Sobo's New Digs -- Tofino
Pictures: http://picasaweb.google.com/gustibus.maximus/SoboTofino
Whenever I tell my kids that we are going to Tofino, it isn't the beach or the forests that they think of first...they both yell: "Sobo!" in unison.
To me, the evolution of Sobo embodies the maturation of the Tofino food scene. Chef Lisa Ahier and hubby Artie Ahier made a lifestyle choice to move to Tofino from their former home of Texas. They started Sobo in a purple lunch truck in a parking lot. A few years ago they moved to the cafe at the Botanical Gardens. Then this past year they moved again...this time to an expansive, bright space right downtown Tofino.
The past couple of years, we ate at Sobo for at least two meals a day. To me, Sobo "gets it." They serve healthy food at an exceptional value. We always go for the same dishes - their fish tacos in a fruit salsa and their now world famous Polenta Fries. This time around, they had fresh oysters on special...so oysters for lunch as well. Why not?! I also noticed that they took extra care with the presentation of many of the dishes I say coming out of the kitchen. Their soba noodles used to have a rustic presentation....It now has a architectural look to it - a tower of soba with a flurry of garnish.
As much we love going to Sobo, I'm also very happy that we now have many more dining options. Still...next year when we are in Tofino, Sobo will definitely be one of our first stops.
Pictures: http://picasaweb.google.com/gustibus....
By fmed
on Jun 10, 2008 11:16 AM
View »
Thanks for the review fmed.
Sounds like Sobo has carried on from the initial good impressions I had when they opened last Fall.
My "buddy" over at eGullet "Tofino" aka Chris who now manages a lodge south of Canmore used to give me "grief" for not loving Sobo or to be fair to Chris, not being over the top in my adulation for their fare. In reality ... yes, admittedly "passing the buck" ... it was my "significantly better half" who did not care for the "killer" fish tacos nor the soba noodles with tahini paste ... mind you that was "back in the day" when they were tucked in behind the Beaches Grocery off the highway and if you arrive at a "catering truck" which may be ready to shut down, you get what you get.
Looking forward to checking them out again this Fall.
Permalink | Reply
I can see how some folks might not like Sobo's food. I just remember the relief we felt when we discovered it the first time. You probably recall what Tofino's scene was like back then....it was bleak. The polenta fries alone was like manna from heaven.
Permalink | Reply
My bf and I visited SoBo's yesterday as part of my food vacation. As a person who has not visited Tofino for years, it was an interesting experience.
We arrived shortly after noon on Tuesday. I was a bit trepidatious about my yoga pants and messy hair, but my fears soon vanished when I saw other customers (some professonal fishermen). We looked up at the chalk board specials menu, and a nice woman told us what to do: look at the menus (in a box just inside the door), decide what you want, order from the woman behind the bar, and they bring the food to you. Ok. We ordered, and about 12 minutes later the food arrived, one dish at a time.
The first thing to arrive was my polenta fries. Four, almost-one-inch-thick sticks of fried polenta were placed in a basket like stems of the "spicy caeser dip" in the center. Once they had cooled a little, I tried them. The polenta was highly flavoured with Asiago and the texture was smooth on the inside. This half order was $5. The dip was tasty. My bf's Miso soup with smoked tofu, shitake mushrooms and Udon came next. The broth was highly flavoured by the smoked tofu, but remained light and not to salty. The mushroom and green onions were, not surprisingly, a happy addition. The udon, however, was not a hit. It was flavourless and awkward. The bowl of soup was $6, with the added udon making it $7.
My bf's Gringo Chicken Burrito ($9?) and my oysters (3 for $7) came next. The burrito was huge. It had roasted, shredded chicken, avocado, fresh tomato salsa and lettuce wrapped in a whole-wheat tortilla.The chicken meat was excellent; apparently Sobo's knwos there's more to a chicken than the breast! The salsa wasn't very flavorful, or the flavour was lost. My complaint with the burrito is this: when they wrapped it, they simply threw the filling in, rolled it up, and placed it in a basket. Because they did not fold it to enclose at least one end, salsa leaked, and the bottom of the burrito was soggy. Also, half the burrito fell out.
