4216 Main Street, Vancouver (Mount Pleasant)
If you are a cake fanatic like I do, then look no further than Trafiq on Main Street. Just two days into the new year, I found myself on a bus going up Main Street with my new foodie adventurer, Brendan, to go and indulge in these gorgeous layer cakes. Upon getting to Trafiq, we saw that it was quite spacious with plenty of seating room, but at the time it was really packed. Thankfully we came just as a turnover was starting and we were able to secure two seats and went to go decide which cakes we wanted to try. Here's a tip: not all the cakes they have on display are available for sale by the slice, so be sure to ask so that you aren't disappointed! But then again, any cake you will get to try won't be disappointing, because they are all elegant and absolutely amazing! Brendan had the Earl Grey cake and I had the Salted Caramel, and as mentioned, they are both so good! But before we dug in, of course we took a couple pictures to capture how beautiful they were! Their drinks are also really good, so it is the perfect afternoon tea treat!
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1505 Robson Street, Vancouver (West End)
A popular Malaysian cafe franchise, PappaRoti opened its first North American store right here in Vancouver in the West End. Known for their famous coffee bun, this cute and spacious cafe is the perfect place for a sweet treat, whether with friends, with a date, or while studying on your own. I came here with Mateo and we both decided to go for their coffee buns, which are all $6.50 with the exception of "The Works" which is $8.50. I had the Maple Eh? bun with a Chai Latte and Mateo had the Strawberry Fields. Served on really cute wooden boards, the buns are technically perfect in every way, and they are remarkable: the light coffee fragance when you cut your fork through the soft pillowy texture and the presentation is really great. The Maple Eh? is the coffee bun topped with two scoops of vanilla ice cream and drizzled with chocolate sauce and maple syrup. I thought that iwas going to be a sugar heart attack but surprisingly, it was just the right aount of sweetness and not to sickly sweet. The coffee bun itself was amazing and I was really sad when it was finished! The Strawberry Fields is the coffee bun dusted with powdered sugar and served with strawberries and a massive pile of whipped cream and chocolate drizzle. The picture above shows off my Maple Eh? bun - delicious, but unfortunately melted really quick resulting in a bit of a mess. While these coffee buns were amazing, I didn't care too much for the Chai Latte. It was ultimately flavourless, but topped with an obscene amount of cinnamon - so much so that I felt like I was taking part in the cinnamon challenge from a few years ago. I'm not sure if this was intentional or to compensate for the fact that the latte was tasteless, but overall there was too much cinnamon to the point where I choked a vew times because some powder flew down my throat a little too quickly. Latte art was neither expected or necessary, but a really poor job was done probably because of the amount of cinnamon that was on the latte itself. If only PappaRoti wasn't so out of the way, I would go there everyday to study. They offer free WiFi and the place, despite its popularity, is very quiet. I know that I would probably gain a lot of weight going there all the time and having a coffee bun every time, so it's probably for the best. However, great coffee buns - but stay away from the Chai latte. Of course this is not reflective of their wide selection of drinks - I have no doubt that their other drinks are a little better. Finally, if you are stopping by and aren't feeling a coffee bun, PappaRoti has a few pre-packed savoury options for you to choose from, as well as other gluten free treats like brownies and Nanaimo bars. They also serve the famous Vancouver based The Lemon Square in house. 534 W Pender Street, Vancouver (Gastown)
I finally got to try Cartem's Donuts for real this time. Not as a passer by or as a guest in a donut tasting event - I got to sit down and try their donuts, have their coffee, and enjoy the atmosphere. I had been in this Cartem's previously for a donut tasting event, but today I had wandered in with Mateo so that we could enjoy some warm coffee and a sweet donut along with it, and I definitely wasn't disappointed. Cartem's is a very popular place that has a wide selection of donut offerings, and I was really glad that the store wasn't super busy and that we got a table to chill out at. I love the vibe of the store and everything about it. I had gotten a mocha along with a Earl Grey donut, which was a yeast donut that was glazed in this Earl Grey glaze and sprinkled what looked to be rose petal bits on them. It was a delicious donut, although cakier than those at 49th Parallel & Lucky's. However, it wasn't super sweet and it was amazing, and the mocha complimented it quite nicely. Mateo had a Strawberry Daiquiri donut with a London Fog. While we enjoyed our hot drinks and donuts, there was also a Scrabble board for us to play. I genuinely love the idea of having board games in restaurants, as it offers a different way of socializing and kind of forces you to put your phone aside and focus on not just the game, but the company and friends that you are with. It was a great game (that I ended up winning), and my victory was extra sweet with the donut! Cartem's also has another location on Main Street (2190 Main St.), and both offer lots of great activities from arts and crafts to open mics, which adds another layer of cool to it's already cool vibe. I'm a fan! 501 North Road, Coquitlam
In the corner of a tiny restaurant complex on North Road sits Choco Coo Cafe, a dessert cafe whose tiny signage says that they sell Belgian pastries and delicious cakes. I came across Choco Coo on Instagram, and was immediately drawn in by the aesthetic photos of delicate and delicious looking cakes. Flavours like chocolate and matcha were coming through the screen, and I knew immediately that I wanted to try it for myself. So I finally went, with my two friends. In retrospect, I may have overhyped it for myself, but let's just say that the word "underwhelmed" comes to mind. The restaurant is clean, open and incredibly aesthetic. There was a clear case that showed off its beautiful cakes that looked every bit as delicious as they did online. However, what surprised me was the fact that there were only four tables and a bar that could seat 5 people. And all of the tables were occupied by people who were finished their desserts and also brought their homework with them. I appreciate places that let their patrons stay as long as they want; however, it was clear that the workers at Choco Coo wanted these people out so that more people (like my friends and I) could come in. When we finally did get a spot, my friends and I shared a red velvet cake and a Oreo cheesecake. The cakes were good, and just as aesthetic as they looked on Instagram, but at the end of the day, they didn't wow me as much as I thought they would. At the same time, I had watched people walk in and out, hoping to get a seat but giving up and leaving. I don't really have any suggestions on how to get a table - it's either be patient or just try your luck. The slogan that rests on the wood block wall says "Life elsewhere, life in Choco Coo." You may be better off going elsewhere. 6888 Royal Oak Avenue, Burnaby
Located just a 3 minute walk from Royal Oak skytrain station in Burnaby, Ki Tea House and Cafe sits next to small cafe and is by far the cutest things on this block. With it's sweet and minimalist interior and a love for all things anime, what drew me in was the sweet smell of pastries and waffles. Similar to that of Belgian waffles, this new phenomenon of waffles as desserts defies the breakfast food. My friend ordered a simple strawberry waffle, which was topped with strawberries, syrup, vanilla ice cream and whipped cream - perfect on a sunny day! Ki Tea House and Cafe offers other waffle flavours, along with little cakes and desserts and bubble tea. A perfect for a little dessert break! |
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