The Canadian Foodie: The Waffle Edition

The Canadian Foodie is back, and this time, she brought waffles.

Nero Belgian Waffle Bar is a new eatery that’s opened up in Vancouver in the past year, and I honestly don’t know how I’ve survived this long without it in my life. While it may not look like much because of its incredibly small storefront (in fact, you might even miss it if you were walking past on the street), it’s quickly become one of my favorite local eateries — both because of its incredible waffles and the amazing experience that unfolds as soon as you step in the door.

Image Credit: Stephanie Mau

The moment you walk in, you’re greeted both by the friendly staff and the overwhelming scent of waffles all around you. The menu, consisting of both savory and dessert waffles, is short but sweet (no pun intended). Once you choose the dish you want, you get to choose the type of waffle: Liege or Brussels. I was anxious the first time I patroned Nero Waffle Bar since I had no idea how or what to order, but the staff was very nice and suggested the best type of waffle to go with the toppings I’d ordered.

Speaking of, my favorite style of waffle (or, in actuality, the only style I’ve ever ordered because it was too delicious to give up) is the Brésilienne– a (typically Brussels) waffle topped with caramel, whipped cream, vanilla ice cream and hazelnuts, described by some astute Yelp reviews as almost Ferrero-Rocher-like. This is the best technical description I can give you, but my personal description of it would be something like: imagine what heaven tastes like. And then add more ice cream.

The actual experience is not to be missed either! While the tiny storefront may make the dining experience seem claustrophobic from the exterior, once you get inside and sit down, it’s quite a quaint, rustic dining experience. The furnishings make you feel like you’ve been eating delicious waffles inside a cozy cabin every day of your life, and the eatery even provides some interesting reading material for you to peruse while you’re waiting for your meal to arrive. The last time I was there, they even had a Settlers of Catan board game lying around. Nero Belgian Waffle Bar is not messing around, you guys.

So where was I? Oh right, the waffles. They speak for themselves. So why don’t you get yourself down to 1703 Robson Street in Vancouver soon, and experience them for yourself?