Comox cuisine covers the range from fast food to sophisticated dining.
Comox Valley bounty prompts haute dining expectations, with a growing number of restaurants showcasing local produce in worldly ways, imbuing superb ingredients with the accents of the global village kitchen. From fish and chips to black truffle pizza, Comox delivers.
Travellers gravitate to the eclectic Avenue Bistro for wake-up fare in the order of Italian Benedict, poached eggs atop polenta with tomato sauce, fresh basil and shaved parmesan; start the day with a hearty bongiorno. On weekends, golfers flock to the Longlands Executive 3 Par Golf Course for breakfast at FORE! Scottish chef, Andrew Martin dishes out kedgeree, an alp of rice topped with smoked salmon, grilled haddock and boiled eggs, then capped with a poached egg.
Pub Grub
The Blackfin Pub headlines 40 scotch whiskies and 16 beers, but it's the food – pub grub for foodies – and glorious sunset views of the Marina and Beaufort Mountains that pack the house. The kitchen turns out rich, creamy seafood chowder, loaded with shrimps and halibut and sided with crusty foccaccia bread. And that fresh sockeye salmon in a ginger, soy and maple glaze, ooh-la-la.
Bistro Bliss
Sister restaurant to Courtenay's Atlas Cafe, the ultra-cool Avenue Bistro offers a similar slate of international dishes gallivanting from Italian to Indian. At Martine's Bistro, the kitchen has a way with fish – witness pan-seared ahi tuna with miso and ginger emulsion – and the patio fills up fast on warm summer evenings. Anderton Bistro's chef Andrew Stigant does things his way with BC spot prawn tempura, organic chicken and line-caught halibut wrapped in prosciutto.
Gourmand
Longlands Executive 3 Par Golf Course is touting FORE!, its restaurant, pairing local bounty with the celestial likes of foie gras, lobster ravioli, seared swordfish and roast venison, any one of them a fine aftermath to 18 holes of golf.
Sweet Stuff
Dessert? Insiders send everyone to Benino Gelato for 24 flavours of authentic, homemade Italian ice cream and Italian roast coffee. They have two locations: Comox and Courtenay. Next, send sweet-toothers to Hot Chocolates in nearby Courtenay for such artisan fare as espresso, hazelnut and Satsuma orange truffles. The Comox chocolatiers make every sweet by hand with top-of-the-line ingredients, and have been around since 1986.
For more information on restaurants and where to eat out in Comox, contact the Visitor Centre.
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