Paul's Drive-In Restaurant - Summertime Fun

**it appears right now that Paul's is not operating the Drive-In :-(
- but even if the carhops aren't there, the good food is....maybe you can talk them into bringing it out to your car on a tray from the restaurant....

Paul’s Motor Inn on Douglas Street has transformed their front parking lot for the summer into Paul’s Drive-In. What’s better than a great diner burger? Eating it from a tray clipped to your car window! Whether having dinner like this will bring back memories or make a new one – it’s definitely fun.

They have classic drive-in fare: burgers, hot dogs, BLT’s, fish & chips, plus a kids menu including grilled cheese & chicken fingers. From the fountain (as in soda) there are milkshakes, floats, sundaes, pies and more.

The drive-in is open for business Friday nights and all day Saturday and Sunday. Flags stretched across the parking lot mark off the drive-in and the sizable menu is posted right on the building.

And one of the best parts of it all?....

AYO Eat - a delicious, spicy corner of Market Square

Ayo Eats in Market Square is a tiny take-out window that produces some big tastes: Indonesian food including green curry, chicken satay, beef curry and egg sambal.

AYO eat in NW corner of Market Square

If you’re not trucking your food back to the office/home, there are picnic tables & benches around the Market to sit and eat at (and I saw a few people chowing down right on the steps below Ayo…couldn’t wait to dig in!). Set in the Northwest corner of the Market (near to Paboom’s back door) – a half door swings open...

Clay Pigeon - early bird gets the breaky

The Clay Pigeon does breakfast and I finally made it there! I can't be the only one out there who drives/walks/bikes by a restaurant and proceeds to act out a V8 commercial. After said head-smacks and mentions by friends, we finally pulled in there to saddle up to some breakfast fixin's.

Located right on the corner of Blanshard Street and Broughton Street, the Clay Pigeon serves up breakfast everyday, starting at 7:30. Yes, everyday (which makes my head-smack even bigger - 7 days a week - it's not like their hours were stopping me from coming). A cozy interior holds the majority of the seating - but you might luck-out (and if the sun is shining) and snag one of the spots right outside.

We plunked ourselves down inside and started breakfast off the proper way...with a....

Norte - New Tacos on the Block

Unfortuntely Norte has recently tweeted out to their followers that they won't be reopening for 2014.
:-(
They have another exciting project that is taking all their time.
A very sad adios to Norte.



There’s a new taco place in town – Norte Street Food. They're located in Fernwood (on Gladstone Avenue, near Fernwood Avenue). The tacos (served using fresh, in-house made corn tortillas) are "from the pueblos of Northern Mexico". I haven't been to this part of Mexico, but I have made a few trips to this corner of Victoria.

They previously sold their tacos on Bridge Street – but have now set-up permanently, in a cozy little spot between Aubergine Foods and The Fernwood Inn.

It's a tiny place - but....

Mortiscycle Doughnuts @ the Superior Point Espresso Bar

Update part deux:
While Mortiscycle currently is no more, I've heard rumours (June 2014) that their doughnuts may live on - Empire Doughnuts. And they are linked with PiCNic (upper Fort St location), possibly after their expansion into the adjacent space. More to come....I'm sure.


Update:
Currently the Mortiscycle Doughnuts have not set-up shop for 2014. The previous owner has moved on from Victoria and the currently owners of the Superior are concentrating on the restaurant portion.
Hopefully they'll open the espresso bar outside and maybe some delish doughnuts...




The Superior Point Espresso Bar is a lovely little coffee “stand” at the corner of Superior Street and Kingston Avenue (kitty-corner from the main entrance to Fisherman’s Wharf). It’s been opened by The Superior Café, whose owner is no stranger to the restaurant industry in Victoria (I’m sure there are some of you who remember having coffee -before it was “having coffee”- at La Boheme or Bohemetea).

They serve 2% Jazz coffee and homemade baked goods including Mortiscycle Doughnuts. Like I wrote before, doughnuts are popping up everywhere (and I say…..awesome-sauce!). I recently stopped in for a quick latte and (twist my rubber arm) a doughtnut to go with it. As I pulled in on two-wheels – I even got a special deal on my morning snack.

Love the vintage Coleman cooler...

You can hang out at the stand, making yourself comfortable on the steps, chairs or...

The Black Hat Bistro - Local Goodness in Touristville

**Update**
The Black Hat Bistro is currently renovating and changing names to North 48….and we checked them out and liked what we had!


There are some people in Victoria who are convinced that the Government Street/Wharf Street area near to the Visitors Information Centre is lost to tourists, restaurant-wise. And while the recent introduction of a BK doesn’t scream ‘fresh’ or ‘local’ – there are some bright spots. At a recent birthday dinner, a group of us enjoyed the upscale Black Hat Bistro. Not been? Scratching your head where it is? Langley Street at Broughton Street. Depending on your arrival time, you may be serenaded by a lone saxophone player out front.

The room is open, with the kitchen and a few tables situated on a level 2-3 steps up from the main floor. If bar seating is more your style – you can saddle up and enjoy your dinner there and have a first-hand view of the spirit inventory and the wine preservation system that allows for a long list of wines by the glass.