Tag Archives: wine list – even worse

Beachfires Pacific Grill, Nanaimo

Last night we were going out for dinner and Don decided he wanted to try this restaurant. It has a new name and apparently a new Chef and menu.

When we went in, the main level is small in size, all in black and white which is attractive. We did not go upstairs to look it over, I must admit.

We perused the menu and here is a real kicker. The one young server came over with a worn out piece of cardboard and said this is our drink menu and then walked away. The white wine listed a glass for $5.00 and the next  one for $11.15/glass. I asked the server (another server) why the huge difference in pricing and as she started to smile I made the comment of it being a ‘porch climber’. She laughed and asked me if I really wanted to sample it or go the  more ‘upgraded’ white wine. I chose the more expensive glass of wine and really looked at their measurement. Don ordered his beverage and we waited.

Don then ordered Crispy Fanny Bay Oysters and really enjoyed them, once they finally came out. This restaurant only had 6 people at tables (2 tables only) and 3 at the bar. I ordered the Garden Salad which was a large serving bowl full of baby arugula, 4 cherry tomatoes, cut in half, 5 almost julienned, strips of cucumber pieces standing upright at the end of the bowl, maybe 5 really large pieces of bell peppers and less than a 1/4 tsp. of feta cheese on top. It was drowning in a vinaigrette. No cracker, no dinner roll. That was it.

Don ordered Dave’s Dream Salad. Careful here Dave. It should be noted that 2 slices of a tomato, 1 crispy piece of proscuitto and ‘read the paper through’ thin slice of phyllo pastry, smallest amount of blue cheese and maybe 1/2 – 3/4 cup of arugula. The dressing was supposed to be a sweet blueberry and strawberry vinaigrette. That, alone, was so foul tasting. It was not the advertised dressing for sure. Again. no cracker or dinner roll. This was served on a very small dinner plate.

I found that this restaurant is trying, like a little girl playing dress up, to be an upscale restaurant and don’t have the know all to pull it off. Get a Chef, not a kitchen cook, who knows quality, presentation and flavours that work. Have your staff (2 out of 3) look like they are showered and clean, not dressed for a hike up the mountain and a bartender who did more than play with the tv remote and not getting it to work.

This is truly a miss not one to last too long at the way they are going now. Sorry guys.

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