The Fish Shack

The Fish Shack in Downtown Vancouver

It's been too long since I've had a proper brunch; time to drag my family out to Downtown for some runny poached egg goodness!

Lunch and Brunch menus + fresh sheet

After an immense amount of time spent looking through essentially every single brunch menu in the Downtown-y side of Greater Vancouver, I settled on The Fish Shack. It's cheap, the menu items are unique, and it just so happens to be a walkable distance from where all my relatives live (I got to visit my cousin's new baby boy!! Gaahhhh~~~) I actually called the restaurant about an hour or two before my visit to make a reservation, but that wasn't necessary. Even on a Saturday at noon, the restaurant was only about, say, a quarter full? Enough people to convince me that it's a safe place to eat, but with no wait. 

Interior of The Fish Shack facing Granville Street

To begin, I really like the interior of this restaurant. It's casual, chill, yet still put together. There is half a second level that I think would be an awesome place to hang out with some friends. The decor has a very suitable fisherman-esque theme. There is a tiny area for outdoor seating where there are heaters for the chiller days, like when I visited. There wasn't any loud, annoying music blaring through the restaurant. It's a very family friendly spot too. So far, so good.

Water in mason jars

We were seated promptly and provided with menus and water in mason jars. My parents giggled at the fact their water cups resembled mini versions of the cups at Hong Kong-style cafes. The menus can be viewed on their website; I really appreciate it when restaurants have their full menu (with prices and updated items) online.

The waiters and waitresses here are very casual, like the joking type. Our waiter was very efficient and provided us with good advice on the menu and delivered swiftly. The only small complaint I have about the service here is when I called in, the girl that answered the phone spoke too casually. Instead of politely being asked to repeat my phone number, all I got was a rude "What?" So I was taken aback by the sudden harsh tone.

Fish & Chips lunch box with Manhattan (top) and New England (bottom) Clam Chowder

On to the food. My dad and brother ordered a fish and chips lunch box each. It comes with one large piece of fish (probably cod), some fries, coleslaw, and their choice of chowder. The red chowder is Manhattan and the white chowder is New England. The Manhattan was too watery and not flavourful. The New England was creamier but still not as thick as we prefer our chowders. However, there was a good amount of whole clams in the soup. The fries were soft and almost soggy; my dad did not finish his. The coleslaw is typical and tastes good. The fish is fried very crispy and golden, but I would rather the piece of fish be thicker but shorter in length. That way each bite is more meaty instead of just tasting fried batter. For a restaurant that pride's itself in their fish, this fish and chips dish was not phenomenal enough to blow me away. It was rather...average.

Fish and Chips Benedict

My mom got the fish and chips benny from the brunch menu. Their benedicts are really unconventional, and I like 'em! The fish pieces were fried beautifully and the eggs poached soft and runny. The potatoes on the side are AMAZING; crispy on the outside, soft and mushy on the inside. Perfectly seasoned. Gotta bring my best friend here just for the potatoes. The side of fruit is a nice touch and a clean way to end a heavy meal. The benedicts are probably the best items on the brunch menu. Can't go wrong.

Corn Bread Hash

Sorry about the blurry photo, evidently I was too hungry at this point to have any more patience.

I ordered the Corn Bread Hash, which sounded very different and I was attracted to the corn bread part, because I have a love for corn bread, specially Sweet Tomatoes'. When this came, no joke, my jaw just dropped to the floor. It was massive. Served in a medium sauce pan (yeah, not even a small sauce pan), this was pure carbohydrate overload. There were cut up pieces of prawn (not those measly baby shrimp) and slices of sausage mixed in with the cubes of corn bread. Chopped tomato was present too, except I don't think it did much to the dish besides release all its water and make everything soggy. Not visible in the photo, but the same roasted potatoes that accompanied the benedict lines the entire bottom of this cast iron pot. As if there wasn't already cups and cups and cups of corn bread to fill me up. The two small eggs were poached soft, although slightly on the more well done side of runny. When served, the corn bread still had some crunch to it, but by the end of my devouring, everything had begun to get soft and mushy. This was a fun dish, but I don't think I'll be ordering it again anytime soon as it was just way too much food and it wasn't super "WOW".

