#Tofino Licks

[arcisfoodblog]

Next stop on Vancouver Island: 3 days to explore BC’s surfer’s paradise Tofino, and the Pacific Rim National Park Reserve.

The 225km / 140 miles getting from Courtenay to Tofino took us about 4½ hours, excluding our excellent lunch stop in Port Alberni at Twin City Brewing Company (4503 Margaret St), and was a bit longer than planned due to some road work congestion.

We started our trip on the coastal scenic Highway 19A up to Qualicum Beach. At Coombs, we turned south on Highway 4, and after 125km / 80 miles, you will arrive at a T-Junction. You either turn left to Ucluelet or keep following the (now) Pacific Rim Highway to arrive in Tofino after about 30km / 22 miles.

After checking into our Airbnb home pretty much opposite Cox Bay Beach, we drove down to Tofino to enjoy the weather and explore Downtown.

We decided to have early dinner on the at Wolf In The Fog (150 4th Street). The overall quality is pretty good, but the number of restaurants in Tofino is definitely not equipped for the summer holiday surge of people. Therefore, do make your reservations (or alternatively dine early or be prepared to wait about an hour in line for a table around dinner time).

We were early so we got seated on the first-floor patio. Consequently, we had a great view of the quaint town and spotted a couple of bald eagles soaring over the restaurant to boot.

We didn’t go for any appetizers, but I did want to try their specialty Potato Crusted Oyster. Despite happy gulping down the occasional oysters, it turns out that, texturally, fried ones are definitely not my thing. I had better luck with my main dish: pan-fried Ling Cod served with a great Moroccan-style Chickpea and Tomato stew.  Chantal had a delicious Tuna Poke, and we chose 8oz(!) pours of local Canadian wines, a 2017 Chardonnay by Bartier Bros (Oliver, BC), and a 2017 Sauvignon Blanc by Clos du Soleil (Similkameen, BC). The kids had a go at the House Made Pasta, which that day was made with fried Chicken, Mushrooms, and Sage.

The kids had actually done their homework on what to do in Tofino and had selected Tofino Licks for their fancy Soft Serves. We thought it was close-by Wolf In The Fog, but unfortunately, their old address was still included in Google Maps. Consequently, we had to walk from one end of the town’s center to the opposite end (220 Campbell St) to find Tofino Licks in a mini food court operating from sea containers, which consisted of several eateries, and a juice bar.

We loved this concept, and we can’t wait for it to start trending in the Netherlands. Pairing their smooth organic soft-serve ice-cream with delicious toppings from local artisans and restaurants turned out great. We had ones topped with the Chilli Chocolate Diablo Cookie by Tacofino (the original food truck of this Mexican eatery emporium is still just outside Tofino), Sobo‘s key lime pie and RedCan Gourmet‘s fudge brownie.

Unfortunately, the sky became cloudier close to sunset, but our beach walk on Cox Bay Beach was terrific, and the views from the aptly-named Sunset Point were still magnificent.

The next day, the weather changed for the worse (or more to a more normal state we were told), so we decided to drive 30 minutes to nearby Ucluelet. As it started to rain very hard, we only visited the small yet super nice Aquarium (180 Main St) and did some grocery shopping.

Afterward, we returned to our Airbnb and spent the rest of the afternoon doing some laundry, reading books, and sampling some of the BC brews that we accumulated along the way.

Another dinner option we had scoped out on our first walk through town was Kuma Tofino (101-120 4th St). We had a lot of luck to be seated within 15 minutes at a 6-person communal table, but the remaining 2 seats were not allocated during our dinner. We started the oddly refreshing Gin Pop Pop cocktail, combining the local Tofino gin, Calpico (a Japanese milk-based beverage), Grove Seedlip, Cucumber, and Citrus. Chantal was still in beer-mode and chose a Sapporo King Can. The kids had a Yuzu Lemonade, of which the sweet/sour balance was just spot on for them.

There were some Ramen Noodles ordered, and other dishes were ordered based on the family-style sharing concept. Everything was well received, so highly recommended!

