Elite Danish Bakery in Burnaby

Even though I have lived in the Lower Mainland my entire life, I know very little about any community outside of Vancouver. I have always lived in Kits and my ignorance of our suburban towns is so high that I get panicky any time I am east of Commercial Drive. I recently secured a contract job with BC Hydro that required I commute to Edmonds in Burnaby. On my first day of work I got off the Skytrain and was totally disoriented. If someone had walked up to me and said I was in Asheville, North Carolina I would have believed them, so poor is my knowledge of Burnaby and its environs. Fortunately, one of my co-workers at BC Hydro was a huge foodie who lives in that neck of the woods and immediately started firing-off recommendations once she discovered I was a Yelper. One of her favourite places was (and still is!) Elite Bakery.

In a squat, unattractive strip of small shops on sleepy Rumble Street lies Elite, with its massive 'ALMOND KRINGLE' sign in the window. This is a Danish bakery, and I did not know much about Danish baked goods before eating here. I'll save you a Google search and tell you all you need to know about pastries from this part of the world: almonds. Every freakin' item in Elite (besides the out-of-place samosas and buttery copenhagens) was either almond or marzipan based, including the massive and eccles-like kringle. I bought some kransekage cookies and an almond-chocolate slice. Both had an outstanding texture, with crisp exteriors and chewy interiors, and the almond flavour didn't slap you in the ansigt. The service was also great. I guess there IS good food beyond the far reaches of East Van!

Keywords: "best vancouver bakery", "Alex Dawkins", "vancouver food blog"

Juanita's Cafe on Olvera Street

Pops with Combo #14

Olvera Street attracts a swath of characters: tourists, church-goers, foodies, gritty locals, and Dodgers fans grabbing a bite before taking the nearby shuttle to the game. My dad and I fell into this final category of punters when visiting from Vancouver in the spring of 2013. We had some time to kill before heading off for a Dodgers vs Giants game and decided to wander down Olvera. There are at least a dozen places to eat along this historic stretch, but we quickly noticed something about the patrons of these various establishments: people of Latin descent were primarily eating at the shops and stands, while the sit-down restaurants were primarily occupied by tourists and bawdy Dodgers fans. Even though the little taco shops lacked liquor licenses, and we were attempting to pre-tune before the game, we quickly opted for one of the stands.

Juanita's was appealing to us because it was busy, it was cheap, and the food looked muymuy fresh. We both ordered the Combo 14, which is a chicken enchilada and a beef tamale. Juanita's is known for their taquitos, but this was one of the best enchiladas either of us had ever tried! Packed with green chilis, moist chicken, and a bit of fresh tomato, this enchilada was much more than just meat in a tortilla. The tamale was also excellent, with a perfect corn-to-beef ratio. It is so easy for restaurants to skimp on the meat contained within tamales. We also liked the fact that they served limonada and horchata. What a find :)

Keywords: "Alex Dawkins", "Juanita's taquitos", "Olvera Street"

Spring Concert Highlights

Can't make it to Coachella or Sasquatch? Don't have any exotic travel plans for this spring? You're in luck! While it really does feel like Vancouver is 'No Fun City' in the middle of summer, the shoulder seasons offer unique events (such as the Vancouver Film Festival and the Khatsahlano Music + Art Festival) and awesome live music. It's the time to catch those bands as they are arriving and departing North America after touring all June, July, and August. 

These are three shows that you should go and see. They are cheap, they will be entertaining, and they are all underrated!

Anberlin - Venue - April 29th

There is a stigma (pun intended) attached to the music genre Christian Rock. I have had to defend this genre in the past because I happen to really like some of the music produced by people who go to church. Sufjan Stevens, Hopesfall, and Low are all considered to be "Christian" acts, but these three are actually all in my Top 30 Favourite Bands! No good, Jesus-denying atheist wants to hear song after song about Nebuchadnezzar's Captivity or what awesome goddamn fishermen Jesus and Peter were, but sometimes bands are lumped into the Christian Rock category just because of their beliefs. Often, there are very very few references to religion in the lyrics of Christian Rock bands. Anberlin is one of these bands. I became a fan of this band after adding some of the songs from their breakout album Cities to my jogging playlist. They have come out with a few albums since this solid LP, and it's time for me to catch up with this catchy pop-metal band.

