Touring Tofino

trees
rugged black rock
rock pools at black rock

Here are the remaining photos from our weekend on Vancouver Island, exploring Tofino. We passed the days leisurely, bathing in each other’s company while strolling through rainforests, drinking coffee and artisan beer, tasting homemade chocolates, standing in the rain devouring Tacos, dining alfresco by firelight, watching the surfers as the rain soaked us through…

soaked
colourful rocks

We had heard good things about Tacofino, the Taco Food Truck, and Jesse booked it in for a post-surf feed. It did not fail to impress! Despite the pouring rain, a steady stream of customers arrived and lined up as we waited for our Tacos. There were a wide range of taco, soup and burrito options, made fresh in this tiny trailer, using seafood from the local seas. We were famished after our surf and did not regret buying one of each option.

tacofino
tacos
tacos

We enjoyed handcrafted chocolates followed by a Tofino Coffee Roasting espresso. The coffee shop was sleek and modern; the coffee OK. I’ve never had a Trad Cap with so much foam(!) but it was enjoyable none-the-less – made even more so with a warm, salted chocolate cookie.

chocolate tofino
chocolates
tofino coffee roasting co

Because we were celebrating our anniversary (and such things require self-indulgent sentiments), we spent a rainy afternoon nestled into a nook overlooking the ocean, sharing a pot of tea and mulling over wedding memories. The week before our wedding, my girlfriends blessed me with a very classy night out, with a French movie, Petite-Fours and tête-à-tête; one of my tasks that evening was to take a stab at what our lives would look like five years into marriage. We had a good giggle over that.

5 years into marriage we open our pre-wedding forecast
tofitian

As a precursor to dinner we visited the famous Tofino Brewing Company to sample their beer selection. This place had a supercool vibe – from the polished concrete bartop to the beer-sipping bartender. Jesse’s favourite was the Kelp Stout, created by Tofino Brewing because “This beer is good but it needs more seaweed!” It was a dark, full-bodied ale brewed with locally harvested Kelp giving it very much an ocean fresh, ‘umami’ essence.

cheers brew
tofino brewing co
brews

Tofino brought back so many memories of our lives in NZ; our early days of dating while living on the West Coast of the North Island. The rain and storms, the rugged black rock, the chilled culture and the black sand screamed home. Simultaneously, this trip generated overwhelming homesickness, as well as satiating our thirst for the coast. It was just a taster for our trip to NZ in less than a month where we can get a decent fill of the ocean, the salty air and most exciting, the people we love.

so green
paua!

3 thoughts

  1. Hi Christina,

    I’m part of a team that’s creating a free app for food bloggers – ready to be launched very soon! The app’s called Foodoo and you can find a bit more info here: http://cromian.com/partner/. We love your blog, and we are on the lookout for kiwi foodies that would love to join us. It would be a great way for you to give your current readers that little something extra with your blog recipes without any hassle, and to reach out to new readers from all over. If you’re interested in finding out more, please get in touch with us!

    Best regards from a fellow kiwi abroad,

    Ayla

  2. I enjoyed this post of your Tofino getaway! It is a place I love! Glad you liked Tacofino!! I hope the surf was cooperative. I am excited about your upcoming trip as well!

  3. Beautiful photos! And props for going surfing in the winter. I’m on the West Coast (Raglan) while I type this, and although it’s summer the weather is pretty dreary right now (not unlike your photos, actually). No doubt it will be back to sunshine in a few days though!

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