Sun Fresh Bakery

April 18, 2019 ~ Willow ~ Leave a comment

Sun Fresh Bakery is a Chinese/Asian style bakery that’s located in Chinatown, not far from Main Street. They have a very large selection of baked goods, steamed buns, and other food. I had their Curry Beef Bun, Custard Bun, Shredded Pork Bun, Shredded Pork Sponge Cake, BBQ Pork Bun, and Coconut Cream Bun.

Sponge Cake

Buns

Curry Beef Bun ($1.85):

Curry Beef Bun

3/5
The bun was quite fluffy and soft. There wasn’t really all that much filling inside; there was just a small amount in the middle. The beef was a little dry, but flavourful, and had a nice bit of heat.

Custard Bun ($1.45):

Custard Bun

3.5/5
The custard was sweet and creamy, with a great fragrance. Again, I do wish there was more of it spread throughout the bun.

Shredded Pork Bun ($1.85):

Shredded Pork Bun

3.5/5
This was filled with a creamy, mayonnaise-like spread and is topped with shredded pork. The shredded pork provided a great savouriness. The filling on the inside provided a nice richness; I do wish that it would be a little sweeter, however.

Shredded Pork Sponge Cake (around $2):

Shredded Pork Sponge Cake

3.5/5
This consisted of a swiss roll that’s filled with cream and topped with pork floss. The cake itself was quite light and fluffy, and not overly dry. The cream inside had a nice bit of saltiness. I wasn’t able to taste much of the pork floss unfortunately.

Coconut Cream Bun ($1.45):

Coconut Cream Bun

3.5/5
The bun was light and fluffy. The cream inside had a nice bit of saltiness. The coconut on top provided a great bit of fragrance.

BBQ Pork Bun ($1.85):

BBQ Pork Bun

3.5/5
Unlike the other buns, this one actually had a fairly amount of filling inside. The pork was tender and juicy, and had a nice bit of sweetness.

I was impressed by Sun Fresh Bakery. The food wasn’t great, but still quite good. The prices were fairly cheap. This is a decent place to check out.

Summary:
Food: 3.5/5
Price: 4.5/5
Service: N/A
Overall: 4/5
Recommendations: Custard Bun, Shredded Pork Bun, Shredded Pork Sponge Cake, Coconut Cream Bun, BBQ Pork Bun

Heirloom Vegetarian

April 15, 2019 ~ Willow ~ Leave a comment

I was apparently a picky eater when I was young. According to my mom, there used to be a long list of things that I refused to eat. This is a little surprising since these days I’m pretty much down for anything other than avocado, which I’m allergic to, and sashimi, which I just don’t like. I do remember not liking mushrooms when I was still in elementary, and carefully picking out any mushrooms that might be in my lunch. Fortunately, nowadays I do like mushrooms. As such, when I visited Heirloom Vegetarian, I decided to get their Mushroom Benedict. The latter is a restaurant located near Granville, just a couple of blocks from Granville that, as their name implies, specializes in vegetarian cuisine.

Water

Salt & Pepper grinders

Mushroom Benedict ($19):

Mushroom Benedict

Egg

Hashbrowns

3.5/5
This consisted of 2 eggs, goat cheese, king & oyster mushrooms on an English muffin, and is topped with hollandaise. They do also have a vegan version available (with tofu instead of eggs). It’s served with smashed potatoes and a small side salad. I really enjoyed the hollandaise, which was thick, creamy and had a nice tang. There was a good amount of mushrooms, which was quite flavourful and went quite well with the goat cheese. I didn’t really like the muffin however, which was kind of soggy and didn’t seem to be toasted. The potatoes were crispy on the outside but underseasoned; fortunately, they do serve it with some tomato sauce. The salad was just standard.

