season. Turkey, anyone?

Averill Creek Charme de L’Ile NV Cowichan Valley $28.00

Made using the Charmat Method, with the second fermentation in pressurized tanks (more or less the same technique used in the production of Prosecco), this little brut is a blend of Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, and Pinot Gris. A faint coppery tint, with lovely tiny bubbles and peach, apricot, and mineral notes on the nose. The palate is very fresh and light with juicy fruit flavours, crisp acidity, and a clean dry finish.

Delas Freres Viognier Vins de Pays D’Oc 2020

France $24.00

This is not your typical big, over-the-top Viognier with huge alcohol, power, and viscosity. Instead, Maison Delas Freres has crafted an easy-drinking, elegant Viognier from fruit sourced in Languedoc in the heart of France. Straw yellow with pronounced aromas of peaches, apricots, and tropical fruit, the wine is medium-bodied with dried fruit, honey, and almonds on the palate, nicely balanced with clean acidity and a soft, juicy finish.

Apatei de Katxiña Txakoli 2021 Spain $34.00

Bone dry and slightly spritzy with low alcohol and searing acidity, Txakoli (pronounced chac-o-lee) is an absolutely delicious white wine produced in Spain’s Basque country. Hondarribi Zuri, the predominant grape variety, was brought into the region by monks following the Camino de Santiago pilgrimage during the Middle Ages. This very crisp, very clean, very fresh wine has pear, lemon zest, and mineral notes on the palate. Brilliant!

Cantina Di Custoza Corvina Garda 2019 Italy $27.00

This elegant white blend comes from the hills overlooking Lake Garda in the Veneto region of northeast Italy. Pale gold and very floral, with lemon rind and green apple notes, it is bone dry with a slight oiliness and a lick of refreshing acidity. Very Soave-like with more personality than your standard, run-of-themill bottling.

Benoit Marguet Shaman 17 Grand Cru Champagne

Brut Nature NV France $92.00

This, my friends, is a very interesting bottle of bubble! Winemaker Benoit Marguet is the driving force behind this very small, biodynamic family estate in the Grand Cru village of Ambonnay on the Montagne de Reims in Champagne. Shaman 17 is the entry level wine, the number indicating the vintage of the base wine. It is a blend of Pinot Noir (69 per cent) and Chardonnay (31 per cent) fermented in oak, spending almost two years on the lees before being disgorged and recorked without further dosage or added sulphur. Straw yellow in colour, it has lovely tiny bubbles and fresh baked bread, quince, and spice notes on the nose. Medium-bodied with a nice creamy texture, it is slightly oxidative, with stone fruit and brioche on the palate and plenty of juicy acidity through the finish. A ripper!

Selbach Fish Label Riesling 2020 Germany $22.00

Located in the heart of the Mosel, the Selbach family has been in the wine business for more than 400 years. This classic Mosel Riesling is named after the abstract fish illustration adorning the front label. Painted by Vancouver artist Johanna Waldorf, it is as nice to contemplate as the wine is to enjoy, with its intensely concentrated aromas of ripe apricot, citrus, and diesel. Off-dry but nicely balanced with lip-smacking acidity, great mouth-feel, juicy fruit flavours, and a very long, taut finish. This wine is great value.

Coming Soon

If your wine cronies consider you a bit of a savant regarding everything to do with the consumption of beverage alcohol, but you’ve never heard of, let alone tasted, a Jacquère, don’t beat yourself up about it. Hardly anybody has! The white wine produced from this grape is considered by many of the locals to be among the best produced in the region of Savoie in France just to the south of Switzerland. That may well be the case, but on the west coast of North America, most uninformed wine aficionados consider Savoie to be an overpriced, somewhat obscure cabbage used in Chinese cooking. The wine is very crisp and very clean, almost ethereal in its cleanliness, but give your glass a swirl and there it is, fleeting and subtle, then firm and unrelenting. Fresh as the alpine air with subtle floral and green apple nuances.

Zanatta Pinot Noir 2019 Cowichan Valley $28.00 Vigneti Zanatta, located just outside Duncan in the very heart of the Cowichan Valley wine country, is the oldest winery still operating on Vancouver Island. Spend an hour or two tasting with the staff or, if you’re lucky, one of the owners, and it will become very apparent that not much has changed at the family farm over the past few decades. It’s business as usual, and Zanatta quietly keeps producing solid wines at reasonable prices. Given the attention Island Pinot Noir’s have been receiving in the 21st century, Zanatta’s current release is worth every penny. Delicious with simple cherry, warm earth, spice, and smoky vanilla on the nose and palate, nicely balanced with soft but firm tannins.

PHOTO: ISTOCK.COM/MONCHERIE

Inn at Laurel Point | @duocafebakery

FARO Handcrafted Pizza and Tasting Room has been honoured for its outstanding wine program in Wine Spectator’s 2023 Restaurant Awards.

We invite you to join us and discover our award-winning by the bottle wine list, rotating wine flights, paired to perfection with our Neapolitan-style pizzas, fresh salads and light bites.

Make a reservation at oakbaybeachhotel.com/dine

Eating Well For Less

Urban Forage

800 YATES ST., #109, AT BLANSHARD ST., 778-433-9119, URBANFORAGE.CA

TUCKED INSIDE THE ATRIUM building is a welcoming café with wholesome food. Urban Forage is attractively decorated with wood and a greenery wall. Equally attractive is the fridge and freezer full of delectable take-home offerings—I have my eye on the Thai Red Curry with Local Rockfish for $13 next time I need a dinner to go.

Eating-in at the Atrium is just as much fun. The vegan roll, a play on a sausage roll, for $5, is a tasty blend of buckwheat, pecans, sunflower seeds, carrots, kale, and a hint of turmeric inside a flaky pastry. Another light dish, the Organic Lentil and Beet Salad, transported me to France. A bed of lentils du Puy is tossed with a slightly tart, fresh herb vinaigrette, then topped with vibrant diced beets and a sprinkle of feta. This goes for $4.50 for a small or $8.50 for a large.

Sandwiches are an important part of the menu as well. Every morning focaccia is baked fresh on-site, the bread a feature of the Organic House Focaccia with Roasted Vegetables and Hummus for $11.50. My sandwich had generous layers of roasted yams, cauliflower, peppers, and zucchini, and the creamy hummus is blended with caramelized onions. The top of the focaccia is attractively laced with roasted red and yellow peppers and onion, making for a very pretty sandwich. For $13.25, you can also get a warm Jamaican jerk chicken wrap accompanied by a kale coleslaw with creamy cashew dressing and a pepita (pumpkin seeds) jalapeño pesto. The sandwich holds together well and is perfectly grilled.

The chef and owner might look familiar to you. Mike Williams hosted Chek TV’s Cookin’ on the Coast for three seasons and now puts all his efforts into feeding daytime passersby and office workers at Urban Forage.