Veggie ramen (Mushroom-Ginger broth, Agedashi Tofu, Cabbage,  pickled Shiitakes, and a marinated Egg)

House ramen (Shio-based double Broth, Braised Pork Belly, marinated Egg, Kale, and Nori)

Chicken Karaage (crunchy garlic Chicken, house-made Spicy Mayo, and Yuzu-infused Salt)

Tuna Tataki (seared line-caught local Albacore Tuna, Ponzu, Wasabi Mayo, Ginger, Garlic, and Green Onions)

Okonomiyaki (Osaka-style Cabbage Pancake, Bacon, Cheddar, Tonkatsu sauce, Kewpie mayo, and Bonito flakes)

Miso Braised Beef (soft-boiled Egg, crispy-fried Rice ball, Kale, and Miso Mustard sauce). The latter was eye-watering Wasabi strength deliciousness!

Our last morning in Tofino was spent walking the 2 loops of the Rainforest Trail of the Pacific Rim National Park Reserve, located at the south end of Long Beach close to the Kwisitis Visitor Centre. The trail has two routes, one on each side of the highway, and they are very popular (and the parking limited!) as they are obviously located in a stretch of temperate Rainforest.

This was a first for us, and as it was already raining, the humidity was overwhelming at first (“Fôret Humide” indeed). The temperature was actually quite agreeable, and the elevated walkways and stairs lead us through an astonishing and lush forest with thick green foliage wherever you look.

After this fabulous hike, we visited the Tofino Brewing Company (691 Industrial Way) for some refreshments. We had already tried their Kelp Stout back in Vancouver, so we were looking forward to sampling their other beers. From the flights with all of their beers, we liked the Tuff Session Ale, Blond Ale, and Dimension Ascension Dry Hopped Pale Ale best.

Unfortunately, the food options are limited to some snacks and not enough for a proper lunch. We did have some nibbles with the beers (maple-cured smoked salmon of their neighbors, West Pacific Seafoods, and some artisan pepperoni sticks from Port Alberni’s Pete’s Moutain Meats). As the kids were not a fan, we soon decided to head over 1 lot to Summit Bread Company (681 Industrial Way, Units C&D) to get some fantastic artisanal bread and pastries before heading back to our Airbnb.

Now knowing the drill in summertime Tofino, we had already made reservations for dinner at Shelter Restaurant (601 Campbell St).

Shelter Mule (Cucumber Vodka, Mint, Lime, Ginger Beer) & Frozen Bellini.

As shared appetizers, we chose the Buttermilk Fried Chicken (Farmhouse Chicken Thighs & Maple-Honey Soy glaze, pickled candy cane Beets, and fresh Dill) and Crispy Brussels Sprouts (Toasted Bread Crumbs, and Grana Padano).

To our surprise, our oldest wanted the Steak & Frites as his main course (225g / 8oz flat iron steak, Truffle Parmesan fries, Arugula, Chive Gremolata, red Wine Jus), while our youngest wasn’t all that adventurous by resorting to the – not depicted – Shelter Beef Burger (crispy Bacon, smoked Cheddar, Lettuce, Tomato, Onion, Pickle, Mayo, Red Pepper Relish).

Chantal had a Kale Caesar Salad (Chopped Kale, Romaine, fried Capers, Black Pepper & Garlic Croutons, Grana Padano, fresh Lemon).

I had the Panko Crusted Lingcod Burger (Cabbage, Apple & Miso Slaw, pickled Jalapeño & Crispy Onions, Soy Dijon Mayo), with a side of Truffle Fries and Parmesan Dijon Mayo.

Shelter Restaurant was one of the places that were packed every single day from late afternoon through late. And for a reason: the drinks, food, and service were excellent and we had a delightful last evening in Tofino.

Around the World – British Columbia Roadtrip (2019) – Tofino Next stop on Vancouver Island: 3 days to explore BC's surfer's paradise Tofino, and the Pacific Rim National Park Reserve.

