The Bleue Coyote, Brentwood Bay

At the start of January, I found myself running past The Bleue Coyote on a Sunday morning, looking for my friends. They were safe and warm inside, but I kept on running. I had signed up to do the Vancouver Island Race series, and this was the first of 8 races, an 8km run around Brentwood and the Saanich show grounds. And I was missing the play off football for this. As a cheap plug, I'm doing the series to raise money for the Haematology Research department at Vancouver General Hospital, who are doing work to find cures for multiple myeloma and primary amyloidosis, diseases of bone marrow that have affected people close to me. If you'd like to donate, and see me run the TC10k in a full tuxedo, here's a link. And now back to the normal programming.

So, I completed the rest of the run, and drove to meet everyone else in the pub. A large cheer went up as I entered. The Seattle Seahawks had just scored to start a huge comeback. My friends wanted to know if I had planned to meet them in a pub with a game on, them knowing my love of football. I hadn't, but it was very convenient. I got into the barstool seat (the climb up told me I was going to be sore tomorrow) and checked out the menu. The steak and eggs stood out, so once the overly busy server came around, I ordered that and a large mug of coffee. The coffee came quickly, the food took a little longer. I caught up with friends, who had seen me lope past earlier, and very grateful for their support I was.

The pub is a large split level room. Didn't explore much expect the front area, which has a large open space. For dancing or fighting, probably. The noise echoes around, and it was noisy, with the Canadian Seahawks fans urging their team onwards. It's a meat-and-two-veg kinda place. Advertising meat draws every week, banners extolling the greatness of Bud (or Coors, I forget which), this is drink, eat and don't be so damn fancy. Coffee was hot, dark and full of caffeine.

The food hit the spot perfectly. Slab of meat, cooked medium as I asked for, nicely browned on outside, still pink on the inside. Meaty and beefy and all I want in a steak/egg breakfast. The eggs I got scrambled. Big heap of yellow-white eggs, not turned into rubber, quivering and tasty. Pile of a crisp country-style potatoes (they called them hash-browns, but unless it's grated potato, it's not really a hash brown in my book) and a few mushrooms on the side. Ketchup supplied to the table with the food. Meat, eggs, starch. Done right. I didn't check with my dining companions on their meals, but as everyone seemed to get on with the eating, and less on the talking at the time, it's a good sign something was right.

There's places in down town Victoria who could learn from the Coyote's chef.

I'm not about to drive (or run) back out there for breakfast again, but if I was going nearby, I'd be back again.

Final Bill
Steak and Eggs - $13.95
Coffee - $2.00
Total :  $21.00 with taxes and tip
Phone : 250-652-3252
Address : 7100 Wallace Drive, Saanich, BC V8M1G9
Website : The Bleue Coyote

The Tartan Toque

The Tartan Toque boasts 20 different types of wings, and that it is "Victoria's First True Wing restaurant". Owned and operated by the same people that run Shine, and nestled back to back with the Stadacona branch, they have a least form for running successful restaurants. Having had less than good experiences at the Downtown Shine, I was curious to see what we'd get. There are a couple of good places to get wings in town (The Monkey Tree has some fine wings, for example), and most places do a passable plate.

We got wings. 5 different types were ordered, from the front of house counter. The deal is you go in, and find a seat, then go up and order.

This is a bit different, and creates a bit of scrum around the entrance. When I got their 10 minutes before my friend I was told the place was full. 10 minutes later, we were seated at one of three empty booths. Might have been lucky, but with the queue to place orders mingling with the queue to get in, it's hard to tell if it's actually worth going in. They do have a second entrance, and I suggest they use that for getting people in and out. They may need to have a host to get people seated and sorted, though I'm guessing that adds to over heads. But people are less used to the random seat and serve yourself that you'll get in a British Pub.

The booth would seat 4 very friendly people, but fine for two. After placing an order for the first plate of wings, we sat back down with a beer and chatted. The acoustics are fine, though the place was mobbed, busy and full of conversation, you could hear and talk across the table just fine. Despite being warned that the kitchen was backed up, my buffalo wings were out fast. I went for the medium-hot wings, and the sauce was a pleasant heat. Thicker sauce than I'm used to, and the wings were smaller with less meat than some places. Almost shrivelled, had they been cooked a bit too long? Possibly. Tasted great, but the portion seemed a little small for $9.

My friend ordered the Jerk wings. These were not to my taste. Too much cinnamon in the blend, which accentuated a sweet taste to the sauce. My friend thinks he's tasted the same sauce on commercial brand he's tried, and he does know his jerk sauces. There was also a plate of Candied Bacon. I've editted this review, as I was reminded these were also ordered. I'd forgotten about them. I think that's all you need to know about this flavour.

The beer, was perfectly served. A cold, crisp Phillip's Kolsch, perfect accompaniment to wings.

Still a touch hungry, we decided for three more plates of wings, to check out the other styles. We went for the Cajun Spice, Coconut and Ginger Wasabi. These came out much plumper, juicer and fatter wings. So much so, we were full after a few more wings. These were what I was expecting from a place specializing in wings. The Coconut wings were subtly flavoured, but had just enough in there reminding of Chicken Korma curry. The Cajun Spice was just okay, and as it was a dry rub, I'm not sure if they'd sat around in the spice long enough to really draw in the flavour, and I'd like a bit more heat from a Cajun wing.

But the Ginger Wasabi... oh yes. Thick, flavourful sauce, with the sweet bite of ginger balanced with the heat of the wasabi. Excellent, and the plate that made the trip worthwhile. I'll have to try the Hot Wings again, to see can come out like these did, in terms of sauce and cooking. If they do, they'll be among the best I've had in town.

In one week, I think they've become a bit of a hot spot, as people check out the concept. Some teething troubles, but at least the owners are in the kitchen and behind the till to see what needs changing. Lots of students, and 20-something's in the crowd. Sport on the TVs, and clean and tidy toilets. Important factors. Not sure the price point is great value, though the burgers and fries look like they'd be decent as well, but they'll live and die on the wings. They also have a lot of gluten free options, if that's important to you. And you can get Tofu Fingers or Boneless wings in the same sauces and rubs as the everyday wings.

As I left the owner asked thumbs up or thumbs down. I told him thumbs up, but I think it's a three quarters thumbs up. Good, but can do better.


Final Bill
Buffalo Chicken Wings - $9.00
Cajun Chicken Wings - $9.00
Phillips Dr Funk - $5.00
Analogue 78 Kolsch - $5.00
Total :  $28.00 with tip (taxes included in price list)
Phone : 778-265-9464
Address : 1507 Pandora Ave, Victoria, BC V8R 6P9
Website : The Tartan Toque