We went early on the first night of Dine out Vancouver, as we anticipated that it would be very busy, and we were not wrong.  The restaurant only had a few guests when we arrived, but very quickly filled up with mostly young people enjoying a Friday night on Commercial Drive.  The server talked us into trying their drink special – the apparently famous “Dark n Stormy” cocktail for $6.00. This was a new taste sensation for us, consisting of ginger “beer” (tea) made in-house and Goslings rum, among other things. Perfect and very warming on a chilly Vancouver evening! They do have other drink specials every night of the week, if one needs an excuse to pop by!  While we were sipping, the host started us off with their complimentary Johnny Cakes with Mango Coconut Butter.  YUM!!

Their Dine out Vancouver menu offered a choice of 2 or 3 menu items for each course. I opted for Plantain Chips with Jerk Mayo for my appy, and Michael went for Curry Lime Chicken Wings with Chayote Apple Slaw. Of the two, we would certainly choose the chips and mayo again as they were delicious.  For a main course, I couldn’t resist Jerk Chicken with Rice Beans and Slaw, while Michael thought the Escovitched Snapper sounded interesting (I had to look up what “escovitched” means – apparently a famous Jamaican dish,  WiWords.com says it’s “A process of cooking whereby meat (typically fish) is fried, then doused liberally with a pickling sauce made from vinegar, pimento,onions, pepper, (and sometimes carrots)”.  Neither of us were blown away by the snapper, but we were happy to have tried it. As for the chicken dish, I discovered that, if one doesn’t like chicken skin, then it’s pointless to order a dish where most of the flavor is on the skin. Michael enjoyed it though.   How is it that I always seem to like the dessert that Michael orders more than I like mine?!  I thought I couldn’t go wrong with Coconut Lime Tart with Mango Coulis – how tropical is that!? But I would have preferred to have a bit more flavor in the tart and a flakier crust, although the coulis was delicious.  He selected the fried banana with ice cream, which was very nice. I’m lucky he’s such a nice guy and shared 50/50.

Our conclusions – we loved the lively atmosphere and some of the food items were terrific (I would go back just for the coconut mango butter!). The Reef definitely is a destination for the young people and we enjoyed the laughter and fun that was happening at almost every table. However, I think we would agree with most of the Yelpers who are giving it an average of 3 stars, but I wouldn’t be surprised to see that go up.  The most common comment we have had from our guests is that the service was was not great, but we did not experience that at all. The manager stopped by to speak to us several times and the server was very attentive, even when the place was packed. While we didn’t love a few of the dishes we tried, some of the reviewers have suggested that the Dominica Beef ($16) is excellent, West Indian Curry is recommended,  and the Curried Crab Cake Benny sounds delicious!  I think the jury is still out on this one for us and we may have to go back for more Johnny Cakes and Mango Coconut Butter while we check out some of these other dishes!

The Bee & Thistle does have space available for much of this period so do check out our availability calendar on the Rates & Reservations page of this website.

Sushi is so popular in our city that we wouldn’t be surprised to see it listed as a new major food group in the Vancouver editions of the Canada Food Guide! However, I’m not quite sure that Britannia is keeping up it’s end by providing fast, fresh and delicious tidbits for our sushi loving Vancouverites, not to mention our visitors. In looking at the reviews one can’t help but notice that they vary widely, and we would have to agree somewhat with both sides (overall rating of 2 1/2 stars on Yelp http://www.yelp.ca/biz/britannia-sushi-vancouver). Many reviewers say they have been eating here for years and can’t beat the quality for the price. Probably true – at only $2.75 for a California Roll, a bottle of Kokanee for $3.25 and $5.75 for 18 pieces of sushi and miso soup, the price is definitely right.

