STACKED is a Scout column that aims to dig down into the delicious details of Vancouver’s better sandwiches and burgers. From banh mi and burgers to sliders and reubens, the goal is to craft and catalog an archive of awesome that visitors and locals alike can reference when at their hungriest.

The two best breakfast sandwiches I’ve ever had were at Eggslut in Venice, California last Christmas. One was called “The Fairfax” — a pile of chive-ridden soft scrambled eggs with melted cheddar cheese and caramelized onions on a soft, sriracha mayo smeared brioche bun. The other – the name of which I’ve forgotten – was similarly constructed, only it came with bacon, the egg was over-medium and the sauce was chipotle ketchup. They looked good, tasted amazing, and neither were reinventions of the wheel.

Vancouver didn’t have anything quite like it back then, but things have now changed. What you see above is The Doug, and you can find it at the new 49th Parallel Cafe at 689 Thurlow Street. It’s strikingly similar to The Fairfax — from the cheesed up chive-eggs to the warmth of the soft, molded brioche, if it wasn’t directly inspired by the Eggslut cult I’d be astounded.

Of course I really don’t care one way or the other, because culinary plagiarism never tasted so good. So let’s break it down…

1. This whole thing would quickly fall about if it weren’t for this spongy and warm brioche-y bun that somehow convinces the messy ingredients between its halves to keep their shit together. I was amazed at how little shrapnel this beauty produced.

2. Maple bacon. It could be crisper so that bites break up the pair of slices easier, but this stuff has great flavour and is quick to chew so no big deal. (Eggslut cooks their bacon a little longer.)

3. Bacon fat. They legit don’t pat this shit down. Long live this droplet.

4. Caramelized onion. Not that impactful. Be glad of it. It does its acidity and sweetness jobs without overwhelming the delicate eggs that ride on top of it.

5. Soft scrambled eggs with chives. Fluffy and warm. I don’t see any chives in this shot but they’re there. Promise.

6. A slice of processed American cheese. Adds viscosity and colour. More importantly, the cheese blankets the eggs, keeping ’em warm and together.

7. A very loose – almost liquid – garlic aioli, and lots of it! I think it works better than Eggslut’s chipotle ketchup and is on par with its sriracha mayo. Could be better whipped and chilled.

Note that The Doug is only available from 7am to 2pm at the Thurlow Street location. They also do a version called The Cascadia that sees mustard aioli and an over easy egg. Neither are available at the other 49th Parallel locations.

$9 | 604-620-4905 |  689 Thurlow Street | www.49thcoffee.com