Victoria Highlights

My month in Victoria has drawn to a close and I am home again in Vanny!  Although Victoria is a very nice place to visit, it is great to be home:)

Here are some of my faves from Victoria:

Cafes/Bakeries:

Cafe Bliss:  This small cafe caters to every level of vegetarian, from the more "mainstream" vegetarian, to the strict vegan and even to those who consume only raw foods.  They have a very original lineup of smoothies which include some very unique ingredients.  I was recommended the "Creamy Green" which, among other healthy ingredients, included LOCAL pollen grown on Vancouver Island, and Vitamineral Green, a supplement made of herbs, chia and flax.  Its flavour was suprosingly very pleasant, with just the perfect amount of natural sweetness from the fruit. I also tried a couple of their cooked menu items, the Black Bean Soup (spicy and filling) and the Autumn Macro Bowl (squash, kale and beet served on a bed of quinoa in a curry sauce), both of which I enjoyed very much.

Sitka Specialty Shop: I stumbled across this neat little shop on Yates St. by chance one evening when I was on the way to my car from the gym.  The name sounded familiar to me but I could not place it.  Inside, not only did I find some amazing locally made and environmentally-concious clothes but, at the front of the store, I also found a lovely little cafe offering light meals (Quinoa and Pear Salad, Breakfast Quesadilla, etc.) and treats, many of which are made at other local bakeries such as Devour (see my previous review).  The menu changes up frequently based on seasonality of ingredients.  In addition, they offer a lively quiet space to chill out while you enjoy your food (they have wireless internet too), made even better by the complimentary water infused with lemon and cucumber.  

When I looked it up after the fact to figure out why the name sounded so familiar, I realized that there is actually a Sitka here in Vancouver on West 4th that I have been in several times. Unfortunately, no little cafe in the Vanny store:(  Why not?  Just replicate exactly what Victoria has going on- it is awesome and would totally fly at the Kits!

Wildfire Bakery:  I LOVE this place and, after going once, I could not stop going back.  You will find quite a line outside of Wildfire when it opens on weedays at 7:30, with customers just hankering for one of their deliciously healthy muffins (Carrot Millet was my favorite!) or a small loaf of their bread.  They offer something for every taste and diet, including whites, ryes, whole grains (including sprouted varieties) and multiple types of wheat-free loaves. I was also fortunate enough one day to get the very last Vegan Pizza in the store, made of spelt crust and topped with seasonal veggies (squash, brocolli, greens) and their houseade Vegan Pate.  Not suprisingly, these heavenly pies are in hot commodity and usually sell out by 1:00pm.  Their soup is also well worth a try- the mushroom parley with kale and tomato quinoa were delicious!  

Pure Vanilla Bakery:  Unfortunately (or maybe fortunately as far as my wallet is concerned!), I only discovered this great little bakery on my last day in Victoria.  It is away from downtown, in the Oak Bay area, and tucked away in a little neighbourhood, so it is not a place you are likely to stumble across.  They offer a vast selection of baked goods (there is a whole wall of cookies to choose from!) as well a nice lunch menu.  There is a good amount of seating here which was pretty much full around early afternoon as people sat eating their lunch.  I tried their Morning Glory Muffin which was superb- moist, packed with dried fruit and flax seed such that you did not have to feel guilty about eating it first thing in the morning.  I also purchased Chocolcate Chunk Cookies for my husband, which he very much enjoyed.  

Coffee shops:

Habit (see previous post)

Discovery coffee- Discovery Coffee has 3 locations in Victoria- 2 near downtown and one on Oak Bay.  I visited the Oak Bay location a couple of times and absolutely loved it.  The atmosphere is super chill ad relaxed,  and they play music from old vinyl records.  They make amazing coffee, americanos and lattes (I have tried them all!).  The baristas know their stuff.  What a great place to spend a rainy afternoon cozied up with a book.

