Many Victoria restaurants were really busy over the weekend at a time of year when business can be slow. The reason was the annual Dine Around promotion, where restaurants offer a starter, a main and a dessert for $20, $30, $40 or $50.
As we strolled around downtown on Saturday night, we saw that many places involved in the promotion were bustling, despite the rain and threat of snow.
We had an 8:30 p.m. reservation at Pescatores. It was that late because earlier spots were all taken.
Pescatores is not a regular eating spot for us, but it might become one. That’s part of the thinking behind Dine Around. A promotional price entices you to experiment, to go places that are off your beaten track.
When we arrived at 8:15, Pescatores was packed, the entry area stuffed with people waiting for tables. We were invited to return at 8:30, and were eventually seated at 8:40.
The waiting time provided an opportunity to study the menu, to do some people watching, and to peer at what people already seated were eating. (I know, how rude.)
There was no impatience, no agitated customers. People seemed to accept that things can fall behind a little when it gets this busy. And they knew they were getting a deal.
Most diners were ordering the Dine Around specials. I surmised this during a slow wander to the washroom, and our server confirmed it when I asked.
We ordered from the $30 menu. (There’s also a $40 one at Pescatores.) My main dish was a well-prepared seafood stew — cioppino, which I didn’t manage to pronounce when ordering, despite rehearsing it. The seafood was hot, well-seasoned, and not overcooked, which I’ve found to be the big danger with seafood stews in restaurants. There was plenty of shell manipulation, thanks to the crab leg, clams and mussels, which added to the evening’s entertainment. All that work made the stew taste better.
Despite the big crowd, service was relatively prompt and attentive.
We were eyeing tiramisu or crème brûlée for dessert. But, because the night had been so busy, the restaurant had run out of both. We settled for chocolate and vanilla gelato.
With a pleasant experience under our belts, we are plotting at least two more Dine Around outings. The promotion started Feb. 20 and continues to March 9.
If you go, it might be wise to reserve, though a few of the participating restaurants don’t take reservations.
Details about Dine Around and Stay in Town Victoria are at the Tourism Victoria website: tourismvictoria.com/dinearound.
(I have no photos of the food we ate because it was too dark at our table to take decent ones without a flash. My dining partner would have been mortified if I had taken flash pictures.)
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