Wildfire Bakery

Bakery: Wildfire Bakery 
Address: 1517 Quadra St, Victoria BC 
Website: http://wildfirebakery.ca/
Style: Canadian, Organic
Price: $$ 

This was actually the first bakery I spotted in Victoria and on Vancouver Island, in fact. I arrived late at night and this one was seen from the window of the bus, beckoning me. :D Of course, I couldn't go then and there, and had to return the following day, eager for some sort of brunch. Wildfire, as the name somewhat indicates, is an artisan bakery selling wood-oven breads and baked goods. They also use either certified organic or locally grown ingredients, so good stuff. Arriving there in the afternoon, I found a pretty long line (long lines in a bakery seem a Victoria staple: great job, guys!! You've earned my respect!) and a smaller selection of baked goods and some gluten-free items; some, like the cinnamon buns, were already sold out. All were labelled and reasonably priced, and prices included taxes. With most baked goods under or around $3, it was one of my most affordable bakery trips in Victoria!

Disappointed to not find a cinnamon bun waiting for me and debating between my eventual purchase and the blueberry tart, I went for what I thought would be more filling: the fruit and custard bun ($2.65, taxes included). This was a soft, moist bun with a hint of butter and made so delectably moist from the custard, which was more mixed in with the dough than a giant blob in the centre or anything along those lines -- thankfully. A few more pieces of fruit (blueberries were the only memorable find) or berries would have been nice; it was, in a sense, more plain dough than anything fruit-flavoured, but the dough and glaze on top was good. Tasty, nonetheless, and a place -- along with so many more in the city -- I would return to.

Rating: ***