Jam Cafe

Once in a while, you need a little pick-me-up, something to ignite that spark you might have lost from performing your daily routines in life. I’ve been wanting to plan a girls trip to the island for a while now and this past winter break, the plans finally became set in stone. My friend and I were lucky, as we went on a day where we witnessed Victoria at its finest hour – sunlight illuminated the clear skies, the water sparked and danced, with not a cloud in sight. The ride on the ferry was both scenic and breathtaking as we gazed out the window, taking it all in.

Our first stop after the ferry ride (and the bus ride shortly after), was no other than Jam Cafe. I’ve dreamed of coming here for almost three years now, ever since I heard they made a baked oatmeal. My first experience was at a retreat and I can’t stop thinking about ever since. Their version is gooey, sweet, firm but with a nice chew. It’s scrumptious don’t get me wrong, but nothing to write home about it either. Still, I enjoyed every morsel of it because it brought back some good ol’ memories… Their menu is so extensive and delicious sounding that I honestly wish we had a place like it in Vancouver. I guess it gives me more reason to visit Victoria, right?

Shortly after our meal, we headed to our rented apartment through airbnb. We were smitten with it the minute we walked in as it exuded both comfort and homeyness. The room was in pristine condition and we couldn’t be happier, especially with a kitchen that had all the necessities to do some cooking later on that evening.

We wandered around the streets for a bit and came across this Christmas shop on one the busy streets in Downtown Victoria. It was filled with all sorts of Christmas ornaments, about two stories full! It was magical… The shops in Victoria close quite early so we didn’t do much sight-seeing before all the stores became pitch-black and locked.

We grabbed take-out later that evening at a place called Taste of Europe Deli Store. They offer a variety of Polish and Ukrainian goods and everything is made on the premise by the owner himself. He’s very passionate about his food and also loves having a good chat with his customers. Being my first time having a cabbage roll, I must say I enjoyed it quite a bit. The perogies were also delicious and I loved chewing on the thick dough enveloping the filling.

Laying in bed and watching Mrs. Doubtfire for the first time. Oh my goodness, this film was absolutely hilarious… Robin Williams was truly a comedic genius.

Woke up the next morning to have breakfast at Mo:le. It has the feel between The Naam and Aphrodite’s combined. The pricing is very reasonable and there is a variety of healthy breakfast/lunch options. I tried the Polenta Cakes while my friend ordered the Huevos Rancheros. These were not bad, but I have to say not very filling either.

We made a stop at Fol Epi, the last of my dining itinerary. I just couldn’t leave Victoria without stopping by. Plus, it was a nice tranquil walk across the bridge. I chose the apple strudel and though I wished I had it warmed up, the crust was undoubtedly flakey and crisp, breaking into tiny shards each bite. I cannot wait to come back to try their pies!

I got their Ahi Tuna sandwich to go for the ferry ride back. The bread was exactly what I expected it to be, but I wasn’t exactly blown away with the sandwich filling as I presumed I would be. I guess all the rave about this set my expectations too high? Personally, it wasn’t anything special for the price.