Trip report - Part 6 - More about the Wickaninnish Inn.

We resume our trip report after I fell off the couch in ecstasy at my reminiscings of the Wickaninnish Inn.
I've now climbed back on, strapped on a seatbelt, and am ready to share a few more moments of delight about the "Wick".

Food.  Where shall I start?  I did not bring my camera into the dining room until the breakfast the last morning.  Two reasons for this: I didn't want to annoy people with my flash, and I also wanted to disguise my yokel-ness. Hyuk hyuk.  By the last morning, though, I couldn't resist.  We were up early, the restaurant was mostly empty, and I didn't need the flash.  Our breakfasts:

Mine:  Lemon Buttermilk Waffles

White Wine Poached Pears & Cranberries

Clotted Cream & Candied Walnuts

His:  Seafood Benedict

Bubble & Squeak

(note: the bubble and squeak is the veggie cylinder in the foreground, topped with sausage patties and tomato-basil "jam".)

(also note: the custom woven table runner, by local artisan, under Dave's plate)

Here's a link to one of the Wick's menus in their main dining room, "The Pointe Restaurant".  Try not to drool on your keyboard!

View of "The Pointe Restaurant" on a misty day.

More happy thoughts:
The restaurant staff, from host to server,  call you by name.  "Good evening, Mr. and Mrs. X."  Such a step up from, "Hi guys, how are you doin' tonight?"  Love it!

To their everlasting credit, the restaurant offered Dave's favourite gin, Hendrick's, and they made me a mean Caesar with fresh basil and cilantro. Mmmm.

There is a dedicated staff person to bring around the bread basket.  In this basket are THREE choices of fresh-baked artisan bread: delights like leek and onion, challah, sausage.  Selection changes nightly, and you can buy whole loaves of these breads in the Driftwood Lounge  downstairs.  A come-hither look at the bread server brings him swiftly back to your table.   Dave and the bread man exchanged meaningful glances more than once.  About the bread, of course. 

In addition to the regular dinner menu there is a weekly special 4-course "tasting menu" with optional wine pairings.  I had this one night and it was SUPERB.  I didn't have the wine pairings - I can only handle four sips of wine - not four glasses. Plebe!

The wait staff were great; knowledgeable about the food, personable, attentive, but not hovering.

The after-dinner tea selection comes via a tea box: little vials of loose-leaf tea for you to open up and sniff.  From old standards like english breakfast and darjeeling, to exotic herbal blends, to good old chamomile.  Once you make your selection you get a large and drip-free pot.  Lovely.

Another brownie point in my book: the entire Inn supports the local artistic community and local economy.  From the hand-adzed pillars seen throughout the main structure, to the art and driftwood furniture in the rooms, to the photographs in the halls, to the wood, glass and fibre crafts on display in the lobby, to the artisan produced menu choices, one is surrounded by local talent.  A true "Canadian West Coast" experience.

Oh, one more thing.  The day we arrived I was looking out the window of the lobby, busily snapping pictures of the view.  One of the front desk staff noticed I had my camera, and asked me if I'd seen the eagles.  "Eagles! Where?"

"Right out here", he said, and then he left his post, led me out the front door, and pointed up:

 

Next post: The Beach!