I have a recurring dream and it goes like this. I am my adult size (which admittedly isn’t very tall) and I’m on a child’s first tricycle. In my dream it’s out of control and I find myself screeching around the corner, flying over giant cracks in the pavement and going down stairs my head bobbing uncontrollably. It’s a mortal fear of bike riding. I realise it’s not normal and that millions, probably billions can ride a bike but it’s a fear of mine. It wasn’t helped by an ex boyfriend teaching me how to ride a bike in a concrete car park where I fell off and received a giant scar on my chin. And I never rode again until Mr NQN (who rides to work) convinced me to ride on the back of a tandem bike. So when I receive the itinerary telling me that I’m booked to ride a bike around Stanley Park I’m full of trepidation. But first things first-breakfast! Mr NQN and I head off to Cafe Medina on Beatty Street in Vancouver.
Waffle porn. I wonder if anyone pinches one?
Lavender Latte
The lavender latte is delicious and distinct with the lavender flavour, tasting of dried lavender flowers. It’s also slightly sweetened so that it doesn’t need any sugar.
Moroccan
Mr NQN chooses a very intriguing breakfast cocktail containing blood orange juice and sumac. Not bad at all!
Waffles
The waffles are made fresh daily on the premises and the tempting display near the window excites me (you know I get excited about food!). Toppings are $1.00 extra and we try a few of them. I love the white chocolate pistachio topping especially when mixed with the mixed berry (tart and sweet) and the waffles are worth every calorie.
Smoked salmon bagel
I try some of Mr NQN’s bagel. We ordered smoked salmon as that is a speciality here and it’s creamy on a thin, toasted bagel giving it just the right ratio to topping (sometimes thick bagels just don’t work for me unless they’re slathered with inch thick topping (yes I’m a glutton). The smoked salmon is redolent in dill which I love and it’s accompanied by a lightly dressed rocket salad.
Fricassee
The fricassee is an item that they just aren’t allowed to take off the menu. As soon as I see beef short ribs I’m wowed and whilst I don’t usually eat short ribs for breakfast but I figure when in Canada do what they do right? The fricassee is presented in a cast iron skillet and features a bed of shredded beef short rib meat, diced green apple, rocket and two sunny side up eggs. It’s good but very rich and we can imagine very popular come the winter months.
My strategy of course was to load up on carbs and delicious food in preparation for my Tour de France effort aka cycling around Stanley Park.
Mr NQN wants an adult’s sized version in our place. In our tiny place…
I shall name thee…pineapple island!
When I told Tourism Canada about my embarrassing fear they booked us a tandem bike instead which is a huge relief. We rent our tandem from Bayshore Bikes bikes and I’m wobbly at first and we need to get our instructions clear. When Mr NQN is going to stop or change gears he tells me, or risk embarrassing himself with a screaming back seat rider. Stanley Park is one of the largest urban parks in North America at 1,001 acres and is best negotiated by bike rather than by foot. We are headed to The Teahouse in the upper section of Stanley Park which is about a 30 minute ride or closer to 45 minutes if you stop and take pictures as we do.
Canadian Beaches-with logs to rest against!
The view from in front of The Teahouse
We reach Ferguson Point and The Teahouse is a welcome oasis (especially for my sore bottom! Too much info? OK I know…). Walking like a cowgirl I alight the bike and we park it and make our way inside. There is an outside patio area and an inside area which has wide windows and a beautiful view. The menu is said to include typical West Coast cuisine and I am drawn to the seafood and something light as we’ve had a late breakfast.
Amuse bouche
Our amuse bouche is a juicy scallop ceviche which is highlighted with mint vinaigrette and given a touch of crunch from diced Spanish onion.
Caesar salad with chicken $14
Mr NQN lets me share this caesar salad with him. The grilled chicken breast doesn’t actually have the grill taste but it is moist and tender. The cos salad leaves are perfectly dressed with the creamy anchovy dressing and tiny bacon pieces.
Poutine $9
You know I missed poutine right? So I had to order this. The chef here actually hails from Quebec. It comes with the cheese curds and gravy but the chips aren’t perhaps quite hot enough and the curds don’t fully melt. The chips also get soggy quite quickly.
Scallops $10.50
The Qualicom Pacific scallops are local and come from an Island just north of Nanaimo. They’re fat and juicy (oh how I do love Canadian scallops!) and the texture is less stringy than other scallops and the inside texture is creamy in texture and almost a touch watery in the centre. It’s on a bed of the omnipresent olive and caper tapenade but I prefer them just grilled with a drizzle of olive oil. And don’t you just love those prices?
