Category Archives: Restaurant

Jun 03 2013
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Beer, Gourmet, Restaurant, Tourism, vancouver, WFLBC

Lunch at Grain Tasting Bar

Grain Tasting Bar is the downstairs cousin of the uber amazing Mosaic (check out my post on Mosaic RIGHT HERE!) at the Hyatt Regency on Burrard st. Offering up an upscale feel and an outstanding food and beverage lineup it’s easily made it into WFLBC’s short list for places to grab a drink downtown. After a manly afternoon of shopping at Lululemon on Robson street I needed a beer, you know, to man up a little.

Chef Thomas Heinrich has created a very nice menu for Grain. It is less up market than Mosaic but still has some amazing dishes that you won’t find at just any hotel bar. Add the great food to an impressive cocktail list and a very nice craft beer selection and Grain is hard to beat. It’s just steps from the Skytrain too? Stop it! It’s not fair to the other bars!! AND you can also order off the menu from Mosaic Bar and Mosaic itself. I’m really starting to wonder why I haven’t just set up a bed in the corner and moved in.

Spicy Thai Chicken Wings

Spicy Thai Chicken Wings

For starters I had the Spicy Thai Chicken Wings (from the Mosaic Bar menu). They were big, hot and juicy with all the sweet and savoury flavours you’d expect from a Thai Chili dish. There’s also a subtle heat that sneaks in after a few chews. The plating is also very nice, something Chef Heinrich takes a lot of pride in.

Albacore Tuna Nicoise Salad

Albacore Tuna Nicoise Salad

For my main I had the AMAZING Albacore Tuna Nicoise Salad from the Mosaic Lunch Menu. Perfectly seared albacore tuna, green beans (aka haricot vert if you’re French), olives, hard boiled egg, potatoes and fresh tomatoes over baby greens with thyme vinaigrette. A classic Nicoise salad beautifully presented. I would order this again, and again, and….again.

I washed this all back with Parallel 49 Brewing’s delicious Hay Fever Spring Saison, yum.

Grain is good, really good.

Twitter – @Grain_Bar

Facebook – Grain Tasting Bar

Interwebz - hyatthotels.hyatt.com/minisite/corporate/restaurants/graintastingbar

Scott.

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May 25 2013
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Fast Food, food, Fried Chicken, Restaurant, Squamish, vancouver

Quick bite – Mag’s 99 Fried Chicken and Mexican Cantina

 

It's pretty hard to miss this place, it's brighter than the sun

It’s pretty hard to miss this place, it’s brighter than the sun

Ever wonder what would happen if someone took over a KFC/Taco Bell and started making the same kind of food but actually used good ingredients and cared about what they were serving? Just off Highway 99 as you roll into Squamish there’s a VERY bright yellow building that used to house the aforementioned fast food giants. It closed about a year ago but has been resurrected as Mag’s 99, a fried chicken and Mexican joint using fresh, never frozen chicken and house made GOOD stuff with no preservatives whenever possible.

Nice view of The Chief

Nice view of The Chief

I was in the mood for fried chicken, the Mexican dishes will have to wait for another visit, so I ordered the 3 piece “snack pack”. It takes up to 10 minutes to get your order but it’s piping hot and fresh when you get it and you get a plate of tortilla chips and chunky house made salsa while you wait.

Tasty house made salsa

Tasty house made salsa

The chicken is everything that fried chicken should be, the flavours are very reminiscent of KFC or Churches but the quality of the chicken is far above any fast food joint. I had a thigh, a full wing and a breast in my combo with fries and a drink for under $10. The batter is delicious and you don’t get the greasy fried chicken hangover that usually accompanies fast food fried chicken.

3 piece snack pack

3 piece snack pack

Verdict. Mag’s 99 is good, classic fried chicken made by people who care. Go check it out if you’re in Squamish.

Scott.

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May 24 2013
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Beer, Restaurant, Tourism, Whistler

Brewhouse at Whistler – Family friendly and great beer? It’s true

You guys know that I’m a regular at Big Ridge Brewing Company in Surrey. They have amazing beer, great food and have been very supportive of my charitable efforts over the past year or so. Their sister restaurant in Whistler, the Brewhouse, is everything that I love about Big Ridge surrounded by one of my all time favourite places, Whistler Village.

