Che Baba Cantina

I ordered the lentil tart for lunch and it was simply delicious. Service was friendly and fast. Great vibe

We decided that it was a cheese plate night, and a quick google search told us Che Baba was the closest option. I’d been for breakfast before and knew it was fantastic but was skeptical that we’d find a seat at 8:30 on a Friday night. The four of us walked in and were promptly seated at the bar. We ordered wine, cheese and olives, but before our food had even gotten to us, a table had become available so we were kindly moved there. The cheese plate lives up to its reputation. So good. The olives too, we ordered them twice.
Being a vegetarian I was pretty excited to see that the fresh plate included a gnocchi with mushrooms and truffle oil. And I was certainly not disappointed. Every single aspect of the meal was great, the service, the presentation, and the taste. I would not hesitate to come back here again.

After intending to go here for ages, my friend and I finally made our way to Che Baba for some brunch over the weekend. The space reminded us of Mexican-​esque rounded stucco architecture, and the open-​concept kitchen was an intimate addition.
The selections from the menu and the daily features sounded exceptional, although we were disappointed with the lack of flavour in our brunch. The eggs benny on polenta with a side salad was completely absent of flavour, and for $ 12… not cool! The dressing on the salad tasted as though it were only olive oil, no pepper, no spices, no anything. My pal ordered pork belly with potatoes (which had, surprise, no spices) and she was quite let down by the expectation of more than a teeny piece of meat. At least the ginger kombucha was refreshing.
The server was knowledgeable when we asked about the yoga classes, and handed us schedules.
I would be up for trying the yoga classes next door, although I probably won’t be back to the restaurant side. Understandably, they try to be healthy, but healthy food should not mean absence of flavour.

I’ve been here twice for brunch. First time, I had the pulled pork tartine. I asked for my eggs poached medium, erring to well if in doubt. I waited ages for my order and when it came the first egg i cut into was so runny that the white closest to the center was still translucent. I was famished. After spending another 5 minutes being ignored by the server as she stood in the kitchen chatting and laughing with the cook, i pushed the yolk soaked parts of the dish to the side of my plate and ate around it. I didn’t cut into my second egg as I didn’t want runny yolk all over the part of my meal that I still found appetizing.
By the time the waitress came by to check on me I had nearly finished everything but the eggs and the yolk-​drenched pork that I had pushed aside. I cut into the second egg in front of her (expecting an explosion of runny yolk) and it was shockingly hard-​cooked in the center. I don’t even know how you would do that accidentally… hard-​poach one egg, soft-​poach the other, both on the same plate. The waitress was very apologetic and took one egg ($ 3.50) off my bill.
Second time, I had the roasted pepper tartine. When I came into the restaurant, it was half full. I was sat next to a couple that appeared to know the waitress. The man at the table was complaining at length about the quality of the chorizo in his hash. Came by and took my order, after which I made a quick cell phone call to tell the husband that I had stopped for a bite on my way home.
It is because my phone stored the time of my call that I know that my food took nearly 40 minutes to come out. The whole time I was waiting I was treated to the conversation of the table next to me — I heard about how the chef had just quit, how the restaurant was really going to struggle without said chef. The tables are really close together, there was no way for me to avoid hearing my neighbor’s comments — it was really weird and awkward.
When my food came out, I mentioned to the waitress that the wait had been excessive. She said they were training a new chef (confirming my neighbor’s comments) and he was still getting a handle on the menu. My food would be on the house, which really helped. It also helped that it was freaking fantastic. Possibly one of the best breakfasts I’ve ever had. I left happy and full… but also completely behind schedule.

