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Best Dining Bets
The Blue Crab Bar and Grill (Victoria; tel. 250/480-1999): You might think that the food would have a hard time competing with the view at this restaurant in the Coast Hotel, but you'd be wrong. The creative chef serves up the freshest seafood, the presentation is beautiful, and the dishes are outstanding.
Sooke Harbour House (Sooke; tel. 250/642-3421): This small country inn has one of the most noted restaurants in all of Canada. Fresh regional cuisine is the specialty, with an emphasis on local seafood. Views over the Strait of Juan de Fuca to Washington's mighty Olympic Mountains are spectacular.
Masthead Restaurant (Cowichan Bay; tel. 250/748-3714): Sitting above a busy marina, with islands and mountains rising in the distance, the Masthead's views are spectacular and its trappings -- the century-old clapboard structure was built as a fine hotel -- are charming. But the food here is absolutely up-to-date, an exploration of Vancouver Island's rich terroir.
Shelter (Tofino; tel. 250/725-3353): Fine dining in Tofino has always been synonymous with The Pointe, the wonderful restaurant at the Wickaninnish Inn. But the tourist boom in Tofino created an explosion of fantastic new places in this remote corner of Vancouver Island. Check out Shelter for its youthful vigor and absolutely fresh and authentic flavors -- everything is right off the boat or just off the land.
Araxi Restaurant & Bar (Whistler; tel. 604/932-4540): A longtime Whistler favorite that just keeps on getting better. Chef James Walt is capable of gastronomic alchemy, producing dishes that are inventive yet tradition-based and full of flavor. Choose one of the tasting menus, then face the wondrous stupefaction by selecting something delicious from the 12,000-bottle wine inventory.
Bearfoot Bistro (Whistler; tel. 604/932-3433): The food scene in Whistler is extremely dynamic, as you'd expect at North America's top ski resort and soon-to-be Olympic host. To get noticed amid Whistler's many restaurants requires something special -- and Bearfoot Bistro's got it. With very inventive food served in three- or five-course meals, this is like having a cutting-edge Iron Chef in charge of your dinner.
Fresco (Kelowna; tel. 250/868-8805): Another exciting new restaurant at the epicenter of the fast-growing Okanagan wine district, Fresco brings together fresh local ingredients and sophisticated preparations in a classy but casual dining room. The chef/owner has cooked in the top restaurants in Canada: He came to Kelowna to open his first solo effort.
All Seasons Cafe (Nelson; tel. 250/352-0101): Innovative preparations and rich, hearty flavors are the hallmarks of the cuisine at this superlative restaurant in a downtown Nelson heritage home. Food this stylish and up-to-date would pass muster anywhere; to find it in Nelson is astonishing.
Note: This information was accurate when it was published, but can change without
notice. Please be sure to confirm all rates and details directly with the companies in question before
planning your trip.
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