The Canoe Club

I've always been slightly underwhelmed by the Canoe Club. In my past trips, the brewpub beer has been poor to average, the food passable and the service bordering on the lousy. But one trip with a good group of friends redeemed a bit when we had a great night out. So, when I was looking for a bar to meet a dozen or so friends, we went for the Canoe Club to see if it was a lucky shot.

The Canoe Brew Pub is a big barn of building, an original Victoria heritage build on the gorge, overlooking a marina, and the Inner Harbour boat works. The patio is always busy during the summer, not least because it's one of the few sunny patios in the downtown core (I can only think of the Swiftsure as a rival as having any decent amount of evening sun, and that's limited). But it was winter, and we headed inside. Only managing to grab a couple of small tables at the start, as our group expanded, we over took a few more spots and took up one side of the bar area.

This probably gave our server fits, as everyone was there to drink, chat and catch up just before Christmas, and the normal trick of numbering the table wasn't going to help. Still the first pints came along rapidly enough, and I sampled the joy of the Winter Gale Strong Ale. A rich, strong spicy beer, with a nice malty sweetness. Very drinkable, and while not matching some of the craft breweries winter special, better than I had expected. At 8%, I couldn't drink it all night, though.

A variety of other beers and wines were ordered, and after the first round, the service slowed down. Getting the server to our table wasn't a case of him checking if we were okay, but having to signal, wave or lean over as he ran past. The service hadn't improved much, maybe excusable that our area was three times busier than they'd expect, but the head server should then realise this and make life easier somehow. I ended up getting served at the bar. And to the server's credit, no final bill was screwed up.

I also drank the Beaver Brown Ale. A thick, dark, beer, with plenty of body, but not a smooth pint, it has a slightly chewy mouth feel. Drinkable, enjoyable, but there's better local brew in Victoria. I tried the Siren's Song Pale Ale and this was definitely a pass. Overly bittered, with an astringent taste rather than a more pleasant hoppy character.

We did order some food. The poutine got the thumbs up, the gyoza were average as was the rest of the fare I tried. Except the Calamari. Crisply battered and almost, but not quite under cooked. Perfectly quivering hoops of squidy goodness tasting of squid, slightly akin to crabsticks but much more subtle and sweeter.

The DJ was playing deep house beats, but this was low enough to carry on talking all night across and around the tables, but loud enough to fill in the edges of the conversation. Being advertised as Deep House Beats did scare me, but it was chilled rather than trance. And nobody was dancing. The group swelled to 20 plus at one point, but there was space, and plenty of ability to move the tables and chairs around to mingle and catch up. As far as I know, there's few places in Victoria where we could have done this unannounced and unbooked. And have a good, social time.

So the service is still poor, the beer is better and the food either good or indifferent; but if the company is good and large, place to have beer that's not my front room. Which means less empties and clean up.

Final Bill :
Winter Gale Strong Ale (140z) - $6.10
Beaver Brown Ale (20oz) - $6.10
Calamari - $12.00
Gyoza - $10.00

Location : 450 Swift Street
Telephone : (250) - 361 - 1940
Website : http://www.canoebrewpub.com/

Solomon's

I've been putting of writing this review for a while. Mostly because it's my favourite drinking establishment in Victoria and I want to do it justice. But also because it's one I can always write something about. And also because I might be accused of being a shill. I await my check if I am....

Still, Solomon's is a relatively new bar (just over a year old) a little out of the way on Herald Street. It's not passing trade that gets you in there, but word of mouth and recommendations. And the atomosphere and beer list keep me coming back. It's a small place, one frontage wide, a big long bar and seating for maybe 30-40 people. Bigger than some UK pubs I know of, mind.

The place specialises in two things... cocktails and beer. Solomon, the owner, has created a menu of his favourite cocktails, both self invented and old pre-prohibition classics, and they are all made with premium spirits and plenty of care. Service can take a little longer with the cocktails, but those who drink them seem to love them ... I've heard good things about the Hartland Landfill, and the Tequila Salsa concoction was an interesting use of tequila (as opposed to being poured by semi-naked, leather clad tequila girls, which is more an interesting use of marketing and leather rather than tequila).