I just wanted to update my review of Che Baba as I finally went there for more than a glass of wine. I mean, I had a glass of wine this time, too. In fact, I had two. But I also had dinner.
Being vegan, I often find it frustrating that I can’t eat at some of the better restaurants in town, and I’d sighed over Che Baba’s menu before. Of course, I hadn’t bothered asking if Chef Jeff could adapt any of his dishes for my dietary restriction — and when he offered — TWICE even — and told me it wasn’t a bother at all — well, I had to give in.
It was a Saturday night and there weren’t any tables available for a walk-​in of two but we were seated quickly at the bar. I was massively impressed with how efficiently the single server worked the room — he was timely, friendly, and did everything properly, while taking care of more high-​maintenance guests than I’d be comfortable serving myself. I had no complaints about the service at all. And, of course, sitting at the bar, we had a constant view of the impeccably clean kitchen while the Chef cooked and the only other staff member in the place washed and restocked dishes.
It was super fun watching him plate and cook for everyone else, and even more fun watching him put together my dish! A beet and walnut salad for the first course, and fresh seasonal veg, gnocchi, and a beautiful cauliflower purée for my second course. My date had the soup — an incredibly generous helping served with delicious fresh bread — and the baked cheese dish.
There was even a vegan dessert option for me, though after two courses and two glasses of wine I absolutely couldn’t. We got two macarons with the bill, which my date was happy to have to herself.
Probably the best part of the whole experience was when the staff turned out the lights and the music died, and they brought a cake with candle to one of the other guests in the tiny, cozy room. It turned out he was a French singer, and he serenaded us for the rest of our stay with his gorgeous baritone. I’m just going to assume it was a baritone, I don’t know anything about that stuff. Anyway, it was fantastic!
Oh, and the bill was MUCH less than I expected to pay. $ 80 for an indulgent meal for two. Wish I’d tried the cocktails — they looked incredible!

Haiku Review:
The room flows S-​shaped,
spine of a fat, grinning yogi
eating, life, balance.
The food is done right.
Tight, delicious portions of
trendy, smart cooking.
Tartines, truffle oil,
baguettes that crunch like Paris —
Poached pear and Brie! Oh!

You are doing it right! I’m tempted to give you less stars so that you don’t become swamped with so many folks that I can never get in again and your prices go up and I stand outside hungry and sad.
But you are too good for that. Your food was so well balanced, and well prepared, and scrumptiously good. Your server was friendly, informed, attentive, and really great. We could watch the food prep in the open kitchen and it was lovely to see such a well organised chef, who obviously takes pride in his food. Even the dishwasher impressed me. Crazy.
We had the sardines, the fish of the day, the flourless torte, americano, and espresso. Also, a nice side of bread for the baby girl (she also gobbled up massive portions of our fish). The entrees were well balanced and light. The tarte was perfect with the salted caramel sauce. And I watched the server redraw my espresso because it either waited too long, or he was unhappy with the finish. And that made me happy.
With an open air ambiance that you rarely find in Canadian restaurants, the very deliberate and careful design made me happy and content. I will gladly give up all of my work day lunches and morning coffees to save my pennies for extra nights of dining here.
Awe. Some.
(Oh, and for the allergy folks — most of the menu was gluten free. The server double checked. The desserts were labelled for dietary — and there was more than 1 that was GF! And yes, I know that the torte was full of dairy. I was willing to make that sacrifice. And it was worth it).

And here comes another 5 stars !!!
May be I’m becoming milder in my old age… ;-)
But still think that’s what Che Baba deserve.
We went there yesterday night, for a girls night out. we were very pleasantly surprised by the look and feel of the room. Very nice and cozy. Not too chic or over priced… Just perfect ambiance.
Service was great and super friendly without being too on top of us.
(3 stars to start with :-))
And now… to the food ! Cause it’s all great to have a good atmosphere and a nice waitress, but what you really are looking for when going to a restaurant is the quality of the food !!
We shared an appetizer: Caramelized onion tart with cheese; And an entrée: lamb shank.
For the onion tart, we couldn’t decide between goat cheese and blue cheese… so we were kindly offered to do half and half… and it was heaven !!! Soooo goood ! Each side was very different and unique. Loved it !! I also really like that the salad wasn’t served with a tone of dressing but elegantly drizzled with a reduction of balsamic vinegar.
(they already had their 4 stars there !!)
Then the lamb shank. Cook to perfection. Came with lentils in spices… excellent ! But you have to understand that Che Baba is cooking food with Mediterranean flair. So be prepared to taste lots of very exciting spices that are making dishes rich, flavorful and unique.
(was becoming a very solid 4 starts…)
And then… and then… There was desserts …
Aaahhhh desserts… the ones that are so often in Vancouver restaurant removing a star…
But not here ! A very short selection of purely homemade desserts… just what i like… desserts made with love :-)
The petit pot de crème au chocolat with coconut milk was smooth… creamy… not too sweet… just perfect !!!
(the 5 stars were dancing happily by that point !!)
And the cherry frangipane tart was so soft… melting in your mouth… oh what a way to end a perfect girls night !!!
So here it is: a very well deserved 5 stars !!! :-))

