The Cannibal Cafe

Ever since I discovered that ground beef, cheese, and toppings could be eaten between two pieces of bread (since forever), I've been on the hunt for the best burger in Vancouver.

I've had my fair share of burgers, ranging from Romer's to Steamworks (yes, their lamb burger is amazing), to Stackhouse, and Relish. I've also been to the main burger chains, like Red Robin, A&W, White Spot...you name it -- I've been there.

Then, one glorious day I decided to take Tammy out to The Cannibal Cafe (1818 Commercial Drive). We'd heard good things about the place, enough to entice us into the burger joint and give their menu a try. Keep in mind, the first time we were here I wasn't prepared to take photos. I just wanted my damn burger.

We were very impressed the first time around! I had the Kowabunga burger. This burger was grilled to perfection. First off, the patty is made from three different cuts of beef. The combination makes for a meaty, juicy patty with so much flavour! It had provolone cheese, marinara sauce, and I can't remember what else, but it was perfection in between burger buns. The only downfall is I didn't get a picture of this beauty.

So, I brought my best friend Mike and his girl Megs along with myself and Tammy for Mike's birthday. We both tried to order the Kowabunga (just a few weeks after I first had it), and they DISCONTINUED IT!! Now, I'm not complaining, but guys, please, bring back the Kowabunga!

Instead, I ordered the "Bacon Bad". Yes, it's a play on the show Breaking Bad, and I'd hoped that the burger would live up to the name. Oh dear lord, did it ever.

Bacon Bad @ The Cannibal Cafe
1818 Commercial Drive, Vancouver, BC
Photo: Brewji

This bad boy had everything you'd ever want on a burger. It had a solid patty (not sure how many ounces), but the patty is stuffed with bacon and cheddar!! On top of that, it had a serious helping of applewood-smoked bacon, a generous slice of Canadian cheddar, maple bacon bourbon jam, and roasted garlic mayo. On top of that, your usual lettuce, onion, tomato, and pickle.

If you're not drooling after the picture and the description, maybe the slightly-darker-than-golden battered onion rings will tickle your fancy. They're crispy and golden on the outside, topped with Parmesan cheese, and served with a delicious smoky red pepper mayo.

Bacon Bad + Onion Rings @ The Cannibal Cafe
1818 Commercial Drive, Vancouver, BC
Photo: Brewji

On first bite, the burger is exactly what you'd imagine. It's like biting into all the little things that make up taste-bud-heaven. There's bacon, there's beef, there's cheddar, there's more bacon, there's the roasted garlic mayo, then bacon-bourbon jam, and oh yeah -- more bacon! It's like they invented someone's "last meal" and put it in between two buns. The onion rings make an awesome sidekick to this powerhouse.

If you love burgers, you'll love The Cannibal Cafe.


Bonus: BRUNCH!

Tammy and I were so happy with the burgers and our beers, that we decided to come back for Brunch! Unfortunately, the effects of alcohol and hunger and all other things made sure that I only got a poor-quality snapshot of the brunch we ate.

Hungry Man Breakfast + Caesar @ The Cannibal Cafe
1818 Commercial Drive, Vancouver, BC
Photo: Brewji

For a mere $9.95, we each got the Hungry Man Breakfast. It consists of 3 Eggs any style (we like them over-medium), fresh made hashbrowns, sausage, applewood-smoked bacon (the same as on the Bacon Bad), tomato, onion, mushrooms, and a biscuit.

Tammy also got a Caesar. I don't drink that stuff (yuck!), but if you do, she says they're great. She also wants to point out that they ask you what type of alcohol you'd like in your Caesar. Apparently they don't normally do that at places. She's happy about that!


Tammy gives The Cannibal Cafe a bring-back-the-Kowabunga 9.0 / 10

I give The Cannibal Cafe a jaw-dropping-full-mouth-of-drool 10 / 10

Gingerhead Gingerbread Stout by Central City

Well, I've officially broken in the new year with a new beer! I know, I've been hesitant to get back on the brew-wagon since that epic New Year's Eve.

Either way, Tammy and I picked up the Gingerhead Gingerbread Stout (ABV 6.0%) by Central City Brewing. It's classified as an Irish Dry Stout, but we'll see what my Irish girl and I think of this. Most beers I've had from Central City have been pretty spot-on, if not spectacular. I've mentioned before that I used to frequent their brew pub in Surrey when I was an SFU student. However, their food has become more "high-class" and their prices have reflected that (as of my last few visits...their nachos used to be killer!).

