Wow! Amazing!! It's a real treat when you unexpectedly come…read moreacross a Gem like this Restaurant My wife and I love good Mediterranean food and have had many wonderful meals of such but this one tops them all !! Every aspect of this meal was executed brilliantly It wasn't just dinner it was what we look for in a great experience and our server was a big part of that she was great ! The Atmosphere is old world beauty so comfortable and relaxing even with all activity and conversations Right from the first bit of our baked oyster to the final bit of the ekmek it was incredible and I don't use that word about food often Even the owner goes from table to table checking in and a free liquor a nice touch Just make a reservation and go experience this wonderful place for your self !!!

We showed up without a reservation and they squeezed us in on a very busy night. This is obviously…read morea very popular place and family run. Staff was professional, the owner greeted and welcomed us as we arrived and when we left. Food was outstanding! The lamb was delicious and well seasoned, sides very tasty and the baklava fresh and a great finish to the meal. It's not cheap, but well priced for this level of atmosphere, service and quality of food. Highly recommend...but probably best to call ahead and get a reservation.

We found a great brunch spot before starting our trip!…read more We were in Nanaimo looking for a nice brunch spot before starting our Vancouver Island road trip, and Gabriel's Gourmet Cafe really hit the spot! We liked how easy the ordering system was. You pick up a menu, choose a table, decide what you want, and then order and pay at the counter. They give you a number, and they bring your food and drinks to your table. It's straightforward. The fresh, local ingredients stood out, and we would recommend this place if you want a tasty and filling meal. The portions were just right for our big appetites. The atmosphere was so relaxed we almost wanted to stay longer. We'd recommend starting the Nanaimo road trip here. Food: 5/5 Must Try! Service: 5/5 (hybrid-service) Kids: 3/5 Presentation: 2/5 Parking: Metered street parking is available throughout the surrounding neighbourhood. Tips: * Inside & outdoor seating available. * Great stop before heading out to explore Vancouver Island. * They have G/F and Vegan options. Would I Return: Yes

Awesome fresh food with great service. Probably my favourite place to get brunch in Nanaimo.read more

The bowls and soup were really high quality and tasted organic. The latte was great! I enjoyed the…read morewest coast bowl.

Ordered the west coast bowl which was very delicious and I appreciated that they support local…read morevendors and source organic whenever possible. It is situated in a very cute space and loved that it was dairy free with a creamy dressing. Good balance of veggies and rice made me feel very healthy with my meal choices :) My friends shared the grilled cheese and chicken sandwich and said both were very delicious, but the grilled cheese just barely edged out the chicken sandwich as the more delicious option. However, personally I think the sandwich portions seemed a bit small for my appetite and I would probably have needed to add a soup on the side to feel full. Order at the counter, grab a number and table and your food will be brought to you. Water is self serve and they also sell coffee beans to go.

In every little town, there are bakeries. Many do wonders, both for the community and for bringing…read morepeople in to try something new. On our family trip, my wife a constant searcher for a good Scone and Baked Pastry, saw the sign for this place as we drove between Qualicum Beach and other sights to be seen. In that, we quickly looked them up, and saw they have been around for a long time (1995), and give ourselves a waypoint to stop on our drive back to our holiday rental. So when you drive up, you feel like you might be traveling to a farm house, which happens to be a bakery. The vibes definitely put you into that mood. On our occasion, it was a mild but warn day, and people were outside on their stone patio having baked good, so maybe we were in for a treat. Upon entering, you are in a small room, just enough for a few things on the side, then the case of goods, front of center. They were well stocked with lots of delights, and breads too. Sausage rolls, scones, cookies, bars, and cake slices. Today, we got a couple sausage rolls and a scone... and let's just say, each was proper delicious. That said, we were in the out, because as we stared ordering, a line of people started to show up, and we quickly paid and left. So is it worth coming, sure. Is it delicious, yes.

How lucky we were to be in town when they were open! Had a delicious cherry tomato / fresh! and…read morejuicy - spinach and feta scone and a lemon berry one one too! Got the special asiago sourdough loaf that we will enjoy for the next few days . The lemon fig cookie I'm having for breakfast tomorrow

Nanaimo had been sorely missing something to really call their own. A dining experience that meets…read morethe expectations of living the finer life. Melange did that with wonderful food, a great atmosphere and service beyond compare in our little town. The owner took time to shake my hand and specifically took time from his duties to welcome us and thank us for coming. Who does that?

