Blackberry Hill

First of all, I have to apologize for the onslaught of a gazillion and one posts all at once.  I was too busy eating the last couple of days to post about my eating.  The good news?  The food was great! 

If you've already read the Creperie la Boheme post you'll know that I was at the Kitsilano Farmer's Market for lunch on Sunday.  For those of you who haven't read the other post, you're doing things the right way round...dessert first!

I just couldn't resist some home baked goods...especially after I saw Blackberry Hill's cinnamon buns.  So, I opted for a cinnamon bun and a strawberry rhubarb square.  The cinnamon bun was very yummy.  Not too sugary with just the right amount of cinnamon for flavour.  It would have been a tad better warm, but then most baking is.  As for the strawberry rhubarb tart...delicious!  I would have enjoyed a bit more of the rhubarb taste...but it was still mouthwatering goodness.

Things to note: (1) Cash only.  (2) HST is included. (3) Towards the close of the market at 2pm, Blackberry Hill may sell their baked goods 2 for the price of 1...but you didn't hear that from me. (4) If you choose to order the last strawberry rhubarb tart and the lady behind you starts to try and guilt you into letting her have it because she'd really wanted that last strawberry rhubarb tart...say "no way Jose!!"  Because it is delicious and you deserve it.

http://www.bcspecialtyfood.ca/company-details.php?companyID=114

http://www.eatlocal.org/markets.html

Creperie La Boheme

Today started off with a lazy morning and a scrumptious breakfast at home (bacon, fried eggs...in the bacon fat of course, hashbrowns and strawberries...such a treat!) followed up by the watching of "I am Legend."  I'm not going to lie, those monsters are creepy!

So, needless to say, by the time lunch rolled around, it was time to get out and take advantage of some of that fabulous sunshine!  I got on my handy dandy laptop to see where the foodcarts were hanging out.  The conclusion was to check out the Kitsilano Farmers' Market. 

Now, let me warn you, going to a farmers market when you're famished is dangerous.  I literally wanted to eat everything from ever stand...food cart or not!  However, we narrowed it down to crepes from Creperie La Boheme.  I was so excited when I saw the crepe truck.  With all of the hubub of trying out the new trucks, I'm embarrassed to say that I had forgotten about one of the originals.  So, there were no if's and's or but's to it, I was going to eat lunch from one of the original food carts.  The only difficulty was picking a crepe!!

I was torn between the Ham and Cheese or the Ali Baba.  Every time we moved up a step in line, I'd flip flop back and forth.  I thought the Ham and Cheese would be more filling, but the Ali Baba sounded so good!  I eventually left it up to the crepe masters.  When I asked her which she would recommend she said Ali Baba hands down without an ounce of hesitation, and boy was she right.  Red pepper spread, roasted garlicky eggplant spread, goat feta, a variety of greens and vinaigrette on a buckwheat crepe.  An out of this world flavour melding explosion!  I was in heaven.

My handsome man friend opted for the Savoie: bechamel, cheese, potato, sage, smoked beef, greens and vinaigrette.  Also scrumptious.  I took one bite and instantly thought "this is 100% a manly man's meal."  If it could have talked, it would have said "If you are a man, I am the crepe for you" in a deep husky voice.  My handsome man friend agreed.  So, for all of you out there with man friends who feel that they're too manly for a crepe...you tell them that you have a crepe for them!

Things to note: (1) Cash only.  (2) I have never not seen a line-up at this cart, but it is well worth the wait.  (3) The crepes are filling and enough for lunch.  (4) Their buckwheat crepes are super light and don't overpower the fillings at all.  My one beef with wrap-like meals is that I normally feel like I'm eating a whole bunch of wrap...but not with these crepes.

Highly recommended!

 

Savoie

Ali Baba

http://rcfm.ca/about-2/vendors/creperie-la-boheme/

http://www.eatlocal.org/markets.html

Alibi Room

Now, I don't know about you, but one of my favourite desserts of all time is a nice, ice cold, frothy beer.  I'm not talking about Bud Light, or Molson Canadian, but a treat beer.  One of those beers that makes you appreciate the fact that you're having a beer.  As a result, I was really looking forward to going to Alibi Room for "dessert" after dinner at Momo Sushi.  I was even more excited because I had phoned ahead to confirm that they had pumpkin beer (yes I'm that dorky) and they had three pumpkin beers on tap!!!  Or at least so I thought...

