Ca Va Bistro Moderne - Tres Tres Bien!!

Tucked into Fernwood, across the square from the Belfry Theatre, an array of restaurants have come and gone from the tiny store fronts. Some were/are just take-away, but one spot allows for a sit-down restaurant with cozy patio seating that has been home to some nice, but apparently temporary, food establishments.

The latest to lay roots is Ca Va Bistro Moderne (and if the lunch crowds when we were there are any indication...these roots have spread deep already!).

Ca Va Bistro Moderne in Fernwood Square

My "ladies-who-lunch" partner and I decided to try out Ca Va on a weekday for a late'ish lunch, we arrived around 1:30 and claimed one of the last remaining tables. The lunch service was in full swing (running until 2pm).

The lunch menus arrived at our table along with a bottle of water and a nicely rounded out wine & drink menu - so we ordered some...


...glasses of crisp Ortega to peruse the menu with...

The current lunch menu includes sandwiches, salads, raclette soufflé, fish pie and pasta - the selections change depending on what's available and the season.

So much sounded fabulous - it took me a bit to narrow down my choices and decide. My lunch partner zero'd in on one item immediately and stayed focused through my humming and hawing. Our final selections - a duck confit salad and a cured pork sandwich.

First up, my sandwich - house-cured pork, with brie, pear, arugula and pickled mustard on toasted sourdough. This sandwich was fabulous! The sourdough was nicely chewy, the pork slices tender, and the brie was oh-so melty - all finished nicely with sliced pears & peppery arugula. First snap is the sandwich's arrival to the table and the second was after a few bites....see? Melty.....mmmmm.

House cured pork sandwich with brie, pear & arugula

Sandwich assembled, bitten and brie oozing!

And next up - the duck confit salad. This dish was spied by my lunch-mate as soon as the menus were dropped on our table and her mind was made up - and what a fabulous choice!

Duck confit salad with pink grapefruit and potatoes

Moist duck confit, pink grapefruit sections, tiny round potatoes, tossed with a beautiful selection of lettuces in a tasty vinaigrette. I'm surprised she parted with a taster for me - but she did (true friendship).

Both dishes were devoured with minimal conversation between us (and copious amounts of 'enjoyment eye-rolls'). But we did save some room for dessert. Chocolate soufflé with maple pancetta ice cream. Yes, pancetta (not just any bacon, Italian bacon!).

The dessert was lovely - a not-too-sweet scoop of maple ice cream with small bits of soft pancetta in it and sprinkled with cocoa nibs. The soufflé was baked in a chocolate crust and oozed wonderfully when we broke into it.

Chocolate soufflé with maple/pancetta ice cream

Ooozy-ness of the soufflé

Needless to say...this is how it ended up....

The inevitable end of a dessert so delectable.

What a wonderful little restaurant Ca Va Bistro is. The dishes are well prepared, beautifully presented and delicious. The atmosphere is cozy but lively and the service is knowledgable and friendly.

We'll be back for sure - first off, we know it's fabulous and secondly - with the dinner menu written on one wall - we have already plotted our next meal and what dessert dish will get the clean-sweep.

Ca Va Bistro Moderne
1296 Gladstone Ave (across the square from the Belfry)
(handy parking on dead-end side of Gladstone, beside Vic High)
Lunch Tue-Fri 11:30-2pm
Brunch Sat/Sun 10am-2pm
Dinner Tue-Sat from 5pm (Tue-Thur to 9pm, Fri/Sat to 10pm)

website www.cavavictoria.com