I’m glad that I’ve grown to like mushrooms now; I quite enjoyed the mushroom benedict at Heirloom Vegetarian. The service was also quite good: the staff were very friendly and pretty attentive. I do find their prices to be a little on the higher side, however. All in all, this is definitely a good option for vegetarians and anyone else who just wants to try something different.

Summary:
Food: 3.5/5
Price: 3/5
Service: 4/5
Overall: 3.5/5
Recommendations: Mushroom Benedict

Copa Cafe

April 13, 2019 ~ Willow ~ Leave a comment

Copa Cafe is a Hong Kong style cafe located on Cambie, near the King Edward Skytrain station. They have a pretty clean and comfortable interior with a fair number of seats available for both single diners and larger groups. I visited them during breakfast, which is available from 8:00 – 11:30 am. I had one of their combos, which came which came with your choice of two meats, toast and drink.

House Special Combo A+B ($11 + 0.75):

Pork Chop, Eggs & French Toast + Milk Tea

Pork Chop, Eggs & French Toast

Milk Tea

4/5
This comes with your choice of a Main A along with a Side Ingredient B, and comes with thick toast or French toast for an extra $0.75, as well as your choice of coffee or tea. I had Pork Chop, 2 Eggs, and substituted my toast for French toast. The pork chop was tender and juicy and nicely seasoned. The eggs were standard; a tad bland. I really enjoyed the French toast, which was crispy on the outside and had a great coconut filling.

I quite enjoyed the food at Copa Cafe: their French toast was great, as was their pork chop. The prices are also very reasonable. The service wasn’t great, which is generally expected of most Asian joints. All in all, this is a solid joint that I’d recommend visiting.

Summary:
Food: 4/5
Price: 4/5
Service: 2.5/5
Overall: 3.5/5
Recommendations: French toast, Pork Chop

Our Town Cafe

April 11, 2019 ~ Willow ~ Leave a comment

While visiting Kafka’s Coffee + Tea recently, I passed by Our Town Cafe. They are a shop that’s located on the corner of Broadway and Kingsway. They serve coffees and various drinks, as well as baked goods and breakfast/lunch items. I had their Espresso Chocolate Cookie, Spinach and Blue Cheese Breakfast Scone, and Blueberry Lemon Almond Muffin.

Baked goods

Other food items

Espresso Chocolate Cookie ($3):

Espresso Chocolate Cookie

4/5
The cookie was thick, soft and chewy. It had a great fragrance and mild bitterness from the espresso. There was a good amount of chocolate spread throughout.

Spinach and Blue Cheese Breakfast Scone ($6.5):

Spinach and Blue Cheese Breakfast Scone

3.5/5
This contained cheese, tomatoes, eggs, and mayo. The scones were relatively tender and soft, with a nice savoury flavour; I did find them to be a tad dry. I quite enjoyed the filling inside, in particular the tomatoes, which lent a nice sweetness.

Blueberry Lemon Almond Muffin ($3.25):

Blueberry Lemon Almond Muffin

4/5
The muffin was tender, albeit just a tad on the dry side. It had a good amount of fresh blueberries, and a wonderful fragrance from citrus. I really liked the almonds, which provided a great texture.

I quite enjoyed the food at Our Town Cafe. The staff was also friendly. Even though I haven’t tried any of their drinks, I think that this place is worth visiting for the food alone.

Summary:
Food: 4/5
Price: 4/5
Service: N/A
Overall: 4/5
Recommendations: Espresso Chocolate Cookie, Blueberry Lemon Almond Muffin

Kafka’s Coffee & Tea

April 9, 2019 ~ Willow ~ Leave a comment

Kafka’s Coffee & Tea is a small cafe located near the intersection of Main Street and Broadway. As the name of their shop implies, they specialize in various tea and coffees, although they do have some a small rotating menu of fresh baked goods. I had a Ham & Cheese Croissant and Chocolate Chip Sea Salt Cookie. I don’t know what the actual prices of their food is (they didn’t have it labelled), but the total was $8.

