Restaurant review - Seto Cafe (Commercial Drive)

I write this review as I am listening again and again to the song "Who Knows" by Natasha Bedingfield (by the way, I just found out that the song is not included in the soundtrack, which totally sucks - this song would be the sole reason why I'd buy the soundtrack). Anyhow, this afternoon (just before meeting J for dinner and a movie), I had brunch with L, M and A after our volleyball game at a nice little cafe that has one of the cheapest brunches in town ($3.50 for breakfast is hard to beat).

Cafe Seto (on Commercial Drive) is located pretty close to JJ Beans and near 6th and Commercial (if I'm not mistaken). It only takes cash and debit, so that's a bit of a problem for those like me, who totally love plastic (e.g. credit cards). But the price is almost unbeatable. And the food is REALLY good.

It was very nice to spend some time with L and M (two of my best volleyball players) outside our customary environment (e.g. a volleyball court). I have to say that I am pretty damn proud. My volleyball team this term is super solid, and we get along famously. As S put it very truthfully, "we are freakishly laid-back".

Back to the review. I had their All Day Breakfast (actually I ordered the ADB but they gave me the 2-2-2, 2 eggs, 2 sausages, 2 pancakes). Awesome, very filling. I think that the only issue I am having with brunch at the moment is that I do need coffee with my toast and a soft drink (e.g. Pepsi) with my eggs. Call me weird, but I can't really fathom a brunch without those two drinks. Anyhow, I highly recommend Cafe Seto. Cheap brunch - almost unbeatable!

Restaurant review - IHOP (International House of Pancakes) [Richmond]

Best way to be welcomed to Vancouver? Brunch at IHOP with my close friends C and B. They were kind enough to pick me up at the Vancouver International Airport, and since I had eaten only airline snacks, they thought it would be better for me if I actually ate good food.

I've been a customer of IHOP for many years now, but I rarely go because there's none in Vancouver. I've been to the one in Delta with my brother, to the one in Brentwood Mall (Burnaby) with J, and now to the one in Richmond (close to the airport) with B and C. And if you read this sentence carefully, you'll realize that none of these are actually in Vancouver. Hence why I never go to IHOP. Which is regrettable, because their food is SO GOOD!

I had one of their International Passport, which was enough food to keep me going through a really busy afternoon (had to register my volleyball team by 4.30pm). The best part, of course, is hanging out with B and C. They even took me to my office after dropping off my luggage! They are such a cute couple, and such a perfect team! And I'm very proud of counting them amongst my dear friends.

So, all in all, I would seriously recommend IHOP. Normally, I am the type of guy who will endorse only local products and services (e.g. I'll have coffee from Blenz rather than from Starbucks), but IHOP is a good international franchise, and it's good for your stomach (and your wallet!)

Restaurant review - Las Margaritas (Kitsilano)

I regret having recommended Las Margaritas to John and Rebecca. Honestly, it used to be much better. But the place has gone downhill. I went there with L, W, K and R for brunch a few weeks back, and the first thing I noticed is that their brunch menu is totally non-existent.

The prices have gone up, and for a simple mango salad, I wouldn't pay $8 bucks (anywhere). The service was absolutely terrible. I was going to order the Huevos Rancheros (which in the standard format are over-easy). But I don't like over-easy eggs, so I told the waitress that I'd like to see if they could do my eggs scrambled and without cheese. She bluntly and rudely said "we won't change our menu for you". I was totally stunned.

Then she basically dumped my glass of Coca-Cola on the table, and continued showing a really rude attitude. Of course, when I paid my part, I gave her a very minimal tip (I would have not left any tip but I was with my friends, who did tip, so I felt somewhat obligated).

With Las Margaritas, it won't be "debut y despedida" but absolute farewell. I am NOT coming back here, and I will not recommend it ever again. At least not until the restaurant owners have fired this woman, revamped their brunch menu and instilled some sense of customer service on their staff.

