Before our wine tasting at Bricks Wine Company, Sunflower was determined to treat me to brunch. She added that it would be a smart idea to load up on food before our wine tasting. I don’t enjoy arguing with my friends, so I relented and accepted her hospitality. For this post, let’s listen to “Vienna” by Gretta Ray.
Sunflower is a good influence on me. Since meeting her, I’ve started replacing some of my typical meals with vegetarian dishes. She’s also introduced me to some incredible eateries I wouldn’t typically try, such as Vegan Street. Since we were already in Inglewood, she suggested we try Canela Vegan Bakery & Cafe.
The cafe is spacious and pretty. The glass windows emit natural sunlight that bounces off the white walls. The back of the room houses an open kitchen, while the front showcases a coffee station. We chatted with the helpful employee in the pastry section, as she’s tried everything and gave us a rundown of her favourite items.
Sunflower and I shared the Frittata ($6.95), Chai Maple Cinnamon Roll ($5.25), and a Sausage Roll ($7.25). Sunshine ordered a Chocolate Cinnamon Roll ($5.25) to go for her fiancé. For beverages, Sunflower ordered a Latte ($5.95) with coconut milk, and I requested a Filtered Coffee ($2.75) with coconut milk. I never drank a coffee with coconut milk, and I felt like a dinosaur when I admitted it out loud. I need to get out more. The coffee world has changed since 1999.
Vegan food is tasty stuff! I enjoyed the creamy texture of the frittata, and the clean, simple flavour of the starchy filling, which reminded me of lo bak go (Chinese turnip cake). Sunflower liked the addition of peas, a vegetable she stated is underrated. Tasting this dish inspired me to remake this at home.
The “sausage” roll was my second favourite dish. The filling was nutty and cheesy, with a bit of heat. Adding mustard was the perfect condiment to the warm, flaky crust.
The chai in the cinnamon roll was noticeably fragrant. Sunflower mentioned she thought the pastry would have been better if it was served warm. I was just impressed that a pastry could be tasty with all vegan ingredients, and I appreciated the staff splitting all the goodies in half so we could share everything. I noticed all the staff were smiling as they worked, and they looked genuinely happy. There must be something in the filtered water.
Thanks, Sunflower, for brunch and a new foodie experience. We’ll have to check out The Allium for the Sunday night special for our next culinary adventure.
Hitting the Sauce 