"Go big or go home" might be an accurate -- if ironic -- way to describe what Jena Stewart and Alison Bigg had in mind when they decided to open their own eatery in the culinary minefield known as downtown Victoria.
Opening a spot in this competitive area with high rents during an unpredictable economy takes guts, especially when you consider the location they picked. On the former site of Café Madrid, Devour's footprint is smaller than many living rooms. Fortunately, there's nothing minuscule about either the value or quality of food here.
Stewart and Bigg helped to transform this tiny venue with their own hands. The result is a pleasant and functional space, perhaps more of an ad for Ikea than a dining room, but hey, if you're lucky enough to get one of the dozen seats, you're not going to be looking at the décor. Nor will you be disappointed, unless your idea of great food usually comes with a choice of fries or salad.
With differing culinary backgrounds but a shared passion for real food, the owners met while working for local catering group Truffles, and decided to break out on their own. Devour's menu, much like the idea behind the business itself, is fantasy stuff for anyone who loves food. It changes daily, and sometimes more often than that.
My first visit was unplanned. I was on my way to a Vietnamese restaurant when I overheard someone raving about the spring rolls they had just eaten at Devour. I made a detour to find that indeed, instead of doing what everyone else downtown does and stuffing them with rice noodles, pork and/or prawns, these had mango and aromatic duck flavoured with star anise and orange. Even better, three rolls with local mixed greens and dipping sauce cost less than $8.
Of course, the downside of a constantly changing menu is that the next time I visited, they weren't on the list, but this wasn't a problem, as I have yet to arrive and find fewer than several items appealing. Thanks to the skill and creativity in the kitchen, the biggest problem you might have is narrowing down your selection.
If you work downtown, you might know recent lunch offerings include sandwiches such as Muffuletta stuffed with Italian meats, olives and roasted vegetables, tuna with green apple, steak on baguette or chunks of chicken in chipotle-spiked mayonnaise. Leafy salads (which might be a little scarcer in the winter) including a house rendition of the classic Cobb, while soup lovers have indulged in gently spiced black bean; split pea; carrot and orange with a little ginger; and comforting potato and parsnip with bacon.
Devour is also a great spot to grab something on the way home when you don't feel like cooking dinner. I recently picked up a flaky empanada filled with shredded pork, chorizo and yam served with mixed greens and a bright green salsa crafted from jalapeno, garlic and fresh herbs, and a six-grain salad topped with grilled fresh apricots, roasted almonds and chunks of moist, tender chicken. Your only dilemma will be choosing from a list that might feature tourtière with tomato chutney, seared albacore tuna on a bed of fennel with grapefruit, or cold tandoori chicken with black sticky rice salad.
They are only open two evenings a week, so I went for dinner with a friend who hadn't been yet. It turns out great minds really do think alike and Don couldn't decide what to have, either. To compensate, we shared a few things, beginning with an ample chilled salad of quinoa, roasted beets and goat cheese.
We followed up with a salt cod fritter with sauce remoulade and greens, and a delicate ricotta tart with hints of lemon and basil paired with rustic bread salad, and wrapped things up with coffee and caramel ice cream flecked with sea salt.
The price for two with a glass of wine each and tip? Just over $60.
Devour was open on the weekends for a while, but Bigg and Stewart have put the brakes on that for the time being. I look forward to a reversal because I am betting that the niche they have filled with affordable quality lunches will be expanded to include fabulous brunch options.
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RATINGS
Rating 1: Below bad
Rating 2: Below average
Rating 3: Average
Rating 4: Above average
Rating 5: Excellent