It turns out that they only had one pumpkin beer on tap and the other two were the back-up kegs, waiting for their call-up to the big leagues.  I was a little disappointed but still couldn't wait to satisfy my pumpkin beer craving.  So, I ordered the chocolate pumpkin porter.  Now, this was a very nice beer.  A bit darker than I normally like to drink, but still very nice.  However, advertising it as a pumpkin beer is complete and utter nonsense.  You taste a lot of chocolate and absolutely no pumpkin. 

I kept my fingers crossed that one of the other pumpkin beers had turned pro in the time that I was drinking my beer, but unfortunately they hadn't.  I knew I couldn't end the night on a disappointment beer, so I decided to fall back on my love of wheat beers that never seems to let me down.  I asked the bartender what he suggested in the wheat beer realm and he recommended a sour wheat beer.  Again, it was a nice beer, but it tasted more like a cider than a wheat beer to me.  One of my favourite parts of wheat beers is their cloudiness and this one was definitely not cloudy.  I would have never guessed it was a wheat beer.

With that, I concluded it was not a beer-lucky night for me and I called it quits.  I was a little disappointed because I'd never had anything but fantabulous luck with the bartenders' suggestions and recommendations at the Alibi Room.  That being said, although I didn't have the beers I had my heart set on, I still had two great beers, the atmosphere was still awesome and it still holds a special place in my heart as one of my favourite places in Vancouver to go for a beer.

http://www.alibi.ca/

Momo Sushi

Dinner was at Momo Sushi in Gastown tonight.  This is the second time that I've been here and I've thoroughly enjoyed it both times.  Good sushi at a decent price. 

Me and my dining partner opted for boxes so we could both get a little bit of everything.  I went for Box B which came with Miso soup, salad, tempura, chicken teriyaki, 3 pieces of california roll, 3 pieces of nigiri and sunomono for $8.95.  My dining partner opted for Box C which came with Miso soup, salad, tempura, chicken teriyaki, 3 pieces of california roll, 5 pieces of sashimi and sunomono for $9.95.

The highlight for me was the salad.  The dressing was abnormally good and evenly spread throughout the whole salad.  I could have eaten ten bowls of it.  The lowlights for me were the fact that it seemed like there was more fat on the chicken than chicken (partially my fault for forgetting to ask for for the teriyaki without skin), the long wait to order, and the bathroom definitely left something to be desired.

That being said, if you're having a craving for sushi, you're in gastown, and you don't want to break the bank, you should check out Momo sushi.

Murchie's

I had arranged to meet up for Friday after work drinks with one of my favourite ladies in Vancouver but, due to various appointments and commitments, we decided to opt for a non-alcoholic beverage.  I had pictured us in some typical restaurant ordering a non-alcoholic beverage and having to deal with the "I can't believe you're taking up a full table and not spending more money" eyes that our server would shoot at us for the next 45 minutes.  Needless to say, I was thrilled when my friend suggested grabbing a tea at Murchie's.

To be quite honest, I had no idea that Murchie's had a cafe where you could order and enjoy your tea.  Being a non-coffee drinker it was a real treat.  I thoroughly enjoy all of the fancy-shmancy coffee shops around town but you always feel a bit like an outcast when you follow an order of "a tall, non-fat, extra-whip, skinny, caramel, extra hot macchiato" with "I'll have a mint tea, please."  So, it was absolutely lovely to go into a shop that specializes in tea and has a plethera of choices.  Not to mention that the cafe makes you feel like you're a gazillion miles away from the hub bub of the city.

