Short Reviews

Well, I've done several posts in quick succession to kick start back up this blog, but I'll be trying to settle into a weekly rhythm going forward. Twice a week is just a little too many to keep up with (and keep going out with). That said I have several half completed reviews in reserve to post out as I need to. Plus this week, I am vacation, driving across the Rockies and taking the Canadian Via Rail train back from Winnipeg. In the meantime, some short items :

  Hoyne Brewing - Devil's Dream IPA Hoyne are the new kid on the block in the Victoria Craft brewing scene. However, Mr Hoyne is the old chief brewmaster from the Canoe Club, and also learnt his trade at Swans' Buckerfield Brewery. However, I don't think particularly highly of Swans' or the Canoe Club brews. The Devil's Dream IPA comes in a big 650ml and brewed to 6%. I had it once before and wasn't too excited, but had decided to give it another go around. Nope, it's aggressively hopped, but there's no balance to it from the malt. It tastes like a standard Pale Ale that someone added an extra fist load of hops to. There's no subtleness to the bitterness, no interesting flavours or smells to discover. Just an over hopped, dry-ish tasting Pale Ale. The label, however, is lovely piece of art...

  Hoyne Brewing - Dark Matter Dark Matter is a treat though. A deep, dark looking beer that the eyes will think is a porter or stout. But the taste is much lighter and smoother. Toasted rather than roasted malts with some caramel flavour, and a trace of hops to balance it out. There's been debate on what it is. But to me it's an excellent British Mild Ale. True, it's brewed stronger than some might expect from a Mild (5.3%), but Mild was a flavour, not a strength. Fantastic brew. While we are on Hoyne, I've also had many people recommending the Hoyner Pilsner as the best Pils they've had. One good friend has replaced his standard fare of Stella with Hoyner (while lamenting it doesn't come in smaller portions). The Canoe Club - revisited Meanwhile, Friday night and the Broken Strings are playing the Canoe Club. The Broken Strings are part Jets Overhead, part Current Swell and part another Victoria band who have lesser fame so I can't remember their name. Broken Strings is their party piece, banging out covers of the 80's, 90's and contemporary guitar hits. James, U2, Radiohead, Tom Petty. Too much Tom Petty for my liking, but the kids seem to like it. They are excellent performers, and the singer really adds a level of enthusiasm and passion to the numbers. So it was less than good when he was away at this performance, and the replacement was much more of a blues-rock type guy. Okay, for the band. The Canoe itself was rammed for Friday, partly as the patio was super sunny, and great patios are rare in Victoria. The service was variable, and I avoided the brew-pub beer, availing myself of the Pilsner Urquell (such a beautiful, grainy, straw-laced smell...) and a Fishwich to replace the calories burnt playing softball earlier. Except the Fishwich went AWOL in the kitchen, and it took ages to actually flag down a waitress. When the food did arrive, it was good : big slab of well cooked white fish between a soft kaiser, plenty of tartare sauce and salad. Like a gourmet fish-finger sandwich. Just what I was after. But I'll be trying to watch the Broken Strings elsewhere next time.

  San Remo, Qadra Street Village San Remo is in Italy. I don't know why the San Remo serves Greek food. However, I recently went in for a quick (and late) lunch there, and was relatively impressed enough I need to go back and have a longer try. We both had the Lemon-Roasted chicken. Well cooked, and mostly most (the breast had started to dry out) with a nice mellow lemon flavour. The roasted vegetables were okay (the char-grilling left a slightly odd flavour on the them that I couldn't place), and the service was bright and pleasant. And the sunny conservatory/patio was a great place to unwind. Not a must to go back, but is now on the list to consider.