A new restaurant in Victoria is paying tribute to the downtown neighbourhood that is close to its heart and location - Chinatown.
Ugly Duckling Dining & Provisions just opened in February at 543 Fisgard St. for high-end fine dining with dishes inspired by Chinatown.
And the owners have described the approach behind their food as “whimsical.”
It’s only open from Thursday to Sunday each week (from 5 to 9:30 p.m.), so make sure you make a reservation. Plans are also in the works for a Sunday morning brunch.
“Now open in the heart of downtown Victoria, Ugly Duckling is an intimate fine-dining restaurant that takes its inspiration from the intersection between Coastal BC’s magical landscapes and the rich cultural heritage of Canada’s oldest Chinatown,” reads a post from the restaurant. “We craft dining experiences built around two promises: to serve you only those things which we have made by hand; and to work really, really hard to make you smile. We can’t wait to welcome you.”
What you can expect at Ugly Duckling is two menus - a tasting menu for $110 and a three-course menu for $83.
Both menus are finely crafted and carefully curated.
For the tasting menu for March, you’ll find Chinese milk bread, “snacks inspired by Chinatown,” plus a Quebec foie gras tart, butter-poached Haida Gwaii halibut, saddle of Parry Bay Farms lamb, buttermilk cake and petits fours.
For the three-course meal, you can choose from a variety of items, including manila clam chow mein (with squid ink noodles), prawn tartare, lamb shoulder, tuna loin and more.
The best part is the menus will be curated and crafted each month to offer delectable surprises to keep you coming back.
READ MORE: New Victoria restaurant bucks fried chicken ‘mania’ with oven roasting
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