The Oakwood Canadian Bistro - Vancouver, BC

I know I'm going to sound like a broken record but can you believe this weather???!!  It's amazing!!  Since Mr. Piglet and I were away for much of the summer in Vancouver, I've (yes, I alone) decided that  we need to take advantage of what's left of the summer.  The rain is going to come gushing down any moment in this city so we need enjoy as much as we can!  Off to Kits!  After walking through the Kitsilano Farmer's Market and scoring some awesome berries and golden beets, Mr. Piglet and I are starving our pants off.  After a short walk, we stumble upon this place...

Never even heard of it but it looks busy so we walk in and see what's what.  They market themselves as a modern Canadian bistro serving Westcoast fare.  Not sure what that means but a giant plate of eggs, sausage and toast goes out so we decide to sit and eat.  After a few minutes wait, we get ourselves on the patio and wait for our weekend brunch selection...

Mimosa - $6.50

Pricey but delicious.  I think I'm going to drink more Prosecco from now on.

 Braised Short Rib - $11

Fried eggs, marinated tomato, potato pancake

Oh god it looks so good...  the short rib is oh so tender and just falls apart with little effort.  The potato is more like a deep-fried hash than a pancake and I love it so much more.  Super crunchy and with a bit of housemade ketchup and it's money.  After a few bites, I notice something happening.  There's no sauce left!  The rib is tender but without that sauce, it's just a hunk of meat.  I'm so sad...  there needs to be a bowl of sauce on the side.  I also have qualms with the eggs as well - give me a runny yolk if I want a runny yolk!  It would certainly help with the lack of liquid.  It's a good dish but it just needs A LOT MORE sauce.  Without that sauce, the dish is just too dry.  The marinated tomato is just that - tomato and frisee with a bit of vinaigrette on top.  Meh.

 The Burger - $15

Sesame bun, buttermilk fried onion, applewood cheddar

Um, I'm so jealous.  Mr. Piglet chose right because this burger is AMAZING.  Although we asked for medium-rare, the burger comes out medium but is still super moist and tastes just absolutely unreal.  The homemade relish?  Good.  The alfalfa?  Who knew it would taste so good on a burger??  The mayo?  Just the perfect amount of tang.  Buttermilk fried onion?  Sweet and a great crunch.  The fries are also super crunchy and with a dunk in that homemade ketchup AND hot sauce - perfect accompaniment to the perfect burger.  Can we get one to go???

I think we would come back just for The Burger alone.  Dayum that was a good burger...  The brunch menu is really limited so I wouldn't mind coming back to try some other their other items that other people have raved about.  Although my dish was not as satisfying, others looked really delicious and Mr. Piglet's burger was awesome.  If you're in the area, do drop by for a visit if you can.  Bon appetite!

Pros:

• Tasty food
• Friendly service
• Homemade condiments
• Free street parking right outside

Cons:

• On the pricier side - a brunch with a couple of drinks and now you're eating at $25 a person...
• Slower service