Restaurant review - Denny's (Birch and Broadway)

LF and I were talking about how some people disagree that a food critic is serious when he/she eats HP Sauce and ketchup (a complaint I heard from someone who criticized one of my restaurant reviews). Truth is, I believe that these sauces are important for brunch items. At any rate, I love brunch with friends and I know that some people may hate Denny's, but truthfully it wasn't bad. It was actually really good.

C, B and KW had asked me if I wanted to do brunch with them on Thanksgiving Day, so I agreed and when they picked me up, they suggested Denny's. We had done brunch there before so I had no complaints. This time I tried the meatloaf and it was really good. My friend B got a bit of debris on her sandwich, but I think that was an accident. So, overall, I'd say Denny's is good food for the value.

I couldn't find UrbanSpoon's site for Denny's, so I can't link there. But here is the link to the website. And the best part, as I've often emphasized, that I got to hang out with C, B and KW. I really appreciate their support throughout thick and thin. They've really stood up for me whenever I've needed. They've consoled me, fed me, encouraged me and made me laugh. I am very lucky with my group of friends.

Restaurant review - Mosaic at Burrard

Having brunch with close friends is always awesome, particularly after having had a somewhat sad Friday. My great friend LF suggested that we try Mosaic at Burrard, which is the hotel restaurant for the Hyatt Regency Vancouver. I'd never been and neither had she, so we settled for brunch/lunch here.

Naturally, the prices are higher than at a normal restaurant, but bear in mind that this is a top-notch hotel and thus you pay a premium. That being said, this is definitely top notch breakfast. I ordered a frittata and LF requested a chicken sandwich (I couldn't find the menu online, so I can't really offer you that).

There were several things that made it outstanding. The waiter was looking after our very need (although coffee refills weren't as fast as I expected them, but the service was phenomenal nonetheless). We started off with coffee and orange juice (freshly squeezed) and we received a complimentary smoothie, which was kind of funny considering that my mental association looks something like this:

(Smoothie)=(Only Possibly Tolerable Food Item after Horrible Hungover)

And since I had a smoothie last time I had been hungover before meeting LF, this brought good and bad memories (bad because of the hangover). Anyhow, on to the restaurant review. The frittata was great, although I was a bit taken aback by the salad on top of the frittata. However, the bread, the potatoes and the frittata itself were amazing. LF seemed to enjoy her sandwich. She praised the dressing, which luckily was served on the side.

Would I recommend Mosaic to potential customers? Absolutely. This is a great experience if you come with someone you really like or it is a business brunch. I know that they have brunch buffet but I doubt I could eat that much food in one sitting. One word of warning: it is fairly expensive, but definitely worth the money, particularly if it is (as it was the case) a pre-Christmas dinner.

Since I am leaving Vancouver way too early this year, we had to meet for brunch much earlier than we expected. Nevertheless, it was great fun, and luckily a great place to eat with a very good friends. LF and I have been excellent friends since over a decade, so it's fun to really talk very openly and about everything with her. Good times indeed :)

Now-closed restaurants in Vancouver?

A group of close friends and I used to go for brunch ALL the time. Now I go out for dinner and brunch very frequently and thus I have a pretty good idea of the food scene in Vancouver (see my dining out posts and restaurant reviews here and my brunch reviews here). But I'm increasingly alarmed that some of those former hangouts of mine are now closed. That's sad!

So without any specific order, here are some of the now-closed restaurants I miss in Vancouver :(

• The Crime Lab: The best martinis in town and also the place where I got to ask the toughest questions. Apparently closed to give way to a new high-rise. And clearly, not everybody loved it. Coal Harbour area.

• Tarsus: Located on 1st Avenue near Burrard, this was my perfect restaurant. Had many brunches and a couple of birthday dinners here. Perfect restaurant in my view (and that of the Vancouver Courier, apparently!).

• The Ordinary Cafe. Located in Kitsilano too, this place was anything but ordinary. Great brunch.

• The Living Room. Near Milestone's on 4th Avenue, in Kitsilano too, this place was very cozy. Great brunch but even better and more romantic dinner.

I am willing to compile a list of those places that used to be special and now are no more... but it's sad! Hopefully my current favorite restaurants (Rhizome, Crave, Cascade Room, Joe's Grill to name a few) don't go out of business any time soon!

