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Although Nourish Kitchen & Cafe has built up quite the following in Victoria and beyond, I wasn't really familiar with the place. By virtue of staying nearby (Inn at Laurel Point) and walking past it daily for the past 4 days, it was a given we were going to dine there eventually. So we decided to hit it up for brunch on our last day staying in Downtown Victoria. So what makes Nourish so special? Well consider that it appeals to Vegan, Vegetarian, Gluten-free and Paleo-diets as well as everyone else. Wait, is that even possible? I guess we were about to find out.
To start things off, we had the Hummus with Roasted Veggies. At first, I thought this would be a small appie, but since it was on the lunch menu, I guess it was enough for a meal. Featuring perfectly roasted parsnips, peppers, broccoli and cauliflower, this would've been delicious (not to mention healthy) by themselves. However, they rested on a bed of hummus that was probably intentionally chunky. There was texture and smoothness combined to create a great dip for the sweet veggies. I would've liked a bit more tang, but that didn't make or break the dish. I also got a small cup of their All the Power Chicken Bone Broth with ginger and turmeric oil. This was flavourful and full of umami complete with substantial natural chicken flavour. Tasty, yes and also good for you!
Onto my main, I went for the Sleeping Beauty Pancakes with featuring cardamom oat pancakes, apple compote, organic pomegranate whipped cream, bee pollen sprinkles, maple syrup and smoked bacon (added for $5.00 more). These were thick, but surprisingly light considering the use of oats. Slightly fluffy with a firmer exterior, these were sweetened by the compote and syrup. When eaten with the smoky lean bacon, the pancakes had a fruit sweet and smoky salty combo flavour. Surprisingly good considering this was gluten-free. My son was appalled that we brought him to a place like this and had his eyes only on the Normal Breakfast. This consisted of 2 farm fresh eggs, salad, buckwheat seedy toast and smoked bacon (also added for $5.00). As much as this was gluten-free, he loved the crunchy and nutty toast. Eggs were perfect and the bacon was lean and meaty.
Viv ended up with the Bonita Bowl sporting 2 soft poached eggs, cilantro hollandaise, molasses and chili baked beans, roasted squash, avocado and apple salsa, salted cabbage, pickled jalapenos and crumbled chorizo (also $5.00 more). This was gluten-free and could be had as dairy-free too. This was pretty substantial with a wealth of meaty and mild chorizo and 2 perfectly poached eggs. The hollandaise was tangy and light with a bit of herbaceousness. Lots of things going on including flavours from all of the ingredients that included sweet, spicy, tangy and of course salty. Miss Y, who joined us, and my daughter both had the Benny Gone Nuts with 2 poached farm eggs, blanched kale, mushrooms, baked sweet potatoes, turmeric cashew hollandaise and haus verde pork sausage ($5.00 more). This was gluten-free and dairy-free, but was no worse for wear because of it. Hollandaise was earthy and tangy, eggs were runny and the use of veggies rather than bread made a unique but ultimately tasty concoction. Sausage was meaty and full of flavour. Yep, we liked this place despite my initial reservations. If you are nearby, give it a try.
The Good:
- Appeals to all forms of diets
- Food is actually tasty
- Quaint house
The Bad:
- It ain't cheap, but fair for Downtown Victoria
With the prevailing food scene in Vancouver, it is easy to overreact to cuisines that are unfamiliar. We have such a wide array of Asian options, most people are quite well-versed as to what is good and what is average. However, when it comes to cuisines less traveled, it seems like we will automatically go nuts for it since we've either never had it before and/or there is nothing to compare it to. That would be the case with Middle-Eastern food where we do have some spots to chose from, but not all areas are represented. Mijune and I met up recently at Aleph Eatery out on Powell to experience Chef Haitham El Khatib's take on Middle-Eastern eats.
