I found this restaurant via Yelp, and only after eating (and we were beyond happy) discovered how acclaimed it was. We ate like kings for $32 US/head (no wine).
I found this very small restaurant on Yelp, but the location for it is completely wrong, as in the opposite side of town; so, I kept having to ask for directions in order to find it.
I HAD tried to call them, but I got an answering machine asking me to leave my name to ask for a reservation and they would call me back — don’t think so. So we walked there (Tofino isn’t a very big town), and arrived around 6pm. At first the hostess didn’t want to seat us. I however gave her my, “I don’t take no for an answer” body language, and she asked if we would be willing to sit upstairs — which is where I would have wanted to be anyway as it has the better view. When we arrive we were almost the only ones up there, and ended up at a corner table with a view of the water… perfect.
Once we had ordered, the place started to really fill up, and when we left at around 6:45 there were a line of people waiting to get in. We overheard one group of hipster types talking about how this was their third day in a row coming here, having something different every time, and they intended to come again the next day.
For dinner, We shared a chopped kale & grains salad, with nuts, seeds, freshly made cheese, & camalina oil dressing $12 CAD ($9.36US); (the image is of the 1/2 serving)
It was VERY tasty and amazingly filling. Fact is, just 1/2 of that would have sufficed as a light meal.
For my main I had cod cheeks (yes, all fish have cheeks, and they are considered to be delicacies), with clams, saffron, tomato and sofrito $16 CAD ($12.49 USD) — there was an undeclared in the menu dollop of what I think was mayonnaise on top of the dish, which I assiduously had to remove (my liver is not currently healthy) — otherwise the dish was very flavorful and I have no idea why they felt that they had to add the fat.
Tom had the grilled cornish hen with yogurt, farro, cauliflower, lemon and olives $32 CAD ($24.98 USD), all I am going to say is he was making little moaning noises as he ate it
For desert, on the suggestion of the folks sitting next to us, (who seemed like maybe they were locals — they said this was the best place town)…. we shared a butterscotch brûlée with caramelized white chocolate and raspberry gelato (I had one spoonful and Tom ate the rest) $9 CAD ($7.02)
Above 2 pictures taken by Thomas Malone
Rebecca Radnor's Personal Blog: Consider yourselves warned! 