Foodology
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Brunch

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In Brunch

Huevos Dias is Fayuca’s new brunch menu

I thought Yaletown’s Hamilton street would be bustling on a weekend brunch hour. Instead, it was quiet and empty. Early morning yoga, barre and spin cyclists silently stream out of the studios after their classes. A brunch spot is needed for this area and Fayuca is stepping up!

Huevos Dias is Fayuca’s brunch menu served every Saturday and Sunday from 9am to 3pm.

Menu

Their new brunch menu features signature Mexican breakfast items such as huevos rancheros, chillaquiles and enfrijolada. It also lends Mexican flavours to typical PNW brunch fares including avocado toast and bennies.

Juices

Fayuca has a great selection of brunch cocktails, but we opted to try their non-alcoholic drinks. Jugo Verde was refreshing and tasted very healthy. It has cactus, parsley, celery, pineapple and orange. Licuado is whole milk blended with fruit and cardamom which was very tasty.

The Food

Chilaquiles

Crispy tortillas in salsa verde, two fried eggs, beans, onion, creme fraiche, avocado and feta cheese. These are breakfast nachos with an egg on top (which makes everything better)! This would be good to share with the table, to pick at as you drink and chat. Or eat it by yourself because it’s a mix of everything you love in one bowl.

Mexican Benny (Benny Mexicano)

I needed to try their take on the classic eggs benedict. Benny Mexicano features two poached eggs on crispy corn sopes with pork carnitas and hollandaise.

The corn sopes has more bite and texture than your typical english muffin, but it’s not dry because of the rich blend of hollandaise, avocado and yolk slathered on top. The toasted pumpkin seeds impart a nice nutty flavour.

It’s served with a salad with a tart dressing which help cuts through the rich flavours from the benny.

Birria “Hangover Stew”

Jalisco, Mexico is known for tequila and for birria stew. Putting these two concepts together is perfect, because this makes for a really good hangover cure.

Fayuca’s Birria is a traditional spicy brisket stew with crispy tortilla, onion, cilantro and limes. Squeeze a healthy dose of lime juice and sprinkle the crispy tortilla on top for a filling, savoury meal. This stew would be good any time of the day, especially while it’s dreary and raining.

Final Thoughts

Part of the immigrant experience is recreating your beloved foods using ingredients that are available in your new home country. Beyond the taste, food is tied closely to memories, culture and identity. Fayuca applies the same approach in their brunch menu. The food draws upon their childhood memories from Northern Mexico—the gatherings, the fun and the flavours—and expresses them through Pacific Northwest ingredients. I really love this concept and it’s so well executed.

The Yaletown restaurant strip on Hamilton is oddly devoid of early weekend brunch spots and Fayuca is filling that need. If you’re hungry after your morning exercise or if you’re rolling out of bed after a hard night out, indulging on filling and flavourful brunch at Fayuca is a solid choice.

Address:
1009 Hamilton St, Vancouver, BC

Website:
https://www.fayuca.ca/

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In Brunch

Sweetery Café + Dessert: Brunch on the Weekends

The Sweetery Café + Dessert is located in Vancouver near the Cambie and Olympic Village area on W 2nd Avenue. They have been around serving up delicious breakfasts and lunches in the neighbourhood for some time now. A favourite local spot for brunch and to indulge in egg bennies and chicken and waffles. They are now open on the weekends for brunch.

Interior

There is a lot of seating inside and you can put in your order up at the counter and pay. Then you can find a seat in the seating area.

Menu

Belgium Waffles

They make fresh Belgium Waffles to order and you can choose them with different toppings like bacon, sausage, or fresh fruit and whipped cream.

Depending on if you like savoury or sweet, you have the choice to decide what suits your taste buds.

Chicken and Waffles

The classic chicken and waffles on their menu has their Belgium waffles, Sweetery-style fried chicken, chilli maple butter, bacon, hash, and maple syrup.

This is one of their most popular items on the menu.

Crab Cake Benny

The Crab Cake Benny has poached eggs, chili cream cheese, hollandaise, mixed greens, and hash.

The egg was beautifully poached and oozed as it was cut.

Smoked Turkey Benny

They have specials on their menu and while we were here, it was near Thanksgiving, so they created the Smoked Turkey Benny with poached eggs, turkey, peppercorn gravy, cranberry, and chutney. It is served with smash potatoes and fresh fruit on the side.

Jersey City Burger

They have partnered up with Relish Gourmet Burgers to add some of their burger items to the menu. The Jersey City burger has fried field mushrooms, pickled peppers, pancetta bacon, and provolone cheese. We had the side of sweet potato fries, which are $4.25 extra.

The burger was ok, but it could have a bit more charbroiled taste to it.

Honey Dijon Beef Baguette

There are sandwiches on the menu too if you aren’t too into brunch items. This item is panini grilled, so you get a hot toasty sandwich with a crisp exterior.

Homemade Baked Goods

There are a lot of home made baked goods, so if you want a sweet snack with a drink, they have that too.

Berry Chia Pudding

Got some dietary restrictions? They have gluten-free and vegan options on the menu and one of them is their chia seed puddings.

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month

As it is October, it is Breast Cancer Awareness Month and you can purchase a pink ribbon with a $2 donations. Also, every pink item sold, they will be donating $1.