Highly-recommended and stunningly beautiful to the eyes, the Silk Road featured hummus, eggplant and labneh combined into edible art. It was finished off with honey, olive oil and zaatar with chimichurri saj on the side. In comparison to the more well-known Jamjar, the hummus here was infinitely better featuring non-canned chickpeas blended smooth with noticeable hits of lemon and garlic. Tender and not overprocessed, the eggplant was delicate with discernible texture. It was lightly dressed in olive oil and was particularly good mixed with the zaatar and labneh. About that labneh, it was thick and creamy with an appetizing tang. It was complimented nicely by the honey. Not to be ignored, the saj was warm, soft and had a mild chewiness. I really wanted the Ultra Crispy Potatoes and they did not disappoint. These were akin to the ones found at Pepino's, but dressed differently of course. It consisted of tahini, aleppo and roasted red peppers. Such a simple offering, but addictive. Aromatic and firmly crispy, the potatoes were still soft and fluffy. Beyond a mild saltiness, the flavours mainly came from the sweet peppers (with some spiciness) and nutty creamy tahini dressing.
Although we were there during lunch, we decided to get the Turmeric Cauliflower (which is on the dinner menu). Turned out to be a good idea since they were also very good. Unlike many of the fried versions in town, this one was roasted with turmeric and topped with tahini dressing, sliced almonds, aleppo and parsley. Despite the repeat of a few ingredients, the cauliflower shared no common flavour profile with the potatoes. Rather, the turmeric really came through with a gingery tanginess while complimented by the creamy dressing and the slightly spicy and sweet aleppo. Texturally, the cauliflower was on point being firm with a moist crunch while cooked all-the-way-through. Another hit was the Falafel with brined beat and carrot, radishes and garlic toum. By appearances alone, it was attractive with a bright green hue surrounded by dark golden brown. It ate as it appeared with a firm crunch giving way to a fluffy and soft centre. There was noted hits of cumin, parsley and spice.
Our last dish was my personal favourite being the Enoki Mushroom Shawarma. Initially, I was hesitant to order it, but upon Mijune's urging (or forceful suggestiveness...), we got it. She was right though, it was fantastic from the first bite. There was so much impact from the spices used on the enoki including nuttiness, aromatic bitterness and earthiness. Combined with the hummus underneath, we got the lemon and garlic once again. Eaten with the fantastic saj on the side, this was texturally and tastewise on point. Okay, I got a little excited with this place (due to some of the aforementioned reasons), but compared to similar spots (in particular, Jamjar), Aleph does a much better job. Would this be as exciting if we had the same amount of Middle-Eastern restaurants as Chinese restaurants in town? Probably not, but given the limited options, Aleph is one of the better ones.
The Good:
- High-quality ingredients
- Small spot where the chef keeps things consistent
- Impactful flavours
The Bad:
- Some seats are a bit awkward in the small space
- Some creative license on certain dishes which might not work for some people
After a so-so meal at Two Rivers Meats in North Van, Miss Y was in search of more paleo eats that didn't involve her cooking at home. Actually, she loves cooking at home since it lets her control what she puts into the food. Hence, it was more like I wanted to find eats and needed an eating buddy. I ended up grabbing Miss Y and made our way to the Caveman Cafe in International Village. This was as close to pure paleo that one can get in terms of eating out (some items are not really all-that-paleo, but again, close enough).
I started with a bite of the Chicken Wings (added on for only $2.99 with a meal) drizzled with a spicy BBQ sauce. As for the positives, I really enjoyed the sauce as it was as spicy as advertised. There was a bit of sweetness at the tail end of each bite. The wings themselves were a bit dry and overdone. Furthermore, the skin was not rendered at all being fatty and broken. Onto the Caveman Lasagna, I chose to have it with meat sauce and regular cheese. The rest of the ingredients included zucchini, eggplant, carrot, onion, turnip, ginger, garlic and celery. I decided against having noodles or potato which meant the whole thing was rather wet. Nothing they can do about that since there was no carb to soak up the moisture. With that in mind, I enjoyed the lasagna for what it was. Flavours were there and the amount of melted cheese was generous. I probably would've liked to see the zucchini and eggplant sliced thin and layered rather than chunks.
I also got the Beef Cheek Platter Feast with spiced rice with black beans and a meal-sized custom salad (with pomegranate dressing). For around $10.00, this was a fantastic value since there was more than enough food. Secondly, the generous amount of beef cheek was tender and gelatinous. There could've been a touch more seasoning, but it didn't make or break the dish. In addition, there was some hummus and spiced yogurt to complete the platter. For Miss Y, she had the Caveman Pizza featuring a veggie crust. It wasn't really a pizza per se, rather it was a combination of ingredients on top of a falafel-looking flatbread (it didn't taste nor have the texture of falafel though). The chicken was fairly mild-tasting, but still relatively tender and not too dry. Ultimately, there are some items that might appeal strictly to those on paleo diets. However, with the platter feasts, one can customize their meal at a very affordable price.
