Cafe Medina

When in Vancouver, Cafe Medina is the place for a fabulous brunch. With their freshly made waffles bragging their deliciousness and left to cool on tiers of wire racks by the window, the crowd can only wait patiently outside the cafe for another table to open up so they can move up on the list as they near their turn to be seated. As you can already figure out, Cafe Medina is popular and it gets packed. Wake up early and go early. Since we were on vacation, we had the luxury of visiting Cafe Medina on a Monday morning where it would be relatively less crowded. We arrived shortly after 9:30am and were seated right away. Within minutes, all tables were taken. When we left at about 11:00am, people had already gathered outside waiting to be seated. Don't these people have to work on Monday? Were they all also on vacation like T and I were?

Step into Cafe Medina and you will find yourself in a charming and quaint cafe with exposed high ceilings. Tables are huddled closed together, reminding you of small tight-spaced cafes commonly found in Europe. The food here is Mediterranean-inspired and you are in for a hearty brunch here.

 

The bottom of the cassoulet was lined with a bed of baked beans made with white beans, thick tomato sauce, and chopped bacon. Scooping up the fried eggs and side of grilled focaccia with the bacon-flavored beans and sauce couldn't have been a better indulgence that we would have over and over again. The cassoulet came with a generous amount of meat which included the saucisson de Paris charcuterie, double smoked bacon, and andouille sausage. Among the excellent meats, the double smoked bacon was a standout with its caramelized and charred sides that added to the overall rich flavor. The andouille susage was a winner in itself with its complex spiced taste. The cassoulet is heavy so be sure to pace yourself since you should really save space in your stomach for the famous waffles. T knew me too well that I'd need his help with my cassoulet and ordered a side of merguez spicy lamb sausage with a fried egg, and complementing them with a fruit bowl.

Literally the size of a palm for each waffle and the texture of soft bread, they were one of the most memorable ones we've had. Toppings are ordered separately and we had both the salted caramel and yoghurt which turned out to be great contrasting options. The salted caramel was lusciously rich and sweet while the yoghurt was natural and unsweetened.


Brunch at Cafe Medina is worth waking up early for.




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Cafe Medina
556 Beatty Street
Vancouver, BC V6B 2L3