Brunch at White Spot Restaurant

White Spot is a family restaurant that serves brunch until 3pm.  So if you skipped breakfast or woke up late or just prefer brunch type foods, White Spot is a good place to go.  Brunch menu options are affordable and under $15.  Our favorite is the Steelhead Eggs Benedict with salmon and a poached eggs topped with hollandaise sauce.  It is served with has browns and a salsa.  The Steelhead Benedict above was from when we visited Squamish, BC and I have to admit that the taste is very consistent across the restaurants.  

If you're intrigued, you can check out the Brunch menu at the following link:  http://whitespot.ca/menu/bc/brunch

White Spot is one of our regular breakfast joints (other than eating at home).  They are open in the morning and have good customer service for those everyday kinda days.  

Want to see more food pics of White Spot?  Take a look at how I celebrated my birthday at White Spot with a birthday brownie.  All you have to do is ask. http://vancitygirlfriends.blogspot.ca/2017/01/thrifty-tuesday-white-spot-restaurant.html

Vancouver Restaurant: Medina Cafe

The best part about having visitors and family come visit, is being able to explore the city and spend time trying new places.  When my "sister" from London came for the new year, I took a day off work so I could spend time with her.  She wanted to go downtown Vancouver and suggested we try Medina Cafe.

I vaguely had heard of the name of the restaurant in passing but not much else.  Perhaps it was one of those brunch restaurants that would normally have a line up out the door.  Luckily for us since everyone was back to work, our wait was not very long, maybe 20 minutes instead of an hour.  That is the trick for those restaurants who do not take reservations and have a first come first serve policy.  Just go to them on your day off!  

The Medina Cafe Menu had such unique items with a Mediterrean or Middle Eastern flair.  It was a difficult decision as to what to try.  Everything on the menu looked tasty and I would definitely return.  I ended up going for the Harissa Burger with two fried eggs on top of a pita with beef, hummous, baba ganoush.  It was a gourmet breakfast and soo super flavorful!  

If you come to Vancouver and are staying downtown and want a unique brunch, check out Medina Cafe.  If you are in a rush, they also have waffles to order on the go.  #Yummy

Breakfast or Brunch in Burnaby #AtoZChallenge

Breakfast or Brunch

Breakfast is as many say the most important part of the day and it is the work day that we mostly refer to.  It is also the meal that can easily get skipped.  

I've made yogurt parfaits at home the night before to have a quick breakfast in the morning when I wake up at 6am.  As you can imagine on those busy weekday mornings, the last thing I want to do is make breakfast.  If I don't have breakfast at home, I eat breakfast at the cafeteria at work.  So I can literally get up and go.  Breakfast is rushed but fast and easy. 

Brunch is usually on the weekends and is a combination of breakfast and lunch.  It is the best of both worlds depending on your taste buds.  On the weekends, we sleep in and we don't need to have a quick breakfast on the go.  Instead we can take our time and luxuriate with coffee (for those who drink it) and enjoy brunch over a few hours.  There is no work week rush.  

Burnaby Trattoria opens at 11am for their weekend brunch.  Most of the time when we go, we are greeted at our table with a complimentary bread pudding with chantilly whipped cream.  Such a nice appetizer to start off the day before we order our meal.  They have a small select number of brunch items which I am slowing tasting through the menu with each visit.  

Breakfast Pizza

What's on the menu?  

Breakfast pizza as pictured is topped with double smoked bacon, egg, and tomatoes.  WOW!  It comes full size so I could only eat half.  If you want a savory meal and are hungry, order this one.

Smoked Salmon Eggs Benedict

Smoked Salmon Eggs Benedict or Traditional Eggs Benedict which comes with hashbrowns and a green salad.  Both are what you would expect from a morning brunch.  Eggs benedict as always are topped with hollandaise sauce.  

I'm curious to try their Truffled Mushroom Frittata next.



Trattoria Burnaby Brunch Menu 

Weekend Brunch - Trattoria Burnaby

Trattoria Burnaby may be known for their pasta Tuesdays, wine Wednesdays, or pizza Sundays, but did you know that they are open for brunch on the weekends.

Fennel Sausage Hash

We recently discovered this delight and their amazing brunch menu of eggs benedict, fennel and sausage hash, and when we went their they started us off with a complimentary sample of their bread pudding with chantilly cream.  They have real coffee and an espresso bar so you can have good coffee with your brunch.  