Ferwood Coffee (Personage Coffee)- This coffee joint, located away from downtown, tucked away on a little lane just near Cook St, has quite a loyal following.  Even in mid-afternoon on a weekday the place was packed.  One of the customers, hearing me tell the barista I was from Vancouver, eagerly told me that I had come to the very best coffee house in Victoria, and even i the country in his opinion. Those are heavy praise!  The service is very friendly.  My latte was very good, although not quite as good in my mind as those at Habit or Discovery  They also have a more extended menu, including sandwiches, yummy salads and nice baked good (the oatmeal chocolate chip cookie I had was yummy!).

 

Miscellaneous

Yates Market: This was my Whole Foods stand-in while in Victoria.  Lots of local produce, with a big focus on organic items.  They also have a great bakery section- their homeade Flax Bars are a very yummy and filling treat!

Not Just Pretty:  This is honestly one of my favorite places to shop for clothes.  After discovering it last year, I couldn't wait to go back on this visit.  They specialize in clthing made by local designers.  The prices are a bit on the steeper side but in my mind it is well worth it for their original and well-made garments.

 

Hope you get the chance to visit Victoria for yourself and check out some of my faves, and discover some of your own:)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A bit of a let down at Cafe Brio

Cafe Brio

944 Fort Street  Victoria, BC V8V 3K2
(250) 383-0009

Tastiness factor: 3/5

Service: 2/5

Atmosphere: 3.5/5

Locavore approved? YES- even with the disappointing experience, I must admit that they made good use of seasonal ingredients and change the menu often.  They have several locally-made charcuterie options and a offer a good selection of BC wines. 

 

For our last dinner during our month-long rotation in Victoria, I made reservations at Café Brio, a very well reputed Italian/West Coast restaurant.  After reading mostly glowing reviews, both about food and service, I was very excited to try it.

The exterior of Café Brio, found a bit out of downtown near Cook and Fort St., looks very appealing.  It is covered in green vines, which, on the background of the yellow stone wall, give it a very European look.  The interior is quite large and inviting, with booths along one wall and a bar along the other.  The decor however, was quite dated and in need of a little refresher.  Because we had a bit of a larger group (5 people and a baby), we were seated in a little alcove at the front of the restaurant, separated from the main room by a couple of stairs, with a nice big window that looked out onto the street.  The owner said that it was where he eats when he dines there with his family so that he can have a nice quiet meal away from the hustle and bustle.  We were very happy with the seating arrangement at first, but as the meal progressed, we realized that it had its drawbacks…

 

Café Brio has been repeatedly applauded for its friendly service and I cannot deny them this.  Both the owner and his partner were “working the room” for most of the night and came over several times to check on us.  His wife was especially chatty, especially when it came to the baby and raving about how cute he was.  For some, it may have been maybe a little too “in-your-face” but I admire their dedication to their restaurant and the pride that they take in it.

Unfortunately, that is pretty much very the good service ended.  We waited a good 45 minutes before having our order taken.  Although the owners came back several times to “check on us” and ensure us that our server would be there soon, it really was not soon enough.  After seeing us 

wait so long and request to order several times, could the owners not have just taken out order?  The other thing that confused me was the fact that the place was not at all busy (at 9pm on a Thursday night, not many places in Victoria are).  So exactly what were all of the servers doing?  When we finally did order, our server seemed stressed out and rushed and did not provide us with any explanation of the menu. When we finally got our food after waiting quite another long interval of time (at least 25 minutes), one of my fellow diners received octopus instead of tuna and the server basically told her it was her mistake, although I clearly heard her order the tuna.  At a restaurant at this price point, I expect far better.

So how about the most important part, the food?   One of their redeeming qualities is that all items on their menu (excluding dessert)  are available in both half and full plates, giving diners the choice of trying a few different options or ordering one entrée.  It is divided into vegetarian, fish/shellfish and meat options, with about 6 items in each section.  There is no appetizers as such, but many of the small plates could easily serve as an appetizer.  Their wine list boasts many BC options.

I chose two of the half portions dishes, expecting that this would constitute a full meal.  Unfortunately, the portions were pretty small and I was still pretty hungry after totally cleaning off both plates.  This is where a nice menu explanation and ordering recommendations from our server at the beginning of the meal would have been helpful. 

