Happy Robbie Burns Day! Bring on the Haggis

It's Robbie Burns Day tomorrow. Anyone up for Haggis at Mclean's Specialty Foods? Remember, if Haggis isn't your thing, Mclean's has one of the most amazing cheese selections this side of France.

Discover One of Nanaimo's Hidden Restaurants

Hidden at the end of a long hallway behind Vancouver Island University’s (VIU) bustling cafeteria is a place you can enjoy a gourmet three-course-meal for a fraction of the cost accompanied by a million dollar view of Georgia Strait and the North Shore mountains. What? You’ve never heard of VIU’s Discovery Room restaurant? Not to worry – neither had I until I started working at the university. But I'm here to tell you it's not one to miss.

We were greeted at the non-descript door by a very helpful Hospitality student who took our coats and led us to our window-side table. During the course of the meal we had two students fussing over us, filling up our water even before we asked and consistently checking in just to make sure all was well.

A complimentary amuse bouche (I love that this phrase literally translates as 'mouth amuser') started us off and then we were asked to chose from a selection of appys and mains. I chose a New England Clam Chowder swimming with veggies and clams and just the right consistency. My lunch partner had a delicate dish of wasabi and sesame crusted Albacore tuna -- seared just right. We both chose lamb medallions for our main and they were presented on a bed of mashed potatoes and grilled vegetables with a delicious red wine sauce reduction. 

And for dessert? Profiteroles

Best of all the bill didn't leave a bad taste in my mouth because this gourmet food is prepared by VIU’s stellar chefs-in-training so at the Discovery Room it costs a fraction of the price these chefs will be charging once they graduate. What a treat!

Location: 900 Fifth Street, Nanaimo, BC, Canada V9R 5S5

Price:$10-$15

Slurping up International Flavours at Atlas Cafe

Heading up island this weekend? Then you should pay a visit to the Atlas Café in Courtenay and treat your taste buds to some international flavours. Although our server seemed a little distracted (perhaps Santa didn’t bring him what he wanted), the food more than made up for it.

Check out these mussels – direct from the waters of Saltspring Island, they were some of the plumpest, most flavourful crustaceans I’ve had the pleasure of slurping up in a long time.

My companions decided they needed to warm up with some Mexican flavours and indulged in a massive baked burrito – good thing we were heading up to Mount Washington for cross-country skiing the next day.

If you’re not into Mexico (although how could you not be?) then the menu features flavours from around the world with nods to Japanese, Morroccan and Italian cuisines. And yes, there are even burgers for those who don't went to venture to far afield in the culinary world. Best of all , much of it is made with ingredients sourced right here on Vancouver Island. Happy island weekend!

Location: 250 6th Street, Courtenay, BC
250.338.9838

Price: Dinner entrees from $12-$25

Yoga isn't bad for your body -- you are!

     The yoga world is in a twist this week after this New YorkTimes article suggested yoga can be harmful to your body. Of course like any headline making story it just focused on all the bad stuff listing a huge array of injuries people had suffered in the pursuit of yoga.

      Can yoga wreck your body? Nope. But you can wreck it doing yoga. That’s right – like everything it’s your responsibility to say “Um, I’m sorry, but I really, really can’t wrap my leg around my neck this morning and seriously, I have no desire to do that.” If your teacher insists you do it, leave the class and find a new teacher.

       Personally I think the crux of the problem is most of us are either too scared or too competitive to admit we can’t do something AND most of us (unlike dedicated yoginis) do not have the time to practice three hours a day and create a body capable of bending into knots, or doing full headstand for five minutes.

        So when we’re in class and our gorgeous yoga teacher (who does practice three hours a day) bends over backwards we think, “If I just push a little harder I can do that, too.” Of course, what we should be thinking is, “OMG, if I do that I’m gonna pop a disc.”

         If you want to keep enjoying yoga then find a teacher who truly means it when she says “listen to your body” (Nanaimoites can head to Steph's class at OmTown yoga). And when your body is screaming ‘dear god stop’ then, stop. 

A Positively Brilliant New Year

        Ah, a fresh new year – 12 pristine months with which to create our world anew. Apropos of that, I think we need an injection of positive thinking to get us off on the right foot, especially with the dreary weather upon us. So here’s a few (very) random rays of sunshine to brighten up the first month of 2012.

•        Canada’s crime rate is at its lowest in 40 years – the homicide rate at its lowest in 45 years (I won’t point out how foolish this makes Harper & Co. look because they don’t belong in a good news story).
•       The need for a work-life balance was acknowledged (gasp) by an international corporation when Volkswagen agreed emails to its German workers would not be forwarded to their Blackberry’s after 6 p.m. or before 7 a.m. 
• The Canadian Boreal Initiative says the future of Canada’s Boreal Forest looks bright. They released their top ten stories about the forest, and nine of them were positive. The top spot was a shout out to Quebec’s government for creating the largest land conservation plan in history for the forest. Vive la Boreal Forest à la Québec!
• BC Ferry riders will appreciates this one: David Hahn is gone. I repeat: Hahn is gone.
• Rumour has it that the Rolling Stones are planning a 50th year reunion tour and everyone loves a good rumour.
• The prediction this was going to be the coldest winter on record is proving patently untrue (touch wood).The shortest day of the year is long gone, which means the idyllic west coast summer is rapidly approaching.
• And finally – on Feb. 7, 2012, Charles Dickens fans will celebrate his 200th birthday. So, to paraphrase his most famous words, here’s my wish to you for 2012: “God (or whichever supernatural being/entity you chose to believe or not believe in) bless us, every one.”

Get your Firehouse On

So here’s the challenge...to review one restaurant a week somewhere on Vancouver Island.  No boundaries or rules – they can be chains, one-offs, diners, pubs, fine-dining establishments – anywhere you can get food and drink.

Let the games begin.

Firehouse Grill – Nanaimo. Since I’ve lived on Gabriola Island, Nanaimo's beautiful old firehouse with a peek-a-boo ocean view has been home to a number of restaurants that sadly have all crashed and burned. Its most recent reincarnation (which opened in 2007) looks set to burn brightly for many years. Welcome to the Firehouse Grill – where the food is original, eclectic and downright delicious. In fact, there’s something for everyone in the family – from sushi aficionados to meat lovers and the excellent chefs are willing to alter recipes to accommodate any food allergies. 

But enough. What about the food? Well I indulged in a Curry Karma roll, just one of the many signature sushi rolls the creative chefs have come up with. This one was stuffed with avocado, tempura asparagus and cucumber and topped with a sweet, spicy curry sauce. It was sublime. Next time I'm going to indulge in the Black& Blue roll: ginger, coffee and garlic rubbed tuna, lox, avocado and green onion with the made-in-house Firehouse sauce. For those who aren't too sure about sushi there's another whole menu with more traditional fare, all of it made with the Firehouse flare -- pulled-pork sandwiches, fish and chips, a variety of pasta dishes, steaks and a spicy jambalaya in a Creole sauce. All of this is accompanied by excellent service, a great wine list -- oh and delectable desserts for those who have any room left after their dinners.

One caveat: You may want to book -- when we visited on a Monday night it was absolutely packed and we were seated in the upstairs alcove.

Entrees: $10-$26

Location: #7 Victoria Road, Nanaimo