Vancouver, Canada (The Joy of Food) — I’m not exactly what you’d call a breakfast girl, and I usually say “brunch” is just an excuse to shove down a stack of 25 red velvet pancakes and day drink. If you build it, they will brunch, or something like that.
But to every rule, there is an exception, so you always follow the rule, except when there is an exception, in which case you follow the new rule based on that exception.
The exception to my brunch rule is named Café Medina, a popular little spot that chef Christopher West graces with a menu that’s eclectic and inspired by Middle Eastern flavors. I can’t imagine a better meal before noon than this one, a feast that pairs things like fabulous house-made sourdough flatbread with some creamy baba ganoush, all sorts of smooth, fresh, and cool.
The most emblematic dish here is probably the cassoulet, a serving of two sunny-side eggs, smoked bacon, andouille sausage, Saucisson de Paris, white beans, red wine, tomatoes, and grilled focaccia. Basically, it’s a delicious full English breakfast in a cast-iron skillet. You won’t need to eat for at least 12 hours after this.
Each part works on its own but together the whole is meltingly, smokingly good, from the savory grilled meats to the sweet beans and puréed Roma tomatoes. Breaking the egg yolk and allowing it to run into the medley beneath, then sopping it up with the grilled focaccia bread is delightful and the stuff that foodie dreams are made of.
Spices and herbs also get introduced into many of the drinks — like the bright turmeric elixir or the fluorescent-hued Jamaiquita lemonade. These may not be normally the first drinks you think of for breakfast, but they are as palliative as they are delicious, especially on an empty stomach. Classic brunch beverages like mimosas are also available and priced even more affordably during happy hour (9 a.m. – 11 a.m. daily).
And if you get there before they sell out, Liège waffles are also made daily and served with accompanying dips. The iron used to make these puppies weighs 100 pounds, heavy enough to hold down rising yeasted dough. The outcome is a golden waffle that’s fluffy on the inside and crunchy on the outside thanks to the caramelized pearl sugar that is their claim to fame. Sides of white chocolate pistachio rosewater or passion fruit dipping sauces add some sweetness or tang.
Inside, the big, sunny space is filled with the aroma of long-simmering stews and preserved lemons, and outside you’ll find the faces of friendly people waiting patiently for a table. By time you’re seated and the goods start arriving, your table will look like a brilliant patchwork across many different cultures and countries.
Note that the wait to experience this breakfast nirvana can be a long one so choose your arrival strategy wisely.
Written by Joy
Thanks for reading. The Joy of Food blog celebrates eating well, traveling often, and living la dolce vita. San Diego, California is home base, but thoughts are from all over. Reviews and photos help to highlight wonderful (or not) food experiences from around the world.
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Wow! Looks like an awesome place!
Definitely qualifies as an awesome place in an awesome food city!
I love Medina Cafe. The last time I had the Wolves Breakfast, which is like a breakfast charcuterie board. On the menu it said it was for two but the waitress said plenty of people have ordered it for themselves. I finished that bad boy. Vancouver is an awesome food city
Very cool I will need to try that sometime! Yes agreed Vancouver is an awesome food city, diverse and eclectic in its food, just like the many people that call it home. Somehow they manage to hit the mark on just about every cuisine I’ve tried there. Let’s just say that if I want real-deal Neapolitan pizza, I’d fly to Italy — or to Vancouver!