– by Lara Gladych –
This is the first in a six-part series of profiles on some of the Saanich Peninsula’s wonderful restaurants and pubs.
During this year’s filming of the FOX series Gracepoint, Canoe Cove Joe’s was temporarily taken over by a film crew. As I approach for my visit with Joe and Cheryl Bourdeau, I’m reminded that David Tennant and Anna Gunn played detectives just inside these doors.
I enter the restaurant and am promptly greeted by a server, and then Cheryl approaches me and introduces herself as Joe’s wife. Together, the Bourdeaus are the new owner/operators of Canoe Cove Joe’s restaurant, located at Canoe Cove Marina.
Once seated, I suggest Cheryl go ahead and order for me. She obliges, and proceeds to order an Ultimate burger with bacon and cheese, and Joe’s crab cakes. The restaurant’s namesake soon appears from the kitchen to join us. Joe’s also the man behind the recipes. Owning a restaurant has long been a dream of his, though Joe reveals that his friends see his new role as a step outside of his comfort zone, a step he takes happily as he adjusts to people recognizing him. “People have seen my picture in Seaside magazine … and they want to know where I am. It’s kind of neat.”
The couple took several weeks after opening in June to assess what they had on their hands, and what people wanted. They modified the décor somewhat and starting with the existing menu, trimmed it down and made it their own. The new burgers are Joe’s recipe: each patty is seven ounces of steroid- and hormone-free beef. “You can’t rush these burgers,” Joe explains, “seven ounces takes more time to cook.” This isn’t fast food, and that’s how they prefer it.
The burgers, made the way you like, are at the heart of this endeavour. “We want people to say, “let’s go down for a burger at Joe’s,'” but with the intent to be, in a way, to have a burger with Joe. Joe wants his customers to become friends who will always be greeted with a handshake and comfortable atmosphere.
The food arrives and the burger is what you’d hope any great burger would look like: hand-shaped, hot, with fresh and colorful garnish. The fries are hand-cut. As I bite into it, I can’t quite discern between which flavours belong to the incredible sweet relish versus the patty itself, which has some heat to it.
I move on to the crab cakes, a star item on their menu. They’re stacked two-high, topped with wasabi coleslaw and a soy sauce reduction. It’s a great pairing of flavours that brings something unexpected to the dish. Cheryl wants to attract a broader clientele than the usual work crowd, and hopes to see more women come through the door. The crab cakes and the newly furnished patio were added with this draw in mind.
There’s a group of six seated behind me, and Cheryl recognizes one of the couples from their visit two days earlier. The couple is from Piers Island. They loved the crab cakes so much that they returned with their friends visiting from Idaho. “Awesome crab cakes at Joe’s,” they tell me, their mere presence a testament to their approval.
We start to talk about dessert, and Joe brings me several slices of freshly baked pie. He does much of the baking in-house, which includes a variety of breakfast muffins, both sweet and savory, and notably, the cinnamon buns, which are grilled and topped with frosting before being served. He tells me that he plans to experiment with a gluten-free muffin recipe, and on that note, adds that they are happy to accommodate dietary needs when they can.
Canoe Cove Joe’s welcomes children, offer a kids’ menu, and will promptly offer families small bowls of French fries or muffins to keep little tummies at bay while orders are placed.
Joe’s is open for breakfast, and daily from 7-3. I look forward to returning for a crab cake benny and cinnamon buns with my own brood. After all, who can resist great comfort food?
Canoe Cove Joe’s is located at 2300 Canoe Cove Rd, call 250-656-5557.
