cookiePoCoSince July 28, 200612 Reviews
(3.4)- Food
(4) - Service
(3.5) - Value (4)
- Ambiance (3.3)
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(3.4) (4) (3.5) (4) (3.3)It's not often I'm in Victoria, but I arrived a little early this trip so that I would have time for a repeat visit to Ferris' Oyster Bar & Grill.
I ate downstairs - it was just me, so I got seated at the bar which ended up being fine entertainment as those waiting for seats were a constant source of chatter.
I started with 6 oysters on the half-shell - yummy! They came with a half dozen condiments to add according to your tastes. I had their smoked oysters on a spinach salad (warm dressing) - I am now spoiled and will never appreciate a smoked oyster in a can again. I accompanied it with their garlic toast - a small loaf served with a whole head of roasted garlic and a small container of cambozola mousse - also very tasty! I left very content - a meal does not get much better than that. I only wish that I'd had somebody to share it with!
We went for Dine Out Vancouver and were very happy with our meals. What we were less happy about when we got home was the fact that our meal wasn't such a great deal afterall - we could have paid $1 less using their regular prices. I guess we should have studied the menu before hand and made choices that factored in the best deals - I should have had the crab (reg $25) instead of the rabbit (reg $16) and tried the rabbit another time. At the time, we thought it odd that a table of young girls had sat down, looked at the menu, talked to the waiter, and left with him saying "come back after Dine Out Vancouver" - I guess they knew the menu and their normal choices would have been a better deal than the $35 "special".
I will definitely be going back for the rabbit! It was tasty, tender, and the accompanying bits were perfect. Both my husband and I preferred it to the Oso Buco which was good, but the risotto base was nothing special. We each had a salad to start - I hated the presentation of the Caesar salad (whole leaves + whole crouton + whole piece of bacon = hard to eat), the beet salad with blue cheese was delightful - lightly seasoned, perfect balance of ingredients. The desserts were also great - the tiramisu reminded me of the zabaglione my mother used to make - the flourless chocolate cake was very good as well.
Our waiter was a little uneven, but other staff seemed very willing to step in with service when he disappeared.
I love their deluxe sashimi - generous portions, super fresh fish - always a pleasure. I have never eaten in - just take out sushi and sashimi. Their toro and green onion rolls are great, as are the chopped scallop rolls. Reasonably priced ikura as well.
We stopped by unexpectedly for brunch one Sunday morning and thoroughly enjoyed our meal. The sausages were excellent and the pancakkes were perfection. Despite what apparently is always a lineup, we'll be coming back.
I've never seen the inside of this place, but it's our standard for chinese takeout. Portions are generous and the food is decent. For canadian chinese dishes (chicken balls, beef and brocolli, fried rice), they do it up right. And their hot and sour soup is pretty darned good too.
Delivery is always prompt.
We came here with a group of people before Christmas. I'm a fish lover and was in heaven with the wide assortment of sushi and sashimi options. Much better for me than Shabusen (which we frequent requlary). My husband doesn't like fish. He had to ask several times before the teriyaki he ordered was delivered. The variety just wasn't there for him. I would go back again, he wouldn't.
As others have said, the service was poor and the number of portions of things delivered didn't seem to match what we ordered. Not bad for those of us who like just about anything, but for those at the table with more limited tastes, it was difficult for them to make a good meal.
We just had lunch here and the food was mediocre at best. My husband had the ceaser with grilled chicken and thought that the chicken was budget - had that frozen, seasoned, chicken breast thing going on to the extent that he was wondering if it was pressed chicken and not a whole breast after all. I had the chipolte chicken quesidalla - the quesidalla was not great. The tortilla wasn't at all crispy and it was too spicy for my tastes - the heat was overpowering the flavour. The rice that came with the meal was crunchy. Somebody in the kitchen needs to taste the food that's being served.
On the good side, the service was great and when I commented that the rice wasn't even cooked and the quesidilla wasn't great, the manager offered to bring something else (didn't want) and didn't charge me for my meal.
We've eaten at this location before, and weren't overly impressed the last time either. On that occasion we paid big bucks for prime rib which was cold and mashed potatoes that were gluey. We've decided not to bother eating here again. For the prices that are charged, you expect a little quality in the food.
I'm a fairly frequent customer and usually am very happy with my food. Things are a little pricey, particularly the sashimi. On the other hand, the assorted tempura is a bargain and has great items including salmon and brocolli. The gomae is not to my taste - the sauce is too dark and over powering. I was not a fan on the chicken teriyaki - thought the chicken tasted like seasoned frozen breasts. The service is always great - I haven't been there when they've been really busy - much of their business appears to be takeout.
We were very disappointed with the food. For the price, you expect great food. What we got was good at best. The oily corn side dish was horrible. The steak was not cooked to specification. The burger wasn't outstanding.
We won't be going back.
We have been several times, both for dinner and for lunch. It's a particularly nice place to be when you want to spend some time chatting. Love the salad bar, particularly the guacamole and fresh salsa to eat with all that tender and juicy meat. I find the men with the meat to be particularly accommodating - if you are waiting for something to show up, be sure to let them know it. As mentioned before, getting water can be a bit of an issue.
We love Stephos and visit frequently. Huge fan of their souvlaki and calamari and the roast lamb and that veggie stew that comes with the lamb. Potatoes are something special. Awesome Tzatziki. We have always had great service from very busy waiters - yes things are hectic, but I have never felt neglected. And the price and the quantitiy of the food make the wait well worth it.
We go weekly for lunch and have for years. Shabusen is great value for the price and we have never had a problem with food not being fresh (sushi or bbq). The servers are great although they are often at a run with it being so busy. We order all at once and have no troubles getting any of the food. We wouldn't go back every week if it wasn't a great place to eat and socialize.
