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Good Earth Coffeehouse Vancouver + GIVEAWAY!

November 14, 2016 by foodgressing 12 Comments

Looking for a new place to sit back, unwind and enjoy a good cup of joe? You might just want to check out Good Earth Coffeehouse‘s newest locations in Vancouver. The popular Alberta-based coffee franchise recently celebrated grand openings on Alma Street (Point Grey) and at Capilano University (North Vancouver). I had the pleasure of visiting the Alma location to try out their food and beverage offerings.

Modern & Inviting

Good Earth Coffeehouse on Alma has an inviting, modern and spacious feel. There is a nice variety of seating arrangements including a cozy lounge area, a counter by the window, a communal table, and various dining tables. With a tall ceiling and floor-to-ceiling windows, the space feels cozy and comfortable for relaxing, studying or getting together with friends.

Good Earth Coffeehouse Menu

On the menu are the usual espresso-based drinks including macchiato, latte, mocha, cappuccino, and espresso. Good Earth is committed to being socially and environmentally-conscious; they work with farmers who promote environmental sustainability, and establishes direct trade practices to help improve communities where coffee is grown. Many of their coffees are Rainforest Alliance Certified which means that they meet comprehensive social and environmental standards. Cold, handcrafted drink options range from craft cold brew coffee, smoothies and more. The tea menu also features teas from exotic origins and traditions including spicy Chai, rich Matcha and African Rooibos. Aside from caffeinated beverages, Good Earth Coffeehouse also serves beer and wine.

I was certainly impressed with the number of food options at Good Earth; there seems to be more choices than your typical coffeehouse. You’ll find breakfast items, fresh baked goods, soups, salads, sandwiches, panini, flatbreads and more.

Breakfast

Breakfast is the important meal of the day and Good Earth has some solid options. I tried the very wholesome breakfast sandwich with whole eggs, cheddar cheese, bacon and a tomato slice.

Forget instant oatmeal (eek!) because Good Earth serves steel-cut oatmeal. You can even customize your oatmeal with choice of three toppings like fruit and nuts.

Fresh Baked Goods

A good cup of coffee deserves an amazing pastry. Good Earth prepares baked goods from scratch and delivered fresh from the oven multiple times per day. The chocolate hazelnut crunch, cranberry blondie and butter croissant were scrumptious treats to go with a delicious coffee.

I also found that the green tea latte and the toasted seed roll made a good pairing.

Soups, Sandwiches & Flatbreads

For a lunch and dinner, Good Earth’s salad, soups and flatbread make excellent choices. I tried the minestrone soup, wild rice and edamame salad, kale pesto flatbread and Sicilian flatbread. Be sure to get a cold beer or a glass of red wine for good measure. The flatbreads were very tasty with a good topping to dough ratio. I highly recommend them.

Want to Try Good Earth Coffeehouse?

I am giving away to four winners each a $50 dollar gift card to Good Earth Coffeehouse. The giveaway is happening on this blog post and on my Instagram. I will select two winners from each. Blog giveaway ends November 21, 2016 23:59 PST. Open to residents of Metro Vancouver only.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

@GoodEarthHq now has two locations in Metro Vancouver (Alma and Capilano University)! Here is your chance to try them out. 4 followers (2 on Instagram and 2 on the blog) will each win a $50 gift card ☕️ To enter on Instagram: – 1⃣ LIKE this post 2⃣ FOLLOW @GoodEarthHq + @Foodgressing 3⃣ TAG a friend (unlimited entries but must tag different friends each time) – Giveaway closes Monday, November 21 at 22:00 PST. Open only to Metro Vancouver residents. ☕️ – Per Instagram rules, we must mention this is in no way sponsored, administered, or associated with Instagram, Inc. By entering, entrants confirm they are 13+ years of age, release Instagram of responsibility, and agree to Instagram’s term of use.

A photo posted by Foodgressing.com | Areta ? (@foodgressing) on Nov 14, 2016 at 7:11pm PST

Hours and Location

Good Earth Coffeehouse Alma is now open at 2505 Alma Street. Hours of operation are Monday – Saturday from 6:30 am to 9:00 pm, and Sunday 7:00 am to 8:00 pm.

For more information, visit http://goodearthcoffeehouse.com/

Disclosure: This is a sponsored post. All opinions are my own.

Disappointing Waves Coffee Experience

January 4, 2016 by foodgressing Leave a Comment

Disappointing. That’s pretty much the word to describe my recent experiences at Waves Coffee at 1095 West Broadway. Waves Coffee really surprised me in a bad way on a few fronts. In this post, I’ll describe some aspects of my experiences that did not live up to my expectations.