Gingerhead Gingerbread Stout by Central City Brewing
@Brewji HQ
Photo: Brewji, Totally Tammy

The stout poured well, albeit with little to no head. I know I don't have the "proper glassware", but I was still expecting some. It appeared to have more carbonation than most other stouts.

It smelled mildly sweet, with barely a hint of toffee and/or caramel. However, this was just after being taken out of the fridge. As a rookie mistake, I forgot to let it sit for a few minutes to warm up and let the flavours come out.

Gingerhead Gingerbread Stout by Central City Brewing
@Brewji HQ
Photo: Brewji, Totally Tammy

After 10-15 minutes of letting it warm up, I could really taste a hint of gingerbread cookies! The first sip was robust yet sweet, with notes of oatmeal, ginger, and cocoa (or chocolate). This is seriously a hit! If they released this in six-pack bottles, we'd probably pick up a few for friends and family when they visit.

All that being said -- if you're not a stout person, give this a go. It's smooth, tasty, and definitely puts a winter-y twist on an Irish Dry Stout without losing its merit. If you don't like gingerbread cookies or stout, then chances are you should be looking at some of my other posts.


Tammy gives the Gingerhead Gingerbread Stout a forget-the-cookie-gimme-a-beer 8.5 / 10
I give the Gingerhead Gingerbread Stout a no-wonder-Ron-got-Hermoine 9.0 / 10

Jules Cafe (Burnaby's Hidden Diner)

Now, don't get me wrong, there are a few places in Burnaby (and the Greater Vancouver area) that do a mean breakfast. But, what we're missing is a place that's close to home, that feels like home, and that doesn't kick the crap out of your wallet.

Tammy and I made the 35 minute walk to Jules Cafe (5205 Rumble Street; near Rumble and Royal Oak) last weekend, and were we ever surprised! From the moment we walked in the door, it felt like a small town diner. It seemed that everyone there were regulars, and she knew right away that we weren't from there. I'm not sure if Jules is the older Asian lady behind the register, or if the place was named after someone, but everyone there was so courteous and made our experience feel like home.

Coffee with Soy Milk @ Jules Cafe
Burnaby, BC
Photo: Brewji, Totally Tammy

We started with a cup of coffee each. Since we're both lactose-intolerant, we asked if they had any non-dairy milks available. We weren't expecting anything, as they're a diner and not a specialty coffee house (especially after Fondway sucked it hard by claiming they only have "real milk"). The kind lady behind the counter had no problem with providing us with soy milk. She even asked us to sit and get comfortable, and she walked the coffees out to us.

What we didn't expect was they had different types of coffee available as well (and our coffees were good!). I didn't get a good look at where they source their coffee from, but it looks like its either fair-trade, or something unique. The best I could make out with my glasses on was they had a medium roast, dark roast, and there was at least a third option. We'll figure it out eventually.

Super Traditional Breakfast with Bacon @ Jules Cafe
Burnaby, BC
Photo: Brewji, Totally Tammy

Since we'd pretty much just hiked through part of Burnaby, we were starving. After taking a look at the menu, we decided to each get the Super Traditional Breakfast. For $8.00, you really can't go wrong. It comes with 3 Eggs (any style), your choice of either 3 Bacon Strips, 3 Sausages, or Ham, alongside Hashbrowns and Toast.

The quality of the food was better than we'd expected. For the price, this even destroys IHOP and Denny's, not to mention in quality of ingredients and the service we received.

Super Traditional Breakfast (2) @ Jules Cafe
Burnaby, BC
Photo: Brewji, Totally Tammy

We will definitely be back to either have more breakfast, or to do lunch. They serve burgers as well, and have a daily special from the chef.

Jules Cafe gets a cozy-comfortable-and-affordably-delicious 8.5 / 10

Dinesty (on Kingsway)

Apologies for the loss of the post!

Blogger *sucks* and lost my entire post! So, I've had to re-write EVERYTHING. /end rant

These last few weeks, I've begun to realize how much I love food. It's a double-edged sword, with the amount of digestive issues I put up with. That aside, I bring you to a new-ish location of Dinesty Dumpling House, which has their main location in Richmond, and another location in Vancouver.

Tammy and I decided to take a walk along Kingsway, and we found ourselves at Dinesty Dumpling House. We didn't wait long to be seated - maybe five minutes or so. This was during a busy lunch rush, so we were appreciative of that!