The best service I've gotten in Vancouver

So I've just recently been perusing Darren's blog (Timing and Delivery). Funny how it goes, I was about to write a blog post about the great service I've received in this city. So I'm going to send you over to his blog (it's quite entertaining and well-written) and then come back to mine for a quick list of the best service I've received in Vancouver (food-wise). In no particular order. Some of the servers' names I have tried to anonymize because I am not sure if they'd be happy to be mentioned by name.

* K at The Cascade Room - she was unbelievable. Prompt, friendly, super fast. At one point she said "my only concern is that you guys have a great time". Ten stars out of ten. Nine stars to the hostess who was so friendly and sweet.
* All the servers at Sodas' Diner - You know exactly how I like my bacon and cheese burger without cheddar but with mushrooms. Yeah, you rock my world. Ten stars out of ten.
* The servers at The Cat's Meow - Admittedly, I fell out of love for this restaurant, but the service was always top-notch. Can you believe one of the waitresses said to me "oh your scrambled eggs got cold - I'll just have the kitchen whip up new ones for you". Amazing! Nine stars out of ten.
* The staff at Cafe Barney on Granville Street - Everyone here is so friendly, and they spoil me rotten every time I show up for dinner. Eight stars out of ten.
* The cook, servers and host of Crave on Main - The best brunch in town hands down. Although we sometimes need to wait a bit in line, we always get the best value and service. Eight stars out of ten.
* Lisa, Vinetta and the staff at Rhizome - They have created one of the friendliest atmospheres in the Main Street - East Vancouver - Mount Pleasant area, and their chilaquiles are to-die-for. Nine stars out of ten.
* The Gwyneth-Paltrow look-alike at The Whip on Main and 6th - She is gorgeous, she is friendly and she is always on-the-ball. She made my visit to The Whip twice as pleasant (I was there with S and A, which was awesome in the first place)
* The owners of the Red Sea Cafe - I am a loyal customer of this Fraser and Broadway restaurant, and one time I was SO pressed for time, J and I just showed up and said "we need food, we need it fast and we need the bill ASAP". We got in, ate amazing yedoro wot and ocra and proceeded to head out to the movies. It took less than 45 minutes altogether. Their food is amazing and they're super sweet. Ten stars out of ten.
* The cook and waitresses at Cafe Luxy - Eat lots of good pasta and amazing desserts. Be provided with amazing service. Repeat as often as needed. Eight stars out of ten.
* The owner, cook and staff of Water Street Cafe - My favorite Italian food restaurant. Owner speaks Italian (in addition to English). I get spoiled rotten (came here on the day of my birthday and was an amazing experience. Ten stars out of ten.
* Vicki and Theo at Alexis Restaurant in Kitsilano (Broadway and Vine) - I just love their food and their personalities. They're awesome. Ten stars out of ten.
* The owners and staff of Enigma (on Trimble and Tenth Avenue) - Brunch here any day of the week or weekend. Bliss. Ten stars out of ten.

Restaurant review - Marpole Grill

While usually my Friday nights are dedicated to dinner with B & C, this weekend we switched our schedule as to accommodate some of my own personal affairs (namely, dealing with work stuff and decompressing). So we set on brunch down in Marpole. Now, I know that Marpole is close enough to them (since they live in Richmond) and to me (it's less than 40 minutes commute, very doable and this area is very well connected - 99 B-Line then 98 B-Line).

So I had to find a place to have brunch there and the only one that I could find was Marpole Grill. I didn't know anything about this place since I rarely go to the Granville and 70th Avenue area, but I am glad we did have breakfast here. B and C treated me to a great brunch. The Marpole Grill is located at 67th Avenue and Granville, it's very well decorated (classy and elegant).

It is well attended (we saw a myriad of senior people, but I think that's just a coincidence) and the waitress was super sweet and very prompt with water and coffee. We had to wait a bit for our orders to come, but I think it was the result of the fact that Marpole Grill has just recently come under new management.

