– by Lara Gladych –
This is the Second in a six-part series of profiles on some of the Saanich Peninsula’s wonderful restaurants and pubs.
“A passionate farm experience” – there really is no better way to describe what you’ll find at The Roost Farm Bakery & Bistro. For owners Dallas and Sarah Bohl, bringing the farm experience to customers is paramount.
Every employee, everyday, shares a passion for their customers and the food they serve, says John DesBiens, kitchen manager. We sit across from each other in the wicker-furnished bus that serves as over-flow seating for the bakery. Between us sits a Hot Montreal Smoked Meat sandwich and Spinach and Beet salad that John has prepared for me. Also joining us is service manager, Carley St.Blaze. “There’s passion in the food and in the room,” she says, and both she and John agree that customers pick-up on the warmth and friendliness. It’s a combination of the food and the farm setting that creates an overall experience that people keep coming back for.
John tells me to get eating while the sandwich is hot. Their Montreal smoked meat does in fact come from Montreal. The rest of their meat comes from Carnivore in Brentwood, and is locally sourced, hormone- and steroid-free. This sandwich, along with their Turkey and Swiss, is one of their two bestsellers. Soon, the optional sauerkraut on the Hot Montreal will be one made in-house. House-made jams and pickles are also about to make a debut.
This sandwich is pretty marvelous to look at. The Russian Rye is so rich with colour it’s almost black. The meat is stacked to a height I’m not quite sure I can manage to eat and still appear lady-like. In the salad, organic spinach, beet, dried cranberries, pecans and feta are topped with a raspberry poppy seed dressing. It’s colourful and flavourful, with a sweetness that offsets it’s savoury sandwich neighbour.
Here at The Roost, in keeping with a ground-to-plate mentality, they grow as much as they can themselves. They mill their own wheat, collect fresh eggs, harvest grapes from their own vineyard to make their Highland House Wines, and grow enough blueberries to sustain their blueberry recipes throughout the year.
Dallas is constantly encouraging new ideas and the fine-tuning of existing recipes so that they are evolving with people’s tastes and trends in food. For John, this means drawing on his grandmother’s recipes and working with seasonal ingredients and “whatever is popping out of the ground.” The tourtiere is what he is currently most proud of. The quinoa chocolate cake you’ll find masterfully decorated in the front case is one of the best chocolate cakes I’ve ever had. It’s based on a recipe brought to them by one of their front staffers. Everyone is encouraged to bring something to the table, affirms Carley.
Pre-prepared take-away dinners are a newer feature at The Roost. They are great for those who may have a smaller space to cook in, as much as they are for working parents who are rushing home to feed their kids. They’re a great option for those who don’t always have time to do this kind of cooking, but love the quality and home-cooked appeal of all things Roost.
Kids are a huge part of the Roost clientele. There’s no need for a kids menu, says Carley, because most children are so fond of the same things their parents are eating. Half portions of sandwiches and salads are available, however, for anyone with a smaller appetite. Staff members here operate on a ‘yes’ basis. They will always do their best to accommodate any special needs or requests.
The Roost is a Peninsula gem that continues to draw a loyal clientele who value that “feels like home” experience as much as those who work there. It’s a place where you’ll not only find a wholesome, farm-fresh meal, but you’ll also find that you’re likely to develop a new friendship with the staff and become a familiar customer whose order they remember.
The Roost is open from 6am-6pm through the fall and winter months. Call 250-655-0075.
