Be ‘wiched Cafe

Restaurant: Be ‘wiched Cafe
Cuisine: Sandwiches/Cafe/Baked Goods/Desserts/Soups
Last visited: February 23, 2011 (Updated post here)
Location: Surrey, BC (Newton)
Address: 15230 56 Ave
Price Range: $10 or less

1: Poor 2: OK 3: Good 4: Very good 5: Excellent 6: Tres Excellent!!

Food: 4.5 (Updated post here)
Service: 6
Ambiance: 3
Overall: 5
Additional comments:

• Locally owned/operated
• Hidden gem
• Extremely friendly service
• Specializes in sandwiches/soups
• Home cooked/roasted meats
• Homemade sauces/condiments
• Daily selection of freshly baked goods
• Recipes from Food Network (modified)
• Fresh ingredients
• Made upon order
• No/low preservatives
• Gluten free items
• Low fat options
• Catering available
• Eat in/Take out
• Cash/Interac/MC/Visa
• Breakfast/Lunch service
• Mon-Fri 7am-4pm
• Be ‘wiched Cafe Review/Visit 2

**Recommendations: Apple Pie Stuffed French Toast, Savoury Meat Roll (daily special), Chain Gang Chili (Daily Special), Pulled Pork Sandwich, Cubano, Triple Citrus Cream Cheese Bars, Banana Raspberry Mini Muffins, Pumpkin Cookie with Warm Icing. Go for the daily specials, those are usually solid.

Don’t underestimate Surrey or this little pay at cashier cafe opened by two lovely ladies who have a passion for good food! I have to give credit to my friend Sherman for introducing it to me because there is no way I would have ever discovered it on my own. It’s located in a new business complex behind a Chevron gas station and there are no signs or sandwich boards advertising it. It’s only been open for a few months and these ladies get enough traffic just by worth of mouth. That also shows how good the stuff they’re serving is. Be ‘wiched is a local gourmet cafe and hidden gem that people should really know about!

They have a separate breakfast menu with apple pie stuffed french toast, breakfast burritos, breakfast strata as well as a couple other items that change daily. The main menu is their lunch menu which features their sandwiches or “Wiches”.

The thing that I was most infatuated by, besides the warm and energetic service, is that a lot of their recipes are actually from the Food Network! Yes! I’ve thought about this concept before, of a restaurant serving “money recipes” from Food Network, and my dream is finally here, in the form of Be ‘wiched! The owners are happy to share with you where the recipes are inspired from and they include Food Network favourites like “Bobby Flay’s Throw Down” and of course “Diners, Drive Ins and Dives”. I know! How excited did you just get with my mention that this place serves food that has been featured on Triple D?!

Planning your itinerary for a day trip to Surrey aren’t you?! Mmm hmm, that’s what I thought! See for me, places like these are perfect, because as much as I like to cook, I don’t really have the time, so I much rather just pay to have it already done. Therefore this place is great!

Even though the recipes are from mainly Food Network, the ladies put their own spin on them and actually try to make them healthier. Oh crap, I just lost you didn’t I?! By healthier I don’t mean gross either. They actually taste delicious and not everything is “healthy”, but they sure try. They reduce the fat in a lot of their recipes and replace them with healthier alternatives and almost the whole menu is based on fresh ingredients with little or no preservatives. I’m telling you, they’re really trying here and it’s paying off! Everything I had proved to be excellent value, quality and taste and I really can’t wait to go back.

I came here with a friend for lunch and made my best effort to tackle their sandwich menu, which is their specialty. All the meats are slow roasted in house and all the condiments are home made. The ingredients are fresh and the sandwiches are made upon order. I do wish the breads were made in house, but it’s such a small operation and pretty much everything else is made in house, so I could let it go. 

Wait! I’m not done yet! I can’t only stress the sandwiches without giving love to their baked goods! Also, it’s me! Desserts and baked goods are equally as important. I wouldn’t call it a bakery, but they have a good selection of daily baked items. They’re very smart with this menu too because the portions are small and very affordable so it never makes you feel guilty ordering or eating more than one! They also try to lower the sugar and fat and add healthy things in them and I swear the flavour is not sacrificed.

All baked goods are made fresh in house and also rely on tried, tested and true recipes. I tried, I tested and I trued… I mean chewed! Be ‘wiched is for foodies, by foodies, and there’s no way you’ll walk out the door without ordering and trying more than you need. I sure did, but that shouldn’t surprise you either *chuckle*. I think I actually invited these ladies to my birthday which isn’t even coming up, but they were just so awesome!

They didn’t know I was a blogger and kept giving me complimentary samples, but they did this with a lot of their customer. They’re fans of samples, and who isn’t?! It was only when I was leaving did I tell them I was a blogger just because we were in conversation, but of course everything I write is still from the heart.

