Sidney had one less spot to eat and drink by the water when the building on Van Isle Marina that had housed a restaurant closed in late December 2024.
On April 15, the restaurant will reopen with a new name: West Coast Grill.
Peninsula News Review dropped by the restaurant on Sunday (March 2) afternoon and found owner Valerie Lessard sanding the wooden frame of one of the windows overlooking the emerald green water of the marina; her husband Paul was in the back, painting the kitchen.
"My husband and I are doing a lot of work, along with our contractor, to get things done faster – kitchen work, ceiling installation, painting and sanding," she said as she took a break and walked over to the centre of the room, facing the water.
Valerie is visualizing a feature wall with green tiles, like a focal point for diners when they walk in.
"You come in and you can see the water is kind of emerald right now and when you have green tiles over here it'll just feel like you're sitting on the water," she said excitedly.
The colour scheme for the new restaurant, according to the restaurateur, will be similar to that of the original West Coast Grill, with sea pearl cream and tropical notes and a deep sea green front.
"Once we start seeing the colours come alive, then we'll be like, OK, we're on our way," she said with a smile.
The former Sea Glass Waterfront Grill has been renovated to include a larger kitchen, a repurposed bar area and additional seating for diners.
"We've always wanted to open a location in Sidney and we have been looking for two years," Valerie says. "It's close to where we live, it's beautiful and we love the community...it's super vibrant."
Valerie lives in Deep Cove with her husband, Paul, who grew up in Sidney and knows everyone. They've been running West Coast Grill since it opened in Sooke in 2014.
"People were like, come on guys open something, so when Van Isle Marina reached out to us, because we know them through the community, we decided that yeah, that was a good fit. It's a smaller location but it's manageable," she said.
The Lessards received the keys at the end of January and have been renovating the entire space since then.
"Van Isle Marina was very nice and they've given us some linear space so people can come in with their dinghies, their yachts to come in and have a meal – it's fantastic," Paul said.
West Coast Grill will have 56 seats inside, 36 outside on the front patio and plans to add more seats later when they build an enclosure at the back patio. They'll have booths and tables and chairs made of natural Gary oak wood to bring what Valerie describes as a "super coastal, very natural looking, light and airy" look.
They are currently hiring new employees, including line cooks, dishwashers and bartenders, Valerie said. Soon, their new chef will begin training.
"I've had so many people come to the door and ask what's going on," Paul says. "I've had people come and knock and say, 'Can I get our son or daughter to work here?'"
Asked which of their signature dishes they can't wait for Sidney to try, Valerie responded, "Pan-seared ling cod with basmati rice and Thai sauce." In addition to their steaks, sandwiches and burgers, the restaurant will have a lot of fresh fish on the menu. "Duck wing appetizers, too" Paul added.
Valerie says West Coast Grill Sidney will be open every day from 11:30 a.m. to 9 p.m.
"The goal is to get this place ready, open it first and then see how that goes," she said,
