Diner No 1 (Steveston)

My niece moved to Vancouver recently and I wanted to share with her a part of the city that she hadn’t seen yet. I thought Steveston would be fun as it’s adorable and there are great little shops and scenic spots to explore. Unbeknownst to me, my choice was significant as Steveston is the filming location for her “favourite” TV series, Once Upon a Time – and she was excited to see if the town was recognizable from the show.

While breakfast was just the excuse for us to get together, it still proved to be a good reason as we both fancied Diner No 1. It’s a cute spot with contemporary retro decor and a similar menu. My niece chose The Classic with a fruit cup instead of hash browns (note the $1.29 substitution fee), while I had The Lumberjack – an enormous, fluffy pancake packed with crisp pieces of bacon and topped with eggs. We left feeling stuffed and satisfied.

On our walkabout after breakfast, indeed we did discover remnants of Storybrooke, Maine. Fans of the show will be familiar with locales such as Mr. Gold’s Pawn Shop, Granny’s Diner, and Storybrooke Country Bread.

12551 No 1 Road, Steveston
Breakfast hours:
Weekdays: 8:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.
Weekends: 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
www.dinerone.com
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Perch

Today my friend who is temporarily living in the ’burbs was meeting me “in town”, so I thought I would meet her en route. I also thought she might appreciate what I anticipated would be the vibe of Perch. She described it as a “place for night owls”, which was semi-confirmed by the fact that we were the only ones in the place until just before noon. It’s a tiny space that’s eclectic, casual, arty, it just feels like a place where people would like to hang out at night, enjoy music and a bevvy or two. Ironically, given that it is located in a live/work studio building, they cannot be open past 11:00 p.m. Good thing I’m a breakfast owl.

Truly this place has a sense of humour – the menu focuses on vegan/vegetarian and pork. My friend went veggie and ordered a Cheddar, Olive, Spinach Omelette. I went pork and chose the Bacon ’n Cheddar Baked Eggs, consisting of layers of baked beans, bacon, eggs, and cheddar. Think amped up “beans on toast”. You might hear a nutritionist or doctor say this is not a “heart healthy” selection. I disagree. Any breakfast that fills my heart with love is healthy in my books.

1701 Powell Street
Breakfast hours: Saturday/Sunday: 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
www.eatdrinkperch.com
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Calvin’s Café (North Vancouver)

Some time within the last couple of years, Calvin’s Café moved from its long-time address in West Van to its new location at the foot of Mount Seymour. An errand in North Van brought us here today.

I like the new digs much better – cleaner, roomier, brighter. It’s still the same Swiss-born chef, and now his daughters are running the floor. And as far as I can tell, the breakfast and brunch menus are also still the same. Traditional breakfast offerings with a few Swiss influences such as the rosti and crèpes.

As the saying goes, “Some things change. Some stay the same.”

3720 Mount Seymour Parkway, North Vancouver
Breakfast hours:
Monday to Saturday: 8:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.
Sunday Brunch: 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
www.calvinscafe.com/hobbes/
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Rocky Mountain Flatbread Co (Kits)

Rocky Mountain is well known for several things – their focus on using local and organic ingredients, being extremely kid-friendly, and their educational programs in the community. What they are lesser known for is breakfast. Pizza for breakfast? Well really, it is just bacon, eggs, and hash browns served on toast instead of with toast. And they offer great omelets, too.

My friends shared the Bacon Omelet and the Yukon Flatbread, while I enjoyed a Yukon Flatbread all to myself. The Yukon comes loaded with bacon, potatoes, scrambled eggs and Fontina served in a right-sized, single-person portion. My friends also delighted me when they suggested we share the Banana Chocolate Flatbread for breakfast dessert. Insiders tip: ask for extra bananas.

Thanks for the treat, you two. I love my friends.

1876 West 1st Avenue
Breakfast hours:
Monday to Friday, 10:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.
Saturday/Sunday: 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.
www.rockymountainflatbread.ca
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Skylight Restaurant

This morning, as I was perusing my list of potential breakfast destinations, from over my shoulder my guy said, “how hard can it be to find a place to get bacon and eggs?” OK, I thought, he’s in the mood to go to his comfort zone, what I refer to as a “happy-pappy” place. You know the one, where solo diners (especially men, such as the guy we ended up chatting with, who lives out of his backpack, travels with his dog, and carries his money in a sock) feel comfortable to go, read a paper, get a simple breakfast, and drink an unembellished cup of coffee.

When we sat down in our red leather booth under the florescent lights and my guy looked happy, I knew I had hit the mark. He really perked up when he saw the Ukrainian Sausage Breakfast Special with eggs, hash browns and toast for $4.50. At $5.25, my Pancakes and Sausages were also easy on the sock.

Greasy spoon. Happy pappy.

1012 Commercial Drive
Breakfast hours: All day, Daily
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The Bakehouse in Dundarave

Eager to take advantage of our waning winter snow and our emerging spring sunshine, we thought it would be nice to head up to Cypress for a little snowshoe today. This created the opportunity to visit The Bakehouse in Dundarave (so named to distinguish it from the one in Edgemont Village, I presume).

We arrived just minutes before opening and we weren’t the only ones, there were already several other parties waiting. Once inside, we checked out the menu board in line, ordered at the front, and then found a sunny seat and waited for our food. Being a bakehouse, obviously, they specialize in baked goodies, such as breads, scones, muffins, cookies, etc. For breakfast, though, I had the Posh Smoked Salmon Brunch, comprising of smoked salmon, poached eggs, greens, and a dill cream overtop of brioche toast. The word “posh” made me chuckle, as it definitely was a West Van crowd, although the atmosphere was very comfy casual and the food was definitely home-style cooking.

As I sit here writing now, I only wish I had ordered one of the those amazing looking muffins or scones to go. Drat.

2453 Marine Drive, West Vancouver
Breakfast hours: Monday to Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.
Brunch hours: Saturday: 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Sunday: 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
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Fray

This weekend, my best friend and her 13-month-old daughter were visiting from out-of-town and, of course, we went out for breakfast. When deciding on a location, I wanted somewhere that was family-friendly, and because their online brunch menu showed a “kids” section, I thought Fray would suit us. My theory proved to be right.

Walking in the door, the first thing we noticed was that there were jars of pencil crayons and paper on each table. These are intended for adult “kids”, but works for all sizes. Firmly fastened in her high chair, we let the little one draw away. Really though, we ended up playing that more familiar game of “I-throw-these-on-the-floor-and-you-pick-them-up-auntie”.

What is another familiarity, my friend and I ended up sharing two bennys – the Morning Glory and The Hangover Cure. The kitchen kindly split them up for us including my request of “no blue cheese on mine”, please. We liked the bacon and the pork, and the little one liked the potatoes.

3980 Fraser Street
Breakfast hours: Saturday/Sunday: 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
www.fray.me
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