Craffles (Yaletown)

So I'm sure you've noticed all the different waffle spots opening up in the past little while that include some rather interesting shapes.  Well, to be honest, I'm more into traditional-looking waffles personally.  However, at the same time, I am also on the look out for something different as well.  That brought me to Craffles with their newest location in Yaletown.  Their claim to fame is not only the variety of savoury and sweet waffles, but also the addition of crepes, acai bowls and monster milkshakes with a Brazilian twist.

Actually, the first thing we tried was straight-up authentic Brazilian in the Chicken Croquettes.  These were large and served up crunchy.  Beyond the thin outer layer, we found incredibly moist shredded chicken which was well-seasoned and aromatic.  It was also rather cheesy and that make the croquettes slightly creamy and rich.  With a bite of the outside, chicken and cheese, this was rather delicious and addictive. 

Before we got to the waffles, we tried their Brazilian Shrimp Stew Crepe.  Oh I really enjoyed this one as the stew was so flavourful and rich.  There was a certain sweetness complimented by the noticeable flavour of peppers as well as the briny shrimp.  Since they were stewed, the texture of the shrimp was soft (so don't be alarmed because it is supposed to be this way).  As for the crepe, it was medium-thick being tender with a chew. 

For our Belgium Waffle, we chose the Sweet Italian consisting of apricot compote, brie, prosciutto, walnuts and arugula.  This was indeed sweet due to the apricot jam, but the saltiness of the prosciutto provided the necessary balance.  There was a bevy of melty and creamy brie on top of the soft fluffy waffle (that still had a slight crispiness).  Walnuts and arugula added nuttiness and some peppery brightness.

Onto the most outrageous thing we had - the Celebration Strawberry Cheesecake Monster Milkshake.  So is it necessary to have such a large milkshake with graham crackers on the outside of the cup?  How about the large slice of cheesecake on top with strawberry sauce and whipped cream???  Yes, this was over-the-top, but I liked it.  The milkshake was creamy and easy to suck through the straw while the cheesecake was rich and just sweet enough.  You will need to share this.

Finally, we had the Volcano Explosion featuring 2 liege waffles with chocolate, ice cream and enough whipped cream for 10 waffles.  This was all topped off by chocolate and caramel sauce and a sparkler.  Visually striking and attention-grabbing?  Yes.  I could've done with less whipped cream, but the waffles were good being chewy with pops of sweetness.  Again, you should share this.  Overall, the creations at Craffles were good and with some Brazilian influences, it was unique.  Portions are pretty large, so it is best to share things rather than trying to eat them all by yourself.

*All food and beverages were complimentary*

The Good:
- Brazilian items were tasty
- Large portions
- Instagrammable (if that matters to you)

The Bad:
- Hard to finish some things as they are too big, you would need to come with more people to share