Charlotte and the Quail: A Hidden Gem in The Other Gardens

Sometimes, you need to know where to look to find the special little places…

Ask people anywhere in the world what they know about Victoria and it’s quite likely they’ll mention the Butchart Gardens. Yes, Butchart is certainly worth a visit, but there’s another garden on the peninsula that I love just as much. maybe more, if I’m being perfectly honest. 

Nestled in the midst of farms on the Saanich Peninsula, Glendale Gardens is an oasis of calm just minutes from downtown Victoria.

Glendale Gardens on Quayle Road is home to the Horticulture Centre of the Pacific and provides many pathways perfect for strolling through a series of themed gardens including a winter garden (with a huge selection of heathers that bloom early in the season), a Japanese garden, a children’s garden, and growing spaces set aside for vegetables, fruit trees, and berries. 

Some of that food winds up in dishes served at Charlotte & the Quail, the onsite cozy eatery which serves breakfast, lunch, coffee, and sweets from 9 am to 3 pm from Tuesday through Sunday. 

Soup’s on! No matter what the chef has cooked up on any particular day, it’s always good!

The emphasis on the menu is fresh, local, and wholesome. Delicious is a natural outcome of that farm-to-table philosophy. During the cooler, wetter months, the inside seating is comfy and cozy. During the warmer months, sitting outside under the pergola is positively heavenly. Surrounded by the gardens, the peace and quiet you’ll find here is so nurturing you’ll be happy to linger over your dessert (cashew cheesecake, for example) and cup of Silk Road Tea. 

Sourcing as many ingredients as possible from local farms, you never know exactly what will be on the menu - that’s what local, seasonal eating is all about. No matter when you come to visit, expect rich, tasty soups, sandwiches, savoury pies as well as standards like their famous oatmeal pancakes.   

When the server offers the seedy bread toast, you aren’t just getting bread with a few seeds sprinkled on top - what arrives at the table is a nutty, gluten-free, low carb offering that’s as unique as this tucked away eatery on the Saanich Peninsula.

Combined with fresh, house-made soup, and chased with a piece of apple and carrot cake topped with whipped cream for dessert, you’ll find yourself delighted and surprised by just how good the food is at Charlotte & Quail.   

Wondering about the restaurant’s name? Charlotte the cat has been a fixture in the gardens for years and loves to socialize with visitors - she was happy to lend her name to this dining endeavour. Busy quail strut around the gardens as if they own the place and, of course, Glendale Gardens are located on Quayle Road. 

Access to Charlotte & Quail is via the same parking lot as used by Glendale Gardens and you’ll get a discount to the gardens (which are a screaming good deal to begin with) if you show your same day dining receipt when you buy your entrance ticket.

Glendale Gardens (and Charlotte & Quail) are surrounded by hiking trails, farmland, and lakes about 11 kilometres from Victoria. Consider riding your bike from downtown along good bike paths all the way to the gardens (there’s a bike rack and repair stand in the parking lot). Stop for lunch, stroll through the botanical gardens to see what’s growing before heading home again. You’ll feel as though you’ve taken a trip to a magical land far, far away and return from your adventure refreshed, recharged, and well-nourished - body, mind, and spirit.  

Does Spaghetti Grow on Trees? Can You Use a Spoon?

Spoon or no spoon? How do you eat your spaghetti? [Source]

If my mother had had access to YouTube she would have shown us this all too convincing documentary about where spaghetti comes from. Who knows how long it would have taken me to figure out the truth?

My mom was full of … surprises. She taught us kids a lot of useful things like how to tie our shoes, how to read, and how to address the Queen, should she ever come calling.

She also told us that spaghetti grew on trees. I was dubious, but when we visited the Old Spaghetti Factory in Vancouver, they had a photograph of women harvesting the long strands from trees…

Who knew? If my mother had had access to YouTube, she would have removed any lingering doubts we may have had by making us watch this now-famous BBC documentary about the spaghetti harvest.

The whole ‘spaghetti grows on trees’ story wasn’t the only not-quite-accurate information she shared. When it came to spaghetti-eating, my mother was adamant that the only right way to consume stringy pasta was with a spoon and fork. She drilled us about not taking too many strands of spaghetti onto our spoons at one time so that when we rolled up the spaghetti (by pressing the tines of the fork into the bowl of the spoon and then twiddling the fork) we didn’t wind up with a bundle of spaghetti too big to fit in our mouths. 

We had practice sessions and were made to do it properly. This lesson was right up there along with always saying please and thank you, keeping our elbows off the table, clearing our plates when we left were finished, and not leaving the table before we asked permission. 

Mother Knows Best - Or, Does She?