The Good:
- Fantastic value
- Loved the build-your-own feast
- Great for those who are on paleo or similar diets
The Bad:
- Some items may not appeal to those not on paleo diets
The likelihood that I willingly and knowingly make a visit to a vegetarian and/or vegan restaurant is pretty slim. Now add in the fact that I had to "fool" my son into eating anything remotely close to his non-preferred foods makes it even more remote. I think if I had told him straight up that we were bound for Virtuous Pie would elicit nightmarish screams and protest. However, we really went there and yes, I didn't say a word. To be fair, from what I've heard, the place ain't bad especially when no meat or cheese is involved.
Well, it wasn't too much of a stretch (sorry for the pun) for him to try their version of the classic Margherita Pizza. This featured San Marzano tomato sauce, cashew mozzarella and fresh basil on a 3-day hand-stretched crust. Normally, most thin-crust pizzas are generally softer in the middle, but not this one. It was firmly crunchy (and a bit dry) emulating a hard cracker-like texture. I found the tomato sauce to be decently flavourful with a mild tang. The cashew mozzarella did its job and fooled my son. However, the "Italian Field Roast Sausage" on the Flower & Water didn't emulate meat enough for him to like it. For me, I love gluten and the texture was spot on. The pizza was a little spicy with a strong roasted fennel sweetness as well as the aromatics from the confit garlic.
We also got the Super Funghi with scalloped potatoes, truffle almond ricotta, wild mushrooms and rocket. This was noticeably Earthy and aromatic with the robust texture of the potatoes. It was drier than the other 2 pizzas though. To change things up, we tried their Potato Salad sporting firm chunks of purple and regular nugget potatoes. There was a considerable amount of dill and onion flavour. I also enjoyed the large amount of plump mushrooms. So, from reading my post, you can clearly see I wasn't turned off by the non-meat and cheese pizzas. To be honest, I would prefer a typical Neapolitan pizza more, but this wasn't bad at all.
The Good:
- Fairly appealing for a vegan pizza
- Simple and minimalist, yet modern
The Bad:
- For meat-eaters, this may not replace the real thing.
With our busy lives, it's pretty easy to fall into the "fast food trap". You know, when you are totally short on time and have to resort to grabbing a bite that is usually unhealthy more often than not. Hey, don't get me wrong here, I don't mind the occasional burger, but it's not a great way to keep nourished daily. So when I was contacted to check out Peqish and their array of grab n' go items (that didn't include burgers), I was intrigued. I enlisted the help of Sean and Grace as well as Viv to try more than a few items.
In addition to their selection of salads, sammies and drinks in the display fridge, there was also a warmer that offered up hot soups, sandwiches, baked goods and treats. We sampled 3 sandwiches to start including the Turkey Meatball Marinara, Veggie Caponata and 5-Spiced Pulled Pork. These were indeed warm where the bread was a bit dry on the outside as a result of being kept in the warmer. I liked the pulled pork the most as there was a nice mix of five spice and sweet hoisin. Onto some soups, I tried the Rosemary Minestrone first. I found it quite mild with little nuggets of sweet veggies including carrot, corn and red peppers. There was a certain wholesomeness to it where it was easy on the sodium.
Onto 2 more soups, we tried both the Coconut Thai Chicken & Tofu Soup and Pumpkin Patch Soup. Although hearty and substantial, the coconut Thai was a little mild in flavour. It did taste fresh and healthy though with a certain brightness. I would've liked to see some more coconut essence as well as a touch of spice. The most memorable was definitely the Pumpkin Patch Soup with carrot and ginger. I normally look forward to pumpkin soup as much as a vasectomy, but this one was different. The sweetness of carrots and the sharp spice of the ginger brought the flavours alive as well as masking some of the "vegetable gaminess" of pumpkin.