Organic Lentil and Beet Salad

Kappo Marta

1600 BAY ST., AT SHAKESPEARE, 250-590-2449, KAPPO.CA

THIS CALM AND AIRY restaurant in the old Marta Café offers four categories on the menu: teishoku, noodles, donburi, and appetizers. Teishoku is the Japanese word for a set menu offered in-house. This meal is so generous and exquisite it feels like a bargain at $23. It comes on a tray with several small dishes, and it’s hard to know where to start. The salmon poke version is a bowl of tender pink poke on rice framed by red cabbage, shredded carrots, crispy onions, and a side dish of takoyaki, soft grilled balls of dough wrapped around diced octopus. The other dishes include a dumpling with crispy green onion, breaded chicken in a dainty plum sauce, tempura shrimp and yam, and miso soup. Note that these dishes will differ depending on the day.

A good tip is to ask for the mackerel teishoku—it isn’t listed but is pictured on the menu. The grilled mackerel was crisp, juicy, and delicious. Sides included three kinds of pickle: daikon, eggplant, and burdock. One intricate dish featured three tiny items—a slice of taro potato, marinated tofu, and a knot of tofu skin. These dishes are above and beyond a run-of-the-mill bento box.

Another fun dish to try is the Tokyo Maze Soba for $18. This cold noodle dish is a recent trend in Tokyo. And you’ll find a showstopper on the appetizer menu for $15. The Warm Mushroom Salad has crimini, enoki, portabella, shiitake, and shimeji mushrooms glazed in soy sauce, lime, and yuzu (an East Asian citrus fruit). These sit atop a bed of cabbage in sesame dressing. Grated carrots on top provide a spark of visual contrast.

It’s no surprise that execution of the dishes was to a high level. Chef and owner Ken Yoon studied at the French Culinary Institute and apprenticed at the renowned Nobu Tokyo. This neighbourhood restaurant in Fernwood is a great addition to the larger Victoria scene.

PRIVATE DINING

Exquisite offerings from Kappo Marta

Zero Lush ™ is a family owned business from Victoria B.C. that has partnered with Spanish wine makers to create five premium alcohol-free wines.

These quality wines are passed through a vacuum distill to remove all the alcohol.

Side Dish

THREE INGREDIENTS

Cook up your fresh tomatoes, peppers, and onions together and explore a passport of international flavours this fall.

TOMATOES OF ALL VARIETIES, peppers of all hues, and onions large and small are at their peak right now. Ripe heirloom tomatoes are a simply divine experience served sliced with nothing but a sprinkle of sea salt flakes and a drizzle of fragrant olive oil. They can be amped up with slices of fresh mozzarella, Caprese-style, with a flourish of fresh basil for a taste of sunshine. Last of the garden herbs should also be taken full advantage of—a handful brings extra life to any salad. And multi-coloured sweet peppers are crisp and juicy, adding pizzazz to salads or a fresh veggie platter with a dip.

Once fall arrives, though, my thoughts turn back to bold and flavourful cooking. Fresh is wonderful, of course, but tomatoes, peppers, and onions sautéed in olive oil until they give in become intensely flavoured, showcasing the wonders of cooking, the act of transforming ingredients. It also leads to exploration of how some of the world’s cooks transform said ingredients into delicious nourishment.

Let’s start with shakshuka, a dish of eggs poached in a sauce of stewy tomatoes, olive oil, peppers, onions, and garlic. It probably originated in North Africa in the 16th century when the Spanish conquistador Hernán Cortés first introduced tomatoes and peppers to the region as part of the Columbian exchange. It’s consumed throughout North Africa and the Middle East and has been part of Sephardic Jewish cuisine for centuries.

Depending on where it’s made, it comes in different guises. Some versions are spicier, others more sweet. It can be spiced with cumin, paprika, cayenne, or

harissa, and versions also vary with the seasons, with some adding potatoes to the mix. I make mine with cumin and harissa. Once you have the sauce ready, eggs are cracked into the middle and gently poached until set. You can cover the pan if you are impatient. Depending on how many you’re cooking for—and how much room you have on the stove—you can cook the dish in a big cast iron pan, or cook individual shakshukas in mini casserole dishes, mini cast iron pans, or even in the oven in individual ramekins.

Crumbled feta is a great addition just before serving, or top with thick and creamy labneh or Greek yogurt. I have added preserved lemon on occasion, or orange peel for a deep citrusy note. Either way, shakshuka must be served with slices of fresh bread for sopping up any extra sauce. It’s a dish that’s perfect for lunch, brunch, or even dinner. Versions are served at a few places in Victoria: House of Boateng, where it’s cooked up with chickpeas, artichokes, and chermoula (an herbaceous Moroccan pesto); and at Callisto at Bear Mountain, where it stays true to its roots.

In Spain’s Basque country, huevos a la flamenca is a riff on shakshuka by taking the base of tomatoes, onions, garlic, and roasted peppers and adding smoked paprika. Eggs are either poached or baked, and jamon Serrano or spicy chorizo are often added. The Turkish dish menemen calls for scrambling the eggs in the tomato-pepper stew. In Mexico, huevos con chile replaces the sweet peppers with the picante varieties, and scrambled eggs are simmered in the spicy sauce, either red or green. Huevos zapateros serves up more fire with dried chiles de arbol, tomatoes, and the pungent herb epazote before eggs are poached within it.

Take away the cumin, harissa, eggs, and other spices from shakshuka, and the trifecta of main ingredients—tomatoes, peppers, and onions—has all the makings for piperade, an important sauce from France’s Basque region. Add eggplant and last-of-the-season zucchini to the ingredient base and you have ratatouille, that wonderfully bright and chunky vegetable stew hailing from Provence. Serve either of them with lots of fresh herbs as a vegetarian main course with polenta, alongside grilled meats or fish folded into an omelette or pasta, or eaten straight from the fridge—it’s delicious cold! When it’s super thick, spoon it on top of lightly toasted slices of baguette for an instant tapas course.

And let’s not forget sofrito, a versatile, aromatic purée used as a base for building flavour into numerous dishes ranging from soups and stews to pots of rice. It is common in Mediterranean, Latin-American, Spanish, Italian, and Portuguese cooking, with a myriad of versions and variations.

Three ingredients used all around the world are your passport to a flavourful exploration of cultures and cuisines without leaving home. Take flight soon!

PHOTO: ISTOCK.COM/LISOVSKAYA

TAKE & BAKE

Good for You

THE MAGIC OF MUSHROOMS

They’re the visible proof of a sophisticated, living-giving network underground, and a vital part of healthy human eating above it.

NEXT TIME YOU EAT a mushroom remember to thank these remarkable plant creatures, which are responsible for life on earth. Yes, that sounds over the top, but without fungi, aquatic plants never could have survived on land when they took their first tentative steps out of the swamp half a billion years ago. Fungi provided them with root systems for millions of years before they evolved their own.

Today, 90 per cent of plants still depend on “mycorrhizal fungi” to link them to a steady supply of nutrients underground. Mushrooms, the fruiting bodies of fungi, are visible proof of this intricate transit system, storing water, nutrients, and— important in the fight against climate change—carbon.

