Something for your Hatch

Hatch sits brightly just past Kingsway on the north side of Broadway, a bohemian in teal next to the bad boy that is the strip club, Uranus. The owners of the Foundation restaurant, which is just a hop, skip and a jump away, extended their brand of leafy alternativism (if it can still be called such) to this locale. The menu is breakfast and lunch. They close at five PM.

They have all the usual breakfast fare, including bacon. They also have veggie bacon, which is salty and crunchy, although not in the same way bacon is.

Yesterday I took my father and his lady partner. They are both very health conscious and I thought they might enjoy the breakfasts, which boast organic eggs, organic meat and organic produce.

My father ordered an omelet, or rather as the menu calls it, stuffed eggs. According to the menu that is what omelets are called here in East Van. He had his stuffed eggs stuffed with cashew pesto. His lady friend ordered the quiche of the day; unfortunately it looked like and tasted like the quiche of some other day. The waitress said it was probably overcooked. She exchanged it for scrambled eggs. I had the scrambled tofu with bbq sauce.

All of our meals came with potatoes, which could be mashed, roasted or fried, and a side salad. Unfortunately the only dressing they have for the salad is a mango dressing, which doesn't work for me.

My father gave his omelet a so-so rating. His lovely and gracious partner kept mum on the topic of food rating. As for me, I have to say that I rather enjoyed my tofu scramble. Having had both the dill and coconut tofu scramble, and now the bbq version, I have to say I strongly recommend the latter. Tofu scrambles are a difficult meal to pull off, my favorite is at Cafe De Soleil.

So what can I say about Hatch? The food seems hit and miss, as is the service. But the intention is good. And I will most certainly return. However, just as a word of warning, if you have never been to Hatch or the Foundation you might want to bring someone who can translate the menu, someone versed pseudo-vegetarian Main St. cool. It has taken me several years to fully comprehend the Foundation's menu, and I even worked there for a stint.

317 East Broadway Hours: 9am-5pm