There was a bit of an aha! moment when we were told the secret ingredient, and now I’m wondering what other tea-alcohols would be good. Rooibos and rum? Matcha vodka? So much for the stereotypes about tea drinkers! Looking around the internet, I discovered Qi Sprits, who make an orange white-tea liqueur and a smoky Lapsang Souchong black tea liqueur that I’m dying to try.

And then, as always, is the problem with mix. J. Witty has some recipe suggestions for the chamomile liqueur that sound intriguing. I particularly like the Cherry Blossom:

2 oz. gold rum
1 oz. J. Witty Chamomile
½ oz. Cherry Heering
2 dashes Peychaud’s bitters

Stir ingredients with cracked ice. Strain into an ice-filled old fashioned glass.

I’d be interested to see what Lauren at the Refinery would do with it, but first I’m going to have to go to Portland to get some, since it’s not available in Canada.

I imagine that it doesn’t happen often – not unless, like me, you happen to live in one of them and your husband is in love with the glamour of the other.

Here’s our take on the two Daniel Boulud outfits in our hometown of Vancouver and our weekend getaway of Las Vegas, Nevada.

Daniel Boulud Brasserie (Las Vegas)

It was our first night in Sin City and my first day ever in this town of gambling and glitz when we strolled into the plush Wynn for our 6pm seating at DB Brasserie.

The ostentatious luxury that the Wynn oozed was certainly present in this restaurant. We were ushered to a patio table that overlooked a vast pond and an even more expansive waterfall, where we were told by our server, Paco, was the site of a light show and froggy song-and-dance as the evening waned. Puzzled by this description, we shrugged and looked at the menu.

Prices were sky high as to be expected of this town and of a restaurant of this reputation. My husband decided on the 3-course prix fixe. It was affordable at under $40 USD, but the quantities sounded enormous. I opted for 1 dish: a duo of beef containing Boulud’s signature slow-braised short ribs. That alone exceeded Kurt’s order by nearly $10, but I could at least expect to minimize food waste.

I should have just ordered a soup, because the kitchen adorned us with amuses and petit fours anyhow. However, I am incredibly glad that I had ordered the duo, because the short ribs were unbelievably spectacular. Worth every penny that we paid; I only wish it hadn’t been paired with a tenderloin. While clearly of good quality, it was so overwhelmed by the goodness of the short ribs that it somehow detracted from the discovery.

By the time dessert came round, the American portions had gotten to both of us, and Kurt declined the dessert that came with his meal. Paco, perhaps concerned that we weren’t enjoying our food, may have had something to do with the kitchen finding out about Kurt’s 30th birthday and sent him a molten ganache cake with a special message written on the plate. They threw something in for me since I was just sitting there…and then came the petit fours!

Combined with the show on the pond, meeting Chef, and the tremendous customer service of Paco and the rest of the front of the house, we had ourselves a good time indeed.

DB Bistro Moderne (Vancouver)

It was with this extreme experience in our short-term memory that we found ourselves at the Daniel Boulud restaurant in Kitsilano less than 3 weeks later, this time to celebrate our 3-year wedding anniversary in style. [Hmm - that's a lot of 3's.]

Incredibly, DB Bistro held up to its glamourous Vegas counterpart. No crazy hotel or giant pond frog with the voice of Louis Armstrong, but each dish exuded the same quality of taste that we first had in Nevada.

Each dish was again sized for American tastes: much too large for the smaller, multi-course portioning we are accustomed to in the West Coast. For the second time, Kurt declined the dessert that came with his prix fixe menu. For the second time, our server conveyed to the kitchen that we were celebrating our anniversary, adding also that we had homemade pie waiting for us at home.

You’d think that it would cause the kitchen to take a hint and simply send us off with a small plate of petit fours… instead, they chose the lightest of their desserts, wrote “Happy Anniversary” on the plate, and watched as we ate every last bite and thanked them for their thoughtfulness.

One thing’s for sure – if you are in a Daniel Boulud city and you celebrate a special occasion with them, make sure they know of it, because they’ll treat you like royalty.

The layout is split into two physically separated areas, soft serve ice-cream sundaes in the larger corner space, and hard, scooped ice cream in the smaller adjoining space. Also served are ice cream floats, malts, cookie ice cream sandwiches, splits, and a host of other related treats.

The store sign itself promotes “Olde Fashioned Ice Cream Concoctions” and I haven’t quite made up my mind whether the interior décor is ironic, an avant garde take on retro, or just confused. Old time charm is attempted to be blended with modern design ethics; LCD screen menus are side-by-side with stained glass light fixtures and signs in “Olde English” at the same time that wooden accents merge into bold granite fixtures. Although I have to admit, I am a fan of the uniforms. It’s the hat that does it, really.

