Being a frequent diner at Hillside Quickies made me super excited about eating at their new restaurant, Plum Bistro. I had no doubt in my mind it was going to be amazing, especially after the rave reviews it keeps getting. I finally had brunch there last Saturday morning and sadly, I was not impressed. I understand that most of their meals are excellent, but I was left wanting more, a lot more.

The brunch menu is sparse, with about seven options to choose from. I ordered the cinnamon and strawberry crepes with vanilla custard, thinking I was just about to get myself into the hottest, sweetest mess of all possible brunches. Much to my dismay, I received two cold, bitter, hard taco-sized “crepes”, folded over about 8 slices of strawberry. That’s it. I’d say they used about 6 strawberries to make this meal. I paid $9 for six strawberries while my friend paid $8 for a hot, delicious, and gigantic tofu scramble with four pieces of toast. What?

I did ask them to hold the soy whipped cream, as my body does not tolerate much soy, not to mention whipped soy. When I mentioned to the waiter that I was surprised at the small, bland plate I was given compared to what I’m used to from these establishments, he responded that the crepes are usually piled high with whipped cream. Apparently, a mountain of whipped cream is supposed to make me forget that I paid out the rear for a few strawberries.

I’m sorry, but we are in an economic crisis here and I could have paid less for more at the grocery store. It’s not often that I can afford to eat out, and I was so insulted when I got my plate I almost cried.  I came here for a gourmet vegan meal and I feel like they played a joke on me. How dare they set that plate down in front of me for $9 dollars and a plate two times the size in front of my friend for $8.

I didn’t send the food back due to fear of embarrassment. The last time something went wrong with my food at the Café by Hillside Quickie, the chef made me feel like a jerk for ordering something the way I wanted it. It’s certainly not “customer is always right” with her.  At least the waiter at Plum was pleasant.

All in all, if you want to venture out and try Plum Bistro, I’d go for lunch or dinner and skip breakfast. There are plenty of better, vegan friendly, breakfast places, like Portage Bay. If you do find yourself at Plum for breakfast, don’t get the crepes, and you should be okay.