Edible Vancouver Island May/June 2023

edible news + notes worth sharing field notes

Pour yourself a pint » Artificial intelligence (AI) could now add “brewmaster” to its resume: Whistle Buoy Brewing in Victoria recently created a new beer designed based on a recipe generated by ChatGPT for a new hazy pale ale–they even used AI to help create marketing materials. Oh, and the beer is aptly named “Robo Beer.”

A hopeful future » But even amongst industry struggle, there is hope as new restaurants take up the torch. In Victoria, Ugly Duckling Dining and Provisions is a new fine-dining restaurant that prioritizes paying their staff a “thriving” wage, and new West Coast-inspired restaurant and whisky lounge Fathom (located inside the Hotel Grand Pacific) is set to become a popular new haunt.

» If you’re sensitive to gluten, you’ll be excited to hear that Category 12 Brewing in Saanichton has introduced the Island’s first gluten-reduced

» In Courtenay, new owners to Locals Restaurant recognize the community still needs dining establishments that highlight local ingredients, and Mignon & kie Deli and Grazery is a new addition to 5th Street with delightful

line of beer called Breakthru, which

fare options. Meanwhile, the team behind Qualicum Beach Cafe and Water St. Cafe are bringing new life to the location previously housing the recently closed Seascape Restaurant with Nanoose Bay Cafe , offering a menu of West Coast cuisine with Pan-Asian

features a pilsner, an IPA and a pale ale. The beer is brewed with gluten, but then an enzyme is used to remove it, leaving only trace amounts of gluten.

The cost of inflation » The rising cost of food is unfortunately the cause of many restaurants closing their doors in Victoria recently. After over 20 years, Lotus Pond Vegetarian Restaurant has closed; Agrius

influences. And in Tofino, Picnic Charcuterie’s new owners Dani Simons and Robyn Lord are creating platters and picnic boxes filled with house-made charcuterie, preserves and a wide selection of cheese.

Restaurant , despite being named last year as one of Canada’s top 100 most romantic restaurants, has also closed; so too have The Marina Restaurant at Oak Bay, Old Vic Fish & Chips and Clark & Co . » In Courtenay, Frankie’s Fried Chicken won’t be gracing picnic tables this summer as they closed operations at the end of 2022. On Mayne Island, Das Nest Restaurant has said goodbye after two years, and after 50 years of business, Solda’s Family Restaurant in Port Alberni closed down a few months ago.

» To help with the cost of food and offset waste, the Quadra Island Climate Action Network (I-CAN) have launched the Quadra food recovery program. The program has partnered with two grocery stores and a local health food business to keep edible food from being carted off to landfills; instead, people can “shop” the distribution sites, while food not fit for humans is set aside for farmers and leftover organics are provided to gardeners.

We update our Edible News + Notes online monthly. Check ediblevancouverisland.com and follow @EdibleVanIsle on social media

ediblevancouverisland.com 5