Smooch Food: Love Letters to Every Bite

I don't hang out with my parents often enough, so when they visit my side of Vancouver, I make it a priority to bring them somewhere special. Today, I decided to introduce them to C Market Coffee along Main Street, Vancouver's biggest coffee shop. This is my third time visiting, and I still remember being here on opening day. C Market Coffee, Main Street (Third Visit) Location: 195 E 36th Ave, Vancouver, BC V5W 4A1 (Main Street) Visit: Family outing with parents Featured Items: K-Ube Latte ($7), Dubai Chocolate Croissant ($10.50), Ultimate Chocolate Nemo Cake ($8) Verdict: A delightful spot to share time with family. The croissant steals the show with its perfect texture and pistachio cream. My parents ordered their usual Americanos while my sister and I decided to indulge in a couple of their signature desserts. We went with the luxurious Dubai Chocolate Croissant and the Ultimate Chocolate Nemo Ca...

Fable Kitchen in Kitsilano is shutting their doors tomorrow, and we decided to visit for their penultimate dinner service. We've always wanted to try here, but it's a bit pricey, so trying them once felt like more than enough. We're glad we made the visit. Fable Kitchen, Kitsilano (Closing) Location: 1944 W 4th Ave, Vancouver, BC V6J 1M5 (Kitsilano) Visit: Penultimate dinner service before closure Featured Items: Duck meatball ($19), canned tuna ($19), chickpea fritter ($15), patatas bravas ($18) Verdict: A bittersweet final visit. The duck meatball and canned tuna are unforgettable, even if only for one last time. I checked Google Maps to see which dishes came highly recommended, and we decided to share three starters: chickpea fritters, a duck meatball, and canned tuna. We weren't sure if three would be enough, so we also grabbed one from the share plates section, and since I have a soft spot ...

After work today, my colleagues and I decided to hit the gym in the basement of our office building for some group workout. It's so much fun and incredibly motivating to work towards health goals with the ladies. (Is that post-workout glow a real thing? Because I felt it! lol.) Riding that endorphin high, hubby and I headed to Mamalee Malaysian Delights in Chinatown to grab dinner. Mamalee Malaysian Delights, Chinatown Location: 186 Keefer Pl, Vancouver, BC V6B 6L4 (Chinatown) Featured Items: Hainanese Chicken Rice + Soup (large), Nasi Lemak, Roti Canai Price Range: Hainanese Chicken Rice $20, Nasi Lemak $18.50, Roti Canai $9.95 Verdict: Comforting Malaysian classics with tender chicken and satisfying roti. A solid neighbourhood spot when the craving hits. Still beaming from the workout, I asked Gemini to tell me the lowest-calorie option from the menu, and it spit out Hainanese Chicken Rice + ...

Every Thursday, I grab breakfast at Tim Hortons as my little self-care moment of the week. This morning, scrolling through the New & Seasonal section on the app, I spotted their brand new White Cheddar Hashbrown ($2.59). My brain immediately jumped to the idea of melted white cheddar tucked inside the hashbrown, all gooey and rich. Spoiler: that's not what I got. Tim Hortons White Cheddar Hashbrown Location: Tim Hortons, 463 Robson Street, Vancouver, BC V6B 6L9 Item: White Cheddar Hashbrown (New & Seasonal) Price: $2.59 Verdict: A pleasant surprise, though not quite what I expected. Still a solid breakfast treat. What arrived was their classic hashbrown, but instead of the usual seasoning, it's dusted generously with a crispy white cheddar powder. Was I disappointed? A little bit, if I'm being honest. But was it still good? Absolutely. The flavour reminded me of those green Lay's Sour Cream & Onion chips, that savoury, cheesy powder co...

📍 Granville Island Public Market At-A-Glance Location: 1689 Johnston St, Vancouver (Granville Island) Ready-to-Eat Stalls: 24 stalls with menus and prices, updated for 2026 Price Range: Most hot meals run about $13 to $25, while coffee, sweets and snacks are roughly $3 to $10 (some stalls add tax at the till) Hours: Typically 9am to 6pm daily, but individual stalls vary (confirm before you go) Best For: Grabbing lunch, mixing cuisines, and waterfront picnic food Also Covered: Twenty more food and drink spots on Granville Island outside the Public Market, from Vancouver Fish Company and Tap & Barrel Bridges to Granville Island Brewing (two are opening soon) I worked in a building right near the entrance to Granville Island for almost five years, so this market used to be part of my everyday. So...