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Pointe Restaurant

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Mrs. J
First Reviewer
5 out of 5
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2
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Editor Pick

The Pointe Restaurant

  • February 3, 2006
  • Rated 5 of 5 by SarahQSpano from Dundas, Ontario
The Pointe Restaurant

If I ever I write a review that could be dubbed "food pornography," this is it. Let me say that our meal at The Pointe Restaurant at The Wickaninnish Inn still reigns as the best meal I have ever had. Period.

So, blah, blah... breakfast, lunch, and dinner served, reservations required, etc., etc.

First, the cursory mention of the atmosphere and service, before we get to the good stuff. The decor is beautiful--casually elegant west coast. Lots of wood, earth tones... the highlight is a beautiful copper-sculpted screen with glass globes. Across the back of the restaurant are large windows overlooking Chesterman Beach, a stunning backdrop to the perfect meal. The service is excellent; the staff members are attentive and informative but don't hover.

After ordering, we were presented with an amuse-bouche, a scallop dumpling with orange coulis and fried potato shavings, which was a perfect light start to the experience (you can’t really call it a “meal;” that just cheapens it!). Then came often our favourite part--the bread. Its freshly baked and changes daily. We got whole-wheat salmon-raisin rolls and sun-dried-tomato flatbread with a carrot-leak cream cheese spread.

Then it was on to the appetizers. For myself, it was the salmon tasting ($14)--incredible, beyond my imagining. There was salmon jerky with baby asparagus, hot smoked salmon in a cream cheese horseradish terrine with cucumber relish, and my absolute favourite--candied salmon with red onions and capers (smoked and then glazed with maple syrup). For my husband, it was the clam chowder ($13) made with narrow-neck clams and some sort of barnacle(!), which had a very fancy presentation, too. And it was tasty.

Main course: I had the medium Dijon-glazed lamb with red wine lamb jus reduction ($40). The lamb came with roasted, spiced russet potatoes and baby spinach with caramelized shallots, cauliflower, and red pepper. This lamb was a baby. I mean, I don’t think it was at the point where it would have even said, “baaaaaah.” It was almost butter. For hubby, it was another of the Wickaninnish’s signature dishes--Dungeness Crab Medley ($40). It was half a steamed crab (with butter and a seafood dipping sauce), crab and chorizo risotto, crab salad with corn salsa, and steamed baby carrots, asparagus, and snap peas. We both had numerous samples of each other's meals because it was just that good.

Dessert--mmmmmm. We actually avoided the call of the $19 Chocolate Symphony (five distinct chocolate items) and settled on Okanagan Goats Cheese Cake ($12) served with caramelized pears and sugared hazelnuts, with pear and raspberry coulis. Hubby had the homemade sorbet/ice cream ($9)--blood orange sorbet (amazing), Belgian chocolate, and Belgian vanilla ice cream... again, it was just fantastic. As if we weren’t stuffed, the final surprise was complimentary honeyed almonds dipped in Belgian chocolate as the piece de resistance.

About $190 later, we both agreed it was definitely the most spectacular meal we’d ever had.

We did have breakfast at The Pointe the next morning, but that's another story for another day.

From journal Vancouver Island Vignettes

Editor Pick

Pointe Restaurant

  • February 26, 2003
  • Rated 5 of 5 by Mrs. J from austin, Texas
This is one of those dining experiences that you know are going to be memorable, even before you see the menu. The restaurant is cantilevered out on a jagged rock promontory off Chesterman Beach. The floor-to-ceiling glass windows offer a 240 degree view of the waves and shoreline. The classical music is kept very soft because they pipe in the better music of the crashing waves that sometimes reach up and spray the windows.

The Pointe is one of only 13 restaurants ranked by Where To Eat In Canada with 3 stars. The menu varies depending on what is fresh and locally available--there is a strong emphasis on seafood. We have delicious prawn, oysters and salmon. Local fishermen, crabbers, mushroom pickers, oyster farmers and berry gatherers provide some of the ingredients used by their award winning chef.

Although the food was superb; I can't remember much about it, except that the sauces were delicious. I'm more of a nature-lover than a gourmand, and this place makes you feel like you are immersed in a craggy, gorgeous, windswept wilderness that just happens to be warm and cozy and serve fabulous food.

We really didn't expect to be able to get a table because people make reservations months in advance; but, since we were resort guests, special treatment ensued. Still, I'd recommend reservations even if you are staying at The Wickaninnish Inn.

Despite all this exclusivity and award-winning acclaim, the atmosphere is very, very relaxed and friendly. You can eat breakfast, lunch or dinner here. You should have a meal here if you are anywhere near Tofino. You'll see what all the excitement is about.

From journal Tofino, Vancouver Island Escape

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