Daughter - Venue - May 15th 
As soon as I heard Daughter will be opening for Sigur Ros in the UK, I started listening to this London trio. Sigur Ros is my favourite band, so I pay attention to their opening acts and recommendations. Daughter is super new on the scene with two EPs and one full-length album, but their singles Youth and Smother have already been used in several European commercials and UK shows. Leadsinger Elena Tonra looks like Karen O and sounds like Florence Welch. I YouTubed Elena and didn't much care for her solo work, but the drummer and bassist she recruited provide her delicate delivery with an engaging backbone. In fact, they do kind of remind me of a folky Yeah Yeah Yeahs. I advise you see them now, on the cheap!  

 
The Brothers Comatose - The Roost - May 18th

You should go to this show for the venue alone. As a converted house in a residential neighbourhood, which prides itself on being unknown and affordable, The Roost is a gem of the Northwest. I saw a show there last year and wrote about the venue not so long ago. I know of The Brothers Comatose through two friends in Bellingham who saw them last year at this same venue and said it was super fun. As a bluegrass-punk band, The Brothers (two of them are, in fact, siblings) are focused on including the crowd, which results in a raucous recital. Go for Bellingham craft beer and Trader Joe's...and stay for the concert.

Keywords: "Alex Dawkins", "The Roost Bellingham", "Daughter band"

 

The Roost Venue in Bellingham

Many who live on the West Coast know Bellingham as "that town between Vancouver and Seattle" but B'ham is quickly becoming a Portland-of-the-North. With its blossoming craft beer industry, its scads of college kids, and its improving live music scene, Bellingham is now worth visiting in its own right. While the town is still pretty small and quiet, The Roost is one example of how Bellingham is becoming a cooler and more creative city than Vancouver. It is a house, in a residential neighbourhood, that has been gutted and transformed into a teeny tiny live music venue. The venue is eco-friendly, powered by solar and renovated with reclaimed timber, and it holds between 100-140 people. Max. The founders are four young guys from Washington who want to create a space dedicated to art and community building. Yes, the musicians brought in are the focus of this enterprise; and yes, both tickets and beer are sold to generate some capital...but the overarching goal is to create a comfortable, unique arts space for the city. The Roost hasn't been open for very long, and there are only one or two shows a month here. Plus, the owners don't really want their venue to be super well known, mainly for practical reasons. The best way to hear about upcoming gigs is to join their mailing list or follow them on Facebook.

Keywords: "Alex Dawkins", "The Green Frog", "The Roost Bellingham"

Boo, Beaucoup...Boo!

Although the combination of coffee and pastry is one of my absolute favourites, and is a pairing that I indulge in daily, I was leery of Beaucoup from the get-go. From their six-month delay in opening, to the stabbing that occurred outside the bakery on September 13th, I just got an unsure vibe from this place from the very beginning...and my two recent visits have confirmed my early suspicions.

I need to reiterate the fact that I have an abnormal affinity for baked goods. I mean, I am pretty much a lifer at a place if it is a) an amazing coffeeshop with good pastries or b) an outstanding bakery with decent coffee. Beaucoup is a French-style bakery that produces delicately-prepared tarts, pain au chocolat, and double-baked croissants. They also serve 49th Parallel coffee. Unquestionable winner, right? Wrong!

First off, the range of baked goods they offer is incredibly limited and very expensive. They *only* produce French-style items, which are UBER buttery, flaky, fattening, and ultimately unsatisfying. Second, the use of good coffee beans does not equate to the creation of good coffee beverages. The dairy-to-espresso ratio was off for both the cappuccino and latte I had there, and the servers never attempt to inquire about your preferences (type of milk, dry/wet foam, to stay/to go, et cetera).

