In this series of posts we were on the island to discover Sooke Harbour House. Specifically here to witness the new culinary era brought about by the new management team that includes General Manager, Beverage Director, and Executive Chef.
We were invited to stay two night and three days on the property, where we witnessed the calibre of cuisine coming out of their kitchen between a seated multi-course, long table dinner; as room service that we would eat in our claw bathtub; and as a newly launched brunch that we would get to experience before we took the drive home.
The occasion centred around Executive Chef Leroy Borrega. He is internationally acclaimed chef who brings his globally inspired, locally rooted vision to one of British Columbia’s most celebrated dining destinations. This event and our visit marked the beginning of an exciting new era for the culinary program at the iconic West Coast Vancouver Island hotel and restaurant.
“Chef Borrega is a Canadian Red Seal Chef and the recipient of numerous culinary competition awards. His extensive international résumé spans Canada, Australia, the United States, China, Japan, Hong Kong, Singapore, and the Philippines. Most recently, he served as Executive Chef of The Dorian, Autograph Collection, which is a Michelin Key hotel in Calgary. There he oversaw multiple restaurants, banquet operations, and large culinary teams. Previously, Chef Borrega led the kitchens at Shokunin, contributing to the acclaimed eatery’s recognition among Canada’s Top 100 Restaurants and helping secure Avenue Magazine’s Best Restaurant in
“Calgary award for three consecutive years. He has also collaborated alongside Michelin-starred chefs and culinary leaders from The World’s 50 Best Restaurants, experiences that have shaped his refined yet deeply personal culinary style. As Head Chef of Maven, he launched Calgary’s first Filipino omakase restaurant, introducing guests to a contemporary tasting-menu experience that celebrated the richness of Filipino cuisine.”
(As taken from the press release.)
Through his appointment, Sooke Harbour House hopes to bring back their once held title of being the best on the island.
Our culinary journey started in the wine cellar, during our guided tour of Sooke Harbour House. Hosted by General Manager Danielle Carriere. After visiting a few notable suites, the garden, and exterior of the property we were now simmering in their basement cellar and event space before dinner.
Seeing all the bottles that have found homes racked up on each of the four walls, it is hard to not get thirsty. The collection included wines from BC, France, Italy, and a couple from the US. Their Beverage Director has built it with guests and the season in mind. Looking at what is trusted and well known and who they can partner with locally for future wine dinners like Unsworth, Blue Grouse, and Cobble Hill.
Here we partook in flutes of Villa Sandi Prosecco. It felt so poetic to be drinking surrounded by this.
This was paired with three small bites from the kitchen. Each, the perfect foreshadowing of the quality our meal to come, without our chef revealing his full hand.
The presentation of the the Szechuan cream Sooke egg won me over alone. This was a slightly spiced cream, sitting in a hollowed out egg shell, with runny yolk and Montreal maple syrup. You take a spoon and scoop in and up to get the perfect bite. This taster was inspired by their future brunch menu, where the same flavours are featured on their French toast. (This will be something that we later got to try in full.)
The Deep fried pork belly and chives wonton with spicy and sweet sauce was a clean and crispy version of the well known dumpling. Being half Chinese and half Filipino, our chef takes from both cultures and combines it with new flavours, pulling from Canadian inspiration. You could see his heritage here and then later across dinner with the presence of calamansi, pan de sal, and kinilaw.
The next bite was my favourite out of the three. It was thin slices of raw scallop over a tea sandwich with cream. It was light and refreshing with a delicate mouth feel. I ate a couple of these.
From here we transitioned to the lobby restaurant’s Sun Room. This is a private room of glass, that gave us the best view of the sun setting and the ocean, from within the dining room. Here, we would sit and enjoy an eight course meal that included amuse bouche, palate cleaner, and dessert.
To start, we each had an ALM Farm Pears Cigar. ALM is a neighbouring farm that they work with and source from. What they can’t grow on property or don’t grow enough of, they will look to this farm for.
This was a roll of pastry stuffed with Sooke Pickled Pears and a Whipped Ricotta Mousse. It reminded me of a cannoli, but less dense and more delicate. The wrap had the thin crisp of an egg roll. It looked like dessert, but was made savoury. Truthfully this was my least favourite dish, but there as to be one. I found this one toned. Here, I could have used more freshening fruit and less of the chalky cheese.
The wine pairing for this was Blue Grouse’s Charme De L. It’s tropical lychee and floral notes were on the same wavelength as the light bite above. Its higher acidity and brightness also helped to cut into all the whipped ricotta, while cleansing the palate.
Our second course had us stunned by the creative presentation. BC Mussels and Clams Roll with Hand Cut Mussels and Clams, Herring Caviar, and a Garlic Calamansi Emulsion. Everything in this was especially local, where a lot of the garnishes were harvested from the ocean, and from the resort’s very own backyard.
