The Flying Pig

The last restaurant James and I visited was so nondescript neither of us could remember its name. The food was so meh neither of us could remember what we ordered. It was so blah that we didn’t even bother to review it. Quite simply the experience was so nothing that it just wasn’t worth writing up. This morning was a completely different experience. Wowza!

Theresa’s Brekkie

I almost renamed the Flying Pig the Flying Teapot; our slippery fingered server almost spilled a pot of hot tea on James. After a few heart-stopping moments, the ninja-like reflexes of our server, and the determination that James was indeed unharmed, we tucked in to a lovely breakfast. I had the frittata (goat cheese, asparagus, tomatoes) that arrived with a nice salad. I also ordered a side of sourdough toast. Honestly, it was one of the most memorable breakfasts ever: the food, the flavours, the presentation, all were exceptional. The piece de resistance was the banana bread that arrived shortly after we were seated. It came warm and buttered and was rich and dense, tasting of carmelized molasses and a touch of anise. I could of eaten an entire basket of this amazing bread. This pig does not merely fly, it soars.

James’ Brekkie

Its name borrows from a saying that describes the impossible, but the Flying Pig adds to the list of good eats in Vancouver with impressive accomplishment. The Yaletown location Theresa and I ate at – framed by glass and old brick – filled quickly with brunch seekers. It’s easy to see why: staff are engaging, the menu is straightforward and affordable and a delicious slab of banana bread, dark and moist, is provided gratis. The Smoked Salmon Benedict ($14) I ordered hit the spot: two poached eggs, thinly sliced house-smoked salmon and dilled cream cheese atop toasted sourdough bread, crowned by a light, thoroughly delicious Hollandaise sauce. A fresh green salad with tomatoes and thinly sliced golden beet added colour and a change from breakfast-carb plate fillers like toast and hash browns. However, I know from an earlier brunch at the FP that its lyonnaise-style hash browns are as impressive as the rest of its offerings.

The details

Breakast for two cost us $46

James’s rating: 4 eggs out 5
Theresa’s rating: 4 eggs out 5

 

Argo Cafe

On our way to breakfast this morning, I saw something I haven’t seen since my childhood in rural SW Ontario: day labourers. What happens is this: every morning men who are looking to work for the day wait on a corner and if there’s an employer who needs help for the day, they come by, negotiate the work and wages and off they go (or not).  It felt like I was walking back in time, a theme that continued when we entered Argo (and remember, they only take cash). Argo isn’t a hipster spot trying to be a greasy spoon. It is, as they say, the real deal.

Theresa’s Brekkie

Argo is working man’s diner. While the clientele was mixed this morning, I suspect this little hidden gem is patronized mostly by the folks who work in the light industries that dot the neighbourhood. The decor is 1950s warehouse and the menu was written on a board near the till.  For breakfast, I had the french toast with a side of bacon. The bread was of the Wonder kind and the bacon was crispy and flavourful. Generally speaking, it was a resounding okay (except for the fruit. Clearly yesterday’s leftovers). Not a bad spot to fuel yourself for the day’s work.

James’ Brekkie

 Argo Cafe is in a building on a block in a neighbourhood where not much has changed (lately). The Olympic Village’s gleaming rigid order preens a few blocks away, but here on Ontario Street, it’s still more or less 1954, the year the cafe opened. Plain (order from the list on the wall) and simple (Theresa and I sat at a Kermit-green Formica table) the Argo offers friendly service and decent diner-style food. I had the Platter – a breakfast combo of bacon, ham or sausage, two eggs, potatoes, toast and french toast or pancakes for a super cheap $7.50. The sausages were meh (tiny and overcooked) but the home-made hash browns, thick and fluffy pancakes and just-right eggs did the breakfast deed (skipped the toast).

The details

Theresa’s rating: 3 eggs out of 5

James’s rating: 2.5 eggs out of 5

Breakfast for two cost about $20.00

 

 

Pronto Caffe

The last few breakfasts have been downright lousy so I was ready for an exceptional breakfast. And Pronto, bless their sweet  hearts, did not disappoint. I want to complain about how cold it was inside, but let’s face it, no Vancouver restaurant has a decent heating/cooling system. It’s not really necessary 80% of the year. Joining me today was my pal Kris, who suggested this little gem of a spot. And I have to apologize, the picture of Kris’s breakfast didn’t turn out, so you’ll have to trust me that it looked amazing.

Kris’ Brekkie

This was my second breakfast at Pronto in as many weeks. The first visit I chose the delectable and very pork heavy Benny. So good, it comes on polenta  and is oh so good.