The beer menu is (currently) 40-odd bottles long with 2-3 beers on tap. There's also an massive selection of neat spirits for selecting. The draft is normally 2 fresh, regular beers from Driftwood and a special. Recently it was an fantastic 12 (yes twelve) year old cheery lambic from Storm Brewing. Tart and sour and one of the most interesting beers I have ever drunk. But that went, and now it's Howe Sound's Winter Warmer ale. Next keg? Who knows.

I love the beer menu though. 40 bottles, in a variety of styles and a variety of prices. If your looking a great $7 bottle, they've got 'em (The Hop Rod Ale from Bear Republic Brewing is my top choice). If your a real beer ticker, try the Rogue Imperial Stout though. Yes it's well over $25, but you can sup it all night, and you'd pay that for a good wine. Between the two there's European imports, beers from south of the border and Canadian goodies. I think I've tried half the menu now with a good friend who knows his beer, and only one was so bad we swore never again (La Merle Saison from North Coast Brewing, in case you are wondering).

But if you do like a good beer, but not sure which one to try, the staff can help you decide and know what beers will suit which palates. Solomon knows his beers, flavours and styles, and flavours seem to be his passion. And a recommendation from Katie I've not seen miss yet. The other thing to try, maybe on a slower night, is a tasting selection of the spirits. $10 gets you 3 0.5oz samplers of the various whiskies, vodkas and distillations on the back bar. The staff will guide you through.

There is also food available. I used to love the Bottomless Chilli bowl, but that came off the menu, and was replaced by a selection of more novel (or nouvelle) cuisine. I tried the shrimp dumplings, which were good, but a little too doughy for my tastes. The lamb stew on a bed of couscous, olives and figs is, my friend tells me, one to 'die for'. Other choices include Beignets (doughy and sweet) and cheese cake (wonderfully tart and moist). The chef has big ideas to come, so that should be interesting.

Solomon doesn't have a TV, and he doesn't play loud chart music.  Wednesday night is Jazz night if you like a bit of live music. The place is designed for good tastings and good conversation. The place can get a little packed and a bit sweaty on a busy night, and service can be a little slower than other places. Cocktails can take time to serve, and if the company is good, and you have the time, it's not a problem. Prices aren't as cheap as Sopranos. But this isn't Sopranos...

Location : 542 Herald Street
Telephone : (250) - 590 - 7656
Website : http://www.solomons.ca/Solomons_Victoria_BC/Home.html

Travel : The Alibi Room, Alexander Street, Vancouver

Last weekend I was over in Vancouver for a Cask Beer event (see more details elsewhere in this blog), and we headed down to the Alibi Room for a post-fest meal and drink.

The Alibi room is towards the seedy end of Vancouver, down near Main and Hastings, but just about clings to the more trendy Gastown fringes. An old warehouse has been converted into a big drinking space with a slightly more intimate downstairs cellar. The Vancouverites I know swear by it's selection of beers, both bottled and on pump, and reverent tones have been uttered about it by many of the CAMRA-fans I know.

So, we got seated at the end of a long row of tables (no cosy little booths upstairs, you'll probably share your table unless you have a lot of friends) handed a beer menu and a food menu. The beer menu was two sides of relatively closely scrawled A4 graph paper. Not the easiest to read, and didn't seem in any logical order. But a great selection, and we were also referred to the chalk board. Which had recently been scrubbed and had just two specials on... and not the Driftwood Satori IPA that had been tapped just two days ago. Damn.

Still, I ordered a pint of Central City's Red Racer IPA, my go to IPA when I want a bunch of hops jammed up my nose and not much fuss. And the Bison Cheese steak. My friends ordered up a pair Yaletown Oud Bruin Sour Ale and a big fat hamburger and falafel. They also serve a frat-pack of four sampler sized beers, but after a beer fest I was done with experimenting the menu.

Food came soon enough, and a big plated was covered with a large pile of fries, a wonderfully crunchy coleslaw and a fresh bun crammed full of meat'n'cheese. Cheese-steak can be greasy and lardy and rather unpleasant. This wasn't. Nice bite to the cheese, lovely meaty bison, soft bun. Life was reaching a lovely glow of good food and a pleasant amount of beer. The Red Racer IPA was served and just what the doctor ordered. My friends were rather happy with the food as well, and conversation carried on happily and merrily about the relative merits of the island, how to sleep in the cold and Christmas. And probably other topics. It was one of those rambling evenings.