Served in a branded “SHH” tin that I kept as a collector’s item. You scoop out the contents and have as is, or as topping to the Pandesal, a Filipino bread. This one was our Chef’s mother’s own recipe. The container was a lovely collection of textures, but a little salty, best with the bread as a base. With fresh lemongrass and a creaminess, this reminded me of a deconstructed Thai style chowder.
Course number three was apples done five way, from apples that were fresh picked the day before. ALM Farms Apple, Compressed Apple, Pickled Apple, Apple Miso Dressing, and Apple Gel. Served in slices, it ate chilled like a salad. The miso and the apple was an unexpected pairing of sweet and salty. I found that it re-jump started my appetite.
Our fourth course paralleled the lightness above. This was the chef’s modern take on Kinilaw, which is like Filipino-style ceviche. This was a mix of BC Side Striped Prawn, Ginger Salsa, Chives, and Garlic Chips; all “cooked” in a Cashew Vinegar. This was a beautiful dish to look at and to eat. Delicate with sweetness from the prawns. A little creamy and a hint of tang, finished with ginger for a nice pop.
The wine pairing for the two courses above was Quails Gate 2025 Chenin Blanc. This was a comeback wine, as after the previous year, they returned to using their own grapes, and 2025 was a great harvest.
It had notes of orchard fruit that bounced off the freshness of apple in the Sooke Salad, cutting through the acidity of the miso dressing. And it also complimented and bonded well with the cashew dressing and ginger salsa from the seafood appetizer.
Our third wine of the evening came with the salmon. This was the very local to Sooke Blue grouse Chardonnay 2024. It had a great round texture that was able to go toe to toe with the richness of the salmon with its slightly oaked characteristics, cutting through the fish.
The best quote of the night was, that this was “Unreasonably good”, having no business or need to be this delicious. I concurred whole heartedly.
We continued with our gradual climb from lighter flavours to more complex ones, and this was next on the step. Haida Gwaii King Salmon with Garlic Rice, Heirloom Carrots, Bok Choy, Plum Beurre Blanc, and Yuzu Foam. The butter sauce was just as silky as the impeccably prepared salmon, befitting of the quality of the fish sourced. This was dry aged and cured with miso. I loved the savoury umami of the latter, lingering in my mouth. At this point I was getting full, so decided to skip eating the rice. However, getting a few kernels on my lips I quickly realized how delicious this was and was now dedicated to eating every last drop. Even the firm stick of carrot was simply lovely.
Apparently this has been the most popular dish on their menu ever since they updated it, replacing sablefish with this salmon. If you can only order one dish from them, it has to be this one. Everyone present tonight scraped their plates clean. “Unreasonably good”. A must try to understand the hype.
The wine pairing here was a lighter red. The Cobble Hill Merlot 2024 from Cowinchan Valley. This was not typical from a warmer weather Merlot, but one that was more food forward with its acidity. Ideal for richer plates like this, where the acid of the fruit balances, cuts, and tempers. It got us from salmon to beef.
And our meal climaxed on course number six with the AAA Beef Tenderloin served with Pomme Mousseline, Tonnato Foam, Agrodolce, and Sooke Chanterelles. This was a preview of what’s coming to the restaurant’s fall menu, available à la carte.
It was finished at the table with a squeeze of the foam, in order to keep it the ideal texture. Sadly we were utterly full to the point of discomfort, so was unable to completely finish the serving. Coming after the salmon was a tough position to be in. I found this on the saltier side, but the flavour and meat tasty.
And naturally our meal ended with dessert paired with a sweet wine. The Taylor Flat Gate 20 year old port. It had similar apple, pear, and citrus notes like all the quince in our dessert below.
Like with our apple salad above, our quince also came to us in a multitude of ways. This was Harbour House Quince 6 Ways. The fruit sourced was from their own trees, prepared by their in-house pastry chef. Quince Mousse, Leather, Gel, Reduction, Sorbet, and Puree. I found the dessert sweet, which is not surprising considering how I typically steer away from sugars. I did like the texture of the gummies in this though.
And just when we thought we couldn’t dare fit another bite in, they sent us off with a little round of lemon gel short bread cookies, that were utterly fantastic. Truly, this and the entire meal was wondrous and I cannot recommend visiting Sooke Harbour House more. For this, their food, and for a quick getaway. If you live on the island, you are luckily to have this in your back year.
And although this set meal may not be available to you, you can rent their sun room for up to eight people and enjoy a seated dinner as a group like we did. Plus they also host monthly wine dinners. Multiple courses and the perfect wine pairing for a sumptuous meal.
Sooke Harbour House
1528 Whiffin Spit Rd, Sooke, BC V9Z 0T4
+1 (778) 425-9000
sookeharbourhouse.com
