Glenburn Soda & Confectionery

Glenburn Soda & Confectionery in Burnaby is the ultimate summer treat that all must experience. This 1940's inspired ice cream and soda shop provides customers with an old-school experience.The menu offers milkshakes, ice cream sodas, cones, floats, malts and sundaes. There is a list of specialty sundaes which I gravitated towards. I have heard so many good things about this place and my friend highly recommended it. Per her suggestion I decided to bring my dad and treat him to some old-fashioned sundaes, something I thought he would really enjoy, and he did! Who wouldn't enjoy some delicious ice cream on a hot summer day? 

Everything about this place displayed a vintage vibe; the decor, servers uniforms, the straws, music and the vintage style ice cream dishes. I was in pure heaven surrounded by it all and the sweet aroma. 

When we arrived it was quite busy. Before we ordered we waited for a seat. Once we got a seat we looked at the specialty sundae menu and were greeted by about 14 different options! It was difficult to choose which sundae to try. One of the owners was working and took the time to answer any questions we had. 
After much contemplation I decided to get the Sweet and Salty Pretzel Sundae; caramel pecan fudge and vanilla ice cream, layered with house-made peanut butter sauce (you can choose butterscotch) and crushed salty pretzels. Garnished with whipped cream and a pretzel twist. Doesn't that sound amazing?!

My dad opted for the P.B Supreme; Chocolate ice cream topped with peanut butter sauce(can you tell we like peanut butter?) and vanilla ice cream topped with hot fudge. Garnished with peanuts & chocolate sprinkles. Served in a unique vintage "duo" dish. 

Each sundae was $8. I personally think it is a great value. Not only is the ice cream delicious but the experience was very memorable. 
xoxo,
Soph 

Joe Fortes

Joe Fortes, an extremely well-known and popular Seafood and Chophouse restaurant located in the center of Vancouver welcomes guests from all over the world. They offer a unique bar menu which features some of their popular (mainly seafood) dishes. Between the hours of 4pm-6pm you receive 50% off their bar menu items.I arrived at around 4:30pm and the bar area was quite full, luckily we got a seat. 
My friend and I ordered Joe's Onion Rings accompanied by blue cheese dip and ketchup as well as crisp calamari with sun-dried tomato aioli (my personal favorite). 

We also ordered the Mini Lobster and Shrimp Rolls.

Between the two of us we left the restaurant full and satisfied. The Joe Fortes Appy Hour is a great value and allows you taste a variety of specialty seafood dishes. 

xoxo, 

Soph 

Beaucoup Bakery & Café

Beaucoup Bakery, most famous for their croissants, is a fairly new French-inspired bakery. This small bakery is located at Fir and West 6th, a trendy little area. When you walk in you are welcomed by the scent of freshly baked pastries. The bakery is quite small but has some seats where you can sit and enjoy your coffee and pastries. My friend and I biked all the way there and when we arrived (~12:30 pm) it was quite busy and were lucky to have gotten a seat.Having heard such great things about their scones I knew I had to try one. I opted for a sweet one, a lemon blueberry and white chocolate scone. It was so delicious! The best scone I have ever had. It was sweet but not too sweet and dense but still crumbled. I am yet to find a scone that can beat it. 

My friend got the cheese and green onion scone. It is a great option for lunch. It was filling, savory and you could taste the main ingredients. 

We also decided to order some of their seasonal pastries which we shared. I chose the Strawberry Yogurt cake and my friend ordered the fresh fig tart. The presentation of both desserts were beautiful, especially the fig tart! 

As for the treats themselves, I just found them to be good. They did not stand out to me like the lemon blueberry scone did. The strawberry yogurt cake was sweet and infused with the taste of strawberries. It had a gelatin texture that was interesting,but I found it a bit odd for a cake. The fresh fig tart was nice. It had some fresh figs on top, a fig coating, a vanilla and orange cheesecake like filling and a spiced crust. My favorite part was the crust. I found the tart had quite a few different flavors and not all of them complimented each other.I would really like to go back to Beaucoup Bakery and try their Vanilla Rhubarb cheesecake. I have heard great things. 
xoxo,
Soph  

Blacktail Florist

A fairly new culinary addition to Gastown, Blacktail Florist offers dishes using BC's local ingredients. It was not only the name of the restaurant that captured my attention but the menu,West Coast dishes that feature local and unique ingredients. 
The restaurant is bright, warm and welcoming with booths and neutral wood. 

