Crow and Gate, Cedar, BC

A couple of weeks back, it was time for the next race in the Vancouver Island series, and Andrea and I headed to Cedar.  Apparently, Nanaimo-ites make jokes about Cedar, like Victorians make jokes about Nanaimo.  I don't know why, this is just rural Vancouver Island to me.  Fields, forests, houses and firehalls about a kilometer from anything else.  Or so it seems.

So, we brave the cold weather (it was above freezing), I armed with my mother's knitted gloves, Andrea with all the coffee in Starbucks, and run 12 km.  It was tiring, but not exhausting, which is just how it should have been for me.   Trying to build distance and endurance, not trying to set personal bests.  Though I did beat last years time by a minute, so that shows good things are happening.  But I have plenty of room for improvement. But before we turn this into a running blog... food!  We warmed up after the race, got on extra layers and headed to the Crow and Gate.

The pub is in middle of the rural idyll, down a short track, next to a duck pond. All brick walls, wood beams, plaster walls and horse brasses.  It's styled on a South England country pub, so I felt right at home.  One big old fire, two small bars to order from (no floor service, just like the home country) and collections of wooden tables surrounded by benches and battered (rustic?) wooden chairs.  You'd think it was built in 1832, not 1972.  I've heard claims it was shipped piece-by-piece from the UK, but their website doesn't go into much detail on the construction.

British and Irish beers are on tap, but it's mostly nitro-kegged stuff that doesn't capture the flatter, warmer British bitters of my formative years.  Still, it's pretty realistic of the choice you'd get in a lot of places before the real ale revolution took place in the nineties.  Smithicks, Carlsberg, Guinness.  All good stuff, and a couple of local taps.  My tip, the local taps are better than the import ales.  But if they ever found a barrel of Greene King IPA or Bass in there, I'd be begging for a drive out there.

Food wise, it's a typical, but very extensive list of standard British pub food.  Instead of one pie, one ploughmans, a couple of sandwich choices and maybe fish and chips, you have your choice of several pies, several 'platters', scotch eggs and other delicacies.  Note, a scotch egg is not a egg cooked in single malt.  Which is just as well.

I went for the steak and kidney pie.  It's a pot pie rather than a enclosed pie, with a bowl of steaming stew topped with a square of puff pastry.  It was delicious.  The savory tang of the kidney mixed in with the well cooked braising steak took me back.  Some people hate kidneys, claiming they can taste the original function of the organ.  I love them in pie.  The mouth feel is different from everything else.  Slightly grainy, tender to bite into, but firm.  Joyful.  Served with a tennis ball sized scoop of potato salad and greens, this refilled all sorts of vital stores.

I had failed to explain to Andrea that the Smoked Salmon platter would be cold, not hot.  Not being familiar with the ploughman's, I am not sure what she expected, and my bad for not describing very well.  It was a huge chunk of cold smoked salmon, served with a pile of greens, the potato salad, some bread and I think cheese too.  Not necessarily cold winter's day fuel.  I tasted the salmon and it was well smoked, flaky and all salmon can be. But not warm.  At least it wasn't real British style and served sort of lukewarm...

For afters, we ordered Pecan Pie.  This was a hit.  Big chunk of pie, smothered in fresh whipped cream (or maybe out of a canister, who knows), garnished with a chocolate strand wafer.  Nutty, sugary with a buttery biscuit base.  The sugar high came fast.  Attenuated by my previous pie, thank goodness or we'd have had to sit and wait in the car while my glucose levels stopped spiking.  But in all forms, what was needed.

I really like this place.  It feels like the UK, but in that nostalgic way that never really existed in the first place.  I like the going to the bar to get service.  I like the low ceilings, random bar mats and brewery giveaways.  I love the variations in the art on the simple idea of a 'Crow' and a 'Gate'.  The downside it's too far away from here.  But then, memories are always best revisited not to often, lest the shine comes of them.

Original Joe's, Saanich

Back in 2012, I visited the Langford branch of Original Joe's, and as the record shows, I kinda liked it, but enough to drive there again.  Well, when (the terrible) Applebee's closed at Tuscany Village, it got replaced by an Original Joe's.  Owed and operated by the same couple who run the Langford branch, it's much the same deal here.  Except, it's local to me.  So, much more likely to be a choice.

Myself, the lovely Brunette of my acquaintance and her nearest and dearest took a trip to UVic on Alumni week.  The UVic Vikes Women's basketball team was playing, and for a mere $5, you got in as a group, and a free drink for wearing yellow and blue.  Bargain.  The game itself was entertaining, with the Vikes taking an early lead into the half, with some smart break away plays, but eventually losing at the Thompson Rivers' team started exploiting their better speed and pass break ups.  As with all hoops, the last 3 minutes takes far too long with too many intentional fouls and timeouts, but it was tense, and enjoyable with just a glimmer of hope for the local team.

Feasted on sport, it was time to fill our stomachs.  The choice was Joe's, after someone read the menu and found a particular dish to be absolutely the perfect match for their taste buds.  As noted before, the restaurant has the sports bar vibe, with a variety of appys and smaller dishes as well as big plates.  I believe there aim is to serve good portions of good, 'homestyle' food.  I was surprised to be greeted by my ex-colleague, but it was great to have a quick catch up.

