Dining

Haro's Bouillabaisse

Stealing all culinary thunder is a West Coast bouillabaisse chock full of perfectly underdone salmon, halibut, spot prawns, mussels and clams in saffron tomato fennel broth with a dash of Pernod. Nightly specials from two-for-one pizza to weekend early birders transfix bargain-hunting foodies. And chips are fresh and hand-cut, the litmus test for a kitchen that respects food.

Seafood

The waterfront Beacon Landing fully embraces the oceanside setting with an impressive slate of fish and seafood dishes. They include clam chowder, tuna tataki, crabcakes, and two certifiable superstars, macadamia-crusted halibut and cedar-plank salmon.

Mexican

Locals also give the nod to Carlo's Cantina, a tiny, 16-seat, backstreet room dishing out high spirits and big flavours. The mole - chicken sauced in chillies and chocolate - garners rave reviews, but sizzling Tex-Mex dishes are no slouches, either. And those margaritas...

European

From pork schnitzel and old-fashioned cheese fondue to duck breast with apricots, welcome to Europe-on-the-Pacific. Bistro Suisse doesn't fret about calorie-counts, butter and cream, brandy-lashed sauces and dee-lish self-indulgence. Hey, it's European and the real thing. Repent tomorrow.

Greek Islanding

Greek restaurants pepper Sidney streets, but the clear winner, say insiders, is Maria's Souvlaki, a family-operated resto that actually succeeds in transporting diners to balmy nights on mythic Aegean Islands. The word on Maria's is "best souvlaki west of Athens" and faves from calamari to roast lamb garner authentic applause. Opa!

Sidney's Spicy Southeast Asian

Sidney's Southeast Asian restaurant is Sabhai, a Thai bistro whose familiar Bangkok-style fare thrives on individual flavours skillfully harmonizing. In a handsome room free of Land of Smiles kitsch, embrace the real thing: Forget phad Thai and opt for larb - a searingly spicy salad of minced chicken, Thai spices and chillies - full-throttle red and green curries, roaring garlic pork and aromatic jasmine rice with tiger prawns.

Timid palates need not shrink in terror. Every dish can be ordered mild.

For more information on eating out in Sidney, drop into the Visitor Centre at 10382 Pat Bay Hwy, just 2 minutes from the Swartz Bay Ferry Terminal.

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