Fine dining in Esquimalt? Not since The Old English Inn, with its Rosemead Dining Room, closed its doors in the autumn of 2017.
The Inn occupied a stately Tudor mansion, constructed in 1906 and originally named Rosemead. A private home, it was converted into a guest house in 1947 and renamed The Olde English Inn, internationally famous for its British elegance, ocean views and splendid gardens.
Its dining room offered guests and the public sumptuous meals. Today, the mansion is again, the Rosemead, the dining room has become Janevca, and the commitment to outstanding upscale service and cuisine is back.
Guests arriving by car are greeted by a valet service. A stone-columned porte-cochère leads to stone steps and an ornate door flanked by leaded glass implanted into the thick stone ground floor wall. Draw open the door and pass into an elegant lobby and staircase.
A bit early for our 5 p.m. reservation, Dennis and I elect to sit in the lounge, on our left, where antique chairs, several with arms, surround marble tables. A long red velvet banquette lines one dark green panelled wall decorated with a lavishly gold-framed oval mirror.
The bar at the far end is backlit by wall-to-wall shelves filled with an impressive display of bottles, and the fourth wall, on our right, is open to the bright, spacious, modern commercial kitchen in full operation. We take two seats at the bar, where I order a signature cocktail, the Rye and Fig Nocturne (Lot 40 Rye, Amaro Averna, Fig liquor and an Amarena Cherry), a play on a Manhattan that offers a dark, understated sweetness.
The dining room is on the opposite side of the lobby. The green and red colour theme dominated by a canopy of faux maple leaves in full autumn splendour. Around the trunk, red velvet love-seats are set behind thick tables of wood, each with a seam of crushed black rock, all encased within a heavy lustrous resin.
Our table is against the far wall under large leaded windows obscured by a thick row of Sansevieria (Mother-in-Laws’ Tongue, or Snake Plant) and hung with dark patterned drapes. The decor is rich, lavish and comfortably lit.
Janevca offers a sharing menu served a la carte. Sections feature oysters, salads, small plates, pizza, vegetables and large plates.
We order the Wood Fired House Made Sourdough ($12) served with cacio e pepe (cheese and pepper) butter, to enjoy while we contemplate our choices.
We opt to order separate proteins and share two vegetable choices, but first, we divide the Northstar Organic Greens ($19). This fabulous salad is a mixture of reds and greens sprinkled with roasted pumpkin seeds and pickled beans, and tossed in a creamy elderflower vinaigrette.
My Wood Grilled Haida Gwaii Halibut ($48) is served floating in a swirl of Pil Pil sauce (a French Basque-style cream sauce with anchovy) and a ginger-scallion vinaigrette. The fish is cooked to perfection with firm, moist flakes that pull apart with a fork. The flavours are delicate and sumptuous.
Dennis orders the 12 oz Strip Loin Steak ($60) done to a flawless medium-rare and sliced diagonally into nine easy to share pieces.This AAA Alberta steak is melt-in-the-mouth tender and well seasoned.
To these we add Wood Grilled Saanich Organics Beans and Roasted Delicata Squash (each $14). Green beans are a flavour sensation with mint, lemon and sofrito (tomatoes, onions, peppers, cilantro and garlic). The squash is served as rings, skin on, with a scattering of roasted sage leaves all drizzled with brown butter.
We finished with a smooth and perfectly crusted creme brûlée.
Service throughout is easy, attentive and friendly: servers are clearly proud of where they work.
Janevca is unabashedly expensive and worth every penny.
Janevca at Rosemead House
429 Lampson St., Esquimalt