I opted for a raspberry chai-tea latte, unsweetened.  In hindsight, I probably should have had it sweetened or resisted the latte excitement and gone with my gut and just had a regular pot of tea.  The tea flavour was lovely but something just didn't seem 100% right about it as a latte.  Regardless, it was still a lovely experience and I can't wait to go back!

http://www.murchies.com/store/

Phnom Penh

Like many people out there, I thoroughly enjoy Fridays.  Don't get me wrong, I like my job, but waking up and knowing that at 5:00 pm today you have three nights and two full days to do whatever the heck you want is awesome!  Every once in a while, I'm very lucky and my Friday gets that extra bit spectacular.  This normally happens when one of my colleagues stops by my door and says "Phnom Penh?"  I'm not going to lie, after they leave to tally up the numbers for the reservation, I often do a happy food dance.

Phnom Penh is a Cambodian/Vietnamese restaurant in Chinatown and eating there absolutely makes my day.  When we go as an office, there's normally 6-10 of us, so we pile into a couple of cars, make an outing of it, and eat family style.  It's fabulous!  Every once in a while we stray and try a new dish but, in general, we stick to the same order because it's just so darn good why would you ever want to switch it up?

What do we order you ask?  Beef salad rolls, hot and sour soup (with chicken or prawns), chicken wings, beef luc lac with rice and egg, trieu chau fried rice, and pea tips.  If there's six of us, we order three beef salad rolls (each roll is cut in half), a small soup, a large chicken wings and one of each of the other dishes.  If there's ten of us, like there was this time, we order five beef salad rolls, a large soup, two large chicken wings, two of each of the rices and the pea tips.  If one of the "closers" (myself or one of my colleagues) is missing, we have to adjust our proportions accordingly.

This is such a delicious meal that I can't even begin to describe it or pick favourites.  I truly feel you need to experience it to fully understand.  However, I'm more than happy to share some tricks of the trade:

• I love having a bowl of soup and then sopping up all the leftover soup in the bowl with some of the trieu chau fried rice.  The flavours meld really well together. 
• The chicken wings are hands down the best wings I've ever had.  Don't be afraid of the sauce that comes with it...it cuts the slight greasiness spectacularly and makes the rest of the flavours in the chicken pop. 
• As for the beef luc lac with egg, make sure you break the egg up and mix it up with the rice and beef before dishing it up.  Also, the orange sauce that comes to the table for the beef salad rolls is also really nice on the beef luc lac with egg. 
• The pea tips are in a light almost brothy garlic sauce that is out of this world.  I like to fill my bowl with one of the rices and then place the pea tips on top.  Some of the garlicy sauce drips into the top layer of rice and gives you a bit more of a garlicky rice.
• Some of my fellow regular Phnom Penhers love the soup that comes along with the Beef Luc Lac with egg.  In my opinion there are far more yummy things on the table.  Don't waste precious stomach space on this!

As for things to note:

1. Reservations are accepted for 6 or more people.  If you have 6 or more people, make a reservation (604-682-5777).
2. If you do not have 6 or more people, try to go at non-peak lunch or dinner hours, or expect to wait upwards of 30 minutes for a table.  It's definitely worth the wait.

I hope you give serious consideration to eating here and enjoy it.  This is one of my all-time favourite meals in Vancouver.

View from our table.

Beef salad rolls.

 

Hot and sour soup with chicken.

The best chicken wings EVER!!!

 

Beef Luc Lac with egg.

 The soup that comes with the Beef Luc Lac with egg.

 

Trieu Chau fried rice.

Pea tips.

Rice N Spice

Today I had lunch planned with one of my closest friends.  However, it quickly turned into a smorgasboard of people and catch-ups when another close friend on mat leave and our very favourite ex-boss were able to join us.  Top it off with another very close friend happening to bump into us for a quick visit at the end, the lunch was great even if you don't consider the food! 

 

As for the food, we opted for the Royal Centre food court.  Options for everyone, and warm air for the cutie patootie baby.  I decided to go to Rice N Spice.  I was a little sheepish getting into line because I have pretty much completely abandoned them in my food cart excitement this summer.  However, the people were friendly and lovely as always and the food reminded me why I have to keep it as a regular "lunch out" eating spot.

 

I went for my regular: shawarma with everything, mixed veg and lentils.  Oh so yummy!  Is it up there with Vij's or Rangoli's?  No.  Is it good quality Indian food for lunch?  Absolutely.  So get in there and try it!

