Walking into the dining room is arguably an awe-inspiring experience. A red Japanese maple tree – fake, though it's hard to tell – takes command of the room, its bright foliage stretching across the ceiling. Light flickers and heat radiates from the real fireplace, and the decor on the mantle gives the room the ambiance of a fantasy storybook.
This is Janevca Kitchen and Lounge, part of the $17 million-to-date Rosemead House project at 429 Lampson St. (formerly the Old English Inn) and is the hotel's signature restaurant, which quietly opened on Oct. 11. The restaurant's official opening date is Oct. 23.
The menu of the 130-seat dining room is based on a wood-fire cooking concept. Executive chef Andrea Alridge draws from her wealth of experience at award-winning Vancouver restaurants; she was master of the wood-fired grill and rotisserie at osteria Savio Volpe and at CinCin Ristorante, she focused on wood-fired Italian fare.
Notably, Alridge was a Top Chef Canada finalist (season nine).
Her menu encompasses shareable plates – including pasta, pizza, chicken, halibut, steak, veggie dishes and salads – imbued with the flair of her Filipino and Jamaican heritage. The Hokkaido scallop crudo, for instance, comes with pyanggang sauce, calamansi, orange and sarit gat peppers; the primrose Porkchop is made flavourful with rich and slightly spicy pickapeppa sauce.
Alridge's culinary team is stacked with Victoria industry experts including director of food and beverage Rob Scales (formerly of Il Terrazzo), 30-year industry veteran and sommelier Jacques Lacoste (Il Terrazzo) developing the wine program, and pastry chef Brian Bradley (Tombo Eats and Fol Epi Organic Bakery).
Owner Lenny Moy told Victoria News that he hopes that Janevca might become the first Michelin-star restaurant in Victoria
"We are striving to be the best restaurant in Victora and Vancouver Island. Naturally, if we obtain a Michelin star along the way, that would be fantastic to be recognized by such a prestigious organization," he said.
Formerly known as the Old English Inn, the building has brought character to the neighbourhood for close to a century. Built in 1906, and designed by architect Samuel Maclure, the interior continues to reflect its rich history through attributes such as post-and-beam architecture, original millwork detail, fireplaces, and leaded-glass windows.
Aragon Properties acquired the property in 2015 and is reinventing the hotel for guests. Newly added pieces by the team build off of the inn's past while creating an "elevated" experience, said the press release. These include antique furniture hand-selected in England by Moy, who is also the owner of Aragon Properties, live edge tables made from trees that were cut down from the property, and toilets that flush using a pull cord.
“This restaurant has a long and storied past, one we respect and celebrate,” Moy said in a press release. Later in an email with Victoria News, he said the reaction so far "has been awe and wonder."
Janevca is a moniker derived from the first names of Moy's children, marking a new chapter in the inn's restaurant's history.
