Local Lovelies – The Naam

I’m a real creature of habit. Once I find something that I like, it takes a lot to get me to try something new (why risk being disappointed?). My absolute favorite local vegetarian restaurant (perhaps even my favorite Vancouver restaurant, period) is the Naam.

It’s furnished with well worn, mismatched furniture, there’s a wood stove tucked into one corner, and the walls are adorned with art done by local artists. It’s warm and inviting, and feels like the cozy home of a good friend. Outside there’s a great little courtyard with sculptures, trees, and grape covered arbors. The restaurant has been here since the 60’s, and they’re open 24 hours a day!

Food at the Naam is hearty and satisfying any time of day, but the reason we go there is for the breakfast. Since we home school and my husband has Mondays off, we can go during the week and take advantage of their great breakfast deals – in fact, this is one of the only ways we can justify eating out – a $4 meal is much easier to rationalize than a $10 one, and going out for breakfast feels like more of a treat than any other meal out. Our favorite breakfast specials include organic pancakes with eggs and veggie sausages (the best I’ve ever had); pancakes with blueberry sauce and whipped cream; the Mexican omelet with black bean chili, salsa, guacamole, and sour cream; and my personal favorite, the Croissantwich. A Croissantwich consists of a toasted whole wheat croissant, sliced in half and topped with scrambled eggs, chopped sausage, and melted cheese. On the side you get fruit salad, homefries, and miso gravy (as well as a great cup of coffee).
Miso gravy is their signature sauce which you can now buy in bottles in many Vancouver stores. It’s tangy and rich and is great on fries, potatoes, rice, noodles, stir fries – almost anything you can think of! My kids won’t eat rice with anything else.

The Naam is a place that’s become a part of the landscape of my life with my husband. We went there when we were dating, and we still take our kids there on a regular basis.
There was a waiter who worked in our favorite restaurant in Victoria (the city where we went to university). He later got a job at another of our favorite haunts. Imagine our surprise a couple of years later when we were at the Naam with our new baby, and there he was waiting tables! He hasn’t worked there in years, but earlier this fall while we were there (for breakfast of course) he came in, and was just as surprised to see us as after all these years as we were to see him. I really should have asked him where he’s working now, as I’m sure it would have led us to a new favorite hang out.
Is there a favorite restaurant that features heavily in your family’s history?