People of the OCQ: Lisa
Lisa Ng has spent the majority of her life working in restaurants. She spent fifteen years working alongside her father at his Chinese restaurant in Sooke, then spent another fifteen years working at her sister-in-law’s restaurant in Nanaimo.
“I’ve worked in the food industry over forty years,” says Lisa.
Now, she owns Waffle Magic, a quaint hidden gem in the Old City Quarter.
Working for her father, Lisa pitched in everywhere to keep the restaurant running. The Chinese restaurant was take-out only, so it wasn’t until she started working at her sister in law’s that she got experience serving.
“When I first started, I got the first three tables to manage. Well, that was too many tables. I couldn't handle them!” she remembers. “Then after many years, you are able to do fifteen tables no problem.”
It was decades of restaurant experience that led Lisa to venture out on her own. She chose the Old City Quarter to open up shop due to the trendy atmosphere and friendly shop owners. Before opening Waffle Magic, she had never made waffles before. The idea came to her when she was touring Vancouver with her sister.
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We both checked around Vancouver because they always have new things that we don't have here,” she explains. “I wanted something that was different and unusual. Something that I could do myself. We went to this waffle place and thought it as the perfect fit.”
Waffle Magic makes authentic Belgium waffles using cast waffle irons and made in house yeast dough for Brussel and Liege waffles. Brussel waffles are light and crispy, while a Liege is made thicker, richer and chewier. Using the special high-end irons and imported ingredients like pearl sugar, Lisa says makes for a truly authentic waffle experience.
“A few people actually came from Belgium and said that my waffles tasted exactly the same as back home. That was a huge compliment that we are doing it right.”
Although her waffle recipe follows the authentic European style flavours, her toppings are anything but traditional. Lisa likes to incorporate her love of baking to create unforgettable pairings. She operates the restaurant with one part time employee and makes everything from scratch.
“Since my son like brownies, I made a brownie delight and put the brownies on there. I make a lot of cheesecakes, so there is also an option for that. I always like to come up with new varieties to compliment the waffles.”
Lisa currently offers 16 different varieties for her waffles from sweet, savoury and fruity. Waffle Magic is located at 101 – 427 Fitzwilliam Street and open Wednesday to Sundays.