Testing Out Yar Café (Soft Opening Review!)

Happy Saturday! I absolutely love lazy weekends with no errands in sight. After sleeping in and enjoying a relaxing brunch at home, I decided it was time to hunt down a new coffee shop to hang out and finally be productive (time to write some blog posts!).

Mocha from Yar Café

During my search, a new spot called Yar Café popped up on Google Maps in West Broadway, right near the old Toys R' Us location. They are still in their soft opening phase, having only started their journey two weeks ago. It's so exciting to catch a new business early! Naturally, I ordered too much! Here's the rundown:

I started with an 8 oz Mocha, which was definitely on the bitter side. I paired it with the gorgeous Pistachio Kunafa Croissant. Inside, the croissant was packed with crunchy, sweet, shredded pastry (kunafa) soaked in a sugary syrup. Unfortunately, the croissant itself tasted stale. A quick reheat would have brought it back to life, I think.

Pistachio Kunafa Croissant from Yar Café

A quick peek inside the Pistachio Kunafa Croissant from Yar Café

Then, Hubby joined me straight from his dental appointment, and we ordered three more things! The Iced Persian Latte was super pretty, strong, and bitter—perfect for a late afternoon jolt. We also grabbed their Beef Sandwich for a late lunch, which was packed with sliced beef, a house sauce, peppery arugula, tomato, and Monterey Jack and Cheddar cheeses. It was a delicious, satisfying sandwich, though not exactly mind-blowing.

Iced Persian Latte from Yar Café

Beef Sandwich (House-style) from Yar Café
Sliced beef, house sauce, arugula, tomato, Monterey Jack, and cheddar cheese

Finally, we tried the Tiramisu Danish. It featured sweet tiramisu filling inside what should have been a flaky pastry, but sadly, the bread was stale again, which was really disappointing.

Tiramisu Danish from Yar Café

My verdict for future me (and you!): Definitely order their drinks, which are unique and strong. But for now, until they sort out the freshness, skip the food!

CF Pacific Centre Urban Eatery (food court)

CF Pacific Centre, located in the heart of downtown Vancouver, is a major retail destination, and its food court, the Urban Eatery, is a key part of the experience. This underground dining space is a bustling hub for shoppers, office workers, and tourists alike, offering a wide array of choices from well-known chains to unique local spots.

The food court is constantly evolving, with new vendors appearing and others moving on, so this list is a snapshot of the offerings as of the publication date and is subject to change.

☑️ A&W

⬜ Cazba Persian Grill

☑️ Cha House

✔️ Dairy Queen / Orange Julius

☑️ Edo Japan

☑️ Flaming Wok

✔️ Jugo Juice

☑️ New York Fries

⬜ OPA! of Greece

✔️ Subway

☑️ Taco Time

☑️ Thai Express

☑️ UMI Sushi Express

☑️ Vina Vietnamese

☑️ Chachi's (closed)

❌ Hula (closed)

☑️ Living Foods (closed)

Bubble Waffle from Cha House

I was still feeling a little hungry after our quick dinner at Edo Japan and well, the craving was real!

We headed over to Cha House immediately for a dessert fix. I ordered their signature Bubble Waffle, and it was exactly what I needed to finish off the night. It was absolutely perfect: soft, wonderfully pillowy, and perfectly sweet.

Bubble Waffle from Cha House

Instant happiness! What a delicious end to a long, busy Friday.

Sukiyaki Beef Bento and Crispy Tofu Bento from Edo Japan

Happy Friday! It was a very long day; I worked in the office today because we're totally swamped finishing up year-end tasks. After finally clocking out and before we tackled some Christmas shopping, we grabbed a quick dinner at Edo Japan in their Pacific Centre location.

Hubby was in a classic mood and went for the Sukiyaki Beef Bento. It was a huge plate featuring tender, savory Sukiyaki Beef, plus a satisfying little mix of sides: four pieces of Cali Roll and two crunchy pieces of Tempura Shrimp.

