According to Collin's dictionary, a pluviophile is an individual who loves rain and/or finds joy and peace of mind during rainy days. The shorthand version, Pluvio, fits well with this Vancouver Island restaurant as it is a quintessential part of the West Coast experience.
When co-owners Warren Barr and Lily Verney-Downey first opened their doors in 2019, their idea was to showcase local products with the elements of Ucluelet, Tofino and the Island itself.
The small and intimate eatery features an open kitchen concept along with a menu that is based entirely on what their farmers, foragers and producers can provide.
“We wanted our restaurant and hotel to be like a love letter to the west coast of Vancouver Island”, says Barr and Verney-Downey. “We wanted it to represent who we are, what this area means to us and to showcase the very best of what Vancouver Island has to offer. To many, describing the West Coast includes imageries of the ocean, the rainforest, sprawling beaches, fishing and of course, rain!"
Other names were considered, including "Thala/’Thalasso","Ozzard" and "Krummolz". "Thala/Thalasso" comes from the word “thalassophile”, which is an individual who is drawn to the ocean, whereas "Ozzard" is the name of a nearby mountain. "Krummolz" is a German word with no direct English translation, however, according to Barr and Verney-Downey, the name posed a slight problem phonetically.
"While looking for something that really embodied the West Coast we thought of the bent, windswept trees that line the shores here. It turns out that we don’t have a name for them in English, the closest thing we found for a name of them is the German word for them, Krummholz. We opted against that for obvious reasons. It doesn’t exactly roll off the tongue and can you image the Trip Advisor reviews, “Krummholz, more like crummy…”
Pluvio will reopen on February 6. Restaurant and room reservations can be made online.
