Whole Foods and my Vancouver food

Last week I was in Vancouver for a course. I do this once or twice a year, most often at the Holiday Inn on Broadway. On this particular trip I was noticing that I have established little food related rituals that I am quite dedicated to.

1) Whole Foods: At Broadway and Cambie this place has a food bar that is the optimal in healthy buffet eating. You pay by weight and I must admit it is not a cheap meal, but it is always tasty and always different. Usually I stick to the salad bar which incorporates about 4 types of greens, a dozen chopped vegetables, several meat and cheese options, nuts, fresh and dried fruit, cooked grains and several dressings. They even include information on the relative nutritional value of many of their foods. This time though I ventured to the hot food. I got garlicky new potatoes and a tomato based bell pepper stew-like dish along with a wheatberry salad and snap peas with mint. The cost is slightly lower than a restaurant and considerably more healthy. You also have lots of variety which is a lovely perk.

2) Caffe Artigiano: We have on here in Victoria in the Bedford Regency Hotel. A Vancouver based franchise with truly great coffee, the Victoria store lives up to the franchise's coffee, but missing my next favorite thing - lemon ricotta muffins. Tangy, moist, cakey lemon muffin with creamy ricotta baked into the top. I go for at least one every time.

3) Ichibankan Express: Go in, grab a couple boxes of rolls, seaweed salad or sashimi, and walk right back out, or sit in its crowded surrounds. Cheap, cheerful and tasty. Not the most perfect rolls aesthetically, but flavourful and so fast.

Whenever you are in the Broadway and Cambie area try some of these spots and see if you want to make them part of your food rituals in Vancouver.