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The people who own Chambar started this excellent new daytime cafe. They serve coffee, waffles, pastries and a variety of unique breakfast and lunch fare.
This could be one of my favourite places for breakfast. Is it expensive? Probably. But is it one of the best in town? Also, most likely true. There is usually a bit of a wait especially on weekends to get in but in my opinion its worth it.
Every time I come here, I feel compelled to get the Fricassé and usually do. There is something irresistible about short ribs for breakfast. Its served in a skillet and has 2 fried eggs, braised short ribs, roasted potatoes, caramelized onions, arugula, applewood cheddar with a side of grilled foccacia.
Again, at $16 its not the cheapest breakfast in the world but if you are looking for cheap, then there are tons of 3.99 breakfast specials to be had all over the city. Medina is about interesting, unique and tasty breakfasts and they do it well.
The service is usually very friendly and prompt even though they are always slammed. When there is a wait, they do a good job of giving you an eta of when you will be in.
Definitely recommended and I will return often.
No reservations here, so it's a wait. A potentially long wait. If you get in within 15 minutes, consider yourself lucky I guess.
It looks like a small place on the outside, but there is quite an expansive back room, so there is more space than you think. Which makes the wait even more unbearable after the fact. To top it off, the staff just don't seem to care. Another group who came much after us got a table ahead of us (same size) because the servers didn't pay attention to the list and they shoved themselves inside, after we were requested to wait outside.
The ambience is not bad, that's probably one of the high points, because the service wasn't that impressive either. We waited quite a while before we even got water, some more waiting before they came to get our order and even more waiting for the bill. In fact, they forgot our request and we had to flag down another waitress ... who also somehow got tied up so we actually had to go to the register to pay. Seriously?
Now let's get to the food. Kind of rustic style, breakfast or brunch, it seemed like almost everything was served and cooked in small cast iron skillets. (That's not always a good thing, for some dishes with lighter flavours, you can taste the iron, blech). If I made this at home, or it were much less expensive, I'd be a happy man. But it wasn't. We had the cassoulet and the paella. Much to my surprise, the paella wasn't made with rice (which was not advertised on the menu) but pasta, orzo I believe. It's not the same.
It's difficult for me to say, especially since we had good experience at Chambar before and because the food is actually quite good, and we did have a pleasant morning, but I wouldn't recommend a trip here. It's not worth the food or the wait or the mediocre service, not at the prices they have. I would say the only people who would be impressed with this place are if you happen to have too much time on your hands, have too much money in your wallet and you can't cook. These are good dishes, but I would qualify as "low skill", they are easy to make. We could, and we have, made very similar dishes at home ourselves at the same level of quality. I don't need to wait and pay relatively exhorbitant prices to enjoy this stuff.
A restaurant with great food, cozy ambiance, and be low average value. Portions are generous -- but the service is super slow and it's packed elbow to elbow. The waitress does not look good no matter how you cut it.
Only minor item: service was not unfriendly but very on the slow side. That said, sometimes it's nice to laze over a 2.5 hour meal.
Why is it that Medina is always packed? Lunch, brunch, weekends, or weekend, they just keep coming. I blame it on the fact that this establishment really has no competition. Where else can I go to get hot chocolate that melts my worries away? Where else do I look to find Lavender Lattes, that calms better than yoga? How long will I need to search before I find waffles which the perfect blend of googey-ness and crispness?
Please please, anyone, if you know of any another cafe that does just this, please send their name this way.
As for everyone else - stop going, you don't want to get in between Medina and me!
We visited Cafe Medina on a busy Sunday but still managed to get seated right away. This quaint little spot is relaxed and serves up great food (which deserves 3.5 stars by the way).
I had the salmon fume which was very well done with a great balance of flavours (I was worried the smoked salmon would over power but it complimented the greens and tanginess of the artichoke very nicely. The egg was cooked to order and salad was very fresh. One thing that really stood out above the rest of the brunch spots was their organic juices - possibly the best grapefruit juice I've ever had.
Service and ambiance are so-so and what's expected of a cafe. Our order took a bit longer that expected, but the food was well worth the wait.
Will be back.
Like I've said before... I like cafes, especially those that offer a modern interpretation of classic flavours and Cafe Medina takes the cake, or waffle as the case may be.
I went in for brunch with a friend, who is a model and is very careful about what she eats so I was a little worried about what Medina had to offer her but she smiled as soon as she looked at the menu so my mind was at ease.
I ordered the cassoulet and she had the "libanais". They were both excellent. The cassoulet had a slab of smokey bacon and three healthy chunks of sausage. The eggs were a decent sunny side up but could have set the whites a little more but I am ok with it. The beans were perfect, the seasoning was perfect and everything was hot.
The Libanias was excellent as well and we polished the skillets down to the last swipe of bread.
The coffee is good (not the best but very good).
