Vancouver Island Beyond Victoria

Hand-cut fries and burgers that ooze all sorts of good stuff...

For those travelers who are rushing through Port Alberni to the west coast of the Island (and for the umpteenth time, I encourage you to linger a day or two in Port and then head to the west coast) there is good news.  You don’t have to rely on the fast food outlets on the main drag that takes you in the direction of Long Beach.  There is good fare to be had just a quick hop off Johnston Road, the major artery that slices down the hill and connects with the Pacific Rim Highway.

Calamari

The Clam Bucket Restaurant is a local favourite, always busy at peak hours. If you are traveling and can’t make a reservation best to try to get there when there isn’t as likely to be a crowd. But, if you have to wait a bit for a table it’s worth the time to do that. The first time we wandered in it was 5:15 p.m. on a Saturday in June. We didn’t have a reservation, but the accommodating staff squeezed us in prior to the arrival of a party that had a later reservation, and were we ever glad they did! We have been back to eat several times since and have never been disappointed.

Fresh, crisply-battered fish is a hallmark

The atmosphere at The Clam Bucket is very casual and family-oriented, but it most certainly is not the kind of chain ‘family restaurant’ that most of us envision when that term is used. The interior décor is a bit of a mish-mash and tends to be dark-ish – I’ve never been too sure what they were trying to accomplish there – but it’s comfortable enough, and has many fun aspects to it that keep diners entertained. There is a large outdoor covered patio that is open during the fine weather for those who prefer to dine al fresco.

The fun atmosphere shows up throughout The Clam Bucket

The menu at The Clam Bucket is large and varied, offering typical ‘family restaurant’ style options. What’s great, though, is that the actual food is several cuts above anything you might consume in most family restaurants. Their calamari is some of the best I have eaten anywhere, the French fries are hand-cut, the burgers ooze with all sorts of good fillings and sauces, the fish arrives fresh and crisply battered, and the wraps offer up interesting, tasty combinations. Portions are more than generous, service is reasonable considering how busy the place is, and prices are in line with the quality and quantity of the fare delivered.  This is not what anyone would call fine dining, but if you are looking for good food that is well-prepared and fresh, be sure to try it out.

The interior of The Clam Bucket

The Clam Bucket is located at 4479 Victoria Quay. Turn left at the bottom of Johnston Road and drive a block – the restaurant will be right at the corner of Southgate and the road you are on.

GPS Co-ordinates are:

Lat. 49.25625743688694 

Long. -124.81227815151214

                                                                                      N 49 15.375  W 124 48.737

 For reservations call: (250) 723-1315

 Price rating: $$

Who’d have thought? From the outside, the Little Mountain Café in Errington resembles so many neighbourhood favourite hang-outs – unpretentious, tucked away in a small strip mall,  patio out front. Expectations of a greasy spoon environment wouldn’t be out of line; in fact, several years ago that’s exactly what this tiny hole-in-the-wall was, albeit a popular one. Walk through the door, however, and there is a whole different world thanks to the efforts of Sandy Palmer, who purchased the place about a year-and-a-half ago.

The interior has undergone a magical transformation during the past 18 months - no greasy spoon here!

            The Little Mountain Café interior offers up comfort, warmth, friendly service  and more sophistication than most would ever expect.  Dark laminate floors, comfortable upholstered chairs, a fireplace and living, breathing plants are complemented by tastefully framed prints, beadboard finishing and a host of other small touches that promise more than your average greasy spoon victuals. It’s a promise that holds true.

            We wandered in on a Saturday morning looking for breakfast, and we most certainly weren’t disappointed. Although the menu isn’t huge it does offer a fair bit of variety.  My husband ordered the Ukrainian breakfast and I opted for the Popeye Eggs Benedict which, instead of ham, featured sliced tomato and fresh spinach – a nice variation, especially for those of vegetarian persuasion.           

The Ukrainian breakfast - home-made perogies with fried onions and sour cream, eggs, toast, pan fries, Ukrainian sausage

The plates that arrived at our table a few minutes later were filled with generous helpings of freshly-cooked, home-made, locally-sourced food.  The eggs were the best I have ever had the pleasure of ingesting – bright orange, flavourful yolks and fresh beyond words. The hollandaise sauce was made in-house (always a big deal for me – the packaged stuff simply doesn’t cut it), the pan fries originated with real potatoes, not a freezer pack, and the bread for the toast was made in-house as well. My husband’s breakfast included perogies, one of his most un-favourite foods of all time. But, wonder of wonders, the perogies made and served at Little Mountain were so appealing to him that we purchased a dozen frozen ones to bring home for future consumption.