Experts like American mycologist and author Paul Stamets believe mushrooms are an untapped source of food, medicine, and environmental restoration given their amazing ability to break down matter and return it to the soil. Those lifegiving properties are reflected in the scientific literature. A good example is a 2021 Penn State study showing that people who consumed 18 grams of mushrooms daily (about ¼ cup) had a 45 per cent lower risk of cancer than people who didn’t.

Thousands of different edible mushroom species pop up on the planet daily and most of us have eaten only a handful of them. Many are delicious, others more nutritious, but all of them are good for you.

Oyster

These pale, exquisitely ruffled mushrooms grow on alder trees in BC and have a subtle flavour and meaty texture that enhances any dish, especially eggs. A great source of protein and fibre, they’re packed with vitamins (C, B, and niacin) and amino acids. That Penn State study credited the antioxidant ergothioneine with the reduction in cancer risk and cited oyster mushrooms in particular as having more than the ubiquitous button mushroom. Robin Jackson, a former Sooke Harbour

House head chef, and his wildlife ecologist wife Dr. Melanie Clapham own West Coast Mycology, a mushroom farm in Metchosin. They grow Vancouver Island oyster mushroom strains and about a dozen unique gourmet mushroom varieties, including lion’s mane, chestnut, pioppino, and bear’s head, for restaurants and retail. Buy their fresh mushroom packages through The Local Food BoxMetchosin, and at Sooke Village Foods, Fairway Market (Langford, Westshore, Quadra, Shelbourne), and Red Barn (James Bay).

Lion’s Mane

This popular medicinal mushroom is also delicious, with a rich, earthy, lobsterlike flavour. Bonus: it boosts memory, cognitive function, and mental clarity as well as addresses nerve damage and stomach ulcers. A 2020 study of people with mild Alzheimer’s, published in the respected journal Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience, found daily, one-gram doses of lion’s mane for 49 weeks significantly improved cognitive test scores when compared with a placebo.

I like Big Mountain’s mushroom crumble for a meat-like addition to vegan bolognese. The North Vancouver health food innovator makes it with a trio of mushrooms—lion’s mane, portobello, and shiitake.

Closer to home, and using the same blend, is Murder Bay Mushrooms Mushroom Coffee. Jeff Robbins of East Sooke makes the coffee-like beverage powder with lion’s mane for cognitive health, reishi for boosted immunity, and shiitake for heart support. He’s online at murderbaymushrooms.com (with an array of mushroom products and grow kits), and also regularly attends the Metchosin Farmer’s Market.

Chaga

Beloved herbalist and teacher Rosemary Gladstar swears by a rich, health-giving tea made from chai spices and chaga mushrooms, describing the mellow, calming brew as the preferred party drink of her herbalist community in the northeastern US.

Chaga can easily be overlooked in the wild, resembling the charred remains of burnt wood on mature birches. It’s long been a stalwart of folk medicine in Eastern Europe and China for its ability to support the immune and gastrointestinal systems and as an overall tonic.

ILLUSTRATION: ISTOCK.COM/NATALIA CHURZINA

CAROLYN BATEMAN

In our house, the chaga delivery system of choice is Harmonic Arts Five Mushroom Chocolate, a blend of organic cacao, reishi, cordyceps, turkey tail, chaga, and lion’s mane. Run by clinical herbalists Yarrow and Angela Willard, the Cumberland-based plant medicine company has an extensive selection of medicinal mushroom products.

Turkey Tail

Turkey tail mushrooms aren’t what you want alongside your Saturday evening steak. They’re somewhat bitter in flavour, woody in texture (they grow on trees too), and are one of the most studied of the medicinal mushrooms. Turkey tails grow all over the world and have been used by indigenous people as medicine for millennia. The Chinese, in particular, revere its immune-supporting properties. They’re easy to cultivate in grow kits. Grow Mushrooms Canada in Sayward sells supplies to grow more than a dozen different mushrooms at growmushroomscanada ca as well as dried foraged mushrooms from Port Alberni company Forest for Dinner. Make a slowly simmered medicinal tea from pieces of turkey tail, or dry, grind, and add a little powder to soups and stews.

Fall is traditional mushroom picking season in BC as the rains return and the temperatures drop. It’s tempting to get out there and start picking, but foraging for mushrooms is best left to the experts—or until you become one yourself. A great place to start is the South Vancouver Island Mycological Society at svims club

Taste of Italy

Dinner ~ Wednesday to Sunday from 5pm

106 Superior St. | Reservations: 250.380.0088 | IlCovoTrattoria.ca

Cucina Italiana

victoria’s date night spot!

1/2 price select bottles, wednesdays & thursdays

ATE *A Restaurant

Filipino-inspired food brought to you by the same folks who gave us Hanks and Nowhere.

I TRY NOT TO pick favourites when it comes to restaurants in Victoria. Rather, I like to spread around my suggestions and dollars as much as I can, seeking to be supportive without choosing a dearest child. However, if under duress and I had to make a choice, a few names would come to mind. Hanks is one of them. I was therefore thrilled to hear that the people behind Hanks and Nowhere *A Restaurant are opening a third location, ATE *A Restaurant, serving Filipino-inspired food.

We have weekly features and specially paired dishes with signature wines by the glass or bottle. Stop in to visit Victoria’s best new date night spot.

“Ate [pronounced ah-te] means older sister in Tagalog, the national Filipino language,” says Jonna Deutscher, co-owner of the restaurant trio. She explains that ate usually refers to an older woman and is used as a sign of respect. “The ultimate ate is my mom,” she says. “She wouldn’t consider herself a cook, but we are using her recipes and she makes things her way. She’s the oldest of five siblings and the matriarch of our family.” Deutscher moved to Canada from the Philippines when she was 10 and says some of her first associations with Filipino food are potlucks with her family and buying a stick of grilled meat from a street vendor on her way home from school. “Filipino food is the ultimate fusion,” she says. “It’s Chinese, Malaysian, Japanese, with the Spanish coming in and putting their spin on things too. That’s kind of what we do at Hanks already.”

Now booking staff parties, Christmas parties and special moments at The Palms. Book your next big party online today!

4 pm to 11pm Sun – Thurs 4pm to 1:00am Fri and Sat

thepalmsrestaurant.ca

1450 Douglas Street • 250.383.7310

A couple of the dishes slated for the developing menu at ATE are the umami steamed and fried chicken with adobo gravy and achara (pickled green papaya) and the sole marinated in house-fermented pineapple vinegar and green garlic, crisped with powdered rice and served with a sawsawandipping sauce.

ATE will have a similar approach to food as Hanks and Nowhere, using hyper-local ingredients while playing with traditions and norms. Where it will differ from the other two will be the price point, which will be lower as they focus on quick simple meals perfect for takeout. “We deal with whole animals, and a lot of Filipino food uses off-cuts and parts that we don’t use in the other two restaurants,” says Deutscher. “Now we can use them at ATE in a way that ties in with our ethos of reducing food waste at an accessible price point while being as local as possible.”