Final Thoughts

They have an extensive list of menu items, which everything is made in-house. From pastries to burgers, the taste of the items we tried were decent. Nothing really stood out, but there are a lot of items to choose from.

Address:
340 W 2nd Ave, Vancouver, BC

Website:
http://www.sweeterycafe.com/

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In American

The Boon Fly Cafe: Breakfast in Napa Valley

When we were in Napa Valley, we decided to head over to The Boon Fly Cafe for breakfast. For a Friday, this place was very busy. We waited quite a while and was the last group to be seated for the breakfast menu. We were glad we just squeezed in because we were here specifically for breakfast.

They do offer complimentary water and hot coffee outside as you wait. A nice touch!

Interior

There are a good amount of seats inside for small to large groups. If you have a larger group, best to come early. They only do reservations for dinner. Other wise, it’s first come first serve.

Menu

Boon Fly Donuts

Their mini donuts are made fresh with sugar covering each piece. You get 13 pieces per order. It’s soft in texture and light. When it arrives at the table, eat it right away so you can enjoy them hot and fresh.

The pieces at the bottom of the bucket were coated in a lot of sugar, so they were more sweet.

Boon Fly Chicken & Waffle

This is made using Mary’s free range chicken, malt waffle pepper jam, maple syrup, and whipped brown butter. A deliciously crisp waffle with 3 pieces of fried chicken. Depending on the piece of the chicken, it could be dry or juicy. Pieces like the breast with white meat tend to be more dry.

Green Eggs and Ham

We ordered this because of the name, plus it reminds us of Dr Seuss.  This has poached farm fresh eggs wrapped in honey-cured ham, lemon leek-cream, on crispy hash browns. A creative dish that also tasted good.

Boon Fly Benedict

This dish uses Sweet Pea Bake Shop’s fresh English muffin, thinly sliced honey-cured ham, poached eggs, Jalapeño hollandaise, and crispy hash browns. One of the eggs were poached soft and the other one was more of a medium. The hashbrowns are pretty darn tasty.

Corned Beef Hash

This has house-made corned beef, crispy hash browns, spinach, grilled onions, poached eggs, and Jalapeño hollandaise. I asked the staff for a recommendation on the menu and they said their favourite dish was the corned beef hash, so I had to get it. It was really good and you can tell the quality of the corned beef was very high. The eggs were both soft poached perfectly and the hollandaise was delicious.

Final Thoughts

Overall, the breakfast here was delicious and the staff were very friendly. The dishes we ordered were a bit more on the heavy side, but they do have lighter and healthier items on the menu too.

Website:
http://www.boonflycafe.com/

Address:
4048 Sonoma Hwy, Napa

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In Brunch

Sai Woo: Now Serving Weekend Brunch

Sai Woo serves casual Asian fusion food in Vancouver Chinatown. Its architectural details and artwork honour the building and area’s history. The original Sai Woo Chop Suey opened in 1925 and was a local favourite for decades, until it closed in 1959. As before, a bright coloured rooster neon sign welcome today’s patrons.

They invited us to try their new brunch menu. Unlike its previous iteration, it veers away from any Western cuisine influences. Instead, it features breakfast flavours from Chinese, Korean, Vietnamese, and the Pacific Islands.

Interior

Sai Woo is a beautiful space and the food is always plated with intent. But to be candid, their brunch menu is savoury, filling, and is perfect after a great night partying. If you’re hungover and need something to tide you over, or if you want to keep the party going, they can make both happen.

Menu

Here’s what you can expect:

Sai Woo brunch menu includes food and cocktail options.

Sai Woo Style Congee

Sai Woo Style Congee with vegetable medley, fried shallots, with asian herbs. This can be ordered with prawns or pork, as an add-on.

House Made Spam Musubi

First, let’s all pause to agree that everything breakfast tastes better with an egg on top. The House Made Spam Musubi includes toasted nori, pickled vegetables, and fried egg.

House Made Spam Musubi

Chinese Style Omelette has Chinese spiced vegetables, asian slaw, and shaved vegetables.

Steamed Korean Scallion Pancakes

Steamed Korean Scallion Pancakes with braised pork, salsa verde, and fried egg.

Final Thoughts

Sai Woo offers their brunch menu Saturday and Sundays from 11:00am to 3:00pm. Their menu dares to go beyond dim sum and offer flavours different than the typical brunch fare. It’s brunch that can appease both the hungry and the hungover who find themselves in Vancouver Chinatown.

Address:
158 E Pender St, Vancouver, BC

Website:
https://saiwoo.ca/

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In Brunch

Little Brick Cafe and General Store in Edmonton: Cute and Cozy

Little Brick Cafe and General Store is hidden in the Riverdale area in a residential area. The old brick house was built in 1903 and has so much character and charm. This is the former family home of J.B. Little, the owner of the brickyard that used to call the area home and
provided bricks to Edmonton’s most historical buildings.

As I walked in here, I felt like I was trespassing into someone’s home but don’t worry, as you walk through the fence to the entrance, you’ll know its ok.

I love all the patio seating with all the picnic tables spread out. This would make such a good event space for the Summer.

Interior

They don’t take reservations but there is plenty of space. Just go early if you have a very large group. The space is very cozy and cute. You order everything up at the counter and they’ll bring your food to the table.

Latte

I had to get a latte for the morning as my pick me up for the day. It was a good latte with a nice latte art on top. Very good espresso used in it that is pretty smooth and rich.

