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Norwoods Restaurant
- Hours:
Mon-Sun 5 pm - 9 pm
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Dressy
- Price Range:
-
$$$
- Good for Kids:
- No
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Has TV:
- No
9 reviews for Norwoods Restaurant
9 reviews in English
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Review from Dustin D.
Victoria, BC
6/5/2011 1 Check-in Here
Norwoods is a relatively new restaurant on the main drive of the beautiful fishing town of Ucluelet.
Everything was excellent. I'm So glad we found this place after a very disappointing meal at a nearby resort, our honeymoons culinary quest for an exceptional meal was finally realised.
I started with their house Caesar cocktail with toasted sesame rim, loved it, I highly recommend trying it. My wife and I had a 3 course meal and the recommended wine pairing with each and then shared all of it. The short ribs were among the best I've had, the octopus absolutely was the best I've eaten (it's not something I often order, but this was amazingly tender and delicious). The veal and the king crab ravioli were both beautifully prepared and presented. The chocolate torte to finish pushed me over the edge with rich chocolatey-ness, I couldn't finish the very last bite, perhaps it was a sign that the meal was complete and perfect
The service was excellent and it's always nice to have the open kitchen layout so you can watch your food being prepared if you're interested.
Overall we couldn't have been happier with the entire experience at Norwoods and we'll definitely return there the next time we're in Ucluelet. -
Review from Miranda L.
Vancouver, BC
4/24/2012
Sigh. I hate being underwhelmed.
Reading these reviews - and the rave review from friends who had gone the night before - I think we were at a different restaurant (or maybe it was just everyone's day off).
The food was good. The steak was cooked well, the pulled pork appetizer was inventive and tasty, the goat cheese cheesecake and creme brûlée desserts (really, we went all out) were good. Only - with a bill north of $150 for the two of us and with rave reviews sending us there, we were expecting more than passable for the price.
Staying in Tofino, we opted for the hour long round trip after we were able to score a reservation for the chef's table in the hopes of a great experience similar to all the reviews we read here. Sadly, we didn't get it. No chit chat other than a quick "hi", no explanations of what was being done or the elusive extra bite of something special. In retrospect, it must have been the chef's night off because what we saw was no more than assembly of pre-prepared ingredients and sauces. Even the timing was off, we were looking forward to a long meal lingering over drinks and dessert, but with our appetizers in front of us literally less than 5 minutes after walking in the door we were in and out in barely over an hour. It was kind of like a really expensive and better prepared fast food.
In retrospect, fish tacos and a bottle of wine on our patio overlooking the water would have been a far better option for a great night, and at a fraction of the cost. I just wish our experience had been different, and matched the rave reviews others have given this place. We come to the area a few times a year, but won't be back to this one. -
Review from J N.
Vancouver, BC
9/17/2011 1 Check-in Here
This is the best place to eat in Ucluelet. Sit at the bar to watch the chefs/cooks make their best fare! If the chef has his day off (which is what happened in our case) not to worry--you will not be disappointed in the friendly and efficient "cooks".
The waitress we had was actually rude and inattentive, and the prices were more than you'd expect to find here, but it was still a great experience overall, especially if you can't make the drive to Tofino.
Nice wine selection even if the pours were quite small after visiting wine country!
Ensure that you reserve as it fills up fast with the locals and tourists alike.
If you are nice then the cooks will even make you some "tasters". The octopus, while not my favourite, was unique and tasty.
The cheese board was generously portioned and we even received a cheese "bonus."
The entrees were good, too.
I was only disappointed that I did not have enough room for dessert, but I left happy and satisfied, which is more than I can say for anywhere else in the area!Listed in: Goin' to Ucluelet
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Review from Lindsay W.
1/7/2012
The food at Norwoods is spectacular. The octopus appetizer is a MUST (this coming from someone who never imagined trying octopus). Also, the ahi tuna entree was to die for. We were fortunate enough to be the first customers of the evening, and got to sit a the chef's table. The cooks chatted with us while they prepared our food and explained what they were doing. The meal was definitely very pricey, but well worth the money. In my opinion, the food was worth the price tag.
