By Jennifer Dart

They can be difficult to spot, but starting in the spring you can see small groups of kayakers paddling around Tofino harbour from your condo window at the Shore.

These groups of intrepid souls weave their way through the harbour traffic of boats and float planes, usually with the help of a guide from one of the local kayak tour companies.

You can spot them by their paddles – yellow, white, and blue beacons that circle continuously in and out of the water.

There is perhaps no better way to experience the shoreline where the rainforest meets the sea than from the peaceful vantage point of a kayak.

The tours that are offered by Tofino companies vary from two-hour excursions around the harbour to week-long trips into the fjords of Clayoquot Sound.

The beginner tours are normally either harbour tours or trips to and from the Big Tree Trail located on Meares Island. Here you will see some of the largest and oldest cedar and spruce trees still standing in Canada. These tours involve about two hours of moderate paddling, and no experience is necessary.

Intermediate tours normally tour inlets or open ocean sections, and involve over two hours of paddling. Some experience is normally necessary for this type of tour, designed for those who are looking for a bit of adventure.

Other companies offer longer, multi-day trips that normally involve several hours of paddling per day, along with camping at night.

However you may choose to explore the coastal area of Tofino by kayak, you will undoubtedly come up close with both sea life and a variety of birds. Paddle past tide pools teeming with anemones, starfish and mussels. Visit rocky islands home to eagles nests in the tall trees. Your kayak guide will have vast knowledge about the natural world, as well as the cultural history of this amazing area.

Another local paddling experience involves Nuu-chah-nulth dugout canoes constructed by Tla-o-qui-aht canoe makers Joe and Carl Martin. Tla-ook Cultural Adventures, owned by Joe’s daughter Gisele, offers day trips in Clayoquot Sound, an island paddle as well as a trip to Meares Island. Native guides discuss what life was like for the local Nuu-chah-nulth tribes, who have inhabited this area for millennia. Like a kayaking trip, everyone is expected to paddle on a Tla-ook adventure.

If you’re already a seasoned kayaker, you may have chosen your waterfront condo at the Shore for its easy water access. Once the marina is completed, there will also be a dockside area to store your kayak. And you’ll be well located to gauge the weather and wind conditions, simply by stepping out onto your patio.

Whatever your level of expertise, Clayoquot Sound offers an unequaled paddling experience.

For a listing of all the local companies offering tours in Clayoquot Sound, visit the directory at Tofino Time Magazine.

Tags: Clayoquot Sound, kayaking, Meares Island, Nuu-chah-nulth dugout canoes, sea kayaking, The Shore, Tofino, Tofino kayak tours
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By Jennifer Dart

While there’s a lot going on in May in Tofino including Feast! Tofino-Ucluelet and the Shorebird Festival, there’s an annual event in early June that is always one to look forward to.

The Tofino Food and Wine Festival has been ongoing since 2003. Last year some 700 people wandered around the Tofino Botanical Gardens sampling British Columbia wine and food from local restaurants and Vancouver Island food purveyors during the festival’s main event, Grazing in the Gardens.

Festival coordinator Kira Rogers and her partner Eli Blake conceived of the festival while they both worked at the former Café Pamplona, which used to be housed in what is now Darwin’s Café in the gardens. This event has grown from a small, local festival to a weekend full of events and a reason to visit Tofino in June.

This year’s festival starts Thursday, June 2 and runs until Sunday, June 5.

The festival supports several local non-profit societies and initiatives, including the Tofino Botanical Garden Society, the Community Children’s Centre, the Lighthouse Trail, and the Multi-Use Path.

It’s all about showcasing the culinary talents of local chefs and the bounty of fresh ingredients from the Island, as well as the wines of British Columbia. Last year some 22 restaurants and specialty food suppliers offered samples at Grazing, as did 48 wineries four breweries, and one ciderhouse.

“It’s the best of Tofino,” said Tourism Tofino executive director Sharon Lingenfelter at last year’s main event. “Tofino comes out – the restaurants come out, the wineries come out, the breweries come out – in support of what Tofino is all about.”

