By Austin Martin Trapp
If the length of queue is any guide, Cafe Medina must win all the prizes. So we recommend arriving right when the restaurant opens as it is very busy and popular.
Even that is not early enough on weekends for breakfast. The lines start well before official opening time. And waits of 90 minutes are not unheard of.
We went on a Thursday at 9:30am and had to wait 45 minutes. They will take your name and you can go walk around on nearby Robson street or explore the stadiums and area near the water and return after. They do not take reservations.
The flip side is that it is a bustling and unique atmosphere, loved by locals and visitors alike.
It feels like a bustling restaurant in Europe in either Italy or France with the decor and
vibe.
They offer delicious small waffles to go for $3-6 as well depending on what you order.
The service was good and had a comfortable feel amongst all the tables and chaos going on. It is one of the best spots to get brunch in the city of Vancouver and is unique in the dishes it serves.
And that’s because it isn’t
standard North American brunch dishes (pancakes, eggs, eggs benny) but healthy and filling
dishes with quality ingredients that have a French and Mediterranean theme.
Just what did we order?
Le complet: ($20)
2 sunny side eggs, flatiron steak, caramelized onion and roasted red pepper chèvre, romesco,
organic green salad and toasted focaccia. The toast with its chèvre was delicious and the steak was tender, juicy and made just right. The portion was a fair size and filling overall as well!
Paella ($18)
1 sunny side egg, orzo, chorizo sausage, roasted vegetalbles, grant padano, avocado, spicy
charred tomato salsa. It is very filling and on the spicy side with a ton of flavour. Think of the Spanish paella dish but with a twist of no seafood and spicy sausage and eggs.
And each contain a list of a variety of ingredients. But, embrace the challenge and read through the menu and see what sparks your interest. Or you can ask for a suggestion.
You might even see a local celebrity there as we saw an actor from the TV show Rivderdale while
we were eating. Vancouver is a very movie friendly city as the film industry is huge here.
Brunch and Breakfast
Price Range: $15-25CAD. Add the usual 15 per cent tip.
Cafe Medina
780 Richards Street
M-F 8am-3pm
Sat and Sun 9am-3pm
Closest train: Granville Skytrain Station 5min walk