Located just a few steps from the Olympic Plaza the Brewhouse offers craft beer brewed on site, a kids menu with lots to chose from, a pretty imaginative cocktail list, great food and very friendly staff (possibly too friendly…lol, that’s a story for another day). I’ve been to the Brewhouse many many times but this is the first time I’ve written anything about it. I went 3 times over the last week, once with my daughter, once by myself and once with my daughter and a hot date. The third visit was awkward, not for me though, for…reasons.

5 Rings IPA

5 Rings IPA

I had their award winning 5 Rings IPA, voted best IPA in BC in 2012 and it is definitely worthy of the hype. Well hopped with a solid malt backbone, this beer captures the true essence of a west coast style IPA.

One can not survive on water, hops and barley alone so I decided to order the Ale braised Angus beef cottage pie. Now to me cottage pie and shepherd’s pie are the same thing. Ya ya there’s a “definition” of what each one is traditionally made with but I really don’t care, they’re both ok with me. This particular cottage pie had Angus beef braised in house brewed Grizzly Brown Ale, button mushrooms, carrots and onions topped with mashed potatoes. It’s then baked in a cast iron pan and served with greens.

Cottage Pie

Cottage Pie

Overall this pie was outstanding. Rich, flavourful, well seasoned and piping hot. I would absolutely order this dish again except for one small issue. $19.99 is an awful lot to pay for humble peasant food. Sure you can dress it up with “Angus Beef” but at the end of the day cottage pie is simple fair based on food that the poor used to have to eat out of necessity. I understand that most things in Whistler are a little pricier than things in the Lower Mainland but come one, this should be $13-14.99 tops.

Will it stop me from going back? Not a chance. Like I said, most things in Whistler are more expensive than they are here, if something’s good then I’ll probably order it again. The beer is outstanding and the staff, like I said, are VERY friendly ;-)

Twitter – @BREWHOUSEatWHIS

Facebook – The Brewhouse Whistler

Interwebz – themarkjamesgroup.com/brewhouse

Scott.

 

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May 09 2013
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bacon, Beer, Delicious, food, Gourmet, Restaurant, vancouver

Mr. Brownstone – Comfort Food 101

Main street is a great place for food lovers to wander around and discover new culinary gems in our fair city. Particularly between 5th Ave and King Edward Ave. There are great places to eat on every block and it seems there’s somewhere new opening up all the time. My latest Main street find is Mr. Brownstone located on the east side of Main at 13th Ave right beside Parallel 49 Coffee. Mr. Brownstone serves up modern takes on comfort food classics, great craft beers and BC wines on tap and offers live music featuring some great local artists. I was invited to try a few items from their menu, find a comfy chair because I ate a lot…

Fried Brussel Sprouts

Fried Brussel Sprouts

First up are some delicious fried brussel sprouts with parmesan cheese, shallots and lemon. It’s pretty widely known around Vancouver that the Glowbal Group does some of the best brussel sprouts in town but these ones are easily on par with theirs and they’re priced very well. Just $7 for a good portion where Glowbal’s come in at $6.75 for a much smaller portion.

Wonton Nachos

Wonton Nachos

Next up was a really cool twist on a classic pub dish, nachos. Mr. Brownstone’s are made with crispy fried wontons in place of tortilla chips. They’re topped with tomatoes, green olives, jalapenos and a nice mix of rich cheeses. The wontons are amazing in place of boring old chips. They have a great crunch and a lighter feel and stay crisp for longer. They come with tomatillo salsa and wasabi sour cream on the side. The wasabi sour cream is awesome, just enough wasabi to impart a slight heat and flavour that balances perfectly with the creamy, cool sour cream. Great dish.

