The Township of Esquimalt is becoming a foodie haven.
“It’s getting better all the time! As more of these restaurants open up it’s definitely getting easier to find a place to eat for lunch,” said Mike Neal, who works in Esquimalt.
“It’s nice to see Esquimalt getting some really good broad-spectrum fare,” added Warren Skaalurd.
And food lovers are flocking to the intersection of Head Street and Esquimalt Road for a collision of mouthwatering East African, hearty Chinese, to incredible Indian eats.
At the Indian restaurant Spice Valley, they don’t serve your mom’s butter chicken.
“It’s pretty famous here, people like it,” said Head Chef Gajendra Singh Naruka, as he makes their best selling juicy prawn tandoori.
And this North Indian family restaurant, with Rajasthani flare, all started with owner Pralatt Singh.
“This is my dream restaurant,” said Singh.
Singh came over to Canada in 2012, hiring childhood friends and cousins who are now brothers and sisters in the kitchen.
For him, Esquimalt was the best place to land.
“I didn’t find any Indian cuisine here, so this is a good location for exposure for my food,” said Singh.
And just down the street is another hotbed of tasty treats.
“It’s the holy trinity, fresh-cut potatoes, homemade sauce, fresh-cut cheese. Magic. Delicious,” said Matti Lott, owner of La Belle Petat, which serves up French Canadian home comfort.
“It is special, it’s wonderful, it’s reminiscing of home,” said Jerry Stern, a regular and ex-Quebecer.
And the heart and soul of this French Canadian hot spot? No surprise here — it’s hockey.
“The fabric from any community, at least where I came from, is the rink,” said Lott.
The real shared fabric though is what they’re serving up, and who they’re serving.
“We have a good sense of community here in the township,” said Lott.
“I plan on being here for many years to come because I love it.”
And these two restaurants are just a slice of what Esquimalt offers. So, for Canadian nostalgia to foreign flavours, head down to the township, and break bread.
Kori Sidaway