My first dish was the Contourni, an ensemble of 4 seasonal vegetables, which change up often depending on availability (kudos to them for this).  On that particular night, the offerings included roasted fennel with pesto, beet with a cream sauce, assorted mushrooms on crosini, and grilled celery root.  While the beet and the fennel with their accompaniments were quite lovely, the other two were a bit of a miss for me.  I expected to love the mushrooms (among my favorite winter vegetables), but it was a shame that they had been cooked in a rather repulsive sauce (a wine reduction perhaps?) that made that was much too strong and gave them an unpleasant aftertaste.  On the opposite end of the spectrum, the celery root was pretty “blah”, without hardly any flavor.  The dish had great potential, but the beautiful vegetables were done an injustice by not being allowed to live up to their true potential.

My second dish was the Grilled Local Octopus.  This is not something that I order often, but the accompaniments of cauliflower, raisins and pine nuts really caught my eye.  To my surprise, the octopus ended up being the star of my whole meal.  It was beautifully charred, with great texture (not too rubbery) and lots of flavor.  Unfortunately, the accompaniments ended up being a bit of a letdown.  The cauliflower was bland and I think there may have been a total of 3 raisins and 3 pine nuts total on the plate.  Aside from the octopus, another disappointment.

My friend, who was wanting a bit of a lighter meal, ordered the Mixed Green Salad and asked that she get a fillet of salmon on top to make it a complete meal.  The salad, quite a generous size, was served with seasonal bosc bears, blue cheese and a tangy mustard dressing that nicely balanced the sweetness of the pears. She initially enjoyed her meal very much, but the story changed a bit when she got her bill.  Her $12 full size salad had skyrocketted in price to 29$ with the addition of the salmon- a 17$ piece of salmon, served plain on the size of her salad?  That seemed a bit over the top to us, but when she questionned it, she was told that the chef was unwilling to go down in price.  Although she enjoyed the salad's flavours, this whole debacle left a bitter taste in her mouth...

Another of my fellow diners ordered the Pan Roasted Spring Salmon.  The salmon was cooked nicely (medium rare) and was served on a bed of potato gnocci and topped with a cabbage slaw. He enjoyed the dish.

When my friend finally got her Grilled Rare Albacore Tuna (after the octopus mix-up), served with lentils, mushrooms and a few greens, she enjoyed it overall, but was not near as impressed with this version near as much as the tuna dish that we had been served at "Vis-a-Vis the week before (see my previous review).  

With it being our last night in Victoria, two of those in our group decided to splurge on dessert. The first dessert was the Dark Chocolate Tart served with Earl Grey ice cream. Although she enjoyed the first few bites, this is a VERY rich dessert and she recruited us to help finish what she could not herself.  I did think that the Earl Grey ice cream helped to balance it out somewhat, but if you are not a true chocolate addict, this may be a bit much for you.

The second dessert, recommended by our waiter was the Caramel and Marscapone Cheesecake..  Although the cheesecake itself was not bad (not great but not bad) we were all quite perplexed by the fact that it was served with a deep fried apple ring on the side (called a doughnut).  The two were in no way interconected, and just seemed like two desserts on one plate.  They should have left out the "doughnut" entirely- it was chewy, bland and unattractive. 

So, although I really wanted to enjoy Cafe Brio after hearing such great things, I really could not. I was quite underwhelmed by the whole experience, from the service to the food.  In my mind, this whole place needs an overhaul, from the dated decor to the subpar service to the hit-or-miss food. If this place wishes to compete with the the new spots poping up all around Victoria (Devour, Vis-a-Vis, etc., etc.), it had better get its act together if it wants to survive.

 

 

 

 

Victoria at its best at Vis-A-Vis

Vis-a-Vis Wine and Chacuterie Bar

2232 Oak Bay Road, Victoria BC

250-590-7424

 

Tastiness Factor: 4.75/5

Service: 4.75/5

Atmosphere: 4/5

Locavore Approved: Enthusiastically YES!!!- major focus on local, sustainable ingredients.  A large proportion of the chacuterie items made in-house.  Staff VERY knowledgeable about origin of ingredients.  