I can see why people make the longish walk from downtown to the Alibi Room. Good beer, good food, plenty of space, knowledgeable and mostly pleasant staff. One of the servers seemed to not be happy with us being joined by a couple of friends at a spare slot at the long, uncrowded table, but that was the only sour note that wasn't intentionally placed in beer or food.

Final Bill :
Bison Cheese Steak - $14
Central City Red Racer IPA (pint) - $6

Location : 157 Alexander Street, Vancouver
Telephone : (604)-624-3383
Website : http://www.alibi.ca/

Travel : Dix Winter Extreme Caskival, Vancouver

This weekend just gone I headed over on the early ferry to head to the Winter Cask Ale event at Dix's BBQ and Brewery, in downtown Vancouver. The queue had already formed by the time we got outside the bar at 11.30am. I hadn't woken up properly yet. And I was about to drink what I expected to be several very strong beers.

I don't always make the most sensible, clean living choices.

Dix has its own in house brewery and BBQ pit (you can smell the smoke from the passage way near the restrooms), and serves a variety of good beers. It's also ground central on gameday for the BC Lions and hosts many CAMRA events as well. Dix is part of the Mark James Group, which owns other establishments, including Yaletown Brewing (Vancouver), Taylor's Crossing (North Vancouver) and the Whistler Brewhouse (Whistler, duh). A lot of these breweries were in evidence here, which was a little bit disappointing, as the Summer event always seems to spread the love a lot further.

Still, there was plenty of good beers, and a good crowd as well. Except for the Morris Dancers. Who I am sure are all very pleasant people, but dancing and singing in a crowded pub for four hours in black face and silly hats is a bit much. I'm not sure why that entitled them to get in first and not to pay the entrance fee. The accompanying music however was a nice pleasant background, so I'll let that part of the contingent off.

But apart from the recreation of silly English folk traditions, what about the beer? Here's my comments, based on my notes. They got progressively less detailed. I am sure there was a reason for that...

1 - Taylor's Crossing - Festbier - 12-midday. Marzen style lager, lots of subtle bitterness. Spiced with juniper berries. Not your lucky lager. I got this first as a simple beer to kick off, and to compare to my own homebrewed Marzen. This one was much better (of course) but nice to see mine was at least in the right style.

2 - Howe Sound - Father John Winter Ale - I am convinced this was the wrong beer served. From the bottle last year this was a big flavoured, vanilla, spiced malty beer of greatness. The beer from the cask I was given was a bit weak and not exciting at all.

3 - Storm - Mole Poblano Ale - Chipotle and ancho peppers with chocolate. A muddy, murky brew. Lacking in the hot peppery spark I was expecting, but a great dark chocolate bitterness to it.

4 - Dead Frog - Winter Warmer - Dry hopped with whisky soaked oak chips. You could taste the oaky barrel flavour over the mellow but nicely bittered beer.

5 - Spinnakers - IPA - Charged with a sweet wort and Magnum Hops. Spinnakers used to do a great IPA called Doc's. It was a light, mellow IPA, brilliant when served cellar temperature ('warm' if you insist) that was easy drinking and one of my favourite beers ever. Then they seemed to change the recipe and it was harsh, overly bittered drink and not worth the trip to Esquimalt to drink. This IPA was back to form. A nice undertone of bitterness but the sweetness was also there and it'd be a great beer to while away an hour or five, if it wasn't also 7.3%.

6 - Dockside - Winterbock - Great Flavour with Malts and Hops and Goodness (word for word what I wrote. Hmm).

7 - Yaletown - Le Nez Rouge - Really strong ale with the only flavour being really strong alcohol flavour.

8 - Taylor's Crossing - Christmas Cake - Pretty much what it said on the tin (well barrel). Amber ale made with Molasses, candied fruits and Christmas spices. Smelt like my dad's best Christmas Cake recipe. Which is awesome.

9 - Steamworks - Espresso Stout - A shot of caffeine to wake me up. Guinness with coffee.