This year the events surrounding the festival – including one hosted by the Shore – kick off Thursday, June 2.

The Epicurean Showcase at Long Beach Lodge Resort is an evening of canapés and wine. For more information, visit Long Beach Lodge.

On Friday, Black Rock Oceanfront Resort is hosting a Rainforest Harvest Luncheon at 1pm.

Also on Friday are two winemakers dinners. The Wickaninnish Inn’s Chef Nick Nutting is pairing up with Cedar Creek Winery, and Shelter Restaurant is hosting Alderlea Winery of Duncan.

Kira and Eli will be on hand at Darwin’s Café to welcome one and all to the 9th annual Food and Wine Festival with Bienvenue with BC Bubbles, an evening of the best BC has to offer in sparkling wine and cider.

The main event is Saturday from 1-4pm at the gardens. Then join us at the Shore for Sips and Seafood, starting at 6pm (watch the blog for more details about this event).

The Schooner Restaurant hosts an annual Sunset Barbecue after the festival, starting at 7pm.

Finally, on Sunday cookbook author and chef Caren McSherry will be hosting an event called “In a Pinch – effortless cooking with Caren McSherry.”

Details of all these events can be found on the Food and Wine Festival’s website. There is also a link to purchase online tickets to Grazing in the Gardens.

In advance of the festival, Shelter Restaurant is hosting a grape stomping event on Saturday, May 14. The best stomper will receive two tickets to Grazing in the Gardens.

Follow all the festival news on Twitter and Facebook , or visit the Tofino Food and Wine Festival blog.

Photo Credits: Tofino Food and Wine Festival

Tags: BC wineries, Sips and Seafood, The Shore, Tofino, Tofino cuisine, Tofino Food and Wine Festival, Tofino Restaurants, Tourism Tofino
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By Jennifer Dart

The town of Ucluelet is located approximately 40 km south of Tofino at the tip of the Ucluth Peninsula.

It’s a perfect distance for a day trip from your Shore Tofino condo.

Ukee as it’s known, is similar in population size to Tofino and is also surrounded by water. Once primarily a fishing and logging town, this village to the south is now also focused on tourism as its main industry.

Ucluelet (pronounced U-clue-let) means “safe harbour” or “safe landing place” in the Nuu-chah-nulth language. The native village of Ucluelet East is located across Ucluelet harbour from the village, and the village of Macoah, in the traditional territory of the Toquaht First Nation is located just outside of town on Barkley Sound.

Ucluelet is the launching place for boating and kayaking trips into the Broken Group Islands, a grouping of more than 100 islands, islets, and rocky outcroppings located in the middle of Barkley Sound. Across Barkley Sound from Ucluelet is Bamfield, a town accessible by water or by dirt road from Port Alberni. Bamfield is the end point for the West Coast Trail, which extends along the coast from Port Renfrew.

During the summer, there are still passenger ferries that make the trip between Bamfield, Ucluelet, and Port Alberni, as they did for many years before a road to the West Coast was opened in the late 1950s.

If kayaking the Broken Group isn’t your plan for the day, there are plenty of other options in Ukee.

The first section of the Wild Pacific Trail was opened in 1999. This amazing trail now stretches 8.7 km in four different loops. Each offers up close views of the ocean along windswept gravel pathways that wander through the forest. The New York Times named the Wild Pacific Trail one of 31 “places to go in 2010.” The hope is for the Wild Pacific Trail to extend all the way to link up with Pacific Rim National Park Reserve someday. For now, you can hike any of its breathtaking sections that start at the tip of the Ucluth Peninsula at Amphitrite Point, and extend at various points all the way to the section at the entrance to town (Brown’s Beach and Artist’s Loop). Check out the Wild Pacific Trail website for a detailed map. Maps are also available at trailheads.

Lunch can be had at a number of diverse restaurants in Ucluelet, ranging from the oceanfront patio at Fetch Restaurant at Black Rock Resort to Ukee Dogs, a gourmet hot dog stand in the middle of town. Other favourites are the historic Matterson House, the Offshore seafood and sushi restaurant, and Jiggers Fish and Chips, all on Peninsula Rd.