Time to dig into brunch!

The brunch items at The Fish Shack are a really good deal. For under $10 a entree, the food is prepared well, creatively planned, and taste is good. I would come for brunch again and order the benedicts. Thumbs up for brunch! 

For Twitter users, tweet #hookitandcookit plus your table number (which to be honest, I couldn't find) and see what surprise you get! I didn't have data service on my phone so I couldn't test this out... boohoo!

Why I don't have a boyfriend

Love from Coconut Crumpet's Corner ♡

Market Broiler

The males in my family are extremely well trained and behaved. They are used to my mom and I going shopping for hours and wait patiently for us with no complaints. Really, that is amazing and I can't even fathom how they manage to do it. Applause please. While we were shopping at the Outlets at Orange, which was across the street from our stay at the Ayres Inn, my dad took a look at Market Broiler's menu and told us he really wanted to go. And dad rarely ever says he really wants to eat something; it would be inconsiderate if we didn't let him go.

There was that one day, one cloudy Sunday in August, when we ventured out to Santa Monica for a day trip. That didn't last long and we were back in Anaheim by mid-afternoon. After some more shopping at the outlets, we had dinner at Market Broiler. "California's favourite fresh seafood restaurant". We'll see if they live up to their claim.

We stepped foot into the restaurant at uhm...about 6pm? And two waitresses greeted us and one led us to a table. It's a pretty spacious restaurant, but only a few tables were occupied. For a Sunday night, there was a sparse crowd. Part bar, part table seating, and part outdoor seating, this location reminds me of The Keg or something. A couple sitting at the bar was sipping on a fishbowl sized margarita or something. It's called 'fishbowl' on the menu, and it ain't joking.

Complimentary bread

We were provided with warm sourdough bread, much like the type the Old Spaghetti Factory feeds us. I appreciate that the bread was warm, but the slabs of butter were past room temperature and became a gooey mess once opened. I just enjoyed my bread plain, and in limited amounts. I have a bad habit of gorging myself with empty complimentary carbs before I realize I have a whole meal to finish.

Southern Fried Catfish ($9.95)

My brother got a Southern plate, with fried catfish hush puppies, coleslaw, and fries. It was a really large portion of everything fried. Ehh...not really my style. We weren't sure what a hush puppies was, and asked our waitress. She got the chef to come out and explain to us, which was really nice. He explained it was essentially fried 'leftover' batter. The catfish (which is also called basa...which is not good for you..) was breaded in a cornmeal batter. I thought it gave a nice flavour to a flavourless fish. My bother didn't really enjoy his meal because the catfish didn't suit his taste buds. It's a matter of opinion; some love it, others don't fancy it. The coleslaw was seasoned with spices which was interesting, but didn't actually add a distinct flavour. For those that usually enjoy catfish, this may be okay. Other than that, I wouldn't specifically recommend this dish.

Fresh Catch of the Day: Snapper ($11.95) - cooked perfectly

The menu at Market Broiler is really vast. There are so many items and specials hidden here and there. I found a fresh catch of the day special which cost only twelve dollars. My dad had originally wanted to eat snapper and lucky for him, that was the special of the day, so we saved a few bucks. Both parents ended up getting the special, just with different sides. My mom chose coleslaw and fries, and my dad chose vegetables and roasted potatoes. When our entrees arrived, my mom's fish was cooked perfectly. It was smooth and melt-in-your-mouth, the perfect texture. This piece of fish was very well enjoyed.

