Rating / 4 out of 5 stars

Campagnola Roma is the relatively new kid on the block in the Hastings and Sunrise neighbourhood. It’s part of a cluster of restaurants, both older (Le Do and Seri Malaysia) and newer (Red Wagon Cafe, Bo Laksa) providing the East Hastings corridor with a diverse range of restaurants. While the original Campagnolo’s dishes hail from the Northern parts of Italy, Campagnola Roma travels a little further South to Rome.

(Above: Tagliatelle topped with artichoke,  Calabrain chili and lemon.)

The space in Campagnolo Roma seems cramped at first, yet feels decently sized when you settle in. The gorgeous wood paneling add drama and are reminiscent of the decor from Campagnolo on Main. Outside, a few tables are set up for those that wish to dine under the stars, with blankets ready waiting in case you get chilly.

(Above: Campagnolo’s one draft ale, a perfectly light, crisp accompaniment to pizza and pasta.)

The menu is simple and mouth watering. We started with a half order of tagliatelle, a handful of homemade tagliatelle noodles cooked perfectly al dente with shreds of artichokes and seasoned with Calabrian chili and lemon. Perfectly simple.

Next, Romana pizza: a light, crispy flatbread topped with olives, anchovy and tomato sauce. No cheese. The simplicity of the dish allowed our taste buds to savour all the fresh ingredients: the subtle saltiness of the anchovies, fragrant olives and wonderful tomatoes.

(Above: Romana Pizza, topped with olives, anchovy, basil and tomato. No cheese for this pizza.)

Our bill including a beer, taxes and tips came to just under $40. The service for the most part was attentive and friendly. I have to admit a slight preference for Campagnola Roma over the original — I like the casualness. You won’t find oversized portions of pasta or greasy pizza at Roma. Instead, you’ll enjoy the simple and rustic flavours of Rome made from fresh, local ingredients.

Perfect for: Rustic Italian in the city.

The Details

2297 Hastings Street, Vancouver
604.569.0456

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Rating / 4 out of 5 stars

Gourmet Warehouse on East Hastings has become a regular stop and shop for those that enjoy food and cooking. Whether you need some cookware, spices, or high quality chocolates, they seem to have just about everything you need for a kitchen or pantry.

Gourmet Warehouse is a higher quality foods and supplies store. They carry a number of brands like Le Creuset, Global Knives and All Clad. But Tre and I don’t come for the cookware. We like to wander the aisles of shelves browsing the various sauces, spices and pastas. They also carry a certain BPA free, lead free, virgin materials plastic containers from New Zealand which I can’t seem to stop collecting.

For the baker, Gourmet Warehouse is a bit of a dream. They carry various Callebaut Chocolates and all kinds of neat baking supplies. Plus, if you’re ever in a rut and need decent serving plates and cutlery in a jiffy without having to pay a fortune, Gourmet Warehouse is a life saver.

Gourmet Warehouse is no discount store, but the prices are reasonable for the most part — depending on what you buy. The cookware and some supplies can be a bit pricey compare to other store, so it’s best to shop around first before committing to a big purchase. Otherwise, Gourmet Warehouse is a nice place to wander and get lost among the aisles of food, spices and kitchenware.

Perfect for: One stop shop for those that love to cook and entertain.

The Details

1340 East Hastings
604.253.3022
gourmetwarehouse.ca

Rating / 4 out of 5 stars

Chez Meme Baguette Bistro on Hastings in Burnaby is a small, charming, neighbourhood restaurant that serves simply prepared French food with friendly hospitality.

The menu is small, but filled with so many good looking items it was hard to narrow down what we wanted. Tre ordered the Sarladaise: a luxurious sounding duck confit omelette served with sauteed potatoes, onions and a fresh baguette. I had the French toast brioche: served with strawberries, caramelized apples, whip cream and a side of real maple syrup for an extra $1.75.

(Above: French Toast Brioche topped with fresh strawberries and whipped cream.)

Our breakfasts were fantastic. Tre’s duck confit classic French omelet was fluffy and moist, the duck tender and gently seasoned. The baguette was nicely toasted while still slightly soft.

My French toast brioche was dope. The pieces of thick, pillowy brioche had just a light hint of egg. The strawberries were lightly sweetened and tasted fresh even though it’s out of season. Even though the portions were generous, we couldn’t help but leave nothing on our plates.

Our only disappointment, however, were the weak Americanos.

(Top to bottom: 1. Duck Confit Omelette served with potatoes and freshly toasted baguettes. 2. So so coffee.)

The bill including taxes and tips came to just under $30, which was well worth it. The food is rustic and truly a hidden gem — certainly unexpected for Burnaby. Chez Meme, however, is only open in the day during the week. No weekends or evenings.

Perfect for: Good, honest and simple French food.

The Details

4016 Hastings Street, Burnaby
604.299.1141

Rating / 2 out of 5 stars

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

Rating / 5 out of 5 stars

No, Acme Cafe isn’t a fake cafe — part of an elaborate hoax by Wile E. Coyote to lure the unsuspecting Road Runner to certain doom. Acme Cafe is a new diner in the redeveloping East Hastings neighborhood (right next door to the old Save On Meats), serving up a menu of sandwiches, quiches and a large assortment of pies and baked goods, all in an open kitchen.

(Top to bottom: 1. Croque Monsieur. 2. Joe.)

Acme Cafe’s menu consists mostly of sandwiches, salads and baked goods, very few items that require a full kitchen to prepare. Most items seem familiar, but have a slight twist. I had the special of the day, the Croque Monsieur — generous slices of carved ham, turkey and cheese pressed together between two slices of multigrain toast. It was served with a thimble of fruit salad and a cup of endive salad and vinaigrette.

(Clockwise: 1. Shrimp Guacamole Sandwich. 2. Side of homemade chips and broccoli slaw. 3. Random shot of ugly doll.)

Case ordered the Shrimp Guacamole with a side of homemade chips and broccoli slaw. The guacamole mix of baby shrimp, avocado, corn, tomato, cilantro and cheese, was refreshingly light with a hint of curry (deja vu?). The roll it was served on, however, was a bit too thick and kept squeezing out that beautiful shrimp mixture each time a bite was taken — perhaps a softer bread would be a better choice. Two types of crunches were provided on the side from the thick, ridged, homemade chips and creamy broccoli slaw.

(Above: Homemade oreo cookie.)

Acme proudly displays their baked goods (in the middle at the rounded bar, and up front by the cashier). Scores of cookies and pies line the countertop. Even though it was only brunch, we couldn’t resist trying something. That something being the homemade oreo — a decadent creamy icing wedged between two, thick chocolate cookies.

Our meal came to a reasonable $33 with taxes and tips and two cups of unlimited refill coffee. The staff was upbeat and amiable;, the vibe was laid back, down to earth and kid friendly — a nice addition to the neighborhood.

Perfect for: Contemporary diner food with a dessert for chaser.

The Details

51 West Hastings Street, Vancouver
604.569.1022
acmecafe.ca