Save The Best For Last

Pagliacci's 1011 Broad St. Victoria, BC V8W2A1 Link Why is it that on the last day we are in Victoria, we find the best places to eat? With all of the surly waitstaff in Canada to choose from, Pagliacci's managed to find good, friendly and attentive folks... who knew that you could?!? Okay, so the place is not for the claustrophobic. I am not sure if there is any way that you could cram more another table... anywhere! The salads were tolerable (the Maple Balsamic Vinaigrette left me with the odd sticky feeling you find after eating at IHOP) - but I reminded myself that this is Canada and they don't actually know what a good looking head of lettuce looks like, so they got a pass. Go to Pagliacci's. Forget the ambiance and forget the salad... eat the pasta. In fact, the biggest problem that Diane and I had was choosing which one of the dishes we were going to have (having limited ourselves to only one!). Personally, I had the Hemingway Short Story - a beef filed tortellini with pancetta in a light cream sauce... all I can say is, "Damn, that is some good pasta!" Seriously, it was that good. Diane had the Little Caesar. If you are looking for a "low garlic" Italian offering, this is not the dish for you. Good vegetables, al dente pasta... although you might want to try the half order unless you are planning on taking some home. The menu is a read unto itself Babette's Feast, Somerset Praughn... the entry for Diane's dish was: Little Caesar Shrimp florentine; mushrooms, pine nuts, spinach, green onions, cream and fontina cheese on fettucine. "Mother of God, is this the end of pasta?" - and then there is the Mae West - Mae West (Finally- a "veal" woman) Veal medallions with artichoke hearts, in lemon, white wine and tarragon. "I been things, and done places. Beulah, peel me a grape." Need I say more? Yes, Virginia, there is hope. Eat at Pagliacci's or be damned to all the eternal fires of Victorian dining hell.