After lunch, a visit to the Ucluelet Aquarium is in order before you head for home.

The Aquarium is located on the harbour, just over from the government dock in downtown Ucluelet. Each year the aquarium staff dives in the waters of Barkley Sound for local marine life. The public has the opportunity to interact with these varied species for the season before they are released back into the ocean on the annual release day. Aquarium staff is hands-on with visitors, whether young or old. The mission of this non-profit society, which hopes one day to have a permanent facility on the waterfront in Ucluelet, is to raise awareness about local marine biodiversity and promote respect for the ocean environment. Visit the Ucluelet Aquarium website for more information.

A day in Ukee really isn’t enough, but now you have a taste of what this little town has to offer.

Photo Credits: Sam Beebe/Ecotrust and Docbrakes

Tags: The Shore, Tofino, Toquaht First Nation, Ucluelet, Ucluelet Aquarium, Ucluth Peninsula, Wild Pacific Trail
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By Jennifer Dart

There is an exciting new trail currently under construction in Tofino.

The Lighthouse Trail is a 2km gravel trail that meanders through rainforest and along the open ocean shoreline of the Esowista Peninsula.

Once complete, this beautiful trail will connect Tonquin and Mackenzie Beaches.

Like the Wild Pacific Trail in Ucluelet, the Lighthouse Trail will allow hikers the chance to see stunning views of the ocean as well as glimpses of the rainforest.

That means wildlife sightings, overgrown forest, and tide pools up close all in one hike, after which you can walk and relax on the beaches on either end of the trail.

The building crew has been busy since November carving out the trail from the dense forest. First clearing, then laying gravel and other materials such as oyster shells to fill in the trail bed, and also fortifying the edges. Bridge and staircase construction followed, as the trail crosses a creek and meets up with two beaches.

And all this construction took place over Tofino’s rainiest months.

There are smaller loops off the trail that lead to viewpoints and others that lead to secluded beach and forest areas – all wonderful spots to stop and take a rest.

The trail links parts of town that were previously inaccessible. From the trailheads at Tonquin Beach, Pedersen Dr. and Leighton Way, and the Tofino Community Hall, hikers will be able to walk all the way to Mackenzie Beach eventually.

The Lighthouse Trail will be moderately difficult due to some inclined areas.

This project was made possible through Tofino’s Resort Communities funding (the district qualifies as a Resort Municipality and therefore receives a portion of the two percent hotel room tax to use toward enhancing visitors’ experience of Tofino). Service Canada and the YMCA also contributed funding towards the project.

The Tofino Parks and Recreation department are taking the lead on the trail construction, along with an advisory committee made up of citizens.

Sally Mole, the director of Parks and Recreation, said this week just over 1.5 km of the trail is finished and they are hoping to open the first phase by the May long weekend.

Until then the district is asking curious residents to stay off the trail, as construction is still underway and hazards like unstable trees and steep drop-offs need to be addressed.

It’s hard to contain the excitement though, for Tofino’s first ocean side – and highly accessible – trail.

Watch the Tofino district website for an announcement of the trail’s grand opening.

Photo Credits: Tofino Lighthouse Facebook Page

Tags: hiking, Lighthouse Trail, Mackenzie Beach, Rainforest, The Shore, tide pools, Tofino, Tofino Parks and Recreation, Tonquin Beach
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By Jennifer Dart

The Tofino Shorebird Festival is a sure sign that spring is on the way.

You might not be so sure, given the weather we’ve had in April thus far…

But as we approach the end of this month, thousands upon thousands of shorebirds make a stop here on their way northward to summertime Arctic breeding grounds. They come with warmer winds from their southern winter hideouts.

It may be a more pint-sized version of the annual whale migration, but the mass movement of shorebirds is also cause for celebration on the west coast of Vancouver Island.

From May 6-9, a series of events both celebrate and showcase this massive flyby of feathered creatures.