Popeye Eggs Benedict

            It’s clear that Sandy has put much time, thought and sweat equity into this delightful 28-seat place. Her dedication to sourcing locally, her insistence on serving ‘real food’ and her eye for creating such a unique, comfortable space in the most unexpected of locations is a bonus for the residents of Errington or, for that matter, anyone who happens to be in the vicinity.  If you are traveling through the area on Highway 4 (as in, on your way to the west side of the Island) stop in for lunch or breakfast, or even a take-out of some of their home-baked goodies or frozen cabbage rolls or perogies. It’s good old honest down-home cooking at its best!

             The Little Mountain Café is open the following hours:

            Weekdays: 8 a.m.-3 p.m.

            Saturday: 9 a.m. – 3 p.m.

            Sunday: 9 a.m. – 2 p.m.

 It is located at 1000 Bellevue Road, Errington

 GPS co-ordinates are: Lat. 49.303831642221816  Long. -124.33453917503357

                                         N 49 18.230  W 124 20.072

 Price rating: $ – $$

What else would you expect in a place called Lefty's?

We have never had a bad or boring meal at Lefty’s Fresh Food restaurant in Qualicum Beach – not ever. Breakfast, lunch or dinner – they do it all, and they do it very well. In fact, I would venture to say that overall they produce the best restaurant meals in town (and we have eaten everywhere there is to eat in Qualicum Beach, believe me!)

            Lefty’s opened its doors in 1996 with an eye to producing a casual environment complemented by innovative, fresh food.  The moniker came about when the three founders discovered that they were all left-handed, as were several of the folks involved in getting the restaurant launched (including bankers, real estate agent, the accountant, the electrician and the bagel supplier). The original name idea of The Crossroads was scrapped and the serendipitous coming-together of all those southpaws spawned a distinctive identity for an independent restaurant that has become a local institution. The name and history have also led to all sorts of  fun and silliness in the name of left-handers everywhere. It all sets a light-hearted mood for anyone who walks in the door or looks at their website or menus.

My favourite breakfast - Bob's Scrambler, a mouthwatering combination of scrambled eggs, spinach, mushrooms and bacon

            However, for all that light-heartedness the folks at Lefty’s, from the owners right down to the kitchen and wait staff (who are frequently also the owners…..) take their mission very seriously indeed. There is no messing around here with the preservative-laced ‘food’ that arrives on the tables of so many eateries. Locally sourced and fresh ingredients, ever-changing ‘fresh sheets’, home-made condiments and astonishing fusions of flavour make for some amazing dining experiences that satisfy both the palate and the soul. Servings are more than generous and the service is quick and courteous.  The usual disclaimers apply, though – this is real food, freshly cooked, so be prepared to wait a bit for your meal.           

Don't be mislead by this dessert's rather nondescript appearance. It's as close to....well, Nirvana, as you may ever get

One of the really neat things about the place is that it always feels like family.  There is a comfortable familiarity that envelopes patrons, although it certainly isn’t over the top in that respect. The friendliness and casual ambiance combined with the always-interesting and flavourful food make eating at Lefty’s a genuine treat.  It is cheerful and lively during the day, a perfect spot for a kick-start breakfast and quick or leisurely lunches. As nightfall draws near the atmosphere becomes more subdued and conducive to a special evening meal. There is a funky kids-only menu, an outdoor patio, plenty of choice for vegetarians and a take-out menu for  people on the fly. Someone once said that you can’t be all things to all people, and that seems to particularly apply to the restaurant business.  Lefty’s is as close as it gets, I think, to meeting that goal. A happy thing for those in Qualicum Beach in search of great food!

            Lefty’s also has a second outlet in Parksville; we haven’t eaten there yet but there can’t be much doubt that the same high standards probably apply. While the basic menus are identical the fresh sheets are different, allowing the staff at each restaurant some creativity. The Parksville outlet also runs Pizza Fresh, where you can eat excellent thin crust pizzas in-house, or take them home and bake them yourself.

            Lefty’s Fresh Food is located at 710 Memorial Avenue in Qualicum Beach, at the corner with the only street light in the village.

