Tree House Cafe - Salt Spring Island


In the middle of Ganges on Salt Spring Island there is this unique restaurant that makes you feel like you're eating in a tree house. It's appropriately called the Tree House Cafe. This place is more or less an outdoor restaurant (only open in summer), with wooden tables, wooden floors, and roof built around this big, tall, beautiful tree. The tree itself stands right smack in the middle of the restaurant.

The food itself is full of local goods, with an emphasis on vegetarian. Of course we didn't order anything vegetarian!

We arrived and sat at a table. Of course the service was slow, because the restaurant was full, but it was relaxing sitting there. We observed some sparrows going after some crumbs on the floor. They were pretty loud and cute. Unfortunately one of them left me a souvenir on my bag.

No fries here. Their burgers come with a choice of salad. I ordered the lamb burger with mango chutney and goat cheese with a Caesar salad. I was a bit apprehensive ordering lamb because of the lamb cheek experience at the Faux Bourgeois, but we were in Salt Spring, and the lamb was local, so I had to order this. It turned out to be oh-so-delicious. The burger was thick, juicy and extremely flavourful - I could taste that it had just come off the grill. The mango chutney was a good accompaniment, but the best part was the goat cheese. It goes so well with the lamb and mango, and it was gooey and rich, and brought the burger to the heights of heaven. One of the best burgers I've had. The salad was not that great though, wilted and overdressed.


Shane got the local beef burger with cheddar and bacon, with spinach salad. The salad was nothing to write home about (but at least the bland dressing was on the side). The burger was again tremendous. Thick, juicy, well seasoned, and the bacon was perfectly cooked. It was delicious. I thought it was one of the best burgers (again!), but surprisingly Shane said he preferred the one at Jimmy's. I don't get that.

Overall the restaurant exceeded my expectations. I was kind of sick of burgers and sandwiches before this place, but Tree House has definitely renewed my faith.

2 comments:

  1. Your postings make me want a vacation. We have been working a lot over the summer so need one actually. :)
    Have to think about a short trip to somewhere. (yes, somewhere.)

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  2. I wish I were on vacation too! Hope you two can get some time off for a little getaway....
    The islands are always really nice--peaceful and you feel like you're far away from the city.

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