Thick Cut Bacon Eggs Benny

It is pricey at $16, but it was so delicious. It has bacon, Gull Valley vine tomato, apple cider hollandaise and soft-boiled Four Whistle Farms free-run eggs on toast.

The eggs were perfectly soft and oozed out all over the bennies to bring all the elements together. That bacon just melts in your mouth and filled me with so much joy. You can tell the ingredients they use is pretty high quality.

Blueberry Scone

They also have pastries too if brunch if a bit too heavy. My friend got a blueberry scone and it was massive. You can see all the berries that is used in it.

Final Thoughts

Overall, this spot is an absolute gem serving up brunch. It’s the cutest spot to catch up with friends and have some good treats. Highly recommended.

Address:
10004 90 St NW, Edmonton

Website:
http://littlebrick.ca/lbcafe/

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In Afternoon Tea

La Petite Cuillere: Brunch and High Tea in Mount Pleasant

La Petite Cuillere in the Mount Pleasant neighbourhood has undergone a little transformation after the change of ownership. Owner Cathy Lai and Chef Frankie partnered back in November 2017 to focus on quality ingredients, cooking from scratch, rotating menu and better tea and food pairings. They recently launched a new menu with brunch being served daily from 10am – 2:30pm.

Interior

Since the ownership changeover, there have been some changes to the interior. The seating is more extravagant and fancy. If you have a particular seat in mind, it’s best to reserve and ask for that spot. They can accommodate parties up to 23 people and private events of up to 45 people.

These two east are extra fancy and so boujee.

I like how they kept the tea cups as a focus at the back of the cafe. I’m even impressed that it’s colour coordinated too.

Menu

Afternoon Tea

We started with the afternoon tea, which is always a stunner. You get all the sweets and savouries, plus a pot of tea. Our beautiful tower came with:

  • Cupcake
  • Tea Cake
  • Macaron
  • Scone with preserves and Devonshire cream
  • Crème Brule
  • Soup of the day
  • Darjeeling Roasted Chicken Tartlet with Cranberry Chutney
  • Lapsang Tea Egg Salad Croissant
  • Mushroom & Caramelized Onion Quiche
  • Spring Salad with Green Tea Goddess Dressing

The flavours change daily, so you never know what flavours of items it will be. Always best to call ahead and let them know of any dietary restrictions. They can also make a vegetarian, vegan or gluten-free versions too.

Of the set we had, I felt that the savoury items were stronger than the sweet ones, but that is also my personal preference too. The quiche and croissant were my favourite.

For my pot of team, I went with Earl Grey. It’s classic for any afternoon tea and goes well by itself or with milk and sugar.

Chai Tea French Toast

The Chai Tea French Toast is topped with candied hazelnuts, blueberry compote, and chamomile mascarpone cream. A twist on a classic with 4 layers of french toast. The Chai isn’t too strong and pairs nicely with the blueberry compote.

Vegan Buckwheat Waffles

The waffles is topped with dark chocolate salted caramel, earl grey butter, and raspberry compote. It’s good to have vegan options for brunch but felt this was a bit lacking compared to the other dishes on the menu.

Croque Madame

This has darjeeling béchamel, leek jam, swiss cheese, ham, and egg. It was interesting to see how they incorporated tea into the béchamel. Can’t go wrong with a sandwich covered in cheese and sauce.

Smoked Salmon Hash

It has crispy potatoes, lentils, dill, soft boiled tea egg, and a Ceylon lemon aioli. This was a fun dish and I liked the smoked salmon and the egg.

Breakfast Quiche

Despite its look, I enjoyed it. It has creamed oolong spinach, mushroom, squash, caramelized onion, and mozzarella.

Final Thoughts

Overall, the brunch and afternoon tea items were ok. None of the dishes stood out too much, but its still a fun place to hang out with friends and enjoy some tea and treats while catch up on life.

Address:
55 Kingsway, Vancouver, BC

Website:
https://www.lapetitecuillere.ca/

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In Brunch

Skye Cafe & Bistro: Brunch in Regina

Inside the Saskatchewan Science Centre, you will find Skye Cafe & Bistro serving up fresh, local and seasonal cuisine to their guests. Located right by Wascana Lake, they attract locals and even travellers like me to their approachable menu that is simple and full of flavour. Chef Louise Lu and Chef Milton Rebello created Skye Cafe & Bistro really wanted to treat guests like they were dining in their home.

Interior

The interior is beautiful with the warm light fixtures and the natural light coming in from the windows. It was pretty busy for a Saturday morning so you might want to make a reservation if you’re in a larger group to ensure a seat.

Menu

Tea

Steeped loose leaf tea is available in Earl Grey, English Breakfast, Green Sencha, peppermint or Rooibos. A good warm drink in the morning.

Morning Glory Smoothie

This smoothie is made of banana, strawberry, coconut milk and honey. It’s only available on the weekend but it was good and delicious. It has a prominent taste of banana and strawberries so the coconut milk wasn’t strong.

Crab Cake Benedict

The dish has Yukon gold potato hash, poached eggs, citrus hollandaise, house greens, crab cakes and asparagus.

The Weekender

This perfect breakfast dish has 2 eggs cooked sunny side up, potatoes, toast, salad, and your choice of bacon or sausage. I of course went with bacon. It was a well rounded dish and the egg yolks were nice and bright.

