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July 10, 2009
Café culture is alive and well in city
Jewish-owned places in Vancouver offer a wide variety of food and atmospheres.
RICHARD WOLAK
The café has always been a place where people have gone to congregate, socialize, meet, people watch, think, write and dream. Vancouver has some wonderful cafés, which have great coffee, a good tea selection and a delicious array of baked goods and sweets for noshing. Here are some of those cafés in our community that are Jewish owned– all are worth a visit.
Café Medina (604-879-3114; medinacafe.com) is located downtown at 556 Beatty St. and it's open Monday-Friday, 7:30 a.m.-5 p.m., Saturday and Sunday, 9 a.m.-5 p.m. The café is co-owned by Robbie Kane and it is the daytime place to indulge, featuring homemade Belgian Liege-style waffles, available plain or with any one of eight gourmet toppings. My favorite is a waffle with the dark chocolate topping and an espresso machiatto for $6, which is divine. Other intriguing toppings include fig orange marmalade, lavender milk chocolate and organic maple syrup, to name a few. There are sandwiches for lunch and specialties for weekend brunch. Coffees, teas, smoothies, baklava, granola and fresh fruit round out the menu. Have a seat in front of the classic wooden bar or at a table aside the exposed brick walls backdrop. There are magazines and newspapers for your reading pleasure, or bring your own notebook and enjoy all that Café Medina has to offer.
Trees Organic Coffee House (604-684-5060; treescoffee.com) is in the heart of Downtown, close to Pacific Centre, at 450 Granville St. Its hours are Monday-Thursday, 6 a.m.-8 p.m.; Friday, 6 a.m.-10 p.m.; Saturday, 8 a.m.-8 p.m.; and Sunday, 9 a.m.-8 p.m. The café and roastery is owned by Doron Levy. This is a coffeehouse that has been around for quite some time and they have a great selection of homemade cheesecakes, baked goods, sandwiches and coffee and tea beverages. The chocolate swirl cheesecake has just a hint of chocolate, which makes a wonderful harmony with the creaminess of the cheesecake. You may also love the mocha cheesecake and its hint of coffee.
Mink Chocolate Café (604-633-2451; minkchocolates.com) is near Canada Place, at 863 West Hastings St. Open Monday-Friday, 8 a.m.-6 p.m., and Saturday-Sunday, 10 a.m.-6 p.m., this café is owned by Marc Liebermann, who has a passion for chocolate. Mink is styled to perfection, fashionably done up in brown tones. The café features a Clover for serving fresh brewed origin coffees, a Synesso for top-notch espresso beverages, milk and dark liquid chocolate machines pouring out the finest and most delicious chocolate, which is then done up in any one of their hot or iced chocolate drinks. My personal favorite is the iced dark chocolate blended drink. There are toasted Belgian waffles for snacking to go along with your hot or cold beverage. Mink offers an extensive selection of handmade chocolate bars and bon bons with sleek packaging, which turns them into objects of desirable art.
Terra Breads Bakery and Café (604-873-8111; terrabreads.com) at 53 West 5th Ave. is open Monday-Saturday, 7 a.m.-6 p.m. This café/bakery is co-owned by Michael Lansky and it is by far their largest location, with a huge bakery in the back, extensive comfortable seating up front, as well as a beautiful patio for relaxing on a nice, sunny day. Homemade sandwiches are in the cold case ready to eat in or take away. If there are none left, then ask and a sandwich will be made fresh for you within minutes. For sandwiches, try the wild salmon or the hummus. There are soups and salads and the baking includes an orange-scented challah, ginger cookies, brownies and almond biscotti.
Solly's Bagels (604-675-9750; sollysbagels.com) has three locations, including at 368 West 7th Ave., where the hours are Monday-Friday, 6:30 a.m.-6:30 p.m., and Saturday-Sunday, 8 a.m.-6:30 p.m. Owned by Leah Markovitch, Solly's serves delicious Jewish baked goods that include chocolate, poppy and raspberry rugelach, mandelbroit, chocolate babka, cinnamon buns, apple cake, sour cream coffee cake, knishes and sweet cheese bagels. Menu favorites include blintzes filled with a sweet ricotta cheese, lightly fried and topped with apple sauce or sour cream. Many choices of bagels are baked fresh all day long, and I recommend that you try the whole wheat sesame or the chocolate chip bagels when in season. This is the largest Solly's location, and the busiest one, and it is a great place for a nosh before or after shopping. This a neighborhood spot that features art created by kids adorning the walls. Oddly shaped wooden tables and chairs make for cozy seating inside and out.
Sabra's (604-733-4912; sabrakosherrestaurant.com) at 3844 Oak St. is open Monday-Thursday, 9 a.m.-9 p.m.; Friday, 9 a.m.-4 p.m.; and Sunday, 9 a.m.-9 p.m. Owned by Shimon Kahlon, this bakery and restaurant is kosher. Their baking is superb and favorites include chocolate, poppy and walnut rolls, chocolate babka, chocolate rugelach and potato knishes. Sabra's makes the best whole wheat and sweet challah in the city. There is seating inside and outside and there is a full beverage line-up featuring espresso, lattes and cappuccinos, as well as a full restaurant menu.
Richard Wolak is a freelance writer and editor of TheCafeGuide, at thecafeguide.com, as well as the founder of the cafeguide.ning.com social network.
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