A bit of wisdom and the daily specials are posted outside the entrance

            For a look at their menus, operating hours and other information go to:  www.leftys.tv

            Price rating: $ – $$, depending on whether it’s breakfast, lunch or dinner

            GPS co-ordinates are:

Lat. 49.346193447587495   Long. -124.44141983985901

                                                   N 49 20.772  W 124 26.485

The beautiful bar, featuring owner Michael's art and handiwork along the front

That old saying about looks being deceiving never held more true than at the place we found for lunch during a recent visit to Cumberland.  Very plain white exterior, with pale green-trimmed windows and green and white awnings. Out-of-commission double-decker bus parked at the back of the building. And a smallish sign telling us that we were, indeed, where we were supposed to be, at The Gatehouse Bistro, per the recommendation of a local resident.

            “Okay” I thought, “it’s Cumberland, a tiny, out-of-the-way village with 120 years of gritty  coal mining history behind it. What did you expect?”

This is the sight that greets visitors walking to The Gatehouse when they come off the main street of Cumberland

            We went through the front door with, I have to admit, a considerable amount of trepidation, only to find ourselves in a totally different – and delightfully unexpected – world. An eclectic mix of old-world charm, stunning artwork, warm lighting and beautiful design served to draw us in. And things only got better from there.           

The rather plain front of  The Gatehouse is a tip of the hat to the building’s origins as a grocery store built in 1895. Cumberland and its merchants are devoted to preserving the village history, so minimal changes are made to the exterior of public buildings. The transformation of the interior at The Gatehouse, however, is something else again.           

Portobello mushroom burger on ciabatta, with hand-cut yam fries and house special honey mustard dipping sauce

The bistro’s genial owners, Michael Jestico and Belinda Jones, were both on-site the day we stopped in for lunch. Michael had been labouring beneath the aforementioned bus out back; Belinda was busy in the kitchen prepping the food for the bistro’s French-themed weekend. We first met Belinda after being seated at a bright, comfortable booth when she came out to tell us about the day’s lunch specials. It’s not too often that diners get to meet the chef these days, much less hear the history of the building in which they are dining.

The beautiful Tuscan dining room, complete with fireplace, fine linens and antiques

            Although Michael and Belinda have actually owned the former Leung grocery for six years, The Gatehouse has been open for only five of those.  The couple spent their entire first year of ownership refurbishing the interior. They are both hugely into doing restoration work, so the months spent toiling on their new project, right down to the authentic Venetian plastering, were as much a labour of love as anything. And it shows in every carefully-considered detail, from the stunning bar to the lovely Tuscan dining room, to the gallery installations that exhibit varied displays of artwork.           

Crustless quiche with artichoke hearts, feta cheese, basil, roma tomatoes, and a bowl of Danish red cabbage soup

The lunch and dinner menus at The Gatehouse trend to European dishes. Belinda is Danish by heritage and still uses many of her mother’s recipes at the restaurant. Originally a history teacher by profession, she finds considerable delight in researching the background of many of the offerings that appear on the menu. She and her staff take great pride in serving what she calls ‘real food’, made from scratch on-site, with a dedication to innovation and freshness. There is no set dessert menu – the desserts change on a regular basis, and are recited at table-side by the wait staff.

And then....dessert! This day, French chocolate tart filled with a sublime chocolate mousse

            One of the other really lovely aspects of The Gatehouse is the attitude. Belinda and Michael encourage their patrons to take their time and enjoy a true dining experience. There is never a push to turn over tables in order to accommodate new clientele; if a table accommodates just one party of guests for an entire evening that is all well and good.           

Antique beauty is found throughout The Gatehouse's dining areas and galleries

And that double-decker bus parked next to their outdoor patio? This energetic couple has plans for that too – they intend to transform it into an on-site fish and chip shop. Proof yet again that looks can be deceiving!

 Further information on The Gatehouse Bistro and Gallery (including menus) can be obtained on-line at: www.thegatehousebistro.com      

Reservations are recommended; phone (250) 336-8099       

The Gatehouse Bistro and Gallery is located at 3273 Third Street (at Penrith) in Cumberland

Price Rating: Lunch $ – $$

                        Dinner $$ -$$$

           GPS co-ordinates are: Lat. 49.61981105293846 

                                                   Long. -125.0279438495636

                                                   N 49 37.189  W 125 01.677