the dining diva

les boulettes

To say that I’ve had a busy few months, would be a complete understatement. I was lucky enough to have been seconded from my day job to the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympic Games. I was a flash quote reporter at Pacific Coliseum, which meant that I interviewed short track speed skaters and figure skaters. For an entire month, I breathed, lived and dreamt the Olympics.

It was truly a once-in-a-lifetime experience that I wouldn’t have traded for anything. But it meant that I had no time to eat out, never mind write about it.

So when my friend Dustin, whom I used to work with on Holland America Line, invited me to join him on a 10-day Panama Canal cruise a couple of weeks after the Games ended, I jumped at the chance.

The cruise was a perfect way to end my fairytale two months and what better way to recount those memories than brunch with Melanie at Café Medina.

Have I mentioned how much I adore brunch? I truly think it is the perfect meal. It lets you sleep in, you can take a long time eating it, you can choose savoury or sweet (or both!) and you can drink alcohol before noon without judgement.

Café Medina is the best place in town for brunch and I know I’m not alone in this opinion, based on the long lines that inevitably form each weekend. I arrived a little before Melanie and put our name on the list. We maybe waited for about 20 minutes before we were offered a seat at the bar. While it would have been an okay place to sit, I asked if we could snag a two-seater near the passway between the front and back rooms.

lavender lattes

Our server, who had a delightful French accent, was happy to oblige.

Mel and I both ordered lavender lattes without hesitation. The first time I tried these little gems, I was a bit leery, but can’t go to Café Medina without ordering one now. Slightly sweet and yes, a little flowery, I could easily get addicted to them.

We had a lot to catch up on, so we decided to get down to business and order. I had a craving for Les Boulettes, which is two poached eggs, spicy Moroccan meatballs with cilantro, and hummus, and a cucumber, and tomato salad on the side

Mel decided to go for the Tagine, which comes with two poached eggs in a spicy tomato stew with red pepper, merguez sausage, sundried black olives, and cilantro. Both came with a large chunk of grilled foccaccia.

Café Medina is run by the same people who own and operate Chambar – the Belgian restaurant next door famous for its mussels and cocktails – as well as the relatively new Dirty Apron Cooking School. In fact, Café Medina’s space started as a private room for Chambar (and still is at night).

The décor is a cross between European coffee house and old school Gastown – and the clientele matches. On any given morning, you’ll find yuppies, families, hipsters, and everyone in between.

tagine

As the room is usually packed to the brim on the weekend, expect to linger over those lattes before your meal arrives. But this was not a problem for us that morning and we happily chatted away until our brunch came.

Café Medina’s brunch isn’t for those who crave the classic breakfast fare. It flits between Middle Eastern and French, but doesn’t land squarely on one geographical region.

The meatballs in my selection, Les Boulettes, were dense but still juicy. They were nestled in a spicy tomato stew with the poached eggs, which were cooked until the yolks were just slightly runny. The hummus and cucumber and tomato salad provided a nice coolness to balance the spice.

Even though we both couldn’t finish our meals, we were tempted by one of their famous waffles and a tea. We couldn’t decide on a topping, so we asked our server (who never once pressured us to leave, despite the continuous line outside) to pick his favourite.

The waffle came still bubbling hot and when we tasted his selection of sauce, we were treated to an interesting flavour combination: raspberry caramel. It was slightly crispy on the outside and buttery soft on the inside. It only took a few bites, but I was in love.

We lingered over our teas and finally left about an hour and a half after we arrived – a long time for brunch. It was nice to not be rushed out, even though there were still a few people waiting to get in. And that’s what I like about Café Medina – just like the best things in life, it’s worth waiting for.

Café Medina
556 Beatty Street
Vancouver |BC
604.879.3114
medinacafe.com

ironman omelette

I can’t remember the first time I ate at The Elbow Room. Guaranteed, it was sometime during Journalism school. My memories of brunches with friends, family, boyfriends, and first dates all blend into each other. I think I’ve probably eaten there more than anywhere in Vancouver.

So it seemed fitting that I introduce Melanie to one of Vancouver’s institutions.

The only problem: I had just started my cleanse, which meant no dairy, wheat, or sugar. It wouldn’t be impossible – it might just be a bit scary, seeing that The Elbow Room prides itself on borderline abusive service.

We met at noon on a Sunday, and as usual, the place was packed. The menu can seem a bit daunting at first, but is basically divided into traditional breakfast fare, bennies, omelettes, and lunch dishes (including their freshly-made burgers).

Melanie decided on a country-style breakfast, which came with two large eggs, five strips of Montreal style bacon, hash browns and toast.

I decided to try my best to stick to the cleanse and I think I did okay. I ordered the Ironman omelette, which is sautéed spinach, grilled tomato, white onion and red and green bell peppers and topped with hollandaise. I nixed the hollandaise and the toast, and ordered a side of hash browns.

I winced when I ordered and prayed for no abuse, but long-time owner, Patrick, was kind. That’s the thing with The Elbow Room – you never know when you’re going to get picked on.

According to The Elbow Room’s website, it was started in 1983 by Patrick Savoie and Brian Searle. It was originally located on Jervis Street, and then they moved to their present location and also acquired a new partner, Soheil Sadri, in 1996.

country-style breakfast

The walls are lined with photos of mostly C and D-list celebrities who have eaten at the restaurant – although look hard and you’ll find photos of Tom Seleck, Hilary Swank, and Sharon Stone.

Our meals arrived and they were hearty as usual. I honestly can’t say it was the best omelette I’ve ever had, but it also wasn’t something that I would ever choose to order – the cleanse made me do it!

The Elbow Room’s omelettes are a little different than I’m used to. The omelette is laid on top of the fillings rather than incasing the filling in the egg. And the hash browns are real hash browns, and not the deep-fried potato wedges that some other breakfast joints are trying to pass off these days. They’re lightly seasoned, so I don’t even feel like I need ketchup.

Part of what makes The Elbow Room’s so-called lackluster service is that they bring you your first coffee or tea, but refills are up to you to get. I’ve seen a few people make the mistake of asking for more coffee – it’s a guarantee to get picked on for the rest of your meal.

Cleanse or no cleanse, I finished my entire meal. Melanie, on the other hand, had not. Part of what makes The Elbow Room so appealing is their commitment to the community. Everyone who doesn’t finish their meal must make a donation to A Loving Spoonful – a charity that provides meals to those living with HIV/AIDS.

So we cheerfully made our donation and shuffled our way past those waiting in line. We could still hear the squawks from the servers outside. The Elbow Room might not be winning any awards for their creativity, but what they lack in culinary genius, they make up in heart. And that’s what makes me come back again and again.

The Elbow Room Cafe
560 Davie St
Vancouver | BC
604.685.3628
theelbowroomcafe.com