The Mint
1414 Douglas St.
250-386-6468
www.themintvictoria.com
The Mint was actually one of the first restaurants I ever went to in Victoria. It’s easy to walk by on Douglas, but venture down the stairs and you’ll enter a cavernous night-gem. This place is open late( 2 a.m. 7 days a week), and serves up good food with a DJ on some nights. The walls are adorned with quirky metal art and masks, light sconces, and icicle lights. The Mint feels like no other restaurant in Victoria because of the dark setting and underground appeal.
Last night ( Sunday night) was cheap wine night, so my friends J and S joined me for a bite and vino. This place is notorious for hit and miss service, but last night we had a great server who was attentive and quick, something we’re not used to here. She stuttered a bit in conversation with us but it was cute. The specials here are great, cheap beer and appies on most nights, see their website for more deets. I usually get the Tibetan pork Momos($8.25) or the Chicken Naan pizza($8.75), both of which are featured on different nights of the week for even cheaper. The ladies I went with weren’t too hungry so I ordered an appy platter to share. All platters are on for $10 on Sunday, and out of the three we went for the Greek platter.
You get a lot for your buck at The Mint, I always leave full. The Greek Platter was packed with warm bread, and crackers to stack up the feta, salami, tomatoes, hummus, and tzatziki. Kalamata olives and grapes were on the platter too(just not visible in the photo).
The curries here are great, I particularly like the lamb curry.
So if you’re looking to try something different, check out The Mint. It’s a good late-night hang out for a group of friends, and cheap drinks. The atmosphere is trendy but the decibel level can be challenging with the music and obstreperous diners, but I always enjoy my time here.
