I suppose we were there during rush hour (apparently, when isn't in rush hour), though we were left unimpressed. Props for the chips, but maybe a second go will do it...

Sometimes you find something you fall in love with and want to take home with you. And sometimes you just want to check out the people that frequent the place. What's cool is that you can bring your clothes in for cash or trade. That's not guaranteed, however, as the staff are quite picky. Don't sweat it, though; they are in the fash biz, after all!

Owners are very friendly and serve Ethiopian coffee for either walk-in or drive-thru customers. Yes! This is one of the few non-Starbucks I know with a driver-thru. After all, the cafe has been converted from a garage, which adds to its charm. Outdoor seating popular on sunny weekend afternoons. The only negative is that the cafe is not open too late (til 6 on weekdays, I believe).

), but it's owned by the Watercourse folks (and located in the old space), so it should be ok, right? The preliminary reviews were pretty much on the dot; City is really more of a bar that happens to serve coffee (and veggie pizzas), a stylish nook that's kind of like a Cheers for the indie/creative community. Having said that, I was kind of intimidated about dining here, but the servers are in that friendly but unobtrusive Mathlete/A.V. club fashion, and the ambiance on one Saturday afternoon rather low-key. Perhaps I'll give it a second (or third) round.

EDIT: I went here four times in one week. Go for the #3 pizza with seitan!

My favorite part is not the actual sandwich, but the name, paying tribute to the area, with monikers like the Colfax Club, the Marion, the Ogden. It's been a while since I've visited, so I think a trip is in order.

Sometimes the service is a little shoddy, but it definitely beats going to Subway (that's why I give it four stars). The classic subs and super salads are under $5, classic clubs being a buck more, and of course, other extras always adding a little to the final bill. A meat-eating friend recommends the Gold Coast (turkey, avocado, lettuce, tomato, mayo, sprouts, mustard and cheddar), while I go for trusty and (surprisingly filling!) veggie options. Besides that, the two awesome things worth noting about this place is that they deliver and are open til the wee hours.

One time I tried to order a pot of tea but didn't have enough money--she just let me give her what I had (not even half). They also have very good muffins and gelato.

When I don't want to moisturize with miso, I enjoy the tofu bowl or veggie tempura. (Three stars just because I'm not too big on Japanese cuisine, except for inari sushi, which they never seem to have!)

My hands-down fave is the Dona Lee, a pita pocket filled with seitan, veggies and ranch dressing. On the side I get the quinoa salad and fries--one can never go wrong! Good thing they moved into bigger digs (with outside seating!) on 17th Ave, cos there's usually a queue to fill up on their fantastic grub. (The service isn't bad, either...)