Victoria, BC

I will be visiting Victoria, BC and would appreciate
some restaurant recommendations. I eat everything, but
would prefer things that would not be found in lovely
Trenton, NJ, where I live.

Trenton has very good Italian restaurants, and nearby
Philadelphia has Vietnamese.

I was in Victoria last year and was somewhat disappointed with the food. If you are willing to drive (through some pretty scenery) to Sooke, there is an outstanding restaurant there called the Sooke Harbour House. We were somewhat underdressed for the restaurant, but extremely pleased with the food. In Victoria I thought that the best restaurant that I went to was Rebecca's.

You should have gone to San Remo's. It's out of town, and on a Friday or Saturday you may have to wait for up to an hour, but it's worth it.

I am very jealous you are heading out to that part of
the country. You will have a great time.

I am sure you will visit the Empress Hotel right in
the Inner Harbour. It is quite a historical building
and should not be missed. However, DO NOT go for
their High Tea -- it is touted very highly, but
resist. When I was there 3 years ago, the stuff they
served at tea were awful. I felt pretty ripped off.
They were also not very nice if you are under-
dressed. Jackets or blazers for men highly preferred.

I have not eaten anywhere else in Victoria, but these
are a few recommended in the book "Where to Eat in
Canada" by Anne Hardy. * The info is from the 1994
edition, so you might want to call ahead to see if the
place is still in business.*

1. The Harvest Moon -- 1218 Wharf St. [phone]

2. Herald Street Caffe -- 546 Herald St. [phone]

3. Rebecca's -- 1127 Wharf St. [phone]

=======================

YOU MUST GO HERE --

Sooke Harbour House
1528 Whiffen Spit Rd., RR 4
Sooke Ph: [phone]

Call right away and see if you can book a room here.
It is in the small town of Sooke, about 40 minutes
drive from Victoria. It has just re-opened after some
expansion. It is worth the effort to try to go.

The restaurant at Sooke Harbour House is pretty
awesome. It is considered to be one of the top
restaurants in Canada. You can get some really
interesting and unusual seafood dishes here. Edible
flowers and herbs are grown in the gardens surrounding
the inn, and they all find their way onto your plate
of food.

** If you can't get a room, call The Hartman House at
[phone]. It is run by a very nice couple, Ann &
Ray Hartman. It's only a 5 - 8 minute drive to Sooke,
and they will be happy to make dinner reservations at
SHH for you.
======================

On a non-food note, another MUST-SEE place is the
Buchart Gardens. If you only have time to visit one
garden, this is it. Allow yourself at least half a
day there.

Have a great time !!!