Frappes Okay, Croissants Bad

Over the holidays, my husband and I stopped by Waves Coffee for a coffee break. We ordered two Waves-sized blended drinks: Belgian Mocha Frappe ($5.25) and a Coffee Frappe ($4.55). I liked that their Frappes are not as sweet as the Frappucinos from Starbucks. The mocha and coffee flavours were reasonable and overall I thought the drinks were okay.

The croissants, however, were another story. We had an almond croissant ($3.95) and chocolate croissant ($2.95) and they were both very unappetizing. I understand that they are not house-made but really they should not be selling these croissant especially at that price. These croissants were dry and for croissants it’s really about that buttery, flaky texture on the outside and soft, airy inside. Considering that FOOTO in Yaletown makes croissants in-house five times daily and charges $3.20 a piece, Waves charging $3.95 for a what seems like a previous day made croissant is just outrageous. I understand that there is a premium for convenience, but there is a point where it is just a ripoff.

I love almond croissants and I really wanted to have one that day. But really, what was I thinking? This croissant was loaded with powdered sugar on top. It’s almost unrecognizable as a croissant.

Advertising Latte Art

I had seen Waves advertise their lattes on Facebook and it gave me the impression that their latte art was good. See the screenshot of their Facebook page below. Pretty isn’t it?

To round out my review, I decided to order a Waves Latte today ($4.25). I had told the staff person that I wanted it for here. When I received the latte, it was in a take-out cup with mediocre latte art. Where is my pretty rosetta? The latte tasted fine, but I was unimpressed with the discrepancy with what was advertised versus what I received.

Bit-Coin Friendly

Oh, and you can pay by Bitcoin at this Waves Coffee location.

Oversion of Waves Coffee

Waves Coffee disappointed on me from the mediocre croissants and the less-than-impressive latte art. I won’t be returning needless to say. Rating: 1.5/5

Base Camp Cafe – Sea to Sky Gondola

June 28, 2015 by foodgressing Leave a Comment

The Base Camp Cafe is a place you can grab a bite to eat before or after your trip on the Sea to Sky Gondola. There you will find coffee, baked goods, sandwiches or snacks to go. They also sell homemade granola bars which hikers might like.

The cafe belongs to the Sea to Sky Gondola and is not independently owned. They serve Galileo Coffee, a roaster in Britannia Beach.

Base Camp Cafe Menu

The beverage prices seem to be on par with what would be charged at a cafe in Downtown Vancouver. The food prices do seem a bit higher like $2.50 for a cookie and $4.25 for a greek yogurt parfait cup.

The cafe has a nice spacious patio where you can watch people loading and unloading from the gondola.

What I Tried

For my snack, I had a blueberry scone ($3.50) and a small latte ($3.35). The scone had a lemon icing on top and a nice flaky texture. I felt that it was a rather basic scone and not really worth $3.50. The latte was average.

Post-hiking snack ? #latte and a blueberry scone ? #squamish #seatosky #latergram

A photo posted by Foodgressing ? (@foodgressing) on Jun 27, 2015 at 6:19pm PDT

Overall Impression

The Base Camp Cafe is convenient if you need a quick bite to eat before or after your activities at the Sea to Sky Gondola. The price of the food seems higher because of the convenience factor. The drinks prices seem on par with a Downtown Vancouver cafe. The quality of the scone I tried was reasonable, but I felt the scone overpriced.

For dining atop the Sea to Sky Gondola at the Summit Lodge, see my review here. Follow my Squamish eats with the tag Squamish.

Website: http://www.seatoskygondola.com/facilities/food-beverage

Small Victory Bakery – Yaletown

June 1, 2015 by foodgressing Leave a Comment

Having seen mouthwatering photos from Small Victory Bakery on Instagram, I was enticed to try out their coffee and baked goods. For a late Friday afternoon coffee break, I headed down to Small Victory Bakery with my husband.

Minimalistic & Clean Space

Upon entering the bakery, I was impressed with their minimalistic, clean and wood-accented space. Large, gold-coloured geometric shapes adorn the wall. The interior is spacious but there seems to be only a few tables for seating. There are, however, many seats at the bar. With Small Victory’s open kitchen concept, sitting at the bar provides a great view of the the baristas preparing drinks. One thing to remark is that there is a short flight of stairs leading to the main area so this cafe is not accessible-friendly for wheelchairs and strollers.

Hypnotizing Goodies

I spent a bit of time at their ordering counter as I was hypnotized by how cute their baked goods and desserts are. The staff person was not only friendly and enthusiastic, but patient as he awaited my decision. Their menu is also available on their website.

