RESTAURANT REVIEWS

1.  Cafe Christa, Leavenworth, WA
http://www.cafechrista.com/

Very friendly staff, nice atmosphere.  We made a reservation but really didn't need it ... although by doing so we got a table at the windows which were open and looked over the town.  Since it was a beautiful evening that worked out well.
Extensive German menu which is, I guess, what everyone is looking for in a 'Bavarian' town!
We each had 2 drinks and there's a good variety of local wines and some good German beer.
We opted for the dinner for 2 which was enough to feed 4 (well, we're not large eaters so perhaps that doesn't work for everyone).  It was all very good except the apple strudel for dessert.  Kind of a gloopy sauce poured over it and made it kind of soggy.  But other than that ...  well done!

Bruce & Linda at Christa's

Major food

2.  The Sonora Room Restaurant at the Burrowing Owl Winery, Oliver, BC
https://www.bovwine.ca/the_restaurant.html

A perfect evening

On a slight hill overlooking the valley and vineyard below, Burrowing Owl is the perfect place for a special lunch or in our case this time - dinner.
We were fortunate to get a table on the patio on this warm, late summer evening and the view and ambiance was amazing.

Menu

Appies

The staff greeted us promptly and were most friendly.  We ordered a bottle of their Cabernet Franc to start the evening and then ordered some appies.  We got a cheese plate which featured 3 local cheeses and a variety of crackers, fruit, nuts and a chutney which was amazing.  Our only 'complaint' was that we had specifically asked not to have any goat cheese on the board but we seemed to get one anyway.  It was good, but we could have done without.  We didn't complain as it was eaten by those of us who liked goat cheese anyway!  We also had a vanilla bean cured salmon which was ok but we found a bit salty.
For the main course 3 of us chose the special which was a wonderful Halibut dish with roast veg., while one of our company chose the steak.  The Halibut was cooked perfectly and the veg were amazing.  The 'steak' person said his was also very good.  We ended with another bottle of wine, then coffee.  A perfect evening that will be remembered a very long time!

Bruce at Kaslo Hotel

3.  Kaslo Hotel and Brew Pub, Kaslo, BC
This is a newer building but designed to fit in with the look of the rest of the town - like an old heritage hotel.  Very nicely done.  It's got a patio in back that looks across Kootenay Lake and that's what drew us in.  That and the Brew Pub thing!
Unfortunately, they were still 'setting up' the brewing thing, so we had to choose from some other local beers and they certainly fit the bill.
The food was mediocre - I'd ordered the ribs which were advertised as 'fall-off-the-bone tender' and was assured they indeed were.  They weren't.  They weren't tough ... just not what I expected.  The bbq sauce was ok but felt like it'd been added as an afterthought so didn't really permeate the meat.  The sides were not great - the roast potatoes had been cooked LONG before and were dried and tough.  The veg. were simply large chunks of broccoli, cauliflower and carrots steamed slightly.  No other sauce or seasonings and they were pretty bland.  Bruce ordered Caesar salad and wings.  The wings were - ok, and the Caeser ok as well but with way too much dressing.  Service was ok.  But the view sure goes a long way towards making up for it.  The inside seating was clean, but looked like a big hall - it needs some cozyness to make it more appealing.  And yes, their bathrooms were amazing!

4.  Bibo, Nelson, BChttp://www.bibonelson.ca/bibo-nelson/

My 60th Birthday at Bibo!

This place was a true gem!  We celebrated my 60th birthday there and it was amazing!  We thought to sit on their balcony, but the tables and chairs didn't look appealing so we opted to go inside.  The inside was very cozy with exposed brick walls and a large fireplace.  We were the only patrons for most of the night, so it felt very private.
The menu is small, but well thought out.  I ordered Duck Confit with risotto (cause I'd never had Duck Confit) and Bruce got the Angus steak.  Both were cooked to perfection and I think it was the best meal I've ever had!  The staff were knowledgeable about the food and wine and very attentive.
There's a small but nice wine list with several BC wines to choose from.  Very High Recommendation!