 

Things to note: (1) Cash only.  (2) HST is included in the prices.  (3) Get there before 11:55 to avoid the line.  (4) You get the same amount of meat and veggies in a half order.  The regular order just has more rice (as far as I've been able to determine).  (5) The Royal Centre location is only open during lunch hours, Monday through Friday.  (6) Rice N Spice recently opened a second location in Yaletown.  I'm not sure about the hours there.  (7)  Our favourite ex-boss mentioned that they have really good daal.  I haven't tried it yet, but am hoping to soon!   

 

http://www.ricenspice.ca/

Hello

Welcome to my blog!

You may be asking why I started this blog.  The simple answer is that I love food in every sense.  I love eating it, cooking it, shopping for it, growing it (although I'm restricted to a deck herb garden right now), enjoying it with a glass of wine, enjoying friends' company over a meal, sharing a wonderful new food find...I could go on forever!  The long and short of it is that some people eat to live, but I most definitely love to eat.

Due to this love affair, one of my favourite past-times is trying new restaurants, hole in the walls, recipes, etc.  Living in Vancouver, this is a fabulous hobby and I love to show off all of my finds when friends are visiting.  However, a couple years ago, I had some friends coming into town to visit and I couldn't take time off work.  I was racking my brain trying to figure out a way to provide them with all the options that I would if I was touring them around.  This is when my addiction to Excel spreadsheets and love of food collided.  What better way to provide visitors with food options than laying them all out in tabular format for their viewing pleasure?  From that point on, I started tracking all of my favourite restaurants.

When the food carts in Vancouver opened up, I was ecstatic!  Not only was there a plethera of lunch options but they were fun and delicious.  I was having so much fun with it, that one day I decided to try and determine how many food carts there were.  So far I've discovered over 50 (if you exclude traditional hot dog stands).  They all sounded so amazing that I made a goal to try each and every one at least once.  And, of course, I decided to add a tab to my Excel spreadsheet to keep track of my findings.

I soon discovered that this spreadsheet came in handy when I was meeting up with friends for lunch.  I would simply send them my list and let them pick their food cart of choice from my "haven't been to yet" list.  At first it generated a few chuckles, which I was expecting, but then I started to get some really good responses and down the road people started emailing me asking for an updated version of my spreadsheet.  So I kept forwarding the spreadsheet to those who asked until someone said "it would be a lot easier to follow if you just had a blog." 

I'm not going to lie, I never thought I'd write a blog, but the thought of writing about food gave me those little excited butterflies in my belly.  As a result, and I'm sure as you've already guessed, I've decided to try my hand at a blog!  I must be honest, when I started planning it out in my head, I felt it would be cruel to all of the other wonderful food in this city to just limit it to food carts, so I've decided it will be on food in general...anything that tickles my fancy and excites me.  I'm also going to be including my food highlights from the summer, because some of them were so mouthwatering good that I just couldn't bring myself to not include them!

I hope you enjoy!

Purdy's Original

So, I was walking back to the office after having completed my errands at lunch and all of a sudden I see a lady eating a Purdy's Original.  The cruelty!  I instantly wanted one even though I was full and definitely didn't need one.  I told myself this, but sometimes it's difficult to convince your brain that what it wants isn't what it needs.  Knowing that I would be thinking about it all afternoon, and the fact that I happened to be walking right past Purdy's, there was really no option but to go in and get one.

For those of you who have never had a Purdy's Original...you have not lived.  Imagine an ice cream bar dipped in your choice of white chocolate or dark chocolate, and then rolled in your choice of sprinkles or nuts.  Heaven on a stick!  As you can tell, I opted for the classic milk chocolate and nuts (the only way to go in my opinion).  Mmmmm...I think I'm starting to crave another...

Tacofino

Today I had a great lunch with a dear friend from high school and her 1 month old son (handsomest little guy ever!) who just happened to be in town.  As our summer weather has still been holding on, we decided to hit up a food cart.  At first we were going to try one that I hadn't tried, but on our way I saw the Tacofino orange truck.  How could I not take my friend to Tacofino?  Plus, I'd never been to the orange truck at the Art Gallery location, so technically it was something new for me too.