I would come back to the Marpole Grill for brunch for sure. The food was very good, and the service was actually impeccable. If only our brunch had arrived sooner! But that wasn't the waitress' fault, I think they are just experiencing what C indicated "teething pains".

Restaurant review - Browns Social House

A large majority of my friends live in the South Granville/Kitsilano area. I lived there myself for almost 6 years before moving further east, and therefore I know where to eat in Kits if need be. K and L had wanted to try Browns Social House for brunch and I agreed, so off we went.

I want to imagine that this place is much better at night, but I can't help but agree with the first comment I found on DineHere.ca on Browns Social House. The music was super loud, so I had to ask them to lower the volume. And, at best, their brunch food is mediocre. I ordered a basic brunch with eggs with sausage and toast which was overpriced at $ 9.00. I had to customize my order to have it with scrambled eggs (which are in no way close to Burgoo's or Crave on Main's scrambled eggs). My friends K and L requested a chicken salad that was totally drenched in dressing. Overall, not a nice experience.

Now, the staff is totally sweet and nice, but they really need to update their brunch-serving skills. There's an art in how to serve brunch food. You need to offer sauces (hot sauce, HP sauce), refills on coffee and water, jam for your toast and ketchup. I had to request, well, pretty much everything. And the servers (again, totally sweet) looked almost puzzled that we were asking for "can you bring me some HP sauce, hot sauce, jam"?

I eat out a lot, and I am a loyal customer of a lot of different restaurants, from very fancy, high-end to holes-in-the-wall. But I can tell you this much: I am not coming back to Browns Social House. As we say in my family "debut y despedida" (debut and farewell). If I want awesome brunch, I can go to any of Crave on Main, The Nice Cafe, Sunset Grill, and the list goes on. Browns does not qualify in my books as the place to go for brunch. Maybe I'll try it for dinner or drinks. But not any time soon.

UPDATE - I had to edit this entry because my very good friend L reminded me that it was incredible that we had to basically ask for scrambled eggs and that Browns' scrambled eggs do not compare in any way, shape or form to Crave on Main or Burgoo's. So if you want unbelievable scrambled eggs (and brunch, in general) - two of my favorite restaurants, Crave or Burgoo. I recently had brunch at The Nice Cafe and Rhizome, two of my other favorites.

Restaurant review - Joe's Grill

With Pride weekend happening (B.C. day is on Monday, which ends up being a holiday), this is the best opportunity to catch up with old friends. So I ended up contacting S and R, and they called up A and P so that we all could go for brunch. I chose Joe's Grill on Davie and almost Burrard because I had heard rave reviews of the place. I am sure I came to Joe's Grill at some point with L, early in our friendship. But that was years ago, so I had to come again.

Anyhow, Joe's Grill did not disappoint. I had the "Chopped Steak" (scrambled eggs with a beef patty) and it was awesome. I could almost say that Joe's Grill's eggs rival those of Crave on Main or Burgoo on 10th and Sasamat. The food is inexpensive, very filling and the service was top-notch. The best part of it was seeing S and R again (they are close and dear friends of mine) and the fact that they invited A and P really was the icing on the cake.

I would strongly recommend Joe's Grill for brunch. I would like to try Score or The Fountainhead, I am sure they have good food. Happy Pride everyone!

Restaurant review - Burgoo

While Burgoo is highly touted as "the" place in Vancouver where you can get any type of soup(s), we decided to try for brunch. K, M, H and I went there recently for brunch and we weren't disappointed. Well, at least I wasn't :-) I think they liked their breakfast too.

I have to say that, besides Crave on Main, I don't think I have tasted better scrambled eggs than those of Burgoo. I ordered the Mesa Scramble and I loved it. The potatoes were amazing, the chorizo was spicy and the eggs were very well done.

By the way did you know that a burgoo is a Kentuckian stew? I certainly did not! Burgoo was recently voted Best Restaurant for a Rainy Day and it certainly shows. The staff is super friendly and they took good care of us. They weren't pushy with the bill or anything to that extent. The food is reasonably priced (brunch for two can hover around 30 bucks after tax, coffee included). I was surprised at their Pain Francaise, but then again, I've seen other versions. But their brunch menu, while not all-encompassing, is good for many different palates.