For drinks, we had an 8 oz latte ($3.75) and one of their new summer drinks, lemon maccha iced tea ($5).

The latte was smooth and had a nice balance between espresso and milk.

My #TGIF latte ☕️☕️ #Yaletown @gastropostvan #gastropost

A photo posted by Foodgressing 🍴 (@foodgressing) on May 29, 2015 at 6:08pm PDT

The lemon maccha iced tea was refreshing and had a nice hint of lemon with the maccha flavour.

Then there are the desserts…the pistacchio creme cake ($5) was tender and had a delicious cream icing.

Yes, this is so good -> pistachio creme #cake 😍 #Yaletown A photo posted by Foodgressing 🍴 (@foodgressing) on May 31, 2015 at 8:27am PDT

The strawberry shortcake in a jar ($7.50) was wonderfully light with sweet strawberries and whipped cream. Cake in a jar is always fun to eat!

Strawberry shortcake in a jar – light and delicious! 👌 #Yaletown

A photo posted by Foodgressing 🍴 (@foodgressing) on May 31, 2015 at 10:28am PDT

Small Victory Bakery’s Cold Brew

I also noticed Small Victory Bakery’s cold brew operation. I asked one of the staff about it and the process takes 6 hours to complete, but results in a flavourful cold brew coffee drink. Over the weekend, Vancity Buzz named them as one of the best places for a cold brew.

Overall Impression

Small Victory opened in late 2014, but they seem quite at home in the Yaletown neighbourhood. The staff seem friendly and enthusiastic. The open kitchen provides a bit of an entertainment while sitting at the bar. Menu items are priced for the Yaletown area. I’ll be back for more coffee breaks and definitely more desserts.

Website: http://www.smallvictory.ca

Facebook: http://fb.com/smallvictorybakery

Tim Hortons Nutella Baked Goods

May 23, 2015 by foodgressing Leave a Comment

Tim Hortons rolled out Nutella baked goods last month at their Canadian locations. The coffee chain introduced the chocolate hazelnut donut filled with Nutella and the pastry pocket filled with Nutella and is offering Nutella as a spread option for bagels. These new menu items are only here for a limited time until June 9 in Canada.

I was curious about these new Tim Hortons Nutella offerings and decided to conduct my own taste test over a few visits at my nearby location on Davie and Howe in Vancouver.

Tim Hortons Nutella Goods Taste Test

The first Nutella item I tried was the chocolate hazelnut donut filled with Nutella. The donut had a layer of chocolate with hazelnut sprinkled on top and a dollop of Nutella in the middle of. I really enjoyed the softness and chewiness of the donut along with the crunchy texture from the hazlenuts. I also enjoyed the presentation of the donut which was pretty cute. The cost for one of these donuts was around $1.50. My overall reaction was two thumbs up!

My Friday morning indulgence: #chocolate hazelnut donut filled with #Nutella from @timhortons #SpreadTheLove #TGIF 🍩🍩🍩

A photo posted by Foodgressing 🍴 (@foodgressing) on May 15, 2015 at 10:47am PDT

On a different day, I tried the pastry pockets filled with Nutella. I was disappointed for a few reasons. First, I was expecting Nutella to be bursting into my mouth once I bit into the pastry pocket, but that did not happen. The amount of Nutella filling was meager. The pastry pocket was flaky but I did not enjoy the amount of sugar coated on the outside. The sugar coating made it feel too much like a cheap dessert. The cost for three pastry pockets was $2.99 (or about $1 each).

On my last visit, I ordered a 12 grain bagel with a Nutella spread. I was asked how many passes of Nutella I wanted to which I responded one. The cost of one layer was $0.90. I watched the Tim Hortons staff person open up a single-serve Nutella package and spread it on the bagel. I thought that they would just use the traditional jar of Nutella, but they did not. It seems very non-environmentally friendly to use single-serve packages when Nutella does come in a jar.

Enjoy in Moderation

The delicious hazelnut spread that is Nutella is undoubtedly a wonderful indulgence. But did you know that one tablespoon of Nutella contains approximately one tablespoon of sugar? Best to enjoy it in moderation methinks.

Overall Impression

Out of the three Tim Hortons Nutella menu options, I only enjoyed the chocolate hazelnut donut filled with Nutella. The pastry pocked had too much sugar, and I was not impressed with the use of single-serve Nutella packages for the spread on the bagel.

