Friday was a bit of a turmoil. We were dealing with an unexpected plumbing emergency resulting in a major flood in the kitchen. Mops, the shop vac and fast thinking helped save the day, sort of. Lots of restoration work going on with huge fans and heaters making the house very uncomfortable.
The solution? an unexpected trip to Victoria. After a day started with anxiety and a 3 hour drive we were ready for take a break. We thought about Ebizo and what the odds were we could get a walk-in table. We arrived at their door at 8:01, they close promptly at 8:00. Thought number 2, Bodega, a great happy hour stop with friends. But I had been craving a trip to Wind Cries Mary for one thing that never disappoints – their Burrata salad. I had recently seen their post on Instagram and that was it, I had to have it.
We walked down to Wind Cries Mary without a reservation and not a great expectation of getting a table on Friday night at 8:00 pm. Indeed they looked busy, we were next in line behind another couple so we checked in at the reception desk where a nice young man said to stay close by, the wait would be short, and it was.
We had a choice between bar seating and a table so we took a table and got lucky, seated in my favourite downlow area that connects to an outdoor space. The table suggested was in a bit of a busy spot so when we spotted two empty tables for two we asked if they were available. The young man checked and one of the tables was reserved but the other was available, we took it because I love banquette seating.
While we waited for our server the young man asked if we had been before and we chatted about past experiences and a bit about Birdman. I told him I came for the Buratta Salad in particular so he put an order in right away for us. Our server arrived and asked us if we would like still or sparkling water and we opted for sparkling, even though you pay of course. ($7.95) Hint for our server, bring the bottle of sparkling water with ice and sliced lime, which I ended up asking for.
Things to know about Wind Cries Mary; all items are shared plates, don’t expect that the dishes will come in the order in which you ordered them. Everything comes with tongs for serving. The restaurant is big, it just doesn’t feel like it but it has about three areas with tables, a large bar with seating and two outdoor spaces so it holds a lot of people, you just tend not to be aware of it because each room has a feeling of comfortable intimacy. Everything that comes out of the kitchen is what you expect and it is always good.
I have enjoyed the Wind Cries Mary Buratta Salad a few different ways, in late fall with butternut squash and in late summer with blackberries, yum that one is my favourite. This time the Buratta Salad as described by the restaurant, a big beautiful ball of Burrata, tomatoes, greens, radish, herbs, capers, chili vinaigrette. ($26.00)
The Buratta Salad did not disappoint, indeed the ball of Buratta was generous and the tomatoes so good, tossed in the vinaigrette with the most flavourful, fresh arugula. Just delicious and I highly recommend.
Although this was supposed to be just a light meal hubby was keen to try a wine from the list, a bit of a splurge because I don’t always drink a red wine with light dishes. He chose a 2024 S’Inventu Canonau Di Sardegna DOC at ($98.00 before tax).
Wind Cries Mary has a sommelier who is responsible for the all three restaurants which include Rudi’s and Birdman. I was pleased that sommelier Jasmine Dosanj brought the wine to the table for a brief chat about what to expect from the wine, then offering to decant the wine. The wine was poured for hubby to taste. I decided to give it a try and asked for a small pour. I mentioned to Jasmine that I was pleased that the wine was served at an ideal, slightly cool, temperature. Apparently this is something that Jasmine takes seriously and aims to provide all the wine varietals at an optimum temperature. Not an easy feat in a heritage building with no air conditioning but definitely appreciated.
After a few sips of the wine it was time to dig into the Buratta Salad and this did not disappoint. Crispy radish, such flavourful tomatoes an abundance of arugula and plenty of Buratta to share. I should note here that we were asked if we wanted to add an order of bread to the salad and we declined.
Interesting side note, the people that sat at the reserved table could be heard commenting on our Buratta Salad as it arrived at our table and ordered one for their table. But, they also ordered the bread and I can tell you when I saw it on their table I was really sorry we had declined. So next time I will know to order the Buratta Salad with their bread. I’m betting it’s as good as it looked.
Next we wanted to pick something more like a shared main and debated between a pasta or, another one of my favourites, the Ling Cod. ($36.00) In the end we decided on the cod. The Cod was very good and the Broccolini delicious and worked perfectly with the Cod. Much to my surprise I also enjoyed the red cabbage which I wasn’t too sure about. I’ve enjoyed the Ling Cod before but it was in the fall season and a bit different than the filet we had this night. I prefer my fish less cooked and the fish we had in the fall was a bit thicker and a bit more moist and might have been a loin cut. This time the fillet was a bit thinner than we had before. The Ling Cod was fresh and tasty just a bit different than what I had expected which may be because of the season. I would definite order the Ling Cod again.
With a fair amount of the wine left it was put back in the bottle, corked and wrapped in brown paper to be enjoyed again.
We spent, all in with gst and liquor tax, $186.71. A gratuity of an amount equal to 20% of the pre-tax bill was left for the team.
Note: we often have wine by the glass so I can have a white and a red for hubby. That would probably, based on two glasses each, be about $60.00 plus tax. So a slightly more affordable option for couples with diffeent taste in wine. The wine list does have a good selection by the glass, including a few Vancouvr Island wines to choose from.
This wasn’t our first visit to Wine Cries Mary and it will definitely not be our last.
Wind Cries Mary
At Wind Cries Mary our dynamic menu is ever-changing with a focus on nose-to-tail butchery. We believe food brings people together so we ask that everyone “shares” when dining with us. We are extremely excited to tell you the stories about the relationships we have with our local farmers, foragers, fishmongers, craft brewers, and winemakers here on Vancouver Island. We invite you to come “break bread” with us and let our talented bar and culinary team take you on a laid-back, west coast experience of freshly foraged food and drink.
45 BASTION SQUARE
VICTORIA, B.C.
OPEN 7 DAYS A WEEK
4 pm to 1 am
Happy Hour 4 pm to 5 pm