Lobster Mac and Cheese

Lobster Mac and Cheese

The third dish I sampled was their lobster mac and cheese. I always cringe when I see lobster mac and cheese on a menu because it’s usually made with a product called “Lobster Delight” which is made from Surimi (ground fish, usually pollock) and is artificially flavoured like lobster. This dish has NO FAKE LOBSTER!! Huge chunks of real lobster are abundant and border on excessive, which is a good thing when you’re talking about lobster. Simple flavours, butter, garlic, cheese and lobster all work in perfect harmony here. Rich, decadent and addictive. Your friends will want to try this, tell them to order their own. Did I mention it’s just $18? A total steal for this much lobster and this big of a portion.

Duck Confit Potato Skins

Duck Confit Potato Skins

Next up they brought out some duck confit potato skins. Oh man, you guys see what’s happening here right? This place is doing comfort food right. These potato skins were so good. A good amount of duck confit with applewood smoked bacon, smoked provolone cheese, 40 Creek BBQ sauce, scallions and chipotle sour cream on russet potatoes. Another comfort food classic done up for the big city. Amazing.

The Brownstone Burger

The Brownstone Burger

You guys know where the best burger in town is. I’ve shouted it from the mountain tops for a few years now, it’s at Uli’s in White Rock. The burger at Mr. Brownstone is almost as good but it’s so different than Uli’s it’s a little unfair to compare the 2. This behemoth features a fresh ground chuck patty cooked medium (perfect), Montreal style smoked brisket, a fried egg, sauteed mushrooms, an onion ring, smoked provolone and caramelized onions on a fresh toasted bun with L/T/M (you can figure that out, right?) and some hamburger relish type sauce. Standing about 10 inches high and held together with a steak knife this burger is a towering monster of deliciousness. The price? Just $15.

Pear and Stilton Flatbread

Pear and Stilton Flatbread

If you’re keeping track this is course number six, a delightfully rich and sweet dish that is a meal all on its own. Tangy Stilton cheese, pear slices, crispy prosciutto ( I think, my note taking got a little fuzzy at this point) on fresh baked flatbread. Simply delicious.

Maple Bacon Caramel Chicken Wings

Maple Bacon Caramel Chicken Wings

Ok you guys, this is the one most of you asked about when I posted this picture on Instagram/Twitter/Facebook, The maple bacon caramel chicken wings. They sound crazy, like the kind of crazy that would get you locked up for life in some shady parts of the world. In the middle ages you would’ve be branded a witch for even suggesting that this dish sounded tasty. Guess what, these wings are crazy, CRAZY good. If these guys used this recipe on chicken for chicken and waffles they’d easily be the best in the city. Think of these wings as dessert, made of meat. Everything you love about “Maple Bacon” flavoured things kicked up with caramel and tossed lovingly with deep fried wings. You simply have to try these.

WFLBC approved

WFLBC approved

So there you have it, Great food and nothing over $20. Solid craft beer on tap from Phillips, Odin, Alameda and others. BC wine on tap including one of my favourites, Blasted Church Hatfield’s Fuse. I’ll be back soon, I need those wings in my life.

Scott

Legal mumbo jumbo – My food was provided by Mr. Brownstone for review purposes.

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Apr 07 2013
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food, Restaurant, vancouver

Quick bite – Nat’s New York Pizzeria

Pizza is one of those no brainer foods, even bad pizza is pretty good. Every now and then you come across somewhere that does things with pizza that seem crazy but the results are surprisingly good. Nat’s New York Pizzeria has been a Kitsilano institution since 1992 and is a favourite of the local high school lunch crowd. Their pizza is New York style thin(ish) crust pies that are best eaten folded in half. The slices are big, the dough is decent and the ingredients and toppings seem to be of decent quality.

Nat's Pizza

Nat’s usually does a special pizza each day and I happened to be there the day the made a wonderfully unhealthy but obviously amazing mac and cheese pizza with ground beef. This thing weighed about 2.5 pounds and the slice of pepperoni I had along with it was totally unnecessary. The pasta wasn’t dried out as you’d expect it to be after a trip through the oven, the cheese was evenly distributed throughout the pasta and the beef was nestled in a nice layer between the pasta and the light layer of Nat’s own pizza sauce. Was it good? Hell yes. Would I get it again? Absolutely. Should I get it again? Not if I want to live past 40.

Scott.

