Seafood and service were the most memorable elements of my evening at Spinnakers enjoying the $35 Dine Around Menu. In each category of appetizer, entrée, and dessert, two options are offered, and one stands out in particular.
Cortes Island mussels steamed in Spinnakers’ Fog Fighter Belgian Ale provide a strong kick-off with bold flavours of beer, roast garlic, and sautéed onion supporting the plump mussels without overpowering them. The roasted garlic tart, the other option, was creamy and soft with a scintillating taste of pepper; the roast garlic that accompanied it, however, was undercooked and more crunchy than creamy.
The culinary highlight of the evening was the seared sablefish with Cortes island clams, honey mussels and roasted Metchosin potatoes in a Miso and kelp broth. The sablefish was moist, trembling, and succulent – perfectly, perfectly cooked. Flakes fell off at the touch of the fork, ready to be daubed in the flavourful miso and seaweed sauce. The fact that the potatoes were roasted was important – that way they kept their shape, flavour, and integrity in the broth.
The duck breast entrée sounded more glamorous, but actually didn’t deliver the flavour and quantity that the sablefish did. The Saanich Peninsula black currant compote was indeed a lovely sweet-tart accent to the duck, but the duck itself was rather plain. The little pancetta millet cakes tucked underneath the seared duck breast were fantastic – flavourful and grainy like down-home Southern grits. I would have loved a few more of those.
The desserts were a pleasure – downright sophisticated and beautiful to behold. Hazelnut torte was moist and dense. Cinnamon ice cream and caramel sauce were the perfect partners, and the dessert was dramatically presented with whorls of caramel and tossed hazelnuts, creating drama. Blackberry swirl cheesecake had the requisite rich creaminess, and was paired with a flavourful blackberry sauce.
The service was stellar – I could have been at the Empress for all the grace and awareness my server exhibited. Domenique noticed my young daughter needed a drink, and brought it with a jaunty pink straw. She saw me scraping at seaweed broth with a fork, and brought me a spoon. Most importantly, she was both sympathetic and practical when my husband struggled with his wine choice. Whether the Burrowing Owl Syrah was off, or it was simply not to our taste, I cannot definitively say. What is definite, though, was Domenique’s desire for our dinner to be a success. She brought a second wine out. My husband, a man of great peace and modesty, said it was fine. But she was not lulled by his polite words; she instead read his fleeting body language, something I thought only a wife would sense, that had indicated the true story he was too sweet to say – he didn’t like it either. “Are you sure?” she said. “I want you to love it.” And off she went to bring back a third, and successful choice – a Vancouver Island Averill Creek Pinot Noir. I eat out frequently, and I have to say this was some of the best service I’ve had.
Finally, Spinnakers is a Dine Around restaurant I would recommend if you have small children in tow. Dinner starts being served at 4:00, so families can be out well before bed time, and a table by the window affords an entertaining view of landing seaplanes and energetic kayakers, keeping the little ones occupied while the big people fight over mussels, sablefish, and caramel sauce.
- The Secret Diner
T: (250) 386-2739, 308 Catherine St.