Final Thoughts

Brunch at Skye Cafe and Bistro was great. The dishes were well rounded, fresh and delicious. If I’m ever in Regina again, I’ll definitely be back.

Website:
https://skyecafeandbistro.com/

Address:
2903 Powerhouse Dr, Regina, SK

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In Brunch

Earls Ambleside Beach: Brunch Happy Hour $8 Dishes

Earls has finally opened their Ambleside Beach location in West Vancouver. The new waterfront dining destination is in the Grosvenor Ambleside development a few feet from the water, which has a view of Lions Gate Bridge and Stanley Park. This is actually the first Earls to open in BC since 2010 and Earls Ambleside Beach was created specifically for this West Vancouver location and people in the area.

Interior

The interior is designed in a ‘West Coast meets California Beach’ style. They can seat up to 189 guests inside, while their patio will allow more than 80 guests to sit outside. You will also notice several commissioned artworks for their corporate art collection from Vancouver artists including Andy Dixon, Fiona Ackerman, Ben Skinner and all-female artist collective, Thrive Art Studio, for its art program. These custom works are featured prominently throughout the restaurant as part of the Earls commitment to supporting local artists.

Brunch Menu

There are 9 brunch items on the menu along with a few drinks. What I like about the menu is how there is brunch happy hour from opening till 11am where all the food is $8. What a steal.

Brunch Drinks

Alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks are on the menu. Very fancy to go well with brunch. I opted for my usual coffee in the morning, but if you’re in need of something a little bit more fancy, the option is there.

Smoothie Bowl

This hearty brunch bowl comes in 2 sizes and has fresh blueberries, strawberries, mint, toasted almonds, banana, flax seed granola, and spirulina. This dish is exclusive to this location.

Grilled Avocado Brunch Bowl

A very healthy option for breakfast as it has grilled zucchini, roasted sweet potato, tomato, avocado, romesco yogurt, and fried egg. That grilled avocado looks really good.

Avocado Brunch Toast

This has poached eggs, smashed avocado, furikake, chili and radish. They make the eggs perfectly soft and it’s another good option if you don’t want anything too meaty or rich.

Eggs Benedict

This classic breakfast has two poached eggs, classic hollandaise, virginia ham, toasted baguette, and it is served with crispy potatoes. I added a side of bacon onto it. The baguette was toasted so it was crisp on the outside and went with the bennies well.

Golden Waffles + Cream

A fun sweet item for those with a little sweet tooth in the morning. It has Chantily cream, maple syrup, and their seasonal compote over golden waffles.

Country Breakfast

There are 2 eggs sunny side up, bacon, sausage, grilled avocado, baked beans, crispy potatoes, and toast. A very big breakfast that is super filling.

Dim Sum Dumplings

There are 3 pieces of Shrimp Har Gau, 3 pieces of pork + shrimp Siu Mai, with tobiko, soy vinegar, and sriracha. Something a little bit different. They tasted ok, but not the best.

Final Thoughts

Overall, its great value for brunch happy hour for $8 per dish. The atmosphere is great and you can very close to the water. There is also lots of free parking spots too. If I’m in the area again, I’ll definitely be back.

Address:
1375 Bellevue Ave , West Vancouver BC

Website: https://earls.ca/locations/ambleside-beach

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In Brunch

Rhino Coffee House: Coffee and Donuts in Tofino, BC

A trip to Tofino isn’t complete without a little bit of morning indulgence at Rhino Coffee House. Food Network Chef Lynn Crawford made a visit a few years ago for her show – The Great Canadian Cookbook and I always remembered that I needed to add this to my eating list when I came back to Tofino. We came here on a Friday morning at 8am and there was a steady stream of customers.

The best combination here is a donut and a coffee. If you want something more savoury, they have wraps and sandwiches on the menu too.

There is a window so you can look inside where everything is made. Nothing was happening when we were here, but its nice to know its all done here.

If you want to have coffee in-house, you get to use their fun mugs that remind you at home because of all the retro mismatching mugs.

Our donuts were ready right away and we waited patiently for our lattes and cappuccinos to be ready.

Latte

The latte was great and there was some latte art on top. A good ratio of espresso and steamed milk to create this.

The Corelle cup really brought me back to my childhood as we had the matching plates.

Cinnamon Sugar Donut

A good simple donut with a light dusting of sugar and cinnamon. The base donut was good too.

Sour cream beer glaze

My favourite donut! It has a nice crunch to the exterior of the donut and the glaze was delicious. You must get it!

Breakfast Wrap

In this wrap is two scrambled eggs, bacon, braised beans, salsa, avocado, aged cheddar, spinach, and chipotle mayo. It is very filling for breakfast, but

Bro-Nut

This is the donut-sandwich you’ve been looking for. It has a fried egg, choice of bacon, ham or sausage, tomato, aged cheddar, lettuce, on a homemade savoury donut. I got bacon and it was essentially an amazing BLT donut sandwich. The donut went so well with it and it wasn’t sweet. I would totally have this again.

Take a taste of Rhino Coffee house with you

You can also purchase beans in store or online if you want to continue having the Rhino Coffee House experience at home. A ceramic mug, espresso beans and their dark roast made its way into my luggage.

Final Thoughts

Overall, I loved having breakfast here early in the morning. A coffee and donut are a must. The bro-nut and sour cream beer glaze donuts I would get again with a cup of coffee. If you’re in the area and need a quick casual breakfast, make a stop here.

