Fodor's Expert Review Stone Soup Inn

Chef-owner Brock Windsor grows his own vegetables, forages for mushrooms and herbs, raises pigs to cure his own bacon, and sources most other provisions from farmers, fishers, and growers in the nearby Cowichan Valley. Thursday to Saturday nights he prepares a five-course "chef's choice" dinner in his homey, candlelit farmhouse dining room. His years of experience are revealed in dishes like miso-marinated black cod served with a gingery squash puree, or braised rabbit paired with wild mushrooms, purple carrots, and polenta. Dishes are matched with Vancouver Island wines. Reservations are recommended; vegetarians and those with food allergies can be accommodated with advance arrangements. The inn is tucked away in the forest about 20 minutes west of Duncan. If you don't want to drive back to civilization after your meal, you can spend the night in one of the two simple B&B rooms upstairs.