Overcooked snapper :(

Unfortunately for my dad, his fish resembled nothing like my mom's piece, despite being the same fish. It was flaky like overcooked tuna and very disappointing. We're guessing two different cooks prepared each of my parents' fish. My dad sent his back to kitchen and hoped the next piece would be better. The way the staff brings stuff back to the kitchen is a bit odd. Instead of taking the whole plate away, they ask you to place just the item you don't want on a smaller plate and bring that back. I like how they don't waste you're vegetables, but the way our waitress asked my dad to put the fish on another plate was awkward and borderline rude. 

When the 'fixed' order of snapper was served to my dad, it was the complete plate, vegetables and all. The head chef (same one that came to explain the hush puppies) came to apologize and brought my dad a special sauce he made to 'make up' for the poorly executed fish. (The sauce was a garlic-y oil, which my dad thought was a much more suitable pairing for the fish as compared to the tartar sauce.) I was happy to see that the chef came out personally to apologize, it was very professional. The little 'gift' was another part of his good customer service. 

So, after a long wait for his entree, my dad finally got to eat. The texture still wasn't identical to my mom's piece of snapper; I guessed that mom's was actually undercooked by a tad bit, which is how my dad prefers his fish. But it wasn't terrible so my dad didn't bother sending it back again. Lesson of the day: if you're unhappy with a dish, send it back.

Creative Combinations: Coconut Shrimp & Mahi Mahi ($16.95)

I was pretty excited to find a page in the menu where I could build build my own entree. Two mains and two sides. I chose coconut shrimp and miso mahi mahi. The shrimp were large, but as seen by the colour, they were fried for too long. The coating of shredded coconut didn't come close to the flavour of the coconut shrimp I had in Kahuku. The coating at Market Broiler didn't bring any flavour. The dipping sauce for the shrimp, which is the slightly orange-y one, was AMAZING. Pure coconut bliss. It was sweet, tangy, very coconutty, and reminded me of pina colada. It may sound weird, but it works beautifully with the coconut shrimp. When my mom wasn't watching, I ate the sauce on it's own, tee hee~

The mahi mahi fish, hidden under that kale, didn't taste like miso at all. I was rather confused by this. Miso is such a strong, salty, distinct flavour and I could taste none of it. It looked like it was a totally different seasoning, more like cajun spices than miso. The fish was cooked okay; mahi mahi is a sturdy, flaky, white fish. I was just a little disappointed because I was looking forward to the miso part of this entree. -pout-

My sides were disappointing. The vegetables were more mostly-raw-red onion than the good stuff, and the roasted red potatoes tasted more like boiled than roasted. Wheres the crispy skin? Not here. Fail 'roasted' potatoes.

Market Broiler isn't a fantastic-omg-must-try restaurant, it is a chain so... Our experience had it's ups and downs. The service from our waitress was slow, but the head chef (which by the way, is Asian. I find that cool, haha!) is a great business person. Food was mostly mediocre and needs improvement; however the array of options available is wonderful. But I guess the more variety they serve, the higher the chance of ordering a 'mehhh' quality dish. Price is reasonable, but I recommend coming for lunch because the lunch specials are around ten dollars and sound like a better deal. I wouldn't purposely come back to Market Broiler, only if there was no better options at the time. 

Reviews on Yelp



Love from Coconut Crumpet's Corner ♡

Little Next Door

Besides The Griddle Cafe and Cafe Gratitude, I had a few other bucket list restaurants in Los Angeles I just had to eat at. Little Next Door is one of them.

Little Next Door

Little Next Door is a French restaurant, with some of the best food (and macarons!) in Los Angeles. What drew my attention to this restaurant was 1) all the positive reviews, 2) the menu items, 3) the location and setting, and finally 4) the prices. Sounding like an all-around awesome deal? It was!

This little restaurant facing West 3rd Street (a very busy street) is smack in the middle of the hip and trendy city of Mid Wilshire. I just kind of think of it as between Beverly Hills and Hollywood; sounds expensive, no? After a morning of shopping at the Outlets at Orange, we took an hour drive to get to this area. With loudly growling stomachs, we headed to Little Next Door for a very late brunch on a Saturday afternoon. Since it was like 2pm, we were seated immediately. I was very content with our table as it was next to the fence, facing the sidewalk, no direct sunlight, and would give beautiful lighting for photos. So far, Coconut Crumpet was very happy.