For my second venture into the land of Pronto I ordered up the fritatta special. Once again I went with the pork, this time sausage. Their version was very good and they did not hold back on the sausage. With a nice amount of cheese and accompanied by very fresh mesclun greens and nicely roasted rosemary potatoes, this made for a great brunch. I would add an order of toast next time to round it off nicely. So far, I am very pleased with Pronto and will return.

Theresa’s Brekkie

Oh Pronto, Pronto! The selections for breakfast were few, but what they do do, they do exceptionally well. This morning, I had the breakfast pizza which consisted of a homemade crust, cheese, pancetta and very thin slices of potato and an egg right in the middle. Was it good? Darn tootin’ it was. Very good. So good, I am going back to have it again. And again. About once a year, I have coffee, and today was my day. I ordered the paint stripping Macchiato. I’m now good for the next two years or so.

The facts:

Theresa’s rating: 4 eggs out of 5

Kris’ rating: 4 eggs out of 5

 

Forage

Forage is fairly new to Robson Street, it’s located where O’Doul’s used to be. It prides itself on serving locally sourced food items. It’s a serene spot, decorated with a 1970s West Coast vibe. James joined me today, and we were commenting on how much we both liked the cutlery and the china that they used. Functional, sturdy, understated. Nice touches all around. And the food? Well, Forage is off to a yummy start.

James’s Brekkie

Don’t worry – despite the name, this restaurant isn’t set up like some apocalyptic exercise, where you scramble to put together a plate of vittles before someone knocks you off, a la The Hunger Games. I didn’t lift a finger until they brought me my breakfast, the Two Rivers Turkey Sausage Hash ($13). Slices of pepperoni-size turkey sausage, diced onions, potatoes and yams suspended two poached eggs drizzled with Hollandaise sauce. Served in a small skillet atop a wooden board, with just enough room for four slices of perfectly toasted sourdough bread. A delicious meal, made only better by friendly, thoughtful service, and set in a smart, understated room with a cool west coast vibe.

Theresa’s Brekkie

Pork is the new black in Vancouver’s restaurants. If you’re a carnivore, this breakfast is a dream come true. I had the double-fried pork cutlet with shredded cabbage and a soft-poached egg. Yes I did. And I ate every  bit of too. And I ordered a side of sour dough toast. The pork cutlet was pounded, breaded, and fried. It was crispy on the outside, tender and juicy and flavourful and worth every minute I’ll have to spend at the gym to work this off. It came topped with shredded  cabbage and slivers of beet-pickled onions and a balsamic vinaigrette. Sublime.

The facts:

James’ rating: 4 eggs of 5

Theresa’s rating: 4 eggs out 5

 

Hogan’s Alley Cafe

When James suggested a Mexican themed brekkie I had visions of yummy stuffed enchiladas or spicy egg tacos like I had in Mexico while on vacation years ago. Well okay, that didn’t happen. Didn’t even come close. Sigh.

James’ Brekkie

This spot adds some Ole! to a historic corner of Vancouver. During the 20s and early 30s Hogan’s Alley, a slip of space wedged between Main St. and Chinatown, was jumpin’ with speakeasies, brothels and music joints. The population of Chinese, Japanese, Italian and black families was as diverse as any neighbourhood in the city today. The cafe with the same name builds on the area’s cultural mix with Mexican food cooked by expats. I ordered the Divorced Eggs ($8.50), a traditional breakfast dish. Two eggs over easy, one topped with green chile sauce, the other with red chile sauce, layered on two small tortillas and accompanied with black beans and cheese. The food was over-sauced but with just-right spiciness. However, an unfortunate case of thermal dynamics put a damper on things. The breakfast’s temperature – only moderately hot to begin with – quickly cooled off because it arrived on a large, and very cold, plate. This is the second time I’ve had cold food at Hogan’s Alley. Maybe the server wearing earmuffs should have been a hint. But is it really that hard to warm a plate?

Theresa’s Brekkie

This breakfast made me grumpy. Seriously grumpy. It was cool,  sunny Vancouver day, yet the restaurant inside was actually colder than it was outside. I can’t remember the name of the dish I had but it was similar to James’ except I got the married version of the dish served with red chile sauce. It was cold. The plate was cold, the food was tepid and the server was wearing earmuffs. Sheesh. I was still hungry after picking through the ice, so I ordered a blueberry scone. It was stale, and the butter, you guessed it, was rock  hard. This was James’ second visit to this spot, it will be my last.