The Raincoast Education Society started the Shorebird Festival in 1997, the same year the Tofino mudflats were designated as a Wildlife Management Area. Both the festival and the designation point to a unique habitat for all kinds of wildlife, including shorebirds.

The Tofino mudflat WMA is a 21 square kilometer area on the estuary side of Esowista Peninsula. The mulflats contain several kinds of habitat, including dense coastal rainforest, tidal flats and channels, rock and gravel beaches, streams, and shallow to deep subtidal areas. According to information from the RES, the Tofino mudflats are a more sheltered habitat than most intertidal estuaries, and richer in nutrients.

The small worms and other organisms that are just below the surface of the mud enable the birds to store up on fat reserves – an essential step if they’re to be successful having young.

Also essential when you consider how far these tiny creatures fly for the food they consume here.

Good viewing points to watch all the action are: Chesterman Beach, Long Beach, Grice Bay and the end of Sharp Rd (there is now a look-out at Sharp Rd, next to the water treatment plant).

There are several opportunities during the Shorebird Festival for guided bird watching tours.

Kayak and hiking bird watches, a reception, a birding movie, and a photo contest are just some of the events planned for the four-day festival.

In advance of the Shorebird Festival, the Wickaninnish Inn’s Pointe Restaurant is the place to be May 1 for Brunch for the Birds, a fundraiser for the festival. You can reserve tickets to the brunch by emailing info@raincoasteducation.org or by calling 250 725-2560.

Given Tofino’s affinity for birds and birding, it’s no wonder a Hollywood birding movie was filmed here. The Big Year, starring Steve Martin, Owen Wilson and Jack Black was filmed in 2010, and will be released this year. The premise of the movie is that three avid bird watchers (Wilson, Martin and Black) are competing to spot the rarest birds in North America at an annual event.

Image Credit: Raincoast Education Society

Tags: Raincoast Education Society, The Shore, Tofino, Tofino Mudflats, Tofino Shorebird Festival
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By Jennifer Dart

Tofino’s most upscale dining experience comes with a 270-degree view.

The Pointe Restaurant at the Wickaninnish Inn is located on a rocky promontory overlooking North Chesterman beach and Lennard Island. Skyscraper grade floor-to-ceiling windows showcase the panoramic southwestward facing view.

The posts and beams in the restaurant mainly came from the Wickaninnish property, although some wood, such as the yellow cedar bar, is salvaged from other sites. A local carver, Henry Nolla, did much of the woodwork in the hotel and also in the Pointe. A beach dweller and master carver, Nolla hand-beveled many of the posts himself. A painting of Nolla graces the back wall at the Pointe, honouring his memory and hard work.

With seating for 75 people, the Pointe is one of Tofino’s largest restaurants.

Serving brunch, lunch, dinner and snacks, the Pointe caters to hotel guests but is open to the public as well.

The current head of the kitchen brigade is Chef Nick Nutting, who first joined the team in 2006, as Chef de Partie.

Nick was an apprentice at Food & Hotel Asia in Singapore, and also worked at the award-winning Garcon and Restaurant Truffert in Montreal. Nick then returned to the Pointe as a sous-chef, but quickly moved into the Chef de Cuisine role he currently holds.

In addition to brunch, lunch and dinner and a lounge menu, Nick and his staff also offer tasting menus to guests for dinner, which can be paired with wine by the course.

The Pointe has one of the most extensive wine cellars on Vancouver Island, and the collection has received a lot of attention in the form of awards from Wine Spectator Magazine.

Added to this impressive list is an exhaustive collection of single malt scotches, including a 50 year-old Bowmore. The On the Rocks bar features all the libations available from the bar, along with a lighter menu.

In terms of the fare at the Pointe, the focus is on regional ingredients. The Wickaninnish is also a member of the Tofino-Ucluelet Culinary Guild, an organization that promotes farm fresh and organic products from Vancouver Island and the rest of British Columbia.

Locally sourced seafood such as Dungeness crab, wild salmon and halibut are featured, as are regional produce and meats. Foie gras, duck, veal and rabbit are also included on Chef Nutting’s dinner menu, along with oysters, octopus and squid.

