Andy's Bakery

I was feeling quite proud of myself for getting up early on a Saturday and going to my fitness class so I decided to celebrate with a pastry. It was, miraculously, not raining and I headed out to Commercial Drive in search of my treat. Not even three blocks from my house, I went in for my first visit to Andy's Bakery.

Harambe

Ethiopian food is the coolest because you get to eat it with your fingers and spongy bread, it is all about sharing and it is usually really spicy. These are three good things in my book. My favorite Ethiopian restaurant is in my hood on Commercial Drive, Harambe.

Eat, Drink & Perch at the ARC Cafe

Eat, Drink & Perch has been on my wish list for as long as I have been back on the drive. Located at the bottom of Commercial Drive, it is one of the closest breakfast joints to my house. It was a lovely Saturday morning when I finally made it down there. I had just finished an early morning exercise class and decided to reward myself with a new breakfast experience. So much better than I had expected.

Sake Maki

I have resisted going into Sake Maki  but not because of anything Sake Maki has done (I have heard good things about them) but because I really like the restaurant that used to be in that space.  They had an awesome peanut satay soup that I will never have again...  However, I put that aside and stopped in to fulfill a sushi craving on my way to the Trout Lake Farmer's Market a few weeks ago. 

Cafe Deux Soleil

I lived down the street from Cafe Deux Soleil for 10 years. For seven of those years I was a vegan. I have eaten more tofu scramble than I could possibly put a number to. (Note to current vegans: I don't know if the tofu scramble is completely vegan. You should ask, I never did and just assumed it was. Back then the breakfast options were severely limited.) Cafe Deux Soleil has been on the Drive forever, or at least since I started hanging around in the late 90s.

Theresa's

I have been going to Theresa's, in one form or another, for years now. Back in the day it was a favorite breakfast place of the old band, Hurricane Kitty. We liked it because they had a good vegetarian breakfast and because of the owner, Theresa. She remembered every person who came in and what they ordered. I have always been amazed/jealous of people who could do that.

Theresa moved away and the restaurant then became a worker owned and run co-op cafe that they named Theresa's. They renovated, I don't miss the corrugated metal wall that people wrote on, and slowly the things that I enjoyed about the restaurant changed. The service became a bit standoffish, the potatoes and bread changed. We slowly stopped going. Then Big M and I moved to Burnaby and the restaurant had a kitchen fire (not related). Now we have moved back to the Drive and the restaurant has reopened (also coincidence) so we thought it would be a good time to go back.

Britannia Sushi

One of the things that I love about Vancouver is our rush to the patio whenever there is even a suggestion of sun. Even if it is not warm. Just turn on the patio heater and bring on the sangria!

It was one of those days that brought me to Britannia Sushi on Commercial Drive. Britannia is the closest sushi place from my house when I head south on Commercial. They do have a patio but I really don't enjoy eating my food outside when the weather is below 20. I know, strange for a Vancouverite.

The Prophouse Cafe

I ride my bike past The Prophouse Cafe almost every day. They have one of the more interesting concepts for a restaurant in the area. From what I can tell, they originally opened the store as a movie rental/vintage shop and then they decided to add a cafe/coffee shop to that list.



I think the best word to describe this place is eclectic.

Red Pagoda

It was a rare sunny day that brought me out for a walk down Commercial Drive. A trip to Home Depot, some new pants at Spank and lunch at Red Pagoda were on the agenda.

Red Pagoda is one of the restaurants that appeared during my absence from living on Commercial. This spot used to be an Indian restaurant that I enjoyed, but I am happy to have a pho restaurant on the Drive! And even happier that it was good pho.

The Charlatan

I mistakenly left Commercial Drive for a couple of years, so I hadn't been into The Charlatan yet. I know that it was there before I left but I actually hadn't been in that spot since it was Bukowski's Pub. I spent a lot of time in Bukowski's Pub, back in the day.

Yvette and I set up another Drinks on the Drive date and we decided on The Charlatan as it is somewhere in the middle of where we both live. I found out from their website that they are the same group that runs The Five Point on Main St. Excellent, I like that joint.