Week 6: The Bro'Kin Yolk

Just when you think the "Burbs" can offer no surprises, you stumble upon The Bro'Kin Yolk.  It's tucked into a shopping centre, Creekside, in Simons Valley. It's on the north end of the shopping centre next to Tim Hortons. This spot is a gem with a bright, open decor and a story to tell.  It is owned by two brothers Jeff and Gil Carlos who bring a touch of the Philippines with some of their special ingredients.  They chose the name Bro'Kin Yolk because they are  brothers, they wanted to create a place where families could enjoy a meal together and they care about the ingredients they use and the quality of the eggs they serve. The menu includes Bennys, Poutines, Frittatas and a wide selection of "Breakfast Classics".

                           

Baked Egg Frittata

House Cured Bacon Poutine

The selections we made were both tasty and very filling.  The Poutine was a bit heavy as one might expect but delicious.  The Frittata was baked, full of fresh vegetables and topped with a generous amount of feta cheese.  

We had a brief chat with the General Manager who said that the Carlos brothers are expanding their restaurants (one already open in Mahogany and another soon in Westhills) and then eventually on to other cities in Canada!  Another warning ladies, the washrooms are unisex!

BOOKS!

Last week we visited Shelf Life Books  and I bought a copy of Michio Kaku's The Future of the Mind.  Coincidentally CBC did a piece on his most recent book The Future of Humanity.  It's an interesting and provocative interview!

 

If you've ever had a worry about artificial intelligence or wonder about the existing abilities of scientists to replicate the human brain, The Future of the Mind  is a very thoughtful expansive look at these issues.  Does science have a practical understanding of consciousness and will we be able to control the myriad of directions science will want to take us in?  I won't say this is a definitive piece of work but it does make one want to stay informed!    

Week 5: The Beltliner

The Beltliner is located downtown at 243 12 Ave. SW right across from the Memorial Park Library.  The restaurant is a comfortable, open, bright space with large windows facing onto 12 Ave.  We arrived about 10 am and were seated and "coffeed up" immediately.  Coffee is served in gargantuan mugs and is delicious!

The menu is full of mouth watering breakfast offerings and we selected the West Coast Toast (salmon, sliced avocado, 2 poached eggs, sourdough, arugula and cherry tomato salad) @$18.50, and the Merguez 'n Eggs (lamb merguez sausage, stewed tomatoes, yogurt, cilantro, 2 poached eggs and toast) @$19.50.  Both were delicious, however the Merguez 'n Eggs was outstanding both in flavour and presentation. Our overall experience was very positive. Warning ladies, the individual washrooms are unisex!

The House Rules on the left are posted at the front entrance and add to the overall "lighter side" of the establishment.  

I am excited about reading Peter Robinson's novel, featuring the seasoned detective, Alan Banks! It's one of over 20 mystery novels by this very prolific bestselling Canadian author. I wanted to start reading at breakfast but this will have to wait!

And then...

We wandered over to Shelf Life Books , an independent bookstore situated right at the corner of 4th St. and 13th Ave. SW.  Shelf Life Books has a wide selection of titles and it is wonderful to explore the many aisles and nooks.  

We purchased two intriguing books, The Future of the Mind  (a New York Times bestseller) by Michio Kaku and Austral  by Paul McCauley. I'll have more to say about both of these in later posts.

Week Four: Breakfast at Vendome Cafe

The Vendome Cafe is located in Sunnyside at 940 2nd Ave. NW just east of the LRT tracks on a residential street  Although from the outside The Vendome looks quite small, inside there is ample seating space. It's divided into 3 areas giving a very Feng Shui , open feel to the cafe.  Overall it had a Victoria, BC vibe which we loved!  Order your food at the front counter and take your beverage with you to the table.

My husband chose from "The Benedicts" a Glazed Pork Belly with black garlic emulsion, furikake (a Japanese seasoning), pickled shallots, hollandaise on side, poached Mans Organic (local organic farm) free range eggs and added a fresh fruit bowl @ $21.00 total. Lots of food and a nice presentation. I selected the The Health that consisted of two Mans Organics poached eggs, avocado, harissa (chilli) paste, roasted red pepper tapenade, chorizo, multigrain toast and house made jam @ $16.50.  The chorizo was cold slices and not my favourite. When my husband noticed I wasn't eating it, he scooped it up and loved it. I love eggs and avocado on toast so I was a happy diner. Coffee refills are $1.00 which seemed a bit odd if you've ordered a full breakfast so we passed.