This beautiful gem is located in Point Grey (yeah, a bit out of the way for those of us who live more in the central area of Vancouver). But it's definitely worth the trip uphill. Besides, what else do you really have to do on a rainy morning? :)

Restaurant review - The Sunset Grill

This is one of the best places for brunch. Consistently reliable, great service, friendly, not overpowering. I love the Sunset Grill's Huevos Rancheros and the standard brunch fare they offer. The best thing about this place? Location. It is so close to Kitsilano Beach and to other amenities/restaurants that it's almost impossible to miss it. Located at York and Yew (if I am not mistaken, which I think I am not), the Sunset Grill offers comfort brunch food.

I remember reading that they offered burgers, beers, and specials. So if you are a Kitsilano resident and want to just go rent a movie (there's a Rogers Video right beside) and then have some lunch at the Sunset Grill, that sounds like a nice lazy afternoon for me!

Restaurant review - The Lion's Den

A friend of mine (S) and I had been trying to go to The Lion's Den for a long time now, and we had never gotten around it. Even though we both live fairly close, life was just too busy. At any rate, we ended up doing brunch there and I have to say that I'll definitely be back. The Lion's Den is a funky place (I don't know how else to describe it. You have to go to understand what I am writing here).

The place is small but very cozy (perhaps under 10 tables?). The Lion's Den prides itself in being multi-ethnic. Their Jamaican food is good (I had a spicy beef patty) and their standard brunch fare (breakfast special - scrambled eggs, toast, potatoes) was really nice. Good comfort food, and the coffee was excellent too... I actually really enjoyed the no-frills approach to brunch that this place exudes. Moreover, the company was also extremely relaxed and laid back (S tends to be hard-working yet very fun to enjoy relaxed mornings with).

I wondered aloud how come this place still exists when I see so many places closing down practically every week. Let me tell you this much - at 10.30 am on a Sunday morning, this place had pretty much all its tables full. They open at 10 am. So, the thing is, perhaps it's very much a neighbourhood haunt. It's strategically located, really (at 651 East 15th, near Kingsway, behind the little park that was upgraded by the Dickens Community Group - apparently this neighbourhood is also known as Dickens).

Things that make it even more appealing:

- They have wireless! So I guess you could have breakfast and check my blog there...
- They have Live Jazz on Friday nights (I haven't checked this fact though).

Restaurant review - The Cat's Meow

I love Granville Island. I love the scenery, I love the fact that it used to be an industrial zone and now it is very residential/a tad commercial. It houses the Granville Market, and the Backstage Lounge, the Dockside and a few other restaurants. I always enjoyed going down to Granville Island because, for a few hours, I just got lost in the scenic beauty.

For a while there, my group of close friends and I used to go to the Cat's Meow for brunch all the time. It was sort of "our joint". The first few times we went there, the service was excellent. The food was awesome. One time, my scrambled eggs got cold because I was too chatty and the waitress said "oh, don't worry - we'll just throw them and make you new ones". You can bet our tip was good, because I personally considered that the best service I had received anywhere in Vancouver.

Then the past few times the service went not so bad to very bad to really bad to I-really-don't-want-to-ever-set-my-foot-in-this-place-ever-again. So now I don't ever come back to The Cat's Meow. Don't get me wrong, they do have a place in the brunch and dinner scene, particularly in False Creek. But I just have been a witness to a deteriorating service.

Would I give The Cat's Meow a chance again? Probably this fall. Not any time soon, but I am sure in the fall I will. Now, if you think I am being unfair to TCM, read these reviews and tell me again after you've done the reading. Hopefully The Cat's Meow management will wake up and say "hey let's make this place as good as it used to be". Be prepared to shell some bucks if you go there, the brunch ain't cheap.

