Part and Parcel

Originally, we were going to eat nearby in Downtown Victoria since I had to return to my conference for an evening session after dinner.  However, if we were going to pay premium prices due to location for average food, it wasn't the best way to go about things.  Therefore, I got Viv to pick me up for dinner and we headed over to Part and Parcel.  Reasonably-priced, this little eatery focuses on locally-sourced ingredients to create unique dishes in a casual dining space.

We began with the fantastic Smoked Trout Flatbread with crispy capers, cornichons and fresh dill.  Thick and slightly doughy, the flatbread reminded me of bannock, but grilled instead of baked/fried.  It had a nice elasticity to it and despite being a bit dense, it was still fluffy to a degree.  On top, the trout concoction was creamy and naturally sweet with a good dose of smoke and umaminess.  Adding a salty tang, the cornichons as well as the capers made the dish pop.  The plethora of fresh dill was the proverbial icing on the cake.  As much as a side of Fries and Mayo can be rather boring, these were solid.  Fresh cut and perfectly fried, the fries were crunchy with plenty of potatoness left inside.

Served on a bed of tzatziki, the ribbons of Humboldt Squid were tender to the chew while still having a bite left.  The fresh zing of the tzatziki kept things interesting with a bright creaminess.  Again, the good amount of fresh dill just added the right amount of natural flavour that impacted the entire dish.  To add texture, there was a liberal sprinkling of breadcrumbs on top.  This added both crunch and toasted aromatics.  This was simple yet completely delicious.  Also not overly complex, the Grilled Cheddar Cheese Sandwich with mushrooms and caramelized onions was another example of careful execution.  The bread was buttery and crunchy while the amount of aged cheddar was sharp and nutty.  Add in the earthy squishy mushrooms and the massive amount of sweet caramelized onions, there was plenty of umami to go around.

Onto 2 bigger items, the Grilled Chicken Thigh and Sausage was also done right.  Juicy and tender with crispy well-rendered skin, the thigh was also perfectly seasoned.  The sausage was just as good being airy and light with a moist filling.  It was also full-flavoured without being salty.  This was served with barley and sunflower porridge, buttermilk, kale and puffed grains.  The creamy porridge was not particularly exciting, but it didn't detract from the dish.  I liked the ample amount of fresh kale as it made the dish the seem healthier.  Lastly, the Confit Pork Belly was killer.  Generously portioned as 2 thick pieces, the pork belly was mostly meaty with tender fatty portions.  It was well-seasoned and nicely seared on both sides.  Underneath, the fried rice with pepita, pear and nam prik was absolutely delicious.  The rice was chewy, tangy, sweet, spicy and savoury - hitting all the flavour notes including the brininess of the nam prik.  A good mess of cilantro on top made this even more flavourful.  Some might disagree with me, but for this trip to Victoria, Part and Parcel produced the best food (even better than Agrius).  Definitely a must-try.

The Good:
- Reasonably-priced
- Interesting combination of ingredients
- On point proteins

The Bad:
- Small place, fills up quick