Mosi - Breakfast, with a side of Italy

Another revolving restaurant door is about to stop with the opening of Mosi on West Saanich Rd and Prospect Lake Rd/Sparton Rd.

If you long for the fabulous'ness of the original La Collina (remember pizza and pasta nights at the original Cedar Hill location?) - then you'll want to head out for breakfast or lunch at Mosi. It's run by the same family.

Their Italian roots are authentic - there's a photo on the wall of the owner's grandmother....

The Ruby - breakfast at the Zed

You've probably noticed the brightly repainted Hotel Zed across from Mayfair Mall on Douglas...well, now there's a great new restaurant on the property - The Ruby.

They may not be the Corner Gas version with Lacey & her chili dogs…

Mamie Taylor's - YVR Chinatown brunch, hold the dim sum

Breakfast in the big city - Vancouver to be exact, in Chinatown - but hold those dumplings. This feast had nary a shui mai or har gow....

Only the address of Mamie Taylor's would make you think the food would lean towards Asian - once you're inside. There are certain hints to suggest what lays waiting for you.

Keep your eyes peeled for it as you stroll East Georgia....

R 'n' R Diner - Classic Peninsula Diner

The R 'n' R Diner in Central Saanich may have a modern setting on the outside - but it's all classic in the inside. From the food to the decor to the old-fashioned service (the latter being: on-the-ball, whip-smart & fast).

The outside is actually a little unassuming....

But the diner part comes thru loud and clear as soon as you step in the door. Maybe it's the stools at the counter...

Red Wagon Diner - circle this wagon and attack

The Red Wagon Restaurant in Vancouver has been popular since, well, pretty much the day it opened. No surprise then that Guy Fieri and his TV show Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives (Triple D's to the fans) made a stop at the restaurant to film an episode.  But if you don't have Guy's credentials, you may have to time your visit based on how long you want to wait for a table (we hit it on a Friday, so we expected a line; a Tuesday? Maybe not so much...). But, as they say, it's worth the wait.

We arrived at the Red Wagon and, after putting our name on the wait-list, strolled a bit of East Hastings to bide some time - and it's an interesting area - great stores and food shops abound. On our return (and hearing our name called), we saddled up to two stools at the counter (and a front row seat to the bustling kitchen)…

Tre Fantastico - fantastic cubed.

This is not a coffee review - I will leave that to the professionals out there.

I'm all about the food.

And this is all about the breakfast.

A short and sweet review for a small & sweet place.

Most people that I mention Tre Fantastico to, have either a) been and loved it or  b) don't believe there's a coffee-house there and fire-up Google street view. But don't be frightened - it's easy to find, just surprising to some that it's there.

Tre Fantastico is located in the Parkside Resort on Humboldt Street - where their cosy patio is shaded by huge trees and their view is across to the gardens and buildings of St. Ann's. You'll easily forget you're half a block from Blanshard St.

Yes, that's it…..Tre Fantastico!

Building on the strong base of Caffe Fantastico coffee and their coffee-houses around town - this location is licensed and has a small kitchen that cranks out great food. You can stop in for coffee & a muffin, a local brew & grilled sausage, a glass of peninsula wine & a charcuterie plate or….well, the list goes on (and there's gourmet popcorn too!)

Catalano - and let there be brunch

Catalano Restaurant and Cicchetti Bar is located in/beside the Magnolia Hotel at Courtney St. and Gordon St., just a block up from the Empress Hotel.  Many restaurants have graced this space ($teak, steak, pub, etc) so it was exciting to hear that two veteran restaurants (Ferris' Oyster Bar & The Tapa Bar) would be partnering to open up something new and different. Touches from each restaurant can be found here at Catalano.

The interior has been spruced up - the entrance is more open and the bold coloured paintings & wood finishes give a warm feeling throughout.

de'lish - Tweed Curtain Treats

Years ago it was a bakery, now (for the past few years) this tiny St. Patrick street storefront holds a fresh new array of baked goods. Gone are the brown-paper wrapped loaves of bread with your family's name on them (hands up those who remember THAT!); replaced by a shiny red espresso machine, caramelized onion tarts, homemade soups, rhubarb compote topped porridge and seating inside & out.

You'll find de'lish on St Patrick Street, near the corner of Central Avenue - just a short stroll up from Beach Drive.

de'lish on St. Patrick Street in Oak Bay

Once you step through the door, de'ish's tasty looking creations are laid out in front of you.

Over Easy Breakfast (YYC) - boxed happiness

I was recently in Calgary, the home of the Stampede and, as I soon found out, amazing breakfast joints (those Calgarians take their brunches as seriously as we do here on the coast). By some accommodation fairy luck, my friends and I found ourselves within three short blocks of 3 of Calgary's great breakfast places.

Our timing wasn't the greatest on our first morning out - but after carefully strategizing the second morning, we found ourselves tucked into Over Easy Breakfast (OEB) in the NE.

