It's time to talk about some heavy hitters in the Victoria Caesar world. Allow me to present to you the Bourbonator from Jam Cafe and the Bacon and Blue Cheese Caesar from Heron Rock Bistro.
Over two brunches this weekend, I sat down with two guest reviewers to see how these cocktails shaped up. Brother A flew in from Fort Mcmurray to help with the Heron Rock review (probably also to visit friends and family) and my friend R helped me out at Jam.
Over two brunches this weekend, I sat down with two guest reviewers to see how these cocktails shaped up. Brother A flew in from Fort Mcmurray to help with the Heron Rock review (probably also to visit friends and family) and my friend R helped me out at Jam.
Bourbonator - Jam Cafe | Bacon and Blue Cheese - Heron Rock Bistro |
CONTENDER 1 - BOURBONATOR, JAM CAFE
Saturday morning I woke up and realized I had no groceries. Instead of shopping for something to whip up in the kitchen, I texted R and we headed for brunch in Canada's number one town when it comes to breakfast joints.
We decided to brave the line-up and go to Jam Cafe. I love the little cafe, but don't eat there very often because it's so popular and busy and I'm often too impatient for the line. On Saturday I grabbed a spot in line and R grabbed us some coffees from across the street. We enjoyed the sun, coffee and conversation while we fantasized about our breakfasts and maple bacon Caesars.
We eventually got a table and ordered our food - Huevos Rancheros for me and Three Pigs for R - and our drinks.
Our Caesars arrived in Mason Jars with steak seasoning on the rim. Visually, the garnish is minimal as far as variations on Caesars go, but the strip of maple bacon marinating in the glass packs a hefty punch. It's sticky, sweet and meaty.
The flavour is delicately smoky as the bourbon, horseradish and maple bacon mingle with the classic Caesar seasoning. The steak salt rim adds an extra kick to this cocktail. Perfect for pulling you up by your bootstraps on a lazy long weekend.
I asked R for her thoughts, but she was mostly just sipping her Caesar, smiling and saying "yum."
Twelve YEE-HAWS out of twelve.
CONTENDER 2 - BACON BLUE CHEESE, HERON ROCK BISTRO
For Easter Sunday, my brother A was in town and we headed to the Heron Rock Bistro for brunch after a failed attempt to eat at Wheelies, which was closed when we rolled by. We weren't the only disappointed potential diners. Two forlorn guys astride motorcycles looked longingly into the locked parking lot.
I'd never eaten at Heron Rock before, so I was excited to try it. It's been a haunt for my brothers and their fellow rugby players and A was happy to eat there again after 45 straight days of work in Fort Mac.
I wasn't planning on drinking a Caesar, but A's face lit up as I read the Caesar choices off the menu and he ordered the Bacon Blue Cheese, which is made with gin.
It arrived at the table with a Stilton stuffed olive and an extra chunk of Stilton thrown in for good measure. As A munched on the Stilton and took the first few sips, he reflected on his love of blue cheese. "It's like, when I'm hungover I can't taste anything, but blue cheese is such an intense flavour..." he trailed off, lost in a world of smoky bacon and blue cheese.
I took a couple sips of the Caesar so I could offer some insight into this drink. It was smokier than I expected and delicious. The garnish looked great and was clearly taking A's mind off his imminent return to life in Northern Alberta. A started crunching the celery stick that came with the drink -- a garnish you don't see very often in Victoria these days. He was wistful now, "Imagine if the celery could absorb the Caesar and then when you bit into it, you got the Caesar too."
A ordered another one after finishing up the first. He continued to sing the praises of blue cheese, bacon and getting Caesars right as he sipped number 2.
I finished my food and ordered the Dill Pickle Caesar. As someone who happily drinks pickle juice (brine, I know), this was perhaps the perfect version of the Caesar for me. It was like some wonderful genius had just added Clamato and seasoning to a jar of pickles and then put two succulent pickles on the rim of the glass as a garnish. WHAT IS NOT TO LIKE HERE?
