treve

haven't made it to victoria! come on over - we'll all fill you in on where to go. eat magazine is a good resource for most of the major players - or check out the growing victoria section on waiterblog.com

the may/june edition of eat magazine covers this topics and local attempts

i can definitely vouch for the wild saffron bistro - in swans hotel, down hall from the brewpub. chef zinger is very artistic - creativity often astounds on the plate - aces for presentation. he is late of vancouver's brix... and they do fondue up right - both savoury and sweet. they also have chef's nightly sups - 3 courses for $23.95, changing daily depending on what's fresh.

my vote is for ebizo - on broughton street - near the corner of government street downtown.

here on vancouver island i'd definitely recommend sooke harbour house, cafe brio & dock 503. any other islanders want to add in?

EAT prints about 30,000 every two months and has expanded to whistler, the interior and the lower mainland. generally they are found where foodie-minded people gather. if you want to carry it in your restaurant or shop, just drop them a line - www.eatmagazine.ca

hi barolo ~ as writer and taster of cheese dessert article, i say thank you! someone is reading it. how are you finding availability of the magazine in vancouver?

here on vancouver island there's an excellent local-based food magazine called EAT - check out the website at www.eatmagazine.ca. topics cover food & wine all over bc and with some dispatches from further afar.

good for you eddy - i'm glad you're taking time to enjoy yourself. and what an excellent time to be in victoria - what with dine around et al. on that note, visit tourism victoria's website for daily secret diner dispatches www.tourismvictoria.com/dine. and next time - brio!

good luck - i look forward to reading about it. and congratulations to you as well!!

a shift at sooke harbour house for certain - in the wine cellar with sinclair. sampling for quality control, of course

i completely agree with west - amazing. and they are very accommodating for special occasions. another wow 'celeb' factor would have to be lumiere, of chef rob feenie fame. www.lumiere.ca

Sounds like some fine dining, indeed! Welcome to eGullet, treve! Any particular favorite dishes from the above restaurants? ← Thanks kindly Doc - it's pretty hard to beat Keller's “Ravioli” of Sonoma Dry Farmed German Butterball Potato with Celery Branch, Perigord Truffles and Vermont Sweet Butter. One server presented the plate, another fellow followed with a gold box. Inside the box was a truffle larger than my fist. He then proceeded to shave the truffle over my entire plate - amazing. And the quality freshness of the outside garden-straight to plate meals of The Herbfarm and Sooke Harbour House really solidifies my choice to live on the West Coast. It sounds like you've a wide ranging travel year ahead of you - if you're over to the Pacific Northwest, they're both worth a visit.

Happy New Year all! I was reading this topic with interest and I thought I'd chime in on some bests of 2004 along the West Coast. The Herbfarm, Woodinville - definitely incredible and worth the skip outside of Seattle. French Laundry - everything you've heard and more. Absolute highest recommendation. Sooke Harbour House - here on Vancouver Island. Stay overnight at the beautiful inn so you won't miss breakfast. The most peaceful spot you'll stay. Novio, Ritz Carlton, Half Moon Bay California - Just 45 minutes down the coast from San Francisco. Absolutely a gem - still dreaming about it. Cafe Brio, Victoria - Victoria's perennial best restaurant for rustic Italian/West Coast.