Noshwellmenu

Depending on how you look at it, Little Nest just off Commercial Drive could be a haven for road weary parents, or a nightmare of screaming rug rats for the childless diners. The open concept cafe serves egg breakfasts, lunch sandwiches and a variety of freshly baked goods.

Little Nest has a frequently shifting menu scrawled upon a large blackboard near the front. There’s coffee aplenty to recharge out of gas parents and a bevy of baked goods available — a nod to the chef and owner’s baking background. The lunch menu consists primarily of soup, salad and assorted baguette sandwiches.

I ordered the Eggs of the Day, part of a revolving menu of poached or scrambled egg — organic and free range, of course — with a beautifully rustic, toasted baguette. The eggs at Little Nest are perfectly scrambled: buttery, fluffy — not rubbery as is common at most restaurants. Today, those eggs were accompanied by a plainly dressed arugula salad and a lamb merguez sausage over chickpeas and a side of mint chutney.

For Case, the French toast: a light and fluffy brioche gingerly dipped with egg wash elevated ever so slightly with poached pears, crumbled nuts and a dusting of icing sugar. Our breakfasts were accompanied with a nice, re-energizing cup of Americano.

Be forewarned, however, unless you have kids of your own, you may be overwhelmed by the cacophony of high pitch squealing that echoes endlessly throughout the dining room. Beside the family style picnic tables is a play area where little ones have full license to run amok hewing books, blocks and whatever else isn’t nailed down.

Our meal including taxes and tips came to just over $35, which makes Little Nest a little pricier than most breakfast spots in Vancouver. However, given the quality of food and the sanctuary provided for children, this could very well be a parents’ oasis.

— ♠ —