At the time of writing, ATE is set to open in early September where Hanks currently resides. In turn, Hanks will be moving into a slightly larger location next to Nowhere, in the same building. The result will be the three restaurants, Hanks, Nowhere, and ATE, all sitting kitty-corner to one another in the Sussex Building in what will no doubt be a new go-to spot for excellent dining in Victoria.

Lumpia roll on an ube bun, pickled cucumbers and Pinot Murat emulsion; Adobo fried chicken and achara; and Square Root beans, peanuts, annatto and smoked soy

L–R: Chef/owners Clark Deutscher, Jonna Deutscher and Devon Revelle

ADRIAN PARADIS

Humboldt Bar

A tasty—and tasteful—homage to 19th-century exploration.

ABOUT A BLOCK FROM the tourist-trod Inner Harbour of downtown Victoria, a new cocktail bar has opened at a familiar address. Many readers will know Bartholomew’s, one of the longest standing pubs in the city and famous for its authentic, downto-earth atmosphere and cross-section of patrons. But those who’ve taken a right turn instead of a left upon entering will know of a room that has always held a certain appeal. It was Doubles for years, then Foxtrot Tango Whisky Bar for a tick, a small-ish, cozy space perfect for sipping cocktails and disappearing for some quiet contemplation, deep conversation, or simply to share the latest goss with some pals.

intertwined in every direction, from the vibrant and unpretentious service to the unique and approachable beverage offerings. Owner and food and beverage director Morgan Watson envisioned a place where navigating the menu would be easy and enjoyable, without the unnecessary verbiage often associated with craft cocktails.

The cocktail program, put together by bar manager Brant Porter, is a testament to the bar’s dedication to storytelling and the spirit of exploration. Divided into three sections, each featuring five tantalizing cocktails, “it’s a journey through time and taste,” says Porter. These three sections include Bright & Fresh, which features cocktails infused with fresh fruit, flowers, and herbs; Savory & Vegetal, which delves into the realm of vegetables, fungi, fermentation, and umami; and Bold & Spiced, which delivers intense flavours and aromatic spices. A personal favourite is the Leaving Lima, a blend of Pisco, Träkál, Chicha Morada, and grapefruit.

“These cocktails are not just drinks,” Porter explains, “They are expressions of Humboldt’s life and work. Each one is carefully crafted to evoke his journeys, an invitation to explore the world through the lens of a visionary, a chance to see the beauty and wonder that he saw.”

Of course, as the seasons change, so will the menu— which also includes a delicious selection of smaller plates, like spicy marinated cucumber and tofu ($12), beef carpaccio ($14), or a caramelized onion tart ($16).

Crab Cakes

YIELD: 4 appetizer size crab cakes

INGREDIENTS:

225g crab meat, gently squeeze out excess moisture and double check for shells

1 egg

1 tsp grainy mustard

1 Tbsp mayonnaise

3 Tbsp finely chopped herbs

Zest of 1 lemon

½ tsp kosher salt

½ cup panko

2 Tbsp butter or oil

Opened by Alderaan Hospitality (Bartholomew’s Public House, Stone Ground Pizza Co.), Humboldt evokes the spirit of Alexander von Humboldt, a 19th-century German naturalist and polymath who sought to understand the world as a whole— forever changing the way we understand nature by showing the scientific community that nature is a complex and interconnected global web. During his time, he was considered a radical.

Drawing inspiration from Humboldt’s revolutionary work, Humboldt Bar boasts a carefully appointed interior design courtesy of Rothschild West Design and Planning, with rich colours, velvety fabrics, and soothing lighting. There’s a philosophy of connection

Humboldt is a great place to raise a glass to the interconnectedness of our world and to the legacy of a man whose spirit lives on in the cocktails, conversations, and connections forged within its walls.

ADRIEN SALA

METHOD: Preheat oven to 400°F. Mix all ingredients except panko and butter together in a small bowl. Form the mixture into 4 equal puck shaped patties. Coat both sides generously in panko. Melt butter (or heat oil) in a medium pan over medium high heat. Gently place crab cakes in the pan and cook until golden brown on one side, approximately 2 minutes. Flip the crab cakes over and put the pan in the oven. Bake for 10 minutes or until just firm to the touch. Think of this as a base recipe that can take on any flavour profile you like depending on what you are serving. Dill and green onion make a great combo, but the possibilities are endless—try chives, tarragon, Thai basil, parsley. Add corn, peppers and smoked paprika, or mint, cilantro and a touch of sweet chili sauce. The world is your oyster... or maybe it’s your crab cake?

The cozy space at Humboldt Bar

Caramelized Onion Tart with Gorgonzola, toasted pecans, fermented garlic honey

JOHANN VINCENT

JOHANN VINCENT

Kerala Calling

Chefs Kiran Kolathodan and Karma Tenpa are channelling their many talents into the homey south Indian specialties of their youth with Café Malabar.

KERALA IS A STATE in southwestern India with a unique culinary heritage—one shared by the two young chefs behind Café Malabar.

Kiran Kolathodan and Karma Tenpa launched their café this summer from the communal Coho Commissary kitchen in the Victoria Public Market and are leaning on take-out to build fans for their South Indian menu before expanding into a future bricks-and-mortar dining spot.

Their Keralan cuisine, from the tropical Malabar Coast, is a departure from the more familiar North Indian fare, but the dishes are distinctive and delicious, from dosas and idlis, to steamed rice puttu, fish curries, and aromatic stews redolent in the wide variety of spices from this region.

It’s the first restaurant project for these chefs, but both come to it with plenty of top-drawer experience.

Born in Kerala and trained at the Institute of Hotel Management in India, chef Kolathodan cooked for four years at the Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge (where he met his wife, Lexi) before moving to BC and working at The Wickaninnish Inn, Vancouver’s Fairmont Waterfront, the Shangri-La Hotel, and as chef de cuisine at the Rosemont Hotel Georgia. He did internships (stages) at NOMA, and Borago in Chile, before landing in Victoria as culinary director at the Westin Bear Mountain Resort in 2022.

It was there he hired chef Tenpa, newly arrived from Mumbai, where he was chef de cuisine at the city’s Yazu – Pan Asian Supper Club, sushi chef at the luxury Conrad Pune Hilton, and a darling of local media.

Now the pair are channelling their many talents into the homey south Indian specialties of their youth.

“Keralan cuisine is not represented properly at all here,” says Kolathodan. “In the back of my mind, I always wanted to do something like this.”

You may need some help navigating Café Malabar’s menu, but the surprises are all pleasant. Start with the snack selections, which include vegetable cutlets

(crispy potato and vegetable patties); Egg Puffs, a puff pastry package encasing a masala-spiced egg; or the south Indian-style Gunpowder Dosa, a fermented rice crêpe dusted with spiced coconut.

“Kerala means ‘the land of coconut,’ and that’s our staple oil,” says Kolathodan, noting a coconut paste

A selection of dishes at Café Malabar

JOHANN VINCENT

is the basis of many traditional curries, “but Kerala is also the main source of spices like cardamom, cinnamon, black pepper, and cloves.”