Sukiyaki Beef Bento from Edo Japan with 2-piece Tempura Shrimp and 4-piece Cali Roll

Meanwhile, my tofu phase is still going strong! I ordered the Crispy Tofu Bento. My plate came with perfectly golden and crispy cubes of tofu drizzled with a sweet and savory sauce, plus two spring rolls and two flavorful gyoza.

Crispy Tofu Bento from Edo Japan with 2-piece Spring Roll and 2-piece Gyoza

Everything on my plate was great, especially the tofu and the gyoza! However, here's a note for future visits: skip the spring rolls. They didn't have much flavor, and honestly, the crispy tofu is more than enough to satisfy that fried craving.

After that quick fuel-up, we are ready to hit the shops!

Americano from Dante Italian Sandwich

Happy Thursday! This week's company-paid team lunch theme was sandwiches. Since we have a wonderful new colleague who is vegetarian, we decided to pivot from our usual favorite, Meat & Bread, to somewhere with more options for her. We ended up at Dante Italian Sandwich in their Robson location!

Americano from Dante Italian Sandwich
Roast turkey, stracciatella cheese, potato chip crunch, basil spread, semi dried tomato, arugula

We placed our order online, and I went out for the quick pick-up run. I decided to try their Americano sandwich, which was absolutely stacked with flavor and texture! It came loaded with savory roast turkey, creamy stracciatella cheese, a genius addition of crispy potato chip crunch for texture, a bright basil spread, sweet semi dried tomato, and ton of peppery arugula. It was such a satisfying and flavorful lunch! I love how Dante uses that fantastic, rustic schiacciata bread.

For reference, here is the other delicious sandwich I've tried from Dante so far: Inferno.

Lemongrass Chicken Bahn Mi and Wonton Soup from Viet Sub Vietnamese Cuisine

Happy Thursday! The theme for our company-paid team lunch today was Vietnamese, and we decided to support the local family-owned gem, Viet Sub Vietnamese Cuisine, for some bánh mì!

I'm feeling a bit under the weather with a terrible dry cough, so I was definitely craving something comforting and warm. I ordered their B1 - Grilled Lemongrass Chicken Bahn Mi and paired it with a small Wonton Soup for some cozy warmth.

Lemongrass Chicken Bahn Mi from Viet Sub Vietnamese Cuisine

The bánh mì was delicious! The Grilled Lemongrass Chicken was tender and packed with bright, citrusy, and savory flavor, perfectly complemented by the crisp, cool pickled carrots and daikon, fresh cilantro, and a smear of rich pâté, all tucked into a perfectly crunchy baguette. 

Wonton Soup (small) from Viet Sub Vietnamese Cuisine

Meanwhile, the Wonton Soup was exactly what I needed: a piping hot, clean, and savory broth filled with silky wontons that were easy to sip down. I finished the soup right away during lunch (it was so soothing!) and enjoyed the rest of my delicious sandwich between afternoon meetings.

I always love Viet Sub's sandwiches! For future reference, here are the other bánh mì I've tried here so far:

• B1. Grilled Lemongrass Chicken
• B4. Special Sub (Vietnamese Ham / Cold Cut Meat / Meat Ball)
• B7. B.B.Q Sub (Pork / Beef / Chicken / Meat Ball)
• C6. Wonton Soup (small)

Company Christmas Party from JOEY Burrard

Happy Wednesday and Merry Christmas! Today was our company Christmas party, and it was a blast. We started the evening by spending a fun 90 minutes being kids again, playing all the best arcade games at The Rec Room!

After all that competitive energy, we took a leisurely stroll over to the JOEY Burrard location for dinner. This was my first time dining at JOEY, and I was so excited to see how they stack up against classic Vancouver spots like The Keg, Earls, and Cactus Club. (This is my third Christmas party with my current employer; we did Cactus Club first, The Keg last year, and now JOEY!)