Hey, we couldn't get out of there without trying some beverages right? We sampled (from left-to-right) the Berry Berry Banana Smoothie made with field berries, banana, orange and pineapple juice, Ginger Berry Chia H20, Ice Tea Lemon Crush Chia H20 and Mango Coconut Water. As much as I was apprehensive about the chia in terms of texture, it wasn't an issue as it went down easy with the drink. The common theme was that each drink had a certain flavour without being reliant on sugar. My favourite was the Ginger Berry Chia H20 as it was refreshing with only a minimal sweetness accented by a ginger "bite". I was a bit indifferent with the Mango Coconut Water, not because it wasn't any good, but for me, it was more about essence than actual flavour.
Moving onto some sweets, I had to go for the 5 Berry Icebox Cheesecake (because I love cheesecake... duh...). This was a lighter version with a "crumb dust" that wasn't heavy nor sweet. The cheesecake itself was creamy and not overly dense with only purposeful sweetness. This was complimented nicely by the semi-sweet and tart berries. Sean was keen on trying the Crème de la Coconut Brownie. Turns out, it was pretty good as it was chewy, rich and of course coconutty. It was decently sweet without going overboard. However, I'm not sure if I could eat the whole thing by myself as it was quite filling.
With a few more treats, we ended our tasting with a Iced Lemon Scone and a selection of cookies including Old Fashioned Chocolate Chunk, Lunchbox Coconut Oatmeal Raisin and Double Chocolate Super. The scone was kept in the warming display and hence was soft throughout. It was somewhat light with a sweet lemon frosting on the top. As for the cookies, I liked the chocolate chip the most as it was crispy with sweet chunks of chocolate. Naturally, the oatmeal cookie was chewy instead of crispy. It was fairly sweet, especially from the raisins. So as you can imagine, the food at Peqish isn't rocket science. However, it is all made in-house and served fresh everyday. I especially liked the moderation with both sugar and salt in most of their products.
*All food and drinks were complimentary*
The Good:
- Fresh food made daily
- Easy on the salt and sugar
- Reasonably-priced
The Bad:
- Some of the items kept in the warmer were becoming dry (but we went after the lunch rush)
With Costanza and his son out-of-commission due to illness, we had to change up our eating plans (no fried stuff for them!). As if my taste buds hadn't already suffered enough from expensive mediocre theme park food and even more expensive sub-standard Downtown Disney food, I had to think fast on my feet. Hence, I went back to the well and remembered our 2 visits to Sweet Tomatoes in Florida. It was an out-of-body experience where I saw things that are not normally seen during Theme Park vacations - vegetables and lots of it. Sure, the food was standard fare, but it was healthier, inexpensive and all-you-can-eat.
So that was the plan, eat something lighter and cheaper in the likeness of Sweet Tomatoes. Well, it was if we planned it all along as we were only minutes away from a location of Souplantation. To my son's horror, the sight of endless veggies almost made him turn around and run. He, of the "I love junk food" variety, had to suffer watching us stack our plates full of salad before we even hit the other options. And really, the selection was impressive, fully stocked and fresh. We could choose from pre-made Salads, made-to-order Caesar and build-your-own. He ended up taking a few croutons, so to not be left out.
With the same setup as Sweet Tomatoes, we paid at the end of the salad bar. There, we added drinks to our bill which was quite reasonable ($9.00 for adults and $5.00 for the kiddies over 5). After that, I headed straight to the Soups which included Big Chunk Chicken Noodle, Deep Kettle House Chili, Santa Fe Black Bean Chili, Yankee Clipper Clam Chowder, Split Pea & Potato Barley and Seven Vegetable. Although nothing was particularly awesome, they did the trick while not being super salty. Right beside this section, there were some pastas including the kid-friendly mac n' cheese. Directly across, there was a selection of flat breads, baked goods and baked potato with all the fixin's.
Off course there was also a dessert section consisting of a few simple items that included fruit gelatin, grapes, rice pudding, oranges, chocolate mousse and soft serve ice cream. As you can clearly see, the food at Souplantation ain't exactly gourmet nor exciting. But for a family on vacation that hasn't seen much in the way of vegetation (other than in the park), it is a great way to get a relatively healthier meal at a great price. Naturally, being kid-friendly is another draw as well.