We would definitely go back to the Vendome Cafe.  It was relaxing, super clean and the fresh flowers on each table was a nice touch.

And then.....

Decorative match box

Right next to the restaurant is a wonderful shop, Mélange.  Please check Instagram or Facebook to get an idea of what an amazing shopping experience you will have when you visit.  Do not buy any more gifts anywhere until you have seen the expanse of beautiful items in this magical place!

We purchased a couple of small items including this gorgeous decorative box of matches (of which they have drawers full of beautiful selections).   There are lamps, sofas, tables, chandeliers, china, jewelry, statuary, linens, stationary and much more!

The Book....

One of my favourite genres is "nordic noir" that is a type of Scandinavian crime fiction that typically features dark storylines and bleak urban settings.

In Rupture the protagonist, detective Ari Thór revisits a case where a suspicious suicide is questioned at the same time that the town has been quarantined because of a possible deadly virus. Ari is faced with carrying out the investigation under much pressure to avoid public contact until a kidnapping, that may or may not be connected to the reopened case, puts the town on high alert. 

As a local politician tries to keep the image of a low crime town, Ari navigates through the challenges of the investigation as he fights his own demons. 

Week Three: Breakfast at Red's in Ramsay

Red's in Ramsay is located at 1101 8th St. SE.  We had eaten here before and enjoyed it. Red's is nestled in a residential part of 8th St. SE and has customer parking.  If you have the luxury of being able to go during the week, you're much more likely to find a spot.

The restaurant has two separate rooms with the area at the back including counter diner seating.  Red's has great natural lighting and the staff is very welcoming.

Perhaps one day I'll venture out of my comfort zone and try the Blueberry, basil and goats cheese stuffed French toast, but today I selected the three egg vegetarian omelette with spinach, red peppers, guacamole and cheddar cheese @ $17.50. It was flavourful and fresh tasting.  My husband had the Inglewood Omelette with Spolumbo's Chorizo, mushrooms and Brie @ $17.95.  Both meals were generous portions and our server was always near with the coffee pot. Some restaurants that are very popular have a "get busy and eat" vibe, but Red's has a relaxed atmosphere.

And no, I haven't forgotten about the BOOKS portion of this offering.  I just finished reading Lethal White by Robert Galbraith (a.k.a. J. K. Rowling). This is the fourth Cormoran Strike novel.  The Cuckoo's Calling, was published in 2013. The Silkworm (2014) and Career of Evil (2015).  The characters are so well developed that by the time you're a quarter of the way in, you feel like you know them intimately. If you haven't read these delicious works of crime fiction, "shut the front door" and get to an Independent Book Store to start a journey into the mind and brilliance of Cormoran Strike. Shelf Life Books, Pages on Kensington and Owl's Nest Books are great places to visit.

No need to read in order but the main characters do evolve with time and experience.

Week Two: Blue Star Diner

The Blue Star Diner is located in Bridgeland at 809-1st Ave. NE diagonally across from a 7- Eleven convenience store.  There's a small customer parking lot along the side lane.  If the lot is full, be prepared for a few loops around the block to find a spot to park and the residential streets have restricted parking.

The restaurant is bustling and the seats are close together so it's a bit difficult to ignore your neighbours' conversations. This can be good or bad depending on how interesting they are 😀. We arrived about 9:30 am and were seated right away.  The hostess/server was super friendly and soon had coffee on its way.

The breakfast menu offers a wide variety of choices and we chose Eggs and Chorizo Sausage (tasty, fresh and filling) @ $10.50 and a Salmon Omelette (outstanding with just the right amount of feta cheese and capers) @ $17.00!  It's worthy of mention that the coffee is very, very good!

Our overall experience was that it was a fun place to eat, the food was great and the server was engaging and light hearted.

Breakfast at the Cast Iron Cafe

For our first weekly breakfast outing we chose the Cast Iron Cafe located at 211 61 Ave. SE in an industrial area about five blocks east of Macleod Tr.  From the outside it looks plain and unassuming, but when you enter, voilá, a rustic, retro delight!

We were seated by a very friendly server and immediately offered what every morning diner longs for, a cup of hot delicious coffee!

The menu is full of breakfast offerings and we selected the Biggie Benny @ $15.50 and the Zeus Eggs Skillet @ $12.50.  Both were delicious and filling.  The best surprise was the homemade peanut and almond butter, and the homemade watermelon jam 😊😊!

Great atmosphere, good food, great service!  A bit out of the way so not super busy and a fine eclectic assortment of furniture!