Address:
430 Campbell St, Tofino, BC

Website: 
https://www.rhinocoffeehouse.com

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In Brunch

S+L Kitchen and Bar: Brunch in Langley

S+L Kitchen and Bar is a casual upscale restaurant by the Joseph Richard Group (JRG) bringing unique locally inspired dishes to their customers. They have craft cocktails, craft beer and an expansive wine list. Their menu is designed and inspired by Chef Matthew Stowe (Top Chef Canada winner and JRG Director of Culinary Operations) and David Jorge (MasterChef Canada winner and JRG Corporate Chef).

We were in the area and decided to come here for brunch on the weekend.

Interior

You will find a chic industrial look to the interior with the white, black and wooden look.

Mimosa

Brunch is great with mimosas and when we were here it was only $3, which is a great deal.

Coffee

I got a coffee with cream and sugar which was slightly more expensive than the mimosa. Nonetheless, I needed coffee in the morning.

Forest Mushroom and Goat Cheese Omelette

This has a three egg omelette, roasted mushrooms, and goat cheese. It has baby kale and crispy potatoes for the sides.  The omelette was decent and the goat cheese and mushrooms are a great pairing.

Avocado Toast

This has avocado on top of grilled sourdough bread with a sunny side up egg, oven dried tomatoes, and balsamic glaze. It has baby kale salad and crispy potatoes on the side.

Fried Mac & Cheese

We shared Mac and Cheese sticks that comes with 4 pieces and a bowl of San Marzano tomato sauce. Inside the Mac and Cheese sticks are filled with aged cheddar and American cheese. It was good to share this as it was very rich.

Chocolate Sphere

This fun dessert has a chocolate brownie topped with vanilla ice cream and strawberries, inside a milk chocolate sphere with candied walnuts. A house-made creme anglaise poured table side to reveal the deliciousness inside. A good way to end this meal with this fun dessert.

Final Thoughts

Overall, it’s a good brunch option in Langley as your choices are limited in this city. I wouldn’t drive too far to come here, but since it I was in the neighbourhood, we decided to come here for brunch and try it out.

We Rate S+L Kitchen and Bar: 

Address:
8398 200 St, Langley Twp, BC

Website:
http://www.jrg.ca/establishment/sl-kitchen-bar/sl-kitchen-bar-langley/

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In Brunch

Big Flat Pancake Co.: Breakfast in Port Coquitlam

The Big Flat Pancake Co. has just opened up in Coquitlam serving up breakfast daily from 8am till 2:30pm. A friend told me about this place and we decided to come to this mom and pop breakfast joint to start off the weekend. We got here early in the morning and there was already a line. News spread fast about this place and it’s good to see this addition in the neighbourhood.

Interior

The interior is clean and pretty standard with tables everywhere for small to large groups. For large groups, its best to arrive earlier to beat the rush.

They don’t take reservations, so it is first come first serve. There is a big chalkboard with the wait list, so you’ll always know if you’re next.

Menu

Coffee

The day doesn’t begin until I’ve had some coffee. I got some coffee to accompany our breakfast adventures.

The Hipster Hash Big Flat Pancakes

The big flat pancake is topped with a dish of hashbrowns, country ham, back bacon, and turkey bacon tossed with peppers, onions, corn, tomato, avocado, hollandaise and a golden egg. The ingredients in the hash were ok but it didn’t really standout too much except the egg and avocado.

Farmhouse Waffles

This has country ham and 2 eggs done any way you like. I went with sunny side up. The egg yolks were nice and golden, but the waffle was ok. It is served with maple syrup and butter too.

Tater Tots

The tater tots were nice and golden. You have a choice between fire roasted salsa or pesto. We went with the pesto and it was a great combination as you wouldn’t have thought dunking tater tots into pesto. The downside is that this particular pesto the taste lingered for a long time even after the meal.

3 Cheese Omelete

It is served with toast, fresh fruit and in-house fire roasted salsa.

Four Berry Cheesecake

To end off the breakfast, we got this four berry cheesecake big flat pancake. It has a compote of raspberries, blackberries, strawberries and blueberries. It is them served with cream cheese whip and graham crackers. We just spread everything over the pancake and ate it up quickly. I would say it was my favourite item out of all the dishes we ordered.

Final Thoughts

I found a lot of them items were mediocre, but for the area, there aren’t a lot of breakfast options close by. I wouldn’t travel far to come here, but if I was in the area and wanted breakfast, it’s a consideration.

We Rate Big Flat Pancake Co: 

Address:
2020 Oxford Connector, Port Coquitlam, BC

Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/thebfpc/

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In Brunch

The Ellis: Brunch in Kitsilano

The Ellis opened this Summer in Kitsilano serving up delicious Pacific North West Comfort Food. They are named after Ellis Island, as it was the pivotal point of entry for over 12 million immigrants. It’s a symbol of freedom and discovery.

My hubby is a huge brunch fan, so we decided to check out their brunch offerings.

Interior

There is a large bar, table top eating, and more tables on the side. It wasn’t too busy on a weekend morning, but they did roll out their brunch recently.

Coffee

Coffee is a must for us when having brunch. They also have a good mimosa and caesars, but we just weren’t feeling it when we visited but it’s definitely what we will order next time.

