Finch's Tea & Coffee House

353 W. Pender St.

Vancouver BC

(604) 899- 4040

www.finchteahouse.com

Monday - Friday 9am- 5pm

Saturday 11am- 4pm

Date of Visit: June 13, 2011

If you are looking for the perfect prosciutto sandwich, Finch's Tea and Coffee House is for you.  I was browsing through Urbanspoon to look for an unique place to have lunch with my friend, and this cafe got my attention.  Not only did Finch's Tea and Coffee scored a high rating in Urbanspoon, photos of the food in Finch's were really tempting as well.  As I know my friend is a big fan of vintage/ victorian decor, I believed it would be a great place for us to try out :)

Ambience * * * * *

I love the ambience!  I feel like I have travelled back in time :)  The place is decorated with just the right amount of vintage furnitures to create a cozy and comfortable ambience and wouldn't be overwhelming. However, the cafe only fits around 5-6 tables, so it may be hard to find a seat at lunch time.  You have the option to order a take out.

Service * * * 1/2

It is a self-served cafe, where you order at the counter and then pick up the order when the staff call you.  The staffs are friendly and they are passionate about the food they serve.  As they are perfecting each and every order, the order takes a bit longer time to be ready.  If you are in a rush, they recommend to call in advance to order.  The other downsize is that they only accept cash or debit.


Food * * * * 1/2

Steamed Soy Milk with Maple Syrup

It is a great idea to add maple syrup to steamed soy milk!  However, it was too sweet to my liking.. the staff actually offered to add more maple syrup, but it was already too sweet. 

Chai Latte

My friend ordered a chai latte and she liked it :)  I tried a sip and it tasted great!  It had just the right amount of sweetness, creaminess, and spiciness!

Pear, blue brie, prosciutto, roasted walnuts, oil & vinegar Baguette ($8.75)

It was the bestest sandwich I have ever had!  Seriously!  It tasted as good as it looks.  The sandwich was like a piece of art that I would admire its beauty before taking the first bite.  The taste of the whole sandwich was very well balanced with saltiness from the prosciutto, sweetness from the pear, and souriness from the vinegar.  I thought the prosciutto would be really fatty, but actually the fat was well marbled and there wasn't a big strip of fat.  Yumm so good!

PLT- Prosciutto, lettuce, tomato ($6.25)

My friend ordered the PLT and she was really full after the sandwich!  The sandwich was really big and it has lots of lettuce and prosciutto! :)

Value * * * *

The price is right for the quality and quantity of food.  It is around the same price as the pork sandwich I had from Hubbub, but this sandwich is more unique and higher quality.


Overall * * * * *

I would like to visit the cafe again and would highly recommend a friend to eat there!  I had a wonderful time with my friend at the cafe :) 

Hubbub Sandwiches

859 Hornby Street

Vancouver BC

(604) 568- 3398

http://www.hubbubsandwiches.com/

Monday-Saturday 10:30am - 9pm

Date of visit: June 21, 2011, 1:00 pm

Looking for the perfect pull pork sandwich?  Look no further!  Hubbub Sandwiches has the best pull pork sandwich I have ever had :)  It is a new restaurant located close to the Scotia movie theatre in downtown.  My boyfriend and I wanted to eat a simple meal before heading to the movies, so this place was just perfect!  In addition, I got a $5 for $10 deal from Groupon, which was a nice bonus :)

Ambience * * * *

The place was small, simple, modern and clean.  It was very comfortable environment and it had an artistic feel to it too :)  You can eat in or take out, or you can enjoy the sun in the outdoor seats.  It was more of a self-served environment where you can help yourself to a glass of water, and two locations where you can return your used utensils, trays and trash.

Service * * *

As it was a self-served sub restaurant, we didn't have much interactions with the staffs.  Regardless, the staffs were friendly and the line up wasn't long.  Because my boyfriend and I were using Groupon, the cashier took a few minutes extra to verify the coupons.  After making the order, we waited for our numbers to be called to pick up our meal.  Although the food wasn't served as fast as a chain restaurant like Subway or Quizos, but the food was worthwhile.

Food * * * * *

Pork Sandwich ($8.49) and Clean Slaw ($2.99)

The pulled pork sandwich was superb!!  There were a lot of pork in the sandwich and the sandwich was quite long :)  The pork was slightly marinated, which gives it a great taste without being too salty.  The baguette was fresh, firm and chewy.  All of the sandwiches have lettuce, generous portion of onion, jalapenos, cilantros, and their secret sauce.  I don't usually eat jalapenos but the sandwich wasn't overwhelmingly spicy, and the jalapenos compliments well with the other ingredients. 