 

During my month here in Victoria for work, some of my Vancouver friends and I have been going out for a weekly dinner to sample the Victoria food scene.  Week 1 was Tapa (see previous post) and week 2 was Rebar (post to follow, want to eat there again before doing final post).  For our week 3 dinner this past week, one of my dining friends suggested Vis-a-Vis, which she had been already since her arrival in Victoria.  It had been a huge hit on her first visit so she was eager to go again. Now I totally understand why.  

Vis-A-Vis is located away from the downtown core in the quaint yet sophisticated Oak Bay Village district.  In the area, you will find many nice shops and a growing number of bistros and delicatessans.  It is much more quiet than downtown, and much easier to find parking.  

The restaurant has a small store face leading into a decent sized floor space.  It has a low-key feeling to it, certainly very unpretentious.  There is nice booth-style seating along the while, as well as a god amount of bar seating.  

Although service was a little slow at first (it took about 10 minutes until we first saw any wait staff, even with our reservation), it is impossible to hold this against them because the overall service of the meal was fantastic.  Our waiter began by introducing the philosophy of the restaurant (fresh, local, sustainable, quality ingredients) and then took plenty of time to explain the menu.  He knew all of the dishes like the back of his hand and offered very good wine suggestions.  He certainly seemed very passionate about his role in serving us, and made us feel very welcome.  The service was superior to most fine dining restaurants I have been too, yet was always maintained a relaxed and friendly quality.

We were very fortunate to have chosen to go to Vis-a-Vis on a Wednesday.  Not only do they offer $20 off each bottle of wine purchased, but they also offer three small plates for the price of two.  What a deal!  

Normal 0 0 1 619 3530 29 7 4335 11.1287 0 0 0

The selection of wine at Vis-à-Vis includes 24 table wines and 4 sparklings, with a sommelier who is more than happy to offer wine suggestions.  We chose a bottle for the table, but wines are also available in 1oz, 5oz and 8oz glasses so that guests can sample and contrast different wines and how they pair with the food.

The menu at Vis-à-Vis is divided into 2 distinct parts: Charcuterie and small plates.  Although you can certainly eat individually (our server was very helpful in suggesting ways to do both), I highly suggest that you go here with friends and share the meal.  We had four people and shared dishes from both parts of the menu. 

The Charcuterie part of the menu is broken down to cheeses on one side and proteins on the other.  Each item is $5 and can come together on a Charcuterie board with a side of French bread.  As a pescatarian, I was VERY excited to see fish as options!  We chose four items, including a chevre from Salt Spring Island (my favorite of all cheeses!), a firmer cows milk cheese from Quebec (the feature cheese of the evening), the maple smoked salmon (to die for!) and a prosciutto.  What a lovely way to start the meal.

The small plates part of the menu is divided into fish, vegetable and meat.  Because there were two non-meat eaters at the table, we chose three fish, two veg and one meat dish to share.  There are about 5-6 choices in each section, and they change frequently depending on availability of ingredients (the online menu has the same base ingredients but the accompaniments are different, obviously reflecting the transition to November harvest).  The dishes we chose were as follows:

 

FISH:

Albacore Tuna Tataki- Although this had the potential to be a bit tired (it is found on so many menus now), this particular tuna was a cut above any I have had.  I was so glad that they left the beautiful tuna speak for itself without assaulting it with heavy spice and sauce.  The lemon reduction artfully scattered around the plate was a nice accompaniment, as was the little pile of radish and fennel slaw on the side.

 

Grilled Octopus- This was one of my favorite of all the dishes.  The octopus was beautifully charred and served atop a flavourful bed of white beans.  To brighten up the plate was my favorite winter green, kale, fried crispy.  It was a very hearty dish, just perfect for a nippy fall night. 

 

 

Hot Smoked Trout- This was a very creative dish, made with in-house smoked trout. Very generous chunks of trout were topped with pear.  Overtop the pear was a vibrant green piece of seaweed to add texture and curb appeal.  Although some of us secretly wished we could have the whole plate to ourselves, it was divided into 4 piles, which made it perfect for sharing.

