Best of B. C. on the table
Unforgettable food isn’t limited to white- tablecloth dining spots
British Columbia serves up some of the world’s most memorable meals in even more unforgettable settings. Bring your appetite on this journey.
From the wave-swept drama of the Wickaninnish Inn on Vancouver Island’s rugged Pacific coast to the slopeside luxury of Araxi or Bearfoot Bistro in Whistler, British Columbia offers a banquet of unforgettable dining experiences.
There are the province’s wellknown restaurants, of course — diners will long remember their first taste of Tojo’s famous sushi or the fragrant Indian fare at Vij’s or just about any meal served at the elegant Hawksworth Restaurant, even the bar snacks. But not every memorable meal is served on a white tablecloth.
It might, in fact, be enjoyed in a vineyard or a pretty park. It could be served by cowboys in Wranglers or Haida teens in feathers. And it might be as epic as a 10- course Chinese banquet or as simple as a plate of spaghetti and meatballs.
British Columbia serves up some of the world’s most memorable meals in even more unforgettable settings. So bring your appetite and join us as we travel around the province to taste the best it has to offer.
For many people, a visit to British Columbia begins and ends in Richmond, at the Vancouver International Airport. Luckily for those who arrive hungry, Richmond also happens to be home to some of the best Chinese food in the world. To really experience this remarkable cuisine, you’ll want to clear your schedule, invite your friends and settle in for a full- on Chinese banquet at a grand Cantonese restaurant like the award- winning Jade Seafood Restaurant. You’ll begin with a cold platter of barbecued meats, continue with soup and go on for another eight or so courses, including meat, seafood and vegetables, ending with starchy rice and noodle dishes, and finally, a bite of something sweet. Elastic waistbands highly recommended.
But if you think that’s pigging out, you haven’t been to Victoria lately. Until recently, this charming heritage city on the southern tip of Vancouver Island was best known for its dainty afternoon teas. Now, though, the city is going whole hog for heartier, meatier fare. Yes, it’s all about the pig here, whether it’s barbecued low and slow ( Pig BBQ Joint or Smoken Bones Cookshack), cured into sausage ( The Whole Beast) or transformed into delicate terrines and patés ( Choux Choux Charcuterie). Perfect for packing into a picnic lunch to enjoy amid the daffodils in Beacon Hill Park.
From there, a quick trip over the breathtaking Malahat Drive will take you to the bountiful Cowichan Valley, nicknamed “the Provence of Canada” and notable for being the first Slow Food Community ( or “Cittaslow”) in North America. It is here that visitors will find the charmingly unpretentious Stone Soup Inn, where chef Brock Windsor is transforming locally grown, raised, foraged and fished ingredients into gourmet magic. Who knew sustainability could be so delicious?
Up the coastline from Vancouver Island lies the archipelago of Haida Gwaii, famous for its First Nations heritage and for some of the best fishing in the world. You can enjoy both when you dine at Keenawii’s Kitchen in the town of Skidegate. Here the gracious Roberta Olson opens her beachside home to share the food and traditions of her Haida ancestors. ( Keenawii is her Haida name.) She serves traditional delicacies like salty dried herring roe on kelp, tender bannock, sweet smoked salmon, buttery halibut, roasted venison and tart local berries. Guests bring their own wine, her family tells Haida stories between courses and, by the end of the night, everyone is well- fed and fast friends. The ancestors would be pleased.
Across storm- tossed Hecate Strait, in the town of Prince Rupert, another woman has created a unique dining experience of her own. Adrienne Johnston is a largely self-trained chef with a passion for local ingredients and exotic flavours, and she puts both to delicious use at the Cow Bay Café. It’s a romantic little spot in a funky neighbourhood overlooking the scenic harbour. The view is lovely, but it’s the food that keeps people coming back — that, and Johnston’s friendly hospitality.
After all that, we suspect your belt may be feeling just a bit snug. That makes it the perfect time to visit the Hills Health and Guest Ranch near 100 Mile House in the Cariboo Chilcotin Coast. The chefs here serve low- calorie, big flavour spa cuisine such as crab-stuffed chicken breast, pistachio-crusted tuna steak or Asian rice noodle salad with salmon. Mind you, after a day of horseback riding, hiking, fitness classes and spa treatments, you might just decide to join the cowboys at the chuck wagon to chow down on barbecue steak instead.
Nearby Echo Valley Ranch also offers both hearty cowboy cookouts and healthy, natural menus, much of it made with ingredients from their own organic gardens ( the folks at Echo Valley also raise their own cattle and pigs and even collect chicken eggs). But we bet you weren’t expecting to find an authentic Thai feast here in cowboy country. Thursday nights feature all the exotic sweet- sour- salty- hot flavours of this Asian cuisine ( prepared by the ranch’s Thai staff), along with Thai music and dance — the perfect East- meets- West complement to the ranch’s luxurious Thai spa.
Still wearing your cowboy kickers? Then head over to the Kootenay Rockies in the province’s southeastern corner, to the rugged city of Trail and the ever- popular Colander Restaurant, whose slogan may as well be “fill your boots.” The décor is simple and so is the menu, but the value can’t be beat — $ 12.41 will get you a hearty portion of the kind of spaghetti and meatballs nonna used to make, along with salad and a roll. But what really makes the Colander stand out is its sense of community spirit. Since 1972, the place has been part of a longtime Trail tradition of offering affordable meals for the men who left their families in the old country to find work here. Times have changed, but the tradition lives on at the Colander. Drop by, and you, too, will become a part of the family.
Meanwhile, just down the highway in the pretty, historic city of Nelson, romance is on the table at the All Seasons Café. A tiny old house bathed in warm candlelight and filled with art, this adorable little bistro is tucked into a quiet back alley with an intimate backyard patio enclosed by a leafy bower of ancient trees. The exquisite food, as one would expect, is seasonally inspired, but the warmth, hospitality and good times last all year round.
Come summer, the table is set and waiting on a vine- covered escarpment overlooking Okanagan Lake. God’s Mountain Estate is one of the most beautiful settings in wine country, and there’s no better way to experience it than at one of their alfresco dinners. The chefs at Joy Road Catering lavish guests with giant boards of housemade charcuterie and a bounty of local, seasonal ingredients served with lashings of the best B. C. wine. Smart guests will have booked a room at the estate; the most coveted is the roofless one that lets you sleep under the stars.
And sure, this is wine country, but that doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy a cocktail or two as well. In fact, over at RauDZ Regional Table in Kelowna, the cocktail party never ends. Locals and visitors alike gather around the province’s most sociable bar — you’ll always find a friend here, new or old — to watch the bartenders shaking up their “farm to glass” drinks incorporating local fruit, vegetables, herbs, honey and, of course, spirits. You can’t have just one, and when you’re having so much fun, why would you want to?
Finally, once you’ve had a taste of the best that B. C. has to offer, why not take some of it home with you? At The Dirty Apron Cooking School in downtown Vancouver, you’ll first learn to cook with B. C.’ s best ingredients, then sit down for a convivial, wine- soaked meal with newfound friends. Don’t forget to stock up on picnic goodies at the in- house deli. A selection of cheese, charcuterie, housemade preserves and prepackaged to- go meals will tide you over until you return.