Review: The Charlatan

Tried to get into Little Nest – the baby friendly restaurant on Charles Street – with some friends for brunch recently. However,  the place was crawling (no pun intended) with kids and their parents and there was not a table to be had. So instead, we strolled up the street to the The Charlatan where we had a very enjoyable brunch. They have a short but solid brunch menu. We tried the “omelet of the day” (aged cheddar, peppers and onions) and the traditional two-egg breakfast. The service was good and we got our food very quickly. Definitely a spot to consider for weekend brunch on The Drive.

What do you think of The Charlatan for brunch? Please leave your comments.

1447 Commercial Drive
Tel: 604.253.2777

Tomato Festival

The Vancouver Farmers Markets’ Tomato Festival hits Trout Lake, today, August 23 from 9 am to 2 pm.

The last two weeks of August are prime time for heirloom tomatoes and there will be hundreds of varieties for sale at the market, as well as some samples.

Here’s a few heirloom varieties you’ll spot at the Market:

Green Zebras and Red Tiger Tomatoes – These striped varieties are good for salad, chutney or salsa.
Amish Pastes – This variety originally from Wisconsin has a watery flesh perfect for sauces.
Brandywine - An Amish heirloom dating back to at least 1885 with an incredible taste.
Black Krim – A brownish-black-fleshed tomato from Russia with a smoky, salty flavour.

The tomatoes will be displayed with their histories, taste descriptions, cooking purposes and recipes. The majority of the tomatoes for sale at the farmers market will be chemical free.

Trout Lake Farmers Market
9 am to 2 pm
15th Avenue & Victoria Drive in the Parking Lot of Trout Lake Community Centre
Map of Market Location

Latin Summer Fest

Trout Lake Park will host the Latin Summer Fest tomorrow, Sunday August 17, from 11 am to 7 pm. The morning will start off with a parade down Commercial Drive, then move to Trout Lake where there will be a series of life performances (and a drumming circle!). There will be a bunch of food vendors and merchants, plus a kids activity area.

Call 604.533.4380 for more info.

Review: Nick’s Spaghetti House

Nick’s is one of those places I’ve driven by a zillion times and never eaten at. It’s right at the tail end of The Drive (past Womyn’s Wear and right next to the Raja Theatre), right where things start to get a bit sketchy.

Veal cutlets with ravioli

Nick’s is owned by an Italian couple and it’s been in this same location for  53 years. The decor is nothing to write home about, but with its red and white checkered table cloths and wood panelled walls, it is homey and comfortable, and completely unpretentious. Let’s face it – if we wanted ambiance there are a ton of places on The Drive better suited to that; we are at Nick’s for the food…

 When we arrived at 9 pm, the place was quite busy.  The menu is big, with a huge number of pasta dishes (ravioli, spinach tortellini, cannelloni, spinach cheese agnolotti) plus ribs, steak, pork chops and veal, all served with pasta. They’ve also got salads which get served at your table in big bowls, to share.

Spaghetti and meatballs with mushrooms and cheese

We tried the spaghetti and meatballs with mushrooms, cheese and meat sauce ($18.75). The portions are huge: two tennis ball-sized meatballs, served on top a huge portion of pasta. I am known for my bottomless stomach (I rarely leave so much as a parsley sprig on my plate!), but I still had to take half home with me. We also tried the veal cutlets with ravioli ($20.95) which were fabulous, plus a side of garlic bread. I noticed there is a section on the menu for smaller plates, and next time I will probably get a smaller entree so that I can get dessert – I saw a tiramisu and some other great Italian-style desserts on the menu. The service was fine – our meal came right away and our server was efficient and friendly.

Nick’s is definately a solid choice when you’re in the mood for great Italian comfort food and aren’t in the mood to see and/or be seen. It’s not fancy and it’s probably not for everyone.  But if you just want to hang out with friends, drink some wine and have a great meal, I think Nick’s fits the bill. They also do take-out.  No complaints here – I will definitely be visiting Nicks again soon.

What do you think of Nick’s? Please leave your comments.

631 Commercial Drive
604.254.5633
Mon to Thu: 11:30 am to 10 pm
Fri: 11:30 am to 11 pm
Sat: 4 pm to 11 pm
Sun: 4 pm to 10 pm

Review: Waazubee

Americano presentation at Waazubee

Whenever I am at a loss as to where to eat, Waazubee is my old stand by. Sure, the decor is a bit tired and the place looks like it could do with a good scrubbing, but the food is soooo good, their drinks are affordable, and the service is pretty good. Plus, they have a great selection of rum and gin (I am not such a fan of the gin, but I love a good rum!).

I tend to stick to a few tried and true favorites: the chicken WaaZuBwich (charbroiled chicken breast on a baguette, served open-faced with melted brie); the salmon or tuna burger with lemon-ginger coulis; the beef burger, or one of their specials. I must say I do love their two sides: fries with garlic mayo and their mixed greens – something about their dressing is so fabulous).

