OnTrak Spring 2018

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Janice Hayward FROM LEFT Blackfin Pub offers local ingredients and great views. Chefs are out in force at the Comox by the Sea Celebration. Bike trails are abundant in Comox Valley. Culinary landscape The culinary terrain is heavily influenced by fresh, local and sustainable fixings. Chefs, farmers, ranchers and fishermen work together toward a green future, where island ingredients are the featured attraction on daily menus and reflect the agriculture and people of the Comox Valley. One afternoon, I met up with my fellow travel writers for lunch at Locals Restaurant in the Old House Hotel & Spa— steps from my spacious suite. I love this historic building as much as the cuisine. Originally constructed in 1938 as a residence, it was converted to an eatery in 1975. The wooden-clad, gabled-roof restaurant is surrounded by seasoned gardens, mature trees, shrubbery and a gazebo. Executive chef and owner Ronald St. Pierre’s golden rule to preparing fine fare is finding the shortest route to the table. He shines the limelight on local purveyors—Pattison Farms for produce, Island Bison for buffalo, Tannadice Farms for pork and Prontissima Pasta. You simply can’t go wrong ordering anything off of Locals’ carte du jour. I went for the Locals seafood linguine, a medley of white fish, candied salmon, mussels, clams, scallops and jumbo prawns—a dish worthy of a rushed flight to Comox. Another favorite spot was the Blackfin Pub, offering spectacular views of Comox Harbor and the Beaufort Mountains. Its menu is rife with locally sourced ingredients, including the droolworthy seafood enchilada, chock full of snapper, salmon and shrimp. More than a foodie paradise With miles of rugged, picturesque rural beauty, seeing Comox Valley on a bike is truly a fun adventure. After securing my helmet, I cycled up the steep hill with Laurel Cronk, my tour guide and owner of Island Joy Rides. I was huffing a little, but Cronk had promised my exertion would be rewarded. I rounded the corner to bear witness to the most incredible vista of the Comox Valley below me. At the Glacier Lookout, as far as my eye could see, it was verdant farmland competing for my attention with rolling mountain views and the ever-changing coastline. Later, a short stroll along the banks of the Comox River took me to my hotel, The Old House Hotel & Spa. Actually, it isn’t old at all—it took its moniker from the original restaurant, but it’s a luxurious stone-and-wood Whistler-style retreat. What is a sojourn without a spa treatment? At the hotel’s OhSpa, I indulged in an hour-long Moor Mud Wrap, followed by a therapeutic hydrotherapy tub. This mineral mud wrap detoxified and soothed my rough and irritated skin. Because “spa-ing” is about female bonding, the spa’s sanctuary is where you go to linger before or after your treatments—it’s conducive to gossiping with friends over a cup of Zen green tea. On the day I visited, it was full of women dressed in standard spa fashion—plush bathrobes and cushy slippers—who had left behind jobs, children and husbands for a weekend of pampering. On my last day, I took in a number of stops, including the Comox Valley Farmers’ Market. This lively fair has become more than a regular shopping opportunity for locals—it is a common stop on a visitor’s itinerary as well. It’s a great place to purchase seasonal favorites, including award-winning cheeses, shellfish, artisan products, gourmet sauces, honey, preserves and much more, while showcasing the valley’s farms and ranches and the food they produce. Comox Valley is a treat for any epicurean or outdoor adventurer. There is much to explore in this laidback countryside region. 28 | SPRING <strong>2018</strong> ontrakmag.com
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OnTrak Spring 2018

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