My oysters... After one terrible experience with (fried) oysters, I was trepidatious about ordering raw oysters, especially knowing I had to spend 2 hours on a horrid, winding highway in a few hours. Well, I mis-read; they were broiled. The oyster were covered in miso-mayo and smoked fish, then broiled. They were amazing. They have cured me of my fears of oysters. I liked them better without the smoked fish, but I admit that it was interesting how it looked and smelled like bacon.
Overall, the soup and burrito was way too much food for my bf (which worked out well for me). The oysters were delicious. The soup was exactly what miso should be. The burrito... ok, but seal the end! Arg! Also, I think I'd have liked a smaller burrito and a salad or soup side option. The polenta fries... If you don't like polenta, you're not going to like deep-fried polenta.
I think that if you're in Tofino for a few days, this is an excellent alternative from the run-of-the-mill burgers, fish and chips and salads on regular menus. I enjoyed the set-up and service was as good as cafeteria style can be. I love the way they deify good, healthy, non-processed food. Unfortunately, my palate is quite different from the chef's. So, everything was great; we just didn't like the food. If the restaurant were nearer to me, I'd be back trying something else in the hopes that I could find something I loved. But it isn't, and the road sucks.
Permalink | Reply
>. Unfortunately, my palate is quite different from the chef's. So, everything was great; we just didn't like the food.
You're not the first to say something like this. I wonder if the Ahier's Texan palate is conflicting with West Coast tastes.
BTW - I had both the broiled and the fresh oyster. I like the broiled ones, but I'm a fresh oyster guy. I think I had 3-4 servings to myself.
Permalink | Reply
Well, I had a bit of my bf's soup and burrito; I had also planned for us to eat dinner at Raincoast, as we were only there for the day. Otherwise I would have tried more. After my introduction to the deliciousness of good oysters, I would have tried the raw. The desserts looked great!
I don't know about a conflicting palate. (I am unwilling to intimate that my palate could be "better" than a chef's.) I think many restaurants have elements in their dishes that I don't necessarily like, or that I may be unsure of. But I think it's good to try these ishes, because eating something I don't think I like in a new presentation can change my outlook. That just didn't happen. (I picked the smoked fish off; I would have picked it off if it had been bacon.)
Permalink | Reply
I seem to recall the broiled oysters were dressed in a miso dressing and topped with smoked salmon - so I think she was going for a West Coast style Angels on Horseback.
Permalink | Reply
there was a certain excitement that my wife and i had about eating at sobo because of the the reviews but i have to say don't bother. yes the price point is good but it should be when your dinner comes scooped out of a steam table. we both started of with soup, one the veggie soup of the day and one of the now famous chowder. Both scooped out of a warming bath. It was ok. Next we each had a salad. one, not so much a salad as a fish taco with side salad and one asian. The asian was good but a bit over dressed and again the fish taco was ok. I noticed that the fish was not made fresh but scooped out of a warming tray. Not sure how long it was sitting but when i got it the fruit on top was nice but the salmon was so over cooked and dry it was like eating sawdust, and i have to comment that both the asian salad and the taco salad looked the same. Just different dressing. Next I had the enchilada and my wife had the octopus special. The enchilada was so fatty. By the time it got to the table is was swimming in a pool of sauce, i like mine a bit drier. Yes i am sure that beans and rice are healthy but then you put a big pile of cheese and cream over the top and yah its fatty. The worst part was watching the chef scoop most of my food from a steam insert. yes it was kind of busy but not really and they moved from warming table to warming table scooping. now to me thats not fresh food...thats scooped food from here and there!!!! the octopus was sliced too thick and the sprouty things on it are too hard to eat. over all it was a bad meal. we are sorry we wasted one of our limited nights out there. i can't imagine that they are zagat rated, perhaps they should come back and rate them again based on the fact that so much of the food isn't made fresh.
the only great things were our slices of key lime pie and we are told that jen is to thank for that..keep up he good work jen!!!!! Overall it was ok, but i don't think that warrents a recommendation. sorry
Permalink | Reply
Oh man...what happened to Sobo? That's too bad happydays.Sounds like things have changed over there.
Permalink | Reply
Must have been having an "off-day"; I've only ever had great food at Sobo, both the old location and new (well, once they served me a bouilabaisse that was way over-salted, but that was the only miss-step). I had a fabulous fresh pasta with duck/wild mushrooms/blue cheese last couple times I was there).
Permalink | Reply