By Gail Johnson Chef Dawn Doucette has finally come home—home being the recently opened retro Douce Diner she runs with her husband, Nino Giangrande, at 1490 Pemberton Avenue in North Vancouver. With its chrome napkin holders, swivel bar stools, ’50s colours (think lotus yellow, vintage pink, and mint green), and Motown soundtrack, Douce Diner is a slick throwback to another era, albeit with a refreshed, modern-day menu. Doucette, a former Top Chef Canada competitor, is inspired by the likes of Berkeley, California chef Alice Waters, a pioneer of the slow-food, farm-to-plate movement. For her classic diner dishes, Doucette uses premium ingredients and a purist’s touch. The meat in the Double Douce Burger, for instance, is organic; the omelet is made with cage-free eggs; old-fashioned floats have vanilla gelato; and the banana split comes with freshly made strawberry compote. Hand-spun milkshakes can be spiked with liqueurs, the diner using North Van…
By Kristi Alexandra In a time when $22 avocado toast is the norm, even going out for a casual brunch can feel pretty bourgeois. Fortunately for residents of Burnaby Heights, The Gray Olive Cafeteria has brought classic, casual fare to the neighbourhood — while still maintaining the class. Located at the corner of Hastings Street and Carleton Avenue, the cafeteria-style, 20-seat eatery opened its doors in February of 2017, serving up comfort food with a refined twist. Founded by brothers Brian, Steve, and Jeremy Wong, the trio of siblings attests they just wanted to dish up mouth-watering food that recalls simple home-style cooking. “We’re such a food-driven family,” Steve, the youngest brother, tells WestCoastFood at the Hastings Street eatery, “all of us are so food-driven. Our mom would cook all our meals and even my friends would come over just to eat dinner with us. All of us are just…
By Ashley Lockyer “Decide on a pie, yet?” A voice sings the question while the coffee is topped up. I’m on my second fork-full of an omelette at Hilltop Cafe in Langley, BC. Pie pushing at 8:30am might seem odd elsewhere but here there’s one for every occasion, including breakfast. Despite a sign that has read “home of famous pies” since 1950, slices had been going out of style at Hilltop Cafe for decades. When sisters Andrea Zaiser and Sandy Parley took over in 2011, it became their mission to bring back the pies! It’s been a hit, drawing people far and wide and has even started a food trend for wedding pie instead of cake. These sisters pair pies with meals like sommeliers pair wines with cheese. Andrea offered some advice on what to try when you stop by. What’s best for breakfast? After a hearty, savoury breakfast satisfy…