10 - Whistler Brewery - Wolfbeer - Good session beer, nice hints of malt flavours. I wrote 'malt liquors' but I am sure that would have been not good. Hmmm. These were only 1/4 pint glasses, but most were pretty strong. And I'd only eaten a bowl of gumbo....

11 - Dix - IPA - Traditional IPA - You can get this anytime at DIX. Or any other local brewpub. Or in a bottle marked 'Standard IPA that this brewery does because we should have an IPA on our list'. Not bad. Just nothing to get excited about. Or travel to Vancouver for.

12 - Yaletown - Oud Bruin - A flemish style sour beer, aged since January, made with 6 yeasts. Some sour beers are face puckering and aggressive. This was much more subtle. Yes it was sour, but there was still a nice dark ale nuttiness in there. Probably the best beer at the event for the ability it seemed to show in the brewers craft.

13 - Whistler Brewery - Double IPA - My notes say 'marvellous IPA'. I think I went back for a second. 

By this point the event was winding down after 5 hours, the golden bung for best beer had been handed out, and it was time to think about heading onwards.  It felt like much past 8. Early drinking ruins my body clock. So we headed down to the Alibi room...

Sura Korean

I've been to Sura twice.  My friend asked me if it's possible to review a place after just visiting once.  I think it is, especially as I'm trying to get a handle on the experience and the general quality of food and ambience, rather than to dissect the menu and food into the parts a professional foodie would.  But I have been twice, so that's a good start.  Serve me badly once, and I'm really not going to go back to find out if it was chance, a bad day or the general miasma of the place.  Places only get one shot to make a first impression.  Just like the old Head and Shoulders tagline used to say.

Ahem, Sura.  Korean BBQ.  The first time I went, we had the Korean BBQ for two, and the amount of meat was a generous two person serving.  Pork, chicken and beef, marinated and ready to go on the grill.  And if you don't know, Korean BBQ is where you cook your own meat on grill in the middle of the table.  The kitchen just provides the meat, the tongs and the sides (salad, miso soup and kimchi in this case).  Cooking without chargrilling everything or starting a small oil fire was a bit of a challenge, especially as you wanna keep talking and having a beer with your friend at the same time.  Luckily the wait staff seem to keep an eye on you.  The food was excellent, even if I cooked it myself.

The second time I went was just the other day.  My friends had lived in Korean for a good period of time, and were used to Korean cuisine, and wanted to get the dishes and flavours they were used to as a reminder of that time.  The ability to order off the menu with well pronouced Korean help endear them to the staff.  As did the offer of dried squid treats from the local Korean supermarket.

Two of us went for the the Dolsot Seasac Bibimbop.  This is a selection of vegetables and small slices of beef and sprouts, topped with an egg, served on rice in a baking hot stone dish. The amount of beef was minimal (I had to ask later if I'd ordered a vegeterian option), but the action of the hot dish crisped the rice on the bottom, and mixing in the vegetables made for a tasty, filling dish. The sprouts were alfalfa sprouts, not bean sprouts as I'd have expected.  But that's just the difference between imagining what your going to get and actually getting it.

My other friend ordered a Tofu and Chicken Jijigae, a hearty stew, slightly spicy served in another baking hot stone dish.  This came with a side of rice as well.  I tasted a small amount and it wouldn't have been added to my wish list for future visits, but the other two liked it well enough.

We also shared a Seafood  Jeon, which is a Korean style of pancake.  This was baked with clams, various vegetables and shrimp, and was fantastic.  Would be a great bar snack, or small plate appy with a good beer.    We were also served a variety of pickles and kimchi.  The kimchi isn't very spicy or garlicy, and I've been told the best in town is at Saigon Nights (a Vietnamese restaurant...). But these are nice to flavour up your food.  We also got plenty of hot jasmine tea to wash it all down with.  Would be nice to be left the pot behind.

The place was buzzing, and we had to wait a few minutes to get a table.  A lot of the clintele are (I believe) foreign students, and judging by the waiter chatting to them, a lot from Korea.  Normally a good sign.  But then hundreds of people eat in MacDonalds, and it's not a good sign for a traditional North American burger, so I'd take that with a pinch of salt.   What it does mean is that restaurnat has a great buzz about it, with chat, the sizzle of BBQ'd meat and the steam coming of the stews and soups running out of the kitchen.