I accepted all this as gospel until I moved in with a bona fide Italian who took one look at my two-handed spaghetti rolling skills and shook his head. “Italians don’t eat spaghetti like that.”

Wait, what? My mother was wrong about something like this? It hardly seemed possible. 

I did a little research and while it’s true that most restaurants provide a spoon and fork for pasta patrons and none other than Emily Post declared that both were necessary for acceptable spaghetti consumption, in fact, Italian kids learn to twirl their spaghetti without the help of a spoon.

Well. I. Never. 

When in Doubt, Ask an Expert

Still in denial that this could be true despite mounting evidence to the contrary, I chatted with Nick, a nine-year veteran of the Old Spaghetti Factory (the Banff location) to see what he had to say on the matter. “I’d say about 2/3 of the customers don’t use a spoon.” 

I was astonished. No spoon assistance at all? Nope. Though Nick did say that some customers “…may use a knife to cut off a stray strand.” 

A knife? That hadn’t even entered my mind as being a possible solution. Back at home, my mother insisted that nobody over the age of four should have their spaghetti cut up for them. It was a rite of passage to graduate from an adult cutting our pasta for us to being handed a fork and spoon and being taught the ‘proper’ way to do things. 

Don’t Believe the Expert? Ask Google

Except, apparently, it isn’t! Further research revealed that in Italy, only very young children and hopeless people (and tourists) use spoons. 

Not that you will be made to feel bad if you go to the Old Spaghetti Factory and ask for a spoon. “As long as our customers are enjoying their meals, it doesn’t matter,” Nick says. “It’s a matter of personal preference.”

As for Nick, he avoids the prickly issue altogether by avoiding spaghetti. “I prefer shorter pasta - penne or tortellini.” 

However you choose to get your spaghetti strands to your mouth (or if, like Nick, you prefer your pasta on the short side), you’ll find lots of options on offer at Victoria restaurants. I’ve listed a few below to get you started.

Old Spaghetti Factory
703 Douglas Street
A family favourite for decades, come for the pasta and stay for the spumoni!

Can’t decide what kind of sauce to go with your spaghetti? Check out the Pot-Pourri Spaghetti with Meat, Mushroom and Clam Sauce - it’s a sampler for the undecided and includes generous portions of the Old Spaghetti Factory’s most popular sauces.

An evening at Il Terrazzo is always a special occasion.

Il Terrazzo
537 Johnson Street
There’s a reason Il Terrazzo has been consistently named the best Italian restaurant in Victoria. The place serves great food and the ambience just can’t be beaten!

Take your pasta tasting up a notch with their Spaghettini con Capesante served with seared scallops, mushrooms, smoked bacon, leeks, fresh lemon and cream.

Pagliacci’s
1011 Broad St

The bustle and energy at Pagliacci's is a given, as is the line to get in for lunch and dinner. This longtime Victoria institution, serves fresh, delicious and fun Italian fare that is a favourite among Victoria’s locals. 

Just reading the menu at Pagliacci’s is fun, in fact. Take the Spaghetti Western description:

Spicy meatballs & linguine in tomato sauce with parmesan “You see, in this world there's two kinds of people, my friend: Those with loaded guns and those who dig. You dig.” -Eli Wallach as Tuco in The Good, The Bad and the Ugly

See what I mean?

Zambri’s
820 Yates Street

Zambri’s is about a whole lot more than just a helping of spaghetti. This great Italian restaurant focuses on the whole experience and has set the stage to sit and enjoy a Prosecco from their impressive wine list. Paired that Prosecco with a new dish or an old favourite.

If you love tuna as much as I do, you might want to give their Spaghetti alla putanesca a try. Tuna, olives, capers, anchovy, and tomato sauce add something rather special to a spaghetti meal.

For a more comprehensive list of Victoria restaurants and their full menus, have a browse through our online menu blog.

Ring in the New Year With Food, Fun, and Friends

Whether you’re looking to taste as many local craft beer varieties as possible before 2020 arrives or want to wow your significant other with a fancy schmantzy night of fine dining, there are plenty of ways to say farewell to 2019 and welcome 2020! 

Early Shift at the Museum - For the Whole Family

December 31, 2019, 6:00 pm - 8:30 pm

Royal BC Museum, 675 Belleville Street

On the last day of 2019, head on down to the Royal BC Museum and enter the rainforest of the Maya: The Great Jaguar Rises exhibition for a jungle party for the ages. This annual family-oriented party will be a tropical frolic, with music, activities and games for the whole family. Ring in 2020 like Maya royalty! 

