No MSG No Garlic Foodie

This was in my list of 'Want to Go' places. We were pleasantly surprised by the peaceful and comfortable atmosphere at The Garden. Being used to Yaletown Coffee shops which are typically high-energy places, it is nice to know that a tranquil coffee place exists not that far from Yaletown. They have a sitting room area with lots of plants arranged around a couch, a coffee table and a couple of chairs. Even though we didn't get to sit there, it is within our view at table 3, and we felt as though we were part of that space. Another thing I appreciated is the fact that they assign tables when you order the drinks – rather than the usual mad scramble for a seat in other crowded coffee shops. We were there for lunch, and it appears that the option for no garlic was quite limited. After consultation with the kitchen, the host offered a couple of options, one of which was a kale salad with custom vinaigrette, plus chicken if I preferred. That's what I ordered. It was a very delicious salad, and I would certainly go all the way there again just to have that salad again. We also ordered the breakfast sandwich which comes with potato salad. The espresso drinks were very well made, made with Agro Espresso, and very enjoyable. We will visit again! In fact, we did go back again the next week. I ordered the same salad and was surprised to find the chicken missing, so I asked for a side of chicken, and since I seemed to have no reaction previously, I thought it might be OK. But apparently, the chicken had been brined in garlic. Yuk. And because I did not have an oat latte before the food arrived, the garlic hit was kind strong enough that I decided we better go home instead of ordering coffee drinks, just to be safe. My partner ordered the lentil soup which contains garlic strong enough that he will probably not order it again. I was disappointed with the chicken the second time around because it was chewy and dry, not like the first time. Well, the hosts are very caring and lovely people, and it looks like lots of patrons are regulars and really enjoy their food. So, we hope that this place will flourish!

Every time we walked past this place, it was full of people. We decided to enjoy a coffee while we waited for our kitchen knives to be sharpened at Knifewear. Our usual drinks are cappuccinos and lattes made with oat milk. The foam was thick enough, and the espresso was chocolaty, very enjoyable for our first visit. However, when we came back a second time, the drinks weren't as nice, we didn't detect the chocolate flavour the second time, and the foam wasn't as micro. Is consistency a problem? Not really sure, we'd have to come back a couple more times ;-)

We had a very pleasant stop today sitting under the shade of trees, enjoying oat cappuccino and latte. The espresso was strong, but not bitter, and the foam very well made. I also had gluten free toast which was not very filling, but better than other sugared gluten-free cookies. They offer all-day-breakfast, useful to remember when I need to sit under a tree during hot summer months. The bathroom was spotless – no dirt above or under the base boards.

Prototype Coffee doesn't have much of an entrance. One needs to take a leap of faith and just open the door to check it out. Once inside, we appreciate the interior with the green wall. They roast small batches of coffee and it smells wonderful inside. With such a large display of waffles, it's hard not to have one. But the consistency is more like a cake donut, and not spongy & chewy like the waffles from Medina Cafe. I've been meaning to try their coffee for a while. Our coffee geek friends who roast their own coffee hold them in high regard. Our oat latte and cappuccino are OK. I had to get used to the roast. On the first sip, I thought I wasn't going to be able to finish my drink, but I got reconditioned soon enough – it's strong, tasty but not bitter.