OEB on Edmonton Trail NE + light dusting of snow.

The retro-inspired interior is bright, fun & comfortable. There's a communal table that runs down the middle and individual tables around the perimeter. Look up and check out.....

Jam - they're worth the wait

Jam Cafe in Victoria is a great little breakfast spot on Herald Street.

It's no secret though....

When you arrive, it may look like the picture on the left....or, if it's the weekend and you're arriving at peak brunch time - you may take part in the photo on the right.

All quiet on the Western front (aka 8am)

An eager crowd awaits, 8:05.....kidding (more like 9:05)

Once you're inside - great things await you...

Portland : Pine State Biscuits & Blue Star Donuts & Trucks!

We're in Portland and the biscuits are calling.

Pine State Biscuits.

P.S.B. started off as a vendor at the Portland State University Farmer's Market (PSU, more important initials to remember) and became so popular, they opened up first one, then another brick & mortar. The original has recently closed to make way for the opening of another permanent biscuitery. Fortunately for all of Portland, they still come to the PSU.

And we were there waiting for them (we and a bunch of other blokes). This is the scene minutes (maybe seconds!) after the 8:30am opening...those aren't people loitering, that's the line-up.

Pine State Biscuit at PSU

But it goes fast, my friends. And Pine State doesn't scrimp on menu offerings just because it's a market stall. They have all their best sellers, including the Reggie (fried chicken, bacon & cheese) and the Moneyball (biscuit & gravy & a fried egg). They have a traditional sausage gravy as well as a mushroom gravy on offer. Being a Canuck, this biscuit & gravy thing is new'ish to me - but once you taste a good one (and Pine State fits the bill perfectly) - you begin to understand the love for this legend of a dish.

Melt Truck - Giving Cheese a Chance

The Melt Truck is a newer food truck on the scene in Victoria. Parked currently on Rock Bay Avenue, near to Bay Street - you can find them nestled under the giant 'Bayliss Sign' sign. It's easy to pull up and get food from them - lots of free street parking...and they're situated IN a small parking lot.

Like you need another reason to stop and have a grilled cheese sandwich?

Melt Truck parked under the 'Bayliss Sign' on Rock Bay Ave

It's a shiny new truck with the daily menu posted to the right of the order window. You can also check their Facebook site for menu updates.

They're open from 7am-2pm Monday to Friday - plenty of time to feed your grilled-cheese needs....

Relish - Weekend Brunch Happiness

Relish is a lovely little cafe located on Pandora Avenue, just east of Quadra Street. Bookended on the corners by McD's and a Provincial Government office, a few older, one-storey buildings house a large amount of food-goodness. Relish is one of them (the Blair-Mart and Hot and Cold Cafe are worth standalone future blog write-ups). Relish is open Monday-Friday for breakfast & lunch and on Saturdays for brunch. A weekend brunch was our meal destination – so we slid into the last available table at the time.

Relish's sunny tables on Pandora Ave.

The menu is not long but it is diverse – including granola, french toast, bennies, sandwiches and a burger. Some of the menu items have very interesting Korean & Chinese influences, as well. They also have a beautiful espresso machine - so you can start your meal off...

Paul's Drive-In Restaurant - Summertime Fun

**it appears right now that Paul's is not operating the Drive-In :-(
- but even if the carhops aren't there, the good food is....maybe you can talk them into bringing it out to your car on a tray from the restaurant....

Paul’s Motor Inn on Douglas Street has transformed their front parking lot for the summer into Paul’s Drive-In. What’s better than a great diner burger? Eating it from a tray clipped to your car window! Whether having dinner like this will bring back memories or make a new one – it’s definitely fun.

They have classic drive-in fare: burgers, hot dogs, BLT’s, fish & chips, plus a kids menu including grilled cheese & chicken fingers. From the fountain (as in soda) there are milkshakes, floats, sundaes, pies and more.

The drive-in is open for business Friday nights and all day Saturday and Sunday. Flags stretched across the parking lot mark off the drive-in and the sizable menu is posted right on the building.

And one of the best parts of it all?....

Clay Pigeon - early bird gets the breaky

The Clay Pigeon does breakfast and I finally made it there! I can't be the only one out there who drives/walks/bikes by a restaurant and proceeds to act out a V8 commercial. After said head-smacks and mentions by friends, we finally pulled in there to saddle up to some breakfast fixin's.

Located right on the corner of Blanshard Street and Broughton Street, the Clay Pigeon serves up breakfast everyday, starting at 7:30. Yes, everyday (which makes my head-smack even bigger - 7 days a week - it's not like their hours were stopping me from coming). A cozy interior holds the majority of the seating - but you might luck-out (and if the sun is shining) and snag one of the spots right outside.

We plunked ourselves down inside and started breakfast off the proper way...with a....