Perro Negro’s New Year’s Eve Long Table Dinner

December 31, 2019, 7:00 pm
Perro Negro Tapas 536 Yates Street

Love Spanish food and wine? Arrive hungry because you’ll want to sample everything Perro Negro is offering up on New Year’s Eve. Charcuterie with jamon Iberico de bellota reserva, jamón serrano gran reserve, salchichon iberico - oh. yes. please. Golden beets with goat cheese. Seared scallops. The list goes on until the grand finale of Basque cheesecake with sour cherry compote.

Midnight in Paris - Fine Dining

December 31, 2019
Vis-a-vis, 2228 Oak Bay Avenue
Two seatings, early and late - contact Vis-a-vis for reservations at 250-590-7424

Listen to live jazz music while enjoying a three-course menu with highlights like tarragon butter-poached lobster, grilled oyster mushroom steak, and the always delectable peach pavlova (rosemary-infused honey peaches, roasted vanilla bean meringue).

Bollywood Bash!

December 31, 2019, 8:00 pm
Ambrosia Conference and Event Centre
638 Fisgard Street
Sponsored by Royal Spice Indian Restaurant

Well, if this doesn’t sound like a lot of fun, I don’t know what does. Just saying the word Bollywood makes me smile! Celebrate the arrival of the new year with free food and appies, door prizes, and more. Chilled champagne and full bar-service until the party ends sometime next year…

New Year’s Eve Club Crawl Extravaganza 2020 Edition

Check-in at District (919 Douglas Street) between 7-7:45 pm
Presented by: StudentTours.com

Why party at just one venue on NYE when you can go to all of them? These guys handle the driving so you can concentrate on the partying. Your pass for the night includes 4 of the hottest bars and parties, transportation between venues, swag, prizes, and more.Get your glitter on and show up ready to party (as long as you have pre-ordered your tickets - don’t forget that part - they won’t let you on the bus if your name isn’t on the will-call list. Also, ID. Don’t forget that either).

The Mint’s NYE 2020 Roaring 20’s Prohibition Party

Dec 31, 2019 10:00 PM –Jan 1, 2020 3:00 AM
The Mint, 1414 Douglas St

Here’s your chance to break out your flappers and tuxedos! Dress to the nines and make your way down to the Mint’s prohibition-themed event! Sip those prohibition-style cocktails from 10 to late, and dance the Charleston while DJ Ness T spins tracks just for you.

Sound Bath at the Helga Beer Yoga Studio

December 31, 2019 - 2:00 PM – 3:00 PM PST
Helga Beer Yoga Studio, 1600 Bay Street, Suite 202 (corner of Bay and Shakespeare)
Questions: Call or text Colin Hillstrom at 604-780-0686

Looking for a soothing and sedate way to bring 2019 to a close? Set the tone for the new year by immersing yourself in the crystalline waves of alchemy sound vibration in a sound bath offered in a beautiful yoga studio. The high vibrational and melodic sounds will release physical, mental and emotional stress while rejuvenating your body, brain, mind, and spirit. Ahhhh… put yourself in exactly the right frame of mind to welcome the new year. Yoga mats, blankets, and pillows are provided. Please arrive by 1:45 pm

New Year’s Eve With Women In Country

December 31, 2019
Doors open at 10 pm
The Duke Saloon, 502 Discovery Street

Send off 2019 with a bang with the Duke Saloon’s Women In Country New Year's Eve. Get those toes tapping with music by the incredible Campbell River Revival who will be taking the stage to bring you covers to country music's leading ladies, including but not limited to Maren Morris, Taylor Swift, Shania Twain and Dolly Parton! Don't miss out!

Let’s Make 2020 a Fabulous Year!

Even if you stay home and watch Netflix on New Year’s Eve, let’s make this promise to each other. Let’s agree to taste at least three brand new food (or drink) items in 2020. I’ll share my experiences here if you share yours… 

When you head out on the town, don’t forget to use #tastevictoria on Facebook and Instagram.

Hair Today.....

There are few cities in this world that are so small and yet, so vibrant. Victoria is a hub for culture, art and fashion all wrapped up in beautiful Victorian architecture and stunning natural beauty. One of the most incredible things about this city is the passion that these artists and fashionistas bring to their communities. We had the great pleasure of chatting with Robin Achterberg of Parlor Hair Boutique…

TASTE MAG: Did you always know you wanted to be a hairstylist?

ROBIN ACHTERBERG: “Growing up, I always loved fashion and as a kid. I’d play with my friends’ hair, trying different styles and up-dos. My dream though, was to become a costume designer.”

TM: What kicked off your career?

RA: “After graduating high school, I moved to California where I took a few fashion courses. A couple of years later, I returned to Canada where came across a competition to win a full scholarship to hair school. I couldn’t believe it when I actually won! So I enrolled in school soon after and I will never forget the feeling I had when I did my first haircut. It just felt right. Since, my career has been a steady climb getting to the places I've wanted to go – and looking back, I can’t help but feel so fortunate because everything has just fallen into place.”