Prawns $14
The wild prawns are also local and come in a cold, spicy tomato soup. They’re good with a lovely bitey texture and I particularly like the char grill flavour with the spicy soup.
Halibut $26
Mr NQN’s thick fillet of halibut comes pan seared and accompanied by an heirloom tomato and fennel salad and a creamy fennel sauce. Intriguingly the deep fried chickpeas are a welcome crunch to the sweet tomatoes and aniseedy fennel and soft fish.
Lime cheesecake $8
We’d seen the cheesecake making the rounds of the restaurant. We’re not disappointed and the cheesecake is light and delectably good. I love the addition of lime which I find really lightens rich cheesecakes. The base is quick thick but it is buttery and the cake is accompanied with a luscious mango cream. I made emergency stomach room for this negotiating with my stomach to do more bike riding around Stanley Park afterwards.
Pistachio creme brulee $8
The pistachio creme brulee comes with a thin, crunchy toffee top which gives a satisfying crunch when tapped with the spoon. Inside the custard is silky although it does taste more almondy than pistachioey (and there is such a difference in the taste of those two nuts).
Like all deals with the exercise devil, I must pay the penance and get on the bike. Mr NQN is patient with me even when I’m cursing my love of that cheesecake and yelling that “My ass hurts!”. He even rides me back along the bike paths back to the hotel where I walk like a cowgirl to our room. I’m so elegant darlings!
Mavis
Do you remember me telling you about Mavis and Beau? They are the Fairmont Hotel’s mascots. These golden labradors are available for walking should you miss your dog, for general greetings and potential food pilfering from guests (all done politely of course). And they’re absolutely adorable. Mavis is older than Beau, wears a Louis Vuitton collar and is the diva of the two. She goes up to the hallowed Fairmont gold floors and seems to just love food to no end. Beau however is a chilled character that spends most of the day chilling and lying about as he just about can’t be bothered doing all that much apart from chilling. And yes there is a startling similarity with Mr NQN and I. Except Mr NQN would refuse to wear Gucci whereas Beau wears a Gucci collar.
Mr NQN and I decided to take Mavis on a walk to Japadog, the famous hot dog stand that has everyone in Vancouver salivating. In fact we’ve lost track of how many people including strangers have recommended Japadog to us (although my friend Kathy was the first to tell me to visit it). So one afternoon we took Mavis for a quick stroll to Japadog (sorry Mavis, no Japadog for you but you did get treats!).
We take her out and she’s slow at first which is understandable as the poor dear is nine years old. She speeds up when she sees the first hot dog stand and we pass two stands that aren’t Japadog and she speeds up each time. We reach the stand and it’s the one with the small crowd around it.
People are looking at the stand and I overhear the conversation of one man to another who is new to the Japadog phenomenon. The sage says to the newbie simply “It’s the teri mayo, that is it.” The man receiving these words of wisdom nods and orders some to go. I do the same upon Kathy’s urging and order a beef Japadog and they give me a laminated number and I wait. There is also a store that has opened up but as a lover of street food I’m sticking with the original experience.
Japadog Teri Mayo $4.75
I’m busy reading the home made looking put together sign with pictures of famous celebrities including Anthony Bourdain (who featured it in an episode of “No Reservations” and Ice Cube who apparently ate 10 of them. A few minutes later, as Mavis is eyeing off the treats so well hidden in Mr NQN’s hand, I get my Japadog. It’s a pink beef sausages, a lightly toasted white bun, shavings of nori seaweed (which promptly go straight up my nose!), teriyaki sauce and Japanese mayo. It is very good indeed, probably the best quality hot dog you can get.
And as for Mavis? Well her eyes did follow the hot dog as it was passed from Mr NQN’s mouth to mine but I think she was licking her lips in memory of her treat.
So tell me Dear Reader, do you have a recurring dream?
NQN and Mr NQN explored Canada as a guest of Tourism Canada
Medina Cafe
556 Beatty Street, Vancouver, BC V6B 2L3, Canada
Tel: +1 (604) 879-3114
The Teahouse
Ferguson Point, Stanley Park Drive, Vancouver, BC, Canada
Tel: +1 604.669.3281
Japadog
899 Burard Street, Vancouver, BC, Canada
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49 Comments | Add your own
Great shot of Mavis!