I was looking forward to trying the Wild Mushroom Poutine and it did not disappoint. The highlight of the dish was the mushroom gravy. It was thick and complimented the cheese curds and wild mushrooms well. This left me in awe of the delicious combination of flavors. I highly recommend this dish! 
My friend ordered a fish dish. Roast scallops, clams, barley and sunflower shoots. I had a taste of the dish and it was delicious. You could tell the ingredients were fresh and the barley was flavored well. Another dish that would have left me very satisfied as a main.  

For dessert my friend and I chose to try Flowers ($9); Rose and Elderwood Ice, Charred sour cream, crushed berries and rhubarb.The dessert was slightly disappointing.The presentation was incredible but I felt the "floral" flavor was missing. The ice had a sweet refreshing taste which I appreciated but I could not taste the elderwood or the rose.I expected more from a $9 dessert.   

Overall, I had a great experience at Blacktail Florist. Their main dishes are fresh and delicious. Unfortunately, I found the dessert underwhelming. 

xoxo,

Soph

Bufala Pizzeria

As a pizza lover I was happy to hear of the new pizzeria opening up in town. Bufala just opened earlier this week in Kerrisdale and was brought to you by restaurateurs James Iranzad and Josh Pape(owners of Wildebeest restaurant). “We both grew up in Kerrisdale and are keen to share the food we love with the neighborhood,” said co-owner James Iranzad. Bufala has already captured the hearts of many foodies and being the pizza lover I am I had to pay a visit immediately.When you first walk in you are greeted with the scent of pizza dough and basil. The casual and rustic vibe is welcoming, along with the staff. We were seated immediately at a communal table and were given menus. The menu has a selection of inventive appetizers and pizzas from which we chose two appetizers and a pizza to share. We got the Smoked Mackerel Salad ($12). I really enjoyed the unique addition of apples and mackerel in the salad. The dressing was light and the choice of vegetables were slightly bitter. I would say it is a good summer salad for vegetable and salad lovers. The other appetizer we ordered were the Trio di Bruschetta ($8). Be sure to ask your waiter what the chef selection is for that day. I really enjoyed the anchovy bruschetta, much to my surprise. 

The pizza we ordered, Pesto & Ricotta ($14) was out of this world! It was one of the most delicious and fresh pizzas I have ever had. It was topped with fresh ricotta, basil pesto, pine nuts, grana padano and bianco. 

The crust was both crispy and chewy and complimented the cheesy and aromatic pizza.A must try if you are to visit! 
I am looking forward to paying another visit and trying their oxtail pizza and meatballs. 
xoxo,
Soph

French Pastries: Faubourg

Earlier this morning my friend and I decided to have a sweet treat to start our day off right. We visited Faubourg in hopes that it's famous pastries would satisfy our sweet tooth and it did not disappoint. Faubourg offers Vancouver a unique and authentic Parisian experience. With an array of savory and sweet options it was a difficult choice to make but I opted for their best seller, the Lemon Tart ($5.60). I love everything lemon flavored and this tart overwhelmed my taste buds with zesty flavor.

A small patio was available, allowing customers to enjoy their desserts and the sunshine.  

xoxo,

Soph

Pie Day!

Lately I have been having frequent cravings for pie. 

Today, my friend and I decided to satisfy my cravings by going for an afternoon snack. 

We heard about this tea lounge,Pekoe,that offers a WIDE variety of loose leaf teas and alongside the tea they offer homemade pies using fresh and organic ingredients. 
I ordered the Four Berry Pie along with a Strawberry and Cream Rooibos tea. The tea and the pie were delicious, both infused with summer berries. The pie was fresh and filled with sweet and tart seasonal berries. 
My regular partner in crime ordered the Chocolate Banana Cream pie along with a Pumpkin Cream Rooibos tea. 

If you decide to order a tea and sit in you have the opportunity to pick your own tea cup and saucer set from a selection set up on a side dresser at the back of the store. I thought this was a very unique touch. 
After satisfying our pie cravings we went shopping (of course) around the neighborhood before my job interview.
xoxo,
Soph