I have recently made the decision to embark on an eating lifestyle that I have done in the past and I know makes me feel better in my body and in my life. I am also a die hard foodie and these two things do not always work very well together. If you have ever had any sort of dietary restriction and you love food then you know how daunting it can be to look at a menu and see it as more of an algebra equation as you try to figure out what to eat. I promise you , when those orders go to the kitchen, it can make a chef''s life a nightmare if you are not competent at the way you order. So to give a little context, in my world I have opted to go into a low carb high dietary fat eating style.  Also known as Ketogenic due to the process it begins in your body of using stored body fat for energy. I wont get too in depth in my reasoning except to say there is excellent evidence to support this way of eating in the fight against cancer and other body ailments that I am genetically v

Super Mario's Bar and Lounge is the most recent incarnation of this little nook hidden in plain sight in Willow Point B.C. , about 15 minutes south of Campbell River.  Last week when Chef D and I were scratching our brains trying to decide where to eat we lit upon the idea to check out Super Mario's again as the first time was a really good vibe. This little lounge is tucked between a liquor store and the entrance to a drive through with a supermarket on the other side in the middle of a busy strip mall. It does not look like much from the outside but when you walk in the atmosphere is that of a lazy supper lounge. On this day particularly they had a Rod Steward concert playing on the TVs and we were the only people in the lounge. Round booths lined the outside perimeter of the room in a semi circle all facing the small stage which local bands play on the weekend. The whimsical ambiance was topped off by the stone pizza over behind the bar, long since retired of its o

  Wednesday evening I strolled downtown to check out Campbell River's " CR Live Streets Evening Market " (catchy name, I know), while Whiskey was having a girls night with old friends. Although, primarily a craft/farmer's market, I was there for the street food, and there was quite a bit. Locals turned out in throngs, it was much more bustling than I had imagined it would be, but then again what else is there to do on a August Wednesday evening in sleepy Campbell River?   In attendance were local restaurants with small offerings from their menus, notably Honey Lemon Grill (Vietnamese cuisine) and Baan Thai restaurant, where I simply could not resist getting a cold Thai iced coffee.   Stonehouse Teas also had a presence selling a variety of hot and cold beverages. Signature Oil and Vinegar had a small tasting bar set up with a few samples paired with french bread. In addition there were food trucks. Cocoa-Nuts coffee was slinging java and Comfort Zone Foods was

  Like a hug from an old friend, Spice Hut 's offerings are familiar and warm.  This is one of my go-to places to eat. Our most recent visit to Spice Hut was on Thursday. Whiskey and I, preparing to go see some live music downtown Campbell River, stopped in for a dinner.   Spice Hut is a small franchise Indian restaurant, with three locations on Vancouver Island and six in total across western Canada. And while I'm not familiar with the other locations, the one here is quite consistent with the food. The only variance is the spice level, which seems to change on a whim depending on the mood of the cooks that day.  Sometimes I will order a dish with a medium level and I sweat and struggle to get through the meal (I have no aversion to hot food, I often go out of my way to indulge in it, in fact) while other times it has just a trace of warmth.  The flavours are always bang on, however. Seasoned perfectly, (which is good because you wont find salt or any other seasonings to ad

Recently I went rogue on Chef D and went to visit a girlfriend of mine in Prince Rupert B.C.  I was thrilled for the mini vacation into a part of the province that I had not been to before, but above that, Prince Rupert sits right on the ocean and is renowned for its seafood. I really love seafood. I have a secret to confess, I am on the quest for the perfect seafood chowder. I mean really on a quest. If a place has it on the menu I have to add it to my meal somehow. Its almost compulsive at this point. So my girlfriend knows this of me and she already had a plan in place for us when I arrived. She had earmarked three places with chowder that she insisted I try to see if maybe the perfect chowder resides in the little fishing town. On my first morning there we set off walking down the many many MANY hills into a part of Prince Rupert called Cow Bay.  True to its name indeed! There are cow prints and small cow figures around wherever you look, acutally It gave a charm that I wou

  I've been to Wasabiya quite a few times. I wouldn't say I frequent the place. It's very popular and sometimes hard to get a seat in the small establishment unless you reserve ahead of time, and when the urge for sushi strikes I want it now. Most recently Whiskey I treated ourselves last Thursday.  There is good reason why this small sushi joint is always bustling. Every single time I've dined there the quality and freshness of the ingredients is superb. The consistency is one of many reasons why locals flood to Wasabiya. The friendly, casual-but-not-too-casual service and atmosphere is another. With just a handful of tables and seats for about six people at the bar, one could almost imagine being in a small side-entrance sushi den somewhere in Japan.  What brings me back time and time again however, is one of the most refreshing delicious dishes I have ever had the pleasure to consume. The popular, almost legendary smoked salmon salad. Cold smoked wild salmon

I hate complainers. Really truly, I dislike people that complain every day of their lives, send food back at restaurants and make a scene. Well, at Gowlland Harbour resort on Quadra Island BC last Sunday night, we, the foodies were complainers. The scene was beautiful, Gowlland has an excellent venue in Quathiaski Cove right on the water. You travel down a goat trail driveway surrounded by trees giving it the feeling of a grove. The cabins are nestled separately around the main building which contains the restaurant. This was not our first visit to Gowlland, but it was our first visit there alone where we could eat in our “style”. My first thought walking in was that it was very quiet, 7 pm and only a few tables full. This in itself was not a big deal, it was Sunday and Quadra is a small place. Service was friendly and eager to take our drink order, this was all good. We had been looking at the menu on line and had a relative idea as to what we were going to eat. Starte