I tried one of the more conservative sundaes on their menu. Yes, the drooling beast in the image below would be considered conservative in terms of number of toppings – vanilla soft serve ice cream rimmed with nuts, a Rogers’ chocolate medalion, and finished with caramel, whipped cream, and a marachino cherry.

My favourite part of the sundae was actually the nuts. But I’m an odd fellow who claims his tongue is abnormally full of too many sweet receptors. It wasn’t until after I was happily crunching on my sundae toppings that I noticed a sign advertising cookie ice cream sandwiches. That’s one childhood indulgence that has stayed with me all these years.

Looks like I’m going to have to make another trip to ye olde soda shoppe sooneth.

Rogers’ Chocolates Soda Shoppe
801 Government Street | Victoria
(250) 382-4249
Official Facebook Page

1. Great view
2. Heat source for when the sun sets
3. Good drinks

Anything more is gravy. I’ve already talked about Glo Europub and Grill, so here’s a rundown of a few of my other favourite patios in Victoria.

Canoe Brewpub, Marina and Restaurant

beer @ canoe brewpub by sashafatcat (Creative Commons)

Canoe’s restaurant interior design relishes in the fact that it’s placed within a 1894 heritage building, showing off its exposed brick and timber supports with gusto. But today we’re not here to talk about interiors; today we care about patios.

The outdoor terrace overlooks the marina and is west facing. Making it perfect to watch a setting sun while you kick back with one of Canoe’s microbrews,

The Sticky Wicket Pub & Restaurant

The Sticky Wicket by elwino (Creative Commons)

I admit that even if I did not appreciate the food or drink here, Sticky Wicket would still make this list by the fact that there’s a sand volleyball court on the rooftop patio.

I repeat: a sand volleyball court. On. The. Roof.

Great for large gatherings, the normally drop-in courts can be reserved with a minimum food order of a few hundred dollars.

Spinnakers Gastro Brewpub

A brisk walk along the water the West of Downtown Victoria, across the Johnson Street bridge lies one of the best brewpubs in the city. And the view from the top floor? It’s the kind where the wide ocean view clears your mind and your soul.

Or maybe that’s a side effect of the micro-brews. While I’m a fan of their hand-pumped stout, a coworker of mine swears by their IPA.

There are many more great patios in Victoria – a couple of hotel restaurants and a one named after a small, narrow boat immediately come to mind.

Chime in in the comments if you have a favourite patio.

Canoe Brewpub, Marina and Restaurant
450 Swift Street | Victoria
(250) 361-1940
canoebrewpub.com

The Sticky Wicket Pub & Restaurant
919 Douglas Street | Victoria
(250) 383-7137 | 1-800-663-7476
strathconahotel.com/the_sticky_wicket_pub___restau.html

Spinnakers Gastro Brewpub
308 Catherine Street | Victoria
(250) 386-2739 | 1-877-838-2739
spinnakers.com

Glo Europub and Grill

Their smoked gouda pizza (blackened chicken, cashews, asparagus, gouda) is often reason enough alone to make a stop. Add in being a five minute drive from my office and Glo becomes a favourite for after work drinks.

In the summer, their scenic patio opens up along the water feeding your senses with sights of kayaks and dragon boats racing by as you take a trip around the world with their city named martinis. I’ve never quite made it around the world in one sitting, but that doesn’t mean I won’t keep trying!

If the martinis don’t pique your interest, Glo also has an extensive wine list with certain bottles priced at just a few dollars over cost on Wednesdays. By pure coincidence, I assure you, I used to take my project team to here after work on Wednesdays.

Glo Europub and Grill
104 – 2940 Jutland Road | Victoria
(250) 385-5643
gloeuropub.com

1. The pizza must be cold.
2. So must the beer.
3. Underwear, but nothing else, must be worn.

Under these conditions, pizza was a god-send. Otherwise? It was either fun event in the kitchen or a quick fix for a lazy night.

It was with these underlying beliefs that I had a transcendant experience in Chicago during last year’s Lollapallooza festival, and no I’m not talking about seeing Radiohead live in concert.

Being my first time in Chicago, there were two things I was told to experience: Deep dish pizza, and delays at O’hare airport.

I ‘succeeded’ on both counts.

The hotel concierge claimed there are three main restaurants that compete for whose deep dish cuisine reigns supreme. We made it to two of the candidates, Edwardo’s Natural Pizza and Pizano’s Pizza & Pasta.

Edwardo’s was up first and the shear weight and girth of the pizza pie was enough to make my jaw drop. Never before had the term pizza pie been so apt.

At Pizano’s, the dish was served in a cast iron skillet.

In both cases the pizza turned out to have surprisingly little grease, and the crust, oh the crust! It’s a year later and I’m still holding on to the flavours lingering in my memories.

