Amelia

I'm always on the look out for inexpensive breakfasts. After all, 2 eggs, choice of meat, hash browns and toast should never really exceed $10.00 (unless it's fine dining). Look at the raw materials, nothing really jumps out as expensive. When it comes to cheap breakfasts, Bon's off Broadway takes the cake. For $2.95, you get a complete meal and it's available all day! Jane's in Burnaby is only a tad more expensive at $3.50. I heard of another place that serves up decent breakfasts for $3.50 as well in New West. The place is Amelia on 12th. Much like Jane's, it's a Chinese Canadian restaurant. Of course, if you're only paying $3.50 for a complete meal, there are compromises to be made. Amelia has got this 80's pastel theme going on. Think Miami Vice. Imagine the paint adorning the walls and the furniture that you rest your behind on looking like Don Johnson's wardrobe. Art hangs on the walls in almost randomness among the menu specials. Leave your plastic at home because they only take cash. I foolishly did not bring cash with me and had to walk up the block to get some.

As mentioned, their breakfast special at $3.50 is the draw here. It includes 2 eggs, choice of meat, hash browns and toast. For the price, you'd expect 2 sausages or bacon strips; but you actually get 3. Unlike Bon's, where the food looks like it's slapped on the plate, the food here is made with much more care and is presented nicely. The eggs are not overcooked, the hash browns are evenly crispy and the meats are done right. The sausages had a nice colour on them, while not being dry. As you can see in the picture, the strips of bacon with the French Toast are perfectly crispy without being burnt or shriveled up. The French toast itself was soft and pan fried perfectly.

I wanted something a bit different for myself and ordered the Bavarian Breakfast which is essentially the same as the special with the meat being a Bavarian sausage. I'm not sure if it was worth the extra $1.50 though. Next time I'd just have the regular breakfast. Don't get me wrong, the sausage was pretty good though. As you can see in the picture, the sunny side eggs were cooked perfectly. Waffle Guywent a completely different direction and had the Perogy Breakfast. It consisted of the same items in the regular breakfast while adding 6 perogies. He wanted his bacon cooked soft and it arrived as he had requested. This is pretty impressive since the cook was making quite a few orders at the same time. Everything was great on the plate except the onions. They could've used a bit more cooking.

For 6 people with beverages, our bill came out to a little over $37.00 excluding tips. That is an outstanding value considering that the breakfasts were pretty large and the food was made with care. As with most family-run restaurants, the service was personable and efficient. If you are in the New West area, go get a great breakfast with the loose change you have in your pocket.

The Good:
- It's cheap
- Food is made with care
- Friendly service

The Bad:
- When you're paying so little, don't expect nice decor or ambiance
- Cash only