And yet another thing that bothers me about Beaucoup: the service. Both of the times I went to Beaucoup I asked for my drinks to be "for here", and they made my coffees in to-go cups. While this isn't the end of the world, it doesn't happen at better bakery-cafes (such as Terra Breads on 4th and Cafe Bica down the road on Fir) and it generally indicates a lack of care on the part of the Beaucoup barista.

I am boycotting Beaucoup. They just can't compete with the products and services provided in this neighbourhood. 

Keywords: "Beaucoup Bakery & Cafe", "49th Parallel Vancouver", "Alex Dawkins" 

The Beer Shrine in Deming

When you drive from Bellingham to Mt. Baker - on your way to ski, hike, snowboard, or dirt bike - you find the landscape dominated by small farms, spindly hemlocks, pick-up trucks sporting McCain/Palin bumperstickers, and the occasional post-war bungalow. This is a stretch of highway that most people forget amidst their excitement to either climb Kulshan or return to B'ham for an apres ski drink. You can imagine how ecstatic I was to discover that mid-way between these two destinations is a craft brewery! Formally named the North Fork Brewery, but locally known as The Beer Shrine, this cozy lodge is packed to the rafters with breweriana. While the hallowed beer memorabilia everywhere and flowing ales from North Fork's eight taps may induce veneration in cerevisaphiles, this place is a shrine in more ways than one...it is an actual wedding chapel. Who needs champagne when you can have fresh cream ale?

I visited The Beer Shrine with my dad and family friend from Bellingham. Our friend had gone once before, several years ago, and suggested we head there after a short hike in the area. The brewery is not large, and the taproom seats about fifty. We sat at the bar and promptly ordered schooners of their Hefe, ESB, and IPA. It seems as though North Fork uses nitro in most of their ales, as opposed to the cheaper and more common carbon dioxide. Excluding the wheat beer, all of our drinks were really really smooth (too smooth?) and displayed that trademark Guinness head. I tried all three of these beers and they were all decent. They were all drinkable and mild, which I kind of liked since we were day-drinking, but they were also pretty forgettable. We all wished we were hungry at the time too because North Fork specializes in New York style pizza. This is pretty much the only thing I saw people eating, and a couple behind us had the most intimidating (and awesome looking!) roasted garlic and capocollo pie on their table. I plan to return in summer, with a hunger and a growler.

Keywords: "Bellingham breweries", "Chuckanut Brewery", "Alex Dawkins"

Pho in Vancouver

Pho Extreme has three things going for it: location, hours, service. Vancouver has such a dearth of 24-hour eating establishments that I'm tempted to give Pho Extreme an 'A'. However, their food is "extremely" average so I'm forced to stick with a 'B'. I went here with my parents and we all felt, based on the menu and nature of the restaurant, that we should stick with soups rather than ordering a noodle or rice dish. I ordered the steak pho, my dad ordered the steak and brisket pho, and my mom ordered the chicken pho. I always avoid pho ga, but my mom said it was pretty good. All of the soups contained a generous serving of protein, and this is great value when considering the $6.50 pricetag. The broth was forgettable, but pho is designed to be customized with various sauces and additions, so forgettable stock has never "broth"ered me. We also ordered the saladrolls to start, which are very reasonable at $4.50 for two rolls (four pieces). I should also mention that this place is family-run, and that all of the servers are polite and straightforward.

I don't think I will ever become a regular at Pho Extreme, but I'm sure it will draw me out from the 99 on those nights I'm bussing past after bar-hopping on Commercial or Main. I am a semi-regular at two other pho places though. I really like Golden Train Express II on Broadway and Blenheim, and Ha Long Bay on Pender and Richards. The former has some atypical soup options, and the latter serves amazingly tender raw beef in their pho bo.