Victoria’s versatile food scene

Victoria holds a special place in my heart. I went to university there. Some of my best friends live there. My mom calls it home.

Of course, in university the food I enjoyed most had two criteria. First, it had to be cheap. Second, it had to be cheap. You’ll notice quality wasn’t part of the criteria.

I visit the city often, and now that I have a bit more money to spend on food, you can easily see how the city’s culinary scene has evolved. It has an ever-growing diversity of cuisine, embracing quality local ingredients that the farms throughout the Island have to offer.

Sure it doesn’t have the diversity of Vancouver, but for a small town, it punches well above its weight. Here are just a few examples.

Bray’s

There’s something about Bray’s... If I lived in the city a few blocks away from their location at 460 Pandora Ave., I might make it my neighbourhood haunt. Each visit has showcased front and back team that is firing on all cylinders.

My visit last year hit all the right notes. The broccolini ($18) was well-cooked with a slight crunch featuring a pleasant mixture of salsa verde and pine nuts. The little puff balls of gnocchi ($18) melted like butter in my mouth. The carpaccio ($18) included the unique addition of crispy parmesan, adding a round mouthfeel in each bite. 

On a recent trip, I only ordered the bread. Some places might leave it at that, but the addition of curry into the butter elevated it beyond just a simple table dish. 

I would be remiss not to mention the half-roasted game hen. People tend to avoid chicken. I get it. Most restaurants, frankly, are terrible at making it. At $18, the dish was simple, letting the juicy flavour build up in each bite, a powerful jus reduction, with the properly cooked chicken showcasing the kitchen’s strong technique. It is a quality dish and speaks to the restaurant’s quality.

If you’re looking for a meal showcasing local flavours, and a lovely ambiance without the airs of frivolity or decadence, then Bray’s should be on your list.  Visit with friends and share the dishes. Or try the Chef’s Choice at $65, which seems like a steal given the quality of the food.

Rabbit Rabbit Wine Bar

The new wine bar Rabbit Rabbit at 658 Herald St. has a vibe. Reminiscent of a visit to Meo in Vancouver, the restaurant and the team behind the design were intentional in their approach. Walls of wine, light pink accent, moody lighting… This may soon be, if it’s not already, a top date night spot.

Sadly the cat is out of the bag, as we had to wait over an hour for a seat on a Tuesday. But kudos to the team, they managed to fit our odd five-person group in eventually.

The menu itself is an inspired combination of different dishes with influences of French and Japanese, and a smattering of other Asian ingredients. It’s the type of fusion (I hate that word) restaurant that I love to explore.

Scallion milk buns with caramelized onion butter, Udon with sake cream, charred romaine salad with miso almond vinaigrette. It’s a menu I wholeheartedly approve of.

The food rotates often, so you might not have the same choices I did. But if you can, the cabbage is, was, and will always be, the star attraction, even if it no longer appears on the website menu. Thick layers charred to perfection, hearty to slice like gamey meat, with contrasting sweet and fatty flavours and decadent miso layers, it’s a dish I can’t stop thining about. 

As the name implies, they do wine. And they do it well. While they were out of a Georgian wine I was eager to try, the Domaine des Tourelles Vieilles Vignes Cinsault 2021 from Lebanon was an inspired bottle, bright with a full flavour that those just getting into wine will love. It’s a huge list and worth sharing a bottle (or two). The server was very knowledgable, critical part of any wine bar worth its name.

TORO Japanese Sushi

Smoke-infused sushi. Waygu beef and foie gras. Lobster tail. TORO at 708 View St. is a place of indulgence and extravagance, a modern steakhouse feel with Japanese charm.

While it’s sometimes overboard, the quality of the sushi and sashimi was evident. The rolls were flavourful, the chicken kara-age was perfectly fried and the rice quality was high. What more could you want?

Besides the food, the restaurant has an extensive selection of Japanese drinks, especially Sake, from the southern regions of the country. With Junmai, Daiginjo and raw Nama styles, there is something for everyone to explore.

It’s not a cheap menu, with starters hovering around $17 and sushi at $19 on the low end. Don’t even get me started on the A5 Wagyu pieces (two for $28) or $38 for the bluefin centre belly sashimi. But sometimes it’s okay to put a price on extravagance.

Rudi

It’s been a while since I visited Rudi at 710 Pandora Ave., and I didn’t save any photos, but the team behind the ever-popular Wind Cries Mary (worth a visit) has instilled a European flair into their second restaurant, with dishes like risotto, cacio e pepe and duck. 

I will admit I took no notes and did not plan to review it. But the pasta dishes were the standout. A good spot for a late-night meal that will leave you full. 

Matador

Likewise for Matadora Tapas at 559 Fisgard, I didn’t capture any photos (sometimes I don’t want to review a place I visit). But since visiting, I’ve tried to go twice, both times it was on a day when it was closed. That’s how much I liked it and felt I needed to share it with readers.

An authentic tapas bar in the heart of the city, the happy hour from 5 pm-6 pm is nothing to scoff at and is worthy of a post-work pit stop before heading home, or out on the town. Their Vermouth menu must be explored, alongside the variety of tapas adorning the glass display. For a little slice of Spain, without the airfare, you can’t go wrong.