Prado Cafe Raspberry Bar

Guys, I'm not the most religious person, but I'm pretty sure I experienced a taste of heaven earlier. I decided to return to Prado Cafe (1938 Commercial Drive, just on the corner on 4th) for their Americano Misto. However, upon reading online reviews of the cafe, I noticed that everyone raved about the raspberry bars, and how they're the best thing ever. My sweet tooth was acting up, so I decided to try the raspberry bar as.

Well, I'm certainly glad I did! After taking the first bite, I felt instant ecstasy. The fruity raspberry taste did a happy dance on my taste buds as it lingered. The crumble bit was the perfect compliment, giving it a nice texture. It tasted fresh, not like it was laden with chemicals or preservatives. And even better, it's baked by someone who works at Prado, instead of it being shipped in frozen. If you support local food, than show it by ordering it. I wanted to take a photo of the entire thing but unfortunately, I succumbed to the delicious flavour. I will, however, post the remnants of it. I do highly recommend you try it when you're on the drive. Make sure to pair it with their world class cappuccino. In fact, I can confidently say that Prado makes the best cappuccino in town. Oh, and their Americano Misto is pretty damn good too. I'll have to try it again but next time, I'm going to pair it with their latte.

So next time you find yourself on Commercial Drive, (particularly on the corner of 4th), come in and order their raspberry bar and cappuccino. Your taste buds will thank you.

Prado Cafe

After partying 2011 away and getting roughly five hours of sleep, I woke up exhausted. Knowing that caffeine was the only way to put some life into me, I decided to venture out for my first coffee of 2012. My java craving led me to Prado Cafe. Prado Cafe is located at 1938 Commercial Drive and nestled on the corner of 4^th and Commercial.

My eyes were immediately stimulated by the décor of Prado. The windows were large and a dream come true for those who like to people watch. If you get lucky by getting the perfect table, you can watch life happen on the streets of Commercial Drive. The clean, evenly spread out tables told me to stay.  I would have stayed but every table was occupied and also, I had to be at my grandparent’s place for some Greek new year traditions later that day. The floor was really nice as well. It looked like home away from home. I immediately felt invited and welcomed. The vibe and ambiance was great. Because there was a line, I had a chance to check out the crowd and barista’s. Some Commercial Drive cafes attract hipsters and some attract elderly men. Well, Prado had those types of people and more. It seems like Prado’s crowd is those who enjoy life and a good coffee. The pastries looked tempting as well. I may just try one next time I'm in.

People have told me that you have to be lucky to get good service anywhere on Commercial Drive. Well, I guess I got lucky because everyone from the server to the barista were really nice and welcome.  We exchanged genuine small talk and smiles. There was nothing fake. Thankfully, small talk was all I could muster because I was still way too tired to formulate any words.  All the barista’s looked and dressed differently, with different styles of clothing, beards and hair. It was a pretty electric crowd there, which I liked. Naturally, I ordered a cappuccino and got the 16 ounce, which was the biggest size. This was going to be my first cappuccino of 2012 so I was pretty excited.

Well, that cappuccino sure set some standards for the new year. Kafka’s still makes the best cappuccino but it was still pretty damn good. It was a smooth, clean taste. It was a perfect blend of espresso and milk, with the foamed milk being the perfect sweet compliment to the strong taste of espresso. It wasn’t overly strong, but it wasn’t subtle either. After a few sips, I instantly woke up. I felt energized, ready to take on the afternoon with my Greek relatives. I wish there was a bigger size so I could enjoy more of this amazing cappuccino. I will, however, be back soon to get another cappuccino real soon. Their cappuccino is the kind you need to have more than once.

I highly recommend Prado. If you ever get some free time, head on down, grab a spot and try their cappuccino. It’s definitely one of the better cafes on Commercial Drive and one worth checking out.

And to the readers of this blog, happy new year! May 2012 be your best year yet. Thanks for sticking with me & I look forward to posting more blogs for you!