The service was quick and polite. We had our tea poured for us, and we decided to share three items. The first dish to come to our table (within five minutes of ordering!) was the Shanghai Fried Noodles. The noodles were perfectly cooked, tossed in a savoury seasoning sauce, with some stir fried vegetables. They were addicting, and the plate was cleaned up pretty quick! They were only $9.95, and a portion of these could satisfy (close to) my entire appetite if I was super hungry. Okay, maybe it would satisfy everything-but-dessert. Either way, decent portion for the price.

Shanghai Fried Noodles @ Dinesty Dumpling House
Burnaby, BC
Photo: Brewji, Totally Tammy

Next up, we received our Xiao Long Bao (XBL) soup buns. They were smaller than I was expecting, but they looked delicious. We decided to get the steamed chicken XBLs, as most people get the pork -- I wanted to make sure they could do chicken well too!

Steamed Chicken Xiao Long Bao (XBL) @ Dinesty Dumpling House
Burnaby, BC
Photo: Brewji, Totally Tammy

I'd eaten XBLs with chopsticks once before in my life. Using that previous "experience", I attempted to try and teach Tammy (with assistance of the guide in the menu), how to approach the XBLs. First step is to pinch the top of the buns with your chopsticks, and place the XBL in the soup spoon. Then, poke a hole into the XBL and drain the broth into the spoon. From there, enjoy the broth and then eat it! These dumplings were delicious. The broth was on point, and the filling was tasty as well. At a price of $7.50, I've been told it's steep, but it satisfied us both.

Pan-Fried Beef Dumplings @ Dinesty Dumpling House
Burnaby, BC
Photo: Brewji, Totally Tammy

Pictured above were the Pan-Fried Beef Dumplings. These guys were the star of the show! Golden, fried and crispy outside, filled with juicy beef and more pastry. Who doesn't love fried pockets of beefy goodness? We could have easily ordered a few more of these, but we were stuffed after the first two courses. Two of these babies cost a mere $4.25. 

Overall, a restaurant that can serve up tasty, sizeable portions at a price my wallet doesn't cry over, makes for a good review! The service was quite pleasant as well, which bumps this up on the rating scale.

Dinesty Dumpling House (on Kingsway) gets a so-good-it-needs-to-be-re-written 8.5 / 10

Fondway Cafe (Near Metrotown)

Well, we've been getting sick of all the coffee shops around Metrotown really sucking it big time lately.

There's a Waves near Patterson station - let's be honest, nobody likes Waves. There's a Starbucks every time I open my eyes, and a Tim Hortons around every corner. There are a few non-chain coffee shops around Metrotown, but they've all lacked a particular lustre, character, quality of product, or service.

With my cell phone in one hand, and Totally Tammy's hand in my other, we walked over to Fondway Cafe (4462 Beresford Street) and hoped for the best.

Fondway Cafe (Entrance)
Burnaby, BC
Photo: Brewji, Totally Tammy

We entered the cafe, and nobody else was in line, but it took about a full minute for the guy behind the counter to acknowledge us being present. Not kidding - he just stood there, knew we were standing there, and proceeded to ignore us.

He never greeted us, so we had to ask if we could place our order. So we're off to a grrreeeat start - they're not very courteous, nor do they have personalities. It was hard to find any passion for their products whatsoever. Trust me, if you go into EVR (East Van Roasters) in Vancouver, they know passion, because they love their product.

Caramel Nut Tart @ Fondway Cafe
Burnaby, BC
Photo: Brewji, Totally Tammy

One of our first questions was "Do you have any lactose-free or non-dairy milks for coffee/tea/lattes?" - The answer was "No, we only have real milk." Big time failure on their part. How do you open a non-chain coffee shop in the Greater Vancouver area and not understand that 90% of coffee shops (outside of Timmy Ho Ho's) carry at least Soy or Almond milk?

I don't mean to be "one of those" people, but both of us are lactose-intolerant. Actually, more than half of us are lactose-intolerant, but the dairy/meat/wheat industries run the food business...and that's another rant in itself.

Menu @ Fondway Cafe
Burnaby, BC
Photo: Brewji, Totally Tammy

If you're a rich, indecisive tea-drinker, this place might tickle your sack. They've got a wall of tea that looks pretty intimidating. Definitely not as friendly as David's TEA, but you might get that one weird tea you've been searching for. They've got printed details of each tea as well.

