The local Vancouver boutique coffee roaster, 49th Parallel has announced that it will open a second café location next month, located on Main Street at the corner of East 13th Avenue. The new café will also be home to a Lucky’s Doughnuts counter, representing the company’s first foray into food.

The 2,800 square foot café joins the company’s original West 4th Avenue location in showcasing 49th Parallel’s own range of small-batch roasted coffees. In addition, the much bigger new location will include expanded space for single-cup preparation, a 16-seat communal table that can be used for group cuppings, a 30-seat patio on the East 13th Avenue side, and garage-style doors that create an open-air space during warmer weather.

“It feels good to get back to our East Vancouver roots,” says owner Vince Piccolo, who grew up not far from the new café location. “We’re really looking forward to the extra space giving us the ability to offer cuppings and educational sessions for the general public. We’re excited to share our passion for coffee with the Mount Pleasant neighbourhood.”

Bringing together the classic pairing of coffee and doughnuts to the Main Street café is the launch of Lucky’s Doughnuts. Authentic, hand-crafted and genuinely delicious, Lucky’s Doughtnuts are made fresh throughout the day using the highest quality natural ingredients. With all components made from scratch including jams, glazes and fillings, the company also strives to source locally and seasonally. A selection of 13 different doughnuts-six yeast varieties, six cake varieties and a French crueller, will be available each day, with varieties changing with the seasons.

 The new 49th Parallel Café is located at 2902 Main Street (@ East 13th Avenue), and is slated to open during the first week of June. Hours of operation will be Monday to Saturday, 7 am to 10 pm; and Sunday, 8 am to 8 pm.

By Joanna Lee, Modern Mix Vancouver writer

Cafeteria (2702 Main Street x East 11th Ave.) is a cozy, neighbourhood restaurant from industry duo Andrey Durbach and Chris Stewart (think La Buca and Pied-a-Terre), offering comfort food in a nostalgic setting.  Located in the hipster community of Main Street, Cafeteria is a 30-seater restaurant which settled into the former space of Ping’s Cafe in June 2010.  The room is fairly narrow and basic - exposed brick and vaulted ceilings with a wine rack-topped bar and glassy zinc table tops –  yet the it is lively and stylish at the same time.  The restaurant has already worked up a good reputation, as evident by the frequent line-ups and waits.

Cafeteria’s menu is not cuisine-specific but is super casual, changing on a daily basis, and includes inventive offerings of beer, wine and cocktails displayed on old fashioned cafeteria-style letter boards. One can view the previous day’s menu on their Facebook page to get a sense of Cafeteria’s menu for the current day.

There is usually some kind of salad and soup on the menu and dishes are generally less than $25.  Some of the featured main courses in the past include Veal Cordon Bleu ($18.50), Bangers & Mash ($17), Duck Breast & Ginger Rice ($19.00), Chicken Schnitzel ($17.50) and Lamb Tagine ($23.50).One can order a la carte or there is also the option of 3 courses for $36.  With delicious food, good value and pleasant service,Cafeteria is an amazing little find that is worth multiple visits.

Cafeteria is open seven days a week from 5:00pm until late and takes reservations with seats reserved for walk-in diners.

This past weekend, I left the downtown core for a more affordable weekend brunch edition and ended up at Habit Lounge on Main and East Broadway. The interior of Habit is cozy, but not cramped or crowded. The setting reminds me of a diner with its U-shaped booth seating lining the wall – great for accommodating a small group of friends who want to meet up for brunch.  The food selection at Habit Lounge is described as ”modern Canadian comfort food”. On weekends, brunch goes until 2:30pm and the lunch menu only begins after then.

I ordered the roast tomato, basil and chevre eggs benedict ($10).  I loved how the tomato was seasoned and roasted with a flavour of sun-dried tomatoes, but warm and juicy.  The hollandaise sauce was a warm, golden yellow, which was a stark contrast to the whiteness of the poached eggs.  The goat cheese was spread onto the toasted english muffins, which gave it a texture like cream cheese.  The hashbrowns were made just the way I like – coarsely chopped up into chunks and seasoned, slightly brown on the outside and soft and baked on the inside.

