Eating Victoria- Food Blog and Eating Guide

Smuggler’s Cove Neighbourhood Pub
2581 Penrhyn St.
250-477-2688

I rarely go to Cadboro Bay area, but a few weeks ago the sun was shining and JH and I decided on a beach day. After a nice afternoon of eating pistachios and cherries, we were in need of something more substantial. The location of Smuggler’s Cove is ideal for beach-goers or UVic students seeking an off-campus hangout. The server we had was a touch rough around the edges, but nice enough. She got us some drinks, and we put in our order. I always ask a server to recommend something for me to eat. I find it amusing when I ask for a suggestion and then I see their eyes busily reading the menu as I read it, their mouths simultaneously saying exactly what we’re both reading together. Not much of a suggestion then is it? I went for the cajun veggie burger, which wasn’t particularly cheap, something like 12 or 13 dollars. When I hear Cajun, some level of heat and spices come into mind. The only thing Cajun about the Cajun veggie burger was the name. For a beer and a burger, plus tip, over 20 dollars for the bill, schmeh. I don’t think I’ll plan a special trip to go here again. I’ve eaten here a few times before in the past, and it was about the same, average. I like the building, dark and spacious, and they have a patio for the summer. I do believe the food needs an upgrade into the 21st century, the menu is outdated.

The Sticky Wicket
919 Douglas St.
250-383-7137

I’ve been to the Wicket a few times for food. The last two times were better than average, but my most recent visit was just average. We didn’t get service for close to ten minutes of sitting down. I can understand when a restaurant/pub is busy, but 10 minutes is a little bit on the lazy/slow side. MH, JH, and I ordered a round of drinks and some small food. I had some yam fries, and some dessert later on.MH had some spring rolls and a margherita pizza. The prices weren’t super high, but I wasn’t a huge fan of the dessert, and the spring rolls tasted like canned tuna apparently. I wasn’t impressed with the vegetarian options, typical fried offerings or unimaginative pizza or salad. Coupled with the service, I don’t think I will be going back anytime soon.

Penny Farthing Pub
2228 Oak Bay Ave
250-370-9008

I have tried giving the Penny Farthing a few chances. But all three times have been flops. Once I didn’t even get to eat, once the food sucked, and make that twice, the food sucked on my last experience too. The worst part is that, despite their daily specials, the food is exorbitantly overpriced keeping in theme with most of the joke pubs [Bard and Banker, Irish Times for example]. I found it extremely hard to find something veggie-friendly on the menu. Most of it was seafood or meat. For a whopping 12 or more dollars, we had the mediterranean veggie dip. The predominant flavour was cheese, but to my shock, I could taste seafood. I don’t know if there was some type of cross contamination, but it tasted fishy, definitely put me off. The dip was marketed as a veggie dip, yet I couldn’t recognize any vegetables. With a pint of expensive beer, this last experience will be just that, my last. Epic Fail.

Ledge Lounge
1140 Government St.
250-384-6835

The Ledge Lounge lies within the Bedford Regency Hotel, right next to Cafe Artigiano on Government Street. The room itself is quite dark, fitting for a lounge. There is a bar when you first walk in, a pool table, and many inviting tables to sit at. I was surprised when my friends informed me this lounge had a full kitchen, I was compelled to taste their offerings. The Ledge is an LGBT-friendly establishment, but it seemed to be a mixed crowd for a lounge.

Our server was a young man, quite informative and friendly. He suggested I try the veggie burger, which came with a salad and the soup. As a newbie- Vegetarian I asked if the soup had chicken stock, and I was pleased that it was all veggie-based, including no shrimp, oyster or fish sauce in the curry paste. My friends and I enjoyed our drinks, a decent selection of local beers on tap.  The burger was good. I couldn’t make out everything that was in it, but I did find some chickpeas. The portions were generous, and the price was good for the value. I wasn’t super keen about the soup, it was too thick and fatty. There was a lot of flavour, but the consistency was too thick. The salad was good.

Overall, I would suggest going to the Ledge if you want something to nibble on while having a couple of beers/ cocktails. Interesting downtown location, but friendly staff and decent specials( the special that night was lemongrass Saltspring Island Mussels which my friend DL ordered, and enjoyed).

Cheers