PAM GRANT DINING OUT
PIONEER HOUSE RESTAURANT
Address: 4675 Trans-Canada Hwy.
Tel.: 250-746-5848
Hours: Open weekdays from 7: 30 a.m. - 9: 30 p.m.; weekends from 7 a.m. - 9: 30 p.m.
Major credit cards and Interac accepted. Wheelchair accessible.
****
We have an abundance of dining options on southern
Vancouver Island. Though this is a good thing, there are times when the sheer number of choices can be overwhelming, something that is further compounded by a trend of culinary verbosity. The more I talk to people, the more I am convinced that folks are heartily sick of menu descriptions like "housemade artisan bread crafted from organic grains, stuffed with grilled breast of free-range, grain-fed turkey, crisp maple-smoked bacon, Saanich Peninsula greens and sliced Cowichan Valley beefsteak tomatoes" when all they really want is a clubhouse sandwich.
People are growing weary of overwrought plates and menus that require the kind of concentration that should be reserved for the bar exam. Places where you could meet the friend who will eat broccoli but not gai lan because he doesn't like "exotic" food often have dull, predictable menus, but fortunately, not always.
The Pioneer House Restaurant is tucked away at one end of Whippletree Junction a few minutes south of Duncan. If you're watching calories, be warned that you will be greeted by a bright display case filled with a dozen or so pies instead of a wouldbe model in a headset at a slick reception area.
A massive log structure, the room is divided into two areas, one dominated by a bar salvaged from an abandoned Montana mining town, the other featuring a monogrammed fireplace and a children's play area. A gallery makes a good spot for people-watching and in the warmer months, additional seating can be found on an ample patio.
Though the focus is definitely on the basics, the kitchen is creative. Breakfast is available until 4 p.m. daily and includes everything from buttermilk pancakes and sausages to omelettes stuffed with smoked salmon, spinach, red onions and feta.
When I met my friend Karen for dinner, they were also offering a barbecue menu.
I wasn't going to have an appetizer, having spotted coconut pie on the way in, but I couldn't pass up tortilla soup. This rich, chipotle-infused vegetable broth, packed with mixed peppers, black beans, rice, corn and cilantro, and topped with sliced avocado and crunchy tortilla chips, was surprisingly substantial and would make a light meal on its own. Karen inhaled their version of spinach and artichoke dip, made with a trio of cheeses and, we were delighted to find, a very healthy dose of garlic. Vanishing just as quickly were smoky barbecued chicken with sage butter, corn on the cob and red potato salad, and cedar-planked salmon paired with coconut cilantro rice and a vivid selection of seasonal vegetables. Though we considered it, there was simply no room for dessert, though we did manage a couple of raspberry margaritas.
I was still craving the chicken on my next visit, but the barbecue menu had been replaced by a new seasonal menu. We shared the featured salad of mixed greens, heirloom tomatoes and local goat cheese as an appetizer. Simply dressed with vinaigrette spiked with herbs from their garden, each bite was bursting with summery flavours.
Though Audrey's original intention was to have a salad for lunch, she opted for a burger, or more accurately, sirloin beef patty topped with cheddar and crisp bacon without the bun. I thought about the almondbreaded halibut burger, which is excellent, but opted for a juicy steak sandwich topped with the most delicate onions rings I have ever eaten. It must be said that the fries did nothing to enhance things, but they weren't terrible either.
Dessert? Not a chance. Maybe the next time I stop in, I'll just have pie and coffee.
If you think good food can only be found in trendy restaurants, then you may not find what you're looking for here.
But anyone who visits the Pioneer House Restaurant will find good food with fair prices - and equally importantly, very good service. I have yet to find someone working here who couldn't answer a question about the food, and as Audrey noted, they really went out of their way to accommodate her special requests - no bread, sauces on the side - without attitude or compromise in presentation. It is well worth a visit whether or not you happen to be driving by.
Families are particularly welcome.
RATINGS
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