The grilled cheeseburger is a prime example of the idea of big portions of good food. Two slices of grilled cheese on french bread.  Big fat beef burger, topped with bacon, lettuce and tomato.  One of those great juicy burgers, not a shriveled up lump of cow product.  Served with two sides, the choice of fries and veggies dips combined well... because fries dipped in the veggie dip are (I quote) 'heavenly'.  The idea of combing two favourites (burger and grilled cheese) solved a common conundrum for our youngest diner.  And the second half of this monster was boxed up for lunch the next day.

I'd also give full marks to the server for pointing out the size of the dish when ordered. That's taking care of your diners.  Also, knowing the full beer tap menu, including the local brews and styles gives her another plus one.  Actually, great service all over from her.  I'm afraid I didn't catch her name if her boss is reading this...

I wen for the Sergeant Pepper burger. If we look back 18 months, I made the exact same choice then.  I am clearly a sucker for spicy meat between two halves of bun.  I didn't jack the heat up this time, and it was fantastic, a juicy burger with plenty of flavour from the meat, heat from the black pepper and chipotle and crispness of the lettuce.  A word on the buns too.  No crumbly, disintegrating sponge of bread. Nope.  Proper buns, almost in the style of the peasant buns from the Portofino bakery.

The Brunette got the fish tacos.  The Brunette got me jealous.  Though it was that jealousy where you have something good in front of you, but you'd like to also have the other thing two, but you can't have both.  There's a whole metaphor and fable in there, I am sure.  Suffice to say, three huge fish tacos, served on a special taco rack to keep everything upright.  Coming with a mixed green salad, this was the healthy choice at the table.  But still had much delight in eating, from the smile on her face.

The sides were top notch.  The fries, as noted, are great dipped in the veggie sauce dip.  The fries in general are actually just great.  Crisp, cooked with the skin on, and left all fluffy on the inside.  The  devilled egg potato salad was creamy and good.  The honey slaw added a nice crunch to my burger.  I love the choice, to mix and match.  I might try the pan seared broccolini next time (string cut broccoli), if I decide the buck-fifty extra is worth the investment.

The only thing to note about going there for a family meal or catch up with friends is the abundance of TVs showing the sports channels.  If you are like me, and find moving images of people in atheletic competition distracting, then you might start staring at the Moguls, or Curling, or Basketball.  Though once the golf started, I was back into focusing on the people at hand.  Seems I visit OJ's only when the Olympics are on.  But, as the Sports Bar thing is part of the atmosphere they are working on providing, complaining about this is like complaining about the large sheet of ice at the Victoria Royals games.

In summary, Joe's is doing exactly what it sets out to do.  Good food, good servings, TVs for sports, room for family's to eat and chat, a range of decent beer if the game and Appys are your thing.  Enthusiastic staff, and a price that good value.  This is a great quality product and experience if that is what you are after. We were, and so yes, I would go back now I have a short walk there, rather than a short drive.

Glo, The Gorge, Victoria

Glo has a strange location.  It's tucked next to a scrap metal yard, with the ugly Bay street bridge blocking the view into Point Hope dockyards. That area just before the Gorge turns from it's industrial working end into the more scenic narrow inlet leading and winding into urban heart of Victoria.  The Jutland Road area obviously has had plenty of work done to it and has a modern feel and layout.  As does Glo itself.

A big, circular glass building, that lets in light and gets nice and warm on the coldest of winter days.  The patio is great in the summer, with glass walls to keep out the wind.  I've met a few people there for early evening drinks, and always been happy with the beer menu and the service. It does a great take on a lounge/restaurant well, with less obnoxious music and more good service than pretenders like the Cactus Club or Earls.  You go for evening drinks to relax and chat. Not to be seen.

Or you go early for a weekend brunch.  As I did on this trip with more normal tribe of friends for weekend brunch and gossip over coffee, eggs and fried protein.  Arriving a tad late, for reasons left unspoken, we got drafted into the end of a table set of ten, with eight good friends in fine form.

The room has lots of hard wood and black raffia place mats, giving it a modern yet vaguely formal feel.  As does the front desk seating and directing the traffic to the right place.  Everyone seems super efficient, smiling and if customers are getting on top of the staff, you can never tell.

Coffee was supplied, and it was hot, dark and tasty.  But it's the short rib hash that makes this the entry worth making.  Surely the best hash in town.  Fluffy potatoes, crispy on the outside, piled with the most succulent, soft, meaty beef.  The eggs were perfectly soft poached, so when you broke the yolk, you got a waterfall of yellow sauce over the meat and potatoes. You get into this meal, and the world fades out. Just a feeling of being satiated, contented and calm.  That's what breakfast with friends should be.  Rewind, recharge time, in the right place with the right food.

Other people ate things that they reported were good.  Like the Santa Fe Benedict (avocado and bacon on muffin) and Belgian Waffles.  I am not sure I'll be tempted to try them out though, as when you find a great dish, you don't want something that's merely good.