CAFÉ KITSUNÉ || Paris-based Japanese Style-Cafe Opens in Vancouver with Buttery Pastries and Delightful Lunch Plates
I have to admit I didn’t go in with high expectations.
Usually brand name cafes establishing a presence in a city like Vancouver where our taste buds have been spoiled with cuisines from around the world tends to fall a little flat.
The other thing I must confess is that I was pleasantly surprised by my visit to Café Kitsuné. I intentionally timed my visit after the initial rush for 2 reasons. I wanted to try the food when the team has had some time to refine their recipes and operations. This way, I hope the experience would be closer to what my readers would receive if and when they decide to visit.
The cafe is attached to the Maison Kitsune boutique, so cafe guests can browse the boutique while waiting for their table.
Full disclosure, my visit was not a media visit and I simply put my name down and waited for half an hour while I browsed the Maison Kitsune boutique connected to the cafe. This design makes the wait more bearable instead of having guests wait out in the wintry cold (and likely also brings in some additional sales for the boutique).
Pastries, cakes and sandwiches in the display case.
One thing I believe many would have wished for is a larger cafe space. The cafe has a total of four tables (that seat 4 people) and additional counter space by the window. Given the cozy space, the seating time is limited to one hour for those who are dining in. We did arrive hungry and ready to enjoy a sizeable lunch, so we went slightly over this one-hour time limit but the staff were polite in letting us know there wasn’t a lineup for our table so we were free to stay for a while longer.
Design and waiting times aside, let’s talk about the food — does it live up to the hype?
From my visit, I would say yes for a few reasons.
It’s definitely better than average cafe food. Cafes around the city mostly focus on soups and sandwiches (or avocado toast), but Café Kitsuné serves up several hot lunch plates in addition to regular sandwich and pastry offerings. Since we came hungry, we ordered 2 of the lunch plates, 1 sandwich, and 2 of the pastries to try out all the menu categories.
A simple Cappuccino to go with our lunch.
We’ll save the best for last, so let’s start with the item that was average but still had a few positive notes. The simple Parisien sandwich with ham, cheese, grainy dijon and pickles was served on bread that was soft and easy to bite through, and the cheese cubes also provided concentrated flavour which I liked. It’s a good option as a fast and easy lunch you can enjoy on the go or at your desk.
If you were to have time to sit down and enjoy a plated lunch, we would recommend the Smoked Salmon Croque Madame, which is topped with a fried egg and comes with an organic green salad with carrot ginger vinaigrette. We were surprised by the texture and flavour of the Croque Madame since we found that it wasn’t oily like we had imagined. Perhaps we were biased by our other encounters with Croque Madame, where it is usually drenched in cheese. This much lighter version with a cheesy, crispy exterior and soft, creamy smoked salmon inside is a delight. The side salad helps to balance out the heavier flavours of the sandwich. The portion was just right when paired with a beverage.
The Smoked Salmon Croque Madame makes for an indulgent treat for lunch.
Soft Scrambled Eggs made with mushrooms and goat cheese served with 2 slices of buttered toasted baguettes.
The other menu item we enjoyed was the Soft Scrambled Eggs made with butter, mushrooms and goat cheese. Served with 2 slices of buttered toasted baguettes, we enjoyed every bite of this dish. Not only was it aromatic, but the eggs were cooked perfectly and the chewiness of the mushrooms added texture to every bite.
Moving on to desserts, we opted to try a regular butter croissant and a black sesame cruffin, so we could get a sense of how the classic fared compared to other trendy treats. The butter croissant is one of the best in the city. Some prefer their croissants soft and chewy, whereas I prefer mine crispy and buttery, so each bite sends croissant flakes flying everywhere (but it’s so satisfying isn’t it?) The butter croissant is aromatic and crispy with every bite, yet still soft and chewy inside.
Buttery goodness.
The Black Sesame Cruffin had the perfect ratio of cream filling and butter pastry.
The black sesame cruffin is generously covered with sugar on the outside and is just as crispy. The amount of black sesame cream inside is just the right amount, meaning that the thickness of the cruffin shell pairs well with the amount of cream. Again, it’s a matter of personal preference to figure out what ‘just right’ is, and for me, it’s where it’s more of a 50/50 ratio. Some pastries with filling go for a filling that takes up almost 80 percent of the pastry, but this often creates a nice effect for photos but not the best taste in every bite.
After this initial visit I’ve already gone back for another visit to grab my morning latte and butter croissant, so I can safely say that this is one of the few cafés that live up to the hype. I hope my lovely readers get a chance to visit this cafê in the heart of historic Gastown and let me know what you think!
VISIT
Café Kitsuné Vancouver
157 Water St, Vancouver, BC V6B 1A7
