R
ebecca Matthews loves to snowboard. So when she named her restaurant Corduroy Restaurant, she wasn't thinking of the pants that were all the rage in the 70s, or even the little teddy bear made of the tough material who stars in a series of sweet children's books. She was thinking of machine-groomed snow, perfect for gliding on, that looks a little like corduroy material, with the even lines endless down the mountain. The result is a warm, cozy atmosphere in the restaurant: a lot of wood, something like a ski chalet.

Somewhat incongruously, the cuisine at Corduroy Restaurant is loosely described as West Coast tapas. Chef Figg Downey serves up a series of small plates, many which are perfect for sharing. A grapefruit reduction is served with pine nuts and parmesan; B.C. Dungeness Crab Salad comes with mango, red pepper, pecan, butter lettuce, and pickled fennel; blue cheese polenta fries are served with a roasted pear chutney, while root veggie fries come with a garam masala cilantro-lime dip. The poutine includes top-notch ingredients: two-year aged white cheddar and Guinness jus, with truffle oil. Scallops from Qualicum Beach are served with a pineapple-mint salsa, macadamia nuts, and lime aioli.

For more substantial eats, pizzas are made with whole wheat rosemary and honey crust; topping choices include pancetta, black mission fig, chevre with a maple balsamic reduction; and smoked duck, brie, caramelized onion and roasted red peppers. Meatloaf that claims to be better than your mum's is made with organi beef and served with parmesan and chive Kennebec potato mash and three-mushroom gravy; Wild B.C. Sockeye Salmon comes with tomato-ginger broth, soba noodles, pea shoots, carrots,a nd purple cabbage. For dessert, choose, if you can, between gingerbread cake with vanilla bean ice cream and caramel sauce and chocolate banana and Baileys milkshake with chocolate mint wafers.

The restaurant also serves as a small venue for comedians and bands. Sunday night sees the weekly comedy night; Tuesdays are reserved for open mikes; and Wednesday and Thursdays are showcases for bands. The acts tend to be local up-and-comers, but occasionally someone from further afield will appear on the small stage.