And the food is “okay”. However, we also have to agree with those who say the service is very unenthusiastic and the quality of the food did not blow us away. I decided to go for my usual California roll, but noticed that they do offer it with brown rice. Although we are known for our decadent breakfasts, or perhaps because of it, I do try to make healthy choices about food for the rest of the day. Brown rice sushi seemed like a great idea! However, I suspect that the brown rice had just come off the stove because my roll arrived warm, with very sticky brown rice. Hmmm – a warm, sticky California Roll, I suspect it’s an innovation that may not catch on! The price was right, though, at $2.75 for the California Roll, plus $5.95 for my Chicken Udon soup. Unfortunately, I am also very picky about the chicken I eat and this chicken had much too much fat for my taste. The broth and noodles were okay but a little bland. Michael had Chicken Yakisoba @ 6.95, and thought it was not bad, though not amazing. Our conclusion? We will probably still dash down to Britannia and pick up a couple of California Rolls when we are tired and just want something quick and close. But, with all the other Japanese restaurants to choose from, we would probably not recommend this restaurant to our guests if they are hoping to try one of Vancouver’s famous sushi restaurants.

Now, before I talk everyone in the world into trying this place, I have to qualify my comments by saying that you may have to come from the Canadian prairies to appreciate anything about it! It reminds me so much of the little Chinese/Canadian restaurant that is a mainstay in almost every little prairie town, serving everything from Salsbury Steak & Hamburgers to the old familiar, slightly greasy, Chicken Chow Mein & Almond Chicken. The interior was a pleasant surprise (at least, compared to the exterior!) – not fancy by any means, but clean and neat, with the requisite brown faux leather booths and tidy arborite tables. The hostess/server was quietly pleasant and the service pleasantly quick.

The restaurant was relatively busy the night we tried it so that inspired me to check them out on Yelp and other review sites. Another surprise – they are rated 4 stars by Yelpers: http://www.yelp.ca/biz/skylight-restaurant-vancouver, and 4 1/2 stars on UrbanSpoon: http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/14/1432635/restaurant/Commercial-Drive-Grandview/Skylight-Vancouver. Breakfast appears to be the biggest draw, with most reviewers commenting on good, diner style, big breakfasts and friendly staff.

Michael had Thick Beef Noodles for $6.95 and I had a 2 item Chinese dish which included Chicken Chow Mein and Almond Chicken for $6.95. The noodle dish contained a nice amount of beef and veggies, and Michael quite enjoyed it. My Chow Mein was just like I used to have back home in Dawson Creek or other northern BC & Alberta towns, not amazing but tasty, though unfortunately the Almond Chicken was a bit dry. Some other items on the menu include Fish n chips @ $8.95, Veal Cutlet @ $8.75, Salmon Steak Special (that night) for $7.25, a 6 item Chinese Dinner for 4 @ $36.95, or a 7 item Chinese dinner for 6 @ $52.95. Where else can you get a Deluxe burger for $3.95, a Mushroom Burger for $4.50 (with fries or soup), and coffee for only an additional $1.25?

All in all, we would give this restaurant a cautious thumbs up, with the disclaimer that this is definitely not gourmet dining! But, if you want filling and cheap – this is the place for you, and only 1 1/2 blocks from the Bee & Thistle! (And, I admit to having been back again since we first visited in early December. Ah yes, you can indeed take the girl from the country but you can’t take the country from the girl!)

On our journey up the Drive from Venables to 12th Avenue, the next establishment on our walk is Pane Vero Cafe, a very attractively decorated and relatively new coffee spot only steps from the Bee & Thistle. To our surprise, having not been in the Pane Vero for some time, what we thought of as a cute little coffee shop has grown up into a lovely little cafe that offers quite a wide range of tasty treats and even a full breakfast in addition to their display case chock full of panini, muffins, scones, cookies and much more! (I apologize for the poor quality of the photos which I had to take with my phone, having forgotten my camera at home.)

On a Thursday afternoon in early December, the restaurant was quiet when we visited so the very charming hostess had a few minutes to chat with us.  A family run place, Pane Vero has achieved a nice balance between food that is wholesome and comforting, and food that is slightly indulgent.  A colorful sign promotes their weekend eggs benny brunch, which we didn’t sample but which reviewers on Yelp seem to appreciate.