We both ordered two fish tacos and concluded that they remain the best fish tacos either of us have ever tasted!  Plus, the 2 fish tacos for $9 thoroughly filled me up.  Very yummy and refreshing.  Not heavy at all.  I was also pleasantly surprised that we only had to wait about three minutes for our food.  Granted, we were the first ones in line at 11:40, but still.

For dessert, I gave the chocolate diablo cookie another shot and it was much better!  It was more of a regular cookie size, hard on the outside and soft on the inside...not cookie doughish.  Plus, the chilies and ginger weren't so powerful that they burned.  As always, the caramel chunks on top were to die for.  I'd definitely recommend it now!  And my friend thoroughly seconded my recommendation.

Pieces of advice: (1) Cash only, (2) HST included, and (3) they have forks that you can ask for to scoop up all of the yummy salsa that inevitably doesn't make it into your mouth. 

http://tacofino.com/

Cafe Zen

I had late lunch plans today and we were initially going to try out a new food cart.  However, as I started perusing the twitter feeds to figure out which food carts were where, my belly started chanting: eggs benny, eggs benny, eggs benny.  If you can deny your tummy eggs benny for a late brunch, you are a much stronger person than I am.

As my order was set in stone, there was no other option but to head to Cafe Zen.  For those of you who have not been to Cafe Zen, you should make it a priority.  The restaurant itself is nothing special, and if you go at peak brunch times you'll have to wait in line, but it's definitely worth it.  The staff is friendly, the food is always super quick and amazingly flavourful, AND they allow you to pick two different types of Benny for no additional charge!!!

My order of choice today?  A glass of freshly squeezed orange juice (such a treat) and eggs benny (of course) with one egg Flo-Benedict-Greek (ham, spinach and feta cheese...my staple) and one egg Benji-Mushroom (bacon and mushroom).  I had never tried the Benji-Mushroom before but boy was it worthwhile!  The one downside to ordering eggs benny is that you normally don't get bacon.  But there was a whole lot of bacon in my Benji-Mushroom!  It was a lovely surprise.  My favourite part of the meal?  The end, when you get to sop up all of the leftover hollandaise sauce with their perfectly cooked hashbrowns.  Yum!

Apologies, for the lack of photos.  I was so engrossed in eating that I forgot to take some.  I guess I'll just have to go back!

http://cafezenonyew.com/

Slingers

Today I met up with an old colleague for lunch and we decided to check out the Food Slingers food truck.  Our conclusion?  Very yummy! 

We both had the chicken parmesan sandwich for $10.  It was ready relatively quickly and had absolutely amazing flavours.  I was also surprised at the fact that it didn't feel like you were eating a greasy meal.  It tasted more like the chicken had been breaded and baked rather than deep friend, which was lovely.

I would warn all those suit wearers out there that it's a messy one, though.  Also, the sandwich was a solid size but I could have used a little something else to go with it.  Granted I was starving by the time I got there, so I'd gauge it based on your hunger level. 

I'd definitely go back.  Especially for the calamari sandwich...very intriguing.

Our official conclusion?  Two thumbs up.

Things to note: (1) Takes VISA, and (2) HST is not included.

 

 

http://www.slingers.ca/

Railtown Cafe

So, I hope I'm not alone when I say that until 11 days ago, I had never even heard of Railtown.  Then, in a period of 24 hours I was invited to an event in Railtown, and discovered that an old colleague's new office was now in Railtown.  I felt I needed to discover what this Railtown was!  So, when my ex-colleague suggested meeting at the Railtown Cafe for lunch, I jumped at it.

I discovered that Railtown is the little triangle of space right by the railway tracks, just East of Main and Gastown.  It's still very industrial.  I'm guessing that it's what Gastown was like 10-20 years ago.  I loved it!

And I loved the Railtown Cafe even more.  It reminded me of a cross between Meat and Bread and an old school deli.  I liked the fact that there were more options and that it felt a little bit more down to earth.