For more information, see Tim Hortons’ official website: http://www.timhortons.com/ca/en/promos/nutella.php

Second Cup Rewards App

May 21, 2015 by foodgressing Leave a Comment

Screenshot from SecondCup.com/Rewards

Join, Earn and Enjoy!

I heard on social media that Second Cup launched a new free loyalty rewards program and mobile app. The Second Cup rewards app allows customers to earn 10 points for every dollar spent. Rewards start at 500 points for a drink and 1000 points for a bag of beans. The app also supports mobile payments. Customers can top up their card ahead of time and so that they only need to scan the barcode on the app when making a purchase. The app will also have special surprises like a free drink on the membership anniversary date and other personalized offers.

Devices Available

The app is available on Iphone and Android, as well as Apple Watch. Second Cup is apparently one of the first Canadian companies to debut an app for the Apple Watch. Customers who do not want to use the app can obtain a physical card from a Second Cup location. The app is set to compete against Starbuck’s mobile app, which has been highly successful in being adopted by customers.

Café Locator

When I signed up for the Second Cup Rewards app, I received a welcome offer for a free beverage (Sadly, I learned that this offer expired May 20 is no longer available to new sign ups. Sorry, folks). It had been a long time since I had been to any Second Cup, so I had no clue where the nearest one would be. Fortunately, the app has a Café Locator. which showed me where the closest Second Cup was. It was at the Bentall Centre, which is the shopping area between and below the Bentall Towers.

My Afternoon Snack

It was a warm day and I was in the mood for a cold blended beverage and an afternoon snack. The staff person at the counter was friendly and had no issues in processing the order with the app. She suggested the Chai Tea Frappé which I then ordered. I also bought a blueberry coffee cake.

The Chai Frappé was very refreshing and had a nice chai flavour. It offers a more simple taste compared to Starbucks frappuccino flavours.

The blueberry coffee cake was surprisingly good and very moist.

How much more before a reward?

The app also has a fun feature which shows you how far you are from a reward. A drop of liquid gets filled when you earn points. Once it is full, you will get a notification for a reward.

The overall experience was interesting for me as I tried out the new Second Cup Rewards app and had from food and a drink from Second Cup, which I had not done in a very long time. I found the app to be user-friendly and there were no issues in scanning the barcode and earning points.

Second Cup has a promotional video on their new app:

For more information, check out www.secondcup.com/rewards

Coffee Makes the Workplace Go Round (Infographic)

May 5, 2015 by foodgressing Leave a Comment

Have you ever wondered how the term “coffee break” was coined? When is the ideal coffee break time? Did you know that there are specific benefits to having coffee at work?

I would like to share a fun infographic created by Ghergich & Co and Quill which looks at why coffee and coffee breaks are important in the workplace.

Coffee improves communication, behavior and health for workers. The infographic cites, “Coffee in the workplace can improve everything from relationships with coworkers to work performance.”

How does coffee help you while at work?

Beans On Cambie

April 6, 2015 by foodgressing Leave a Comment

With the abundance of franchise coffee shops, it is easy to forget about the small locally-owned ones. Beans on Cambie is a local cafe on South Cambie between West 17th and 18th. I saw a Groupon deal for $10 for $20 worth of sandwiches and soups for two for Beans and decided to try this cafe out. The South Cambie area beyond the Broadway Skytrain station is not an area that I frequent, so it was a bit of an adventure for me.

The decor of Beans on Cambie is grungy and cozy with a dark ambiance. You get the feeling that you are in someone’s home. The space is small with a few two-person tables, some larger tables and couches.

Beans on Cambie Menu

Their menu includes breakfast bagels, salads, homemade soups, baked goods and a decent selection of gourmet sandwiches. I stood there looking at the menu board for a while trying to figure out which sandwich to order.

The selection of hot and cold beverages looks good as well. Bean serves 49th Parallel Coffee, has loose leaf tea and even smoothies. The pricing for the coffee beverages seem standard for a coffee shop in Vancouver. I had a 12 oz organic matcha tea latte, which had decent green tea flavour.

Sandwiches and Soups

We ordered two sandwiches and soups as part of the Groupon. A full sandwich with soup or salad combo is around $9 while and half sandwich combo is about $8. I had the tuna melt with red onion, tomato, lettuce and melted cheddar on sourdough bread and a ginger carrot soup.

My husband had the chicken breast panini with roasted red pepper, caramelized onion, tomato, mozzarella, and veggies and a mushroom soup.

The food had good flavour, tasted pretty good and the ingredients felt fresh. The only weird thing was that the amount of ginger carrot soup in the bowl was less than the mushroom soup.