No music to drown you out, or soak up the ambient sound. Seating is one of several booths or big long tables to really group together.  The rest of the decor is pretty spartan (except for plenty of extraction hoods to get cooking smoke of the BBQ), but the focus here is the eating, the communal experience of BBQ-ing or sharing dishes.

Final Bill :
Dolsot Seasac Bibimbop - $11.95 (x2)

Seafood Jeon - $8.95

Chicken and Tofu Jijigae - $9.95.

Total ~ $45 including Tax.

Location : 1696 Douglas Street
Telephone : (250) 385-7872
Website : None

Cabin 12

Cabin 12 occupies the corner of Pandora and Government, where downtown gets the seediest it really gets, kitty-corner from Bohemian Victoria and Lower Pandora. The Jamaican Jerk House used to reside here, and in it's last few months was bloody awful. Cabin 12 isn't. That's hardly an achievement.

What is the way the owners have fought and scrapped to keep the venue going, after a late night 'reveler' (read idiot) smashed a window days after opening and wiped out what little cash the restaurant had in it's coffers. Then just two weeks a go, a fund raiser, chilli cook out and appeal to the masses revived the pot of money enough to keep doors open over winter. Last I heard a new backer has come along to keep the place on a more solid fiscal footing, and even out the highs and lows.

Course, who cares, right? Just another mess of a restaurant who can't keep itself going? The staff have all tried to make the restaurant less of a top down dictatorship and more of a collective, based on the Summer Camp ideal of everyone pitching in and working together. People have worked hard, and it's nice to see a more social model of business coming through.

But enough history, can you eat there? We wandered in for a late lunch around 1.30pm and were greeted by the wait staff and grabbed the first table we saw empty. Decoration is a jumble of old furniture, a big old motorbike (actually might just be the owners) and a mix of kitshy and arty photos, posters and chalkboards. The menu is all-day breakfast (including Breakfast Beer at $4.25 a sleeve... no brand name written on it, so who knows what it actually is, I didn't try it to guess), including the ever present Eggs Benny, various mixes of eggs/pork products/bread and variety of more lunchy options. Including salads, sandwiches and green poutine.

I went for a cup of coffee and the N-R-Eh? a Chicken Club sandwich, with a side of hash browns. Green Poutine is a Vegan option, with a veggie gravy, soy cheese chunks, spring onions and mushrooms. My friend who knows that soy cheese is some sort of comedy item sold to trap the unwary. So she opted for real cheese.

Coffee was thick, black and roasted hard. This is the sort of coffee that drags you out of bed and gives you a cold shower before pummeling you with coarse towels to wake you up. Not so great when I've been awake for the last 4 hours when I want something a little more gentle. A delicate whisper in my ear to stay alert rather than a police siren. But, that's not their game here.

Food came out promptly, hot and ready. The NR-Eh was a triple stacked sandwich, with crisp lettuce, bacon, tomato and nice piece of chicken.The Hash Browns weren't. Hash Browns on my planet are grated potato, which is then fried. Country fries/homestyle fires/breakfast fries are cubed potato, which is then fried. I like both. I just really like Hash Browns, and should remember to check what the restaurant thinks are hash browns before ordering them. Still, the cubed tatties went down a treat with a little hot sauce.

The Green Poutine took my friend a while to get into. She just wasn't sure if it was really good, interesting or just odd. She settled on really good, and I have to agree. It's not a classic poutine flavour, and has no squeaky curds, but the gravy is lovely and the addition of mushrooms really added to it. Was a hit.

The staff were super efficient, chatty and helpful. The place plays live music later on, and has plenty of space to spread out, read papers and chat. It's possibly too spread out (the venue is good size) to make it feel intimate, but that means your not being over heard by the table next door. The clientele seem to be a mix, but tend towards the younger, working types.

I'll be back again, no doubt, and hope the model keeps working for them. They'll not set the world on fire, but they should keep a corner smoldering for a good while longer.

Final Bill :

Green Poutine with Real Cheese - $8.95,
NR- Eh Chicken Club with Hash Browns - $8.95,
Coffee - $2.25.
Total : $21.25 including Tax.

Location : 607 Pandora Avenue
Telephone : (250) 590-1500
Website : None