Clean Slaw has shredded cabbage and coconut in a vinaigrette sauce.  The portion was big for a side.  This cole slaw does have lots of coconut, which is great for a coconut lover.  It is loaded with all sorts of ingredients that is great for tummy and the body :)  It is the perfect dish for the summer!

Chicken Sandwich ($8.93)

The Chicken Sandwich has two large pieces of roasted chicken breasts.  The chicken breasts were lean yet  moisted such that it was very easy to chew.  From the menu, the chicken breasts were steeped in citrus juices and coconut milk, which explains why the breasts were so moisted and yummy. 

Value * * * 1/2

Although the sandwiches would be close to $10 without the coupons, I think it is still worth a try.  My boyfriend and I were really full after the sandwich!  It is a great alterative to the regular subs from a chain restaurant.

Overall * * * *

I would recommend to a friend!  My boyfriend suggests that the subs could be better if they offer more options, such as having whole wheat breads versus white bread, and have an option for beef sandwich.

Via Veneto Ristorante Italiano

656 West Broadway

Vancouver, BC

(604) 708- 3300

http://www.viavenetovancouver.com/index.html

Monday- Friday 11:30am- 10:30pm

Saturday- Sunday 5pm- 10:30pm

Date of visit: June 20, 2011, 12:15pm

If you haven't tried an authentic Italian restuarant before, Via Veneto Ristorante Italiano is the place to go.  This little restaurant is pretty new, est. in Sept 2010, and it is at a pretty convenient location, just a block or two away from the Canada line (Broadway- City Centre station).  I got a $20 for $40 deal from Social Shopper a few months ago, so my boyfriend and I have decided to try this restaurant out. 

Ambience * * * * *

The restaurant is very modern and elegant, which is great place to impress your date.  The tables were covered with white table clothes and the servers were well-groomed.  The whole restaurant was clean (even the lady's bathroom!) and it had a high class ambience.

Service * * * * *

The servers were very polite and attentive.  When we entered into the restaurant, we were quickly greeted and seated.  The server offered us the menu and asked us if we have any questions about the menu items.  As we have studied the menu before hand (full menu available is on their website), we already knew what to order.  After we placed the order, we were quickly served with free herbed bread and balsamic vinegar.  When our meal arrived, the server put spoonfuls of cheese into our plates until we told him to stop (he really wouldn't stop until you tell him lol!).  During the meal, our water was refilled quickly and we were asked  how was our meal by the server and the owner.  There were only 3 or 4 tables occupied when we were there, which might explain the quick service that we got.  When we were leaving the restaurant, the person behind the counter (I think he's the owner) came to the door to say bye to us, which was a very lovely gesture.  It was definately a first class service! 

Food * * * * *

Herbed bread with balsamic vinegar (free)

The bread was soft and chewy.  It wasn't warm as I had expected, though it was still really yummy :)  The dipping seemed to be made fresh in house and it complemented well with the bread.  We soaked the bread in the dipping with every bite.  So good!

Cozze al vapore e vino bianco ($9.95)

Steamed fresh mussels served with minced tomatoes and onions, and a slice of garlic bread.  The mussels were placed in a delicious broth that enhanced the taste of the mussels.  The portion was generous and mussels tasted really fresh.  Although the mussels itself were small, there were a lot of it to satisfy our taste buds.  Great starter for two people!

Linguine ai Frutti di Mare ($13.95)

Seafood linguine that contains clams, tiger prawns, squid, mussels (Yeah! More mussels! :)), and freshly made tomato sauces.  It was the yummiest pasta I have ever had!  The seafood was really fresh, so as the sauce.  The portion was big; I was really stuffed after the meal!

Cotoletta alla Parmigiana ($14.95)

Breaded veal covered with parmesan in fresh tomato paste, with rigatoni pasta in herbed sauce.  The veal was nice and tender and the breading around the veal gave a nice crunch to the texture. The portion was just right, and my boyfriend was full after the meal.  There were lots of cheese on top of it, so it is great for cheese lovers :) 

Value * * * *

It was one of the best $20 I have ever spent!  The price of the menu items were quite comparable to other fine restaurants.  The lunch menu is quite affordable, though the dinner menu is higher in price.  I am not sure if the portion size are the same for lunch and dinner..  I would recommend going at lunch time, as I was still so full at dinner time that I didn't need to eat much.

Overall * * * * *

I would definately recommend a friend to go there.  I loved the food, the service, and the atmosphere!  Bravo!