Best New Restaurants

It’s not easy maintaining people’s interest when you’re the most keenly anticipated opening in town — for four years running. And when you do eventually open under such circumstances, it’s harder still to satisfy your dining community’s strained expectations. But Vancouver’s Toptable Group (Blue Water Cafe, Elisa, CinCin and Araxi, along with Oceans and Carlotto in NYC, among others) managed to do both, and then some, with their first Victoria restaurant, Marilena Café + Raw Bar.