The facts

James’ rating: 2 eggs out of 5.
Theresa’s rating: yeah, no, no eggs.

 

Brown Dog Cafe

I have to confess I started out having a hard time finding something interesting to say about The Brown Dog Cafe. Too many distractions I plead, but I downloaded the pictures from the phone and alas, the words started……First, I have to say, the tablecloths reminded me of the colourful vinyl tablecloths that covered (and still cover) my mother’s kitchen table and secondly, I was expecting table service. But you know, it was okay, we ordered at the counter and a few minutes breakfast came to the table, courtesy the person who cooked it.

Theresa’s Brekkie

There’s a real sweet vibe at the Brown Dog. And they get so many things just right. First of all, we ordered our breakfast at the counter. We both ordered tea and with it came two tiny fresh homemade muffins. Jenn’s a vegan so she passed but I thoroughly enjoyed mine. Nice touch. Delicious touch. I had the little dog breakfast – eggs, bacon, homefries, toast – all nicely made and even included wedges of orange. The toast was huge! I ordered the multigrain and it was cut from a large round loaf. Dense, moist, slathered in butter…..two paws up for the mighty brown dog!

Jennifer’s Brekkie

The Brown Dog Cafe is not a vegan establishment but I greatly appreciate their effort to be vegan-friendly. For breakfast, I could have opted for a tofu scramble but, in my never-ending quest for the perfect vegan pancake, I went with the three whole-wheat banana pancakes with real maple syrup. I threw in some blueberries for an extra dollar (really, how could I not?!) and succumbed to a side of home fries too. You can’t go wrong with these flapjacks – fluffy and filled with fruit. Had hoped I might wash it all down with an almond-milk latte but settled for some earl grey tea. Upon the recommendation of the staff, I grabbed a vegan brownie to enjoy with my afternoon tea. It was a little slice of chocolate cake heaven. My sweet tooth thanks you, Brown Dog Cafe.

The details

Breakfast for two cost us around $27.00

Jennifer’s rating: 3.5 eggs out of 5

Theresa’s rating: 3 eggs out of 5

 

Helen’s Grill and Restaurant

Forgive me this: I need to whine a little bit. Every time I have breakfast with  James, he always gets the better breakfast. Every time! Either he has awesome breakfast karma or I have lousy breakfast karma. I reckon I need a serious attitude adjustment or I need to order whatever he’s having. This morning, James and I didn’t have a particular destination. Yesterday we were going back on forth on potential places and finally James suggested we just drive up and Main until something caught our eye. Well that was Helen’s.

Theresa’s Brekkie

I can’t remember what my breakfast was called. When our lovely waitress Athina listed off her breakfast recommendations, I was half listening. I heard 2 this, 2 that, 2 the other thing. So I said, I’ll have the 222 thing. What arrived was two pancakes, two scrambled eggs and two strips of bacon. It was good. But take a close look at the eggs. They had this funny colour. When I bit into them, I knew why…they were cooked on the same part of the grill that cooked James’ steak. I am not objecting to that, it gave the eggs a beefy flavour I wasn’t expecting. Beefy eggs notwithstanding, I really liked Helen’s. It was retro, and genuinely so. It looks like it hasn’t been renovated in about 50 years, about the time it first opened. Helen’s also had those awesome thick diner dishes from England that last forever…the perfect serving dishes for comfort food. The other interesting thing is that the restaurant was absolutely spotless. You could eat off the floor, should the desire ever strike. And service was quick, friendly, and unobtrusive.

James’ Brekkie

Five score and one, that’s how many years Helen’s Grill and Restaurant, firmly rooted at the corner of Main St. and King Edward Ave. has been around. But there’s life in the old gal, and she delivers a delicious breakfast in a tidy setting with some age-appropriate style (check out the black velvet painting near the entrance). Today’s visit started with a large pot of tea, and when our cheery waitress took our order, I went with the steak and eggs ($9.95). The order arrived on a small platter, and there was nothing wrong with the eggs (basted), hash browns (processed) and toast (sourdough) – all tasty, but the Oscar for best performance by a breakfast offering goes to… the steak! Often breakfast steaks are about as thick as a deck of cards (and about as tender). Not this one – a sensible portion, thick, juicy, perfectly seared and cooked as ordered (medium). I’ve paid far more for bigger steaks that didn’t have the flavour of this notable cut of beef. Helen, take a bow.

The details

Breakfast for two cost us $25.00

Theresa’s rating: 3 eggs out of 5

James’s rating: 3.5 eggs out of 5