Fried Chicken French Toast

This is definitely a unique item. It has Frosted Flakes French Toast topped with powdered sugar. Then whole wheat breaded chicken and chicken gravy. M added Thick-cut bacon as a side. He absolutely loved this dish. A bit sweet, a bit savoury, with yummy textures.

Biscuits and Gravy

You get toasted buttermilk biscuit with 2 large sausage patties, 2 eggs, grilled onions and chicken gravy. The portion of this dish was good.

The eggs were soft poached and done perfectly. It oozed out with such grace.

Beans on Toast

The thick cut sourdough bread is topped with bacon & molasses baked beans, 2 eggs and fresh tomatoes. I saw this on the menu and had to try it as it’s not something I would order but it was recommended by the staff.

These eggs are also perfectly poached and the flavours melded very well.

Final Thoughts

We really enjoyed the food and will definitely be back with more friends. Frosted Flakes French Toast is a must!

We rate The Ellis: 

Address:
2204 York Ave, Vancouver

Website:
http://www.theellis.ca/

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In Brunch

Bandidas Taqueria: Vegetarian Mexican Food on Commercial Drive

Bandidas Taqueria has been on Commercial Drive for a long time serving up vegetarian Mexican-inspired cuisine. It’s been a while since my last visit, but it was nice to see they have expanded their space to have more guests.  We came on a weekend and its was pretty busy.

Interior

Lots of tables inside for small to large groups. They don’t take reservations so it’s first come, first serve.

Chips, Salsa and Guacamole

To start off the brunch, we had this to munch on before getting our other dishes. Loved how the dishes were overflowing with salsa and guac.

Breakfast Tacos

There is 3 handmade corn tortillas topped with scrambled eggs, black beans, caramelized onions, roasted tomato salsa, cheese, and sour cream, and served with purple cabbage. I added guacamole for $1.50 extra.

Breakfast Burrito

This has scrambled free-range eggs, pinto beans, roasted tomato salsa, cheese, and sour cream wrapped in a whole wheat tortilla and grilled. Then, you can get this baked with cheese on top. We added roasted yam and potato hash for $2.50 extra.

Ronny Russell Burrito

This has roasted yams, guacamole, black beans, salsa verde, purple cabbage, and toasted pumpkin seeds. Baked and with added cheese too. These burritos are very filling.

Horace “Lefty” Burrito

This has spicy Mexican corn mix, pinto beans, fresh jalapeños, cheese, fresh-cut tomato salsa, sour cream, and crushed tortilla chips. This is also baked and added cheese on top.

Beer

They have a range of local beers on tap. I got a beer and my friends ordered the East Van Radler with Driftwood’s Fat Tug IPA and freshly-squeezed grapefruit juice.

Mimosa

Weekend brunch time calls for mimosas. It comes in a small mason jar, but it’s a good match for brunch here.

Horchata

For something non-alcoholic, they have horchata, which is a Mexican drink made with rice and is flavoured with cinnamon and sweetened with sugar.

Final Thoughts

We Rate Bandidas Taqueria: 

Address:
2781 Commercial Dr, Vancouver

Website:
https://www.bandidastaqueria.com

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The Gray Olive Cafeteria: Best Brunch in Burnaby

The Gray Olive Cafeteria in Burnaby Heights is a hotspot for brunch on the weekends. I’ve come here quite a bit for brunch and every time, it’s consistent and very delicious. Plus, it’s just minutes away from place.

Interior

The space isn’t large as it’s pretty narrow. It’s pretty hard to fit large groups in here unless you go really early or wait for a while. I usually like to come here around 10am since after than. lines start to form. If you are a group of 2, waits are never that long.

If there is a wait, put your name and number on the list and take a stroll in the neighbourhood. They will call you when your table is ready.

Latte and Iced Coffee

Coffee is best to have in the morning if you love to be caffeinated. If you like it hot or iced, you can’t go wrong pairing it with brunch items.

Thai Iced Tea

They also have 2 versions of Thai Iced Tea, one with half & half and then another with coconut cream. Both of them are super damn good and I’ve had it several times.

Chicken & Waffles

A little bit pricey, but you have 2 fried boneless thighs, waffle, spicy Korean ketchup, maple syrup, and whipped brown butter. The waffles are well made, crisp on the outside a fluffy inside. The thighs we juicy and so delicious.

The Kitchen Sink

This has 2 eggs, sauteed veg, green onions, sausage, bacon, cheese, the g.o. potatoes. A little bit of everything in this bowl and it’s filling.

Pork Belly Breaky Sandwich

This sandwich has a thick cut of pork belly, egg, arugula, chives, chili marinated tomatoes, toasted sesame mayo, and a burger bun. The egg is supposed to be marbled egg, but my friend got it cooked through.

G.O. Potatoes

The side of G.O. Potatoes with the smoked shallot aioli is a must. Those potatoes are crispy and addictive.

Avocado Toast

The avocado toast has mashed avocado on sourdough and topped with oven roasted tomatoes, and balsamic reduction.

Final Thought

Overall, ever since my first bite, I’ve been hooked and have taken so many of my other friends here. A great weekend spot for brunch and I’ll be back.

We Rate The Gray Olive: 

Address:
4190 Hastings Street, Burnaby

Website:
http://www.thegrayolive.com/

The Gray Olive Cafeteria Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato

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Hilltop Cafe Diner: Breakfast in Langley

Hilltop Diner has been around for the past 68 years in Langley. Family-owned and has been serving diner classics to all their customers. Sherman has told me several times to go here and finally, after all those year, I finally went with a few friends. They have have been feature on You Gotta Eat here and also, a few celebrities have made visits here too.

