Sooke Harbour House
The Leech River gold rush of 1864 brought the first sizable influx of people into the southwest region of Vancouver Island. Now people come from the other end of Canada to eat at The Sooke Harbour House restaurant on Whiffen Spit Road in the small community of Sooke.
Beachcombing, hiking, fishing, and hunting are popular tourist pursuits in this friendly community of Sooke Harbour. But what attacks television camera crews from Canada and even the U.S.A is the food prepared by owners Sinclair and Federica Philip and their excellent kitchen staff. I’ve eaten around the world, and my dinner was well worth the 23-mile drive on Highway 14 west of Victoria.
The tables are arranged in Sooke Harbour House restaurant in two rooms. The smaller room (originally for non-smokers) has eight tables, five against the windows. The other room is larger and has a fireplace. Right now, let me suggest you call ahead-weeks ahead-to reserve your table. The view from the dining room at Sooke Harbour House looks out across the Strait of Juan de Fuca. You can watch commercial ships passing through the strait either from or to the Pacific Ocean. Depending on the time of year and luck, you can also spot the occasional gray whale, otter, and sea lion.
Directly outside the Sooke Harbor House dining room windows are about a hundred varieties of flowers. However, the purpose of these flowers is much more than fleeting visual joy. You will notice employees searching the plants for just the right combination of flowers to pick for appearance and taste. These flowers are edible and will wind up in a salad, entr�©e, or dessert.
I find most food descriptions to be marginally successful at capturing the essence of the meal. Food is an emotion. It needs to be experienced to be felt. Let me try by saying that I dislike sole. I ordered sole at the Sooke Harbour House to them a challenge-at least in pleasing me. The chef scored an “A.” My companion tried skate since she had never knowingly had it before. (Restaurants sometimes pass off skate cut with a “cookie-cutter” as scallops.. You can’t tell the difference.) Also, the waiter’s description would have made cardboard sound appetizing. My companion started to lick the plate. It was embarrassing.
Besides the already mentioned flowers, the Harbour House has its own vegetable and herb garden just outside the front door. And out back is a fish tank that holds the daily catch and keeps it fresh until the final moment of surrender. The possibilities for fresh fish and seafood are tremendous since the Harbour House sits within a small fishing village on the edge of a pristine area of the Pacific Ocean. If you’re like my mother and hate fish, don’t despair. The menu carries many other items. The owners’ passion for freshness spills over from fish to veal, lamb, beef, and poultry.
This is a great restaurant by the toughest standards. The food could not have been prepared any better. The presentation made me wish I hadn’t left my camera in the room. The service was unobtrusive and yet attentive. They anticipated your need and acted just before you were aware of it. They were friendly without being familiar. Every restaurant owner should be made to stay at the Harbour House for one evening in order to learn how it should be done.
The restaurant has a small hotel attached. There are 15 rooms in the old and new houses. Prices range from about $200 to $500 depending on season, size, etc. Many of the other rooms have fireplaces and hot-tubs. The rooms are furnished with antique furniture and many original artworks. A full breakfast and light lunch are included in the room rate. Next time, I plan to stay at the Harbour House so I can enjoy its food and service from morning to bed.
The Sooke Harbour House is at 1528 Whiffen Spit Road, Sooke, B.C., Canada. The phone is (604) 642-3421. Reserve your table in advance. For more information and even a video tour, go to Sookeharbourhouse.com.