To be honest, my expectations coming in were that the stories told would fall victim of overhype and that I would still hold the opinion that pizza, ultimately, is just pizza.

I was wrong. Pizza will never be the same again.

Edwardo’s Natural Pizza
521 S Dearborn St | Loop, Chicago
(312) 939-3366

Pizano’s Pizza & Pasta
61 E Madison St | Loop, Chicago
(312) 236-1777

Aside from a breathtakingly unhindered view of Victoria’s harbour, with accompanying float planes, boats, and friendly seals (otters?), I’ve only had great experiences with the wait staff here.

Breakfast had always been a meal to skip. Most mornings I’d be lucky to have a helping of cheerios before leaving for work.

This changed when I started staying routinely at the Delta Victoria. My mornings then consisted of the Garden Omlette (egg white omlette with roasted vegetables) with added goat cheese. Melissa, one of the lovely ladies who waits the morning shift, recommended that addition and I’m forever grateful.

Melissa also, unrequested, brought in special teas off-menu in those dark months when I was trying to rehabilitate myself from the hazards of espresso overindulgence. But that’s another story.

The moral of this story? It never hurts to make nice with the hotel staff.

LURE Seafood Restaurant + Bar
45 Songhees Road | Victoria
(250) 360-5873
lurevictoria.com

Year round the weather holds better than Vancouver, and while we may not be 30 minutes away from a trio of ski slopes, with the relatively calm traffic you’re never 30 minutes away from anything.

Of course, being close to everything is all for naught when nothing is open past 5pm.

Not too long ago I was a caffeine fiend; the equivalent of a pack a day smoker by the amount of coffee and espresso my body was subjected to. As such, I was always on the lookout for a good coffee throughout the day, even though most of Victoria shuts down at 5pm.

The following is a photo log re-enactment of one such search.

Bruce’s coffee hunt

It was just after 6pm on a weekday. After grabbing a quick bite from the lounge of my hotel, I hit the streets looking for a quality espresso to accompany what was shaping up to be a very long work night.

During the odd weekend I spend in Victoria I can usually be found at Dolce Vita. It’s one of the few places where when asking for an espresso macchiato, you don’t receive what I’d call a dry cappuccino instead. What you get is a nice pull of espresso topped off with delicate microfoam and a chocolate wafer on the side.

Unfortunately, Dolce Vita was closed.

Known for their latte art, Caffe Artigiano was a regular haunt for a close friend and me back when we both worked in downtown Vancouver. Remembering that a location had recently opened up in Victoria inside the Bedford Hotel on Government street, I made my way over.

Unfortunately, Caffe Artigiano was closed.

So where to next? I loaded up my trusty GPS enabled smart phone searched the review sites. As it turned out, just down the street was Murchies, a coffee house that I had not yet been to but had good reviews.

Unfortunately, Murchies was closed.

I looked around and realised I was near a cafe called Macchiato, where I a very nice espresso not too long ago when some friends from the lower mainland visited on their way to a conference in Victoria.

Unfortunately… well, you know the drill by now.

Long story short, let’s just say it’s a good thing my body’s acclimated to just a single early morning coffee with possibly a second in the mid afternoon. Things are much simpler this way when you’re in Victoria.

If you know anywhere in Victoria where you can get a decent cup of coffee / espresso past 5pm, let me know in the comments.

Aside from it being the gracious thing to do, you may also be treated to surprise items like this:

I’m known for an inherent lack of a sweet tooth, but that’s not quite accurate. My sweet tooth is just long lasting. And after this, I was good for a month.

Before you ask, no, I didn’t end up spending my birthday in the hotel. I was only there the day before.

My actual birthday was spent at the dentist!

I assume my friends at the hotel considered it my ‘last rights’ meal before going under the drill.

The Gra Tong Taung (golden cups) appetizer – crispy batter cups with a ground chicken and caramelized onion filling, topped with cilantro – is a perennial favourite to share. Try them with only the slightest drop of the house plum sauce.

The Guay Teow Kee Mao Gai (flash fried rice noodles with chicken, egg, onions, red and green peppers, chilis, and sweet basil leaves) is the main I recommend most of my dining companions to start with if they have trouble making up their minds. But I’m a sucker for anything Thai Basil.

Baan Thai also has dedicated vegetarian menu items.

It does get busy during dinner but they are usually able to seat a party of four in under 20 minutes.

Also beware of sitting up at the bar; the high chairs are so gargantuan and heavy that they will either make you feel like a king on a throne or will give you a whopping insecurity complex as you strain to adjust your seat.

Personally, I love sitting at the bar.

Baan Thai Restaurant
1117 Blanshard Street | Victoria
(250) 383-0050
baanthaivictoria.ca