Let's start with the ambiance, it was fine. It was nice and clean…read more Service was also fine. Took a little bit of time to get menus and water. The food took quite a while to come out considering there were no more than 14 people in the restaurant. Server was nice and answered the questions we had. BBQ ribs: 3.5/5 tender and fall off the bone. The flavour was ok. The sauce was good but the meat itself wasn't flavored well without the sauce. Chicken liver parfait: 5/5 this was my highlight. Generous portion of liver. Beautifully plated with sweet, savoury, components including different textures. Bread was soft, fluffy and warm. Jamaican jerk chicken rice ice bowl: 2/5 Came a bit confusing. We had to clarify with the sever that this was indeed the jerk chicken bowl. Nothing screamed Jamaican. It was more Taiwanese fried chicken with a kicked up Tabasco sauce on top of Chinese fried rice with a bit of dry jerk seasoning sprinkled into it. Flavor wise, it wasn't bad but Jamaican jerk flavours it was not. For $26 I wanted full Jamaican flavours. Would I come back? Probably not. Would I stop people from going? Also probably not.

I ordered delivery one time and loved my meal! The pirogies and sausage were great. I love…read moresauerkraut. I love borscht. It was all really good! I have tried to order from there several times since and quite frankly I'm not sure if they really want any business. They are closed three days out of the week and only open minimal hours Tuesday to Friday. They are closed by 6 o'clock for this, I would like to give them zero stars, except that their food was really good. The other serious complaint I have is their borscht is way too expensive! $11 for one serving? For that price, you can get double the amount at most other places that have borscht. Costco has a really good borsch as well that you can get two containers (4 servings) for that price.

By far the best Polish food I've had in North America. We tried the sausage, all five flavors of…read moreperogies, sauerkraut, borscht, and slaw. I wish this place were closer to home. If we lived closer, I would have gone back and purchased one of their many frozen options like their perogies or soup (they even have kapusniak!!!!!). Alas, the frozen food wouldn't have survived our trip home. The combo plate comes with your choice of perogies (you can get one of each or all one flavor), two small rounds of bread, sour cream, a sausage link, small pieces of bacon, onions, sauerkraut, and slaw. One bite and I felt like my Polish ancestors were somewhere dancing to Polka. Everything was so well seasoned and tasty. The borscht was delicious, and I don't even like borscht. The perogies were better than any I've had in Seattle. They also have a small selection of sweets and other prepackaged food. We enjoyed a chocolate-covered plum candy for dessert. When I think about the most memorable meals I had on a recent trip to Victoria and Nanaimo, the Hungry Rooster is number 1 on my list.

The food was wonderful as always, but Linda's service in particular is what prompted this review…read more Despite the special demands my family came with (young children, my famously befuddling dad), Linda handled it all with grace and warmth. The ambiance was nice too- casually absorbing the spectacular view of the inlet at sunset while taking in red meat and wine-a nice way to spend an evening with loved ones.

Although a little dated in the menu...the food was pretty good and the service was fantastic.read more

I did not see any Goats on the Roof. It may be too hot. The shop has plenty of goodies from…read morepastries to sandwiches. There were also home goods and kids toys that were sold here. It was super busy inside and there is back area for parking. Protip - buy some cheese and sandwiches and eat on the grassy area by the parking area.

This place is absolutely a tourist trap, and that's okay, because if you are here, and you know…read morethat it is, and yes, there are Goats on the Roof, then you are going to love this place. Firstly, if you come here "late" like after 10am, then it might be a messy bit to find parking, but there is both parking behind and down along the drive into the property, or across the street also. Once you park, I recommend just heading to the Old Country Market itself, find a space a few meters back, and look on the roof, The roof has a rotating set of goats, which live up top. They are the attraction, and that is it. You got a place with Goats... on... the... roof. Once you have accomplished that, time to head inside and check out the offerings. First, if you are just rushing through, it's just going to feel like some random grocery market. Yes, lots of things are mass market, but when you SLOW down, and look around, you may start to find some lesser known, and okay, still Made in China, but local flair nevertheless. I recommend heading to the meat counter (assuming you like meat) and getting some Jerky, or other items.. because those are made locally. Then as you meander through the trinkets, you are going to find a mix between local and imported things. As you wonder back toward the baked products, you are going to see piles of loves of bread. I didn't try them, so can't recommend, however head past that, and you will find delicious case of based goods, including their house made Sausage Rolls, which are darn tasty. Go with their original one, then branch out. Again, meat lovers here. As you slowly, go around the store, being bumped by everyone around you, because there are too many people here, in this little shop, take in the fact that ABOVE YOUR HEAD, on the roof, are up there. So look, it's a trap, to be sure, and don't doubt it's going to be a mass of people, but honestly, you came here because it was a tourist trap, so go early, and take your time. Also, highly recommend the used book store nearby, once you free yourself of the money you are going to spend here in the market.