Aura Waterfront Restaurant + Patio — Restaurant in Victoria

My partner and I decided to celebrate his birthday at Aura, and let me tell you, it was an exhilarating experience that surpassed all expectations. From the moment we arrived, we were greeted warmly by the hostess who happily accommodated our request to sit on the patio. The view from our table was nothing short of breathtaking - we gazed out at the inner harbour, basking in the beauty of downtown Victoria.

The menu, designed tapas-style, delighted us with a plethora of enticing options. We eagerly allowed the server to bring out dishes as they were ready, creating an exciting culinary journey. Our taste buds were treated to a medley of delectable flavors, starting with the beef tongue, burrata, and fresh oysters. Each dish surpassed the last, with the burrata boasting a freshness reminiscent of Italy.

As our main courses arrived, we were thrilled to try the oven-roasted chicken with a side of fingerling potatoes and the seared lingcod. Our waiter kindly informed us that the chicken would take a bit longer as it was freshly prepared, and he was absolutely right. The chicken was cooked to perfection, leaving us in awe of its amazing taste. The seared lingcod, a white fish dish, was an experience like no other - the flavors were unparalleled.

To top off the evening, we indulged in mouthwatering desserts crafted by the in-house pastry chef. I opted for the Mango Tart, while my partner savored the Pot de Creme. The attention to detail and care put into these treats was evident in every delectable bite, providing a delightful conclusion to our meal.

A standout of the evening was our exceptional server, Simon. His attentiveness, cheerful demeanor, and wealth of information made the dining experience all the more enjoyable. Despite being busy, he never rushed us and went above and beyond to answer our questions and provide insights into the menu and the establishment's culinary artistry.

In conclusion, Aura undoubtedly offers a dining experience like no other. The combination of a spectacular view, tapas-style menu, and superb service by Simon made it a night to remember. If you seek a special and memorable culinary adventure, look no...

We had dinner here and based on the menu we had high expectations. However, service was slow, it took a long time for food to come, and food was served cold or undercooked. Portions were very small for the cost. We were told it was "family style" but in my experience that means each plate serves the table. Entrees were only enough for 3 people if we ordered 4-5 with an additional 3-4 sides. It's more like tapas (appetizer size) shared plates but overpriced for such small portions.

The octopus was lukewarm and undercooked and the chickpeas were hard and seemed completely uncooked, which was disappointing because we love octopus and order it every time we see it. It was probably much better when cooked and warm. Like another reviewers below, when we gave feedback on the octopus, we were told how much "everyone likes it" and asked if we've ever eaten octopus before and told "it's not for everyone". Scallops were really good and warm but the portion was small. All portions were too small. Desserts were about 2 bites, definately not large enough to share. We had to order extra entrees and sides for 3 people and after over $300 we were still hungry. Breakfast was inconsistent too, one morning, like dinner, service was very slow, food was cold and undercooked and lukewarm with mostly raw bacon and soggy pastries. The other morning, service was fast, food was hot, bacon cooked and pastries warm, golden brown crispy and delicious. Portions were inconsistent too, one morning pastries, fruit, tomatos and bacon servings were generous, the other morning, they were about 1/2 the amount.

We were surprised to see over 4 stars on ratings. Maybe we were there on an "off" night. My advice, look at the menus and make sure dishes are your liking, ask about portion sizes before ordering, be prepared to spend big on tiny food, and send food back if it arrives undercooked or cold.

The location is convenient with a short walk to the ferry and the view is beautiful. We've eaten here before and had faster service and better food so hopefully our experience...

Food was absolutely delicious, view was top notch. For "tapas" small plates, the portion and pricing were very reasonable for the view and what we expect of a restaurant or this quality. The restaurant manager was very pleasant, sat us by the window with beautiful view and checked on us a few times. The proteins were all done perfectly, smoked tuna was fresh and the daikon complements it. Duck breast temperature was perfect and sauces paired elegantly with it. We particularly enjoyed the patata bravas, this is something so many places do but so little places stand out - this was fluffy with crisp skin and the mayo their paired with that was unique & flavorful. The food selection was rather limited for a tapas style restaurant, but everything was done very well. It was our honeymoon, so we got desserts on the house. It was a great gesture from the hotel and both tasted delightful. I would hope both would be properly plated, since the presentation didn't feel classy. A note on the service, I'm not sure if we actually look well below our age, we got the feeling that we were treated like teens eating at a restaurant too fancy for us. We dressed for the occasion, and didn't conduct ourselves inappropriately; but the server seems to prefer to speak as though we didn't know what "fancy words" mean when we asked for recommendations. It was our honeymoon, so it was natural we wanted to take pictures. The server never offered so we just took a selfie at our table. We figured the server didn't offer to help due to COVID, but she seemed a bit annoyed when she came to deliver us the food mid-picture. When I ate at similar restaurants in Toronto, usually we don't get an almost snobby vibe, so I feel the staff definitely needs better training to match the quality of the food and view. Other than the service, I would say this restaurant is definitely 5 stars and think this place is a steal...