“We are also a fishing region so fish is always on the menu, which fits well here in Victoria,” he adds, noting the state’s shape resembles Vancouver Island, with a long coastline along the Arabian Sea.

Puttu is a unique south Indian staple—a ground rice and coconut mixture that’s steamed in a metal cylinder. The texture of puttu is soft and slightly grainy, similar to couscous, and it makes a nice base for any of their curries (a.k.a. stews), including their moreish black chickpea Kadala curry, Varutharacha Chicken and Roasted Coconut Curry, or fiery Alleppey Fish Curry, with sour tamarind, dried chilies, and curry leaves.

The Kerala Pepper Beef, another staple dish, is typically served with bread, but instead of naan, here you can try parotta, a flakey, layered, fried flatbread, or appam (a.k.a, hoppers), a thin, fermented, rice and coconut pancake shaped like a shallow bowl.

Or opt for a side of the short-grained Kerala Matta rice from the Palakkadan region, with a reddish hue and slightly sweet, nutty flavour from the soil where

it’s grown. Long grain kaima rice is also featured in rice bowls and cooked with whole spices and ghee to complement the plantain (morru) buttermilk curry, cabbage Thoran, or Kerala fried chicken.

There’s lots to discover on this menu, so you’ll need to visit more than once to taste through all of the choices. For now, you can perch on a stool in the public market or order online to have Café Malabar delivered to your door.

But this selection of Keralan snacks, breakfast specialties and curries is only the beginning—beyond their casual table service and to-go offerings in the market, the chefs are hoping to expand their South Indian menu into their own restaurant soon.

CINDA CHAVICH

L–R: Chefs Kiran Kolathodan and Karma Tenpa

JOHANN VINCENT

Bray’s West Coast Tapas + Wine Bar

Named for and owned by a family with deep roots in the Victoria business community, Bray’s is quintessential West Coast fine dining, accomplished and accessible.

I APPROACHED THE PATIO of Bray’s West Coast Tapas + Wine Bar from the Johnson Street Bridge side of the historic Janion building, taking in the mix of folks soaking up the sun. Inside, the elegant, welcoming room has both clean lines and an aesthetic that veers towards vintage. Chef Harris Bredin is at the helm of the open kitchen, and bar manager Ian Reinders is at the bar.

I ordered the Coco Bird with Flor de Cana 12-year rum, Campari, lime, pineapple, and coconut. My dinner companion, Dani, ordered the Blue Bridge with London Dry Gin, Alchemist Nectar-Apple Liqueur, Woods Amaro Chiaro, Blue Butterfly Flower Tea, and blueberry-thyme reduction. My drink was rich and booze-forward, the coconut emerging at the end. Dani’s was unique, subtle, and delicious. As we sipped our cocktails, we perused the menu, choosing Zucchini and Squash with Green Goddess, arugula, whipped ricotta, and pistachio; Seared Scallops with asparagus, bone marrow jam, and chili oil; Roasted Carrots with roasted eggplant puree, furikake, and lentils; and two Fanny Bay oysters with mignonette.

Chef Harris, most recently from The Hallway, designed the menu to showcase local fare in a limited open kitchen—small plates not only made the most sense, “It’s my favourite way to eat,” he admitted.

The salad arrived exquisitely plated, a delicate and lush blend of flavours. Peppery arugula contrasted with whipped ricotta (delivered through the siphon gun) and salty pistachios. The Fanny Bay oysters were fresh, briny, and yum; the scallops perfectly seared. With just the asparagus, the scallop dish would have been simple and tasty, but the bone marrow jam, so decadent, nudged it into a more robust and filling sphere. The carrots, with their red lentil and smoky eggplant purée base, were topped with house-made furikake (a Japanese condiment). Surprising and tasty, marrying sweet, smoky, and umami.

We shared the Lemon Olive Oil Cake with Buttermilk Gelato, which arrived deconstructed, spread across the plate. I usually go for more savoury dishes and skip dessert, but I’ll return for this.

The next time we popped into Bray’s, we ordered the Gnocchi with Romesco and Feta, the Blistered Shishito Peppers, and the Albacore Tuna Crudo with blood-orange emulsion, rice cracker, pickled jalapeño, and apple. The gnocchi, house-made and a bit firm, had a comforting bite. The Shishito Peppers were yummy and, at times, quite piquant. The tuna won this round. We scooped up the silky raw tuna, crisp apple, and pickled jalapeño with the house-made cracker. The textures, tastes, and spices were divine. Another day, I dropped by to chat and try the Beef Carpaccio with black garlic aioli, arugula, focaccia, and Grana Padano. We spoke about the skill and aesthetic of plating well, chef Harris’s commitment to food and culinary exploration, and the little garden out back—a great place to decompress. “Watering the garden is my yoga,” Harris admitted. “It’s nice to be somewhere busy and bright, and the response has been amazing.” It’s the first time he has worked in an open kitchen, where he can keep an eye on service and time dishes just right.

Ian enjoys highlighting his favourite wines and signature cocktails. He shared his passion for showcasing local wines and spirits as well as international products: “I love offering the best of BC vineyards and distilleries and what they represent.”

As they got back to work, I tucked into my carpaccio and Ian’s pairing of St. Hubertus and Oak Bay Vineyard Gamay Noir Okanagan. The Berryman beef was paper-thin, the aioli held deep notes of black garlic, and the arugula’s bitterness with the sharp, salty Padano was rich. Altogether it was grand. Then a heavy, tender, gorgeous Sous Vide Pork Belly arrived with horseradish and mushroom gravy, lightened by a fennel slaw’s crunch and licorice snap. A must-have if you’re extra hungry.

A union of rich Victoria history and vibrant contemporary flavours, Bray’s is yet another fine reason to head downtown.

GILLIE EASDON

L–R: Chef Harris Bredin, Beverage Director Ian Reinders, and owner Gareth Bray-Bancroft Albacore Tuna Crudo

Zucchini and Squash with Green Goddess

ELIZABETH NYLAND

Beaumont Catering

Creating bespoke menus for business and family events allows Beaumont to become a “small and delicious part” of their stories.

WHEN CHEFS SANDI IRVING and Cristián Rodriguez came together to form Beaumont Catering, they brought shared passions for creating thoughtfully personalized menus. Both Cristián and Sandi love getting to cook with the abundance of natural ingredients Vancouver Island offers.

“We have the best of everything at our fingertips, fish and seafood, foraging, farmers, as well as the suppliers and makers that work with them,” Sandi says beaming, “We have a pretty basic food philosophy: good ingredients make delicious food.” And who can argue with that?

With both chefs having extensive backgrounds in fine dining, farm-to-table, open-flame cooking, and long-table dinners, the plating and service are beautiful and delicious, without being pretentious and overdone. Events with Beaumont Catering are accessible, fun, and individually curated for each client, and the pair make sure to incorporate favourite foods or dishes in all their events.