Interior

I love the 1940’s diner look of this place. There are only a handful of places that have kept this unique charm. We waited a little bit and get seated. If you’re in a rush, you won’t want to come here as it’s not quick service diner food.

Coffee

Coffee is a must if you are a coffee drinker. You’ll make waiting a little while for your food, so you’ll want this to sip on it.

Bacon Benny

My friend got the bacon benny and loved their crisp thick cut bacon, hollandaise sauce and the pan fried potatoes.

Hilltop Breakfast

You get 3 eggs, any style, farmer sausage, baked beans, you choice of toast and a huge serving of hash browns. If you are hungry, you’ll want Hilltop’s biggest breakfast.

Silver Dollar Griddle Pancakes

If you want some mini pancakes, they have them too. Serves with butter and syrup.

Tex Mex Omelette

This big omelette is filled with sauteed peppers, homemade sausage, seasoning and a manly handful of Tex Mex cheese, all held together with three farm fresh eggs. It is served with toast and pan fried potatoes. It was really good and hit the spot.

Hot Sauce

We asked them for some hot sauce and they came out with 3 different kinds for us to try. It’s a local hot sauce from the Okanagan and it’s pretty delicious. We really liked their ‘darn hot’ sauce.

Overall, we really liked this place. The big downside is that the wait for food is long, but the quality of food is great and satisfying. Everyone is very nice and we felt right at home.

We Rate Hilltop Diner: 

Address:
23904 Fraser Hwy, Langley

Website:
http://www.hilltopdiner.ca/

Hilltop Diner Cafe Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato

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The Brunch Affair at the Shipyards in North Vancouver

I’ve mentioned before that I LOVE brunch, so checking out the Brunch Affair was only natural! The inaugural event was held at the Pipe Shop at the Shipyards in North Vancouver. My good friend, Alvin, attended the event with me. We had a hard time choosing from the featured food vendors: Arc, A Good Egg, El Coroto, Finch x Barley, J, N & Z, Rosemary Rocksalt and Thomas Haas. To start, I landed on El Coroto and he chose J, N & Z.

El Coroto

The Reina Arepa from El Coroto

El Coroto offers Venezuelan fare, with a West Cost flair. They make Arepas, which is like a bread, but is made from white cornmeal, water and salt. The dough is formed into a patty, grilled, split open and stuffed with a variety of ingredients. The one I tried was called the “Reina” (which I chose because it means “queen” in Spanish). This Arepa was filled with zucchini zoodles, creamy avocado, green pea smash, cilantro, lime, green onions and a touch of olive oil. This was one of three vegan and gluten free offereings on their menu. What makes their Arepas especially different is that they are grilled, and have hemp and flax seeds in the dough. The Reina was refreshing and tasted healthy, with a slight citrus flavour from the lime. My only critique was that it needed a touch of salt, as all the good green ingredients are very subtle in flavour.

J, N & Z Deli

Charcuterie Board from J, N & Z Deli

Alvin and I then shared a charcuterie board from J, N & Z Deli, which is a family owned and operated deli on Commercial Drive. This board included smoked Italian sausage, smoked Polish cheese, aged cheddar, Kransky, Serbian garlic sausage and back bacon. We really enjoyed this charcuterie board. The sausages were all so tasty, and the cheeses were amazing! Despite being lactose intolerant, I have a hard time avoiding dairy. It’s cheeses like these that remind me to pack lactase so that I can enjoy every smooth, creamy, salty bite.

Finch x Barley

A Breakfast Burrito from Finch x Barley

Alvin was hungrier than I was (which is unusual), so he wanted something filling. He tried the Breakfast Burrito from Finch x Barley, which was packed with scrambled eggs, bacon, salsa, cheese, guacamole, pesto and sour cream. He enjoyed it not only because it was tasty, it also hit the spot. I had a bite and liked how it was simple but elevated, thanks to the addition of guacamole and pesto.

Thomas Haas

A Lemon Lemon Tart from Thomas Haas

To be honest, when I saw Thomas Haas as a vendor at the Brunch Affair, I was excited and almost skipped out on trying anything else. But we came for brunch, so we saved dessert for last. To round out the savoury food we had, we finished off our brunch affair with a Lemon Lemon Tart. This tart had a shortbread crust, fresh zesty lemon cream and lemon custard, hence the two lemons in its name. It was topped off with a raspberry and a small white chocolate square, branded with Thomas Haas. The Lemon Lemon Tart was delicious! It was creamy, and the lemon flavour was not overpowering. I especially enjoyed the texture of the shortbread crust, which was a welcome contrast to the creamy lemon custard.

Overall, the Brunch Affair was an enjoyable event. Alvin and I enjoyed some live music while we ate, and he even had a mimosa from the bar. However, my friend and I found that the average price for food was somewhat pricey, (two tokens, with one token equal to $4). Then again, I guess it isn’t such a bad thing, since partial proceeds go to Canuck Place Children’s Hospice. The next Brunch Affair will be on August 12th and 13th, from 10am-4pm. Some of the vendors I mentioned will be there, plus some new ones. You can grab advance tokens on the website, which includes entry (otherwise admission is $5, plus what you spend on tokens). If you believe that weekends are meant for brunch(ing), then check out the next Brunch Affair.

