BC Business
Fire & Water Fish and Chop House | BCBusinessSurf and turf has a new, cozy home in Victoria
General manager Stephen Roughley is so tickled with recent changes at Fire & Water, tucked to the side of the lobby in an airy, wood-panelled room, that he hopes to soon pull down walls to make it front and centre in the entrance of Victoria’s Marriott Inner Harbour Hotel.
Take a forkful of the 11-year-old restaurant’s latest culinary incarnation to see why. Its executive chef Dave Roger has segued from heavier plates to a lighter “comfort” menu.
Steaks are still key—after all, Roger was recently chosen to represent the chain nationally at the opening of the Riyadh Marriott in Saudi Arabia with a Canadian steak theme—but there’s plenty on the “water” side, too (Arctic char, tiger prawns and clam chowder, all with sustainable Ocean Wise accreditation to boot).
“This is not a steakhouse of darkness,” Roughley enthuses. “It’s a chop house of light.” (marriottvictoria.com)
BEST TABLE: The tables by the window are perfect for people watching. The spot’s a magnet for both locals and the time-crunched crowd at the nearby convention centre. Try the “cove” table tucked neatly behind a partition wall for confidential conference discussions.
DRINK UP: Make yours a Rob Collins. It might be sacrilegious to tinker with the classic cocktails—it’s the love child of Rob Roy and Tom Collins—but this is a gin-based sharp’ner with St-Germain elderflower liqueur, soda water, a dash of orange bitters and lemon juice.
MUST-TRY ORDER: Savour chef Roger’s Mediterranean steak and mesclun salad or the signature lamb burger, which oozes with triple-cream Cambozola blue cheese and red onion marmalade (topped with onion rings). Just add defibrillator.
INSIDER TIP: Squeezing lunch in between conference talks? Ask for the business express three-pronged soup, salad, sandwich ($15). As for those sea-salt crusted bread rolls on the table? Thank local European bakery Portofino.