Ottavio’s Cafe
2272 Oak Bay Ave.
250-592-4080
www.ottaviovictoria.com
As I settle into my digs in Oak Bay, I find myself wandering Oak Bay Avenue admiring all the shops and eats along the way. Oak Bay has a rich suburbia feeling, but with that comes some interesting and high-quality places to shop and eat. I have been to Ottavio’s in the past, so banking on those experiences, I made a stop by there a few weeks ago to grab some ingredients. The cheese selection is impressive, their charcuterie is decent, and the baked goods look great. I picked up some olives, and cheese and greek oregano. I was hoping they would have some pizza dough, but it sold out by the time I got there. The staff member that aided me gave me the courage to give the dough a go by myself. I ended up making one of the best pizzas( actually the first pizza dough I’ve made from scratch) I’ve had in a long time. I had some andouille sausage, tomato sauce, onions, peppers and salami on the meat pizza. I also made a greek vegetarian pizza with a kale and onion sauce, goats feta, oven roasted cherry tomatoes, and kalamata olives. Tasty!
JB and I went to Ottavio’s a couple days ago for a lunch. As many of you may have noticed, I have been cutting back on my reviews. I’m in employment limbo at the moment, so I have been pinching pennies and cooking most of my meals at home. Not having to make lunch that day was a real treat. Ottavio’s is definitely the buzz of Oak Bay around lunch time, the whole place is packed, especially because it was sunny outside on the patio. I had a chorizo panini, and JB had the fusili with beef ragu. The pasta was homemade and the sauce was definitely from scratch too. The flavours with delicate and served with a simple( and forgettable) green salad. The pasta was overcooked for my liking, but it was a baked pasta with a bechamel sauce on top. My panini was good, the bread made it. The prices are higher than your average deli, but you’re getting access to higher than average ingredients. If I ever need cheese, or cured meats, or nice crusty bread, Ottavio’s will be at the top of my list. I’m taking a breakmaking course right now, so who knows I might be able to make my own artisan loaf sooner than I thought( I’m letting my dough rest for baking first thing in the morning!)
Cheers
-Eating Victoria