Our waitress spoke bits and pieces of French to us, greeting us with a warming 'bonjour!', calling us 'madame et monsieur', and thanking us in French too. It created this unique environment in which my family has never been in before. She was very attentive and came back frequently to refill our water, bring us more bread, or just ask how we were doing.

Complimentary bread and balsamic olive oil

We quickly ordered and another waiter brought us some complimentary bread. My family of four devoured two bowls of bread, happily dipping it in the luxurious spiced balsamic olive oil. The oil had fennel seeds and a multitude of other spices and herbs, very fragrant and a pleasure to eat, especially when you're almost dying of starvation. (We had breakfast at 7am..and brunch at 2pm..) The baguette had a crunchy shell and an extremely pillow-y interior, also served warm. Love.

Quiche Lorraine ($9)

Fisherman's Market & Grill

Since having sea bass on a cruise 2 years ago, my dad has been craving that buttery, melt-in-your-mouth fish. It's not commonly found in Vancouver so when I saw it on menus in California, I took the chance to bring my parents in hopes of finding good sea bass. Sorry to ruin the ending for you, but we didn't find what we were looking for.

Where to order or purchase seafood

Fresh seafood can be purchased on the left side and ordering cooked food is right beside. Hence market + grill. Reminiscent of the seafood markets in Hawaii where I also bought poke, yummm~
 
There are several Fisherman's Market & Grill locations in the Palm Springs area, one of which was across the bridge from where we were staying. Funny fact of the day: this bridge crosses a river. But I'm almost 100% sure that river has been dry for, like, ever. We came for a lunch on a very hot August day. There is outdoor seating which would be a wonderful place to enjoy some casual seafood, but the heat was just too much to bear. If the mist-sprays had been turned on earlier, it would've been okay to sit outside.

Fisherman's Market & Grill Menu

When we arrived, we didn't quite know what to do. It isn't table service, and it isn't counter service either. A waiter asked us if it was our first time at Fisherman's and we replied yes. He handed us a few paper menus and informed us that we placed our orders at the cashier, then he will find us a seat indoors. The paper menus he handed us were rather useless, as the whole regular menu is written on a massive blackboard and included the prices (with the paper version did not). 

I can't say the waiter was super courteous while treating us unfamiliar customers. The tone of his voice was a bit stern and frustrated. I get that we starred at the menu for a really long time, and began sitting at an open table supposedly meant for another group, but we're new and should be aware of that. 

We got into a bit of an ordering mishap as the cashier charged us for the wrong fish tacos. On Tuesdays, they have a $5 fish taco special (taco Tuesdays!). There is also a lunch special of the same dish that is $7.99, but happens everyday. And then there's the regular fish tacos written on the blackboard which costs $8.95. Keep in mind all of these are exactly the same dish. My mom didn't notice the mistake on the receipt until we were seated at a table. Thankfully our server fixed that for us and brought us back change. Lesson of this post: make sure the cashier punches in the right order before you pay!

While we were waiting for our food, I went to fill up our water cups with cold water from the soda machine and also added some lemon or lime from the condiments section. There is a variety of salad dresses, sauces (like tartar sauce), and salsa available to go with the food. 

Sea Bass Sandwich ($12.95)

Our orders swiftly arrived and we anticipated the sea bass burger the most. It was a disappointment and resembled nothing like the buttery Chilean sea bass we had long ago. This is because it isn't the same species of sea bass. I mean for under $15, we shouldn't have expected it to be Chilean. The Barramundi sea bass is the more common type found during my visit in California, and is probably what this was. The fish was cooked all the way through and the texture was flaky like a 'normal' white fish. It wasn't exciting at all and the burger was crumbly and fell apart easily. I would not recommend the sea bass burger sandwich. The coleslaw and rice pilaf sides were rather good though.

