VICTORIA AND VANCOUVER ISLAND - British Columbia: Including the Alaska Highway - page 184

The location alone makes M Barb's Place (Fisherman's Wharf, at the foot of St.
Lawrence St., 250/384-6515, 11am-dusk daily March-Oct., $9-18), a sea-level eatery on a
floating dock, my other favorite. It's not a restaurant as such, but a shack surrounded by
outdoor table settings, some protected from the elements by a canvas tent. The food is as
fresh as it gets. Choose cod and chips, halibut and chips, or clam chowder, or splash out
on a steamed crab. Adding to the charm are the surrounding floating houses and seals that
hang out waiting for handouts. An enjoyable way to reach Barb's is by ferry from the Inner
Harbour.
Occupying a prime downtown location on a floating dock amid whale-watching boats,
seaplanes, and shiny white leisure craft, the M Flying Otter Grill (950 Wharf St., 250/
414-4220, 11am-10pm Mon.-Fri., 8am-10pm Sat.-Sun., $16-22) is just steps from the main
tourist trail, but it's far enough removed to make it a popular haunt with locals wanting
a quiet, casual, waterfront meal. The setting alone makes the Flying Otter a winner, but
the menu is a knockout. Choose pan-fried oysters or grilled chili-lime marinated prawns to
share, and then move on to mains like seafood risotto. To get there, walk north along the
harbor from the information center.
Asian
Victoria's small Chinatown surrounds a short, colorful strip of Fisgard Street between Store
and Government Streets. The restaurants welcome everyone, and generally the menus are
filled with all of the familiar Westernized Chinese choices. Near the top (east) end of
Fisgard is QV Cafe and Bakery (1701 Government St., 250/384-8831, 7am-11pm daily,
$7-12), offering inexpensive Western-style breakfasts in the morning and Chinese delic-
acies the rest of the day. One of the least expensive places in Chinatown is Wah Lai Yuen
(560 Fisgard St., 250/381-5355, 10am-8pm daily, $8-16), a simply decorated, well-lit res-
taurant with fast and efficient service. Down the hill a little and up a flight of stairs is Don
Mee Restaurant (538 Fisgard St., 250/383-1032, lunch Mon.-Fri., dinner daily, $11-23),
specializing in the cuisine of Canton.