Gabriola Restaurant Sizzles all Year Round

Chef Jonah Hicks in the Silva Bay kitchen, 

preparing the Turf part of the Mexico-style 

Surf and Turf special. Derek Kilbourn photo

Do you like your seafood sustainable? Your sauces made from scratch? A menu that reflects the seasons? Then it’s time to head down to Silva Bay Pub & Restaurant and indulge in a dish prepared by the personable, and talented, young chef Jonah Hicks. The night we went was dark and stormy but when we walked through the doors we were enveloped by the cozy ambience – fireplace roaring, muted music playing and the chatter of conversation. Even though the million dollar view wasn’t visible, I realized Gabriolans Tanya and Tim Gambrill, who own and operate the restaurant at Silva Bay, had created a place where it’s easy to relax and unwind – no matter what’s happening outside. The menu has traditional pub fare (fish and chips, burgers, chicken wings) and the Gambrill’s have also put their creative talents to work partnering with their chef to create one-of-a-kind dishes like the Cashew Lentil Burger, Ravioli Puttanesca, and Miso-Planked Salmon. There are also nightly specials so even frequent visitors always have something new to try.Which is why I found myself indulging in a Mexican style Surf & Turf with scallops, steaks, frites and refried beans. It was supposed to come drizzled in mole (mo-lay) sauce but our server Joelle kindly brought the sauce to me on the side as I wasn’t sure I could handle the heat. Turns out I could because this mole sauce was homemade with the heat tempered by just the right amount of chocolate and cinnamon. My dinner companion went à la carte and his Island Stir Fry was chock-a-bloc with veggies, chicken and noodles, although we substituted them for rice to create a gluten-free version. Even though we were both stuffed, Joelle managed to convince us to try the Crème Brûlée topped with candied orange slices and filled with custard infused with lavender and Grand Marnier (Yes, we finished it all.).The best part? I learned that even though I love Silva Bay in the summer, cozying up in the winter with a great meal and a pint has its own unique charm.

Did you know…
…all the seafood on the menu has been approved by the Vancouver Aquarium’s Ocean Wise Sustainable Seafood Program?
…they serve breakfast on Sundays in the summer?
…the menus shift to reflect the seasons?

Bento Box Bash at the Bastion

Okay, I guess it wasn't exactly a bash. But the two out of eight of us who ordered bento boxes during the company lunch felt we'd chosen best. Before I tell you why, did you know, those of you who live in or near Nanaimo, that Minnoz (the restaurant/bar at the Coast Bastion Inn) has a daily bento box special? Well, now you do.

So onto the delicious details. The bento box is like a food adventure -- in each little compartment you get to discover a different taste sensation: here a little sushi, there a little tempura and everywhere wasabi and pickled ginger to spice things up. Yum! And each daily bento box at the Bastion comes with something a little bit different -- one day it might be a spicy tuna roll and ginger beef, the next a california roll and lemon chicken. And yes, if your colleagues like to have their adventures well away from the restaurant table there is more traditional fare -- like a bacon, brie chicken sandwich (gluten-free bread available if you want) and of course, fries.

Location: 11 Bastion Street, Nanaimo, BC
Price: lunches, $9-$15 

Walking (and Spelunking and Snowshoeing) in a West Coast Winter Wonderland

A foggy walk through Nanaimo's Swy-a-lana. www.bradpowellphoto.com

The beautiful thing about west coast winters is the dramatic weather. One day there’s a foot of snow; the next a torrential downpour; and then a day of bright sunshine and blue skies. But, the best part is the thermometer rarely dips to the “frozen wasteland” temperatures that most of our compatriots have to deal with. And that’s why, even when there’s snow on the ground, we still get to go outside and play. One of my favourite Vancouver Island ways to do that is bundling up and going on a leaf-crunching walk through the plethora of city and wilderness trails that criss-cross the island. 

My favourite Vancouver Island city walk is along the Nanaimo harbourfront. It doesn’t have the grandiose views of Victoria’s Harbour, with the Empress Hotel and Parliament Buildings, but I’m happier with the unimpeded views across the Strait of Georgia to the sky-scraping North Shore Mountains (or a cosy stroll through foggy winter mornings), as well as the delicious hot chocolate at the marina-side Javawocky Café.   

Head just north of Nanaimo and you’ll discover a plethora of trails between Parksville and Qualicum Beach. You can follow them through old growth forests, by stunning waterfalls, and across rolling rivers where, if you’re lucky, you’ll catch site of the resident eagles swooping in to pick up dinner – even during the winter.

If you’re afraid of small cramped spaces, oh, and the dark, the next hike may not be up your alley. But if you’re up for it then spelunking through the caves at Horne Lake might be just your thing. Be prepared though – this trip isn’t called wet and wild for nothing.

And then there’s Mount Washington and Strathcona Park. Sure you can ski in both places but why not try something a little different (and cheaper) like strapping on the light-weight modern day version of the snowshoe and literally trekking through a winter wonderland. Mount Washington hastrails mapped out for you; the more adventurous can bushwhack through the pristine wilderness of BC’s oldest provincial park – 250,000 hectares of pristine wilderness to be exact.

Photo Credit: www.bradpowellphoto.com

Girls' and Boys' Toys

A girl (in her blue jeans, blue shirt, and blue shoes) and her Lego.

Last Sunday I had the displeasure of going into Toys 'R' Us to buy a birthday present for my son’s friend. Usually I avoid this store at all costs. As a dear friend described, the store makes one itchy, with its sky-high piles of televisions and pop star branded toys. Unfortunately, it was the only store in town to have this particular toy. After my experience though, I will never step foot into it again. Here is the conversation I had with a staff member: 
Me: "Do you have BeyBlades?"
Staff member: "Yes. Those are in the boys’ toy section."
Me (now looking aghast at said staff member): "Gasp. Boys’ toy section? You have a ‘boys’ toy section’? Oh…never mind."
With that I marched off to find out which toys this massive retailer has deemed suitable only for the boys among us. It was filled with Transformers (which I loved as a child), Lego (ditto) and yes, BeyBlades (no comment, as I’d never heard of such a thing till this weekend). The girls’ toy section was so blindingly pink I had to shield my eyes as I walked by, but I caught glimpses of Barbies, dolls and Hannah Montana. 
Now, as the mother of a son I’m fully aware boys and girls are different, and not just physically. But do we need a major toy retailer deciding whether a toy is suitable for girls or boys? 
What’s next? A ‘boys’ and ‘girls’ section in the bookstores? 
Children and their parents are the ones to decide if a toy is suitable based on their family values, not on gender. 
If a girl fancies the newest action figure, or a boy wants to play with Barbie, then no one, especially not a massive corporation, should be sending any other message than “that’s okay.”