Eat Your Heart Out: The Tribulations of Foodie Dating

In the past year, I’ve been on two dates where my dining companions didn’t have enough money to pay for our meal. In both cases I waited patiently as the guys—sweating from every pore, eyes darting from me to their wallet—mumbled their excuses. One flat-out didn’t have enough cash. The other had his credit card declined. While neither guy saw a second date, I was charmed by their effort to impress me, even if the restaurant fell outside their budget.

The thought and planning behind a date excite me more than anything else. I have a few restaurant suggestions ideal for those looking to romance a food lover. (Be warned, the three restaurant owners mentioned they could spot a first date all the way from the kitchen.)

Relish Food & Coffee – Downtown Lunch Date

I find lunch dates more exciting than dinner. Meeting someone downtown on your lunch hour gives the meal finality. Either the goodbye gets drawn out (that’s a good sign) or at the end of the meal both parties quickly depart (the not-so-good sign).

Relish’s Jamie Cummins says a meal at his restaurant “shows you care about culture.” With a menu reflecting Korean, Vietnamese and Japanese cuisines and a décor drenched in warm wood, relishing the lunch experience comes easy.

For summer, Cummins suggests the tuna tataki salad, dotted with new potatoes, asparagus, mustard greens, a vinegar-based dressing, and pickled beets. Other choices include the ever-popular crispy smoked chicken bowl. The menu consistently changes. “The dishes always reflect the current environment,” says Cummins.

920 Pandora Avenue
Tuesday to Friday, 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.
Lunch menu, 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.
Saturday brunch, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

250-590-8464
Website
Facebook: Relish-Food-and-Coffee
 Twitter: @RelishVictoria
Instagram: @relishvictoria

Ca Va Bistro Moderne – Intimate Dinner

New outfit. Uncomfortable shoes. Hair and makeup. Reading the restaurant’s online menu. I cherish my predate rituals. It feels good to dress up and go for a meal that includes candlelight.

Fauna Martin of Ca Va Bistro Moderne finds dating rituals bizarre. “Oh you can definitely tell when it’s an Internet date, very awkward,” she says, also noting the unfortunately ongoing trend of men ordering their date’s meal.

French bistro food with the usage of Australian ingredients—where Martin spent time as a chef— includes impressive dishes like beef short ribs with soufflé and watermelon with grilled haloumi salad.

Martin also suggests a tuna tartar, potato, summer bean, sour cherry and olive tapenade starter. While she spends her evenings in the kitchen, her staff note couples are “always stealing kisses, sometimes not so sneakily” during dinner.

1296 Gladstone Avenue

Brunch
Thursday and Friday 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Saturday and Sunday 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Dinner
Tuesday to Saturday 5 p.m. to 9 a.m.

250-590-7982
Website
Twitter: @cavavictoria
Facebook: cavavictoria
Instagram: @cavavictoria

La Taquisa – Adventure Date

Tacos. The ocean. Tacos. The ocean. Tacos. The ocean. Give me both and I’ll give you my heart.

If sitting across the table from your date is too much pressure, why not paddle around Victoria’s Inner Harbour in separate kayaks (Selkirk Station perhaps)? Even those with limited athletic abilities can appear confident in the water.

After working up an appetite, walk over to La Taquisa’s Vic West location for a platter of tacos. With eight tacos all with customizable fillings, owner Scott Demner sees ordering taco as a good test to see how well two people know each other. My favourite fillings are the Baja shrimp with chipotle mayo and marinated flank steak in adobe sauce. A spice wimp, I favor the pico de gallo made with tomatoes, cucumber and cilantro and the guacamole. La Taquisa’s hottest salsa is a simple blend of shredded carrot, habanero peppers and lime juice.

If the Vic West location isn’t in your neighbourhood, La Taquisa’s downtown location is brightly coloured and in your face, perfect for hipster couples says Demner.

#180-176 Wilson Street and 1017 Blanshard Street
Website for location hours
Twitter: @LaTaquisa
Facebook: La-Taquisa
250-590-6588 (Vic West)
250-889-5803 (Blanshard)