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Victoria, British Columbia, is a wonderful place to stroll, look and eat! The top-ranked food tasting tour in Canada is waiting for you on your next visit to this charming, ethnically varied city. |
CULINARY WONDERS AWAIT -- FROM HISTORIC PUB TO FRENCH PATISSERIE TO A GOURMET HOLE IN THE WALL
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Our tasting tour began at Roast Meat and Sandwich Shop, where we devoured delectable meatballs in a satisfying sauce. |
WE ALWAYS look for new, fun things to do when we travel, especially when we return to places we love and have visited before. So when we knew we'd have a long day in Victoria, B.C., we booked something we'd not tried before in this bustling city. We lined up a walking-tasting food tour.
WHAT FUN food tours are. We've munched our way across Amsterdam, Rome, New Orleans, London and Key West -- increasing our pleasure in each city and appreciation of its culinary variety.
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Ayo Eat's yummy offering: delicious peanut sauce to complement a tasty Indonesian spring roll. |
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Mouth-watering candies were devoured with joy at Roger's Chocolates, with a delectable Victoria cream vanilla. |
NEXT UP on our award-winning historic walking and food tour was a stop at Victoria BBQ House and Bakery for a barbecue pork bun, a warm slightly sweet bun with a spoonful of seasoned pork inside. Olson guided us through Chinatown, Old Town and the city's Inner Harbor.
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Fan Tan Alley dates back to the mid-19th Century and is filled with boutiques. |
Olson explained that it's the oldest Chinatown in Canada and the second oldest in North America after San Francisco. Its beginnings stem from the mid-19th Century's influx of miners from California.
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Just Matcha's drinks are artfully served in a peaceful, rejuvenating setting. |
ROGER'S Chocolates is dripping with Victorian charm -- an old-fashioned candy shop with a fragrant array of intoxicating chocolates for every taste. And Churchill Pub rounds out the tour -- a real English-feeling drinking house with sturdy wooden booths and a beautiful bar. This was the only time Andy
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The Churchill, a traditional English pub, is a stop in the fast-paced and varied "Taste of Victoria Food Tour." |
participated, having a small sample of a local brew. Six or seven stops are offered with a changing repertoire depending on time of year, fresh produce and Olson's whims. Tours are balanced to provide a filling "meal" in sensible,
small portions over the allotted time.
OLSON'S foodie orbit embraces his own personal wide-ranging culinary tastes, traditional specialties and time honored treats. He's also on the lookout for new dining options to show off the varied heritage of Victoria. The food tour always includes Asian fare, important because immigrants from the Far East helped build the city. We enjoyed all seven tastings. Not a clunker in the bunch. "Fantastic food tour with delightful tastings, heaping helpings of world culture, and enthusiasm for Victoria's past and present," Keller said. He pronounced the two-plus hour event "great fun, for first-timers to Victoria, or return guests looking for something new." www.atasteofvictoriafoodtours.com (250)893-9815
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San Francisco Love Tours is a fun option for aging hippies or anyone wanting a fresh look at the city by the bay. |
UP NEXT: While we're touring, how about a trip down memory lane to the 1970s and San Francisco? Remember those days of old, when Volkswagen buses were the mode of transportation and everyone knew of Haight Ashbury, Janis Joplin and Jimi Hendrix. We hitched a ride around the city by the bay in our colorful VW bus. Come take a spin with us and San Francisco Love Tours, with an entertaining commentary on the generation that shaped music, art and the counter culture. Meanwhile, remember to explore, learn and live and catch us weekly for a fresh spin on travel, nature, the arts, family and more: www.whereiscookie.com