The Rock Cod Café, perched on pilings over the water at the south end of the village, is the place for fresh local seafood in Cowichan Bay. The menu follows what's running — Dungeness crab when it's in season, local salmon, prawns from the Strait of Georgia — and the kitchen doesn't overwork the ingredients. Sit on the deck if the weather cooperates; watching the tides shift and the boats move in and out is the full experience.
Service is relaxed and the portions are generous by Victoria or Vancouver standards. This is not cheap — fresh sustainable seafood on Vancouver Island never is — but the quality justifies it. Reservations are sensible on weekends and in summer.