The Good:
- Kid-friendly
- Inexpensive
- Healthy options
The Bad:
- Limited selection
- Food is average
Normally, having lunch with Choobee includes the usual whining that the location of the restaurant is too far or it's not interesting enough. Imagine the shock when she suggested we eat out on Victoria Drive and at Chau VeggiExpress. What? Somewhere East of Main Street AND vegetarian??? I knew she has a screw loose somewhere, but this was outright lunacy. Fine, I guess I shouldn't be picky. At least she was willing to travel for food... Besides, I sampled the food before at a Tasting Plates and admittedly, it was pretty good.
We decided to share everything beginning with the Namahata or their version of a salad roll consisting of shredded bean curd, mint, quinoa, mung bean, green leaf lettuce, cucumber and crispy wheat crunch accompanied by lemon sauce. This was an exploration in textures including the soft bean curd, crunchy cucumber, crisp lettuce and of course, the wheat crunch. The mint really came through and the lemon added a nice refreshing acidity. For our mains, I dug into the Candlelit Lantern Down the River first. It featured an aromatic, yet impactful broth consisting of star anise and cinnamon encompassing rice noodles along with assorted tofu, mushrooms, lotus roots and herbs. With familiar flavours akin to Pho, but without the meat, this was probably my favourite of the bunch as the noodles were toothsome while the ingredients made me forget about the meat.
Next, I tried the Golden Temple with quinoa served on the side. Aromatic and purposeful, the turmeric curry broth helped highlight the combination of assorted tofu, veggies, yam, taro, kale and herbs. I found this to be both light and flavourful at the same time. The vibrant and firm veggies were a real treat as they retained their colour and textures. I'm not sure if the quinoa was the best accompaniment as noodles or rice would've soaked up the broth more readily. Finally, we had the Moonlit Midnight Swim consisting of wild rice blend, assorted tofu, veggies, kale, mushrooms and lotus root in a spiced peanut, mushroom sauce topped by lettuce, roasted peanuts and seeds. This one was the most hearty of the offerings with firm rice and a nutty sweet & salty sauce. We liked that there was a definite heat to it as well. Similarly to all of the other dishes, there was a nice contrast of textures. Okay, okay, I'm not afraid to say it - I like the food at Chau. There I said it. Now where is the closest steak house?
The Good:
- Impactful and purposeful flavours
- No meat and it's still hearty
The Bad:
- Maybe a bit heavy on the sodium at times
Meeting Choobee for eats can often be an exercise in frustration. You see, we go through what seemingly is an endless array of options before we settle on a destination. Furthermore, we then proceed to over-think the menu and take forever to order. Yes, that is what happens when you get 2 food-crazed people together. Well, as food crazy as I may be, it took some persistence from Choobee to coax me into finally doing a standalone visit to Tractor. I've been here in the past as part of a food tour and the eats were good (despite featuring leafy green things that are completely foreign to me).
Naturally, she proceeded to order 4 salads including the Kale with Granny Smith apples, julienned radicchio and white balsamic vinaigrette. This was my favourite (in relative terms) as it had plenty of crunch and acidity from both the vinaigrette and apples. On the same plate, we sampled the Roasted Cauliflower with chickpeas, radicchio, orzo, feta cheese and kalamata olive dressing. I liked the crunch of the cauliflower along with the meaty chickpeas. Either there wasn't enough feta or that we didn't get any because it wasn't really apparent. With even more salads (oh the humanity...), we had the Grilled Asparagus with broccoli, butternut squash, pecans, ricotta cheese and champagne vinaigrette. This was a fairly "wet" salad, but the flavours were good though with a nice mix of creaminess, sweetness and acidity. Lastly, we had the Organic Quinoa with kale, fresh blueberries, butternut squash, mint and basil. The firm texture of the kale gave the salad some "meatiness" (had to get that word in somehow). As the ingredients suggest, there was this herby and sweet balance.
We moved onto all 3 of their available stews including the Morroccan Chicken with chickpeas. Despite the exotic name, the flavours were quite mild. I did get the ginger and possibly a hint of cinnamon, but it was lacking in effect in general. There was a decent amount of ingredients including little chunks of chicken and firm chickpeas. I found the Slow Roasted Pork with chipotle peppers, tomatoes, carrot and garlic to be more flavourful. It wasn't spicy per se, but it wasn't devoid of spice either. I felt this had more depth, possibly a direct result of the roasted pork. As for the pork itself, it was a touch stringy and in small strands. The veggies were soft while not lacking in texture.
