PAM GRANT DINING OUT
Address: 4512 West Saanich Rd.
Tel.: 250-727-3444
Hours: Open daily from 11 a.m.
Major credit cards and Interac accepted. Wheelchair accessible.
Rating 4
On my way to meet friends for lunch last year, I couldn't remember how long it had been since I had been to the Med Grill in Royal Oak.
There was no particular reason for this; it's just not a part of town I visit often.
Visitors enter a pleasant room with high ceilings, restrained music and tables that aren't crammed together.
We struggled to narrow our choices as we perused an extensive and reasonably priced menu. Although it was busy, it wasn't long before our table was covered with a variety of wraps, sandwiches, salads, pastas and a surprisingly ample individual flatbread pizza. Service was good and everyone was happy, which was no small feat, believe me. My Mahjong group is one tough crowd.
A few weeks later, as I was headed toward town, I dropped in for dinner. I was surprised to find the same menu offered in the evenings at slightly higher prices, but it was still reasonable.
I had been thinking of the pappardelle tossed with spinach, leeks, wild mushrooms and braised lamb and cream sauce that I'd enjoyed on my previous visit, but Tuscan chicken stuffed with capicola, spinach, caciocavallo and shallots looked too good to pass up, particularly when they allowed me to substitute the roast potatoes that normally accompanied it with a side of penne tossed with a little olive oil and parmesan. With a glass of wine on the patio, in the fading light of a summer night, it was well worth the price of just under $40 with tax and tip.
I went for brunch recently with friends. We were seated quickly, but no one came near our table again for several minutes.
When we flagged someone to ask for brunch menus, she blinked and replied, "Oh yeah," before returning with two for the three of us to share.
Lori and I had discovered polenta "fries" years ago at the Med Grill's former location on Fort Street, and though they are an excellent choice for a shared appetizer, scallops and bacon caught her eye.
This is usually a pretty boring dish, frequently incinerated in a deep-fryer and served with bottled cocktail sauce, but not here. Four giant scallops were swathed in crisp bacon, nestled in a pool of creamy mushroom sauce, and surrounded with a drizzle of what was advertised as chive oil, but had more than a passing acquaintance with basil. We agreed it was something that could hold its own in any fine-dining establishment.
I continued with a good New York steak sandwich, served on horseradish and aioli-slathered ciabatta, smothered with mushrooms and onions. An extra dollar meant I didn't have to choose between hand-cut fries and salad (I chose spinach with cranberries and crushed pistachios from the four options available) and the price was still under $15.
Lori chose short-rib hash from a half a dozen or so items on the brunch menu.
The hash was excellent, with crisp potatoes and onions and tender beef simmered in a rich demi, but the poached eggs that topped it were pronounced flavourlesss and overcooked, which is particularly problematic since all the brunch items have eggs.
Teri's red Thai garganelli with prawns was a bizarre failure. The pasta was cooked perfectly, but the sauce tasted of mass-produced curry powder and was completely devoid of the lemongrass, ginger and garlic associated with Thai curries.
The prawns made us wonder if they came from a different supplier than the one they get their scallops from, and the big chunks of apple in this dish proved a pointless addition. Things got on track with dessert - excellent pecan pie and sponge toffee pudding, both topped with good vanilla ice cream.
Service on this visit was uneven. Our server Chelsea was attentive, and we observed her doing a great deal more than a couple of her colleagues, who walked around in a dazed fashion, taking several minutes to clear a table, while she ran circles around them.
Teri had been the week before and the service had been excellent, so this appears to have been anomalous, but a little training would prevent the simple but irritating mistakes we encountered - particularly the used side plates and cutlery that remained on our table after our shared appetizer.
Minor shortcomings aside, we would all return. The menu is apparently being tweaked soon, and the four-course Tuscan dinner menu for $19.99 is great value. Call for details.
RATINGS
Rating 1 Below bad
Rating 2 Below average
Rating 3 Average
Rating 4 Above average
Rating 5 Excellent
