My girlfriend and I were nearly late for our Dine Around reservation at the Herald Street Caffe. The evening shopping at the Urban Barn caught our attention while parking in front of the store just down the street from the restaurant. With shopping bags in tow we made it to dinner and were greeted and promptly seated at the best table in the house.
We were presented with the regular menu, wine list and Dine Around menu that offered $15, $25, and an additional $35 menu choice (not on the web). I already had my heart set on the choices for $25 menu and my dining companion had her pocketbook set on $15.
For her it was a tough choice between Caesar salad and roasted butternut squash soup. I'm glad she chose the Caesar, it was awesome! Beautiful big parmesan crisps alongside fresh romaine and tangy flavourful dressing, baguette croutons and a little pile of thick and crewy bacon bits in the middle. The soup however, did look beautiful as we spied on the girls at the next who had order the soup.
My appetizer choice from the $25 menu was a difficult decision in itself. I skipped the pan seared scallop and braised pork belly with apple gastrique and went for the organic baby spinach salad with goat cheese, pine nuts and beets. Very fresh, healthy and seasonal, the ingredients went wonderfully together. The Hawthorne Mountain Riesling was great in itself, as well as with the salad, and even more so with my main course later on. This was a large piece of crispy-edged pan seared lingcod, atop garlic fried rapini, over a mound of creamy mashed potatoes studded with many large chunks of perfectly grilled prawns, and circled by a lemon beurre blanc.
As for my friend, her choice in the brined pork over the wild coho salmon was clear as she never gets to have pork at home. Her partner doesn't like it and such is life. She was very very happy with the tender tenderloin with grain mustard, and a dietary related no-problem switch to fondant potatoes over the sweet & sour braised red cabbage.
Having started the meal with warm crusty rolls with a delicious herbed butter, and enjoyed the generous portions that followed, we didn't have room for the featured dessert of the evening. So, the charming owner packaged up a lovely marscapone packed cheesy slice of tiramisu for me to bring home and enjoy later. Service was both attentive and knowledgeable, and it was great to see the room full.
Next trip to the Herald Street Caffe will definitely include after dinner drinks in the new separate lounge. Apparently, it is the new hangout for some of the Salmon Kings and the opportunity to troll there is irresistible for this fan. And all the best wishes to the new owner, Connor, as he attempts to bring this property back to its former stature and glory.
Bon Appetit – The Secret Diner
546 Herald Street, Victoria, 250-381-1441