The Village - now feeding Royal Oak

The Village Cafe has now opened its second location. The original is located in the Estevan village, in Oak Bay, just a hop, skip & a jump away from Willow's Beach. Location number two is in Royal Oak - in the Shady Oak Plaza (a small set of stores across the street from the Royal Oak shopping centre). It's just past the Petro-Canada gas station, if you're driving north on Royal Oak Drive.

Another revolving door of a location (who remembers Cakes by Mary-Ann? Man, those were great cakes!) - but I'd lay bets that the revolving ends now. The inside has been renovated and is bright, modern and open....

Charelli's & Co. - say Cheese...sandwich.

Charelli's is a great little cheese shop in Oak Bay (well, truthfully it's on the edge - across the street is Victoria) - but it's not quite in my 'hood, and I find I don't get there as often as I'd like (which could be daily, but I'd settle for once every couple of weeks). And now I really need to get to them more because they have a tiny cafe to go along with their amazing cheese shop & deli.

The original cheese shop was two doors to the left from where it is now and they've turned this spot into Charelli's & Co. It's a lovely little counter/restaurant open for breakfast and lunch (2863 Foul Bay Rd, Tue-Sun, 8am-3pm). The menu changes weekly and is posted on their facebook site, if you want to pre-plan your attack.

This was my third attempt at eating here - the first time we arrived at 3:10....the next time we got in the door, clutching our debit cards and read the "cash only" sign. So onto lucky visit number three - we're through the door, seated on stools with menu items picked from the blackboard above the "kitchen".

Breakfast items look and sound great (skillet eggs with creamed spinach on this week's menu and the granola in the giant glass jar adjacent to our bar stools is chock full of dried fruits and nuts). Today some of their offerings include five different sandwiches, pizza and a ploughman's platter for two. We begin by wetting our whistles with glasses of homemade ginger and lemonade with fresh cilantro.

Homemade Ginger Lemonade with Cilantro

We settle on two sandwiches - a Brie & Pear and a PB PB & C.

Paul's Restaurant - Breakfast with a side of Victoria history

Paul’s Restaurant (at Paul's Motor Inn) on Douglas Street (between Discovery & Chatham) is definitely a Victoria institution. You probably know someone (or maybe it’s you) who remembers when you would see the who’s who of Victoria at Paul’s (and if they weren't there, they were at the Princess Mary). The hours may have changed (not 24/7 anymore) and locations (the Finalyson/Douglas one is no more), but the classic booths and diner meals haven’t.

Three of us dropped in for breakfast on a recent Sunday (one of us had never been, one hadn’t been in decades and one was there the day before!). The booths are built in a u-shape around the service area and kitchen opening. They have openings on both sides – so the waitress can easily serve and clear. Love it.

Classic side booth access for the waitress.

Then we ordered-up some breakfast...

Argyle Attic - Canadiana Breakfast

On the advice of a friend - we visited the Argyle Attic restaurant this past weekend. We love eating breakfast out....and they were open....the equation worked.

The restaurant is situated above Smith's pub on Courtney Street and can also be accessed through the Quality Inn Hotel on the corner of Blanshard Street. Decorated in rustic Canadiana - it was a comfortable setting of folk-art pictures, 70's table lamps, Hudson Bay blankets and a scarf-wearing mounted stag's head. Nice mix of music playing too.

Breakfast pricing is simple - $12 for everything - and includes a tea or coffee. The menu includes waffles, pancakes, omelettes, traditional eggs & bacon/sausage, and poutine. Our table chose the poutine, an omelette and the pancakes.

The poutine came with a choice of red curry or sausage gravy (the former was opted for). Two perfectly soft-poached eggs were set atop a great amount of cheese, chopped bacon and hash browns, all covered in a lightly spiced curry gravy.

Poutine with red curry gravy & poached eggs

And then the hotcakes and ommy.....

Italian Brunch at Zambri's

I really love heading out for breakfast/brunch. I’m not in the minority in that love as most breakfast restaurants around Victoria suddenly spring line-ups on weekends (and the really good ones have line-ups DURING the week!). Whether our timing was right or not many know about it yet – we were able to waltz right into Zambri’s and grab a lovely table for two just before 11am on a Sunday for their brunch.

As with any meal at Zambri’s, the setting, service and food are really great.

We ordered the meatballs & eggs and Italian scramble. The meatballs were sliced, sitting on two solid pieces of polenta and topped with soft poached eggs. The polenta was sitting on a delicious, fresh tomato sauce with a lovely drizzle of olive oil. Beautiful, tasty, but watch out for errant pieces falling off your fork and into the sauce. I may have splattered a tiny bit of sauce….around the plate…and onto my teapot…and cup…but my napkin remained pristine and white!

Meatballs and Eggs (before sauce disbursement)

The other dish wasn't as napkin challenging.....