 

VEGETABLE:

Tempura brocollini- Although this was my least favorite of the dishes (I am not a huge tempura fan), it was enjoyed by my fellow diners and I certainly ate my share without difficultyJ.  It is rare to see broccolini done as a tempura so they got points for this for sure.  I would have preferred a bit of a lighter batter so that I could taste the vegetable underneath.  It was served with a robust gouda dip which stood up nicely to the tempura.

 

Pan-Fried Gnocchi- This was also a favorite of mine.  I would go as far as to saying that this was the best gnocchi I have ever had. I loved the texture of the pan-fried gnocci and though that this method of preparation helped them stand up very well to the meaty chanterelles in the dish.  It was topped with a generous amount of fennel slaw overtop which gave it another dimension of flavour and texture.  Again, a perfect fall dish, perfect to comfort you on a cold night.

 

MEAT:

Beef Short-Ribs- Although I did not partake in this one, those at the table who did raved about the tenderness of the ribs.  It was served with parsnips and potato puree.  It was a mini roast beef dinner elevated to the next level. 

 

Vis-à-Vis has the whole package.  It is the perfect place to go with friends for an evening complete with great food and drink, impressive service and a classy atmosphere free of pretention.  They have only been open a year and a half, and I predict that once diners in Victoria discover this hidden gem, it will become one of the hottest spots in town.  

 

Welcoming Winter at the VanMarket Winter Farmer's Market

Normal 0 0 1 270 1542 12 3 1893 11.1287 0 0 0

After saying a very sad goodbye to the Summer Farmer’s Markets a few weeks ago, it is with great joy that I can now blog about the Winter’s Farmer’s Market, running from now until April at Nat Bailey’s Stadium every Saturday from 10am-2pm from now until April.

The Winter Market made its debut this past Saturday (November 3).  The weather was very fitting for winter here in Vancouver- lots of rain to welcome the crowds! 

And the crowds, they came!  The wet weather did not deter hundreds of Vancouverites from descending upon the stadium to sample the wears of our fantastic local vendors.

 

I was very impressed at the number of booths at the Winter Market.  There were my favorites from my regular summer market, Kits market, as well as some that I was less familiar with (likely regulars at the other summer markets).  It is like having a big reunion of all of the summer markets all in one convenient location!

This past Saturday (the first Saturday of the November) was also Membership Appreciation Day.  For only $10, I bought my very own membership which now makes me eligible for special deals from many of the vendors and waives the $2 transaction fee when buying market money on the first Saturday of every month.  Plus I got a very cute little VanMarket pinJ

The selection of local produce was amazing.  Isn’t the fall harvest pretty?

 

 

 

In addition to the vendors, there were a number of food trucks selling hot meals to warm shoppers up in the cold, damp weather.  There were regulars like Vij’s Railway Express and Eli's Serious Sausage, and a few new additions including the Chili Tank, Le Tigre and Pigs on the Street.

 

Unfortunately, I will not be around for next weekend’s Winter Market (will be working over the long weekend in Victoria) but the following week I can’t wait to go back, rain or shine, to check out the excitement at Nat Bailey Stadium!!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The neatest thing since sliced bread: The Tiffin Project

Normal 0 0 1 367 2097 17 4 2575 11.1287 0 0 0

Really cool idea alert!!!

My husband and I decided to have a takeout night over the weekend (too rainy to go outside!) and went to our go to take-out go-to joint, Noodle Box.  While waiting in line for our take-out order, I noticed a sign that was posted near the counter about the Tiffin Project.  Upon seeing the word “local” on the sign, I was intrigued to learn more. 

The Tiffin Project Foundation is a non-for-profit organization based in Vancouver.  Its aim is to cut down on the waste generated by take-out containers.  As one can imagine, take-out containers are a HUGE source of waste everywhere across the world.  Furthermore, with the rise of food trucks here in Vancouver and in many major centers across North America, the problem will likely get even worse.  Unlike our European friends who actually sit down to enjoy meals (what a novel concept!), many of us North Americans eat on the run for the sake of efficiency.  Although “eating on the run” no doubt contributes to the obesity epidemic through unhealthy “convenient” food choices and overeating, it is sadly a reality of our society and it is important at least try minimize the environmental footprint that comes with it. 