TM: How did Parlor get started?

RA: “A few years ago I had opened my own little salon and loved working for myself, but it was tough to maintain the work/life balance that I was going for. When the opportunity to open Parlor with Kelsey and Sarah Marie was presented to me, I jumped at the chance. They are such incredible, strong women and I am so lucky to have this joint venture with them. The great thing about Parlor is that we also work as stylists in the salon with our amazing team. So we really get the best of both worlds. Our team is very close and we have so much respect and love for each other.”

TM: Tell me more about Parlor!

RA: “Parlor Hair Boutique was created to be a place where people can come to feel connected and comfortable and leave looking incredible. We were so lucky to find a space in a beautiful heritage building that is just flooded with natural light. Because it is such an incredibly beautiful space we decided to decorate with sweet and simple details that are subtle and homey. We’ve put our hearts into the place and Parlor is really a reflection of who we are. We’re a L'oreal Professionnel and Pureology salon, so we work with amazing products and our stylists are all so talented and execute so much care in what they do. We’re also total hair nerds! We love learning new techniques so we can always stay ahead of the curve.”

TM: What, for you is the best aspect of being in the Victoria fashion community?

RA: “I am so inspired by the amount of local talent here in Victoria and it’s awesome that I live in a place that is full of people who are passionate about supporting local artists.”

 TM: What inspires you to create?

RA: “As a L'oreal Professionnel Color Portfolio artist I have a responsibility to keep up with trends and techniques. Plus, my position on the team means that I am training and teaching alongside some of the best professionals in the hair industry, which is so exciting. Each time I finish a L’oreal event, I get such a fire in my belly to take everything I’ve experienced back to Parlor and share it with my clients.”

TM: What look do you love most for Fall/Winter 2015?

RA: “One of the strongest looks this season is called the wob (wavy bob). It’s a part of the L'oreal Professionnel collection and it is seriously amazing. Add some beautiful balayage* to bring out texture and movement and it is absolutely killer. I love a shorter cut for fall. This is the time of year when you start wearing scarves and cozy sweaters. I think it's nice to have a cut that can be out in the wind, against a scarf, or under a touque and still look great – and this season, that look is the wob. Hands down.”

TM:  Imagine a perfect day off, what would that look like?

RA: “Simplicity is key for me! I’d start with a great cup of coffee and cozy up with a book. Once my little girl was up, we would just hang out until we eventually made our way out the door to one of our favourite brunch spots. Then we’d go for a walk or head to a park. Later, I would tackle a home project or start one of the many crafts I have my heart set on. Then we’d finish the day with a nice dinner, a good movie by the fire and a great glass of wine (or two!)”

TM: What are your favourite haunts around town?

RA: “The top of my list is has to be The Burtchart Gardens. It's beautiful all year long so I try to make it at least once each season. Our all time favourite pizza place is Prima Strada, you can find us there every Friday! For brunch we head to The Village. They have the best breakfasts! The Italian Benny is amazing.”

TM: What is your ‘show off’ dish that you make at home?

RA: “I make pretty great lasagna. Anything pasta related seems to be my go-to when entertaining. It’s just my thing!”

TM: What, in your opinion is the most important local charity or organization?

RA: “One of the most important charities is Victoria Women's Transition House Society. I love what this organization does to provide a safe place for women experiencing abuse. They offer help, support, counselling and shelter for women and children who need guidance and confidence to leave their harmful situations."

TM: What impact you see the Victoria Women’s Transition House Society having on the community?

RA: “I believe that organizations like this benefit everyone and have a huge impact on our community. Building women up and supporting them to finding peace and happiness is the beginning of endless possibilities. Giving women the opportunities they deserve will only build them up to become the women they once dreamed they could be. We need strong, inspiring women out there impacting our community. Everyone has a story, and everyone has the right to pursue their goals no matter what trials they've faced.”

TM: Is there anything about our fair city that you’d like to see improved?

RA: “I think it would be great if shops were open a little later into the evenings. As wonderful it is to live in a peaceful city, it would be nice if there was a little more hubbub in the downtown core at night.”

TM: How would you describe your personality as a flavour profile?

RA: “I would say sweet and spicy...I tend to be an easygoing person with a sensitive heart, but the spice will come out if necessary!”

TM: How do you take your coffee?

RA: “I like it simple - Americano with a little milk…aahhh.”

Follow Parlor on Twitter @ParlorVictoria

*balayage: a French word meaning to sweep or to paint. It allows for a sun-kissed natural looking hair colour - similar to what nature gives us as children - with softer, less noticeable regrowth lines. The principal idea being less is more when creating soft, natural looks – via Marie Clare