Returning from a Toronto trip last week, one of the things that I was really hankering for was Asian-Style Breakfast. Don't get me wrong, I had some good food in Toronto (such as Cafe Boulud, Edulis and Hapa Izakaya) but sometimes, you just crave the simple things! Wandering into the King Ed and Cambie area, we ended up at Copa Cafe. Sure I've been here for lunch and dinner, but never for breakfast. I was delighted to find out that they served both a traditional HK-style breakfast, as well as Western-style breakfast. The first of the HK style? This is the Century Egg and Pork Congee. It's hard to take a good picture of congee.
Once served from the larger bowl though, the fixings are a bit more evident. This Century Egg & Shredded Pork Congee was super smooth and almost creamy. I have never made a congee like this, despite hours of trying. The rice kernels seem almost blended, though they aren't but the texture of this is ultra silky. And there is an abundance of shredded pork and century egg, more than you would expect from the first photo. Add a bit of white pepper and you're all set. This is Part A of the HK Style breakfast, and you can get it for just $5.25. But, if you don't think this is enough, you can add a supplement (Part B) for just another $2.So for the second part of my HK Style breakfast, I got one of my favourites, the Steamed Rice Noodle Rolls. I was especially pleased when the manager informed us that these would take a bit longer, as that implies that they were steamed to order. These tender little rolls were steamed to perfection. How do I know? As anyone who has had dim sum with me would attest, one of the things I love to do is to unroll these in my mouth (sort of like trying a cherry stem with your tongue). Once they are overcooked or reheated, this becomes much harder to do. This was not the case here, I was in love (and in shock)! Two amazing dishes for just $7.25. Better than White Spot any day! But if you want something crazily decadent, give The Flying Pig a try! So there is a second style of breakfast being served here, the Western Style which starts with Two Eggs with your choice of ham, sausage, luncheon meat and bacon. As you can see, we picked sausage. These eggs were done well as sunny-side up, and they weren't oily at all. And the bigger shock? The sausages were actually really good, tasty with a nice punch of saltiness and not oily at all. I would have liked to see more grill marks on them, but at only $5.25, I can't really complain. So for another $2 (as with the HK style breaky), we got another entree to complement our breakfast. And as part two of the Western Breakfast, we picked Veggies with Shredded Pork in Vermicelli in Soup. Yes, I know it doesn't sound Western, but if for some reason, the folks at Copa do, and I'm not about to argue. The bowlful of noodles wasn't as aplenty as the congee, but it was still a larger portion that you would expect. And the pork was marinated well and very tender. In short, if you are looking for comfort food, this fits the bill.
Take Note:
Extra charge applies for Visa/MC/Amex if bill is less than $25
Opens early for breakfast
Parking lot in the back gets full day or night, aim for street parking
Met up with the BFF and BFF'B for a yummy lunch a few weeks ago. We wanted something Asian, but her boy could never sit still long enough for the two of us to have a leisurely dim sum lunch. So we ended up going to Copa, because they are pretty kid-friendly. Lots of kids abound there on Saturday afternoon, most of them screaming for no reason at all, randomly.
I have to say, even though Copa isn't a BBQ restaurant, it does served one of the best BBQ Duck Noodle in Soups that I've had since being back in Vancouver. You get loads of duck, and real veggies (not just a sprinkle of green onions), and noodles that aren't overcooked.
BFF was enamoured with their photo of the Pork Chop Ramen on the menuand ordered that instead. Since the pork comes separately, her boy could have the noodles and soup. So cute! But the pork chop was really crispy...actually, crunchy! But it was gigantic...no way it's meant for one person!
On weekends, I love going to HK-style cafes because there just aren't any in downtown Vancouver, where I slave away at my day job, Monday to Friday.
A few weekends ago, I went to Copa Cafe on Cambie (near King Ed) and had one of my go-to dishes...BBQ Duck Rice Noodle Soup. I am one of those people who actually enjoy chewing on bones versus just eating chunks of meal. It seems to make the meal last longer. So I was delighted when my noodles arrived and I had gotten the BBQ Duck thigh...a great blend of meat and bone...and skin, the best part!
As per my usual order of business, I removed all the BBQ Ducky-Goodness onto a side plate so that I could enjoy the noodles underneath, without getting the crispy skin all soggy. Imagine my surprise when I found an "internal organ" as part of the dish. In all my years of devouring BBQ Duck (and BBQ Goose while in HK), I have never actually be served this. I have eaten the more common chicken version of the same thing...but never the duck at a cafe. I think I will be back just to see if this is de rigeur for them.
My friend ordered one of their Thai-styled Fried Rices (I think it was the Roast Chicken one) and it was a huge portion. And really, you can't go wrong with anything that is topped with a fried egg. The only decision is exactly when you pop the yolk. I prefer to wait until half the dish is done, so that the yolky goodness is enough to make the remaining rice all wet and saucey. Mark this BBQ Duck craving - satisfied!
Wandering into the King Ed and Cambie area, we ended up at Copa Cafe. Sure I've been here for lunch and dinner, but never for breakfast. I was delighted to find out that they served both a traditional HK-style breakfast, as well as Western-style breakfast. The first of the HK style? This is the Century Egg and Pork Congee. It's hard to take a good picture of congee.
So for the second part of my HK Style breakfast, I got one of my favourites, the Steamed Rice Noodle Rolls. I was especially pleased when the manager informed us that these would take a bit longer, as that implies that they were steamed to order. These tender little rolls were steamed to perfection. How do I know? 
So there is a second style of breakfast being served here, the Western Style which starts with Two Eggs with your choice of ham, sausage, luncheon meat and bacon. As you can see, we picked sausage. These eggs were done well as sunny-side up, and they weren't oily at all. 
And as part two of the Western Breakfast, we picked Veggies with Shredded Pork in Vermicelli in Soup. Yes, I know it doesn't sound Western, but if for some reason, the folks at Copa do, and I'm not about to argue. The bowlful of noodles wasn't as aplenty as the congee, but it was still a larger portion that you would expect. And the pork was marinated well and very tender. In short, if you are looking for comfort food, this fits the bill.