I started with the Korean Fried Cauliflower, and honestly, my mind was blown. I was chatting and taking a few bites, and then it dawned on me: this is not chicken! I seriously had to bite into the middle to double-check that it was actually cauliflower. The flavor was spot-on, and the texture was shockingly like chicken.

Korean Fried Cauliflower from JOEY Burrard
Sweet & spicy Koren chili glaze, pickled fresnos, watermelon radish

For my main dish, I went for the Herb Crush Salmon with truffle beurre blanc, preserved tomatoes, creamy mashed potatoes, and snap peas. I know, I'm that unusual person who orders salmon even when the restaurant is known for steak! While it was fresh and beautifully plated, it wasn't super flavorful. I have to say, The Keg's salmon dish still holds the top spot for me.

Herb Crush Salmon from JOEY Burrard
Truffle beurre blanc, preserved tomatoes, creamy mushroom potatoes, and snap peas

To end the meal, I ordered the Warm Italian Donuts with vanilla mascarpone cream and lemon curd. They were pillowy soft and perfectly tart... but man, it was disappointing that they weren't actually warm.

Warm Italian Donuts from JOEY Burrard
Vanilla mascarpone cream and lemon curd

Overall, it was a fun day of celebrating! Now, I know which of the big three has the best salmon.

My Husband's Checklist

As you've probably gathered from my previous posts, I enjoy the free company-paid team lunch every Thursday. As a result, I've been to quite a few food joints that my husband hasn't tried yet. This list is to help us keep track of all the places we need to visit together.

☑️ A la Mode Pie

☑️ Al Basha Express

⬜ Bali Bites food truck

☑️ bb.q Chicken

⬜ BC Momo

☑️ Blaze Gourmet Burger

☑️ Boteco Brasil

⬜ Brazilliant Café

⬜ Brooklyn Dumpling Shop

⬜ Browns Socialhouse

☑️ Burger Crush

⬜ Casereccio Foods

⬜ Cafe Medina

⬜ Chit Chat Burger Bar

⬜ Dante Italian Sandwich

⬜ Devil's Elbow Ale and Smoke House

⬜ Dingding Restaurant

⬜ Disco Cheetah

⬜ El Compadre (part of Club Kitchen)

☑️ Five Guys Burger & Fries

☑️ Gimme Coxinhas

☑️ Grand Chinese Restaurant

⬜ Hawker's Delight

⬜ H-Kitchen inside H-Mart

⬜ Ignite Pizzeria

☑️ JINYA Ramen Bar

☑️ Jerusalem Shawarma

⬜ JOEY at Burrard

☑️ John 3:16 Malaysian Delights

☑️ Jollibee

⬜ Khao Thai by Legato

☑️ La Taqueria Pinche Taco Shop

⬜ Luca Restaurant

☑️ Meat & Bread

⬜ Mediterranean Grill

☑️ Memphis Blues BBQ House

⬜ Nablus Shawarma & Grill

⬜ Nando's

⬜ Nene Chicken

☑️ New Town Bakery & Restaurant

⬜ Original Joe's

☑️ Patrón Tacos & Cantina

⬜ PAUL Le Café

⬜ Peaked Pies

☑️ Pelicana Chicken

⬜ Pho Georgia Express

⬜ Pholicious

⬜ Pokerrito

☑️ Rosemary Rocksalt

⬜ Steve's Poke Bar

☑️ Straight Brooklyn Pizza

⬜ Talay Thai Restaurant

☑️ Thai Away Home

☑️ Thai Express

⬜ The Banter Room

⬜ The Cambie Pub

⬜ The Greek

☑️ The Old Spaghetti Factory

☑️ Tokyo in April

⬜ Viet Sub Vietnamese Cuisine

⬜ WA-Bagel

☑️ White Spot

⬜ Yopo Sweet Mandarin

❌ Chakra Indian Restaurant (closed)

❌ Davie Dosa Company (closed)

❌ Sushi UOmo (closed)