We tried this restaurant by chance. We tried to get a seat in a porch, but we couldn’t … Anyhow, we sat down, and ordered foods.
Halibut was very juicy, but I didn’t like spices (paprika? Something red). In a risotto, mint was really strong. It was quite different from the risottos I used to make. It took me some time to get used to it. Gnocchi was really good. Sardine was quite salty. The use of herb on sardine reminded sort of middle-​eastern style. Cherry/​almond tart was quite nice, although it was too sweet for me.
The restaurant looked nice, and the food was quite tasty.

Had an amazing lunch there today. Felt healthy afterwards. Had: lentil soup, pulled pork sandwich, beet salad. Anyways, everything was great and can’t wait to go back. The flavors were excellent as was the seasoning. Also the waitress was very nice. I like that tax is included.

The décor is so 70’s, interesting location so close to Faux Bourgeois except without the lineup. Same kind of low pricing, good food. Being next to a yoga studio kind of reminded me I needed exercise, well I’ll walk my dog right after dinner.
We shared the beet salad, salad was well dressed, beets were delicious, candied walnuts mouth watering and the feta cheese was not too overwhelming. A sucessful dish. $ 9
Entrée we had the Daily Fish which was a halibut on a bed of Israeli couscous. We enjoyed the couscous more than the fish itself which was a tad overcooked. Nicely seasoned. It’s a nice balanced dish with some root vegetables thrown in there. Felt very healthy after eating.
Also, we had pork belly… yum…not too healthy. Crispy pork belly was so good with the braised cabbage and gnocchi, all soaking up the pork juice.
Unfortunately we did not get to try dessert. Will come again to try.

ok this review is for the yoga studio – I tried to do this separately but it does not seem to register on Unilocal… I have been to the cantina quite a few times and I enjoy it a lot-​I will do a review for the cantina later!
I started going to the yoga studio as soon as it opened (early dec i think). Its a positive warm environment with a real community feel. The smallish space works to your advantage as the classes are always small… im not sure what there max number is but I have never been to a class with more then 10 people…(there was still heaps of room to stretch out).
For a summary of their features: warm ambient lighting, heated floor, lots of props– and yes this includes blankets and lavender scented eye pillows for savasana.
There is a variety of class times and all the instructors are quite varied and no one class it quite the same. They have classes as early as 6.30am and as late as 8.30pm and spread throughout the day.
I am not a yoga pro so I don’t know much about different styles of yoga but id say they practice a gentle yoga. they call it flow… or slow flow, they also offer a pilates/​yoga class.
A wide variety of ages come to they classes male and female, and the classes are small enough that they they adjust the class for the level thats there, but if you are more experienced i am sure they can give you lots of challenging poses– if you want them
Pricing wise I think its pretty reasonable $ 10 for your first drop in class, then you can buy 10 or a 20 pass, pay casually or join.
You don’t have to bring a mat or anything, and there are change rooms and toilets out the back (although no shower).
I think the only negative thing I can think of is that as its on kingsway the street is pretty noisy (cars zooming past) but I find I only notice this at the beginning of my class and then I quickly zone the outside sound out.
So finally, this is the type of place you go if you want a warm, kind, environment to practise yoga where the instructors know and care about you… and you may even find them serving you at the cantina next door! Check out their website its pretty comprehensive. Otherwise you may as well just try it out for yourselves :)

