DOW: Baronial

We enjoyed our Twentieth Century cocktail from a few weeks ago so much that we searched for something similar and found the Baronial. This one is not very well-known, but it has been around since at least 1937.

Benny's Cafe

Benny's Cafe, or as it was originally known and how everyone still calls it, Benny's Bagels, is somewhat of a Vancouver institution, although it has only been around for a little over twenty years. It has survived ownership changes, a fire next door, and a swiftly gentrifying street. The atmosphere is still funky, the beer is still cheap, but most importantly, the bagels are fantastic. Chewy, slightly sweet, perfect for a sandwich, toasting up with jam, or just eating plain, a rare month goes by when we don't bring a baker's dozen home.

Handi Cuisine of India

Last year, for our anniversary, we biked over to Handi Cuisine of India. We had such a good time that we vowed to return. It took us over a year, but finally made it back again. When a restaurant is a twelve-minute bike ride away and has ample bike parking in front, it's a very attractive option for dinner.

Summer Fruit Crumble

Ever since we started blogging, I've been paying more attention to all the wonderful food bloggers out there. Just today, inspired by a fellow food blogger, I threw together a berry crumble this afternoon. Stuffed with peaches.

DOW: French 75

This is one classic drink that has a lot less ambiguity about its origins. It's named after a famous French artillery piece, the Canon de 75 modèle 1897 because it packs a big punch.

We enjoyed a wonderful version of the cocktail at L'Abattoir a few weeks ago.

Cobre

Every once in a while, one of my closest friends asks us to join her and her partner for a dinner out. They both have fabulous taste in food, so we pretty much let them choose where to dine. We were quite excited when they proposed Cobre since we generally don't eat a lot of Latin American style cuisine.

Tokyo Thyme

In Vancouver, run-of-the-mill sushi joints are a dime a dozen. You can get a satisfying, reasonably healthy meal without spending too much money. There are, however, a few gems that deliver on food, decor, service and price.

When Tokyo Thyme opened several weeks ago, we attempted to visit on a Saturday, but since they open at noon, and we had a prior engagement at one o'clock, we ended up eating elsewhere.

Summer passes quickly, and we finally were able to see what they have to offer.

Granola Bars

A long family outing through Pacific Spirit Park out to UBC led to a serendipitous discovery. I was feeling a mite faint from the heat and exertion, and I needed a little sustenance to tide me over until lunch.

Seeing a selection of granola bars on display at the coffee shop we stopped by, I was inspired to make a homemade granola bar that was tailor-made for my family. Later in the day, when I returned home, I rummaged through the pantry, hauling out random ingredients that I thought would create a balanced mélange of flavours.

Calabash Bistro

After our adventures in restaurant finding a couple of weeks ago, we decided to choose a restaurant on a shorter street. Carrall Street is one the city's newest greenways, and while not especially green or even finished yet, it is definitely a more pedestrian-friendly environment. We walked casually down the street, confident that even if we walked by the restaurant the first time, we'd still have time to circle back and search more carefully the second time. Fortunately, the restaurant was hard to miss, and we arrived safely.

In a city where you can find nearly any kind of Chinese food, where there are countless "upscale casual" restaurants, and where you can't throw a stone without hitting a sushi joint and two Starbucks, there are not a lot of Caribbean restaurants. Indeed Urbanspoon lists only seventeen. Calabash Bistro is one of the newest, having opened this spring.

DOW: Lemonade

Almost a rite of passage of childhood is the summer lemonade stand. As the thermometer rises, the call of entrepreneurship is too difficult to resist.

As dedicated foodies, we knew the lemonade had to be fresh squeezed.

Crème de la Crumb

Several weeks ago, I was desperately trying to satisfy my craving for carrot cake. We rolled into the newly opened Crème de la Crumb shortly after closing time. The proprietor, Lydia Lai, was more than happy to stay open a few more minutes for me to make my purchase. I was so excited about the carrot cake, I tweeted about it.

Since I don't live or work downtown, and the shop is now open only on weekdays, a return visit wasn't the easiest of tasks, but sometimes you have make sacrifices, and I made a special trip on my bicycle. I can't wait for the new Hornby bike separated lanes!

Benton Brothers Cheese

We were very sad when Forster's Fine Cheeses closed its doors in 2007. Another Kerrisdale landmark gone. Watching renovations through the picture window, however, we were cautiously optimistic. Another cheese shop seemed to be taking shape.

How glad we were when we stepped into the newly opened Benton Brothers Fine Cheese. The sophisticated interior was matched by the impressive selection of cheeses from all over the world, including many from Canada and British Columbia. The collection of accompaniments, from patés to olives to crackers, while not especially extensive due the size of the shop were nevertheless expansive.

Paul Croteau Confections

A week ago, Paul Croteau Confections opened a kiosk at Oakridge Centre mall. Their individually wrapped macarons come in five flavours, each of which are scrumptiously pleasing. After hemming and hawing for far too long, I gave in and bought all five. Why I put myself through this type of deliberation even for a moment is beyond me.

Saint Germain Bakery

red bean bun

Often at school meetings, other parents proudly bring treats from the Saint Germain Bakery. We figured that it was about time that we paid a visit on our own.

DOW: Twentieth Century

When we were at the Lobby Lounge at Fairmont Pacific Rim, we ordered and enjoyed this classic drink. It was invented about seventy years ago, and not surprisingly has withstood the test of time.

Baguette & Co

We've now gone to this fabulous French boulangerie-pâtisserie four times. We use the French term because that's how it feels when you walk inside and when you taste the delicacies that come out of the oven. Open for just over four months, it was, not surprisingly, quite a bit busier than the last time we visited.

The sugar brioche, pictured to the right, was certainly the most photogenic today, but we didn't want to it to feel lonely in the box.

Bella Gelateria

Normally, for our anniversary, we pick a fancy restaurant and indulge in a leisurely meal. This time we had a little bit of a problem. We really, really wanted to try Bella Gelateria, and we knew that if we ate a regular meal, we wouldn't be able to fully enjoy the experience. Fortunately, we found a solution.

Lobby Lounge at the Fairmont Pacific Rim

We were out on a mission, and we didn't have time for a proper meal. It was after eight o'clock and we needed to get back to Bella Gelateria before it closed.

Yuki Sushi Izakaya

After weeks and weeks of waiting, we were super excited to see Yuki Sushi Izakaya open on Sunday. We even contemplated jumping off the bus and skipping our other evening plans. Cooler heads prevailed, however, and we decided to postpone our visit to Monday.

DOW: Negroni

As the story goes, the year was 1919 in Florence, Italy. Count Camillo Negroni asked the bartender, Fosco Scarselli, to add gin to an Americano cocktail. To indicate the difference between the two drinks, he used an orange slice for garnish instead of a lemon slice.