All pastries, bread, and desserts are made in house.

The Pointe’s staff is highly knowledgeable about the products they’re serving, and the service is in keeping with the property’s Relais and Chateaux designation (R&C is a French organization that certifies properties according to benchmark standards in hotel accommodation and fine dining).

For a luxurious dining experience, the Pointe is not to be missed. To make the most of the view, go for brunch, lunch or an early dinner (or a late dinner in the summer).

Image Credits: WickInn.com

Tags: Chesterman Beach, Nick Nutting, Pointe Restaurant, The Shore, Tofino, Wickaninnish Inn
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By Jennifer Dart

Tofino Time Magazine is a widely circulated free local publication that contains pretty well all the information you’ll need to experience this west coast town.

April 2011 marks the 108th edition of Tofino Time, says one half of the publication team, Adam Buskard. He and business partner Baku started publishing Tofino Time in May 2002 on their own dime. Since then, it’s grown and become the go-to guide for both locals and visitors.

The tagline for Tofino Time is “Half the pace, twice the pleasure.” This is certainly an accurate assessment of this laid-back town with a lot to offer.

Adam and Baku see the magazine as a forum to showcase Tofino – its people, activities, the place – all the things that make life here special. The articles and content in the magazine reflect this philosophy.

The content that appears regularly includes horoscopes, gardening tips, surfing tips, tide tables, and event and concert listings. There is also a community calendar that includes the many activities and events happening in Tofino each month.

Tofino Time relies on contributors to submit articles about a variety of topics, including special events in the month they occur. Many other regular contributors offer insights on everything from organic food to new businesses to yoga practices to the history behind street and landmark names in town.

There aren’t too many publications you can go to that will tell you how to pump on a front side wave, what to plant in your garden this month, and how to harvest food from the ocean all in one issue.

Other submissions come from local experts on everything from grey whales to declining salmon populations in Clayoquot Sound.

Adam and Baku also make a point of profiling the work of local artists in all mediums, such as glass, sculpture, pottery, and painting.

The cover and content page of Tofino Time feature a different local photographer each month, with spectacular views of the local environment and wildlife.

For the tourists, a map of local beaches and hiking trails on the back cover provides a quick reference guide.

A business directory also gives a breakdown of the different local possibilities for restaurants, activities, services, shopping, and accommodation.

That seems like a lot to cover in a monthly magazine, doesn’t it?

With all the information contained within it, Tofino Time is highly anticipated each month by locals. Horoscopes, concert listings, not to mention any specials being offered by local businesses and feature articles – it’s no wonder people wait for it to pop up around town at the beginning of each month.

Tofino Time is distributed all over the west coast area, as well as in Nanaimo, Victoria, Vancouver and on BC Ferries.

It’s far reach means that Tofino has a presence far from home too.

Look for Tofino Time around town or online at www.tofinotime.com.

Image Credit: TofinoTime.com

Tags: The Shore, Tofino, Tofino Time Magazine
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By Jennifer Dart

You don’t have to have a passion for gardening to appreciate the Tofino Botanical Gardens.

The 12-acre site mixes indigenous temperate rainforest species with gardens and artwork for a setting that is both relaxing and enlivening.

But this isn’t your typical botanical garden with miles upon miles of flowers.

Run by the non-profit Tofino Botanical Gardens Foundation, the TBG stretch from their entrance on Pacific Rim Hwy to the mudflats on Tofino Inlet. Meandering through gardens, forest, and shoreline, the property aims to explore the relationship between culture and nature.

Forest paths and boardwalk trails take you past displays of plants that thrive in this coastal temperate rainforest setting. Intermixed with the garden displays are whimsical art installations and many other interesting surprises around each bend in the garden path.

At the entrance to the gardens are Darwin’s Café and the admittance counter. Once you step inside, the kitchens gardens are visible, positioned on the south side to make the most of all west coast sunlight.