So here is the low-down on this genius project.  For $25, we, the consumers of take-out items, purchase durable metal container for our future take-out purchases.  Bring it the next time you eat out at one of the partner restaurants (see a current complete list from the Tiffin website at: http://thetiffinproject.com/?page_id=14) and you will get a discount on your meal AND not have to throw any packaging out after your meal.  Isn’t this thing nifty?

And guess what?  There is also a partitioned container that is also available for the same price. Gotta get one for myself ASAP! 

 

And the Tiffin Project does not stop here.  From the $25 that you lay for the container, $4 will go towards “re-localizing” the menus at participating restaurants.  “Re-localizing” means that restaurants will develop relationship with local farmers to that they use more local ingredients in their menus.  This “farm to table” approach is a win-win for everyone- local farmers have opportunities to sell their food, we the consumers will be treated to the freshest possible ingredients and we will cut down on the carbon footprint.  Just makes sense, right?

So don’t delay!  Go right away and pick up your Tiffin container and then treat yourself to a yummy take-out meal sans waste!  Your friendly local farmers (and your tastebuds!) will thank you!

 

For more information on the Tiffin project and where you can pick up your container, see their website: http://thetiffinproject.com/

 

 

 

Dining at Devour: A Tiny Treasure at Victoria

Normal 0 false false false EN-US JA X-NONE

Devour

762 Broughton Street  Victoria, BC V8W 1E4
(250) 590-3231

Tastiness factor: 4.5/5

Service: 4/5

Atmosphere: 4/5

Locavore approved: YES- a new menu EVERYDAY featuring seasonal ingredients, purchased locally when possible

During my stay in Victoria, I was fortunate enough to have my mother come visit me for a week.  I wanted to take her out for a nice lunch on my afternoon off and, on my internet search, I stumbled across this cute little place downtown.  I was drawn by its menu inspired by local, seasonal ingredients that changes on a daily basis.  It is run by a former chef at the restaurant at the Art Gallery of Ontario in Toronto where I had a lovely meal when I used to live there. 

 

Devour is tucked away a quiet street in downtown Victoria and if you are not specifically looking for it, you may walk right by (thank god for Google maps!).  The inside is very tiny yet quaint.  It has only a handful of tables with seating enough for about 12-15 people at a time.  Because they cannot accommodate a huge lunch rush, they also do take-out.  If you have time though, I recommend taking a seat and relaxing in the warm and bright space to appreciate the food at its prime, hot out of the kitchen.

 

They do not have a printed menu, but instead have a large chalkboard at the back of the store when you can find their daily offerings.  They also post the menu on-line for those who wish to take out.  With a completely different menu everyday, it is impossible to get bored!  If I worked close to here, I would happily eat here every day!

 

In addition to their savory menu, they have a daily selection of baked goods that also changes regularly.  Being the muffin connaiseur that I am, I could not resist getting one of their generously-sized raisin date muffins.  It was made with bran and oats, and was wholesome and moist.  It would make a great breakfast.  We also bought one of their chocolate oat cookies, which was not as much of a success in my opinion.  It had a crumbly texture and a strong coconut taste which did not really appeal to me.

 

Now to our lunches.

 

 

Out of the many tasty-sounding choices off the board, my mother finally decided on the arancini balls filled with cheddar and chorizo.  In the center of the lightly-fried risotto balls where was a present of cheddar cheese and a tiny bit of chorizo.  Over top and at the bottom of the bowl was an amazing tomato sauce that, judging from my small bite, really elevated this dish to the next level.  The portion size was perfect for a satisfying and very conforting lunch. 

Because I am a pescatarian, my choices were slightly more limited, especially since 2 menus were sold out by the time we got there an hour before closing.  The number of choices did not really matter however, as my eyes were quickly drawn to the black rice salad with seared tuna, grapefruit and goat cheese.  This was without a doubt one of the best lunch dishes I have had in a while.  Beautifully chilled seared tuna, atop stunning black sticky rice, atop a bed of fresh greens.  With a julienned vegetables and just the right amount of creamy goat cheese, this dish came together perfectly.  This type of flavour profile takes a skilled hand.  Very impressive.