3 for $5 Fish Tacos

Here we have the Tuesday tacos! (Or just the Baja fish tacos in other words) On the poster advertising taco Tuesday next to the cashier, I noticed some famous food network stars came and voted this as the 'best fish tacos'. Now, I've never had a fish taco before, but I can definitely conclude that these were amaze-balls. Every element of this dish was fanta-bulous. Absolutely enlightening. To begin, the fish was fried to perfection, and I usually don't fancy fried foods at all. It was crispy yet not greasy and the fish was meaty and moist. Next, the corn tortillas were charred and thoroughly heated up on the grill, making it bendy and more flavourful. I have no idea how the tortillas didn't start breaking halfway through, but it was wonderful. The slaw looked plain, but was very lightly dressed, adding the necessary flavour but not over powering the fish and corn tortilla. A little squeeze of lime (okay, I put a lot...) and maybe a spoonful of salsa from the condiment bar made this dish the ultimate meal deal. Did I mention that these three tacos were each huge?! These tacos are must. get. Tuesday or not. I'm estimating that 25% of the customers at the restaurant were munching on these tacos. (My family ordered two) The table next to us, the table behind us, everyone was aware of the amazing taco deal on Tuesdays. I loved this so much, I am inspired to re-create it at home. So far, no luck, but I'll continue to dream about these fish tacos~

Ahi Tuna Sandwich ($12.95)

The dish I chose to order was the Ahi tuna sandwich. I had some pretty darn amazing Ahi in Hawaii and wanted to make a comparison. This wasn't bad; the fish was grilled to a perfect rare. The flavours in the sandwich were not overwhelming, but it was a good balance of fresh vegetables, creamy sauce, and bounce-y fish. I chose coleslaw and potato wedges as my sides. The potato wedges are reaaaally good too! Crispy on the outside and well seasoned; had to prevent myself from gobbling them all up. It was a good sandwich (I swear it looks like a burger!), but it's nothing I'd purposely go back for.

There aren't too many restaurant choices in Palm Dessert/La Quinta, so Fisherman's Market & Grill is a great place to go for lunch. Take a look at the $7.99 lunch specials on their website; there are some great deals there too like clam chowder and salad. If you're near a Fisherman's location on a Tuesday, pop in for some super delicious fish tacos that are easy on the bank account and an indulgence for the taste buds. Life changing. 

Reviews on Yelp

Palm Springs on Dwellable

Love from Coconut Crumpet's Corner ♡

Shield's Date Gardens

A date garden, why can't I have one in my backyard? I would spend all summer snacking on sticky, toffee-like, caramel-y dates all day and everyday. -drools- No joke, residents of Palm Springs/Palm Desert/La Quinta/Indo etc have date trees in their yards and date trees lining the streets and parks. Not. Fair.

Shield's Date Gardens, really, don't miss it!

Right after I took this photo, I immediately ran to the air-conditioned car. That is a forced smile you see, partially at least. The only genuine-ity coming from the fact I bought a bunch of dates.

Just around the corner from our hotel in La Quinta, California, lies the largest date retail store in Palm Springs. -insert angelic voices here- Also the more popular date garden compared to Oasis Date Gardens. Aka the highlight of my side trip number two. This massive sign with a medieval soldier pointing to the store can be seen from a mile away, I think.

If Peanut Crumpet got to go to taunt me with Coconut Glen's then I get payback with the date capital of the world. Mwahahaha!