Had a super tasty lunch at Che baba today. Great food great space. Will come back and try yoga which is on the adjacent room. Had the endive salad with poached pear, perfectly dressed. This was a generous portion and beautifully presented.
We also sampled the green beans wrapped in proscuitto with loads of park shavings. I couldn’t get enough.
Lastly we had the mushroom risotto with truffle oil. It was cooked perfectly, nice and creamy.
All in all a great lunch in a relaxing spot in an upcoming neighborhood.

* Skinny cantina *
Not a likely combination — except perhaps in Vancouver. This is half yoga studio, half cantina with an open kitchen.
Thankfully they keep the yoga and cantina with separate entrances so the cantina just feels like a café with lots of yoga books to read, a very skinny yoga crowd dining, and tall skinny yoga instructor looking staff.
I ordered the duck confit which was served on top of two slices of toast and topped with a cherry chutney and poached eggs. It included a side salad that was heavy on the sprouts. The duck was a bit dry but had good flavours. I’m guessing they were going for a healthy version, but the duck needed a bit more fat from my perspective. Call me crazy. The poached eggs were in the shape of poached eggs but overcooked from my perspective — they were basically hardboiled. I like my poached eggs with a soft runny yolk. Fail on the eggs. The chutney was lovely. It had nice cherry flavours with a slight sourness that really would have cut and balanced a fattier duck nicely (did I mention the duck needed more fat!!!). The salad was a bit overdressed with a citrus based dressing, but at least the dressing was flavour packed. The crunch of the pumpkin seeds was a nice textural contrast as well. They could have cut back on the skinny sprouts a bit, but I guess it was consistent with the rest of the offering. Photos:
and
The only thing fat about this place was the price — $ 15 for that plate was a bit high all considering. Overall I’m likely too fat (loving) for this spot, but it will probably do well with the skinny (loving) crowd.

We hit Che Baba for brunch at prime time (11am) but luckily got one of the few tables. It’s a tight space but great ambience — like others on here have noted, it’s a cozy hip 70’s interior.
Had a tough time deciding between the specials of the day, ended up with chorizo & kale hash with two poached eggs and the pulled pork on polenta ‘benny’. We weren’t disappointed, both were delicious. Great americanos took us to an even happier place.
Service was pretty good considering how busy they were. We will be back to try the dinner menu. Oh, and the yoga studio next door!

This was such a great experience. JUST GO!
Che Baba has the feeling of a close knit, dimly lit space with lots of atmosphere and a long cozy bar. A large portion of the space is devoted to a huge open concept kitchen where you can watch your food being prepared. The staff was gracious and attentive, the menu had many mouthwatering options.
We had the onion tart with blue cheese to start (do yourself a favour, just get one) followed by the lamb shank and pork. It was one of those meals where every single bite you die a little from happiness inside.
But the desert was the best part — the chocolate torte was utterly … ahh. Just so good. Thank god it wasn’t bigger because I would have eaten as much of that as they put down in front of me.
The owner of this place is the same guy who owns the Faux Borgeois up the road. He clearly knows what he’s doing. Curious about the yoga space next door but didn’t get a chance to check it out.

