A Sea Cider Ciderhouse and FAS Seafood Dinner
Sunday August 22, 2010

The Hotel Grand Pacific's Winemakers Dinner series continues on Sunday August 22 with a celebration of Sea Cider Ciderhouse and FAS Seafood. Click here to view menu.

The event begins at 5:30 pm with a cider and canapés reception on the lower patio and an introduction from Sea Cider and FAS. Dinner follows at 6:15 pm in the Mark. Tickets are $125.00 per person (all inclusive, with complimentary valet parking), and reservations are available by calling 250-380-4478. Hosted in The Mark, an intimate dining room with only 28 seats, this dinner is expected to sell out quickly.

Diners are invited to stay overnight at the Hotel Grand Pacific with a special room rate of $125.

Bob Fraumeni, the owner of the Dovre B, also owns FAS Seafood's, and is one of only a handful of fishermen who still sells seafood directly to the Victoria market. Chefs in-the-know love him. After selling exclusively into the Asian market for many years, Bob was anxious to make his high quality product available locally. 'Finest At Sea' was established as a 'boutique-style' seafood company with locations in Victoria and Vancouver BC. Bob recognized the need for a source of top quality all wild seafood products of known origin. Combined with state of the art processing, storage facilities, transportation and delivery systems, the 'Finest At Sea' products are all Oceanwise approved and are harvested in keeping with sustainable fishing practices.

To take a sip-a long, thoughtful sip-of Sea Coder is to taste what all ciders should be. The apples for the ciders are all pressed at the Saanich farm using the traditional rack and cloth method. The juice is slowly fermented with champagne yeasts, and then aged to perfection. The result: a selection of critically acclaimed artisan ciders.

All seafood served in the Mark restaurant is Oceanwise approved. A conservation initiative of the Vancouver Aquarium, the Ocean Wise program identifies sustainable seafood, which is, very simply, seafood caught in a way that ensures the health of the ocean for years to come. For more information about the Ocean Wise program visit www.oceanwisecanada.org.

Hotel Grand Pacific Director of Operations, Emory Haines and Food and Beverage Manager, Janis Goard are committed to building a strong wine program at the hotel through education and experience. The Hotel was instrumental in bringing world-class wine instruction to Vancouver Island, and has hosted delivery of the International Sommelier Guild programs at the Hotel since 2003.

For more information about the Hotel Grand Pacific, visit www.hotelgrandpacific.com

Think Outside the Crumpet


The Hotel Grand Pacific presents West Coast Afternoon Tea

"Veddy British" Victoria is losing her grip on Afternoon Tea. Put down the finger sandwich and back away from the strawberry jam because there IS life after clotted cream.

Imagine the punchy spices of Pacific Pan Asia meeting the clean savoury flavours of the wild West Coast. The Pacific Restaurant in the Hotel Grand Pacific is "tea-sing" you to come in and enjoy a "High Tea" far above the ordinary.

Sample such intriguing nibbles as Asian five-spice scones with local Vancouver Island jams and jellies. Indulge in wild smoked BC salmon sushi with traditional First Nations' bannock. Sweet and salt marry exceptionally well with an afternoon menu that also features Thomas Haas chocolates and fruit gelees.

It gets better. Tea lovers rejoice. Restaurant Chef Michael Minshull has a wild new take on Tea, but gives a nod to tradition with an outstanding selection of world teas, and the use of English Tea Council approved Bodum tea pots for the perfect "cup-ah". Guests may brew to order at their table using individual Bodum tea kettles, thus ensuring their Biodynamic Single Estate Darjeeling is steeped with full boil water or their green tea is washed in water just below a boil.

West Coast Afternoon Tea at the HGP is available 7 days a week from 2 pm to 4:30 pm. Priced at $38 per person.

For reservations call The Pacific Restaurant at 250-380-4458.

Our Tea Menu

Sustainable Wines program introduced at Victoria's Hotel Grand Pacific


The Hotel Grand Pacific is proud to implement its new Sustainable Wines program in The Mark and Pacific Restaurants and in The Pacific Lounge, effective immediately.

Sustainable wines are the product of environmentally and socially responsible grape growing and winemaking within the winery. A green dot identifies wines on the Hotel's wine list that marry quality with sustainability, making it easy for restaurant and lounge guests to make the most responsible wine choices.

"We are delighted to introduce a new wine experience to our guests", says Janis Goard, Food and Beverage Manager for the Hotel Grand Pacific. Goard personally selected wines for the Sustainable Wines program. "The wines are of excellent quality, which remains our first concern with any wine on our list, and are produced with a holistic approach to growing and food production that respects the environment", Goard explains.

The Hotel Grand Pacific is determined to be at the forefront of culinary sustainability. The Sustainable Wines program complements both the hotel's participation in the Ocean Wise sustainable seafood program, and emphasis on seasonal menus that source foods from within a 100-kilometre radius of the property.

Goard is committed to building a strong wine program at the hotel through education and experience. The Hotel Grand Pacific was instrumental in bringing world-class wine instruction to Vancouver Island, and has hosted delivery of the International Sommelier Guild programs at the Hotel since 2003. The hotel's wine list has received prestigious awards from the BC Wine Institute, Wine Spectator magazine and the Vancouver Playhouse.

To view the wine list, visit www.themark.ca. For more information or reservations call 250-380-4458.

The Hotel Grand Pacific on Victoria's Inner Harbour was recently selected the Best Hotel in Canada by readers of Conde Nast Traveler magazine. For more information about the Hotel visit www.hotelgrandpacific.com