Size Comparison

What I love about Shield's Date Garden is being able to sample every single possibly variety of date, maybe twice, before deciding on which boxes to purchase and haul home (by hand carry!) 12+ kinds of dates can kind of be overwhelming for a date newbie like me. Nomnomnomnom, Coconut Crumpet just chows down enough dates to keep a sugar rush going for the next three days. Sugar makes you fat? Not of my concern at the moment. -keeps eating more dates-

Khadrawi Dates from Shield's Date Gardens

Cafe Gratitude

Cafe Gratitude Los Angeles

Cafe Gratitude is one of the most popular vegan/raw restaurants in greater Los Angeles. The vegan restaurant scene down there is much more expanded than here in Vancouver. I have never dined at a vegan restaurant before but have much interest in doing so. I took the opportunity to visit one during my vacation in Los Angeles; it would be an interesting experience for the rest of my family as well. It was my 'special day' that day, since my parents let me choose all the restaurants we would eat at for lunch and dinner. It started with a late brunch at Little Next Door and ended with a healthy, clean dinner at Cafe Gratitude. We are all vegetable-lovers so I figured a vegan dinner wouldn't be too much of a shock for them. 

After getting at mani-pedi at Marie Nails (which, by the way, I do recommend!), we drove down Beverly Boulevard to Cafe Gratitude. It is located outside of the busy Hollywood area in what appears to be a more residential area. We thought our GPS has brought us to the wrong destination, but it wasn't wrong! Cafe Gratitude is part of a tiny plaza that even has free (but limited) underground parking! Free parking in Los Angeles is nearly unheard of... Just watch for the bright blue A-fold sign that points to the garage entrance. 

My mom still needed a bit of coaxing before actually agreeing to eat at the restaurant. We walked into the cafe (not restaurant) side and asked to see the menu. The prices were decent and it was getting late so we asked for a table. There was a covered patio seating area that would've been a lovely place to eat; evening temperatures in Los Angeles are extremely enjoyable. Unfortunately, eating outdoors would have to wait for another time. Seating is a bit dim, especially as the sun begins to set. 

We were served water in unique glass bottles that matched the hippie-style of the whole restaurant. Now, descriptions of the dishes on vegan menus doesn't really do much more than listing all the vegetables used. Photos are much more effective in showing how the ingredients were transformed into a work of art, so I suggest taking some time to look at the photos on Yelp and Urbanspoon before visiting to get a sense of what interests you. I also asked our waitress for recommendations and what the most popular dishes are. She was very patient and kind to us newbie vegan diners while waiting for us to make decisions or taking our order. Oh, I've heard you're supposed to order by saying "I am..." then the dish name, cute huh? 

After writing down our orders, the waitress or waiter will ask you the question of the day, which is written on a chalk board by the cashier. Our question was 'What are you proud of?' and served as an opening topic for our table to chat away some of the wait time for our food. It is a clever way for the restaurant to keep the atmosphere lively and the guests less focused on how long it takes for food to be made.

I am Warm Hearted ($13)

Old Spaghetti Factory

Just like how my family visits COWS Ice Cream every time we're in Whistler, the Old Spaghetti Factory has become a routine of ours as well. The portions are large enough so the hunger will stay away until dinnertime and the prices are very reasonable considering the tourist-y location.

All entrees come with a starter of either minestrone soup or garden salad and end with a scoop (or maybe two) of ice cream and a choice of coffee or tea. Look for the "It's all included" sign on the menu. For $12 to $15, one can have a complete meal at a convenient location in the heart of the Whistler Village Stroll. My aunt hails this restaurant as the best value in all of Whistler, she sometimes coming for both lunch and dinner.

Fresh Loaf of Sourdough Bread

Shortly after being seated, the waiter or waitress will bring a small loaf of sourdough bread for you to nibble on as you read the menu. Warning: This bread is highly addictive and dangerous for those trying to avoid carbohydrates. It's impossible to stop stuffing this soft, warm bread into your mouth. They give free refills of this bread too! Consider sharing one plate of pasta if self control is a difficulty. Refined carb overload galore! The whipped butter is rather tasteless though. Whipped to the point of being like...air. Fresh bread tastes good enough by itself, no need to add unnecessary fats.

Garden Salad with Sesame Dressing

My parents and I ordered two pastas to share amongst the three of us. It was just the right amount of food.

