Life in the Lower Mainland (BC, Canada)

My friend was all excited by the under-$10 weekend brunch and dragged me here. She was immediately disappointed by the rather small menu, but did manage to find something that she ended up liking (Avocado Benny). I, however, apparently picked the one thing you shouldn't get here. Fried Egg Sandwich ($13.75, or $9.75 during weekend brunch if you order before Noon; cheddar cheese costs extra) smoked bacon, avocado, lettuce, tomato, mayo, red relish, brioche bun, smashed potatoes Looks like a pretty tall burger till you look inside and realize it's fluffed up by lettuce. Worse, the mass of lettuce and other slippery ingredients can make this a mess to eat, squishing out juices everywhere. I recommend you try to flatten down the lettuce by flattening down the sandwich. Basically a rip off even at $9.75 for what you actually get. Think about it: An egg is something you add to a burger for +$1, at Red Robin for example. Order something else. Fever Tree Ginger Beer ($4) ...

After so many lousy experiences at Cactus Club , why did I go to another one? Simple -- it was someone else's pick. This time, instead of gambling on a main, I decided to go with Rob Feenie menu items (marked "RF" on the menu), and to put together my late-night dinner with two appys and dessert. Kobe Style Meatball Trio ($12.25) roasted tomato sauce, freshly grated parmesan There is a similar item on the mains, but with pasta. Get this instead to skip the pasta. The meatballs were huge! Almost like tennis balls! If you finish this appetizer yourself, it probably counts as a light to medium main all on its own because of the sheer quantity of meat. The meatballs themselves were tender and OK tasting. Could use more spicing to jazz up the flavour, but I can see why they wouldn't waste doing that because of the sauce. The sauce kills this dish. It is crazy salty! I recommend you try it on its own, then scrape most of it off your meatballs. Ravioli + Prawn ...

Last time I was at the Coal Harbour Cactus Club  was in December, and I remember not being impressed, but I also didn't have any Rob Feenie specials either. I vowed to only order "RF" marked menu items, so when I got dragged over there for brunch today, that's how I read the menu. Location is great except you probably don't want to linger outside too long during the day because the exhaust from the float planes does drift up. Patio seating is very good on a sunny day. If you are early enough for brunch, you can ask to retreat further in under more shade if the sun gets too much. Don't be put off by no-reservations-for-brunch as the location is big enough for there to be ample seating. Larger groups should definitely try a reservation, and I did see a couple of parties of 8-10 with outdoor sunny seating. BBQ Duck Clubhouse ($17.75) peking duck, roasted chicken, prosciutto di modena, pecan fruit bread. Created by chef Rob Feenie. Not the worst sandwic...

So I finally dropped in at The Cactus Club downtown -- you known, the one at the 2010 Winter Olympics torch. It's quite a big place and with multiple exits that look like they could very well be entrances. Keep circling for the one with heat lamps warming a path to three to five hot hostesses ready to seat you (or turn you away because they are full). I was by at around 3.30pm -- not yet their 4pm happy hour -- and the place was already busy. The server looking up the reservation for my party said they were always busy. And reservations? Yes and no. If you know certain people, yes. No harm trying to call one in, though. The layout inside looks expansive but the lanes are a bit tight. Any obstruction and you might be better off circling around to a different lane. They also keep it sort of dim, so if you want a really good look around, go during the day. It's actually rather nicely laid out in that there is a lot of non-window seating that have good views. Don't get h...