Website: https://www.brunchaffair.ca/

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Rocko’s Diner: Archie Themed Milkshakes and Burgers

Rocko’s Diner is a 24 hours diner and is best know for bring in the pilot episode of Riverdale. Since we were passing by Mission, BC, we decided to make a stop for breakfast before heading to Castle Fun Park. They are one of the last free standing diners in BC. Still, they are family owned and operated and take a great sense of pride in being a successful independent restaurant.

Interior

Once you take a glance here, you know it looks like Pop’s Chock’lit Shoppe with all the booth seating on both sides. The red neon sign up above at night makes this place look perfect. During the day, the sign doesn’t have a large effect.

Archie/Riverdale Inspired Menu Items

On the menu, you’ll find a few items that are inspired by the show/comic book series. You can go for their milkshakes or the J Jones Burger. Very fitting for the characters. We didn’t end up getting these items as we were all craving their breakfast items.

Coffee

Coffee is an excellent way to start the day. We always get coffee at a diner, plus refills are great.

Disco Fries

The Disco Fries has onion rings and fries covered with mozzarella and cheddar smothered in gravy. A great item to share among the table. Plus, onion rings and gravy work well together.

Eggs Bennie

This classic dish has poached eggs, smoked ham, Hollandaise served on a grilled English muffin and a side of hash browns.

Black Rock Bennie

This has Grilled English muffin topped with crispy bacon, grilled tomatoes and hollandaise sauce. It is served with hash browns on the side. This was ok, but not that great. A bit expensive for what you get.

Rockos Skillet

You have your choice of Rocko’s Corn Beef, kubasa, bacon, ham, or sausage. Everyone got it with their corn beef. It is served with sautéed mushrooms, onions, melted cheese, green onions, hash browns and topped with 2 eggs. There is also toast on the side too.

Garden Omelette

This omelette has mushrooms, tomatoes, green onions, white onions and cheese. It is served with toast and hashbrowns.

Final Thoughts

Cool diner to go to but the food is sub par and is a bit pricey for what you get. It was nice to come here for the nostalgia and being where the Riverdale cast shot on episode, but the food isn’t that great.

We Rate Rocko’s Diner: 

Address:
32786 Lougheed Hwy, Mission

Website:
http://www.rockosdiner.com/

Rocko's Family Diner Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato

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Clough Club: Brunch in Gastown

Clough Club is now offering brunch out on their patio. They serve up badass cocktails and drinks, but now you can pair it up for brunch on the weekends. We were invited to try a few of their brunch offerings and cocktails to see what their brunch experience out on the patio is like.

Interior

There are a few seats inside, but with the beautiful weather, you might as well have it outside. Pros and cons of both options.

Crepes

Fried Chicken Savoury Crepe has spinach, onion, bourbon maple syrup, and hot sauce. Delicious! One of my favourite dishes since the chicken was so addictive. Also chicken and hot sauce is the best combination.

Brisket Savoury Crepe has caramelized onion, cheddar, kale, sunny side egg and hot sauce. That egg definitely adds a lot to this crepe.

Cannoli Sweet Crepe has ricotta, honey sweetened creme, and fresh berries. It was ok, but we wanted a little bit more sweetness from this dish.

Banana and Hazelnut Sweet Crepe has granola, nutella and fresh berries. We all really enjoyed this out of the 2 sweet crepes.

It’s great to see that they are putting their own fun twist to crepes. The savoury options were really good and I would come back for them.

Bacon Cheese Dog

The hot dog uses Nathan’s Famous hot dogs and topped with double smoked bacon, pickled onion, American cheese, sunny side egg and maple syrup. There is a side of tater tots as a nice touch. It’s a dressed up hot dog, perfect for those who need some indulgent food. You can also find something similar on their regular menu.

Fried Chicken & Waffles

Golden waffles is topped with buttermilk fried chicken, sunny egg, bourbon maple syrup and hot sauce. The fried chicken was surprisingly moist for white meat. A fun dish for brunch, but their quality of waffle could be improved.

The Hangover Burger

Inside the brioche bun is a beef chuck patty, American cheese, fried egg, iceberg lettuce, and tomato. Upon first bite, it reminded us of a Whopper because of the smokey beed patty. It was ok, but it would have been nicer if was more elevated and juicier patty.

Tater Tots

The tater tots were crispy and the perfect little things to accompany a meal. You must get a side of these.

Drinks

Food is one half of the experience at the Clough Club, you gotta indulge in the drinks.

Mimosa

A brunch classic drink is the mimosa – bubbly mixed with freshly squeezed orange juice. Really good especially when its fresh pressed orange juice.

House Radler is a combination of Driftwood Witbier combined with freshly squeezed grapefruit juice. It is also topped with a slice of grapefruit. I love this so much.

Caesar

They also have really good caesars, not overly salty as they make their own mix from scratch. It is also topped with a tomato, bocconcini and bacon.

Final Thoughts

Overall, they have amazing drinks for brunch and a few of the dishes are hit and misses. If you go with the savoury crepes, you can’t go wrong. Just don’t forget the side of tater tots.

We Rate Clough Club: 

Address:
212 Abbott Street, Vancouver

Website:
http://donnellygroup.ca/clough-club/

Clough Club Menu, Reviews, Photos, Location and Info - Zomato

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