And beef ribs for brekkie Canadian-style? Yes, yes, yes! LOL
So many waffles, they look so good. I would have pinched one
If it makes you feel better, I have the same fear of bikes and still don’t know how to ride. Cheesecake Boy trying to get me on one, but not successfully like Mr NQN, lol.
That is quite funny that you don’t ride a bike and Mr NQN rides to work! That waffle looks so yummy and that lime cheesecake, and of course the hotdog, i would love to buy one
So sweet you can take the dog for a walk, i definitely would have too as i would be missing my dog so much.
oh my – yes – those waffles = delightful!
I dream about work. It’s not a pleasant dream & I wake up exhausted. After all I worked all night.
haha! i can’t believe the hotel has dog-mascots. i think that is the best idea ever.. and lol @ the japanese hot dogs. – quite a fusion of flavors!
What a lovely ‘review’ to wake up to after being up half the night to find out what the Danish twins were to be called! (Ouch – am up myself, I know, but sure could have done better methinks!)
Lovely photos, interesting places – some seen on the ‘Bourdain journey’. Envied you two things: the glorious looking seafood and the walk with Mavis! Oh, besides loving food, wine and cycling, am pretty crazy about dogs as well! Have a happy weekend!
It’s frightening how much we are alike at times. I, too, am horrible at riding a bike. But I have a geographic excuse. Well, sort of. Seems all my girlfriends who grew up living on a hill in San Francisco cannot ride bikes. Hah. It’s true! So, I’m one of the pack. That’s why I stick to spinning classes in the gym instead. But I’ve always wanted to try a tandem, as my hubby rides street and mountain bikes all the time. Hmmm, maybe I can convince him now that if you guys can do it without coming to blows, then we can, too.
I want to visit vancouver someday too! My mom told me that Cantonese fares there are not bad
I biked around Stanley Park! That’s where the profile pic on my blog was taken. I also fell off my bike in Stanley Park… but not badly
Lorraine, Mavis is so cute! She looks so happy in the photos, they made me chuckle out loud.
I have a reoccuring dream of being 4 years old and going to daycare in my underpants. I never actually did it but I keep dreaming about it!
Am probably placing this in the wrong blog, but, courtesy of an ex-advertising guru friend as of ten mins ago -’What’s wrong with the Danish Royal names? – Prince Vinnie-de-Paul and Princess Not Tonight?’ Deep apologies and I truly AM looking at all the food photos!! PROMISE to behave tomorrow!
omg! i dont know how to ride a bike either. My dad said he will run with me and stabilise the bike but when that did happen, he was on the other side of the park. I fell, and never rode again. Oh my traumatising childhood.
oh and the amuse bouche looks awesome!
I’ve done that bike ride around stanley park too and I cannot ride a bike at all! I needed a cider in the sun at 3rd beach to give me liquid confidence
LOVE Medina Cafe too! My best friend moved to Vancouver and told us about it when we went to visit her in January this year. Delicious! I’m a sucker for maple syrup on the waffles though
The dog walking is such a great idea of the hotels. I don’t have a dog at home but being in Vancouver where EVERYONE has a dog made me miss the puppy i didn’t have.
Going to admit I didn’t enjoy my japa-dog in Van city that much… maybe I chose the wrong one…
Great story, I can’t imagine being so afraid of ridIng a bike that I had nightmares! I suspect your dream was about more than a feat if bike riding.
So much great food, the waffles look amazing!
I still remember when I was riding a bike around Stanley Park in Vancouver too. Such a great memory only that I didn’t have a nice meal like u had
Your breakfast = Made of Awesome.
Great photography BTW.
Lorraine, I missed posting on here! I have been barely on my laptop and using my device (which is so hard to comment). I’m glad I’m back on here so I can express my feelings! YAY!!!! As usual, I totally enjoy your “days”. Maybe it’s time to go to a Raw Vegan place? That would be neat!
The waffles looked GREAT…loved the pix with all the waffles on the rack. I could practically bite it and taste it
G’day! (Once again), always enjoy seeing something “food new”, and about various places and experiences to put “On The List” too!
Recurring dream that comes to me?
Receiving an exquisive envelope with a “NQN Royal Wax Seal” invite for an unusual meal experience from you to thee
WHOO HOO!
I’ve never tasted a lavender latte it must be very pleasant.
