Welcome

Hello and welcome to my blog,

Lunch is salvation, a chance to catch up with friends, a conversation piece. What did you have for lunch? To paraphrase from a wise, wise man you always get to choose what you have for lunch. No matter how badly your day has started, no matter how dim the prospects of the afternoon are, no matter how much you feel like you do not have any control over your day, you always get to choose what to have for lunch.

To be great a lunch needs three attributes: It needs to be delicious to make you feel like you made the right decision. It needs to be satisfying to get you through the next 5, 6 even 8 hours until dinner. It needs to be a good deal or else you might not be having lunch tomorrow:).

There are some other things that enhance even the otherwise great lunch.

One is a free lunch, and yes there is such a thing. I am not talking about the lunch you get for free because you had a punch card and got 10 punches. I am talking about the lunch that the owner of the eatery gives to you because you frequent their establishment, are polite, complimentary and courteous.

Another is the $5 lunch, although the HST might have made this lunch extinct in Victoria. When you can get a tasty lunch for $5 or less that lasts you through to dinner there is something special about thaat.

There are others too, the two beer lunch, the first patio lunch of the year, lunch with a pretty girl....

Some things about me, my dinning habits and why I am starting this blog:

I am an omnivore, I enjoy all types of meats.
I do not like olives.
I love bread.
I am willing to taste any food once.
I am willing to give second chances.
I am willing to never visit somewhere ever again.
I have stiffed wait staff.
I have given 40% tips.
I need a project to keep me busy.
I am starting to forget some of the places I used to go for lunch, I want to remember the places that I am currently going to.
I have read some blogs about Victoria's restaurants and on each one I have read a review that has made me say 'they have this place all wrong.'

I am going to begin my blog by writing about some of my favourite places for lunch, hopefully you will have already heard of these places and I will give you my take on why they are great. Obviously the first few entries are going to be pretty positive but after that I will get on with reviewing each lunch stop I make, tell you what I had for lunch that day and let you know if I think you should consider having that for lunch tommorrow. Enjoy.

Friday, August 20, 2010

QV Bakery: My First Time

QV Cafe-Bakery
1701 Government Street
250-384-8831
First Visit: August 20, 2010
Last Visit: August 20, 2010

Before today I had never been to QV's.  I have known of it for a long time as some of my friends used to hang out there from time to time back in my early 20's but I never accepted the invitation to join them. 

The building is an old gas station and on a pleasant summer day, like today, it was a pleasure to sit on the patio and looking out over government street and the Gates of of Harmonious Interest.  The lunch menu consists of an overhead blackboard (as featured on urbanspoon) and a wide selection of already prepared food that you can order cold or reheated.  The food in the case looked fresh but I had a coupon for a 2 for 1 entree from my Victoria Entertainment book and with no lunch mate in tow today I thought I would order a burger for lunch and a clubhouse to take home for dinner.

My cheddar cheese burger looked like a boring, substandard attempt on my plate but I am happy to say that I was pleasantly surprised when I started eating.  The bun was certainly the best part of the burger, although it didn't look like much it was fresh, tender, held together until I was finished and had a very pleasant taste.  The beef burger appeared to be a frozen patty and although it did not have much flavour it was perfectly edible.  The real cheddar cheese covered the whole burger thinly and was accompanied by red onion, lettuce, tomato and a pickle, all very fresh tasting.  Finally the burger was dressed with a mayonnaise that I believe was infused with roasted red peppers, although i did get some heat from one seed which lead me to believe it might have included chili peppers.  Unfortunately, the mayonnaise was lackluster and as it was the only dressing on the burger there was not quite enough flavour.  The 1/2 inch cut, salted Fries that came with the burger were like you might get in any pub and were served with ketchup and the lackluster mayo that was on the burger.  I paid $8.90 for the burger and fries, finished my whole plate and was full when I did.  I will be back to QV's to have lunch on their patio and I might even have the burger again.

On the other hand I will probably not have the clubhouse again.  The Bread was thick and just browned on the the outside, not really toasted.  The veggies, like on the the burger were nice and fresh, the bacon was plentiful and cooked well for a clubhouse but there was only three very thin slices of turkey.  All and all, too much bread and not enough meat and for $7.78 without a side (another $1.68 for fries) not a great deal.

Burger 7/10
Fries 4/10
Value 8.5/10

Clubhouse 5.5/10
Value 5.5/10

 QV Cafe-Bakery on Urbanspoon

Wednesday, August 18, 2010

Aegean Cafe: It's what for lunch on wednesday

Aegean Cafe
731B Fort Street
250-381-3221
Last Visit: probably last wednesday 

The Aegean Cafe is hidden in an alleyway behind the east bound bus stop on Fort Street between Douglas & Blanshard.  I had no idea this restaurant was in in town until about a year ago when a friend of mine alerted me to the wednesday special, since then I head this way most wednesdays. The wednesday special is simply the best wrap I've ever had. 

The chicken chipotle wrap is, as the name suggests, a chicken wrap with a chipotle sauce.  The chicken is prepared (I believe) in the same manner as for a chicken souvlaki and is placed in a warm tortilla shell with lettuce, carrots, the chipoltle sauce and a scoop of mashed potatoes.  The mashed potato transforms this lunch from regular wrap to the best ever, no need for rice here.

With your special you can get a soup or salad.  The soup is homemade and changes daily; if it is a flavour that I think I might like I always do.  If you prefer salad you can have a house salad (I never have), a ceaser salad (don't, no options, just dressed lettuce with ceaser dressing that isn't very good) or greek salad with a chipotle olive oil that gives this salad a tasty twist from a normal greek.

So go on wednesday, get the special and you'll be out $10.60 (stupid HST, used to be $9.98) but you will have had one of the best chicken wraps ever.  If you're eating in be sure to head upstairs so you are not crowded out by the lineup for food.  I have never ordered anything else and never been on any other day because you can't get the special but I would certainly be willing to try anything from this great little place with courteous, efficient and personable service.

9/10 rating for lunch
9.5/10 rating for value

 Aegean Cafe on Urbanspoon