loading...
By Sarah Jane Racchi
If you’re looking for a fine-dining experience that won’t break the bank, The Fixx Cafe and Pasta Bar will satisfy not only your wallet but also your palate.
Not to be confused with the English new wave band from the ‘80s, The Fixx is a small cafe is tucked away in the Scotia Bank building on Pandosy Street as it turns into Lakeshore near Gyro Beach. The limited signage and the location sandwiched between the bank and a travel agency make it hard to locate. If you weren’t looking for it, you might not find it.
The first time I heard of The Fixx was by word-of-mouth, the way most independent locations pick up a lot of their business. Some might say restaurant chains can have the upper-hand in the industry. They’re trusted, the menu is consistent at each location and you come to expect the same thing, and that can be comforting when you’re on vacation or travelling for business. What you can miss out on by only dining at chain restaurants are some amazing places.
The cafe is found in a beautiful spot with ceramic tile floor, a patio that seems to always catch the sun at lunch and bar seating if you happen to be dining alone. The restaurant is run by owner and head chef Lisa. They serve lunch from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. and reopen again for dinner service at five.
When I dined there on Thursday it was toward the end of their lunch service. I’ve noticed a trend in a lot of restaurants, including The Fixx – using linen-like napkins that are thicker than usual paper napkins, not as high-maintenance as cloth napkins because they’re still disposable.
They offer $3 lattes and cappuccinos, a pot of tea for one person for $2 and to share for two people for $4. They offer local and imported wines with an inexpensive $12 corkage fee. A glass of one of their house wines starts at $6 and martinis up to $9. I agree $9 is a little much to spend on a martini but 15-year-old rum is cause for a bump in the price.
My dining companions and I chose to share the bruschetta for $7 and the olive mix. Each bite of the bruschetta is rich and buttery. On each table is a little wooden bowl with a scooper for the rock salt and the staff are attentive with fresh ground pepper after each delivery of appetizers and entrees. While I normally enjoy adding salt to my own bruschetta mixture, this certainly didn’t need it. If you can’t taste the Roma tomatoes, the basil and bread, you’re missing out on the ingredients.
The olive mix is amazing with Mediterranean herbs and spices, sauteed garlic cloves, large chunks of Feta cheese, sun dried tomatoes and green and black olives tossed in olive oil on a bed of arugula. Not many people can eat cloves of garlic, but I was able to witness one of my dining companions eat them like candy.
I chose the chicken quesadilla and added some mushrooms and peppers to the mix. I loved that they were quartered, instead of sliced and the chili powder sprinkled on the inside of the tortilla was just enough to give it a kick. It’s always appreciated when a restaurant uses colour in the food, even if it’s not seen like yellow and orange peppers or red onions.
My dining companions had a mango and shrimp wrap and a Caesar salad. We all decided the mango was the freshest we had ever tried and the creamy dill flavour on the giant shrimp was delectable. Whoever decided to pair dill, lettuce, cold shrimp and soft mango is a genius. The quesadilla and wrap were both encased in a dark brown tortilla. Even though they aren’t accompanied with a side, like french fries or salad, it isn’t needed. The meals were so hearty we could barely finish what was on our plates.
The Caesar salad was creamy and light. It had red and yellow peppers and red onions on top. It was an inventive take on a classic dish and while I’m not a fan of most Caesars, this one is on the list of items I want to try again.
If your neighbourhood is outside the mission you’ll want to venture outside it to have your own taste of The Fixx.
Sarah Jane Racchi has worked in the restaurant industry for 13 years — since she was 13. After graduating from SAIT with a major in print journalism she returned to the Okanagan to work for a major chain restaurant in British Columbia. For the last four years she has been a manager and avid customer to Kelowna’s eateries.
See pictures from The Fixx in the gallery below (photos Gary Moore):
Tags: the fixx