Originally from Chile, Cristián grew up in Montreal and studied at the Institut de tourisme et d’hôtellerie du Québec (ITHQ) Culinary Art program. He worked at Moishes Steakhouse, which was nominated as one of the top 10 steakhouses in the world by Forbes magazine in 2012. He eventually went on to help open la Société bistro with chef Sean Reeve, now at The Mackenzie Room in Vancouver, before moving to Victoria. Leaning into his Chilean heritage, Christián loves to cook over live fire and pairs it well with refined techniques learned over the years.

Sandi finished her apprenticeship under chef David Mincey at Camille’s, a longtime French fine dining establishment in Victoria, where Wind Cries Mary now resides in Bastion Square. She went on to work at various lodges along the British Columbian coast, becoming executive chef at Nimmo Bay for seven years before taking over the food program at Bilston Creek Farm in Metchosin.

Now, as a boutique catering company, says Cristián, “we are small and can offer hands-on, personal service, and we make sure to not overbook ourselves.”

Creating bespoke menus for events both large and small keeps the chefs inspired and motivated. For them, food is at the forefront of every event. For the upcoming holiday season, Cristián will be adding authentic tourtière to their menu.

“Creating menus for super-personal and specific events is so fun,” Sandi says with a laugh. “You get to be a small, delicious part of a client’s story.”

MICHAEL FARLEY

Grilled corn with shihsito peppers

Chef/owners Cristián Rodriguez and Sandi Irving

MICHAEL FARLEY

MICHAEL FARLEY

Simmer & Stew

This fusion of tender sweet potatoes, protein-packed chickpeas, and vibrant kale in a creamy coconut milk base is flavoured with aromatic spices like garam masala, turmeric, and ginger. Drizzle with Chili Oil and top with Cilantro Dukkah for an extra kick. Comforting and nourishing, it’s perfect for cool autumn evenings.

Coconut, Sweet Potato, and Chickpea Stew

Serves 4 to 6

Stew

3 Tbsp olive oil

1 medium red onion, chopped

1 medium red bell pepper, chopped

2-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and minced

4 cloves garlic, minced

2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed

2 cups cooked chickpeas, drained and rinsed

2 tsp garam masala

1 tsp turmeric

½ tsp cayenne pepper

3 cups vegetable broth

Sea salt and black pepper, to taste

2 cups coconut milk

4 cups kale, stems removed and leaves chopped

2 limes, for garnish

Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. When the oil shimmers, add the onion and the bell pepper. Cook for about five minutes until soft.

Add the ginger, garlic, sweet potatoes, and chickpeas. Cook until fragrant, about two minutes. Stir in the garam masala, turmeric, and cayenne, and cook for another minute.

Add the broth. Season generously with salt and pepper. Bring the mixture to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat to low. Cover and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes, until the sweet potatoes are tender.

Stir in the coconut milk and chopped kale. Cook for an additional five minutes. Remove from the heat.

Chili Oil

Makes approximately ½ cup

⅓ cup olive oil

4 cloves garlic, lightly smashed

1 Tbsp sesame seeds

2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes

1 tsp ground cumin seed

1 tsp paprika

Sea salt, to taste

Heat the olive oil and garlic in a small saucepan over low heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the garlic is fragrant, about three minutes. Stir in the sesame seeds, crushed red pepper flakes, and ground cumin seed. Cook for 30 seconds. Remove from the heat and stir in the paprika. Season the oil with salt. Let it cool. When ready to use, remove and discard the garlic.

Cilantro Dukkah

Makes approximately ¾ cup

⅓ cup almonds

⅓ cup pecans

1½ Tbsp sesame seeds

1 tsp ground coriander

½ tsp ground cumin

½ tsp ground fennel

¼ tsp ground black pepper

¼ tsp sea salt

½ cup chopped fresh cilantro

In a food processor, pulse the nuts and sesame seeds until they form a coarse meal (pea-sized or smaller). Avoid over-pulsing to prevent turning them into nut butter.

Transfer the mixture to a dry sauté pan over medium-low heat. Stir occasionally for two to three minutes. Reduce the heat to low and add the ground coriander, cumin, fennel, pepper, and salt to the nut mixture in the pan. Continue stirring for another two minutes until the mixture becomes slightly fragrant. Remove from the heat and stir in the fresh cilantro.

To serve, ladle the stew into bowls. Drizzle with chili oil and top with the cilantro dukkah. Enjoy this delicious and hearty stew with rice or naan bread for a comforting and flavourful meal.

Isabelle Bulota

Marilena: Big City Style in the Capital

This highly anticipated downtown restaurant is resonating with diners who are filling the room nightly.

It’s not hyperbole to say that Marilena Café and Raw Bar is Victoria’s most hotly anticipated new restaurant in recent memory.

Originally set to launch in 2020, but pushed back by the pandemic, the upscale dining room finally opened this summer. And it’s clear that all of that extra lead time was carefully spent, burnishing every detail to the fine luster that brings a restaurant star status.

It’s hard to know where to start because Marilena seems to have it all, from the soft arc of a leather banquette and a soaring back bar displaying hundreds of the best bottles, to glass-enclosed red

and white wine rooms, a dedicated raw/sushi bar, and a massive open kitchen where chef Kristian Eligh and his team turn out their creative, seafoodforward menu.

“We are definitely a seafood-focussed restaurant, local first, but also imported sustainable seafood,” says Eligh, who is relying on 15 suppliers to source a wide variety of fresh fish for Marilena’s large menu, with twice weekly deliveries to the Island.

There’s BC sockeye featured in the Oshi Aburi and Hecate Strait Halibut served in a lemongrass broth, but you’ll also find specialty fish imported from Japan for the raw bar, fresh Hawaiian Kampachi Crudo,

whole grilled branzino from Mediterranean waters, and Crispy Skin Striped Bass served with cured pork XO, a dish Eligh says is proving especially popular with diners.

New York artist Fernando Mastrangelo’s “Salt Mirrors,” back-lit sculptural artwork wrought in salt and glass, lend an ethereal note to the space in the Rotunda building at Douglas and Cormorant, while an ocean-blue, custom-designed Hestan Cooking Suite from California dominates the large open kitchen, a spot to linger and watch the chefs at work. Even the bathrooms are impressive—enter your personal powder room where a heated toilet automatically opens to greet you.

It’s all part of a stylish dining experience that’s centred around a globally inspired menu, which marries exclusive with accessible.

“We are surrounded by this beautiful, beautiful space and have an opportunity to cook in this stunning open kitchen, but we really want to make sure that the hospitality and the food are approachable,” says Eligh of his menu that includes elevated but familiar dishes, whether Italian burrata and heirloom tomato salad, wild mushroom soup, crispy fish tacos, or addictive Parmesan crusted fried chicken. There are both small plates for sharing and larger plates, plus a sushi selection from chef Clark Park’s dedicated raw bar.

At the high end, there’s Hida wagyu beef imported from Japan ($64 per 2-ounce portion), a $165 signature seafood tower featuring Nova Scotia lobster, oysters, and yellowfin tuna tartare, or a choice of caviar, the rare beluga ringing in at $399 for 50 grams.

