– by Lara Gladych –
This is the third in a six-part series of profiles on some of the Saanich Peninsula’s wonderful restaurants and pubs.
Ron and Maureen Vincent had not planned on being restaurant owners at this time in their lives. However, one day, just over two and a half years ago, they stumbled upon the vacant property at Van Isle Marina that just happened to have been owned by Ron’s mother when he was ten years old. They decided to take the plunge and open a restaurant, and here they are now, a great success known as Sea Glass Waterfront Grill.
Ron has been a chef almost his whole life. Sea Glass, for him, is the culmination of both his good and bad experiences in the restaurant world, and his goal is to be extraordinary.
“People too often settle for mediocrity, ” says Ron, as he, Maureen and I sit and talk on a private back-patio just off the restaurant dining room. Ron wants people to know that what separates Sea Glass from other restaurants is that customers won’t be disappointed, and that they can expect excellence from the food, service and overall experience.
When you walk into Sea Glass, Ron and Maureen want you to feel that you’ve arrived at the beach. The name and the feel of the restaurant have been in Ron’s mind since he was a boy growing up in Sidney. The inspiration comes from Glass Beach of days gone by, which he says was quite different when he was a kid.
The colours and décor are transporting, with every shade of aqua, sea grass and sand you can imagine surrounding you. They have achieved their desired setting, there’s no doubt about it.
Dining at Sea Glass is what Ron would call upscale casual. Yes, there are white tablecloths, but there’s no need to dress up unless you feel you’d like to. “We serve everybody, and every style of dress. Just wear something, it doesn’t matter what,” says Maureen. We laugh.
Ron is behind the entire menu, “with the input of a few very important people,” he adds. He is a West Coast-trained chef with 25 years of experience in Vancouver restaurants. That is where he developed his affinity for, and skill with, Asian cuisine, which you’ll find influences many of his dishes. He identifies with both the style and flavours.
Sea Glass is open all day, for breakfast, lunch and dinner. That being said, getting the couple to narrow down their favourite dishes is close to impossible, as they love everything that comes through the kitchen throughout the day. The dishes I pin them down on, if they had to choose, are the Huevos Italiano and the Sea Glass Omelette, the Quarterdeck Burger and the Sea Glass Caesar Salad, and finally, the Espresso Braised Boneless Short Ribs.
Ron’s son Zachary brings out two appetizers for me to sample: the Black and Blue and the Deconstructed Spring Rolls.
I devour the Black and Blue, a tuna tataki dish, which is blue-seared local Albacore tuna encrusted in black sesame seeds. Beneath is a bed of house-pickled vegetables dressed with citrus vinaigrette and wasabi pea dust. It’s both artistic and delicious.
Next are the spring rolls. I now see why they are “deconstructed,” as the components are served stacked high in layers, making the dish very visually appealing. I see the Asian BBQ pulled-pork, along with the sesame hoisin dressed vegetables, and separating each layer, crispy wonton skins that would normally encase the rest. It’s a creative dish. The pulled-pork isn’t too saucy or sweet, and it is balanced well with the vegetables and the crispness of the wontons. I love it!
To round out my sampling, I finish with one of the desserts prepared in-house by pastry chef Katie Lohnes. It’s a flourless chocolate torte topped with blackberry-ginger compote. It’s not too rich, and the tartness of the blackberries and warmth of the ginger blend deliciously with
the chocolate.
If you’re yearning for a getaway and an exceptional food experience, look no further than the short trip to Sea Glass, because life really is better at the beach.
Sea Glass Waterfront Grill, 2320 Harbour Road, Sidney is open 7 days a week in the spring and summer from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m.