.Michael and I wanted to try a variety of items off the menu, so we shared a Chipotle Club Sandwich with Chicken Rice Soup ($9.95), strong Black Coffee at $1.75 each, and finally were tempted by an enormous slice of Carrot Cake at $3.95.  The owner mentioned to us that the Carrot Cake is a new item that they are testing – we vote that they keep it as it was delicious!  The soup and sandwich combo were also very tasty.   We still did not feel that we had found our “perfect” cup of coffee, but it was definitely fine and we left the cafe feeling very happy to have found a spot so close to the B&B which we can whole heartedly recommend to our guests.  Yelpers have given the Pane Vero an average of 4 stars: http://www.yelp.ca/biz/pane-vero-vancouver.  We would definitely concur.  This one gets a thumbs up from the Bee!

Cranberry, Walnut & Orange Scones with White Chocolate Drizzle

2 Cups Unbleached White Flour

1/4 Cup Sugar

1 tbsp finely grated lemon zest (rubbed into the 1/4 cup sugar for best results)

1/2 tsp Salt

2 tsp Baking Powder

1/2 tsp Baking Soda

1/2 cup cold Butter, cut into small chunks

1/2 cup chopped Walnuts

3/4 cup dried, fresh or frozen Cranberries, halved (if frozen, defrost, cut in half and pat dry)

1 large Egg

1/2 cup Buttermilk

Additional Beaten Egg for glaze

White Chocolate for Drizzle

Preheat oven to 425 F.  If using fresh or frozen cranberries, cut the larger ones in half, pat dry and sprinkle with a tbsp of additional sugar.  Set aside.  Measure out the 1/4 cup of sugar and rub the lemon rind into the sugar with your fingers to release the wonderful lemon oils.

Stir together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt & sugar/lemon mixture. Add chunks of butter and using pastry cutter, cut until butter is about the size of peas. Stir in walnuts & prepared cranberries. In small separate bowl, beat one egg with the buttermilk.  Stir into wet ingredients, but only until the dough just comes together. If using fresh or frozen cranberries, handle the dough very carefully or it will get too wet and turn into a big pink blob!  Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and gently pat it into an 8″ round.  Here’s a photo of my scone round on my 1950′s yellow arborite counter top!  The wonderful blue bowl came from the West Point Grey pottery sale last week!  The dough resembles the jewel tones of  lovely stained glass if you are careful to not over work it.

Cut into 8 pie shaped wedges.  Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and transfer the scones to the pan.  Beat the additional egg with a fork to blend, then brush tops of scones.  Because they are so cute, I had to include a photo of the lovely green, brown and white free range eggs from our daughter’s Bowen Island farm!  The gorgeous soft green ones come from Ameraucanas hens.

Bake in preheated oven for approximately 15 minutes or until golden brown.  Allow to cool before drizzling with melted white chocolate.

We served the scones this morning with home made Strawberry & Orange Brandy Jam and  Persimmon Lemon Tartlets, which are phyllo pastry filled with home made lemon curd swirled with thick, creamy Mediterranean yogurt, topped with delicious, juicy fresh persimmons.

Zawa Restaurant at 920 Commercial Drive is the second restaurant we are reviewing on our “tasting the Drive” project. Truthfully, though, it was the first one we tried because we were going out with friends one evening and we wanted to take them to a full menu restaurant, rather than the coffee shop that actually is the first establishment up from Venables St. We have often walked by Zawa and noticed their great patio and the sandwich board advertising drink and food specials, but had not eaten there in years.

The Bee & Thistle Guest House / B&B is only two blocks from Zawa, so it’s not surprising that several of our guests have tried this restaurant, coming back with mixed reviews. We did have one wonderful woman from Australia who loved the place and ate there every night of her stay, but others have been less impressed. On the night of our visit, the weather was nice so we did venture out on the patio (under the heaters it’s actually very pleasant). Our initial impression was of a very extensive menu, so it was difficult to make a food choice. One of our friends finally opted for Penne a la Toscana ($12.99), the other had a Chicken Hot Pot ($13.99). I have been doing too much tasting when preparing our B&B breakfasts, so went the conservative calorie route with a Grilled Chicken Caesar Salad ($10.99). Michael had a Deluxe Beef Burger with Fries ($10.99). Our friends commented that their food was “not the best they ever had but not really bad”. Unfortunately, my salad veggies were very wilted, but Michael enjoyed the burger. We each had wine or beer with our food and felt the drink prices were very reasonable.

