Weekend Eighty-Three: Pagliacci's

We left our temporary secret peninsula location later than normal because this brunch entry is for our friends who believe the oh in oh-eight-hundred stands for oh-my-god-it's-early. We drove all the way to 1011 Broad St in Victoria. Hardcore fans will recognize this as Pagliacci's address.

Pagliacci's is a Victoria institution: the bread, the pasta with funny names, the ginormous desserts, and the jazz. On Sundays they opens at 10 to serve a brunch menu along side it's lunch menu and claim to have the longest running brunch scene in Victoria. Pag's recently reopened after a renovation (mostly of the kitchen and bar area) so today Dave and I went more lunchy than brunchy in our orders so we could establish they hadn't changed our favourites, but of course we will return.

Now, the thing you have to keep in mind when you go to Pagliacci's is that they are going to bring you warm, perfect focaccia bread until you burst. It will be a wafer thin mint situation (Monty Python fans) but with superb bread. Try to pace yourself for the main course and only take on dessert if you can really rein it in.

Here I make a fortress, with spikes, to keep the bread for myself.

I ordered the Hemingway Short Story ($13.5 half/$16 whole), as I always do. Pag's describes it as "tortellini stuffed with beef, ricotta, romano & parmesan cheeses, bacon cream sauce, green onions, parmesan". It is completely delicious and filling. Knowing I would not be able to control myself around the foccaccia that always appears on the table, I ordered a half size. The Hemingway Short Story is something I dream about when I am really hungry and after ensuring it hadn't been altered during the renovation, I will continue to drool in my sleep while dreaming about it, day and night.

Dave ordered the Alexi Burger ($15). I know what you are thinking and frankly I agree. A Burger at Pagliacci's, seriously!?! Dave says, yes. Dave loves this burger for lunch and reserves his choice pasta (the Bicycle Thief) for dinner. Pag's describes it as "Grilled chicken breast, “Whole Beast” pancetta bacon, lettuce, tomato, red onion, chipotle mayonnaise". Dave loves that the grilled chicken breast is a real piece of chicken, not a reconstituted MDF-like chicken patty. He also always comments on how delicious the pretzel bun is. It's a great non-pasta option.

There isn't much to say except, we will of course be back. You'll probably see us waiting in the line up.