I am also a brunch regular: I love the rice and beans (poached egg, cheddar and salsa served over tomato rice and beans); the florentine eggs benedict; or, when extremely hungover, the pan-fried potato and cheddar perogies with onions and sour cream, which has a delightful way of soaking up booze and infusing my liver with much-needed vitality. And of course, they serve a great Americano, which is critical on The Drive.

What do you think of Waazubee? Please leave your comments.

1622 Commercial Drive
604.253.5299

Review: Me and Julio

Me & Julio is a newish “modern Mexican cantina” on The Drive, owned by the same people who own Lolita’s on Davie Street.

I’ve made two visits so far – one for dinner and one for brunch. The food is good, but I must say I was a bit underwhelmed each time. On my dinner visit we tried the tortilla soup (sopa de tortilla) and paella – both which were a bit light on the spices, and for brunch we tried the shrimp torta and an eggs benedict. Nothing was particularly memorable. I dunno… I love the decor, the concept and the margaritas, but something about this place just isn’t doing it for me quite yet. And I’ve also heard some complaints about the drink prices – a caesar is apparently $7.75, which is a bit steep for The Drive, even if it is made with tequila, pickled jalapeno & horseradish. Well, I’m going to give it another try for dinner and see what happens.

What do you think of Me and Julio? Please leave your comments.

2095 Commercial Drive
604.696.9997

Audiopile

If you are into vinyl or just music in general, you have got to check out Audiopile on The Drive.  They’ve got a huge selection of new and used records, plus used CDs. It is super well-organized so it is easy to find whatever you are looking for and the owner is totally knowledgeable on every kind of music imaginable. Oh yeah, and you can sell your old music there too if you are so inclined. 

2016 Commercial Drive
604.253.7453

Dream Designs

Dream Designs is one of my favorite shops on The Drive for home decor stuff. I am especially in love with their 60% bamboo towels which are soooooooo soft and fluffy, and are the richest, most gorgeous colours.  Bamboo is apparently a great fabric for towels because it is more absorbant than cotton, dries faster and has natural anti-bacterial qualities.

According to this article on Treehugger.com, the eco-credentials of bamboo are up for debate — converting the bamboo stalks into cellulose fiber so it can be woven into yarn apparently requires harsh chemicals.  In any case, these towels are mixed with 40% regular cotton and made in Portugal anyway, so in my personal opinion, I don’t think they could be considered all that eco-friendly anyway. But, environmental concerns aside, I can confirm that they look and feel great!

Prices are in-line with other high end towels – $10 for the facecloth, $40 for the bath towel or bath mat, $70 for the bath sheet. A bit of a splurge, but worth it (though an occasional sale would be nice!).

956 Commercial Drive
604.254.7030

Review: The Reef

I’ve been wanting to visit The Reef ’s new location on Commercial Drive for some time, and finally got the opportunity the other day. It has a great beachy vibe, complete with seagrass on the walls, a tiki-esque bar and a small patio overlooking The Drive.

Mr. Gee's Rude Boy (in coconut shell) and B'nanas Smoothie

The food we tried on our first visit was great, and their drink selection was fabulous. Lots of high-end rums (like Don Matusalem 15-year old and Pyrot) and some great tropical drinks. We sampled the B’nanas Smoothie, made with dark rum, coconut rum, pineapple and banana; and Mr. Gee’s Rude Boy which is served in an adorable coconut shell. It’s made with dark rum, coconut rum, triple sec, orange juice,  grapefruit and pineapple, and flavored with a dash of bitters and nutmeg and it is DELICIOUS.

Baked jerked wings

For starters we tried baked jerked wings and a Caesar salad topped with a tomatillo and lime dressing and fried capers.  The jerked wings were delish and just the right amount of heat. The Caesar salad was good – light and refreshing. For dinner we had the Maracas Bay mahi-mahi seared with curry and lime and served with coconut rice and veggies. We also tried the jerk chicken tacos (actually from the applie menu). These were pretty standard fare, but we added some of the restaurant’s own great hot sauce to spice them up a bit.

The verdict? Definitely great food, drinks and service all around. We will visit again soon!

Have you visited The Reef? Please share your comments.

1018 Commercial
604-568-JERK

Trout Lake Cookbook Swap

If you’re an aspiring chef in need of some new inspiration, you won’t want to miss the Trout Lake Cookbook Swap Saturday July 19, 2008 at Trout Lake Farmers’ Market.

Christian Gaudreault and Star Spilos, co-owners of the Tomato Fresh Food Café, will be on hand signing As Fresh As It Gets, their award-winning cookbook. Amrita Sondhi, author of The Modern Ayurvedic Cookbook: Healthful, Healing Recipes for Life  and Jeng Suratin Rianpracha, whose self-published book, Thai Princess: Vancouver Cookbook, will also be signing.

Saturday July 19
9 am – 2 pm
Trout Lake Farmers Market
15th Avenue & Victoria Drive, in the Parking Lot of Trout Lake Community Centre
Map of Market Location