Olo, Downtown Victoria

Once there was Ulla which served me the single best meal I had ever eaten in Victoria.  Then it shuttered for a period, to be reborn in a new format.  Dine Around was on, and Olo was on the list.  Perfect timing to find out what they had done to place.  I had heard Victoria's favourite cocktail master, Shawn Soole was running the bar, but apart from that, I had no real idea what to expect apart from the menu.

The Brunette and I had a table for two booked. We arrived at the place, and it was looking pretty full.  I suspect many people were trying to find out whether it was going to the same high standards as its predecessor. My first question to the server was to find out if the kitchen was still the same.  No doubt this had been asked several times before, and the answer was yes.  Same chef, same owner, much the same team.  The rebrand was to highlight more local food, going for a farm-to-table approach where possible.  And also to have a more casual, late-night menu, which could pair with the cocktails and drinks.

Knowing that, we pressed ahead with the $40 set menu, and drinks.  I went for the 'Understudy', a non-alcoholic blend of tea, syrup and super sharp lemon soda. Revved the palate up nicely.  The Brunette went for a glass of wine.  It was red. She will shortly read this and tell me that I really have to remember the wines better as it's a key part of a good meal.  I know it smelt quite nice.

The drinks menu comes on five long narrow pages, clipped to a small board.  It's extensive, mixing cocktails, high-proof alcohols, wines and beers.  The beer menu, I can comment on.  It uses Driftwood for the taps which covers most bases for food. In bottle format there's a great range from lighter Pilsner from Four Winds to monster big beers like a Quadruple Trappist Ale. My top pick would be Tripel Karmeliet, a really good, long drinking beer.  I like this beer list far more than Little Jumbo's, and most of the other top end eateries in town.

For food, as I knew the meat would be fresh and local, I went for the beef tartar. Something I never had before, but was always curious to try.  A small cracked quails egg with a tablespoon of fresh ground beef.  I mixed the yolk in and tried it. There was a meadow-like sweetness, along with the odd texture of the meat. I was expecting a bigger savoury flavour from the raw protein, but instead it was a lot more subtle.  The sweetness was from the wheat grass, not the meat.  I didn't know what to expect, I enjoyed it, but wasn't quite sure if it was a combination I'd try again. The raw bread and pickled mushrooms did work well with the more subtle meat.

The Brunette chose the lentil salad.  This was deep in earthy, rich flavours.  I avoided eating the sunchokes, as they taste to me like a tulip bulb would.  I have never eaten a tulip bulb.  I just imagine it tastes like a sunchoke.  The warm salad was big on flavour and texture, and well executed.

Main course.  There was fried Cornish Game Hen on the menu, with greens and potato salad.  I had to try that.  The Brunette got immediate order envy when it arrived.   A big slab of wood had four bowls arranged on it.  One big one of filleted and breaded meat.  One medium sized one with creamed greens. One deep one filled with potatoes, topped with radishes. And one small ramekin with a splash of mustard.

Fried chicken should always taste this good.  The meat was cooked so it still retained all the juiciness, but kept its crunch with the breading.  The quality of the meat came through, with the poultry front and centre.  The potato salad was creamy, but firm.  The radishes added a little bite.  The creamed, braised greens contained lots of kale.  I like kale.  But not too much of the woody bitterness came through that can happen with kale.  The mustard worked well (made with seabuckthorn), sharpening the flavours up.

The lovely brunette had the steak, cooked medium rare. It was presented pre-sliced, surrounded by scoops of mashed potatoes and artfully arrange vegetables.  The meat had a crisp outer, purple-raw in the middle.  The eyes enjoyed what they were seeing, as well as what the taste buds were getting. The accompanying golden beets and carrots were sweet, but not cloying.  She finished her plate, and said it was almost as good as the piece of chicken she had tried.

I was full but managed to come around to eat the apple tart.  This was an open concept dish.  A crumble in the middle was surrounded by oaty, wafer-thin biscuits, and topped with a croquette shaped tube of hay ice cream.  The ice cream had been coated in little strands and had the sweetness of a summer meadow.

The Brunette went for the Cheese as a finale, with a good wedge of a waxy, rich hard cheese.  My notes don't have written down exactly what it was.  Failure on my part.

The food was fantastic and the service much relaxed but efficient. The space has lightened up, and really gone with the warm, yellow wood tones to echo a farmhouse or country kitchen.  The walls have abstract art, to give a modern note to the more rustic feel.  The experience here was every bit as good as Ulla. Less high-concept food, but plenty of good things on a plate.