Seafood Fettuccine Alfredo

The first pasta was the Seafood Fettuccine Alfredo.There were plenty of small scallops and shrimp, but that's as 'fancy' as the seafood gets. Then again, this large serving of pasta only cost $14.25. I enjoyed the thick al dente fettuccine noodles. The alfredo sauce is very traditional, not much to it rather than cream and butter. But it got a bit too heavy near the end and I saw the butter start to separate and rise to the top. Definitely save this dish for a 'cheat day'.

The second pasta we shared was the Spaghetti with Spicy Meat Sauce. The spice was different from the type of spiciness we had anticipated; it was more herb-y... Not very special but did the job. 

My brother ordered the Chicken Parmigiana and it was a really large portion for $14.95. A large breaded chicken cutlet with a portion of speghetti with tomato sauce. Two people with a smaller appetite than a growing teenage boy can share this and still be full. However, I can't speak for the taste as I didn't try this dish. 

We all ended our filling lunch off with a cup of coffee or tea and some spumoni ice cream, which is Old Spaghetti Factory's version of Neapolitan ice cream but with pistachio, chocolate, and vanilla. The pistachio doesn't have much flavour, so don't expect to get some fancy expensive gelato. Whoever scooped our ice cream this time was very generous as we got two large scoops in each cup, yay! 

We made our visit on a Sunday afternoon during lunchtime. I made a reservation in the morning before heading out to the farmer's market to ensure we'd have a table. Better safe than sorry since sometimes they're so packed there's a one hour wait list. That wasn't the case this time though, despite it being a weekend. The entire restaurant had ten or so groups when we arrived at noon. I had asked to be seated outside on the patio, which is a nice environment but it was just too hot on a sunny August day. Fruit and vegetable plants decorate the patio, but they're kind of...overgrown or dying, haha.

Old Spaghetti Factory is a family-friendly restaurant to go to when you need to fill hungry tummies and have a place to chat and relax. Food isn't five-star quality but it's acceptable and affordable. Service is kind but not always promt; it depends on how busy the restaurant is. Our server came back often to ask how we were doing at the beginning of our meal but less near the end. She did remember our requests for more bread and water when we asked for them. There isn't any major reason for my family to not come back for pasta when we're in Whistler.

I apologize for the lack of photos in this post; I thought I had past photos of the dishes I had this trip as we seem to order the same few things. But I was wrong so hopefully on my next trip (maybe next year?), I'll be able to make a second review with more photos.



Love from Coconut Crumpet's Corner ♡

Ingrid's Village Cafe

Ingrid's Village Cafe

In the middle of the Village Stroll in Whistler lies this tiny cafe that is loved by both locals and visitors alike. Although I walk past this cafe at least six times a day, I would have never thought to go in if it weren't for the good reviews seen on the Internet. The cafe is not very noticeable as there's no big sign displaying their name and their small patio section is attached to three other restaurants. Look for the 'home cooking' neon lights or an A-frame sign that says stuff like "vegan! hot chocolate!" (Sorry, that's all I remember...), or a patio full of people enjoying burgers out of plastic red baskets.

Garden Veggie Burger ($6.95)

I got the Garden Veggie Burger which is a patty of shredded vegetables in a multigrain bun with lettuce, tomato, cucumber, red onion, green bell pepper, shredded carrots, alfalfa sprouts, avocado, salsa, and mayonnaise. This was an absolutely massive burger. Tall and thick! 

The patty was labeled is gluten free and vegan but it also was 'with mozza'. I'm not sure if mozza meant mozzarella cheese, so if you're vegan you may want to double check with an employee. And also tell them 'no mayo' (which I forgot to do...) When eaten, I thought the patty was a bit too wet, being on the verge of tasting undercooked. The mushy texture made the feeling rather strange. As with most vegetarian burgers or low-fat meat patties, the flavour relies heavily on spices. Which is healthier because the spices substitute the lard's job of providing flavour. But for those new to vegetarian burgers, just be prepared. Let's just say the Garden Veggie Burger looked appealing but the taste was rather anticlimactic. The Superior Veggie Burger made of lentils and vegetables could potentially taste better as apparently, Ingrid's is famous for that.

