[EDITOR'S NOTE: the Georgia Straight's Golden Plates nominations are open and in the coming weeks a number of our contributors will be sharing their picks leading up to the final day of voting for your favourites. You can track all of our picks ]
I could type you an eyefull of opinion on the many wonderful things to put in your mouth in Vancouver, but I have managed to narrow myself down to three categories. Best veggie burger, best brunch, and best hangover brunch.
Alexis' Pick for: Best Veggie Burger
Who: Prophouse Cafe
This little den of knick-knacks just off The Drive might be the last place you'd expect to find the best veggie burger in the city, but it has taken owner Ross Judge over 20 years to perfect his patty, which is his own recipe of black beans, almonds, oats, shredded carrots, and other ingredients. Most Prophouse Cafe clientele stops in for a hot beverage made from a clunking, screaming, bronze beast of a vintage espresso machine served in eclectic cups while seated among a collection of collections; a glass case of porcelain black panthers, a shelf of telephones from the 1980's, a smattering of musical instruments, and other treasures. The menu is nothing more than a short chalkboard list at the door. This is where you will find Vancouver's best veggie burger - just chalked up like it's no big deal. The patty is moist but not soggy, solid, but not crumbly, and put together with attention to detail that rivals even the most attentive mother.
1636 Venables St, Vancouver, BC
604-733-5665
Alexis' Pick For: Best Brunch
Who: Catch 122
This where you go when you have woken up leaning towards the right side of the bed and want to spend your morning in rose-coloured glasses. Catch 122 is the start of a morning where nothing goes wrong, the world is comprised entirely of rainbows and unicorns, and you can accomplish anything - but you probably won't today because all you want to do is walk around on the seawall and see at least six seals and ten herons, some of them actively catching fish right in front of your face. Maybe you'll even see an orca. That's what kind of day happens after this brunch. Everything on the menu is $12, which is a huge help because decisions in the morning are already difficult enough; please take away most of the variables for me. The servers are the nicest, happiest people you'll ever meet. The Intelligentsia coffee is notably spectacular. And the food! Eggs have never been poached so perfectly, with softly solid whites and yolks the consistency of syrup. The hashbrowns are like little salty crispy clouds. Everything here is pretty much perfect.
122 W Hastings St, Vancouver, BC
604-731-3474
Alexis' Pick For: Best Hangover Brunch
Who: The Emerald
Hangover brunch is a completely different animal than the one above. When I say hangover brunch, I am talking the kind where you can barely make it out of the house before 1pm even with much coercion from your friends. Shake it off and stroll over to a Las Vegas style brunch where your broken dreams and regrets are right at home. The Emerald is cozy and dim, with just enough natural light streaming in to ease your retinas into a sense of safety. There's happy music and food that happens at your own pace. Start with a little hair of the dog by having the choose-your-own-adventure Cesar cart wheeled right up to your table where you can have your drink embellished with a selection of hot sauces and garnishes. When you're ready, stagger around the all-you-can-eat brunch buffet and fill a plate with any style of sustenance your angry gut calls for; fruit, grease, cereal, sugar, Cheetos... There is an omelet chef standing by to throw any filling you desire into a blanket of warm eggs and there is endless life-giving coffee. Trust me, it is better than eating a bag of stale chips in bed and watching a Downton Abbey or Archer marathon until 3pm. (Although that does sound pretty appealing as well..)
Above photo by Lindsay Elliott, courtesy of The Emerald
555 Gore St, Vancouver, BC
604-559-8477
Those are my picks! Copy them exactly or choose your own.