Flowers gardens and the children’s garden (adults must usually be accompanied by a child) are adjacent to the medicinal herb garden. Also in the first portion of the site is the frog pond, where local kindergarten children come each spring to release tadpoles they have reared from eggs (the two species are Western Red-Legged Frogs and Pacific Tree Frogs, two species in decline).

Next to the frog pond is a gazebo built by local artist Jan Janzen.

As you wonder through the garden, the path will take you past an orchard (not always high-yielding!) and berry patch, rhododendrons, a classic example of a “nurse” log (a log that nurtures all kind of life growing from it) and a section of the ubiquitous west coast skunk cabbage.

There are giant Himalayan lilies and a Japanese garden pocket (still under construction), as well as a “Tropic Zone,” which will appeal to those optimistic gardeners out there.

Naturally, there is also an old growth tree area in the garden, with a boardwalk meandering through the towering giants. Three Western Red Cedars, the “Three Elders” are a must-see.

Two look-out points allow you amazing views of the Tofino Mudflats, a vital stop-off point for thousands of migrating shorebirds on their annual treks.

The artwork set amidst the garden is at times both functional as well as aesthetically pleasing. There is a storytelling hut (also by Jan Janzen), towering sculptures, and smaller installations. These really must be seen to be appreciated (look out for the hippie bus too!).

Also on display is the Evian, a dry-docked 37’ wooden salmon troller that typifies the vessels that were once in abundance on the coast. Climb aboard to get a feel for the life of a 20th century fisherman (and for a great view of the mudflats!). Nearby, gardeners have also uncovered the homestead of a Bernardo O’Higgins, complete with writings in several languages (currently in translation).

The Tofino Botanical Gardens is best appreciated with a copy of the Field Guide, which describes each aspect in great detail.

This wonderful setting has played host to artists, weddings, and for the past eight years has been the setting for the Tofino Food and Wine Festival (this June 3-5 will mark the 9th annual festival). The property is also home to the Ecolodge, an environmentally friendly lodge with shared kitchen facilities.

A walk through the gardens will run you roughly $10-12 (with a $1 discount for those arriving on bikes) and seasonal passes are available.

Enjoy!

Image Credits: Roland

Tags: Darwin’s Café, Ecolodge, Jan Janzen, The Shore, Tofino, Tofino Botanical Gardens, Tofino Mudflats
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By Jen Dart

If you haven’t made plans already to be here in Tofino in May, a newly announced culinary festival might change your mind.

Feast! Tofino-Ucluelet is a month-long series of culinary events that will take place on the west coast starting on May 8 and leading up to the 9th annual Tofino Food and Wine Festival June 3-5.

Sponsored by EAT Magazine and Global BC, Feast will feature numerous events, including $29, $39 and $49 prix fixe menus at participating local restaurants.

This isn’t your average dine-around event, however.

Each Saturday during Feast, a different seafood will be the focus of a Saturday “On the Dock” festival in both Tofino and Ucluelet. Salmon week is from May 9-14, crab week is May 15-21, and spot prawns are the feature of the week for May 22-28.

Local chefs will join a number of guest celebrity chefs in preparing all kinds of seafood dishes both on the wharfs and in local restaurants. Among the chefs confirmed to attend are: Canada’s Iron Chef Rob Feenie, Rick Moonen of rm seafood at Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas, Hayato Okamitsu of Calgary’s Catch Restaurant, Angus An of Vancouver’s Maenam Restaurant, JC Poirier of Campagnolo, also in Vancouver, Brad Holmes of ulla Restaurant in Victoria, Nico Schuermans of Vancouver’s Chambar Belgian Restaurant, Peter Zambri of Zambri’s in Victoria, and Bob Izumi of Global’s “The Real Fishing Show.”

The chefs will also be participating in educational sustainable seafood processing and preparation tips and demonstrations, both at locals restaurants and on the wharf.

There are also “Stay, Dine and Play” packages on offer from participating accommodation providers, restaurants and tour operators.

The concept for Feast was developed by the group of local chefs and food purveyors who make up the Tofino-Ucluelet Culinary Guild, a local non-profit organization focused on sourcing sustainable food for the area.

