Chorizo & Co.

Address: 807 Fort St.
Phone: (250) 590-6393
Website: www.chorizoandco.com (not up yet but they are active of facebook and twitter)
Price: Less than $10 for a sandwich
Notes: Spanish-style deli with a spicy side.

Chorizo & Co. just opened up on Fort street, next to the Starbucks at Blanshard. I've been saying on twitter that this creates a euro-deli Triangle, with the Italian deli across Blanshard and french at Choux Choux practically across the street! It was getting rave reviews from everyone who had visited, so I bumped it to the top of my 'to visit' list.

The space is very modern and bright, with massive high ceilings. There is a small banquet of seating downstairs, as well as more seating on a 'mezzanine' upstairs. I also happened to notice that you can still access the free Starbucks wi-fi from their spot, so it might make a great place for a casual business lunch!

One of the owners, Tomas, and I had a lovely chat about chorizo and the best (and worst) ways it is served in Victoria, as well as the differences between the styles available. They have a selection in their deli that range from high-quality commercial product to Whole Beast chorizo and house-made, which is the variety that goes into their signature sandwich. I also recognized one of the staff as one of the friendly faces that is usually behind the counter at Red Fish Blue Fish.

The menu contains a selection of spanish-style sandwiches, as well as fresh-made torta with the option of a side salad or soup of the day. They also have churros on the menu, which makes me quite excited, however they are waiting on a part before they are able to get their machine up and running. They also service Discovery coffee and are open early for your emergency espresso enroute to work.


Food:
August 23, 2012

Potato Salad & house-chorizo sandwich

I decided I would try the signature sandwich and a side salad. The sandwich was very, very close to being perfect. The chorizo was amazing - spicy and savoury with a lovely char. The spicy mayo on top was a nice addition - just helped to lubricate the bread and chorizo a little bit. The bun was soft and squishy, although my partner-in-food-and-life and I concurred that if it was just a smidgen thinner - not even a 1/4 of an inch - it would have felt better proportioned.

The potato salad came with little slices of chorizo and a house made aioli. It was quite spicy, which made me very happy. Even though it was a small-looking portion, I was stuffed by the time I had finished the whole meal. 

Service:

August 23, 2012

I was the only one in the restaurant, as it was quite early in the day for lunch, but the staff were extremely attentive, checking to make sure I had everything I needed. As I mentioned above, the owner and I nerded out about chorizo and probably could have kept chatting longer. I love when small places create a welcoming environment - it really does come down to staff approachability, and Chorizo & Co has that nailed down.