The Reef

I used to eat at The Reef every couple of weeks when I worked down town.  The lunch menu was quick and simple, and tasty.  But I hadn't been there for a while, and when a random choice led us down Yates the other day, it seemed like a good idea.

The Reef offers a good selection of Carribbean food, or 'Tings'. Curried, jerked and spiced is your main descriptor, in the menu.  The Moca Burger, for example, jerked beef served with plaintains or greens.  I ordered the Ital (veggie) Roti, served with coleslaw.  Roti's are simple food, and I fancied something simple.  My co-diner ordered the curry (also ital).  Which is really the Roti contents without the flatbread wrapper and rice as the carb portion.

The server then came around with some Johnny Cakes.  Corn flour balls, fried to give a lovely crispy outside, soft doughy inside.  They remind me of French Beignets.  The coconut butter they are served is adds to the 'just one more' so a second portion was ordered, which they didn't charge us for.

The main course came out quickly, and was better than when I'd eaten there a year ago.  The roti has a nice seasoning, the contents a good mix of beans, yams, potatoes and other goodies.  The special house hot sauce added a nice pep if you like things heated up a bit.  Best of all, the coleslaw was crisp and fresh. In the past it's been a bit of an after thought, but there was plenty there, and it helped cool down the hot sauce a little. The Curry also got the thumbs up, served with plenty of rice and mango chutney and dahi (yoghurty sauce).

So that's the food.  The venue itself has plenty off booths for groups of 2-4 to settle in and start talking it up.  The ambient music (if there was any) doesn't stop you talking, which is key for a good social dinner.  There's space for larger groups (a party of ten had just sat down), and more intimate booths in the back part.  You could sit outside, but in mid-October I wouldn't recommend it.  The old fake fishtanks have been replaced by new fake fishtanks.  There's an assortment of thematically correct posters and photographs on the wall, and the central bar is designed to remind you of a beach hut. Vaguely of a beach hut.

Beer is a mix of local, import standards (Newcastle Brown, Heineken, Corona) and Caribbean (including Dragon Stout that I've heard good things about).  The Lighthouse was on special when I was there, and one assumes that other specials come on tap as they desire.  The staff kept us watered and never waiting, but also not in the way by asking if we were okay every two minutes.

So the conversation could flow, the food was good, the beer cold and fresh.  Works for me.

Location : 533 Yates, Victoria
Website : http://www.thereefrestaurant.com/

Welcome

Right now, as I scan across the internet, I couldn't find any content about Victoria that filled my interests.  Victoria has some great restaurants and bars.  Victoria also has some shoddy ones too.  Victoria also has several places that are worth a visit that don't always spring to mind.  And I forget them and then draw a blank when people say "what should we go and do....".

So this blog will be updated around once a week with a review of something Victorian.  And other notes will go in between as I find something worth noting.  It's not intended to be a listings guide or a full list of everything ever you can eat, drink or inhale in the area.  It may venture out of Victoria. Probably only as far as Sooke or Sidney though. 

This is just an idea, a concept that I hope to grow and germinate and flower slowly into something.  What that something is half the fun for me.