Ham & Cheese Croissant (around $5):

Ham & Cheese Croissant

4/5
The croissant was buttery and flaky. I liked that the ham was spread throughout the croissant so that I could get it from every bite. The cheese provided a nice creaminess.

Chocolate Chip Sea Salt Cookie (around $3):

Chocolate Chip Sea Salt Cookie

4/5
The cookie was tender and chewy, and had a nice sweet fragrance. There was chocolate spread throughout the cookie. The sea salt on top provided a nice bit of saltiness to balance the sweetness.

Although I know that Kafka’s Tea & Cafe is probably best known for their drinks, I’m not a person who can tell the difference between a good cup of coffee or a bad one; they generally all taste the same to me. I did quite enjoy their baked goods however. If their food is any indication of their quality, I think this cafe is worth checking out.

Summary:
Food: 4/5
Price: 4/5
Service: N/A
Overall: 4/5
Recommendations: Ham & Cheese Croissant, Chocolate Chip Sea Salt Cookie

Sakura Cafe

April 7, 2019 ~ Willow ~ Leave a comment

Sakura Cafe is a small Japanese/Asian-style cafe located on Burrard, just a short distance from Broadway. They have a menu of various breakfast and lunch items, as well as a large variety of drinks. I had a Matcha Latte and Breakfast B, which consists of pancakes, eggs, and sausage.

Drinks Menu

Matcha Latte & Breakfast B

Matcha Latte ($4.35):

4/5
The latte had a great fragrance from the matcha. It was smooth and creamy, and had a wonderful, slightly bitter flavour.

Breakfast B ($7.99):

3.5/5
This consisted of two pancakes, two scrambled eggs, and turkey sausage. The pancakes were relatively light and fluffy. The eggs were quite fluffy and creamy. The sausage was flavourful, and had a nice spice to it.

I enjoyed my visit to Sakura Cafe. The food was solid; the prices were also very reasonable. The service was minimal, but the staff was very friendly. All in all, this is a joint that I’d definitely recommend checking out. They do have quite a limited number of seats however, so catch them at a less busy time or have your food to go.

Summary:
Food: 4/5
Price: 4/5
Service: N/A
Overall: 4/5
Recommendations: Matcha Latte, Breakfast B

Cavo Bar + Kitchen

April 6, 2019April 6, 2019 ~ Willow ~ Leave a comment

I’m always on the look out for some good chicken and waffles. In most cases, the waffles are usually good but the chicken not so great. Recently, I learned that Cavo Kitchen + Bar was serving the dish on their breakfast menu. I decided to check them out. They are a joint that’s located on Granville. In addition to their drinks, they have a fairly large food menu consisting of Mediterranean dishes and various comfort food. I had the aforementioned Chicken & Waffles.

Chicken and Waffles ($15):

Chicken and Waffles

Waffles

4/5
This consisted of two small waffles and three generous pieces of chicken, and is served with syrup and honey mustard. The chicken was luckily dark meat, and were by virtue, tender and juicy. It was also pretty well seasoned and relatively crispy. I quite enjoyed the waffles, which were soft and chewy and filled with crunchy pearls of sugar; they also had a nice fragrance.

I was pleasantly surprised by how good the Chicken and Waffles at Cavo were: they are easily one of the better versions that I’ve had. The price is also very reasonable. I definitely recommend checking this joint out while they still have the dish on the menu.

Summary:
Food: 4/5
Price: 4/5
Service: 3/5
Overall: 4/5
Recommendations: Chicken and Waffles

Bonnie’s Breads

April 4, 2019 ~ Willow ~ Leave a comment

I had a friend who used to work at the Independent Grocer at Champlain Square. She was the one who turned me onto Bonnie’s Breads, which is a small bakery that’s located right across from the supermarket. Her favourite item there was their ham & cheese croissant, which she thought was the best thing ever.