The service was good, not as exceptional as at their sister restaurant Chambar but that is a tall order as they did seem to neglect us a bit on one of the outside tables. Not too bad as we were in a great conversation.
Over all I would give it a 4.5/5 with just a little more attention to service and a perfect sunny side up egg and this could be my favorite place for brunch in Vancity.
Nice work Medina!
Medina's webite promotes with many interesting positive reviews from various publications. I get the feeling that these reviews are from a while ago, because I have eaten authentic food and it is much better than anything I had here. I had the crepes which were too garlicy and salty, I tried the dough which texture wise was bad but also very salty. The whole breakfast was very boring. The whole meal in fact was about as exciting as eating in a cafeteria, luckily the company was good. As pretty as my morning after date was it is always good to find some cute patrons or leggy waitresses. None of that here. Thats not pleasant! The waitresses here were in a rush and not dressed cute. I guess I will have to look elsewhere to fill my craving for real gourmet breakfast, oh and by the way to quote from my breakfast companion: " I wouldn't say it was bad but, there is just no reason to go there"
My friends recently brought me to Medina for their weekend brunch and am I ever glad they did! We started out with a much-needed coffee - I went with just a regular americano, but they have so many options, like lavender raspberry caramel. I'll definitely be back for those, and for the legendary waffles, I was just too full this time.
On the server's recomendation I had the fricasse. She said it was everyone's favorite, and I can see why! Delicious short ribs with melting cheddar, roasted potatos, and 2 fried eggs. How could I resist?
I also had the most amazing ceasar ever, the girl told me they make their own ceasar mix. Just what I needed to recover from the night before. I tasted my friend's mimosa - they also make a special juice for that - and it was super refreshing too. Yum!
Our server was really sweet and helpful, and her recomendations were spot on. I can't wait to go back, braving the weekend line up was totally worth it.
I came here today with my mom for brunch. We were seated immediately and we each ordered an Oeufs Cocottes and Les Boulettes. The Oefs Cocottes is actually whisked eggs with cream / milk roughly mixed with small slices of smoked black cod ( which is a little fishy) with potato bits and crumbled feta and baked. It's served with asparagus salad and foccacia bread. The baked eggs were pretty good, the egg mixture was smooth and the fish not being too fishy. My mom's Les Boulettes is actually 2 poached eggs with 4 moroccan meatballs ( a little dense texture and spicy) smothered with spicy tomato based herbed sauce and it also comes with yogurt and grilled focaccia on the side. This tasted pretty good also, a very different way to incorporate poached eggs into meals and it was successful, just a bit filling for my mom. Afterwards we ordered a plain waffle for take out so that we can enjoy later on for snack as our stomach couldn't contain anymore food. When we had the waffle 3 hours after, it was good, a little heavier than the waffle at "patisserie lebeau" on burrard st but very good. N, for all these good food and my mom's enjoyment the damage to wallet was $40 inc. tax & tips, which is not bad. I'll definitely come back again for more.
When we arrived there around 12:30, the place was almost full house and by the time we almost finish our meal today it was fully packed. I guess this place is like the only place where people can have eggs cooked in a non conventional way, not just omelettes, scrambled eggs, & bennys. My only complaint is that the tables are too close 2 each other and it was difficult to get in and out from the tables.
This place is nice if you can get there early so you don't have to wait. If you have time to wait in line for over 45 to 60 minutes for a brunch, then try this place. The food is decent but not outstanding as per the other reviews. Service is typical of a busy place with lineup - they don't give a crap if you wait or not. There's a long waiting list on a piece of paper and they don't bother to tell you and don't even seem to want to talk to you. I didn't see any smiles in there. The place is cramped. Pretty soon the hype will die down and there will be the next hot spot and people will move on.
First Visit: Sept 2009
I decided to head over to Medina’s Cafe on Saturday before tackling my ‘wonderful’ paperwork. Since Chambar is my favourite restaurant hands down, I was curious what Medina would bring to the plate. First impression: Full house, buzziness of the place gives it a nice atmosphere for those who want to get lost in it. Narrow space but designed with intent. Beautiful colours of blue in a wavy pattern accents the bar counter. Warm, attentive staff. Service was great and good looking. You can tell this place is run efficiently and professional staff is respectful and communicates well to eachother.
The space really mirrors Chambar like a ‘bright-eyed and bushy-tailed’ version of the restaurant. Have a one too many the night before~go for a hangover brunch with a mimosa at M’s.
I ordered a mimosa and Les Boulettes: a morroccan inspired dish with baked foccacia bread( I would’ve liked four pieces- not two) hummus, with fresh salsa-cucumber, tomato and herb/spices. It was nice and mild to accompany the savoury beef meatballs swimming in fresh cherry tomatoes, roasted red peppers, crushed whole pitted olives, with two poached eggs in the middle (I think the Chef was reading my mind, as I love my eggs poached hard), garnished with fresh cilantro . The presentation was simple and elegant.