Restaurant review - The Main

Most of the time, I am lucky when I try to make plans with friends for brunch, but once in a blue moon, things will go awry. L and I wanted to go to Crave on Main (which is definitely one of the most reliable brunch places you'll ever get) but they were closed on that day (this has happened to me twice already with the Crave folks, and with two different friends, so I'm going to tell them at some point).

At any rate, we strolled the streets trying to find a brunch spot that was reliable, and given my reticence to try dim sum, we settled for The Main. As someone who lives in the neighborhood, I am ashamed to admit that I hadn't been to The Main for brunch. Located south of Main and King Edward, I had visited this place for dinner and once for drinks. The Main is a tradition for artsy folks, and at night, they have live music most days, and the food is Greek and Mediterranean.

We went in and crossed our fingers hoping that the food was good. Our prayers were answered. I went with a modified version of 'Huevos Rancheros' (my mother would probably strangle me for eating this but...) and my friend asked for an omelette. I think that the food is really good and the only downside for me was that I couldn't finish it all. The decor is very woody and the atmosphere is cozy. The food is inexpensive (some reviewers call it comfort food). And yes, on their brunch menu, they do have tzatziki!

I'll have to give The Main another try for drinks and live music, but I'll have to organize a night out with friends for that.

Restaurant review - The Nice Cafe

While this could be categorized as "cheap eats" (the food is really inexpensive), I think I'd like to call The Nice Cafe one of the two best brunch places I've been to recently (Rhizome and Crave being the other two). Surprisingly enough, all these three are located within 5-10 minutes walking distance, around Main Street.

H and I had talked about trying The Nice Cafe since a couple of weeks ago so we finally made it. The only down side - the wait in line can be substantial (20-30 minutes) if you arrive during peak time. But, there are several upsides.

First, the service is absolutely fantastic. Even though their place is packed and people keep ordering food, the staff will always have a smile in their faces and wish you "Good Day".

Second, the food is really good (did I mention inexpensive too?) - I had 'burger steak with eggs, hashbrown and toast' (burger steak AKA ground meat patty), and it was enough to fill me until 7 pm.

Third, the location is almost unbeatable. Hidden on East 8th Avenue and almost Main Street, The Nice Cafe is technically "off the road". However, you can still do a lot of shopping, art gallery viewing and walking around Main Street and you won't be bored. And if you need a mall, there's always Kingsgate Mall.

At the end of our meal, the lady who apparently owns the place came and talked to us and gave us pointers as to when to arrive next time (peak time 10am to 2 pm). Since my brain doesn't start functioning until after 10.30am, I doubt I can get there any earlier.

I would strongly recommend The Nice Cafe for anyone who would like to come visit East Vancouver (Main Street) if they live in Kitsilano/Point Grey/Fairview Slopes. To those friends of mine who muster the strength and face a long commute to come join me for brunch around my neck of the woods, thank you sincerely from the bottom of my heart. You know who you are :)

Restaurant review - Rhizome

Well, we finally made it! I wanted to go to Rhizome ever since I read a review on the Vancouver Courier (I think that was the case) about a cafe with a penchant to empower disenfranchised people and building community. Besides, I wanted to see if their chilaquiles were just as good as my Mom's. So HZ and I went there this morning... we had to walk around and wait for about 30 minutes in the rain! This is Vancouver! Darn it... On that note, we walked to East 8th Avenue and discovered "The Nice Cafe", where apparently they do have brunch (and boy do they have customers!)... I was looking for SoMa but they don't seem to have moved yet to their new location. So I guess I'll check "The Nice Cafe" sometime next week and see how their brunch fares. The prices (from what we could see) were fairly reasonable.

At any rate, the service was excellent, I think it was one of the co-owners who brought us our food. She was keen that I ordered chilaquiles the right way (I hate cheese, so I tend to cook them without cheese). So I accepted and ordered "chilaquiles, but easy on the cheese". H did enjoy the real chilaquiles with lots of cheese (I think he is still bewildered that I hate cheese).

The food is excellent, the decor is absolutely cozy and you can't really beat the food choices. They have vegetarian, vegan and for those of us who admit to being meat eaters, they have organic options. I can't imagine my breakfast without sausage, for example. But Rhizome carries organic sausage so that's awesome.