What did I order?  The reuben of course!  A reuben sandwich is not something I'd ever make myself at home, so whenever I see it on the menu, I find it hard to say no to.  This sandwich was unreal!  A very unique twist on a reuben sandwich, but delicious in its own way.  Plus, it was massive!  I'd added salad to my sandwich because I was quite hungry and I instantly regretted it when I saw the sandwich being made.  The meat was literally piled on it!  Have no fear, though, I managed to get through both (which were AMAZING!) by avoiding my crusts. 

If you're ever in Railtown, or feel like discovering Railtown, I highly recommend the Railtown Cafe.

Things to note: There are pitchers of water on the far wall, so if it's water you want to drink save your money!

http://railtowncafe.ca/

Trattoria

Today a handsome man friend and myself were on the hunt for a place to fill our bellies for dinner.  It didn't take us long to decide on Trattoria.  If you're feeling like Italian, you just can't go wrong with this restaurant.  Yummy food, fun and lively atmosphere, and delicious house wine.

To start, we split the Crispy Fried Calamari with spicy sicilian tomato sauce.  The calamari was cut into strips instead of rounds...very yummy and a lot more meaty.  We were so busy enjoying this dish that I forgot to take a photo!

As for mains, I opted for the Spaghetti and Wagyu Meatballs in spicy tomato basil sauce with herbed ricotta.  I know this probably sounds like a safe bet, but it's one of my favourite dishes on the menu.  It's such a treat to get meatballs.  I'll make spaghetti and meat sauce for myself every once in a while at home, but never meatballs and definitely not Wagyu meatballs.  Add in the delicious sauce and cool it off with some heavenly ricotta...perfection!  Not to mention that even I have a hard time finishing this dish and normally end up with lunch for the next day as well.

My man friend opted for the Squash Stuffed Ravioli in gorgonzola cream.  It was very good as well.  Not quite what I was in the mood for that night, but he was and he thoroughly enjoyed it.

We didn't have room for dessert tonight, but it almost broke my heart to not give some of their chocolate stuffed fritters a home in my belly.  There's always a next time, though.

Information to note: if you do end up taking food home, you get a handy dandy Glowbal bag that is the perfect size for a lunch bag!

http://www.glowbalgroup.com/trattoria/

Akbar's Own

Have you ever had one of those food experiences where the flavours are so amazing and the food is so delicious that you can't make up your mind on where to start because you normally leave the best to last, but all the dishes are the best?  That was my dinner tonight.  I was completely overcome by yumminess.

I was out for dinner with some of my dearest friends at Akbar's Own.  Only one person in the group had been to there before, so we decided to get a little bit of everything and try it out.  In all, we ordered the Vegetable Pakora, Lamb Tikka, Tandoori Chicken, Prawn Masala, Butter Chicken, Eggplant Bhartha and, of course, Naan.  I also had a mango lassi to drink and mango ice cream for dessert.

The food was out of this world!  My personal favourite was the butter chicken.  I could have eaten three dishes of the butter chicken all by myself.  Our only problem was there were only five dishes and six ladies dying to scoop up the last of the sauces with our Naan.  Quite honestly a pure treat to eat at this restaurant.

That being said, it was a bit more of a quiet restaurant than I expected.  This did not take away from the dining experience at all, but if you're looking for hussle and bussle and voices bouncing off the walls, this may not be the place for you.  If you're looking for exceptional service and a quiet but relaxed restaurant, you'll enjoy Akbar's Own.

My only regret is ordering the mango ice cream rather than Chai.  Don't get me wrong, the mango ice cream was scrumptious, but with having had a mango lassi already, I think the perfect end to the meal would have been Chai.

I highly recommend trying this restaurant.

Things to note: Akbar's Own takes reservations.

http://www.akbarsown.com/

RimFoodBaht

Today I was lucky enough to share my lunch hour with two of the many lovely ladies I'm lucky enough to have in my life.  We met at the gym and have been enjoying beverages, email chains and food together ever since!

Today we opted for Thai at RimFoodBaht.  Our conclusion?  Very yummy!  I had the pad thai with chicken for $7.50 and it was really good.  Another one of the ladies I went with had the green chicken curry with eggplant.  It looked delicious to me and she said it was very good. 

Reasonably priced, traditional yummy thai food.  Definitely no complaints here!  Make sure to get there before noon or there will be a line as all dishes look like they're cooked individually.  Also, cash only.