[meghanfung]

If you take a trip to Tofino and don't make @tofino_licks one of your stops you are missing out. Chocolate vanilla swirl with @tacofinovan diablo cookie and strawberry sauce, I died. (at Tofino Licks)

[kenkchow]

🍦 Strawberry island 🍓🏖 Vanilla, Strawberry, #Tacofino Diablo Cookie 🍪 @tofino_licks #Tofino #ExploreBC (at Tofino Licks)

[termitestastytravels]

Hot Springs Cove

Day 5 Tofino

We woke up SUPER early as we had booked a tour to Hot Springs Cove with Jamie’s Whaling Station. The tour departed at 8am so we had to be there 15 minutes before to check-in and sign waivers. 

Alex was TOTALLY awake at 7 o’clock in the morning (hehe)

We had been told that it was best to book the first departure of the day as the springs would be less busy. With such an overcast and chilly day, I was surprised anyone would want to go at all! 

Even though there was only one other couple when we first got there, people slowly started to trickle in. It ended up being a group of about 15 people. We sipped on ginger green tea and hot chocolate while we waited for everyone to arrive. They also had coffee and Early Grey for those caffeine addicts...

On the way to the springs, we would travel by covered boat. Our driver’s (captain’s?) name was Sean, and he was awesome. He had been doing the tours for a few years now so I felt in good hands. I’ve recently discovered that I have a small fear of open water and being in a small boat with a lot of waves. I’m not a strong swimmer so I guess that explains it. The boat ride took about 1.5 hours and Sean talked up a storm about wildlife and how each ride to the springs is never the same. We were fortunate enough to spot a humpback whale and some otters on the way, which was an added bonus. I sadly did not get any pictures as I was too busy hanging on for dear life and trying to ignore my nausea. Sean mentioned the waters were relatively calm - I’d hate to be in that little boat in waves any bigger than what we experienced! I think I need to work on my sea legs a bit... Alex, on the other hand, was completely fine and had a blast on the boat ride. Sigh.

I was incredibly grateful to get off the boat only to be welcomed by a 30 minute walk along a boardwalk to the hot springs. Honestly, I preferred walking any distance so long as I didn’t have to get back on a boat for a while. Fortunately, we were flying back to Tofino so I was safe... for now. The walk is definitely not recommended for anyone with mobility issues as there were a lot of stairs, going up and down. You’d also need to watch your step or else you’d squish one of these guys:

Yup, giant slugs. We were in a rainforest after all!

Finally, we reached the hot springs, and were welcomed by the strong smell of sulphur. Stinky egg farts anyone? There were change rooms and a washroom nearby so you didn’t have to come dressed in your bathing suit if you didn’t want to. The air was cold (keeping in mind I’m always cold unless it’s 25C or above) so I was eager to get into the simmering hot springs.

The actual hot springs was down some rocks, to the right in the above picture. I wouldn’t say there was a lot of space to linger in the springs once you got in, so you’d want to be okay with being close to people - sorry no skinny dipping! Also, water shoes were an absolute MUST. The rocks were extremely slippery and every step was taken with extreme caution. If you took a fall here, it was over an hour to the nearest hospital. 

Since we got there so early, there was only a handful of people already in the springs. We scrambled down the rocks and soon found a nice spot to start soaking our tired feet. We also came across this fascinating creature lurking above...

It was Yoshi!!!

We took a break to eat lunch, which we had brought along with us. It’s recommended you bring food and drinking water as there is no place to buy anything in the area. Then spent a bit more time in the springs. After about 2 hours, we were ready to head back. Other than the hot springs, there wasn’t really anything else to do but we our flight back wasn’t scheduled to come get us for a while yet. For this reason, we felt the tour length a bit too long. Yes, you were travelling quite far from Tofino so I guess they want to make sure you get your monies worth. If you’re someone that likes to lounge around for hours in a hot tub, then this would be a perfect scenario for you. We ended up taking our time walking back along the boardwalk a bit early to go wait for our seaplane to pick us up. We were the only ones who had booked the flight back out of our entire group. This made us think we’d have our own private flight back to Tofino, which was awesome!

