Dine Around 2017 Menu Preview

Running until March 5, 2017 Victoria’s Dine Around and Stay In Town (bit of a mouthful that) offers eaters a chance to try restaurants that may be new to them with good value menus.

The EAT Team has gone over the menu selections in the $20, $30, $40 and $50 price levels and this is what caught our eye.

$20 Menus

Varsha Indian Kitchen

Start with the samosa, vegetable pakoras, or wings then move on to the Bollywood Burger or Butter Chicken Poutine. For afters there’s Gulab Jamun (donuts dipped in a sweet rose syrup.) BC’s Volcanic Hills and Lighthouse Brewery are offered in the drinks department.

$30 Menus

Lots of choice at this price level.

AURA

Over at The Inn at Laurel Point the cooking is always inventive. Try the Lingcod seared, miso kasu nage, creamer potatoes, root vegetables, watercress, puffed wild rice and the White Chocolate, Lychee & Cream Cheese Mousse pistachio sponge, osmanthus jelly, bourbon vanilla ice cream.

Blue Crab

The Braised Pork Cheeks with spaetzle is a winner in our eyes.

Catalano

Put us down for a helping of slow-braised rabbit in red wine, tomatoes, olives and polenta. It’s rare to see rabbit on the menu in these parts so go for it. We’re also suckers for Warmed Toffee Pudding with brandy caramel sauce.

Ferris’ Upstair

For something a little different they’re offering a Peruvian Fish Stew with lingcod, aji amarillo, cilantro & yogurt

Little Jumbo

We spotted this enticing dessert: Citrus Olive Oil Cake with honey yogurt, candied lemons & limoncello custard.

Lure

We love lamb meatballs, especially when served with fettuccini, mushrooms and a rustic tomato sauce.

Marina

Another version of Lamb Meatballs can be found here: this time made with deeply flavoured lamb neck meat. It comes with white beans, arugula pesto and grilled white polenta.

Nourish Kitchen & Cafe

Looking for something healthy? There’s Cultured Cashew Cheese, Rutabaga Linguini and Chocolate Beetroot Cake. Or you could go with a Medium Rate Flat Iron steak with sprouted lentils, olives, preserved lime, and glass or two of Le Vieux Pin’s excellent syrah.

Olo

Always an interesting selection of dishes at Olo. Start with Endive & Bosc Pear turnips, dulse, mustard cider dressing with a Kokako sour ale from Moon Under Water. Move onto the Cheese Burger with hand-cut fries and a glass of Covert Farm cab, zin, syrah. Then, finish up with the Frozen Meyer Lemon Curd shortbread.

Veneto

Having just returned from San Francisco and feast of shrimp and grits at In Situ we happy to see New Orleans Barbecue Shrimp with crispy white cheddar polenta and creole corn pop up on their Dine Around menu.

$40 Menus

Again lots of choice in this category

10 Acres

The Pacific Ling Cod poached in duck fat with crispy octopus and preserved Meyer lemon butter sauce & garlic purée looks like a winner. Pair it with a Haywire Organic Pinot Gris. For the traditional minded – there’s also Beef Wellington.

Il Covo

Go all out and order the Bacon wrapped filet mignon on baked or wild mushroom & truffle polenta, topped with Gorgonzola cheese & Barolo reduction, served with vegetables.

The Pacific

What’s not to like? Three course of fondue. There’s Truffle & Roasted Garlic Cheese, Hot Spice Beef and Grand Mariner 70% Dark Chocolate. Wow.

The Summit

You can’t go wrong with Cache Creek Braised Short Rib that has been braised in red wine for 12 hours with lacinato kale, risotto Milanese. Wash it down with Red Arrow Umber Ale from Duncan.

Vis a Vis

For some us Dine Around isn’t Dine Around without lobster. You can your fix here with Lobster Carbonara: Butter poached lobster, egg yolk, roasted garlic, Parmesan.

Zambri’s

Back in the old country Arrosticini is typically made from castrated sheep meat, here it delicious duck. Check out the skewers of Arrosticini of Duck served with Herbed Potatoes, Lemon Wedges & Abruzzese Chili Sauce. A treat to be sure.

$50 Menus

For the high rollers among us

Agrius

We like the Tuna Poke with citrus, seaweed and pork rinds for the starter; duck breast for the mains and Chocolate Pudding with sunchokes and Seville Orange for dessert. And we love the bread.

Blue Crab

Here’s your chance to feast on crab – King, Snow and Dungeness.

Keg

An old school 14-ounce Prime Rib Oscar topped with shrimp, scallops, asparagus and Béarnaise sauce and paired with a skewer of grilled jumbo shrimp should full-fill all the cavemen out there. If that’s not enough follow it up with the Billy Miner Pie – an indulgence of Mocha ice cream on a chocolate crust with hot fudge, caramel and almonds.

Now remember this is only a small sample of what’s on offer at this year’s Dine Around. Visit http://www.tourismvictoria.com/events/dinearound/ for all the menus.

• photo credit: Nourish Kitchen & Cafe