Thierry

After a delicious, filling meal at Steamworks, my friend and I ventured from Gastown into downtown to go to Thierry. Thierry is located on 1059 Alberni Street, minutes away from Burrard station and seconds away from the iconic tourist attraction Robson street. I've been to Thierry before, but I've only had their hot chocolate (best hot chocolate ever!) but this time, I was settled on trying their cappuccino.

Thierry was packed. My friend and I scanned the area, looking for an empty table where we can occupy ourselves. Luckily, thanks to my friends awesome vision, we found a free spot in the matter of seconds. I instantly felt like I was back in Europe. Everything from the pastry display to the tables looked very Austrian. It suddenly felt like a warm, summer evening in Vienna. It was a very chic, classic and modern looking cafe. It was also extremely loud. Maybe it was because the tables were placed so closely together but I could hear every conversation happening around me. Having a pounding head due to a bellini that I enjoyed earlier didn't help either. That sadly interfered with the ambiance, which was unfortunate.

The service was friendly, efficient and courteous. They made eye contact, smiled and were extremely helpful and kind. They even brought my friends and I beverages and dessert to our table so we wouldn't have to linger around at the counter. That right there is authentic European service, as the same occurred in Europe at the various cafes that I visited. That really impressed me and I was grateful for the extra assistance and extra effort. It was a nice, welcome change from having a barista hollering that your beverage was ready.

Their cappuccino was strong. Very, very strong. I was unable to fall asleep till 5 AM, 8 hours after I finished the cappuccino. Maybe it's because I handle my caffeine like my alcohol (not so good) but was I ever wired. My body was begging for sleep but my mind told it "no frigging way" & boy, did I ever pay the price. However, I woke up at 8, three hours later, feeling refreshed. I do wish there was a bit more milk and a bit less espresso to balance out the gut punching strength of the espresso. If you like caffeine (& how it makes you feel) and don't care much for sleep, I highly recommend ordering their cappuccino. If you want something more sweet and less subtle, stick to their world class hot chocolate. Best hot chocolate ever!

I highly recommend Thierry. It's a nice change from all the Starbucks that occupy pretty much street corner downtown. It's a taste of Europe located in downtown Vancouver. If you go to a proper hour where the noise doesn't drown you out, you'll get to fully experience the ambiance. Just make sure your stomach is strong enough to handle their cappuccino.