The Pioneer House is an iconic log building in the Whippletree Junction shopping district just south of Duncan BC. It's a huge and impressive structure in the old frontier log style, and I had the pleasure of dropping by for lunch this past Sunday on one my many trips to and from Victoria.

It was a spring break Sunday and the joint was jumping, but I managed to get a table for 1 quite quickly. There were lots of families there enjoying Sunday brunch, some large tables of 8 or more and a steady stream of diners coming and going. Any place that serves Phillips Blue Buck on tap is aces in my book, so I relaxed with my frosty mug of locally-brewed nectar and enjoyed the folksy decor while I waited for my meal.

The menu is quite extensive, typical west coast pub and diner fare, but they also offer a mexican food menu for those who like it spicy. I ordered the lunch special, a BLT with Swiss cheese and a bowl of curried chicken and rice soup, plus a side of fries and gravy. The sandwich was as tasty as expected, not much you can do with a BLT, but the soup was very good, obviously home made with big chunks of chicken, lots of vegetables and a tasty curry flavour. Even the fries and gravy were perfectly done, worthy even of a mighty poutine.

The Pioneer House should go into your list of must visits for a casual hearty meal when travelling up or down Vancouver Island