olo restaurant

fine dining experience of gastronomic proportions! when ulla joined thevictoriarestaurant scene several years ago i heard exquisite details from locavores and food lovers about the tender loving care with which their food was prepared. although a fancy restaurant byvictoriastandards, ulla still has a comfortable feel. the space is small and intimate, with high ceilings and lots of light. bright, whimsical artwork and a bookshelf chock full of cookbooks (including the star trek cookbook!) line the walls. the food here certainly is prepared with a monumental amount of effort. plates come adorned with gastriques and flourishes carefully executed to accentuate the other flavours on the plate. they are one of the only restaurants invictoriawho uses molecular gastronomy in their food, which creates a finished product that is very precise and technical.

best restaurant invictoriahands down, just go here that's it. best steak best cocktails, the ambiance is very cool and french style with awesome farm to table cuisine

best restaurant in canada! .... best restaurant in canada!
ate here twice this week, i am blown away, the food is outstanding.

the octopus is superb, as our every single one of the small bites offered (i've had them all :)
the soup bites are delightful, is tremendous variety as well.

is most impressive is the quality of execution in every single dish. the kitchens technical competence is evident throughout the menu. it is also the most exciting menu in the city, imnsho. i also love what uchida does-- and he gets my vote for best lunch spot in the country!

bravo!!!


-----18 jan, 2013-----

snooty servers...wearing pajamas? dried-out pasta.
pretentious plating served by pajama-clad ingredient-listers. really. and so it feels less than clean when a sloppily-dressed server brings the plates to the table.

filled pasta had texture of leather/very dried out from sitting too long.

seems it's all "boilin' bag" sous vide cooking, and kid-sized portions to keep prices down. with foam.

foam and pajamas yet.


-----19 jun, 2011-----

short menu that doesn't change much. ulla's food is top-quality but the menu gets pretty short in a hurry. if you're a regular or live nearby, it doesn't take long to eat your way thru the menu. perhaps i am not their target audience, but it can get boring.

and then where else are you gonna go?


-----08 may, 2011-----

exciting food, professional service. 10 out of 10 on the sous vide beef, halibut, octopus and tuna. desserts are also excellent. seriously great restaurant. quite likely the best invictoriaat present.

while we were invictoria, dorothy and i were on the hunt for some good food as well. sadly, we got turned away from a restaurant because it was packed and they didn't have any tables until 10pm. they recommended checking out  ulla restaurant  in victoria's chinatown. sure, why not. i opted for the  pork three ways with potato & cheddar perogies, cabbage, chive, bourbon maple sauce ($26) . it was actually more like four ways: one which seemed like a meat ball (far top left), crackling (on the perogie), grilled (bottom), and roasted (right). i liked how the roasted one seemed like hk style roasted pork, and enjoyed the meatball as well. the grilled one had a strong charred and smoky flavour, which i didn't enjoy, but i know some people like that smokiness. i found all three pieces to be overly salty though. the perogies were delicate and good and served as somewhat of a palate cleanser. doro had the 6oz grass-fed, island beef ($25) , which was quite good, albeit again, a bit salty. the

best food in the city. ulla is the coolest room invictoriaserving the best food in the city. we dined on the weekend and the room was alive. the menu is quite understated which allows the food to shine. we found ourselves slowing down and taking our time with the plates. the flavors and textures---it has been a long time since a meal has been enjoyed in this way!
the only thing that wasn't quite there was our service. he was nice enough but didn't seem that interested in us and didn't have the same polish as the space & the other staff.

we look forward to going back to try different plates and sit on the other side of the room. ulla is worth every cent and more.

a night out. its about timevictoriagot a restaurant with an attention to details approach that deserves the credit. i tried a variety of different dish's and was wowed and enthused with the smoked octopus. the mains were good and the presentation of the dishes were colourful and eye catching.

second tasting at ulla even better than first. i went back to ulla again the other night, as part of an event where we were hosting an out of town guest. i had the arancini and the lamb. the meal was stupendous and the service perfect. ulla is even better than i first thought. it didvictoriaproud. is it the best in town?


-----29 aug, 2010-----

refreshing fine food. i ate at ulla last night with my wife on a rare date night. we usually count on our reliable favourites--stage and the brasserie--but took a chance on a new place with great reviews on this site. and it was well worth it.
ulla is serving refreshing fine food with simple, well chosen ingredients. the menu is small, but presents plenty of intriguing options. the food is plated beautifully and every main accompanied by creative and enticing sides (e.g. short rib steak with cauliflower ravioli). we had the tomato soup with tasty cheesy toasties, beef tartar, the tender grilled octopus, and the ling cod. the latter two were especially delightful, with the ling cod, which can sometimes be served a touch understated for my taste, a crispy, light winner with perfectly balanced sides. we'll definitely be back.

my one quibble is with the lighting. lighting matters--especially for those of us with young kids out for a night alone--and i don't think ulla has yet mastered the atmosphere in a room that is slightly challenging on this front. they get beautiful natural light with the sunset pouring in huge warehouse style windows and the starry round fixtures overhead are lovely. but the overall effect somehow serves to diffuse attention around the room, rather than encouraging a more intimate focus on each table. i'm hoping that they'll dim the overhead lights and add candles (or the like) to each table. that way we'd get the sunset along with a lovely table-by-table vibe.

but this one is a winner. you can add ulla to the short list of best restaurants in town.

super!. had the cod which was perfectly done but not something i'd have again, because the other items on the menu are a lot more exciting. my dining partner had the lamb and it was a show stopper. the wings seemed like an unconventional addition to the menu but i liked them - big, juicy, packed with flavour.
both the servers were very attentive and helpful and cute.

i really appreciate when a restaurant takes care or completing every aspect of a diner's experience and can hold its own, and this is one of the few invictoriathat achieves it. great ambiance, service and food, good spot for a date or a mid-sized group dinner.

do your self a favour, go. this is the best new restaurant i have seen open invictoriain the last six years.

the style is modern chef inspired with local fresh ingredients.

the food on the plates looks like art work. all the components sing together to make the whole so much more than the individual ingredients.

the place is laid back and relaxed, you can come dressed up or you can come dressed in jeans, it all works well.

love love love!. fresh, exciting food, inviting room - we loved everything we had and cannot wait to go back and try more. seasonal ingredients were used in smart tasty ways. we are thrilled thatvictoriahas a new and great spot!