On the table:

**Savoury Meat Roll – 6/6

• $7.75 (Daily special)
• This was delicious and it’s a version of a sausage roll that was featured on Diners, Drive Ins and Dives.
• It was home made sausage with a cashew and spinach home made pesto with Asiago and Mozzarella wrapped in a crunchy, flaky buttermilk biscuit! De-licious!
• It was a meaty crumbled sausage, almost like patty meat, with a mixture of perhaps ground pork and Italian sausage and it carried a bit of heat from chili flakes and black pepper.
• Most of the sausage was juicy, savoury and a bit spicy. It was  also nutty and creamy from the pesto, with a little cheese and full of flavour with a great roll to meat ratio.
• There wasn’t a lot of cheese and it’s not greasy, but the bit of cheese helped to bring out the pesto flavour since that was lacking a bit.
• The buttermilk roll was almost crunchy and it reminded me of a crispy scone, yet it was still soft and tender like a pie crust.
• It was served with a home made marinara sauce, which I wish was served warm like the roll.
• The marinara sauce was incredibly fresh and tangy and it would be great over pasta. It was almost like a ratatouille sauce with minced tomatoes, carrots, onions and even some zucchini. It was great with the sausage roll adding a nice tang, but it did overpower the pesto at times.
• I freaking loved this roll, but it was more like an appetizer or a side to a soup, so I think it’s a bit pricey, but still excellent.

**Cubano – 5/6

• A pressed ‘wich loaded with roasted, marinated pork, ham, Swiss cheese and dill pickle slices on hot Ciabtta bread with roasted garlic aioli and dijon mustard. $8.75
• Caliente Cubano: A cumbano with pickled banana peppers in lieu of pickles. $8.75
• This is their most popular sandwich and I recommend getting it “Caliente Cubano”.
• A Cubano is a Latin style ham and cheese sandwich and this one isn’t authentic, but I don’t care because it’s not expected to be and it was still delicious.
• It’s served warm and the bread is crispy crunchy and chewy and it’s loaded with sandwich fillings.

• The marinated pork was slow roasted in house and I could taste its smokiness although it could have been a bit juicer, but it wasn’t dry. I just which I could taste it more since it is the highlight of a Cuban sandwich.
• The ham (which is the only meat that is brought in) is a cured ham and there were more slices of that so its flavour did overpower the marinated pork.
• It was perfectly salty with the ham and I loved the tangy spice and crunch of banana peppers that just brightened it up.
• It’s not greasy or heavily sauced and she uses a garlic aioli which is her own little twist, however I couldn’t really taste that either. It’s still a great sandwich I would order again.

Chicken Pesto – 4/6

• Our spinach/cashew pesto, Pepper Jack cheese, baked chicken, lettuce and tomato on Ciabtta bread $7.75
• This is another popular favourite and I love chicken pesto sandwiches, but this house made pesto didn’t really do it for me.
• The sandwich was very good and the ingredients were very fresh and it was almost like a chicken salad sandwich without the mayo and I found it slightly underwhelming.
• It was very simple and crunchy fro the Ciabatta bread and the chicken is baked in house and there was a slight kick from the Pepper Jack cheese.
• It wasn’t as salty as the Cubano and the chicken are slices of chicken breast meat and I think it would be great with some avocado.
• I understand the idea of making more affordable versions of pesto, without the pine nuts, but this one just pushed it a bit far.
• Their home made pesto was very light, not oily, but creamy with cashew flavour and texture, but using spinach instead of basil just made it almost taste bland.
• I also don’t think there was Parmesan in it so it really lacked that saltiness and sharpness a classic pesto sauce has.
• I think it was just under seasoned and if I were to order this I would ask them to double up on the pesto. They already used the pesto sauce on both sides of the bread, but it was still not shining through.

**Creamless Tomato Soup – 4/6

• Small bowl – $3.75 Large bowl – $4.75 or $2.50 with any sandwich
• Soups change daily.
• This was a low fat soup and the part that got me was when she told me that instead of cream they use pureed bread to thicken the soup! How neat is that?! Take away the dairy and replace it with some carbs… I had to try this unique home made soup!
• It tastes like Campbell’s tomato soup, which I still like, but this one is made with fresh ingredients so it’s even better.
• It was creamy and still somewhat thick and you can’t tell bread was used as the thickener at all. I think it’s gluten free as well.
• It was tangy and the bread toned down the sharpness a bit, and there was also a slight undertone of carrots, celery and onions, although it was pureed smooth. It wasn’t that sweet and definitely more tangy and I think some fresh herbs like basil would have been nice.
• The other soup was a low fat clam chowder which wasn’t made with cream, and this lady came in an ordered half of each soup to make a New England clam chowder… I was so jealous I didn’t think of that first! Next time!

Orzo Salad – 2/6

• They give you a small portion of their daily salad as a side to your sandwich.
• This was just an orzo salad with some bell peppers and a tangy lemon herb dressing.
• The orzo was overcooked, but it was just a complimentary side, so it’s just not something I would care to order separately.
  