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Apr 06 2013
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food, Restaurant, Surrey, vancouver

Boston Pizza – The Pizza Burger

Boston Pizza, it has been in a serious decline the last few years in terms of quality and reputation (in my eyes at least). Even their advertising drives me crazy, finger cooking with Phil and taking shots at people who like good food (Don’t be a foodie). That being said if you have kids you know that BP has an affordable kids menu and offers things like cups with lids that make parents lives easier. After a pretty rough week I headed out for dinner with my daughter and my cousin Kurt and his son and Boston Pizza was an easy choice both location and menu wise for our little ones.

Pizza Burger and Cactus Cut Potatoes

Pizza Burger and Cactus Cut Potatoes

Upon arrival I noticed a big glossy poster for their new “Pizza Burger”. I know I’ve already said that BP’s quality has fallen off quite a bit but this new menu item was too intriguing to ignore. Described as a bacon burger wrapped in a pepperoni pizza it sounded like something a cardiologist would love… so I obviously had to try it.

The goods

The goods

The burger patty is prime rib (grade unknown) and it is wrapped in pizza dough and stuffed with bacon, pepperoni, mozzarella and pizza sauce before being baked. The pizza dough is actual pizza dough, I was concerned it would be more bun-ish. Aside from being pretty greasy and totally unhealthy this thing was really good. I’m as surprised as you are. One thing I’ve always liked at BP is their Cactus Cut potatoes so obviously I had them as a side. The Pizza burger could’ve done without the pickle, lettuce and tomato skewered  on top of it though, it makes sense with the burger part but not the pizza part of the dish.

To sum up, Boston Pizza has made something good and original and for that I salute them.

Scott.

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Mar 21 2013
1 Comment
Restaurant, vancouver

Quick Bite – Moderne Burger in Kitsilano

Moderne Burger in Kits

Moderne Burger in Kits

Moderne Burger in Kitsilano is a no nonsense burger joint with a great nostalgic feel that isn’t forced or cluttered up with random Elvis and Marilyn Monroe  paraphernalia. They have a small, focused menu that has burgers, BLT’s, grilled cheese, fries, milkshakes, floats and speciality sodas. Their burgers are made fresh daily and have no additives, not even seasoning! The inside of Moderne Burger has a great Art Deco feel and would fit right in under the Empire State building or somewhere similar.

Moderne Steak Burger with bacon and cheese.

Moderne Steak Burger with bacon and cheese

Moderne offers 4 burger choices, Steak, Ground Turkey, Veggie or Wild Salmon fillet, with all the usual additions. The burger is juicy and delicious and doesn’t need seasoning at all. The Bun is light yet substantial and suits the burger very well. The cheese is real cheddar and the bacon is thick cut and high quality. All in all a fantastic burger in every way. The fries are equally as good and are hand cut for every order. I was advised by someone who may have been the owner to arrange my fries in a “deck” to place my burger on so they would soak up the juicy burger drippings. Good advice.

Yum

Yum

Next time you find yourself in Kits go check out Moderne Burger.

Twitter – @moderneburger

Facebook – facebook.com/pages/Moderne-Burger

Interwebs – moderneburger.com

Scott.

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Mar 19 2013
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Beer, pub, Restaurant, vancouver

Odin Brewing Longtable dinner at The Pumphouse Pub

It’s been a while since I attended a be dinner so when Micah Noble from Kooner Hospitality Group invited me to blog about their upcoming Odin Brewing dinner at The Pumphouse in Richmond I couldn’t resist. Odin was launching their newest beer, Sigrun IPA, at this particular dinner. I vaguely remember a conversation with the owners of Odin about how they weren’t going to do an IPA, I told them that was crazy talk. I’m sure my semi drunken rebuttal had little impact on their decision to jump into the ultra competitive IPA market but I’m glad they did. More about the IPA later, let’s get to the dinner shall we?

 

Asian chopped salad paired with Odin's Freya's Gold Kolsch style ale

Asian chopped salad paired with Odin’s Freya’s Gold Kolsch style ale

Course 1 was a nice Asian inspired chopped salad with crispy won tons and a ginger sesame dressing. It was paired with Odin’s Freya’s Gold Kolsch style ale. Odin’s claim to fame is their focus on brewing beers that pair well with food and this Kolsch is a great example of that. It’s light, mild and really pairs well with just about everything.