And it’s all resonating with diners who are filling the room nightly.

“The reception we have received from this city and from people travelling here to eat is incredible,” says Eligh. “There’s definitely an ambiance and a vibe that we’re seeing here that is tough to parallel anywhere else in the city—there’s not a room like it—and that might be part of it.”

All of this largesse is thanks to the restaurant’s Vancouver owners, the Aquilini Group, a company with many diversified sectors, from real estate development and construction, to blueberry, cranberry, and sablefish farming, restaurants and hotels. Marilena joins other notable restaurants under its Toptable Group umbrella, including Vancouver’s Bluewater Café and Elisa, Araxi, Il Caminetto, and Bar Oso in Whistler, and the newly opened Carlotto in New York City.

Francesco Aquilini also famously owns both Rogers Arena and the Vancouver Canucks, so we may see some NHL stars dining here when the team arrives in the capital in September for its training camp.

Eligh says the goal is “to be the best restaurant in Victoria,” and Marilena is off to a spectacular start.

Crispy Skin Striped Bass with yu choy, maitake mushroom, and cured pork XO

Grilled Octopus with n’duja sofrito and braised gigante beans

Chef Kristian Eligh

Hawaiian Kanpachi Crudo with Meyer lemon, horseradish, and domenica fiore olive oil

Cinda Chavich

Jacqueline Downey

This is one of those non-recipe recipes that doesn’t rely on exact measurements, but more on your tastes and preferences. So, while the ingredients in their amounts as outlined below make a beautiful, deep, autumn dish full of umami (mushrooms and tamari), brightness (cilantro and lemon zest), and different textures (crispy rice and shallots), feel free to add more ginger if you like, or less chili flakes, or heft it up with more wild rice. Wild rice is optional by the way, though I do recommend it, as it adds a lovely chewy texture. This dish stands perfectly well on its own but also pairs beautifully with fish or tofu, roasted broccolini or squash.

Wild Mushroom and Allium Fried Rice

Serves 4–6

3 Tbsp black vinegar (see note)

1 Tbsp tamari or light soy sauce

2 Tbsp mirin

2 tsp sesame oil

½ tsp chili flakes

1 Tbsp unsalted butter

1 Tbsp white miso paste

1 lb mixed mushrooms such as oyster, cremini, shiitakes, or lion’s mane

4 Tbsp canola oil (use the shallot oil if you fried the shallots used in this recipe yourself)

5 cups cooked jasmine rice, a day or two old (see note)

2 Tbsp minced fresh garlic (about 5 large cloves)

2 Tbsp minced fresh ginger

Finely minced zest of one lemon (about 2 tsp)

¾ cup cooked wild rice (optional)

½ cup roughly chopped fresh cilantro

¼ cup thinly sliced green onions

⅓ cup fried shallots (see note)

In a small measuring cup, whisk together the vinegar, tamari, mirin, sesame oil, and chili flakes. Set aside.

In a large wok over medium-high heat, melt the butter and add the miso. Add about a tablespoon of water to help dissolve the miso. Add the mushrooms. Stir-fry until the liquid has evaporated, 5–7 minutes. Transfer the mushrooms, which should be creamy and cooked through, to a bowl and set aside.

Wipe out the wok and set it over high heat.

Once the wok is hot, add 2 Tbsp of the canola oil. (Remember, if you fried your own shallots, use that flavoured reserved oil instead.)

Add about half of the cooked white rice and spread it onto the bottom of the wok. Let it fry in the oil until slightly browned and crisped, watching carefully so it doesn’t burn. Flip and toss with a slotted spoon and

continue to cook until you’ve got some nicely browned and crisp spots throughout. Transfer the rice to a large bowl, add the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil to the wok, and repeat with the remaining white rice.

Return all the white rice to the wok and stir in the garlic, ginger, lemon zest, and the cooked wild rice (if using). Stir-fry until the garlic and ginger are softened, about 3 minutes. Stir in the mushrooms.

Pour the vinegar-tamari sauce into the wok and toss until all the rice is well coated and hot throughout.

Transfer everything to a serving bowl or platter. Top with cilantro, green onions, and fried shallots.

Note: Black vinegar is a funky, delicious, fermented vinegar that can be found at many Asian specialty stores. If you can’t find it, combine 1 tablespoon dark soy sauce or tamari and 2 tablespoons rice vinegar.

Note: You can buy packaged fried shallots from many Asian or specialty stores, or you can make them yourself. Thinly slice (a mandolin is best) 5 or 6 medium shallots. Heat 3 cups of canola oil in a medium pot over medium-high heat. Bring the oil up to 325°F. Add the shallots. Stirring regularly with a slotted spoon, fry the shallots until just golden brown, 8–10 minutes. Using the slotted spoon, transfer the shallots to a paper-towel-lined plate and sprinkle lightly with salt. Retain the flavoured oil for the fried rice recipe.

Note: Leftover white rice is the best for frying. The moisture content is much less compared to fresh, and this will prevent it from getting mushy. The best way to store your cooked rice, if you are planning to make fried rice with it, is uncovered in a bowl in the fridge. Or if you are making it fresh the same day, spread it on a sheet pan and keep uncovered in the fridge until ready to use.

Get creative with this fragrant fall rice dish—ginger it up, turn down the heat, or increase the umami factor with more mushrooms and tamari.

Terrific Tiffins

Elizabeth Monk

Johann Vincent

In India’s big cities, armies of men on bicycles deliver lunch to office workers in tiered tins called tiffins. I had assumed this service was only in India, but then I started coming home to a daily bag of containers hanging from my doorknob, destined for my Indian lodger. I was intrigued, not to mention jealous, and I learned that there are several tiffin businesses operating in Victoria, with a clientele for now of mostly international students, immigrants, healthcare workers, and widowers. And, recently, me!

I will focus on two VIHA-certified businesses. You may already be familiar with Ruby Uppal’s food as she sells samosas and pakoras to local grocery stores. Her other business is India Tiffin Service. I enjoyed daily delivery of one curry, one sabzi (cooked vegetables), four rotis and rice, a yogurt raita, and, twice a week, a dessert. Tiffins are meant to offer home cooking, and one dish in particular I had never had at a restaurant, a sabzi of potatoes, tomatoes, and bari—balls made of lentil and chickpea flour. The taste was very fresh,

the tomatoes juicy to bite into, and the dish spicy while still being flavourful and aromatic. It was served on the same day as a nutty yellow pea dahl, making a very fulfilling meal.

Another day I did have dishes I recognized from restaurants—a delicious and slightly sweet shahi paneer. This is a vegetarian version of butter chicken, with a base of onions, garlic, ginger, tomatoes, and cream flavoured with cardamom, fennel seed, cinnamon, and cloves among other spices. It came with a chutney made of tamarind, mint, and cilantro. The accompanying dish was gingery brown lentils in a rich brown curry.