**Triple Cream Cheese Citrus Bar – 6/6

• $3.25 (Daily special)
• This is a special dessert so it’s not always in house, but I’d call to make sure it is if you’re planning a trip down. H-E-A-V-E-N.
• I think this recipe is taken from Bobby Flay or the The Best Thing I Ever Ate… but holy crap! I want the recipe!
• It’s a baked bar, but it’s served chilled.
• The crust is actually made of animal crackers and brown sugar and it tastes like a graham cracker crust but less sweet and salty… see this is their “healthier” version of recipes! 🙂
• The filling is a cream cheese filling made with condensed milk, orange, lemon and lime juice and zest, so it’s more like a creamy custard. There’s very little cheese in it too so even non cheesecake lovers will like this! I could see the specs of citrus zest and I loved it!
• It was the perfect balance of tangy and sweet, light and rich, and creamy and crunchy.
• I loved the crumbly, moist and tender crust and nutty topping of freshly toasted coconut. It’s amazing!
• The flavours take a while to kick in and you have to give it time to sink it. It wasn’t until by fourth chew that my eyes got huge and I started to MMMMMM.
• It tastes like a very light lemon cream cheese custard bar meets lemon cheese cake, meets key lime pie, meets coconut pie… meets my mouth!

Apple Caramel Cinnamon Bun- 3/6

• $0.75
• These don’t look appetizing, but they’re super cheap so why not!?
• They’re pretty small, which is good and that’s where they get you here! Everything indulgent is controlled in portion size so you never feel guilty even when you over order!
• It tasted almost like an apple pie in cinnamon bun form.
• It wasn’t as sweet as it looks. It was a very standard cinnamon bun that was moist with a thin bread roll that was quite doughy rather than fluffy.
• The cinnamon bun wasn’t that sweet itself, but the sweetness came from the apple caramel butter that was poured on top. There was no actual apples and i think it was just apple sauce or pureed apples.
• It wasn’t sticky or that thick but creamy and the caramel was smooth from the butter, but it’s not too buttery or greasy either.
• I’m not a big fan of cinnamon buns, but this sauce was a great twist from the traditional icing.

**Banana Raspberry Mini Muffins – 6/6

• Our daily selections of fresh, house made mini-muffins (Choice of 3) $2.25
• Complimentary. They have a selection of mini muffins and this one is their most popular and favourite!
• The mini muffins are baked fresh daily and I love that they’re all mini so I can taste a variety!
• I don’t know if bite size just makes things better, but these were amazing! They were ultra soft, light and fluffy it was almost like muffin pillows!
• It was so moist and incredibly soft like cake and it was made with bran! I would have never of guessed!
• I could taste the texture of real raspberries and roughly chopped bananas which made them extra moist, creamy, naturally sweet, and incredibly fruity.
• I honestly didn’t think a muffin without a crispy muffin top could impress me this much.

**Chocolate Chip, Oatmeal, Coconut & Flax – 4.5/6

• $2.25
• This was also complimentary.
• It’s loaded with Ghirardelli chocolate chips so the chocolate is soft and not waxy tasting, nor does it get stuck in your teeth.
• It’s a very soft and fluffy cookie with a crunchy exterior and it’s super tender and cake like crumb.
• I could have used more coconut, but it’s definitely a very textured cookie full of ingredients I love.

**Peanut Butter Oatmeal with Flax – 5/6

• $2.25
• If you’re not a fan of peanut butter cookies you’ll still like this one!
• It’s a healthier version, but you sure can’t tell! It’s not as savoury, sweet or buttery as the standard peanut butter cookies.
• It tastes like half a peanut butter cookie and half an oatmeal cookie.
• It’s crunchy with a crispy edge and then a very soft and chewy middle with nutty crispy bits of peanut pieces throughout.
• This cookie was chewier than the chocolate chip cookie and I loved all the nutty ingredients used. It made it more nutty rather than sweet and I loved hoe “healthy” it was 😉

Peanut Butter Granola Bar – 3.5/6

• A wheat-free bar made in house with almonds, peanut butter, rolled oats and ground flax. Sweetened with honey and brown sugar $2.50
• It took them 52 recipes in order to ace this home made gluten free granola bar.
• The sample I tried was really soft and it reminded me of Kashi puffed rice cereal and it seemed a bit too soft without being crispy or crunchy.
• The full size granola bar was inconsistent in texture, and it could have been because it was homemade and gotten stale quicker than expected.
• Parts of it were very hard, tough and very crunchy and almost like a thick version of a crunchy Nature Valley granola bar meets a peanut butter rice crispy. Then closer to the middle it was quite soft and chewy like the sample.
• I thought they were good, but I think the texture will vary depending on how fresh they are.
• It wasn’t chewy and it’s not sticky or very sweet, although I think the “glue” was honey and peanut butter.
• It’s sweet, salty and nutty with puffed rice, oats, almonds, peanuts, sunflower seeds, and flax as well as other things, but it’s not necessarily a very strong peanut butter flavour.
• It’s more of a healthy granola bar so I would consider it a snack before I would a dessert for sure.
• They have free samples for you to try, but they also gave me one to take home, which was unexpected, but so kind.

Pumpkin Cookies with Warm Icing

• I’m not 100% I just took a picture of someone else’s order, but be sure I will be back to try them!
• They have the cookie batter frozen so you can get these whenever and they’ll bake them up for you on the spot!
• They look incredibly decadent and the icing is made upon order and poured over top the freshly baked cookies. I want!
• Update! I’ve tried them! See my post for them here.

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