Secret Little Cafe, Kelowna

Mad Mango

551 Bernard Avenue  Kelowna, BC V1Y 6P2
(250) 762-8988

Who: Mad Mango

Where: Downtown Kelowna

Price: Very affordable

Verdict: One of my favorites and will continue to go

I have tried Mad Mango on numerous occasions and have not yet been disappointed. The first time I found the place was years ago, I was a poor university student walking to the grocery store and stumbled in with my roommate. My first time there I had a stir fry and I loved it!! It reminded me of my dads cooking, so it became an instant favorite. 

The cafe serves a variety of options including an all day breakfast, sandwiches and Vietnamese dishes. The prices of the dishes are extremely affordable, I mean EXTREMELY! 

Vietnamese Beef Soup

What I had for lunch was the Vietnamese Beef Soup and it was good. The soup came out to cost only $5 with taxes. I know $5 for a bowl of beef soup..yumm!!! I literally could eat pho for the rest of my life, I can't even describe how much I love Vietnamese food. The beef soup from the cafe is really good, although I've had better, it still is better and more affordable than many places I've been in the Okanagan. 

Just writing about this soup is making me want some more, pho craving starts now.

Peach Prawn Stir Fry and Spring Rolls ( I know worst picture ever-sorry)

My friend had the Peach Prawn Stir Fry, which as you can see in the picture above it didn't really turn out as I expected. I was going to order this dish too, but she did and I was disappointed in the taste. The dish is made up of fresh peach, deep fried prawns and a creamy sauce. I don't know the ingredients of the creamy sauce, but it was really creamy and sweet. The peach prawn stir fry tasted very similar to a deep fried donuts covered in a creamy sweet sauce. Not one of my favorite and definitely not something I will order in the future. The price of this dish was around $7 I believe and the spring rolls were $3. I know spring rolls for $3 is a bargain!!

This is the only dish that I've ever had that did not live up to my expectations.

If your ever in the area of the cafe, I would recommend going there for the food. 

P.S The breakfast is also really good, they have this sauce that goes with the toast, it is amazing. Go for the toast sauce!

-D

Good Omens Coffee, Summerland

Who: Good Omens Coffee

Where: Kelly Avenue, Summerland BC
Price: tea + sandwich & salad + dessert = $15 plus tax and gratuity
Quick Verdict: I love those homemade pop-tarts way too much, and I definitely want to become a regular

Homemade Caramel Pop-tart, Peppermint Tea, Spring Salad, and a Turkey on Ciabatta

Good Omens is one of the hidden gems of the Okanagan located off the beaten path in Summerland. Good Omens has it all from the specialty (and local) coffee, delicious teas, local wines and craft beers, and wonderful lunches all at an affordable price. With obvious pride and care taken in the kitchen, the foods are excellent and are a must have for anyone visiting or living in the Valley.

I opted to sit in the patio to enjoy the famous Okanagan summer, and was greeted by mature fruit trees, a spacious patio, and a large herb garden that is sure to make a mark on any aspiring foodie.

For my main I had a turkey sandwich on a fresh Ciabatta bun finished with a light mayo, cheddar cheese, tomato, and lettuce. Although it was a seemingly simple sandwich all of the flavours were there, distinct in their own ways. The freshness and quality of the ingredients transformed a sometimes bland sounding combination into a culinary delight. Instead of the soup, I decided on the salad composed of spring greens, julienned carrots and cucumber, which was finished with a light Italian dressing which has just the amount of kick to add a little heat to the salad. It was nice and light, and the different textures and flavours brought the dish together. 

For dessert, I ordered a caramel homemade pop-tart which did not disappoint. My original plan was to share the pastry with my dining partner which unfortunately did not happen for her. The flaky and rich crust with the sweet and salty caramel filling was heaven. Whenever I pass through Summerland, my goal will be to stop for one of those indulgent treats.

Very delicious, affordable, fresh, and very accommodating. I will definitely be back.

-K

The Cupcake Lady Cafe, Penticton

Who: The Cupcake Lady Cafe

Where: Front Street, Penticton BC

http://thecupcakeladybc.com/

Price: cupcake + crepe + lemonade = $15 plus tax and gratuity

Quick Verdict: I will be back

Delicious!

The Cupcake Lady Cafe located downtown Penticton  offers a large variety of cupcakes, specialty drinks, crepes, and ice cream all which is located in a beautifully done-up heritage building on Front Street. The pink and black theme with chandeliers and the delectable smell of fresh baking would draw passersby in to find the source of the sweetness.

I was fortunate enough to have brunch there with a few friends. We ordered a wide array of crepes both savory and sweet, and gladly sampled each others choices (Ham and Cheese, Mediterranean, Spicy Chorizo, Tuti-Fruiti). There were over 20 different pre-made selections available with the additional option of creating ones own. Standard toppings and flavours such as fruit and chocolates were available along with more nontraditional crepe toppings like olives and feta cheese.

Although the food service was a bit slow, the manager was fantastic and allowed us samples of their delicious spin on rice-crispy squares of nutella and reese cocopuffs!

 For my main I had a sweet crepe which was filled with nutella and pecans with a topping of strawberry's and strawberry syrup. It was luxurious, but tended to be a tad heavy after the first five or so bites. Unfortunately I was not able to finish mine, but luckily my friends were able to overtake the duty of crepe eating.

I also ordered a freshly squeezed lemonade to drink, and a vanilla cupcake with chocolate butter cream icing to go. The lemonade was refreshing, had the lovely taste of fresh lemons, and was not overly sweet. The cupcake was perfectly standard, in being that the icing was delicious, but the vanilla cake base was not as light or flavourful as I expected.

All and all, I had an enjoyable time and it was delicious even if it was heavy. The prices are reasonable and are perfect for a quick brunch or afternoon snack.

- K