Lastly and begrudgingly, we had the Thai Veggie with organic tofu, cauliflower, chick peas, kale and peppers. Naturally, without the benefit of meat, the stew lacked body. However, my main concern was the overall flavour profile - it was somewhat bland. For something advertised as Thai, I expected more fragrance and maybe more spice. I'm not sure of their recipe, but I would personally add a good amount of coconut milk. For the heck of it, we decided to try one piece each of the Albacore Tuna and Steelhead Salmon. As evidenced in the picture, the tuna was seared ever-so-slightly maintaining a soft rare centre. The salmon was also slightly rare in the middle ensuring that it wasn't dried out. They were simply seasoned with salt, pepper and lemon. Due to the fact we could only eat so much, we skipped the sandwiches (but you can see them here on another post). Despite my indifference with the stews, I found the food at tractor fresh and healthy. Hence, by putting a bunch of fat and salt into the stews would've been contradictory.
The Good:
- Fresh stuff
- I felt healthy eating it
- Lots of choice
The Bad:
- Stews lacking in impact (but as I said, adding fat and salt would make it unhealthy)
- Not expensive, but not cheap either
Posts
Although Nourish Kitchen & Cafe has built up quite the following in Victoria and beyond, I wasn't really familiar with the place. By virtue of staying nearby (Inn at Laurel Point) and walking past it daily for the past 4 days, it was a given we were going to dine there eventually. So we decided to hit it up for brunch on our last day staying in Downtown Victoria. So what makes Nourish so special? Well consider that it appeals to Vegan, Vegetarian, Gluten-free and Paleo-diets as well as everyone else. Wait, is that even possible? I guess we were about to find out.
To start things off, we had the Hummus with Roasted Veggies. At first, I thought this would be a small appie, but since it was on the lunch menu, I guess it was enough for a meal. Featuring perfectly roasted parsnips, peppers, broccoli and cauliflower, this would've been delicious (not to mention healthy) by themselves. However, they rested on a bed of hummus that was probably intentionally chunky. There was texture and smoothness combined to create a great dip for the sweet veggies. I would've liked a bit more tang, but that didn't make or break the dish. I also got a small cup of their All the Power Chicken Bone Broth with ginger and turmeric oil. This was flavourful and full of umami complete with substantial natural chicken flavour. Tasty, yes and also good for you!
Onto my main, I went for the Sleeping Beauty Pancakes with featuring cardamom oat pancakes, apple compote, organic pomegranate whipped cream, bee pollen sprinkles, maple syrup and smoked bacon (added for $5.00 more). These were thick, but surprisingly light considering the use of oats. Slightly fluffy with a firmer exterior, these were sweetened by the compote and syrup. When eaten with the smoky lean bacon, the pancakes had a fruit sweet and smoky salty combo flavour. Surprisingly good considering this was gluten-free. My son was appalled that we brought him to a place like this and had his eyes only on the Normal Breakfast. This consisted of 2 farm fresh eggs, salad, buckwheat seedy toast and smoked bacon (also added for $5.00). As much as this was gluten-free, he loved the crunchy and nutty toast. Eggs were perfect and the bacon was lean and meaty.
Viv ended up with the Bonita Bowl sporting 2 soft poached eggs, cilantro hollandaise, molasses and chili baked beans, roasted squash, avocado and apple salsa, salted cabbage, pickled jalapenos and crumbled chorizo (also $5.00 more). This was gluten-free and could be had as dairy-free too. This was pretty substantial with a wealth of meaty and mild chorizo and 2 perfectly poached eggs. The hollandaise was tangy and light with a bit of herbaceousness. Lots of things going on including flavours from all of the ingredients that included sweet, spicy, tangy and of course salty. Miss Y, who joined us, and my daughter both had the Benny Gone Nuts with 2 poached farm eggs, blanched kale, mushrooms, baked sweet potatoes, turmeric cashew hollandaise and haus verde pork sausage ($5.00 more). This was gluten-free and dairy-free, but was no worse for wear because of it. Hollandaise was earthy and tangy, eggs were runny and the use of veggies rather than bread made a unique but ultimately tasty concoction. Sausage was meaty and full of flavour. Yep, we liked this place despite my initial reservations. If you are nearby, give it a try.
