The venerable ivy-covered Empress Hotel , in Victoria's Inner Harbor, has been a city landmark since 1908. The menus are constantly changing and might include Fraser Valley smoked marinated duck breast and marinated ostrich loin with herb farce. About 12 miles northeast of Victoria, in a white clapboard inn on a bluff above Whiffen Spit and the Strait of Juan de Fuca, Sooke Harbour House continues to garner worldwide fame for its imaginative regional cuisine and use of homegrown and local products. Given top marks by Gourmet magazine and a bevy of other food critics, the kitchen staff turns out daily changing menus that amaze, delight, and awe. Also included are side trips to herb farms, cheese farms, wineries, and more.
Customized packages are available.
This article is reprinted from Postcards Magazine and has not been edited or updated since it's original publication.