Buttermilk fried chicken with garlic mash paired with Odin Viking Gold Extra Pale Ale

Buttermilk fried chicken with garlic mash paired with Odin Viking Gold Extra Pale Ale

Next up was a tasty buttermilk fried chicken leg on a bed of garlic mashed potatoes, comfort food 101. How can you go wrong with fried chicken and garlic mash? The breading was well seasoned, the potatoes were lump free. A very well put together southern classic. This dish was paired with Odin’s Viking Gold Extra Pale Ale, another light, clean and very versatile beer great for pairing with multiple dishes. As expected, this pairing worked quite well.

Beef and blue cheese house made pizza paired with Odin's Gift Nordic Amber Ale

Beef and blue cheese house made pizza paired with Odin’s Gift Nordic Amber Ale

Couse 3 was a rich and tasty beef and blue cheese pizza with a house made crust. Salty, tangy, meaty, awesome. This dish wasn’t a hit with everyone but I liked it a lot. It was paired with Odin’s Nordic Pale Ale (Odin’s Gift) and it was by far the best pairing of the night. Odin’s gift has a great juniper nose but is way more mellow than expected. Still, the pairing was perfect.

Coconut curry seafood baked rice paired with Odin's Sigrun IPA

Coconut curry seafood baked rice paired with Odin’s Sigrun IPA

The 4th course featured a baked coconut curry seafood rice and the afore mentioned Sigrun IPA. The rice dish was good but needed a little more seasoning (salt) and a little less time waiting to be served. The dinner had over 60 participants so it’s not surprising that  a dish or 2 might sit for a little too long. Now, the Sigrun IPA. In keeping with Odin’s other offerings this IPA isn’t the hop bomb that most IPA lovers were hoping for. it is a nice sessionable beer with a pleasant hop profile, maybe a good choice for a hot summer afternoon on a patio? The pairing could’ve used more heat (spice) in the curry.

Salted caramel banana custard tart pair with Odin's Thor's Equinox Strong Ale

Salted caramel banana custard tart pair with Odin’s Thor’s Equinox Strong Ale

The 5th and final course was a salted caramel banana custard tart. The picture isn’t a true representation of how it looked, I tried to remove the tart tin before taking the picture and sort of wrecked it…oops. Man handled looks aside this was a tasty tart, the custard was thick and creamy with nice banana chunks throughout. There was a thin layer of salted caramel at the bottom and a little whipped cream up top. It was pair with Odin’s Thor’s Equinox Strong Ale. Thor’s Equinor is an ass kicker at 9% abv but it is a nice balanced beer that pairs well with sweet food. Odin describes this beer as a “Belgian” style strong ale but there isn’t a whole lot of Belgian-y things going on in this beer, it’s more of an American strong or a thin porter.

Another solid beer dinner under my slowly tightening belt! Thanks to The Kooner Group for the invite, always a great time! Also it was nice to see the Beerthirst crew again, it’s been awhile.

Scott.

Side note… odinbrewing.wordpress.com??? Come on guys, spend the $13 and register a domain name.

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Mar 16 2013
1 Comment
Delicious, food, Gourmet, Restaurant, vancouver, VANEATS

Art of taste at Mosaic presented by VANEATS.ca

Running a restaurant in Vancouver can be tough with so much great competition out there. Mosaic at the Hyatt Regency has the added problem of not being located at street level, you’d have to look up to see their sign one story above the side walk. So how does a fantastic upscale hidden gem like Mosaic get noticed in this town? Enter VANEATS.ca and their dining packages. This package moves VANEATS.ca further upmarket then they’ve ever been and gives you arguably the best value of any package they’ve offered in the past. Called “Art of Taste”, it is a 3 course package for an outstanding $22. Chef Thomas Heinrich and his team deliver an excellent culinary experience. I had other menu items not included in the package so there will be a second post to cover those.

