Infusions

Culinary students did an incredible job putting together a dinner

I was going to start this ramble with the standard canned line like "Best kept secret in Kelowna". But I realized that it is so good and so rare in Canada that I'd expand it to the best kept secret in BC. First, let me explain what this restaurant is. It is an outlet for the students in the Okanagan Culinary Arts program to prepared and serve their creations. It's not a private swim or drown commercial venture. The price of the meal is so far below the quality of the meal because they need an outlet for what they make. It gives the kids a way to present their talent beyond the classroom. Behind the back wall of the dining room is a complex of commercial kitchen infrastructure that is turning out world caliber chefs from the Okanagan College culinary school. They are taught and overseen by top tier instructors and you get to taste their creations. This place has no sign on the road. It has no signage on campus to lead you there. It doesn't even say restaurant on the outside...just "Infusions. Culinary Arts". It's buried among classroom buildings, shops and administration buildings. It's not hard to find if your looking for it but the general public doesn't even know it's there. I'd never heard of it. I don't even think they advertise. They don't even have a website. It's the kind of place that you quietly lean over to your friends as you enter and ask if it's OK for the public to go to. For the price of a burger and fries and a slippery plastic chair at Burger King, you get a real, meal of 5 star restaurant caliber. We went for lunch today and for $11, I had the best turkey clubhouse and Caesar Salad and a chocolate torte for dessert that I can remember. My wife had the day's special of seafood ragu while my daughter had a chicken wrap. It was all well presented as these kids are shown how the flashy joint do it and charge 3 times as much. And it was big enough to qualify as a full meal, not some downsized, detuned piece of artwork. We saw the dinner menu and plan on going back soon. Parking and finding the place is a challenge the first time you do it. Here's the drill...park in one of the public lots. They are well marked. Instead of doing the guy thing and wandering until you find it, ask a kid walking by and ask for the Infusions restaurant or the culinary arts building. You'll be glad you did. Oh...and here's something you don't get at any restaurant...gratuities are not accepted. A donation to the school can be arrange if you wish. This policy appears in a footnote of the menus.

If I could give more stars, I would! Excellent service and food. Very good prices. I've returned multiple times and will continue to do so.