As Shelter Restaurant owner and TUCG board member Jay Gildenhuys says, the festival is meant to showcase the rich culinary culture of the area, along with the bounty of sustainable seafood available here.

“No town this size has this kind of culinary scene,” said Gildenhuys. “Doing something like [Feast], it’s not really creating anything; it’s already here.”

It’s just a matter of showing it off to the rest of the world.

Local fisherman Jeff Mikus (owner of the Wildside Grill), embodies the TUCG’s principle of boat-to-table.

“Sometimes it’s funny that we have so much of this stuff in our backyard, but we don’t have farms,” Mikus said about the abundance of sustainable seafood.

He likes the idea of incorporating more than the culinary aspect into Feast. “So much of what we do here is based on everything else.”

The festival will lead into the Tofino Food and Wine Festival, starting June 3. This weekend will be the perfect way to cap off a month of celebrating what the west coast area has to offer the seafood lover, with BC wineries and local restaurants and Vancouver Island food purveyors coming together in the Tofino Botanical Gardens to showcase their own delights.

If you haven’t had the opportunity to sample the culinary gems of Tofino, Feast may be your perfect opportunity.

Image Credit: Feast! Tofino-Ucluelet Website

Tags: Feast culinary festival, Rob Feenie, The Shore, Tofino, Tofino Food and Wine Festival, Tofino-Ucluelet Culinary Guild
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By Jennifer Dart

There is a little tucked away outdoor eatery in Tofino that generates a lot of buzz.

The Wildside Grill is a fish and chips and burger stand in the Beaches Grocery and Live to Surf complex on Pacific Rim Hwy. And while that’s an accurate description of the eatery, it certainly doesn’t do it justice.

Owners chef Jesse Blake and fisherman Jeff Mikus prefer to call it fish and chips with an upscale twist.

Jeff fishes the waters of Clayoquot and Barkley Sound, as well as the Georgia Straight for salmon, halibut, ling cod and spot prawns. He supplies many local eateries with his catch, including his own outdoor restaurant.

“There’s so much seafood that we can source locally,” he said, “and the demand is growing all the time.”

Most of Jeff’s salmon and halibut catch stays in BC, but he still ships many of his spot prawns to Japan. Apart from what he can sell and uses locally, that is.

Jeff is a board member of the Tofino-Ucuelet Culinary Guild, an organization of like-minded chefs and restaurateurs focused on sourcing everything from seafood and meat to vegetables and fruit as locally as possible.

He embodies that practice with his own restaurant, where it doesn’t get much more boat-to-table.

“I think it’s important for fishermen in general to be able to know the chefs in the restaurants and the people they’re dealing with,” Jeff said. “It gives that one-on-one.”

“There’s been a lot of changes on where and how we catch fish, and a lot of that doesn’t make it into the kitchen.”

It certainly does at Wildside, where the relationship between chef and fishermen is a unique one.

Chef Jesse Blake has put in serious time in Tofino’s kitchens; before starting his own restaurant he was the head chef at Shelter Restaurant. At Wildside, he develops the recipes and works the grill on a regular basis.

Along with salmon, halibut and ling cod fish and chips, and bison, salmon, tuna and oyster burgers, the Grill is now also famous for its fish tacos.

On a recent visit to Tofino, CBC TV personality Rick Mercer tweeted the following after having lunch there: “Wildside grill in Tofino. Best fish taco ever. Really.”

Add to that seafood gumbo, pork carnitas and some delicious breakfast fare, and Wildside seems to have all the bases covered.

Wildside has outdoor seating, with some covered seating. It is located in the Beaches Grocery parking lot, just behind Groovy Movie and the Tofitian coffee shop.

Perfect for after surf, the grill is happy to fill phone-in orders (250 725-WILD or 725-9453).

Image Credit: WildsideGrill.com

Tags: Beaches Grocery, Jeff Mikus, Jesse Blake, The Shore, Tofino, Tofino dining, Tofino-Ucuelet Culinary Guild, Wildside Grill
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