We waited on the grassy bank by the dock where the plane was supposed to pick us up. The rest of our group eventually showed up and were then picked up by the boat right on schedule. By this point, the plane was also scheduled to arrive but it was no where to be seen. We went down to ask if the plane was on it’s way. Sean, who had driven us over on the boat earlier, told us that it shouldn’t be too much longer. So we went back and sat on the grass and waited... and waited... and waited. By this point, it was 20 minutes late. I called the Tofino office to find out what was up - thankfully we had cell phone signal. Well, it’s a good thing I called because it turned out there was a mix up and Jamie’s Whaling station had forgotten to tell Tofino Air to come get us. Or at least that’s what we were told. We then had to wait another 25 minutes before the plane finally arrived.

We were all excited to jump on when, all of a sudden, another group of people were getting out of the plane. Perhaps this was why the plane was late? Maybe they had to wait for these people in Tofino? Either way, someone had dropped the ball. Also, right as we were about to board, a small fishing boat came up to the dock carrying 2 men. One of the men hopped out of the tiny boat with a duffle bag and asked if he could hop on the plane to Tofino. The pilot said sure no problem - Dang. Looked like we wouldn’t get our private flight back after all. Never did find out who this guy was and how he scored a free flight but whatever. 

Delays aside, the flight back did NOT disappoint. Alex gave me the front seat beside the pilot and he sat in the back with the fisherman. Yoshi sat in my lap.

One thing I love about seaplanes is how smooth and short the take-off is. Check it out!

https://youtu.be/B6BSjNd7Jgo

Despite the fog/smoke, the views were breathtaking. We even got lucky and saw a whale! You’ll have to excuse my poor footage in this next video. I was too busy focusing on the actual whale rather than what I was recording on my phone.

https://youtu.be/bD_4oWNwp00

The rest of the flight was magical. The videos and photos just do not do it justice. I cannot recommend the seaplane flight enough! Definitely worth every penny.

Our pilot even took “the long way” back as the fog was starting to clear and we started to get better views. (I want his job.)

Yeah, I could get used to this...

Before we knew it, we were landing back in Tofino. When taking the flight back, the plane lands back at the Tofino Air base, which turned out to be right beside where we were staying. That would have been super convenient if we hadn’t had to walk back to pick up our car parked at the Jamie’s Whaling Station building. It was only a 15 minute walk but, had we known this, we probably would’ve walked there that morning. Not a huge deal though as the town of Tofino is super walkable and the sun was actually starting to come out.

We were on cloud nine after this tour and what could possibly make our day even BETTER?

BEER!

After we quickly freshened up back at the guesthouse, we headed straight to Tofino Brewing. The place was set up like a giant warehouse/garage with super high ceilings and an open concept seating, with most seats at the bar. 

They did not serve any food, which was unfortunate because we both had not eaten since our tiny lunch back at the hot springs. We didn’t want to spoil our appetite either as we had an important dinner reservation that evening.

The flights were super cheap so of course we each got one. The beers here were some of the best we had on the island. I’d even go as far to say they were on par with some brewpubs in Toronto, like Indie Alehouse. Spruce Tree was our favourite as it had that piney taste we had been seeking, with a slight bitter finish. If you wanted an easy drinking beer, I’d have to suggest the Blonde Ale. It gave flavours of hops and bread - yum! The dark lager was like a thin stout but also really good. Tuff Session was my least favourite - I’d compare it to the taste you’d get if you were to lick an oak barrel. Not for me, thanks!

We had a bit of time to spare before dinner, so we went for a short walk on Chesterman Beach

It was quite windy so I suppose if you were a surfer, the conditions were perfect. It made our walk a bit chilly though (at least for me...) 

After our walk, we went back into town to check-in for our highly anticipated dinner at Wolf in the Fog!

Until next time... Eat, drink, travel!