Overall Impression

Beans on Cambie is place where you could enjoy an intimate conversation with someone over coffee and treats or work on your laptop. It has a very mellow vibe and you feel even more relaxed after having their food. It is a great thing to support a local business as well.

Website: www.beans-on-cambie.com/

Bump n Grind Cafe South Granville

April 3, 2015 by foodgressing Leave a Comment

It had been a few months since I had attended the grand opening celebration event at Bump n Grind cafe. I was in the South Granville neighbourhood, so I decided to pop in for an afternoon coffee break.

Changing it Up

At Bump n Grind, coffees are rotated weekly so that customers can try something new each visit. They use coffee beans from small roasters like Fernwood Coffee and Bows & Arrows Coffee Roasters based in Victoria and Phil and Sebastian from Calgary.

I ordered a chai latte, which was sweet, spicy and soothing.

Let’s Talk Pastries

They have a delicious offering of house-made pastries including peanut butter cups, earl grey shortbreads, and matcha white chocolate brownies. They also have different types of cookies for the cookie-lover: ginger snap, chocolate chip, oatmeal raisin and quinoa as a gluten-free option.

On this visit, I had the Melted Moment – a shortbread sandwich cookie with raspberry filling. The shortbread was perfect: tender, crumbly and homemade-like.

Other Bump n Grind Food

They also have wraps, english egg muffins and croissant sandwiches on the menu. I *really* enjoyed the croissant sandwiches on my last visit; they were toasted perfectly.

This time, I ordered the smoked salmon croissant, which had cucumber, cream cheese with dill and capers. The croissant was very crispy and I heard a crunch when I bit into it.

Bump n Grind offers a unique independent coffee shop experience in the South Granville area. For your next coffee break, consider visiting this cafe and satisfy your sweet tooth with some of their pastries too.

Website: www.bumpngrindcafe.com/

Mondo Café and an Instagram Takeover

March 30, 2015 by foodgressing Leave a Comment

Good coffee is pleasure.

I love a good cup of coffee. I love how just one sip can bring you into the moment. Recently, I had the opportunity to try two of Mondo Café’s premium roasts: the Roma Blend and the newest roast called Carnevàle.

Premium- Quality

Mondo Café’s coffee are roasted right here in Vancouver, BC. All of their offerings are premium-quality, 100% Arabica beans. The Roma Blend contains beans from Colombia, Guatemala, El Salvador, and Nicaragua. The Carnevàle has 100% Arabica, all-Brazilian beans. Both are available in ground and whole bean varietes.

Smells So Good

I noticed a wonderful smell of coffee emanating from the unopened packages of Mondo Café. When I brewed the coffee, an amazing aroma permeated my home. It smelled *amazing.* Both the Roma and Carnevàle have great tasting, bold flavors. The Carnevàle features nutty and chocolaty flavour notes.

Double the Coffee Love

Mondo Café coffee is available at London Drugs and Choices in April. Their 2 pound packages are a great deal compared to other premium roasts on the market because you get double the quantity for a similar price!

Mondo Café #MondoMoment

If you follow Mondo Café on social media, you will have seen them share their favourite #MondoMoments. A #MondoMoment is about finding the simple joys in the very day and being thankful for what you have, where you are, and whom you’re with. One of my #MondoMoments involves a fresh cup of Mondo Café paired with chocolate-dipped macaroon!

I’m Taking Over Their Instagram!

This week, I am taking over Mondo Café’s Instagram account. Be sure to give them a follow to see all the cool posts! @mondo_cafe

Website: http://mondocafe.ca

Instagram: http://instagram.com/mondo_cafe

Modern & Inviting

Good Earth Coffeehouse Menu

Breakfast

Fresh Baked Goods

Soups, Sandwiches & Flatbreads

Want to Try Good Earth Coffeehouse?

Hours and Location

Frappes Okay, Croissants Bad

Advertising Latte Art

Bit-Coin Friendly

Oversion of Waves Coffee

Base Camp Cafe Menu

What I Tried

Overall Impression

Minimalistic & Clean Space

Hypnotizing Goodies

Small Victory Bakery’s Cold Brew

Overall Impression

Tim Hortons Nutella Goods Taste Test

Enjoy in Moderation

Overall Impression

Join, Earn and Enjoy!

Devices Available

Café Locator

My Afternoon Snack

How much more before a reward?

Beans on Cambie Menu

Sandwiches and Soups

Overall Impression

Changing it Up

Let’s Talk Pastries

Other Bump n Grind Food

Premium- Quality

Smells So Good

Double the Coffee Love

Mondo Café #MondoMoment

I’m Taking Over Their Instagram!

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