I haven’t visited Bonnie’s Breads for probably several years now. Luckily, they’re still open, and they’re still making ham & cheese croissants. In addition to the croissant, I also got a Boston Cream Cake, Raspberry Cheesecake Slice, Chocolate Mousse Cake, Long John and Beef Sausage Roll.

Pastries

Cakes

Donuts & Cookies

Cakes, Long John

Boston Cream Cake ($1.65):

Boston Cream Cake

3.5/5
The cake was quite soft, tender and moist. I enjoyed the chocolate glaze on top that provided a nice bittersweet flavour. I do wish that there can be more of the custard filling.

Raspberry Cheesecake Slice ($1.95):

Raspberry Cheesecake Slice

3/5
The cake was quite light and soft. I did find it to be slightly bland on its own. The raspberry swirl provided some sweetness, although I do wish it would be a bit more tart.

Chocolate Mousse Cake ($3.65):

Chocolate Mousse Cake

4/5
The cake was very soft and moist. The mousses were smooth and light, and had a really nice flavour, while the layer of chocolate on top melted in my mouth and wasn’t at all waxy.

Long John ($1.65):

Long John

3.5/5
The donut was quite light and fluffy, with a slightly chewy texture. The chocolate glaze was not waxy and had a nice bittersweet chocolate flavour.

Beef Sausage Roll ($2.35):

Beef Sausage Roll

3.5/5
The crust outside was relatively flaky with a nice flavour. I quite enjoyed the sausage inside, which was tender and savoury.

Ham and Cheese Croissant ($2.35):

Ham and Cheese Croissant

3.5/5
The croissant itself was quite buttery. The cheese provided a great bit of richness while the ham provided a nice flavour.

I’m glad to have finally revisited Bonnie’s Breads. I didn’t think their ham & cheese croissant was the greatest thing I’ve eaten, but it was still good, as were most of their other fare. The prices were very reasonable. This is a bakery that I’d recommend checking out.

Summary:
Food: 3.5/5
Price: 4.5/5
Service: N/A
Overall: 4/5
Recommendations: Chocolate Mousse Cake, Ham and Cheese Croissant

Denny’s – Broadway

April 2, 2019 ~ Willow ~ Leave a comment

I was having a craving for pancakes recently, and the first spot that came into my mind was Denny’s. Yes, Denny’s the restaurant showcased on Breaking Bad. Not only do they give you a free Grand Slam on your birthday, but they have created a series of new menu items, including a variety of scrumptious looking pancakes with various toppings. The nearest one to me was the Bar One one, which was located on Broadway near Burrard. This location had an incredibly sleek interior (just like a bar) with a large number of seats and some very nice and clean washrooms. They also have quite an extensive menu of breakfast and lunch items. I had their Cinnamon Roll Pancake Breakfast, which comes with two eggs, your choice of bacon or sausage (I had sausage) and hashbrowns.

Cinnamon Roll Pancake Breakfast ($13.99):

Cinnamon Roll Pancake Breakfast

Cinnamon Roll Pancakes

Eggs, Sausage, and Hashbrowns

3.5/5
This consisted of pancakes topped with whipped cream, cinnamon crumb, and cream cheese icing, and comes with eggs, your choice of sausage or bacon (I had sausage) and hashbrowns. The pancakes were of a good size, and were fluffy and light, without too much of a baking soda after taste. The cinnamon crumb provided a nice crunch and sweetness, while the cream cheese icing was sweet with a nice tanginess. The eggs, sausage, and hashbrowns were just standard; nothing to write home about.

I was quite impressed by the food at Denny’s. Their pancakes were scrumptious and quite reasonably priced. The service wasn’t the best, but the staff members were at least friendly. This is a restaurant chain that I would definitely recommend a visit to.

Summary:
Food: 3.5/5
Price: 4/5
Service: 3/5
Overall: 3.5/5
Recommendations: Cinnamon Roll Pancake Breakfast