I didn't have coffee but I had a variety of Cola drink that is neither of the two major competitors. I had to go and find the name, and it fits perfectly with Rhizome's theme. My drink was Blue Sky Cola. After brunch we had a short conversation with the co-owner and congratulated her for actually living up to our expectations! I'd seriously recommend Rhizome not only because they have a social responsibility slant to their activities, but also because their food is great. And the prices are really reasonable.

I read somewhere that you can actually stay at Rhizome and do work on your laptop but I'd find that hard. They have an excellent selection of salsa music and my own instinct would be to start dancing. I am still tempted to check it out as a "work on my laptop" kinda place.

Restaurant Review - Seb's Market Cafe

Ok, so this IS indeed far overdue... I went to Seb's Market Cafe with two friends in December (just before I headed south for a holiday). Since this is right in my neighborhood, I thought it was an awesome idea. I always enjoy exploring restaurants that are nearby.

Seb's Market Cafe is a great place for brunch. I haven't been there for dinner so I can't say but they most definitely have a dinner menu. However, if you go there for brunch on a Sunday, it is REALLY PACKED. That can't be because it's bad, right? :) So, the place is really good.

I ordered scrambled eggs with sausage, potatoes, etc. Standard brunch fare. Very well done, and the price is slightly Kitsilano-ey but the portions are generous. Coffee is excellent. Service is, well... slow at times, but they try their best. And their compotes are prepared in-house.

I would come back to Seb's at some point, but I want to try other brunch spots first. But if you live in the neighborhood or want to just check it out, you really should. Worth the visit!

Restaurant review - The Gramercy Grill

Located almost at the corner of 10th Avenue and Arbutus, The Gramercy Grill was one of the restaurants that kept me puzzled and intrigued for a long time. You'll see, I am fascinated by spatial location and geography. So, for a few years now I had always wondered ... "where do residents of the 12th and Arbutus area go for brunch/coffee/dinner?"... it didn't seem as though they had much choice other than going north towards 4th Avenue (where you can of course find-- well, just about anything you want!).

Apparently, the Gramercy Grill is the answer to my question. Catering to the local community, and quite strategically located (you can't really beat this location - even if you take the bus, you can reach it quickly through the 16 Arbutus or 9 Broadway), this place is also considered a "posh", high end restaurant (though apparently, other reviewers think of this place as a casual bistro or even a sports bar?!). I kid you not, the decor and the ambiance was definitely sophisticated.

My friend L took two of her closest friends (one of them, me of course!) for brunch at the Gramercy Grill. This happened a few weeks back, so yes, this review is delayed! At any rate, I digress... I happened to order a chorizo-based scrambled eggs plate, and some coffee. I have to say that, despite the fact that the eggs were nice, and the chorizo was good, I was not overly impressed. The place is relatively pricey for what they offer for brunch. BUT (and here is the big but) I don't believe they cater to "brunchers".

I came across their "Dine-Out-Vancouver" menu and for a measly $ 25.00 you could have had a really amazing dinner. So, it would be unfair to qualify the Gramercy Grill as an overrated place. I believe that their specialty is dinner, so I'll have to come back for that. The service is absolutely friendly and adorable, and the decor is fabulous. Besides, on that specific occasion we were celebrating my friend, so the company made this brunch date totally worth it.

Restaurant review: Paul's Place Omelettery

I had previously reviewed this amazing place on Granville (and I think 6th Avenue, but don't trust me on this one). However, I had read other reviews that indicated that it was way too busy so I was a bit worried this morning, as I went to Paul's Place for brunch with H and his girlfriend. Got to give Paul's my congratulations. I mean, we got there about 10.50am, we were seated by 11.05, we had coffee by 11.15 and our food was on our table by 11.30am. UNBELIEVABLE. And the beef hash is to-die-for.

The best part was really the company, as we had a great brunch and then headed to go shopping for furniture... Ah, I was born to shop. If only I had been born with a bottom-less credit card attached, that would've been fantastic.