For your appetizer you can choose from the following,

Spring Salad

Spring Salad

Warm a la minute smoked Skuna Bay salmon

Warm a la minute smoked Skuna Bay salmon

The spring salad has house made sheep’s milk ricotta , fava beans and a mustard citrus dressing. The ricotta is fantastic and this salad is a tidy little package with all of the flavours complimenting one another. The a la minute smoked salmon is is so delicate and delicious and comes with an avocado terrine and drops of maple matured sherry bourbon oak vinegar gel and a little bit of decadent caviar on top. The salmon is from Skuna Bay, a world renowned salmon farm located near Nootka Sound on Vancouver Island and is easily the best quality salmon I’ve ever eaten. Say what you want about farmed salmon, this fish is world class and is raised in way that few other fish farms can even come close to. They call it “Craft Raised salmon”. I like that description. The dish comes covered in a clear dome filled with smoke adding a slight smokiness and a treat for the nose when the dome is removed.

8 hour braised short rib

8 hour braised short rib

Long line caught BC ling cod

Long line caught BC ling cod

For your main course you have a choice of 2 dishes. The Spring Creek beef short rib dish is braised for an incredible 8 hours and is fork tender and full of rich flavour. It’s served with morel mushrooms, BC foraged ramps and sweet onions. This dish is aimed directly at carnivores who have a refined palate (or think that they do, like me). The Ling Cod is long line caught and grilled to perfection. Served with baby bok choy, shiitake mushrooms and bathed in dashi broth. I loved this dish. Dashi broth is a magical thing.

Mosaic's signature chocolate cake

Mosaic’s signature chocolate cake

Banana split

Banana split

There’s 2 desert choices as well and they’re both outstanding. The Chocolate cake is something out of a chocoholic’s fantasy. It’s a triple layer affair with dense moist cake and a healthy dose of amazing icing that’s texture is somewhere between mousse and fudge. The banana split has caramelized banana, fresh berries, honey almond brittle and of course vanilla ice cream and whipped cream. You can’t go wrong with either dessert, they’re both outstanding.

Conclusion. Mosaic is somewhere you should check out. It’s close to transit, has a great wine/beer (Craft too!)/cocktail list and offers the kind of fine dinning that Vancouver generally lacks in it’s popular restaurants de jour. They offer the highest quality ingredients, gorgeous plating (perhaps a few too many edible flowers but they are quite lovely) and an attentive and well trained staff. This kind of meal for $22 is something you don’t find everyday. You can purchase this package HERE.

Scott.

Legal stuff – My meal was complimentary for review purposes courtesy of Mosaic and VANEATS.ca. As always the fact that meal was free didn’t make it taste any different :-)

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Mar 10 2013
2 Comments
food, Restaurant, vancouver

Quick bite – Meat and Bread

Meat and Bread is everything that’s good about the Vancouver food scene. It’s fresh, fast, simple, cool, affordable (really) and it’s very good. They’ve been around for a while now but this was somehow my first visit. Meat and Bread has made an appearance on the Food Network’s uber popular show Diners, Drive – Ins and Dives featuring the inexplicably popular Guy Fieri in all of his frosted tip glory. During his visit he tried the Porchetta sandwich and mentioned the pork was “culinary gangster”. Mr. Fieri aside I think everywhere he visited in Vancouver deserves a look and Meat and Bread is as awesome as advertised.

Porchetta goodness

Porchetta goodness

The Porchetta sandwich is pure magic. Salty, but not too salty, tender and crispy at the same time and very fresh. $8 for a sandwich this good is a steal. Porchetta is a new thing to me but I think I might try to make it at home. The rolled up layers of pork (mostly boneless belly), fat, skin and stuffing make for a tasty filling all chopped up and drizzled with salsa verde all tucked inside a fresh ciabatta roll. So good.Porchetta1

Head to Hastings and Cambie st or Pender between Thurlow and Burrard (near Oceanic Plaza) to try it for yourself. If you work downtown it’s a great choice for lunch!

Twitter – @1meatandbread (Cambie) and @2meatandbread (Pender)

Facebook – meat-bread

Web – meatandbread.ca

Scott.

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