On a recent visit to Victoria, the search for lunch lead friends and I to The Livet. Stepping up the flight of stairs beside Discovery Coffee on Broughton Street, the Rooftop Patio is a welcoming surprise. While not open on this cold winter day, it was easy to see that this would be a downtown destination on a bright sunny afternoon or evening.
Opened in August 2016, by the crew behind the Van Mag Restaurant Award winning Stage Wine Bar, The Livet is a Charcoal Grill and Raw Bar. Executive Chef Benjamin Berwick combines his experience in Japanese, Southern and Latin American cuisine to a menu serving fresh salads, soups and wraps alongside, juicy BBQ sandwiches and Latin tapas-style bites.
For our lunch, we started with the Sopaipilla; beautifully golden Argentinian fried bread made with squash and flour served with pebre verde. The Sopaipilla were a perfect starter, all three of us enjoyed the soft yet crispy discs, we could have easily made a meal out of them. For mains we each chose a BBQ sandwich, Pork Belly or Charcoal Chicken; tender, slow grilled meat on hearty breads or bun. My Pork Belly sandwich was topped with soft roasted yam which added a sweetness to the sandwich, contrasting with the bright cilantro.
On the side, the Papas Fritas with aioli were so tasty, the varying sizes of the cut potatoes made for small crispy pieces or roasted and seasoned wedges. The side greens was a crispy bowl of lettuce and veggies in a nice vinaigrette. Daily soup on our visit was Seafood Chowder, a rich amber broth.
All of us were impressed with our hearty meals and even though we’d been warned that grilling the sandwiches to might make them take a bit longer, we were still in and out in an hour. I look forward to visiting again to see what’s on the dinner menu and checking out the rooftop patio in the summer for an afternoon cocktail.
The Livet is located on the second floor above Discovery Coffee at 804 Broughton Street, across from Royal Theatre. Open for Lunch and Dinner weekdays and evenings only on weekends, call 778.265.3033 or visit thelivet.ca for more information.
Enjoy!