*Restaurant is now closed*
Finally. We get to play our very first softball game of the season. You see, last week, it was raining much like it does during the spring in Vancouver. Thus, the game was postponed. That didn't stop us from eating at Grand Honour though! This time, it looked quite contentious until around noon when the weather began to clear up. One problem. It was both cold and very windy. Furthermore, threatening skies lay above as I drove towards the ball field. When we got out to the field, I cursed my decision not to bring a fleece. It was #$)*#$)# cold with gale force winds. Well, not really; but honestly, how do you play softball when a pop fly suddenly becomes a home run? It made for some precariously difficult pitching. Imagine a ball appearing to head right over the plate, just to be blown a full foot to the right. Talk about a curveball! Whatever the case, we were there and we were going to play. Moreover, I really wanted to use my new composite bat! Yes, I was excited about something else other than eating for once. But that didn't mean food wasn't on my mind during the game either. We sure played like it was the first game of the season. I don't think we were able to make a play for 3 innings. Either that or our hands were just too cold to be useful. Luckily we made a late comeback and won it on a walk off double in the final inning. Dramatic, yes. Excited? No. You see, we were all freezing and just wanted to get the heck outta there. We were not really in the mood to debate about where to eat and ultimately settled on Bert's.
Now let me get this out of the way first. Bert's is a diner. It has been at its current location since 1948. It doesn't look much like it did in 1948; but is sure does a good job replicating the 70's! Yes, they kick it ol' skool here. No Ahi Tuna spring rolls with lime ponzu dressing here! Here you'll find all the diner classics, including all day breakfast. With that in mind, Boss Woman had the Breakfast #1, which included 2 pancakes, 2 eggs and sausages. Hey, nothing amazing here; but the pancakes were fluffy, eggs sunny side up and links were good. Solid breakfast for $5.50. Bear, after a long hibernation (welcome back!), had the Hot Beef Sandwich. With the roast beef being a bit dry, the gravy saved the dish. Having the right consistency and not being overly salty, this is your prototypical diner gravy. Silent Bob and Miss Y both had burgers. She went for the Deluxe Mushroom and he opted for the Deluxe Bacon Cheeseburger. The consensus was that both burgers were decent. With Vera's right next door, these burgers probably don't compete; however, for the price, they did the job. As for the fries, they were your generic french fries. Miss Y remarked that her onions could've been sauteed a bit longer. There were some more cooked pieces; but I dropped them on the table as I was taking a photo. She kept reminding me of that all throughout the meal...
As for my meal, I went for one of their daily specials being the Veal Cutlets. Included was a vegetable soup and rice pudding for dessert. Smothered with the same gravy as Bear's beef sandwich, it made for an okay dish. I thought the veal was quite dry and flavourless. If it weren't for the gravy, I probably would've not liked it at all. Furthermore, the limp vegetables were bringing back memories of Knight & Day. Yes, not a compliment. I did like the mash potatoes though, it did well with the gravy. Milhouse also had breakfast in the form of a Spanish Omelet. To me, it looked quite overdone; but he seemed to enjoy it. I guess we have to be realistic here. Bert's is not the type of restaurant to see or to be seen. It's ol' skool and almost defiantly un-modern. The presentation is lacking and the food is not ground-breaking. However, these types of places have their clientele and retain a certain charm. For me, it's okay eats given the situation. The food is plentiful, prices are right and the service still comes with a personable smile.
The Good:
- Pricing ain't bad, except for some of their larger entrees
- Service that really is friendly
- You know what you're gonna get
The Bad:
- Don't expect modern food here
- Nothing great, nothing terrible
Bert's
Posted by
Sherman Chan
on Wednesday, June 2, 2010
Labels:
American,
Breakfast/Brunch,
Burgers,
Sandwiches,
Vancouver
6 comments:
Bert's is an institution of sorts in Mt. Pleasant and that's good. It pulls in a large variety of patrons for comfort food that's honest, old-school and affordable. As Vancouver's food scene continues to evolve and "gentrify" in many neighborhoods, I'm really glad to see places like Bert's (and Reno's Restaurant, The Nice Cafe, Slickity Jim's Chat & Chew) remain
LR, you are right, not enough of these places left. There's Helen's Grill as well. However, they are indeed a dying breed.
I always ask for their sausages not so well done and their pancakes are still my favourite, bar none.
hmm, I feel like pancakes now.
Helen's Grill is atrociously expensive for what you get. And I find the owner rude and arrogant, but the little Chinese lady server is a darling. There's SO much potential at Helen's Grill (location, history, decor) but they've really missed the boat there.
My $0.25
Pancakes are good any time of the day!
LR, you are right in that respect. Helen's is not on my shortlist at the moment. I only mentioned it as per what you said as well, it has everything it needs to be good... unfortunately...
mmm, pancakes. this place is dangerously close to my volunteer job and i'm always hungry for pancakes when i finish.
on a side note, the bacon on the burger looks like it's trying to slide away and make an escape :P
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