It's restaurant review time, folks! In the last month or so we have eaten out several times. You may have already read my review on the Tibetan Kitchen from earlier this month. Today, I will re-cap some of the eats I've had in the last month, starting with the most recent.
On Saturday, after the Victoria Royals game (sadly defeated by the Kootenay Ice), we stopped in at Vista 18 on Burdett Avenue in Victoria. As we exited the elevator on, you guessed it, the 18th floor, we were met with live light jazz, and sparkling city lights shimmering through the restaurant's many windows. Vista 18 has that "rotating restaurant" feel without the actual rotation or potential vertigo. We arrived just in time for 2 for 1 Small Bites. Our friends ordered right away, while we took our time, which meant that our order sort of got delayed and somewhat neglected by our server. Here is what we tried after ordering from the Small Bites and Dessert menus: edamame beans with sea salt, lime and mint; Sturgeon Burger with smoked tomato aioli; Marinated Mixed Olives; Caramelized Onion and Goat Cheese Flat Bread; Dessert Sampler. The highlights for me were the edamame beans - the combination of lime, mint and sea salt were just right - a nice balance of salt, citrus, and herb. Everything else was good, not great, but good. Personally, I did not care for the beer flavoured truffle on the dessert sampler, though others at my table tasted it and liked it. I can identify the path that this chocolate creation was going, however, I'd rather stay off of that trail so to speak. My husband had an amazing Gin and Tonic, far superior to the one he ordered last night at the Stickleback. Certainly with the 2-for-1 appy special on at that time, there was good value for the money. I could see returning here for a late night or early afternoon (2 for 1 is between 3-5 or 10-midnight) cocktail and share-plates type gathering. With live music and a "blinged out" view included, I could see how some folks would really like this place. http://www.vista18.com/
Last night my husband and our next-door neighbours had dinner at the Stickleback Westcoast Eatery in Sooke. We entered the west-coast vibe cafe only to find that we were the only patrons in the joint, perhaps not a-typical for a Monday night in Sooke. The server greeted us and announced that it was International Monday and that they were featuring Greek food. Well, knowing that personally I have not found any good Greek food on Vancouver Island, and that I can make a pretty good Spanikopita when the spirit so moves me, I opted for a burger. The burger was a bacon, mushroom, cheeseburger, or what they have dubbed "The Trail Boss". It was served on a bun that though was totally fresh and nice as a bun, was way too thick/firm for the burger, making this not-so-dainty choice a little hard to, well, fit in my mouth. I opted for the chowder as a side, which was stunning, and even featured a whole mussel in the shell. My husband got the grilled halibut, which was served with a pesto cream sauce, rice, sweet potatoes and veg. We choose a lemon tart for dessert, which was very nice, though the garnish of lemon slices were a little odd considering it was served with a fruit coulis and whipped cream. All in all, it was a good meal and though we were the only customers in the restaurant (until right before we left when another couple arrived), we had a good experience. http://sticklebackeatery.com/
On Saturday, after the Victoria Royals game (sadly defeated by the Kootenay Ice), we stopped in at Vista 18 on Burdett Avenue in Victoria. As we exited the elevator on, you guessed it, the 18th floor, we were met with live light jazz, and sparkling city lights shimmering through the restaurant's many windows. Vista 18 has that "rotating restaurant" feel without the actual rotation or potential vertigo. We arrived just in time for 2 for 1 Small Bites. Our friends ordered right away, while we took our time, which meant that our order sort of got delayed and somewhat neglected by our server. Here is what we tried after ordering from the Small Bites and Dessert menus: edamame beans with sea salt, lime and mint; Sturgeon Burger with smoked tomato aioli; Marinated Mixed Olives; Caramelized Onion and Goat Cheese Flat Bread; Dessert Sampler. The highlights for me were the edamame beans - the combination of lime, mint and sea salt were just right - a nice balance of salt, citrus, and herb. Everything else was good, not great, but good. Personally, I did not care for the beer flavoured truffle on the dessert sampler, though others at my table tasted it and liked it. I can identify the path that this chocolate creation was going, however, I'd rather stay off of that trail so to speak. My husband had an amazing Gin and Tonic, far superior to the one he ordered last night at the Stickleback. Certainly with the 2-for-1 appy special on at that time, there was good value for the money. I could see returning here for a late night or early afternoon (2 for 1 is between 3-5 or 10-midnight) cocktail and share-plates type gathering. With live music and a "blinged out" view included, I could see how some folks would really like this place. http://www.vista18.com/