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Review from Kali R.
Calgary, AB
1/5/2011 1 photo
Wow, mostly bullet points will do for this one. Trust me, it's better than the gushy review I could have written. My husband (then fiance) went there for the first time while we were on vacation in 2009. It appeared to be the only "nice" restaurant in Ucluelet, so we tried it out. It BLEW OUR MINDS. We got married in the summer of 2010, and I'm pretty sure that two born-and-raised Calgarians decided to elope to the West Coast just to go back to Norwoods on our honeymoon. I wish any of the below statements were jokes....
Why we went back:
*The food is so good, it actually makes me cry with joy. Literally.
*If we won the lottery, one of our first purchases would be a private jet that charters non-stop to Ucluelet, just to visit Norwoods.
*Everything we tried was better than we had ever had in any other restaurant. Including the steak (and we are major steak-loving Albertans) and the cocktails.
*The service is top notch, you get to watch two red seal chefs create your meal, and the decor is sexy/modern.
*We got to compliment the owner in person.
Oh sorry, did I gush? But seriously. All of the above is true. It was worth the long, winding drive from Nanaimo and a night in a mouldy motel just to eat there. Hell, it's worth the drive from Calgary to eat there.
Just remember to book a reservation in advance (arrive in the afternoon to book your dinner plans). This is not someplace you will find empty tables and it is worth every. single. penny. -
Review from Adam G.
Edmonton, AB
9/20/2010
Though its more famous northern neighbour attracts most of the surf-related attention, the town of Ucluelet is a worthwhile travel and culinary destination in its own right.
Case in point: Norwoods, an upscale seafood restaurant that blends in easily with the usual set of sleepy shops and houses you'd expect to find in a small fishing village.
Though we have a long way to go before we can confidently order sustainable seafood dishes without having to do most of the detective work ourselves, any doubts as to the provenance of chef Richard Norwood's ocean bounty are quickly quelled: beyond simply listing the species and harvest method, as is customary at most respectable west coast establishments, the menu literally names the boats and fishermen who supply the restaurant. (Did I mention it was a small town?)
As it happens, fish that local and fresh is usually quite delicious, and my perfectly cooked Pacific salmon was no exception. It paired nicely with the crab and potato rosti it was bedded on, and was beautifully presented to boot.
Meanwhile, A. opted for the Fraser Valley duck breast with risotto - not a sample of the local produce, granted, but a worthy dish nonetheless.
The only downside to this meal was the weather: naïve out-of-towners that we were, we showed up unannounced at 7pm on a Friday, and were thus relegated to the patio on an unseasonably cold mid-July evening. Though we were envious of the diners inside and didn't get to experience the restaurant itself, that's what you get when you underestimate the lure of fresh salmon (not to mention the weather of the wet coast).
Our short-lived meal wasn't cheap, either - but then, good seafood rarely is. While it's a bit off the beaten path, Norwoods is well worth the trek out west, and more than holds its own against its big-city counterparts. -
Review from Bob S.
6/26/2011
We were in town for 3 nights and went here. First night was outstanding . The food quality, service, and presentation was the best that can be found anywhere. So good w came back the 2nd night and that was where the train jumped the tracks. The restaurant is small with only about 27 seats yet it took over 2 hours to get our food. Half way through the wait we were told their mussel delivery had not shown up. At 7:30 at night??!! As we waited it became obvious the talented staff was overwhelmed yet the chef/owner stood in the middle of the room with arms crossed talking casually to guests. Where was the teamwork?! Helping your crew makes the wait much more understanding to the eye. Sounds like the mussel supplier should be replaced!
The quality of the food even after the wait was very good. We will be back to give them another chance at the excellence they seem so capable of. -
Review from Christian v.
5/15/2011
Here goes. This is the longest review I've every written for Yelp, but this place was so good, I couldn't stop writing because it let me re-live each course of the meal.
