the cozy place

our venue for a late-lunch/early-dinner during a recent stay in victoria.  i had researched the reviews, and checked it out on a drive-by earlier in our stay -- it sounded and looked like our kind of place, and it sure did not disappoint.    

the cozy place is a small chinese restaurant, clean, neat, and tidy, with very friendly, and welcoming husband and wife owners.  we sat at a table near the door, which provided a great view of the restaurant's interior, and cooking of our order in the kitchen.  we arrived about 3 pm, and were given the option of ordering from either the lunch or dinner menus, we opted for the lunch menu (it had a good number of selections, with small descriptions and pictures of the fare offered).  we enjoyed the first glass of tea while making up our minds on what to order.

what we (a threesome) ordered, and listed in the order received:  note:  the dishes were prepared one at a time, and each brought to our table piping hot from the kitchen as prepared, allowing us to fully-savour the distinctive spicing and flavours of each dish.

--  #07 - deep-friedchickenwings -- cooked perfectly - light-crispy outside, soft inside, spicy (not overly so), and tasty.  

--  #25 - cozy place chow mein -- the 'house' chow mein - vermicelli noodles, bean sprouts, broccoli, carrots, onions, chicken, shrimp, and octopus (and i may have missed something).  good preparation, lightly-spiced, and very flavourful.

--  #09 - beef brisket & tendon, w/large rice noodles -- served in a large bowl - achickenstock base, with large rice noodles (cooked so well, not overcooked, the noodles had well-absorbed the flavours of the stock and additional spices added to the preparation), large pieces of tender brisket/tendon (melt in your mouth tender goodness!), and pieces of baby bok choy.  so good!! colourful, aromatic, and very distinctively flavoured.  tasty, and very much-enjoyed.    

--  #06 - dumplings -- steamed and then lightly stir-fried, large, the wraps thin and tender, the insides crammed full of a meat (chicken and pork?) and veggie mix.  another perfect preparation, flavourful, and tasty.

--  #12 - beef tomato rice -- slices of beef, pieces of tomato and onion, on a bed of rice - it looked good, and tasted the same - yum!  the beef was tender, and the spicing was perfect to our liking.  another very flavourful and tasty dish.

the cozy place -- wow, what a delightful and much-enjoyed dining experience!  wonderfully-prepared food, with such distinctive and flavourful spicing - colourful presentations - welcoming, friendly hosts and service.  from the outside, it looked like it might be our kind of place - from the inside, after enjoying such a great meal, we definitely found out it 'was' our kind of place!

great place for some authentic homemade chinese, no sweet and sourchickenballs here. super friendly husband and wife team who cook in an open kitchen (probably the cleanest around). you will feel very welcomed which is always appreciated. i suggest the kung paochickenand vinegar braised ribs, might not be the most authentic on the menu but both are amazing.

don’t be in a rush as it’s a two person team if you go at peak hours it could take a while for your food but it’s well worth it. better than anything you’ll find in chinatown

best chinese food i've ever had!. i've enjoyed eating here several times. the owners are very friendly and the food is freshly prepared and very flavourful. i often find chinese food to be much too salty and/or sweet, but not at cozy place. their food is made with love and you can tell. favourites are the eggplant, tofu,chickenchow mein, and garlic shrimp rolls, but i look forward to trying everything else.

the food more than makes up for the lacklustre atmosphere and decor. this is easily the best chinese food in victoria, and it's the best chinese food i've ever had anywhere. i will be back again and again!

best chinese in victoria and the island! light fresh dishes with lots of flavour and no msg!. new and very clean restaurant with an open kitchen and friendly owners! the food is something light, creative and unexpected in victoria. traditional dishes with a few surprises mixed in. we enjoyed three dishes, brisket and tendon rice noodle soup, cozy place chow mein and the garlic shrimp spring rolls. the brisket soup was very flavourful, light broth with asian cabage and hand cut rice noodles. a great dish to enjoy with two or more people. the house chow mein was incredible; delicate wok friend noodles with garlicky baby bok choi,chickenand mixed seafood. wish we had ordered two because we both loved it! the garlic shrimp rolls are by far the star of the show. rolls are packed with shrimp and garlic, no noodles or fillers and served with a sweet plum sauce! they perfect accompaniment to any dish. all the food is made fresh, with very light oil, packed full of flavour and will leave you wishing you had ordered more! can't wait to head back or order take-out.