BreakfastRoundel Cafe
[rating:2]
Roundel Cafe serves as the local greasy spoon hang out for the Hastings-Sunrise neighborhood, fully equipped with a breakfast bar, a ragtag staff ranging from scruffy to hipster and vintage kitchen equipment. The lackadaisical atmosphere can be both off-putting or relaxing depending on your mood, but for a mostly classic breakfast joint, Roundel Cafe may suffice.
(Top to bottom: 1. Vintage kitchen equipment. 2. Huevos Rancheros.)
The decor is a mix of eclectic, garage-sale furnishings and aging fixtures. Daily specials are written up on a a chalkboard inconveniently hung on one side that is hidden to half of the dining room. Our over-caffeinated and upbeat server helped us out by firing off the specials rapidly. Case settled on the Huevos Rancheros, while I decided on the classic two egg breakfast with sausage.
Service was achingly slow. Our breakfast took at least 3o minutes to arrive, enough to try even the most patient of diners. Our server did come by to apologize periodically, while berating the kitchen staff as we nursed our two cups of coffees. The classic breakfast is served with an overly dressed mixed green salad and nicely grilled home fries. The over-easy eggs were so-so, partially overdone, while the thinly sliced sausages were tasty but stingy on portions.
Case’s Huevos Rancheros were half decent, but lacked consistent seasoning featuring plating that appeared to be done by preschoolers during a session of playtime. The over easy eggs were served half broken with piles of guacamole, black bean and salsa on top of a stale tortilla. Yoghourt was substituted for sour cream.
(Above: Classic breakfast with eggs over easy, sausage, mixed green salad and pan fried potatoes.)
Our meal came to just under $25 including taxes and tips, which felt pricey for what we ended up getting. Roundel Cafe boasts mostly organic and locally sourced ingredients, which is admirable, but doesn’t displace the need for consistency of food and service. Roundel Cafe is a feisty and quirky diner that has potential, but just hasn’t quite lived up to it yet.
Perfect for: breakfast for diners with Ghandi-esque patience and tolerance, or have a lot of time to kill.
The Details
2465 East Hastings Street, Vancouver
604.253.2522
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