Nanaimo's Lighthouse Pub & Bistro

It was not a great performance for Nanaimo’s LIghthouse Bistro and Pub this week, and a crying shame too, because the restaurant is in an incredible location and might be something quite special. It’s right on the Nanaimo waterfront looking out on Protection Island and a working-boat marina (the pleasure craft are around the point in another bay). The evening started hopefully enough, I had to walk through various dragon boat teams warming up for their weekly practice just to get into the restaurant “Alright,” I thought, “Dinner and a show,”

The bistro downstairs is probably a little more elegant, but I chose the pub upstairs so I could watch the hockey game. I assumed the pub was connected with Victoria’s Lighthouse microbrewery, so I was hoping for a good solid craft brew. Instead I was informed they had Canadian, Bud, Kokanee and some other watery blonde imposter.

I ordered the special, halibut and chips and though the fish was fresh it was also dry, the batter was tasteless and the cole slaw congealed. The fries were cold, the gravy too dark and corn starchy. Even the waiter was a little twitchy.

A visit to their website showed they do everything about the same as their beer and food. The site hasn’t been updated since 2009 and the web design company even spelled their own name wrong.

All in all a bit of a disappointment, but I'm willing to give them another try, so long as the Dragon Boaters do too.