I would love to come for a coffee and read a few chapters of my book on a slower day or moment.
Plus, I’m glad I got to walk it off, as the meal was filling, flavourful, and fantastic.
Second visit: Nov 2010
Came again on a Saturday; this time to meet with friends. Was prepared for a wait, as I know this place is a hotspot for breakfast/brunch. I think it really depends on what mood you are in when waiting to dine in this place. Knowing what it’s like in the hospitality industry, I knew the staff was doing the best they could to accommodate their patrons. I thought the service was consistent; attentive and pleasant. Although we waited 45 minutes in the first coldest day of the winter, the lavender latte (delicious~ my first. I didn’t even have to add sugar, which I usually refrain from) and the company I was with made the wait more bearable. It helps to do scissor kicks or whatever it takes to stay warm.
Food: I was going to order the same thing as my friends, but a dish with chorizo called to me...The Paella was lovely. Served in a small skillet with a fried egg nestled in nicely seasoned, well cooked orzo rice, corn, chorizo and some greens. The only criticism I had was that I felt they skimped on the chorizo which should be a highlight of the dish. The chorizo pieces were thin slices and I maybe received 5 in my dish. For $12, one should be able to see the sausage. Otherwise, the dish as a whole was good. I’d order it again if they had better portions of the chorizo.
Summary:
Great food, great servers, and great place for breakfast.
Experience:
My best friend and I decided to meet there for a breakfast date last Monday. I was confused as to where the front door of the restaurant was; the sign was in front of the wrong door.
I was immediately greeted by a server. My friend had gone early so she flagged me to our table. Shortly, our server came and introduced their specials. My friend ordered a Lavender Latte and I was fine with water. Our server suggested the "Tagine" to me when I tried to order something off the lunch menu (yeah, it was early...I had not entirely woken up).
The Lavender Latte came and my friend commented to me how dark the foam looked. I smelt and sipped the drink and it did seem off (I used to work at Starbucks). Plus there was no Lavender in it. Our server came around and we told her about the too-bitter latte and she realized that there was no Lavender in it. My friend sipped it again after they had put the syrup in and commented that it still tastes wonky. The server made no fuss and promptly brought another one back for us. This one tasted amazing, just like how we had expected.
Then our food came and let me just say, I should've ordered a lighter meal for breakfast because Tagine was way too flavorful for my morning stomach. My delicious mistake, however. Then we had the waffles which were decent. My dark chocolate sauce was separating; the chocolate and the butter I'm guessing.
Conclusion:
Pleasant experience. Do not order such a heavy meal, delicious though, this early in the morning next time. Two thumbs up overall.
Seriously folks best brunch spot on hand bar none. I travel a lot and have eaten in many cities and my last experience at Cafe Medina was on Par with some of the best meals I've had in any genre. Yes I had to wait for 30 minutes. Truly no big deal based on the experience. I now understand why there are line ups at this place on the weekends. Totally merited. I was greeted warmly and entertained by the host while I waited. When I was sat I was promptly informed of the must haves and thankfully listened to our waiter who was more than accommodating with every request (including the allergies my travel mate had). I had the Paella it was mildly spiced and delicious. Totally worth the bang for the buck. Good value here foodies. My friend is still talking about her lavender latte hours later not to mention the meatballs and the waffles.
True its not the biggest place around so it wasn't to difficult to eavesdrop on our neighbours conversation but I'm fine with that. As far as I'm concerned good people watching is part of the dining experience and this place was chalk a block full of good people watching. Super funky stylish place in every aspect form decor to music. The service was exceptional from start to finish. I hope these guys open more places in town.
Encore and Thank You! Can't wait to revisit.
Medina is a place for interesting Moroccan breakfasts & brunches and great waffles. As I said in the title, it's the best I've found in Vancouver. Unfortunately, thousands of others have too.
It was Victoria Day today and Medina was open from 10am - 3pm for an all-day brunch. We arrived at 10:40 and waited for just over an hour to be seated. We forgave them when the food came.
You arrive to a throng milling outside the funky cafe (next to Chambar: the owners' other joint). You walk inside to write your name on a list, depressing in its length and the number of names before yours.
When we finally sat down we were given our coffees. They were great. Coffee is so vital to a good breakfast cafe and Medina understands this. There are few places that understand this in Vancouver. Starbucks doesn't. Cafe Artigiano does. So does Cafe Medina.
The food was rich and quite heavily spiced. I had Le Chasseur - fried eggs atop bison sausage from Oyama, wild boar bacon, braised potatoes, watercress and roast tomato with grilled focaccia on the side. Despite its full-flavour, it was not overpowering. Sourcing their meat from Oyama is a good move: there is no better sausage.