 

With another two weeks left in Victoria, there will certainly be more visits back to this little hidden gem!

 

 

 

Pizza Perfection At Nicli

Nicli Antica Pizzeria

62 East Cordova Street  Vancouver, BC V6A 1K2
(604) 669-6985 

Tastiness Factor: 5/5

Service: 4.5/5

Atmosphere: 4/5

Locavore Approved? YES- although their flour and some of their staples are imported from Europe for authenticity sake, many of their meats are made in-house from local meats and they offer seasonal items made with local ingredients

After my recent trip to St. John's to visit my parents, they are now returning the favor and paying me a visit here in Vanny (so great to have them!!!).

My mother is a huge pizza fan and my parents go to their local St. John's favorite pizza joint, Pi, on an almost weekly basis.  They have also visited the new Piatto Pizzaria in St. John's which has been awared the Verra Pizza Napoletana.

Because they are such pizza fans, I knew that I had to take them to Nicli to try their delicious pies. My husband have been there multiple times and have never been let down (see my review on Urbanspoon from last year).

The outside of Nicli is quite unassuming but the inside is very "clean" looking with mostly white decor.  Very sharp.  It is a very friendly space, always abuzz with many happy pizza-eating diners. How can you not be bursting with excitement while eating pizza this good???

At the very back of the restaurant is the open kitchen that houses the star of the show, their 900 degree wood fire pizza oven that cooks pizzas in just 90 seconds.  

The kitchen is also home to a lovely little herb garden, guaranteeing the very freshest basil and arugula you can get.  Love it!!!

 

 

Because we had learned on previous visits that there is often a wait to be seated (no resos allowed), we had planned in advance to go to the nearby Irish Heather Pub to get a drink.  Before doing so, we dropped over to Nicli to get our names on the list.  I was excited to learn of their new texting service, wherby you give them your cell number and they text when your table is ready.  Not only that, but they send you an inital link via text that you ca use to see the status of your table and how many are ahead of you to be seated.  Genius!

Service is friendly and unpretentious. Our server was knowledgeable about the ingredients and was obviously passionate about the food they produced.  She was very helpful with menu selection.

 

Now onto the best part, the food:)

We shared two appies for the table.  The first was the Antipasti Misto, a selection of house-made and imported meats and cheeses, veg and bread.  It changes up nightly based on what is fresh and seasonal.  They also add special meats and cheeses that are imported from Italy.  On this particular rendition, there was a lovely fontina cheese, Italian and French salamis, house-pickled mushrooms, roasted red peppers, artichoke and anchovy, served with a side of bread.  A great sharing appie to suit all tastes.  The parts are all very simple and therefore perfect executed was a must- and these guys nailed it.

 

 

 The second starter we shared was the Insalata, made simply with crisp romaine and and fresh tomatoes, and dressed with olive oil and balsamic.  Again, simple yet delicious.

Now onto the pizzas.  Their crust is quite unique.  Crispy and charred on the edges, soft and doughy in the middle.  It is served uncut and meant to be eaten with your hands (the chewy center makes it quite a challenge to cut!).  The pizzas are served straight out of the oven so the crust maintains its intended consistency. 

 

The special pizza tonight was their usual Diavolo (pomodoro, fior de latte, sopresetta, basil and chili oil) with the addition of roasted red pepper.  My father and husband both opted for this one.  They loved the spicy meat and the added kick of the chili oil. 

 

My mom chose the Margherita (pomodoro, grana padano, fior de latte and basil) from the Classic part of the menu.  Great ingredients, plain and simple.

Finally, I chose the Pesto from the Contemporary section (pesto, olives, capers, tomatoes, fior de latte) and topped it with that beautiful fresh arugula picked right from the plant in the kitchen (yummmm….).  I loved the pesto as a base, especially with the saltiness of the capers and olives in top.  I did not leave one bite.

Although there have been many new pizza joints open after Nicli's initial success, one can argue that Nicli is still in the #1 spot.  Others may rival them based on pies alone (Farina, Novo), they still have the bext overall package- great atmosphere, top-notch service and mouth-watering starters to round out the menu.  

Thanks for showing my parents such great Vancouver hospitality!