Tea Selection @ Fondway Cafe
Burnaby, BC
Photo: Brewji, Totally Tammy

Detailed Tea Description @ Fondway Cafe
Burnaby, BC
Photo: Brewji, Totally Tammy

The only real up-side to this place, is the decor. But even that looks like they bought it out of a "how-to-look-hipster-and-vintage-without-being-cool" catalogue. It just felt so...fake. So pretentious and "upper class".

Did you want a regular coffee? Sorry, you'll have to order pour-over or Americano only. Not only that, but it'll cost you upwards of $3 after tax (and tip, if you can afford it).

Well, my coffee fix usually involves hard, dark, and cold brews (just like my beer). I got a large cold brew, which wasn't very big. Tammy got a hot Americano, because they didn't serve regular coffee, and she didn't want to pay $5 for a pour-over. I also got a cookie, because I'm awesome (who doesn't like cookies?).

Overhead Hipster Foodie Shot  (Cold Brew, Americano, Cookie) @ Fondway Cafe
Burnaby, BC
Photo: Brewji, Totally Tammy

Cookie, Americano, Cold Brew @ Fondway Cafe
Burnaby, BC
Photo: Brewji, Totally Tammy

The cold brew was poured on tap with Nitrogen so it has a smooth, velvety stout-like mouth-feel to it. It wasn't very bitter, and there were some fruity undertones to the brew. It was quite nice, and had a nice caffeine punch to it. It wasn't quite strong enough for $5, but it did its job.

Tammy seemed to enjoy her Americano, but you can read more of what she thought here.

The cookie would have been better left as a Toonie. Tim Horton's makes better cookies, as does Subway. This felt like one of those stale, Blenz cookies that looks like it's suppose to be chocolate-y and chewy but falls short on every aspect of being a cookie.

I don't mean to tear these guys a new hole, but it shouldn't feel like I've been screwed in mine.

Fondway Cafe gets a stop-opening-these-fake-coffee-shops-with-these-new-condos 4.5 / 10

Saffron Indian Cuisine! -- Wait, isn't this food? Why am I reviewing food?

Yes, Brewji has to eat, too! So, why not show off all the delicious grub while I'm at it? I already have my Zomato Profile.

Since Zomato doesn't make it easy to link your blog posts to their reviews (I still can't get my blog linked after hours of effort), I'm going to post it all here! Besides, what goes better with beer than food (or more beer?), right?

To kick off the year, I started with my post on Russell Brewing's holiday brew package. Now, I'm going to show you what my city has to offer! By "My city", I mean the Greater Vancouver area.

Tammy and I were at Saffron Indian Cuisine near Metrotown on New Year's Day. It was one of the only places open, and we finally decided we didn't want a grease-fuelled hangover cure (for dinner).

Before we got our appetizers or our mains, we were treated to some complimentary Papadum (chickpea flour cracker). I thought every table got some, but it turns out we were special :)

Papadum (Complimentary)
Saffron Indian Cuisine, Burnaby, BC
Photo: Brewji

We opted for an order of Vegetable Pakoras to start.

Vegetable Pakoras with Tamarind Chutney
Saffron Indian Cuisine, Burnaby, BC
Photo: Brewji

Then, our mains -- a Thali, each. What's a "Thali"? I dunno, but it sure is a ton of food!

Thali (Regular) - There is a vegetarian option as well
Saffron Indian Cuisine
Photo: Brewji

Tammy's Thali is pictured above.
Here's a breakdown of what it contains:

• Butter Chicken
• Lamb Curry
• Daal Curry
• Chicken Tikka (just a couple of pieces)
• Rice
• Naan
• Dessert (Kheer - Rice Pudding, or Gulab Jamun - like an Indian "Timbit" with sugar syrup)
• Salad (what am I, a rabbit?)

The Butter Chicken is your standard Indian restaurant butter chicken, taken to the next level. It's one of the better ones I've had in Vancouver, and I believe it's Tammy's favourite.

The Lamb Curry was my distinct favourite. The Lamb was perfectly cooked, and it melded in with the spices and created a flavour that my palette didn't know existed. I'm pretty sure I would destroy this if it was ever in the buffet. Who needs rice when you have a spoon?

The Daal Curry was good, but the Lamb Curry stole the show for me. Daal is a mung bean curry, cooked with spices. It's definitely a staple if you're going to have a variety of dishes and aren't sure what to go with.

Oh, and the Chicken Tikka was delicious. You get the spices, which envelop the savoury juicy chicken pieces, and that little tiny bit of char to remind you of the home-cooked feel.

