Qualicum Bay to Victoria - Barb's Fish and Chips

Today's early morning walk led me past some beautiful views in the little village of Qualicum Bay including a tiny takeout that we would return to for breakfast.

Breakfast came of course, after my freezing shower under a tap at the campground and our packing up our gear in our sort of amateur campers inefficient manner. This is Tam's Takeout btw (I cut the name off!).

Seems to be a popular spot as probably a dozen people came and went during the time we enjoyed our breakfast sandwich and decent coffee.

Bacon, egg and cheese so nothing startling, just made to order and nothing like preshaped and cooked eggs. Just all put together on a portable flat top. Tasty!

Chilli is an odd breakfast choice, I know but it was also made by Tammy and quite good. Our whole breakfast including a couple of coffees and a piece of banana bread was only $11. Nice!

On our drive down to Victoria, we stopped at a few places just to enjoy the view.

Parksville Community Park has a beautiful public beach and a rather extensive display of what people do when they have time on their hands.

Cowichan Bay is another nice community worth exploring. It has an extensive houseboat population and an interesting small boat museum.

We got to Victoria in time for a late lunch and walked down to the Fisherman's Wharf for fish and chips (as you do when in Victoria). I had heard good things about Barb's so that's what we tried.

We had a cup of Seafood Chowder which was creamy and rich. I was not overwhelmed by the amount of seafood.

The two-piece Famous Fish and Chips Dinner had a generous amount of cod. It was nicely cooked and tasty. The batter was not as impressive being a bit on the soggy side. We ate the fish and left a little pile of batter behind. Fries were ok as was the slaw. 

The Clam Strips were quite a bit better than any we have had in recent memory. They were crispy and provided a good vehicle for cocktail sauce or tartar or whatever. I'm not sure why I always think that clam strips are a good idea though. The actual clam is never going to taste like much in this form. I think that we'll make this the last time I order them from anywhere. 

I liked the Oyster Burger while Mharie was less enamoured of it. There were two large oysters which you have to be prepared for. These were not the dainty little oysters we dream of and the taste was quite strong. The bun was quite good and the tomato and toppings rounded it out nicely. Messy in a good way!

Food            3 1/2 out of 5

Comfort       4 1/2 out of 5 (at a picnic table on the wharf!) 

Service        4 out of 5 (not super fast but fresh)

Value           3 out of 5 (tourist pricing)

We enjoyed a leisurely stroll and around Victoria in the afternoon, taking in the usual sites. We even had time for a little nap. Luxury! Not wanting more fried food we ended up and Green Cuisine about dinner time.

G.C. is located in Market Square and is a buffet-style vegetarian joint where you pay by weight. We like that because it means you can try a bunch of different things!

North African Chick Pea Stew was nice. A little spicy (not really) but rich with tasty stuff.

A little healthy kale, a quinoa patty, nutloaf, tempeh with lemongrass curry and tofu with chipotle lime. I loved this! Everything healthy and nothing had to die. And yes, pretty tasty. 

Our other plate had some tasty noodles, slaw, a falafel patty and a slice of vegan pizza. All was decent but I wouldn't bother with the pizza on another visit.

The dining room was just what you'd expect at Market Square. Loved the brick walls and comfortable booths. Friendly service and while none of the food really blew our minds, it was all tasty and comforting. It all came to about $20. Is that even possible?

Food                3 1/2 out of 5

Comfort           4 1/2 out of 5

Service             4 out of 5

Value                5 out of 5

Stay tuned for more Victoria food and adventures.