Closed as of Fall 2012
Address: 5285 West Saanich Rd.
Phone: (250) 479-6612
Website: http://www.saanichroadhouse.com/
Price: $12-25 per main
Notes: Canadiana kitsch abounds, but the food is pretty solid and there is live music Friday & Saturday nights. Closed Mondays.
We were not really planning to stop here - it was kind of an emergency case of the hungries after a trip to the Red Barn Market just down the road for some veggies and meat. We remembered it from its former life as a "czech-mex" place, but the server was telling us the space has been a restaurant since the 50s.
The decor has had a definite chunk of change sunk into it since we were here last, although our memory of what it looked like before was pretty hazy. The interior has been opened up to expose huge beams, and there is a spiral staircase up to a loft area. The bar area is in the center, with a stage at the front for the live music (mostly country but also some folk, blues & jazz). There is a huge amount of "Canadiana" and it's got a bit of a ranch theme, with lots of horse statues and a few saddles. The server was saying most of the stuff came from the private collection of the former owner. There is also a stuffed beaver, which was apparently a gift. There's more random decorations I'm sure I am forgetting - it is pretty dorky (in a good way).
Service:
September 25, 2011
Today was one of those days where you can tell someone loves their job, and is good at it. Admittedly it was mid-afternoon on a sunny Sunday so there weren't many of us in the place but she went above and beyond to make sure we had a good meal. Little things like chatting about the details of the place freely and easily, sharing information about the food and bringing a different sauce than is usually served with something because she thought we might like to try it.
Food:
September 25, 2011
