Brunch @ Horizons

*As of 4/15/2010, Horizon's will be closed indefinitely due to a fire*

So where can you get 221% of your cholesterol intake for the day in one meal? McD's? KFC? Krispy Kreme? Probably... Well, there are a lot of places you can do that. Today, DT and I went to get our weekly fill of cholesterol in the form of Horizon's omelette bar. For $18, you can have as many omelettes as you want. Yes, that's right, you can get all-you-can-eat cholesterol that can probably last you for the month. Wait, there's more! You have a choice of shrimp, chirizo, smoked salmon, bacon, ham, red onions, mushrooms, spinach, tomatoes and cheese to increase the cholesterol levels in the omelette. Oh and did I mention they fry up the omelette in a generous amount of clarified butter?

Vandelay and Donna Chang came along for the brunch; but didn't have the omelette bar. I guess they are conscious about their cholesterol. Wait, scratch that. They love LA Fried Chicken, I think that's just as bad. So, we met up at Horizons on a glorious Sunday morning. The main attraction of Horizons is the view, and on a sunny day, it's hard to beat. The Salmon House on the Hill has probably a better view and also has the same omelette bar. Both restaurants belong to the same restaurant group, including Aqua Riva.

We were seated right at the window and the view was spectacular, too bad there are a few trees in the way. Ensure that you make a reservation ahead of time to guarantee a window seat. Sitting in the middle of the restaurant is not quite the same. As you know DT and I had the omelette bar. Of course it would be good manners to wait for Vandelay and Donna to get their food first before we attacked the omelette bar. But, we have no manners, so we went to get our cholesterol. Up at the omelette bar, there is a selection of freshly-baked pastries and fresh fruit. I guess the fruit helps lessen the guilt? I particularly like the savory cheese and chive scones. After filling up your plate full of pastries made with butter, you can choose the ingredients for your omelettes. You can watch the ingredients sizzle in butter while the chef creates your custom omelette. There is one caveat though. Don't expect the omelette to be cooked to perfection. The chef is usually too busy making 3 omelettes at a time to make it perfectly fluffy. I find that the eggs are always cooked a bit too much. With that being said, it's still pretty good eats.

Vandelay had the Eggs Benny and it was pretty good. The eggs were poached perfectly with the whites cooked and the yolks runny. It rested on a piece of Black Forrest ham and focaccia bread with a Bearnaise sauce on top. The home fried potatoes were not as crispy as they looked; however, they tasted very good. Lots of natural potato taste. Donna Chang had the blueberry pancakes. They were fluffy and full of blueberries. It was accompanied by honey sweetened whipped cream and syrup.

Service was pretty good, we were never left with an empty glass and finished plates were removed promptly. However, there were a few times where the service wasn't as good. On a previous visit for brunch, many of the servers were chatting it up at the bar and seemed like they forgot to check on their tables. I've been to Horizons many times before, for dinner and brunch. Food is decent; but you'll never confuse it with newer upscale restaurants in downtown.

Much like The Cannery, the food is a bit more conservative; yet if you accept it for what it is, it's more than acceptable. If you are looking for cutting edge fine dining, you might be disappointed. However, most of these other restaurants do not reside on the side of a mountain. The location of Horizons is a huge plus. Right now, there is a 3-course special for $29.95, this is cheaper than eating at Milestone's. Sure, the food may not wow you, but it's not exactly terrible either. I do think that their regular prices are not reflective of the food; but their special pricing makes up for that. Oh, and for the record, DT and I had 442% of our daily intake of cholesterol.

The Good:
- Outstanding view
- Plenty of parking
- Comfortable and spacious dining room

The Bad:
- At regular price, the food may not be up to par
- Service is hit and miss

Horizons
100 Centennial Way
Burnaby, B.C.
604-299-1155
www.horizonsrestaurant.com