Victoria’s Dining Scene Catches Fire with the Addition of Andrea Alridge and Janevca

It weighs 800 pounds, costs $75,000 USD, and took almost a year to assemble and then move into place. Now it and the skilled hand that commands it have ignited exciting change in Victoria’s dining scene.

It is a grill. And obviously not just any grill. This one is the Bugatti of the industry and in the control of Andrea Alridge it is bringing an immaculate fire, literally and figuratively, to British Columbia’s capital region.

Custom built, the GrillWorks EXO Pro 60 was created especially for Alridge to fulfill her vision of creating blazes of glory. The promise of the grill was a necessity in convincing her to shift away from a career spent in Vancouver.

“If there’s no fire, there’s no Andrea,” she says with a laugh about what she told Lenny Moy, the wealthy developer and CEO of Aragon Properties who hired Alridge for one of the most ambitious hospitality projects to recently emerge in B.C.

The restaurant, Janevca, is part of Rosemead House, which is in the midst of a reportedly $13-million-plus renovation. The first hotel endeavour for Aragon includes a 28-room boutique hotel, spa, and 179 condo units on the grounds of a stately residence that was originally a circa 1906 Tudor-style mansion. Among Moy’s many extravagances for the project are the gates used as a facsimile of Buckingham Palace’s entranceway in the TV series, “The Crown”. Like much of the artwork in the restaurant and elsewhere, Moy purhcased the gates at auction with the goal of reinforcing the British themes. He even found Wedgwood from the Savoy Hotel that was being replaced by that famed property and bought it for use at Janevca, which debuted in October and has quickly earned accolades from local foodies.

While the decor is celestial in its grandeur, the cuisine is earthy because of the fire-cooking of the executive chef. When Alridge said she wanted the GrillWorks’ masterpiece, Moy “very willingly made that all happen,” the “Top Chef Canada” alumnus says.

She met Moy through a mutual contact connected with Aragon. According to Alridge, there were many conversations before the deal was struck, the grill was agreed upon, and the chef’s journey to Vancouver Island was made, shuttling a star in Vancouver to the province’s smaller, lesser-known culinary scene.

Alridge learned about cooking with fire at CinCin Ristorante, a long-time favourite in downtown Vancouver and then gained recognition as the head chef at Osteria Savio Volpe, a much-beloved spot in that city’s Mount Pleasant neighbourhood.

“When I first started at CinCin, that’s when I started to cook with fire. It was so rewarding to me,” she says. “You have to focus on the fire and all of the aspects around you. I compare it to riding my fixed-gear bike, you have to be constantly aware and paying attention to all of the surroundings.”

Like a bike, the coveted grill that is the showcase of the gleaming Janevca kitchen has gears. The set-up is inspired by the famed Argentinian parrilla grill that Francis Mallmann made famous. On the GrillWorks website, it describes the company’s chain-and-gear architecture: ”The mechanics of the system are designed so that the chef cranks up and down one-handed, with no need for a catch to hold the surface at the height over the fire desired. All mechanical equipment breaks in over time, easing a little over time, so each gearbox has a tensioner system to adjust the cranking to the effort desired.”

The apparatus allows for multiple temperatures and multi-layered flavours, giving Alridge optimal control of what comes off of her grill.

“Lighting that first fire is such a magical moment. It is the most rewarding feeling ever when you can get to that point and get it going,” she says. “It was an all encompassing fully body experience.”

Much like what happens when you visit Janevca for the first time. First, the massiveness of the property strikes you because it is surrounded by much smaller, more humble buildings.

Rosemead House is in Esquimalt, a township just 10 minutes by car from downtown Victoria. Aragon has made a major investment into the area with the development of a new town centre, which is mostly housing. What Moy has achieved with Rosemead House and Janevca is provide the brightest reason for those living in or visiting the region to make the short drive to Esquimalt.

Alridge has forged a menu that is classic and eclectic. Some flavours are inspired by her Filipino-Jamaican heritage while others are familiar and with west-coast flair. The Grilled Gem Lettuce Salad wows with charred leaves topped with pickled onions, toasted bread crumbs, and smoked anchovy buttermilk dressing. Pizzas are among the familiar flavours while opulent options include sirloin of Australian wagyu. While the family-style dining of the menu juxtaposes the just-so formality of an English manor, Alridge embraces the format.

“It’s a dining style that I appreciate. It brings poeple together more than anything,” she says. “It provides a warmth and energy to the dining experience that people are missing sometimes when they go out to eat.”

Now that she’s there, the decision has been continually affirmed. She has connected with food purveyors on the island and says she’s eager to explore the farmers’ markets that will emerge in the spring while also convincing “beloved suppliers” in Vancouver to continue sending her the Italian items she covets for Janevca.

“Honestly, every day I have a pinch-me moment. When we first started, before we opened the door, everything was set on the table, we had our first menu, and I had the happiest cry I’ve ever had in my life,” she says, recalling the autumn opening. “It is truly remarkable to see how much hard work was put in and to see it come into place.”

MORE ABOUT JANEVCA

Location: 429 Lampson Street Esquimalt, British Columbia (see map below)
Menu Price Range: Entrees from the wood-fired grill range from $36-$60 while salads are $19 and vegetables for the table are $14. Small plates such as charred Humboldt flying squid ($24) and chicken liver mousse with sourdough ($24) have become favourite dishes. Signature cocktails are $12 each, a pleasing savings from the cost at Vancouver bars. The lounge serves pizzas, pastas, and small plates.
You Must Try: The Chocolate Black Sesame Tuxedo Mousse ($14), a dessert that will definitely make you want to return.
The Name: Janevca is an amalgamation of the names of Moy’s three children: Janelle, Evan, and Caliee.