Enjoying good food at any time is a treat. Throw in a world class view and it's memorable - both the Boardwalk and the Victorian restaurants boast spectacular views across Victoria's busy harbour. While dining at the Boardwalk you can watch seaplanes land, ferries and small boats dock, and walkers stroll the waterfront paths.

The Victorian Restaurant, with its floor to ceiling windows, presents an especially stunning view at night when the Parliament Buildings across the harbour are outlined with 3,330 lights. It's quite a dining experience to have first class food, service and views all rolled into one.

Menus change seasonally and are based on availability of fresh ingredients. Both restaurants present freshly prepared food with daily specials. The Boardwalk, a casual dining experience, is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner. The Victorian is formal and is open for dinner only.

I particularly enjoy the Boardwalk's buffet meals. For a set price you can help yourself to a large selection of treats as often as you wish. Lunch and dinner buffets consist of a variety of salads, a cheese plate, breads and a bowl of soup for a bit extra. In addition to the buffet and daily specials there is a fixed menu.

I started with the daily special soup, a roasted butternut squash and carrot soup scented with clove and cinnamon. A delicious treat for a wet and windy day. A perfect accompaniment was a sandwich stuffed with turkey, lettuce, tomato, avocado and Brie on peasant date bread with jalapeno cream cheese.

In the Victoria Restaurant, Executive Chef Craig Stoneman, with his attention to taste, texture and presentation is the star of the show. Fresh seasonal produce, flavorfully prepared is the key to his success and a wonderful dining experience. Meals focus on the Pacific Northwest, highlighting the available seafood.

A delicious starter was the curried roast leek caramelized onion and sweet pepper bisque topped with sundried tomato cream. Sautéed jumbo tiger prawns with oriental style vegetables in a sweet potato pancake garnished with citrus and black bean sauce was another choice to contemplate. For a main course pan-seared, pineapple marinated sea bass and lobster accompanied by coconut milk and ginger risotto and a plum and grapefruit salsa was an exquisite taste sensation. I topped it all off with warm kiwi and banana pavlova decorated with cranberry and red currant coulis. What a meal.

Wine buffs won't be shortchanged for choices at the Victorian. In 1999, Wine Spectator Magazine presented the restaurant with an Award of Excellence for their quality wines and their high standards of fine dining. More than 5000 bottles stock the cellar including Chateaux Lafite Rothchild starting from 1888.

Essential Information
Ocean Pointe Resort Hotel & Spa
45 Songhees Road
Victoria, BC
Canada V9A 6T3
For meal reservations call: (250) 360-2999
For hotel reservations call: 1-800-667-4677

The Boardwalk buffet runs $9.95 with soup $2.95 extra, while daily specials range from $4.95 for soup to $12.95 for pasta.

The Victorian Restaurant: 3 course dinner $39.95, 4 courses $45.00, 5 courses $50.00

At Christmas, the Boardwalk presents a traditional family Christmas buffet lunch and dinner for $15.95 lunch and $21.95 dinner which runs from mid December to Christmas. The Victorian presents a five course table d'hôte Christmas feast.

Executive Chef: Craig Stoneman.
Sous Chef: Neil Antolin.
Maitre d' Hotel: Jacques Forest

©1999 Barbara Ballard. Reproduction of this work in whole or in part, including images, and reproduction in electronic media, without documented permission from the author is prohibited. The author grants BootsnAll.com one time North American rights only.
Image exterior of hotel by Barbara Ballard. Other image courtesy of Ocean Pointe Resort

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