Alright, so ten out of ten rig pigs agree, the Bacon Blue Cheese Caesar is worth 45 straight 12 hour shifts in the patch.
And the Dill Pickle Caesar is delicious dill heaven.
COMPARE AND CONTRAST:
Saturday morning I woke up and realized I had no groceries. Instead of shopping for something to whip up in the kitchen, I texted R and we headed for brunch in Canada's number one town when it comes to breakfast joints.
We decided to brave the line-up and go to Jam Cafe. I love the little cafe, but don't eat there very often because it's so popular and busy and I'm often too impatient for the line. On Saturday I grabbed a spot in line and R grabbed us some coffees from across the street. We enjoyed the sun, coffee and conversation while we fantasized about our breakfasts and maple bacon Caesars.
We eventually got a table and ordered our food - Huevos Rancheros for me and Three Pigs for R - and our drinks.
Our Caesars arrived in Mason Jars with steak seasoning on the rim. Visually, the garnish is minimal as far as variations on Caesars go, but the strip of maple bacon marinating in the glass packs a hefty punch. It's sticky, sweet and meaty.
The flavour is delicately smoky as the bourbon, horseradish and maple bacon mingle with the classic Caesar seasoning. The steak salt rim adds an extra kick to this cocktail. Perfect for pulling you up by your bootstraps on a lazy long weekend.
I asked R for her thoughts, but she was mostly just sipping her Caesar, smiling and saying "yum."
Twelve YEE-HAWS out of twelve.
CONTENDER 2 - BACON BLUE CHEESE, HERON ROCK BISTRO
For Easter Sunday, my brother A was in town and we headed to the Heron Rock Bistro for brunch after a failed attempt to eat at Wheelies, which was closed when we rolled by. We weren't the only disappointed potential diners. Two forlorn guys astride motorcycles looked longingly into the locked parking lot.
I'd never eaten at Heron Rock before, so I was excited to try it. It's been a haunt for my brothers and their fellow rugby players and A was happy to eat there again after 45 straight days of work in Fort Mac.
I wasn't planning on drinking a Caesar, but A's face lit up as I read the Caesar choices off the menu and he ordered the Bacon Blue Cheese, which is made with gin.
It arrived at the table with a Stilton stuffed olive and an extra chunk of Stilton thrown in for good measure. As A munched on the Stilton and took the first few sips, he reflected on his love of blue cheese. "It's like, when I'm hungover I can't taste anything, but blue cheese is such an intense flavour..." he trailed off, lost in a world of smoky bacon and blue cheese.
I took a couple sips of the Caesar so I could offer some insight into this drink. It was smokier than I expected and delicious. The garnish looked great and was clearly taking A's mind off his imminent return to life in Northern Alberta. A started crunching the celery stick that came with the drink -- a garnish you don't see very often in Victoria these days. He was wistful now, "Imagine if the celery could absorb the Caesar and then when you bit into it, you got the Caesar too."
A ordered another one after finishing up the first. He continued to sing the praises of blue cheese, bacon and getting Caesars right as he sipped number 2.
I finished my food and ordered the Dill Pickle Caesar. As someone who happily drinks pickle juice (brine, I know), this was perhaps the perfect version of the Caesar for me. It was like some wonderful genius had just added Clamato and seasoning to a jar of pickles and then put two succulent pickles on the rim of the glass as a garnish. WHAT IS NOT TO LIKE HERE?
Alright, so ten out of ten rig pigs agree, the Bacon Blue Cheese Caesar is worth 45 straight 12 hour shifts in the patch.
And the Dill Pickle Caesar is delicious dill heaven.
COMPARE AND CONTRAST:
BOURBONATOR EXPECTATION: lived up to high expectations GARNISH: simple, delicious RIM: steak seasoning, nice touch BOOZE: bourbon, bad ass FLAVOUR: subtly smoky, maple sweetness OVERALL THOUGHTS: delicious balance | BACON AND BLUE CHEESE exceeded my medium level of expectation flamboyant, delicious celery salt, didn't notice it really gin, tasty heavy smoky, substantial let your freak flag fly! |