So nice places…oh Canadian beaches…here the cold days are coming…
Cheers,
Gera
LOL – “I wonder if anyone pinches one”. Mavis is adorable and these are such sunny photos – makes me want to be there. No recurring dreams here – perhaps recurring nightmares??
I would never allow that fricassee to be taken off the menu either!! It looks amzing!!!
Mavis is gorgeous
My recurring dreams usually involve some kind of “performance anxiety” – like 10 people turning up for dinner and not a scrap of food in the kitchen…or finding myself as teacher in front of a photography class full of expectant adult learners with no camera, no equipment, and no idea about the art of photography! (I mumbled something about the room being too small and escaped to “talk to administration”!!!) 
Exquisite photo of the amuse bouche – so delicate. Is that a chive flower garnish? tres jolie
Poutine and a lavender latte – those two creations seem like such oopposite ends of the spectrum to me! Love it! Thank you for another gorgeous travel post, Lorraine. It soothes my aching travel heart a little bit.
REOCCURRING DREAM: I am a Private Investigator type person with skills in jumping from building to building and falling from great heights always landing on my feet, I am chasing someone… I don’t know who, but the dream goes on forever, it always ends with me being tapped on the shoulder and I turn around… And Bam… Im awake. So not cool!
Love the cheesecake. Limes make me think of Summer and who doesnt love cheese?!
I’m in love with the scallops, halibut and the prawns. And what a beautiful dog!
You had all those amazing things for breakfast! How I envy you! And if I’d been near that waffle display, I would most certainly have snitched one away. ;p
Oh my – Mavis is so cute!
Gotta love Vancouver, it’s the most-like Sydney city in the world right down to the shell like structure on the harbour!
Love the logs on the beach!
I would love to take a nice day off like this. The weather’s good and the sun’s out. I can only imagine myself getting confused to which food to taste first! I love your blog, by the way. Cheers!
as usual everything looks so fabulous!i love your dog!
Dear, L.
I am feeling a bit like a stalker…because I looooooooove your blogs & food & wild adventures…. love love love them.
Lets see, if I could pick one item…it would have to be the “Pistachio creme brulee…” And of course, I’d want to bring Mavis for a loooong walk to tighten up the fat ass. xxx Kiss
those waflles oh goodness, but what really excited me was the lavender latte!!
sweetlife
Lol to waffle porn! That scallop amuse bouche looked delish!
Haha, ‘waffle porn’, love it
Also, your amuse bouche looks really good, we got served an ‘amuse bouche’ once and it was just some watercress and prawns in a shot glass…
I want to go to Canada just for those scallops and hotdogs!
My dreams usually consist of replaying arguments, but this time I have witty comments on the tip of my tongue, and I always win! Either that, or I’m cooking tomorrows dishes for the reataurant- talk about dedication!
You had me at waffle porn. Seriously. How cute is Mavis and Japadog – I just ‘got it’ at the end
Fab, I love the Canadian posts!
I love Mavis. I had an aunty Mavis – she was lovely too.
No recurring dream now but as a child I did – I had HUGE hands & was outside near our water tank. It was weird
the waffles look omg amazing!! & I absolutely love the sound of the lavender latte! Beautiful 
Heidi xo
Mavis is too adorable – what a cute idea it is to have hotel dogs! They really do live in the lap of luxury.
I still haven’t tried a Japadog!
Yum. Simply,unequivicably YUM. What was that bubbly brittle atop the cheesecake? Was it tasty, or just an amusing decoration? Say what they will about corn syrup,it is only liquid sugar and I do love experimenting with brittles. And, oh, how those scallops get to me, every time I see the searing/grill marks….As to recurring dreams, it is always about the computer and things that don’t make sense.
I am definitely heading to japadog goodness! Can’t wait
I am always amazed when you do your canadian posts at how cheap everything is over there. I so want one of those Japadog stalls near me though! Although I don’t think they would be too hard to recreate.
If you ever go to NYC you have to go to kriffdog’s – they are the best hot dogs you have ever tasted – I’m talking sausage wrapped in bacon and deep fried – don’t knock it till you tried it!! Also it’s the place where you can enter the bar next door through a telephone booth! Very Get Smart!
I want to go to Canada just for the scallops! Love your Canada posts
Yummers!! I think I’ll have to check out Medina. Didn’t know we Canadians had short ribs for brekkie! But sure looks and sounds awesome!
Great blog. Looked like you had a great stay in Vancouver.
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