“FieldTrips” is either a day trip or a few days where I visit food areas of interest which may include farm visits, producers, wineries, restaurants and/or other places that people can visit. This is about offering Vancouver Foodster readers a chance to get out of town and take a “Field Trip” for the day or a few days to explore, learn, taste and experience.
Field Trip to Nanaimo
Over the years I had briefly stopped or driven through Nanaimo on roadtrips to Vancouver Island. Changed that this summer with a visit to Nanaimo, stayed downtown near the harbour at The Coast Bastion Inn for a couple of days.
Once I had discovered Gabriel’s Cafe, I then enjoyed a couple of breakfasts and a lunch trying all sorts of delicious dishes. It is all local with ingredients sourced from farmers and producers in the area. Open daily serving breakfast and lunch from 8am – 3pm.
Some of the delicious dishes I had:
![](https://vancouverfoodster.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/IMG_5578-1-225x300.jpg)
Tofu, 3 bean Scramble
Tofu, 3 bean Scramble, corn and potato scramble with cilantro, roasted tomato salsa and avocado
![](https://vancouverfoodster.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/IMG_5577-225x300.jpg)
Coconut milk pancake
Coconut milk pancake with maple syrup
![](https://vancouverfoodster.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/IMG_5598-1-225x300.jpg)
Friday Morning Hash
Friday Morning Hash with snap peas, chard, kale, pesto, green beans. Zucchini, chickpeas, cherry tomatoes, Parmesan, tofu & potatoes, topped with salsa, avocado & pea shoots
![](https://vancouverfoodster.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/IMG_5584-1-225x300.jpg)
Wild Salmon Burger
For Lunch I had the Wild Salmon Burger with siracha Mayo, and pickled vegetables with a side of the Apple, red cabbage, raisin and pecan coleslaw
The Nanaimo Bar originated here and they have a Nanaimo bar trail devoted to this sweet treat. It is not actually a trail, it is more of a promotion that features variations of the nanaimo bar at over 50 locations in the area. Each restaurant, bakery and café features their own incarnation of the Nanaimo Bar. I indulged in a couple, enjoying a Classic Nanaimo Bar at Mon Petit Choux Bakery.
![](https://vancouverfoodster.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/IMG_5587-1-225x300.jpg)
Classic Nanaimo Bar
Nanaimo Bar with a rice crisp toasted nuts base, caramel rum butter cream filling and a chocolate ganache topping, its #glutenfree and yummy
![](https://vancouverfoodster.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/IMG_5557-225x300.jpg)
Nanaimo Bar Cheesecake
The other treat that I had was the Nanaimo Bar Cheesecake at Minnoz Restaurant & Lounge which was located in my hotel (Coast Bastion Inn).
In addition to the food and drink Nanaimo Bar offerings, I noticed the city even has a run devoted to it.
![](https://vancouverfoodster.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/IMG_5596-225x300.jpg)
Fish Tacos
For dinner, Pennys Palapa features a large menu specializing in Mexican food. Located on Nanaimo’s beautiful harbour front, they also offered tacos for take-out which is what I did, having a couple of fish tacos where I could then enjoy in the comfort of my hotel room across the street.
![](https://vancouverfoodster.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/IMG_5600-1-e1507655748632-225x300.jpg)
Downtown Nanaimo
Nanaimo is located on Vancouver Island, easily accessible by car taking BC Ferries from Horsehoe bay which takes 1 hour and 40 minutes; or take a float plane from downtown Vancouver harbour which takes approx. 20 minutes; or take HeliJet also from downtown Vancouver which is only an 18 minutes trip.
Schedule and information for BC Ferries is here http://www.bcferries.com/
Gabriel’s Café – 39 Commercial Street, Nanaimo
Instagram @gabrielscafe
Mon Petit Choux Bakery, 120 Commercial Street, Nanaimo
Instagram @MonPetitChouxbakery
Pennys Palapa -Inner Harbour, Nanaimo
Minnoz Restaurant & Lounge – 11 Bastion St, Nanaimo
Instagram @minnoznanaimo
Stay tuned for my next Field Trip outside of Vancouver.
By: Richard Wolak