Our conclusion was much more difficult this time. Some positives – extensive menu, reasonably priced drinks, great patio, and a server who was lovely. In reading Yelp and other reviews today, I see that the restaurant is only averaging 2 1/2 stars on both Yelp and TripAdvisor. I’m not sure that we would have rated it quite that low. Maybe being out with good friends influenced us, but our experience was okay, if not amazing. Several comments we read did suggest that the vegan and vegetarian options were good, as well as their breakfasts, so they may be worth a try (but of course we do hope that no one who stays with us at the Bee & Thistle Guest House will ever have to look for another place for breakfast!). There are many great restaurants & coffee shops on the Drive still to explore – Pane Vero Coffee Shop up next!

So, we’ve decided to make a project out of it (as well as giving ourselves an excuse to get out and enjoy the Commercial Drive “scene”!).  For the next several months, or as long as it takes, we plan to once a week sample the bites and sips at every coffee shop, restaurant or pub between Venables Street and 12th Avenue, working our way South from Venables on the East side of the Drive to 12th Avenue, then back on the West side.  A “Review” done by a “Bee” (and Thistle) should obviously be called a “Bee-view”, so this is our Bee-view of the Bump & Grind Coffee Shop located @ 916 Commercial Drive, Vancouver.

When we walked down to the Drive this morning it was a typical Vancouver weather day  - i.e. bucketing down rain. So we didn’t really expect that a little coffee shop would be very busy – but it was packed!  Obviously very popular, many people chatting with friends and/or enjoying the free wifi over coffee. We were lucky to find one table available so quickly grabbed it while we decided what to sample.  They have a fairly extensive coffee menu (surprise – it’s a coffee shop!), plus a smallish selection of food items. We went for a breakfast burrito, a grilled brie & pancetta panini, basic black coffee and shared a gluten free brownie for dessert (we get many guests who don’t eat gluten so I wanted to try it). The breakfast burrito @ $4.50 was very good.  Scrambled eggs, black beans, potatoes, etc. in a tortilla, grilled and served warm with sour cream and salsa.   We thought the panini ($6.50), which sounded great and included slices of green apple, was just “okay” and maybe even a bit bland.  They did also offer a vegetarian panini, which may be worth a try if we make it back this way at the end of our “circuit” of the Drive. The gluten/sugar free brownie ($3.00) was actually pretty good for a gluten free product (we bought one for a guest on a gluten free diet and she also liked it).  Coffee is a serious subject for those of us who live in Vancouver – the city with a Starbucks or other chain coffee shop on almost every corner.  But it’s also such a personal choice and we often hear our guests debate the question of which chain reigns supreme.  For us, the coffee at the Bump & Grind wasn’t our favourite, but obviously that’s only our taste and the number of clients happily sipping their brew of choice suggests that our opinion is definitely not universal!   Besides the food and coffee, we particularly appreciated the very attentive and friendly staff.  Overall, we would say that you won’t go too far wrong if you pop into the Bump & Grind for a quick bite or a cup of your favorite beverage.  Come on down to the Drive and check it out!   Remember, this is only our opinion – we would love comments about the places we review or about your own favourite haunts on the Drive.  Just one more thought – as I was thinking about the subject of best restaurants on Commercial Drive, I came across the Commercial Drive website: http://www.thedrive.ca/, which had lots of interesting information about our neighborhood, but also was highlighting two very interesting articles about food on the Drive.  The first was the 2011 Georgia Straight’s “Best of Vancouver” list, which highlighted awards to Bandidas Taqueria (one of our favourites), Blenz Coffee, Continental Coffee, JJ Bean, La Grotta Del Formaggio, Little Nest, Memphis Blues and Uncle Fatih’s Pizza.   The second one was the Vancouver 2011 Golden Plates Awards, which included Harambe, Szechuan Chongqing, Little Nest, Havana (of course), Bandidas Taqueria (again), the Libra Room, Belgian Fries, Vera’s Burger Shack, La Grotta Del Formaggio, Megabite Pizza, Fratelli Italian Bakery, Uprising Bakery, Waves Coffee Shop, JJ Bean, BierCraft Tap & Tapas Bar, St. Augustine’s and even Starbucks.  Stay tuned for our review of Zawa Restaurant next.