Tammy's Kheer? She loved it. She was stuffed full and still demolished it.

My Gulab Jamun? I didn't get a chance to take a picture...more like "What Gulab Jamun?"

The rice was on point (as you'd expect), and the Naan was soft, fluffy, and so, so useful in eating my Lamb Curry.

I didn't touch my salad. I don't like salads. Mainly because with Crohn's, digesting anything raw that has tons of fibre will hurt like hell (plus, I'm mildly allergic to some raw, uncooked veggies like raw bell peppers and stuff, so I'm not risking it).

---

The Veggie Pakoras were $5.95

The Thalis were $18.95 each

We definitely got our money's worth.

Overall, I'd give Saffron Indian Cuisine a flavourful-and-repeatable 8.5 / 10

Tammy gives Saffron Indian Cuisine a let's-try-more-types-of-curry! 8.5 / 10

A Russell Holiday Experience (late, but awesome.)

Just before the Christmas holidays, the Russell Beer Genie stopped by my apartment and granted us a wish for beer with some amazing creations! I promised him (and Russell Brewing) that this would kick-start the blog back into action!

What exactly did I receive? Check out this sweet picture -- I received 3 bomber bottles and a six-pack of Russell's Angry Scotch Ale! I took my time enjoying them, as there were other spirits which induced inebriation over the holidays. Either way, it's a new year with new posts! I've got a new job, which allows me the free time to actually have a life, and enjoy it too!

Below, you'll find the Punch Bowl IPA (6.5% ABV; 65 IBU), the Farm Fresh IPA (6.5% ABV), and the Timbertrain Coffee Stout (6.5% ABV; 50 IBU). I've previously reviewed the Wee Angry Scotch Ale.

A Wee Angry Scotch Ale, Punch Bowl IPA, Farm Fresh IPA, & Timbertrain Coffee Stout
 by Russell Brewing, @ Brewji Home
Photo: Brewji

The last few weeks have been tough, being the household (and general family) tech support guy, not having a computer that "works". Likewise, there's a bandage solution that allows me to post this!

Let's kick it off with the one I was most eager to try - the Timbertrain Coffee Stout (6.5% ABV; 50 IBU). As many of you already know, coffee stouts get me wet with excitement (salivary glands, obviously...). This stout smells like it's a dark ale (maybe a Rickard's Dark?) infused with coffee. On taste, you get a more medium-bodied mouthfeel with a roasted cocoa malt in the middle taste, which stands out the most. It's a bit more robust and a little less full-bodied than a "stout", but it still ranks as one of my favourite beers from Russell. Great collaboration on this one!

I give the Timbertrain Coffee Stout a two-heads-are-better-than-one 9.5 / 10
Tammy gives the Timbertrain Coffee Stout a those-must-be-some-magic-beans 9.0 / 10

Next up, we have the Punch Bowl IPA (6.5% ABV; 65 IBU). Now, Tammy isn't necessarily the biggest fan of IPAs, but I've had my phase of "my beer is cooler than yours because I can hold my bitterness gag reflex". IPAs are definitely a category I won't let go of, but it takes a good IPA to wow me. The Punch Bowl sets off notes of citrus and particularly grapefruit in the scent. On first taste, I got orange notes, followed by some sweetness and then the tartness of the grapefruit and bitterness of the hops kicked in. It's like the fruit medley of IPAs. I'd probably pound a pint at my local taproom.

I give the Punch Bowl IPA a not-my-type-but-totally-do-able 7.0 / 10
Tammy gives the Punch Bowl IPA a surprisingly-impressed 6.0 / 10

Finally, to end the magic wishes granted by the Russell Beer Genie, we switch over to the Farm Fresh IPA (6.5% ABV). Now, judging by the smell, it's your standard IPA with a little citrus and a little hops. On first taste, however, it feels like a mix between a Berliner Weisse and an IPA. I know, it sounds kind of weird, but maybe that's where the Farm Fresh terminology comes in. It initially reminded me of the Thirsty Farmer Saison from Granville Island, but then it tasted like someone poured that directly into a hoppy Northwest Pale Ale. Not quite my glass of ale, but I can see the flavour combinations and the intention behind the brew. I commend that.

I give the Farm Fresh IPA an honest thanks-but-I'll-stick-to-the-stout 4.0 / 10.
Tammy didn't get a chance to try this one...she wasn't home!