The Old Firehouse Wine And Cocktail Bar

The Old Firehouse was a lucky shot on our tour through Duncan. I can admit, we would have regretted not going here. The food is simply amazing. Local and presented like an art piece on a plate. The service is warm welcoming and a really interesting chat is always around the corner. My wife and I both highly appreciate the use of local products and the story behind the wines. A casual evening that turned into a romantic and fascinating dinner in our honeymoon. We are looking forward to be back soon.

The 3 course meal for the Dine Around Cowichan was a tantalizing dance for the taste buds. The Winter Salad set you up beautifully for the Flat Iron Steak with parmesan potato pave, carrots, red wine sauce, mushrooms relish and topped with crispy shallots. The Matcha Cheesecake with peach, honeycomb and crispy Phyllis was just scrumptious! Capped off with their Bourbon Sour. Simply fantastic. Jeff and his team provide an unforgettable experience. Be sure to put them on your list for your next dinning adventure in the Cowichan Valley.

Overall, I'd say the old firehouse is good. Could it be better? Yes. We had a lovely server but where things could improve is in the kitchen. We ordered fries at two different times. The first batch was perfect! Hot and crispy. The second batch, wilted and cold. Why do chefs try and pawn off less desirable food? We sent it back and the chef had to make a new, proper batch so if they were concerned about food wastage, it happened anyway. Then there were the donuts for the dessert...the quality and presentation was not the same as a few days earlier. Not only were the actual donuts smaller, there was less blackberry curd and macerated blackberries. The other food we had was great but I don't have a previous comparison to see if the kitchen was trying to take shortcuts. On top of great customer service, consistency in the kitchen is key for long term success. You can see that in successful, long time American restaurants.

The burger was unbelievable. Every bite was so delicious! The outside of the beef patty was crisp and seasoned and the bun was fresh and made in the house… Someone at the table said wow this is one of the top three burgers I have ever had. And I definitely agree! I would drive up to Duncan just for one of these burgers another time :-) Wish I got a good picture!

I chose the Dine Around Cowichan set 3 course menu and it did not disappoint! My partner chose the market pasta. I would give my left arm to eat here for free for life! OMG the flavors were unlike anything we've ever tasted 😍 The atmosphere, service and music was excellent too. My reason for 4 stars instead of 5 is I feel if I'm spending good money on a meal, it should be up to the kitchen or server to box up any leftovers instead of us. Otherwise, no complaints!! We will DEFINITELY be back! 😁