Mogu

Today I met up with an old colleague and dear friend for a food cart adventure!  We decided to try Mogu.  Our conclusion?  Yummy. 

They serve two Japanese-inspired sandwiches (Pork Miso Katsu and a Pulled Chicken Teriyaki Sandwich), and Sweet and Spicy Chicken Karaage (all $7.50 each, I believe).  You can also get a combo with a sandwich, a mini chicken karaage and a drink for $12. 

I had the pulled chicken teriyaki sandwich and it was very yummy.  Not as healthy as a wrap or regular sandwich but not even 10% as greasy as a burger.  My friend had the pork miso katsu sandwich which she loved, but said it was a bit sweet.  The chicken karaage was very flavourful and yummy.  And if you're going to get a drink, definitely go for the home-made iced green tea!

Things to note: HST is not included in the prices.

http://www.facebook.com/EatMogu

Cecil's Perogies

Word to the wise, if you're ever in Kelowna and craving some Ukranian deliciousness, make your way to Cecil's Perogies.  Hands down the best perogies I've ever had.  Today I ordered the Student's Special and a glass of home-made iced tea.  The meal came with 5 perogies covered in Cecil's special mushroom sauce, bacon bits for sprinkling on the perogies, a smokie (I opted for cheese rather than plain or jalapeno), and half of a home-made cheese bun.  Heaven on earth!

Definitely not a low calorie meal, but a meal that is definitely worth having every once in a while!  And the home-made iced tea was the icing on the cake.

Spudnuts - Pioneer Country Market

Today I was introduced to some serious yummy goodness.  Their name?  Spudnuts.  Spudnuts are Pioneer Country Market's claim to fame in Kelowna.  They are doughnuts made with potato flakes.  Imagine the best doughnut you have ever eaten it in your life, multiply it's yumminess by a hundred, add in the warmth and gooeyness of it just having been cooked and you may have a Spudnut equivalent taste in mind.

Things to note: (1) They are only served on Saturdays.  (2) They sell out very quickly, but you can make advance orders.  We got there at 10am, and if a very smart person in our group hadn't pre-ordered a dozen doughnuts, we would have had to wait an hour and a half to get our spudnuts.  (3) Even though spudnuts are made with potato flakes, they still have flour in them.  So, for all you gluten-free folks out there, unfortunately you still can't have these doughnuts.  (4) Pioneer Country Market has a lovely grassy area and playground right in front.  It makes a great place to visit with friends and provides plenty of room for kids to tucker themselves out after the sugar high.

http://www.sperlingvineyards.com/Sperling_Vineyards/Pioneer_Country_Market.html

Mom's Grilled Cheese

Lunch was all around spectacular today.  Not only did I find out that my friend is pregnant (wahoo!!) but I got to try out the Mom's Grilled Cheese Truck for the first time.

Since I had never tried this truck before, I opted for a Mom's Classic sandwich with sourdough bread, cheddar cheese, tomato, sliced pickle, and a cup of roasted tomato soup.  Scrumptious!  The grilled cheese sandwiches are to die for, taste like a grilled cheese sandwich right off your Mom's stove and are very filling.  As for the tomato soup, it is home-made goodness and lots of it.  One of the best tomato soups I've ever tasted!  Plus, they give it to you in a grande/venti coffee cup to go.  How awesome is that?

Information to note: The sandwich comes with chips and a pickle wedge.  So, you don't have to order pickle to get a pickle.  If you order pickle, it's sliced up and put in your sandwich.  Also, the sandwich is a substantial size so is plenty enough for lunch.  I found the sandwich and soup combo a bit too much for lunch, and by now I'm sure you know that it's hard for me to find a portion that I think is too big!  All in all, I think it's a good bang for your buck.  A classic sandwich would be more than enough for lunch, and only cost $6.75 without any additions (tomato, pickle).  I also found the soup price of $4 to be decent.  Standard pricing for any other deli, but I thought it was higher quality and a bigger size.

I highly recommend checking out this food truck.  Especially if you're in the mood for some comfort food.

http://momsgrilledcheesetruck.com/