Because my eggs benedict was vegetarian, the meat-eater in me also ordered a side of pork sausage ($2.75). It was flavourful and juicy, but not overly greasy and was the perfect meaty addition to my eggs benedict. I was surprised there was only ONE sausage, but it was big and plump so I guess that makes up for the sausage a la carte.  I don’t think I could have eaten more than one anyway.

Meanwhile, my friend ordered the BLTA Sandwich ($9) with a fried egg ($1.75).  The whole grain bread gives the sandwich a hearty, healthy essence. The iceberg lettuce was fresh with that “chomp” sound when you bite into it, while the bacon was a flavourful, crispy addition to the sandwich.  The fried egg definitely gave the meal a more  ”brunchy” feel, so brunch doesn’t feel right to you without eggs, I would recommend getting the fried egg addition.

I really like Habit for weekend Brunch, it’s probably my new favourite place to go. If it weren’t for committing to trying out a new brunch restaurant each weekend for the MMV Weekend Brunch Series, I would probably just keep going back to Habit.

By Eudora Koh, Modern Mix Vancouver Writer

Chaise is another one of the jewels along Main Street, which we all know is recognized for its smaller hole-in-the-wall restaurants and diners. After passing by countless times, I finally got to try the resto-bar that I’d heard so much about.  The highlights of Chaise? It has a very relaxed and casual atmosphere which is perfect for an evening any day of the week, and has a chalkboard full of daily specials, great service, and drinks specials! Initially, from its fancy-looking exterior and signage (and name for that fact!), I would have imagined Chaise to carry pricier food and beverage; on the contrary, the entire menu was affordable and everything sounded down-to-earth but appetizing.

The atmosphere inside Chaise was split into a bar/lounge area, with high tops and bar stools, and a more intimate area, which I’m guessing is the dining room with the booth and table set up.  Maybe it was because I was there on a Friday night, and a Canucks game night, but at times, I found it too loud to have a meaningful one-on-one conversation.

I ordered the Jamaican Burger which was $10, and was loaded with jerk chicken, cranberry mayo, swiss cheese, lettuce, tomato, and raw onion (of which I probably should not have eaten so much).  Vanessa had the $10 pasta with meatballs special for $10.  She found the meatballs tender, moist and flavourful but the pasta a bit bland.

Regardless, the value of the food for the price you’re paying made up for that, as did my overall experience.   The portions were definitely filling, the food was decent, and best of all, the beer special was only $4.75/pint.  If you ask me, that definitely makes for a good Friday night … minus the raw onion breath I was stuck with.

By Lydia Frey, MMV Guest Writer

What I love about Main Street is how just when you think you’ve seen it all, you turn a corner and discover another hidden gem.  Whether it’s a funky boutique, restaurant or coffee shop, you never know what you’ll encounter.  That why, when I made my way to Scout Boutique’s Sweet and Spicy Fashion Show last week, I wasn’t sure what to expect.

With fashions from Rebel Rouser, Pinup Couture, Parr, Betty Page, Style Me Vintage and local designer Misty Greer’s line, TrunkShow, I encountered the edgier and sexier side to fashion. Curve defining shapes, lipstick reds and midnight blacks took over the room and made me seriously consider purchasing new red heels. While I doubt I could get away with some of the necklines at work, the outfits were sexy without being trashy. I kept expecting burlesque dancers to take over the stage and I wouldn’t have been disappointed if that had happened.

During the break, I took a look at what was on the racks and felt my self-control slipping away. Gorgeous fitted autumn jackets beckoned but I stayed strong.  For women looking for style with a sassy edge, this is the place to go. Scout Boutique offers personal shopping and private shopping sessions and the friendly staff makes your shopping occasion memorable – not to mention easy. This was Scout Boutique’s third annual fashion show and after this year’s showcase, I will definitely be there next year!

**photos used with permission from the Scout Boutique Facebook Page

For more information, see the flyer below or the Facebook event details.