Three fellow diners all had different and equally satisfying meals. We finished with waffles. The waffles come with dipping sauces. The marmalade, lavender milk chocolate and the white chocolate pistachio were all appreciated.
All in all, this is not breakfast that you could eat every day. It is special occasion breakfast and I commend it highly. My only advice is arrive early and a little before your appetite catches up with you.
Came here on a Sunday morning, before lining up for Olympic pavilions. They opened promptly at 9 am and we were seated beside the window. Beautiful little cafe. Great friendly service. The Belgian waffles stacked beside the windowsill had our names all over it. Ordered waffles with dark chocolate and matcha sauce (sauce base is condensed milk). It was sooooooo delicious. Not too sweet. Mmmm.
For a savoury dish, we shared a fricassé, which was two fried eggs over braised short ribs and arugula salad sprinkled with apple and cheese chunks. Very very tasty. Came with a piece of toasted foccaccia to dip into the drippings from the beef.
For drinks, ordered hot chocolate and mocha. Divine! Just the right hint of sweetness (which is not too sweet).
Portions are not huge but the quality and flavour of the food is excellent. Total bill for two people came to $42.06, which included an 18% mandatory gratuity (for the Olympics). Would definitely return again.
I came here with my boyfriend for lunch after a morning meeting. Despite it being really busy, we lucked out and and were seated right away by one of the owners - it was a good thing because I was starving. I had a vanilla latte and my boyfriend had the raspberry chocolate latte; it was by far one of the best lattes I have ever had - my boyfriend is a coffee snob and he agreed. My gf loves their lavender latte, I will have to try that the next time I go. We both had the Les Boulettes which were meatballs that tasted like Iranian kabobs served with a side of foccacia bread and hummus and cool cucumber cream which went great with the spiciness of the meatballs. I really liked the vibe of the place and the patrons there. Can't wait to go back to try their brunch.
It doesn't matter what you choose from this menu if you like intereseting food and brunch there is no wrong here. I had read about this place on yelp where it is highly recommended. Went to the restaurant today and was super impressed with everything. Even though it was busy there was still a great flow to the place. The food was remarkable. The service prompt, warm and professional. I went with four other friends so we were able to put a good dent in the menu and I must say there was not a loser in the bunch. We are all blown away. One of my friends had been there already so we had a bit of an inside scoop. Every dish was totally original and delish! OK the raspberry latte... OMG I had to have it twice. Sure you can spend $15 at MIlestones for a an ordinary omlette with curly fries....or you can go to Cafe Medina and have a Fricasse! Melt in your mouth awesome.
Maybe a bit rich for everyday eating but what a treat!
I will be sure to return.
Went for Sunday brunch. Wait for a table was about 20 minutes which doesn't bother me for brunch and it looked like the wait got much longer after we were seated. The space is very warm and inviting. It is the nice cozy type of place you would like to have a leisurely brunch. That is of course if you don't mind ignoring to poor people waiting outside for your table.
The menu may be the most adventurous I've ever seen for a brunch joint we had the tagine and the fricassee. Both were very tasty and well presented and you can't go wrong with short ribs for breakfast. If you have room having a waffle for dessert isn't a bad idea either.
While I don't expect the highest level of service for brunch I did not find the staff very attentive at all. Coffee refills were not very easy to get which might be just as well since you have to pay for each one (there's no regular coffee only espresso drinks). They seem more interested in turning the table than serving the customer.
The bill was in line with many dinners I've had. Brunch with a couple of coffees and tip came to almost $60. Way too much for brunch. Unless I was entertaining out of town guest I don't think I would go back.
poor service, long waits and honestly, do you want to wait an hour to get breakfast? ultimately dining must also be enjoyable and no food is worth the wait. the waiters don't give a damn about you and you are treated like cattle. so give it a pass. go to pastis / raincity grill / DB and at least get some value for money.
What is the big deal with this place that people talk about? The last thing you wanna do during brunch is to wait 40 something minutes to get in! I mean it's brunch.
The food was meh, the short ribs fricas dish was too salty and the waitress said they couldn't do anything because the salt was in it already???
No privacy, overpriced and cramped, we were always rushed by the owner, can't even flag down the waitress. Oh it's special alright...What other breakfast place you have to wait 20 mins for a coffee!!!
Overrated at best. Try Edge if you want a real healthy, cheap brunch
| 1. | Chambar (9 m) |  |
| 2. | Cafe Des Arts (9 m) | |
| 3. | Kolachy Co. (9 m) | |
| 4. | Starbucks (9 m) | |
| 5. | Dirty Apron, The (34 m) | |
| 6. | Waves Coffee House (62 m) |  |
| 7. | Fatburger (86 m) | |
| 8. | Ricky's (88 m) |  |
| 9. | Brothers Cafe & Bakery (97 m) | |
| 10. | T & T Supermarket Deli (117 m) |  |