Norwoods served up what was easily one of the top 5 meals we've ever enjoyed. Located in little Ucluelet , BC - right near the equally unparalleled Pacific Coastline - this wonderful and tiny restaurant serves an amazing menu of fresh, local foods in an open kitchen where you can enjoy watching head chef Philippe lovingly create each mouthwatering bite.
Enjoying a weekend at the Black Rock resort thanks to Groupon, we wandered into the town of "Ukee" to check out this restaurant that had such raves on Yelp. The restaurant itself is quite small with about 10 tables. At one side of the restaurant is miniature -but well equipped - bar and the open kitchen on the other. The uncovered wood tables are tall and your meal is enjoyed from your perch on a comfortable barstool-height chair.
We had read that it can be hard to get a table (they are only open for dinner and can get maybe 2 full seatings in during their hours - 5:30 to 10), so reservations are highly recommended. We dropped by at 5:15 to check the place out and were able to get a table at 8:30.
We were seated at a special table that was more of an extension of the kitchen counter. From this great location, we were able to watch all the food be made and able to chat with chef Phillipe. He was a wonderful host and between the food we ordered, he would whip us up tastes of his favorite items (more on those below). This is easily the best seat in the house and highly recommended for an unforgettable experience.
We started our meal with drinks. My wife had the Pom Cosmo (a special from the menu) and I asked the bartender to make me my favorite - a Vodka gimlet. Both drinks were awesome.
Appetizers
Hot baguette with olive tapenade (delicious....the taste of the olives made me wish I had ordered a martini).
The salad of young greens with shallot vinaigrette and warm poached egg. We'd recommend skipping this one. It was the only disappointing dish we had all night. The greens tasted a bit bitter and the shallot dressing was too flavorless for me. Having said that, the egg was poached perfectly and the ingredients were very fresh. The salad was paired with Stags Hollow sauvignon blanc which was really wonderful (and also went great with the soup, see below).
The hot asparagus soup with crab was one of the very best soups I've ever had. I don't really like crab, but the flavors were mild, creamy (but it had no cream) and totally delicious.
Phillipe asked if we liked octopus ("ummm, not really, the texture is thick and chewy"), at which point he told us how he agreed and how they spent months perfecting this dish. With that, we were excited to try it and he whipped us up two perfect sized bites (with Truffle Potato Puree, Ginger Chili Sauce, and Yam Hay which gave it some "crunch"). All we could say was OMG! This was amazing. Not at all like any octopus we've ever had. Don't miss this!
Entrees
We almost always share our entrees, but the watching the food be made we had to try two!
We had the fresh local halibut on couscous and Philippe added some local prawns on top - like Octopus, I'm not a big prawn fan, but these little "flavor poppers" tasted amazing. Paired with a nice pinot, this was a great dish.
We also ordered the roast veal loin which was served in three beautifully prepared rounds atop 3 matching bread dumplings. This was paired with a red wine we hadn't tried before - a Valpolicella - which was excellent.
Desert
We somehow made room for desert - which wasn't too hard since the food portions are really excellent here - not too small and not too big. We shared the chocolate brownie torte with hazelnuts and chocolate mousse. Phillipe's sous chef used a miniature blowtorch to melt the top of the torte and to heat the spoon before scooping the mousse - which gave it a cool ice-cream like appearance. YUM!
We finished the meal with a glass of ice wine - one of our most favorite treats.
All in all, the restaurant, the meal and getting to sit with Chef Phillipe made for an unforgettable dining experience. Knowing that the next night was our last, we made reservations to go again tonight and sit at "our table". Phillipe asked us what time we'd be there and told us he'd have something special waiting for us. WE CAN'T WAIT!
Oh, for those who say this place is expensive, all I can say is we've paid a lot more for a lot less. This is a fine dining restaurant and we think it is very reasonably priced. -
Review from David M.
8/28/2010
Really outstanding food for such a small town. Chef and sous-chef working right if front of the guests. Thoughtful, well prepared dishes. Nice selection of BC/Canadian/NZ wines - well matched with the food. Wine "taste" is more like a healthy couple of sips, but that is the only quibble with a real find.
