Bridgemans Bistro, Mill Bay - A Well Kept Secret

Some things don't need much paid marketing to become and remain popular. By not advertising a restaurant it becomes more 'exclusive', and provided it's any good, becomes one of those hidden gems that you show to your friends at the first opportunity. Word of mouth is the best kind of marketing since people are personally vouching for the restaurant, not just handing out flyers written by the owner of the place.

An example of a restaurant that doesn't need to do anything else to be successful is the Bridgemans Bistro, perched atop a pier watching over the yachts in Mill Bay, on Vancouver Island. It isn't brilliantly signposted, and it isn't listed on Google Maps, and even the entrance to the restaurant is tucked away behind a relatively dull cafe / gift shop. But anyone who manages to find it and try their brilliantly fresh and diverse range of seafood will be sure to recommend it to anyone who will listen, just like I'm doing right now.

I can't really decide where to begin here. The view is obviously a slice of heaven, looking out into the clean, calm waters of Mill Bay, with dino-sized seagulls just hanging out wherever they find a place to sit. Then there is the menu, with just enough variety and creativity to justify multiple visits, but short enough to remain tightly focused on fresh seafood and hearty lunch fare.

The prices are better than reasonable as well, starting with the locally brewed beers for four dollars, all the way up to my seriously decadent lobster tail linguine for only seventeen bucks. Sounds like fine dining, but my bank balance thinks I'm in a kebab shop.

The attractive view, the attractive menu, the attractive prices... There was something else about this place that made me want to ask if there were any jobs available in the kitchen. Oh, that's right - THE FOOD.

We ordered a couple of fried oyster tacos to start with. Locally caught, and fresher than Will Smith, these things were battered, fried and then tucked into a comfy little bed of zesty salad ingredients. The avocado, lime and coriander worked well with the briny, oily oysters, and the tortillas were soft and pliable, making it almost possible to contain the inevitable mess that comes with me trying to eat tacos. I would probably just stick to nachos if only tacos didn't taste this good. 

The salad was next, and I had not tried anything quite like this before. Greens, cheese, maple roasted pecans, strawberries, sweet onions and white balsamic all thrown together into one of the classy, slanted bowls which were used for our other main courses as well. The sweet pecans and strawberries pinched through the rich balsamic, and all that combined with the onions and greenery made for one crazy, crunchy, creative course. Big pat on the back to whoever came up with that little concoction.

I already mentioned that I ordered the lobster tail linguine, but I should point out that the presentation was exquisite. The flesh had been levered out of the shell with only the very tip of the tail holding onto the flesh, and then shell, with the meat perched on top, was placed onto the bed of grated parmesan and creamy linguine, which was almost thick enough to stand on. The main flavour jumping out of the pasta was a salty richness, coming from the pesto cream which had been stirred through, as well as the handful of parmesan initially supporting the weight of the lobster. It all worked quite well together, with the lobster still perceptible through the waves of white sauce.

Our other main was the seafood chowder, containing all manner of sea life, including clams, prawns, fish and.... bacon. Another well presented, creamy dish, where all elements were identifiable entirely by taste. This was a chowder which had obviously been prepared very recently, instead of sitting in a warmer for hours until it is unwittingly ordered.

Considering their prices you would think they are putting themselves out of business. But I think that the Bridgemans Bistro relies on locals for the majority of their business, so keeping the prices comparable to pubs and cafes probably helps locals justify eating there on a regular basis. The local focus might also explain the relatively low profile that the Bistro seems to have. The locals know where it is, and the tourists are none the wiser.

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

Well for better or worse, the secret is out now. Bridgemans Bistro is an absolute winner, and well worth the trip to Vancouver Island just to hunt it down. Just make sure you take a look at our map so you know where to find it.


The bill (for 2):
2 x Fried Oyster Tacos - CA$11
1 x Salad (strawberries and pecans) - CA$10
1 x Chowder - CA$10
1 x Lobster Linguine - CA$17
TOTAL: CA$48 (before tax) (Approx. US$45.50)

Restaurant address:740 Handy Rd, Mill Bay, BC, Victoria Island, 2P1
Website: http://www.bridgemans.ca

for exact locations of all reviewed restaurants, take a look at our map.