Half cantina, half yoga studio — make sure to take the door on the left if you want to get a meal!
I always thought cantina’s were Mexican establishments, but the food on the menu here is definitely more Mediterranean /​Italian.
Tight seating, one long bench that wraps around — some stools at the bar and one table of 4 on its own. You’ll get to hear every single conversation around you if that’s your thing.
I dread the thought of trying to get a table here on the weekend, but that’s just Vancouver for ya (no reservations taken under 6 people).
Onto the the only thing that really matters, the food — overall was good and reasonably priced, love that the tax is already included. The glasses of wine are half-​glasses.
I had the beet salad — the dressing was a bit salty, but the beets were sweet and fresh. The Venetian squid stew (tomato based) over a square of polenta was tasty and filling.
For entrees, the mushroom risotto comes chock-​full of mushrooms — nice to see morels in there. Unfortunately, it came a bit too over-​peppered for my taste — I’d ask them to go easy on the pepper next time, it actually got pretty spicy for me. Big portion size, lots of truffle oil added. The risotto itself was perfectly cooked.
Also tried a special of the day, the taglietelle bolognese — this was forgettable, the noodles were a bit undercooked and there wasn’t enough meat sauce. The pork ragu tagliatelle at Campagnolo is much better.

Wild Mushroom and white truffle risotto!
Get it and you won’t regret it. So creamy, the grains of risotto are infused with the flavor of the mushroom. A good sized portion too. We also got the Venetian squid stew on crispy polenta. A great tomato base, with squid, served over polenta. This, was also delicious.
For dessert, we had the poached pear with vanilla mascarpone cream and spiced chocolate sauce. I was a little disappointed in this one. The pear wasn’t soft enough, and all the components seemed fragmented. The mascarpone wasn’t in the soft, creamy texture that I’m used to, the chocolate sauce a bit too overpowering.
A great concept for Che Baba. Part yoga studio, part cantina, this place has a very relaxed atmosphere. Large windows and banquettes line the place, and a large open kitchen and a bar seats dominate the back of the room.
Fully licensed and their prices are tax included!
I can’t wait to be back to try out their brunch!

Heard of Les Faux Bourgeois? You know, the one that serves mouth watering french cuisine in that somewhat strange random corner in a transitional neighbourhood that I lovingly call home. LFB transformed the neighbourhood and now its younger hip cool sister restaurant is in the hood, right at the end of the block.
Decided today is the day to switch my tires to winter tires and since we had an hour to spare, literally walked two steps down the block to check out Cantina as I knew it was opening soon. It was like stepping into Narnia because not two seconds ago I was in a grungy oily tire shop and then suddenly I was standing in front of a chic restaurant/​yoga studio. The sheer randomness is the reason why I love neighbourhoods undergoing change. Oh yes, you read right. They have a yoga studio attached next door. Love the idea!
They serve brunch. That word alone was enough for me to immediately plant my bottom to the nearest seat. I love LFB and knew Cantina would not disappoint. I wanted everything on their menu but seeing that we only had an hour, we settled on three dishes: perfectly poached eggs topped with tomato sauce on a bed of polenta, poached eggs on sauteed thyme-​infused wild mushrooms spread on top of crusty toast and apple cinnamon granola with creamy greek yogurt. TO DIE FOR, peoples!!,
It’s an adorable, bright and comfortable space with some very cool retro designs. Please go. The business relies on word of mouth so I’m the doing the world a favour and putting it out there for all to enjoy! It’s fantastic and the prices are very good for the quality of food you get. See you there!

I think I have a new love in my life, and her name is Che baba Cantina. I love the way her name rolls off my lips, «Che Babaaaaa.» Oh baby you are fine.
An owner of Les Faux Bourgeois (I know you know that place), has opened up more casual south French restaurant and it’s good, real good. Like go steal money from your sick in bed mother so you can eat here good. Not convinced? Did I mention it has something Les Faux Bourgeois does not? It has brunch. Yeah, it’s time to go find mom’s purse.
Only sampled a few dishes, each of my senses is still thanking me. The kitchen staff is passionate and friendly, you could taste it in the food. The inside is contemporary retro, warm, cozy and fun with windows overlooking Kingsway and Robson Park. I’m having trouble convincing myself that I’m not going to see her again tomorrow; New love is like that.
Just go. Go now. Unless it’s closed. In that case go when it’s open.
P. S. Being Vancouver yes of course it has an espresso machine and yoga studio on premises.
Edit — been there 5+ times and since they changed their menu and chef, dropping a star ;(Hope to give it back if they need some time to get back up to the flavors they opened with!