(Turkey and spinach burger from Earwax Cafe - don't let the name of the cafe turn you off!) So there I was in Chicago . I had heard great things about the city from friends and, as always, was eager and excited to seek out some culinary gems around town. I resisted the urge to try and get into a taping of Oprah and spent as much time as possible exploring, mostly by foot, the great city of Chicago, and let me tell you, it definitely has more to offer than deep dish pizza. I naturally gravitated towards an area of the city known as Wicker Park . Bohemian in nature, this district was teeming with vintage shops, record stores, art galleries, and (most importantly) a fantastic mix of establishments that were just as eclectic as the people that walked the streets. First up (lunch): Earwax Café . Perhaps not the best name for a restaurant, but judging by the crowd it seemed like a popular breakfast/lunch spot which was also vegan-friendly (tofu ‘egg’ scramble anyone?), mostly organic, and boasted a circus themed décor. I enjoyed a turkey and spinach burger with homemade tortilla chips and salsa verde while my friend opted for the organic yogurt and organic fruit cobbler. Second (coffee break): with an extensive drink menu and baked goods (and a dinner menu if you’re hungry for more than a muffin or a cookie), Filter Coffee Lounge was the perfect spot for a mid-day break. Coffee beans are roasted in-house which created an awesome smell, which only added to the great atmosphere, including high ceilings and comfy couches as far as the eye can see! (Tacos from Big Star!) Third (dinner time): Big Star , a Mexican-themed restaurant and bar with menu items which will run you an average of $2-$4. How could I go wrong? I ordered the braised pork belly tacos ($3) and grilled basa tostadas ($3). Big Star also has a large selection of micro-brewed beers so I had a Green Flash IPA from San Diego, CA ($3) to go with the meal. Needless to say the windy city ‘blew’ me away with all my great experiences and I can’t wait to return. Pretty cheesy I know but I was dying for a pun. You need to upgrade your Flash Player to 9 or greater Earwax Cafe 1561 North Milwaukee Avenue Chicago, IL (773) 772-4019 Filter 1373-75 N Milwaukee Ave Chicago, IL (773) 904-7819 Big Star 1531 North Damen Avenue Chicago, IL (773) 235-4039 Dan Clapson is a business manager and food blogger based out of Calgary. He is always creating new recipes and striving...

I’m a big fan of brunch. It doesn’t break the bank, it tends to be casual affair and you can stuff your face with whip cream for your first meal of the day. I did plenty of that at the gorgeous Mildred Temple Kitchen this past weekend. I was there checking out MTK’s wild blueberry festival. It just so happens I absolutely LOVE blueberries. How much do I love my job? We started with a couple of smooth blueberry lassies . The lovely and charming Donna Dooher (the gal even has a Facebook fan page) even gave me the recipe on the spot. Just goes to show you this is one chef who is hands on in the kitchen. (see recipe below) She even told me how to make my own coconut milk. You shred the fresh coconut meat and squeeze the milk out. (It sounds easy enough but to be honest I don’t know if I’ll get around to it.) We followed that with blueberry scones and blueberry buttermilk pancakes . You really don’t know the meaning of fluffy until you’ve sampled Chef Donna’s light-as-air pancakes. And of course I just had to order her famous green eggs and ham . It’s the spinach that makes the eggs green in case you were wondering. Instead of dessert we had a heavenly triple cream cheese from Quebec served with blueberry peppercorn chutney . Chef Donna insisted we try the chutney and I am so glad because the chutney is to die for. The peppercorn kept singing in my mouth long after the cheese had been devoured. It was one of the nicest meals out for me in a long time – a tad classier than eating food spat out by my kid. (Not that there’s anything wrong with that.) Here’s that blueberry lassi recipe. The lime and ginger really add a nice “je ne sais quoi.” Chef Donna uses fresh coconut milk but you can substitute it with the canned stuff. Enjoy! Mildred Temple Kitchen’s Wild Blueberry Lassi Serves: 12 cups Ingredients: 1/4 palm sugar and water 6 cups of wild blueberries (frozen also works) 1 cup of low-fat yogurt ½ cup coconut milk (fresh if you’re an over-achiever) Fresh ginger and lime zest to taste Directions: 1. Make simple syrup by boiling palm sugar and water for 2 minutes and let it cool. 2. In a honkin’ big blender add all the ingredients and blitz 3. Garnish with flower petals if you want to get all fancy. Enjoy.

Thanks to a seat sale and the long Easter weekend, I was able to take a trip out to Vancouver to visit my good, food-loving friend Justine and get down to some serious eating. First up, Honey's Doughnuts & Goodies in Deep Cove , which is a cute, tourist-friendly area in the eastern-most part of North Vancouver with good shops, restaurants and access to kayaking and other outdoorsy adventures. Justine took me there to taste one thing: the famous " roly-poly ", cake donuts made fresh all day, best eaten while still warm. Vancouver Magazine named them one of the top 101 local things to taste before you die . The lineup was out the door, which is per usual, but it moved quickly for the in-and-take-out donut demanders. We were lucky to get still-warm honey-dipped originals ( chocolate - and maple-dipped are also available) and went down to the cove to enjoy the mountain view and consume a lot of calories. I'm not a huge donut fan, so I didn't know what to expect, but one bite and I understood the hype (check the photo evidence). The outside was sitcky and greasy with the right amount of crunch and the inside was warm and cake-y without being heavy. SO not health food, but definitely worth it. Honey's also offers filling sandwiches on freshly baked bread, tasty homemade soups , gelato , breakfast and freshly baked scones and muffins . View Larger Map Honey's Doughnuts & Goodies 4373 Gallant Avenue North Vancouver, BC V7G 1L1 (604) 929-4988 Next up was The Reef , a Caribbean restaurant on the increasingly hip stretch of South Main , at E. 26th. Having a Bajan father (that's Barbados-born), I grew up eating some darn good Caribbean food so I was interested to check out what the west coast had to offer. The service was friendly and the vibe casual with everyone from brunching families to just-rolled-out-of-bed 20-somethings enjoying the warm atmosphere. Justine ordered the Callaloo Benny with spinach, grilled tomato, provolone and citrus hollandaise and a gorgeous passionfruit Mimosa . I went with a traditional Caesar and the Kingston Quesadilla with jerk chicken, refritjos, cheddar and peppers. Bonus points for providing a generous ramekin of real, thick sour cream. Justine pronounced the Benny delicious, though the provolone competed with the hollandaise a wee bit, while my Jamaican-Mexican mash-up was crunchy, cheesy and full of flavour (I couldn't resist adding a dash of Jamaican-style hot sauce, potent but so mouthburningly...