A short mention for the toppings: I'm glad the avocado was thickly spread on the bottom bun; nothing worse that looking forward to some creamy avocado but just getting a tiny sliver. However, the alfalfa sprouts were a totally different story. There are like three sprouts sticking out in the photo, and that's about how much was actually in the burger. Smaller than a pinch. -insert unimpressed face here- All the other vegetables were (I think) present in the burger. Even though the whole patty is made from vegetables, I like to include as much veggies into each meal as possible. Can't go wrong with more cellulose right?

Ingrid's Village Cafe is a great place to pick up a breakfast wrap or a simple soup and sandwich lunch for under $10 inside the village. Sandwiches, burgers, and wraps are all built to order. The prices are extremely reasonable and affordable, great for a day where you don't feel like spending a ton of money to dine at some fancy five-star restaurant or just need something quick and easy. I would love to come back and try some of their other items. Maybe their daily soup or the new Avocado Breakfast Wrap. Ingrid's is like Subway, but with more exciting choices.

The menu and prices can be viewed on their website. 




Love from Coconut Crumpet's Corner ♡

Cactus Club Cafe at Coal Harbour

Cactus Club Cafe at Coal Harbour

Cactus Club Cafe opened it's newest location sitting on the edge of Coal Harbour at the beginning of 2013. The spanking new interior and fancy design create fantastic ambiance. 

Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympics Torch

I usually have quite the bad impression on chain restaurants, but since my aunt was in town and spontaneously invited us to have lunch with her in Downtown, a foodie can't say no. 

'Indoor patio' with windows that completely open to Coal Harbour

This particular Cactus Club is situated right beside Vancouver's Olympic torch at the Vancouver Convention Centre, making it a great tourist magnet. The restaurant is extremely large with outdoor seating lining the exterior and tons of tables inside. We arrived at noon on a summer Saturday and were seated promptly. At first, we wanted to grab a seat under their signature yellow umbrellas outdoors, but I'm so glad they were all full. We ended up sitting at the section facing Coal Harbour. There were huge windows on one side and the roof above, allowing tons of the warm summer sunlight to shine on us. What awed me the most is how the windows could open. The entire side facing the water was now completely open, creating an 'indoor patio'. The seabreeze freely blew in; it really felt like you were outside. If you have the chance to be seated in this area, it is just like the outdoor seating but even better because it has a view! Just the seating alone is worth the visit. The open-air windows was the best part of my experience here.

Cactus Club Menu

Now, I didn't have high hopes for the food, despite what others have said. I've always viewed these 'higher class' chain restaurants like Earl's and The Boathouse as over priced for what you get. Items from fancy sablefish to simple spaghetti and casual tacos can be found on the menu. While examining their menu, I found a lot of dishes to be Asian inspired. Which usually turn out really good or really bad. Since I was dining with my grandparents, we didn't try any of the Asian-esque food. Also, there seems to be some special dishes by Rob Feenie from Food Network Canada which sounds exciting. Do remember that these dishes are not made by the celebrity chef's own hands but mass produced. It makes all the difference.

The Burger

Getting on to what we did eat, both my brother and aunt ordered The Burger. It comes with Sea Salted Fries but you can substitute that with a salad or yam fries for an extra cost. By the way, the yam fries are really good! Fried till crunchy on the outside but still soft and meaty on the inside, yum~ This is probably worth order on the menu as my brother finished this in five minutes flat and my aunt continuously commented on what a great burger it was. When I was chatting with my dad at home, he said when he went to another Cactus Club, he remembers it being really good too. The beef patty is what makes this burger so good. It's juicy and tender. The numerous toppings also make this burger much more exciting. Every traditional burger topping is added, cheese, bacon, sauteed mushrooms, pickles, tomato, lettuce... Which is why this burger is called The Burger. The with a capital T. As a side note, I would avoid ordering the mini burgers because the patty may not be as juicy as the full size.

Raincoast Greens Salad