Ruby’s offerings are vegetarian, but on Fridays you can special-order tandoori chicken. Make sure you do! The chicken is baked a beautiful dark brick-red and seasoned with red chili, coriander, and lemon. My family fought over it. You can also special-order samosas and pakoras as an extra.

Similar to India Tiffin Service, Spicy Tiffin Victoria offers vegetarian food from North India. The owners are a brother and sister, Aashna and Vishal Saini. When their mother came to Canada in 2019, she recognized a market for a tiffin service. My subscription got me one curry and sabzi a day, along with roti, rice, and a small salad.

I especially enjoyed a beautiful yellowishgreen chickpea curry, the chickpeas slow-simmered in a red chili masala (spice mix), turmeric, and coriander leaves. One day the offering was tender potatoes and black chickpeas in a turmeric-inflected sauce. On another day the curry was a lentil dahl with a base of onions, garlic, ginger,

and tomatoes seasoned with turmeric and chili. The accompanying salad was always made of cucumber, red onion, and puréed cilantro.

A treat of dessert is included twice a week at India Tiffin, and once a week at Spicy Tiffin. Both places presented classic milky rice pudding scented with cardamom, but the second dessert from India Tiffin was new to me. It was called halwa, a mixture of whole wheat flour, ghee, sugar, and cardamom mixed into a tasty paste that I ate with a spoon.

Getting a tiffin in Victoria is not as environmentally friendly as it is in India, where the previous day’s stainless steel tiffin box is picked up and cleaned. Public health laws currently prevent that set-up, so single-use plastic was being used when I wrote this. However, a new BC law is phasing out many singleuse plastic food service containers by December so stay tuned.

Getting a weekly or monthly tiffin subscription service is much cheaper than ordering in, and without the mental overhead of decision-making.

In the kitchen at India Tiffin Service

A regular tiffin service of tasty Indian food right to your door is much cheaper than ordering in and without the mental overhead of decision-making.

Some of the selection available – Spicy Tiffin Victoria

Prices at India Tiffin Service are $250 a month for six days a week, and at Spicy Tiffin are $250 a month for five days a week.

Ruby at India Tiffin Service is willing to be flexible with service on fewer days. My tiffins from Spicy Tiffin arrived around 11:30 a.m., and those from Indian Tiffin Service arrived around 5:30 p.m. I plan to use a tiffin delivery service for my family when I’m next out of town and have it in my back pocket as a gift to any friend recovering from a medical procedure. Or just as a gift to myself. Tiffin delivery will spice up anyone’s day!

This is by no means a complete list. Consider this a starting point.

India Tiffin Service india-tiffin-service.business.site rubyspakoras@gmail.com

Spicy Tiffin Victoria spicytiffin.ca spicytiffinvictoria@gmail.com

Yogi’s Kitchen Food Services yogiskitchen.ca 2527 Government St.

Curry Club Victoria curryclubvictoria.ca

980 Blanshard St.

Turmeric Indian Cuisine turmericvictoria.com

777 Goldstream Ave. #103, Langford

Big Bite Samosa bigbitesamosa.ca

1701 Douglas St.

Forming the roti dough – Spicy Tiffin Victoria

If you’re wishin’ for tiffin

Sweet Endings Sweet Endings

BAKED APPLES THREE WAYS

This fall, fill your house with the divine aromas of baking apples, brown sugar, and cinnamon.

Iremember having this classic’s nutty or oatmeal versions as a kid when Mom wanted a quick and easy dessert. The house smelled heavenly while they baked, and she always made extra for breakfast the following day.

Since I couldn’t decide which baked apple recipe I liked best, I’m offering all three here: The classic version, filled with nuts and raisins; a crisp version, which I’ve upped with the addition of blueberries; and an apple pie version with pastry, which is just so easy and fast, it warranted including here.

Though the filling can change, the method for baked apples remains similar in all three ways, although the baked apple pie method is slightly different in that you don’t add liquid to the baking dish.

Each of these recipes, with the fillings of your choice, is made with four apples to yield four servings. Use firm apples like Granny Smith, Gala, Honeycrisp, Jonagold, or Golden Delicious.

Fillings: Nutty

¼ cup brown sugar

1 tsp cinnamon

¼ cup chopped pecans

¼ cup currants or chopped raisins, optional

1 Tbsp unsalted butter, softened to room temperature

Mix all the filling ingredients together in a small bowl using a fork or your fingers.

Blueberry Crisp

3 Tbsp unsalted butter, softened to room temperature

¼ cup packed light or dark brown sugar

½ tsp ground cinnamon

⅛ tsp ground nutmeg

¼ cup (21 g) old-fashioned wholerolled oats

¼ cup fresh blueberries

Mix all the filling ingredients—except the blueberries—together in a small bowl using a fork or your fingers. Lightly incorporate the blueberries once the other ingredients are well mixed.

Baked Apple Pie

1 tsp cornstarch

1 Tbsp (15 mL) warm water

1 large or 2 small apples, peeled and diced

1 tsp ground cinnamon

½ cup (100 g) granulated sugar

1 tsp pure vanilla extract

You will also need:

1 large egg

1 tsp milk (for the egg wash)

Strips of cold pie dough (about one 10inch round of dough, cut into 5-inch-by¼-inch strips. Put strips in the fridge, covered, until ready to use.)

Peel and dice one apple.

Mix together the cornstarch and warm water in a very small bowl until smooth, and the cornstarch has dissolved. Set aside.

In a medium saucepan, add the diced apple, cornstarch/water mixture, cinnamon, and sugar, and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, for 5 minutes. Turn heat to low and allow

to simmer for 5 minutes. Remove from heat, stir in the vanilla, and allow to cool for 20 minutes.

To make the baked apples: Preheat oven to 375F°.

Core the apples about three-quarters the way down the apple using a sharp paring knife and a spoon or an apple corer, removing the core and all the seeds. Make sure not to remove the bottom of the apple—you need a base to keep all those delicious fillings inside the apple; otherwise, the sugar and butter will end up in the baking dish. (I make a reasonably large cavity in the apples to add more filling. I start with an apple corer, then enlarge with a paring knife and spoon.)

Nutty or Blueberry Crisp: Place the cored apples in an 8- or 9-inch round or square baking dish. Fill them with the filling of your choice, mounding it a little at the top as it will sink slightly when baking. Add ¾ cup of warm water to the pan. This keeps the apples moistened and prevents them from burning. (For a boozy take, spike the water with a couple tablespoons of bourbon or whiskey.)

Baked Apple Pie: Place the cored apples in an 8- or 9-inch round or square baking dish. Spoon in the cooled prepared filling and top each apple with strips of pie dough, weaving to form a lattice top. Mix the egg and milk in a small bowl for the egg wash. Brush top with egg wash. Add a dusting of cinnamon if desired.

Baked apples take about 40–50 minutes to become pleasantly soft and tender. Bake longer for softer, mushier baked apples.

After removing the baked apples from the oven, allow them to sit for about 5 minutes before serving. Serve with whipped cream or coconut cream, vanilla bean ice cream or Greek yogurt, and/or caramel sauce.