In Burnaby there are not a lot of breakfast joints and especially none that open early.  Trattoria Burnaby opens at 11am on the weekends and holidays for brunch but we hope that with our feedback, they will consider opening earlier on the weekends.  Then they could become out new breakfast joint.

Our first impression was a pretty good one.  I enjoyed my breakfast with my Mighty Leaf tea and since my husband raved about how delicious their coffee is, I may try that next time even though I'm not a regular coffee drinker.  

I'm happy we ventured on a rainy day to Trattoria Burnaby for brunch and here's the menu to check out if you are in the area.  I already know what I'll order the next time I go there, the Truffled Mushroom Frittata.    http://www.glowbalgroup.com/trattoria/trattoria-burnaby.html#menu-section

Vancouver Restaurant: Burgoo Comfort Food for Lunch

Dear Vancity Girlfriends,

Hummus Appetizer

Sometimes, it is the unplanned surprises that leave you in the perfect place.  So after our wonder Bloom Essentials Picasso Pedicure, Carolyn and I did not have a lunch place in mind so we just started driving.  Knowing that Main Street was a hip and happening place with a lot of food choices, Carolyn suddenly remembered a place called Slickity Jim's.  

When we arrived there was a line-up out the door and we couldn't wait so that's when we remembered that we were close to one of our favourite restaurants, Burgoo, on Main Street.  Now last time we went to Burgoo it was in December for dinner for our Christmas Cookie exchange.  We had never been there for brunch/lunch before.

It was a gloomy, rainy day in June, perfect for warm, cozy Burgoo comfort food.  The brunch menu looked interesting but we both stuck with the "After School Special" of soup and sandwich of your choice.  What a winning combination!  The atmosphere during the day is lively and social.  I'm glad that our journey took us that way!  We will be back!  

Vegetable Sandwich with Clam Chowder

Dos Diablo Sandwich with Crab Bisque

Vancouver Brunch: Pan Pacific Sunday Market Brunch

Dear Vancity Girlfriends,

Celebrating girlfriends birthdays are a must!  And even if you celebrate a month later, it is the experience, ambiance and memory that makes a difference.  I love girlfriends birthdays because it's a time to treat  friends and myself to something luxurious!

This month we celebrated a birthday at the Pan Pacific Vancouver for the Sunday Market Brunch which runs from 11:30am - 2:30pm every Sunday.  I made reservations a month in advance on Open Table and it was perfect.  The brunch is $52 per person but it's worth it for celebrating those special occasions.  Such a delectable treat!

Pan Pacific Sunday Market Brunch had the ambiance being across from the North Shore mountains and the open windows that provides you with a view anywhere that you sit.  They have lovely piano music that is light and not overwhelming.  The service is excellent because they efficiently bring the tea or coffee and then come to take away the plates when you are none in a non-intrusive way.  It's service that you barely see but when you need something, it's there.  

Now onto the food.  The great thing about brunch is the combination of breakfast + lunch.   


Breakfast:  eggs benedict, omlette station, bacon, sausages, roast potatoes, croissants, fruit,  juices, and dim sum.

Lunch:  duck, carving station with roast beef, salads, shrimp cocktails, sushi, smoked salmon, cheese and bread.

Of course don't forget dessert with bread pudding, flan, mouse, creme brulee, and more!  Added bonus is that they brought the birthday girl a birthday cake with a candle on top.  Funny thing is we don't even know how they knew, they just did (or likely I had made a note on the Open Table reservation).  They waited for the perfect moment when we were ready for dessert to bring out the cake.

I highly recommend it for special occasions or celebrations or catching up with friends where you want to be able to relax and chat and take your time with no rush.   

Vancouver Brunch - Lily Maes

I love celebrating birthdays because it gives me an excuse to look of quaint places for brunch and that is exactly happened when I stumbled upon Lily Maes European style cafe in Gastown.  Gastown has become quite the trendy neighbourhood with a lot of local eateries and pubs that are popping up.  I enjoyed walking through the streets of Gastown to get to Lily Maes.

I was looking at the Open Table Reservations and found this restaurant.  It looked cute and had a simple menu so I booked a table for four for brunch.  It had the perfect ambiance to catch up with Vancity Girlfriends and have a birthday celebration.  Of course I also loved the fact that I could make a reservation on Open Table and get my points.

What did we have?  Freshly squeezed orange juice with the fabulous dishes below.  Smoked salmon eggs benedict, Sunny day eggs benedict, and Chocolate Hazelnut French Toast.  Yummy for brunch!