Restaurant: Commensal
Where: 655 Bay street, Toronto
Stars: 3.5/5
Price: $$-$$$
Summary: A buffet of over 100 dishes in a large, comfortable and casual atmosphere.
Commensal is a large casual restaurant. It's great for families or if you're by yourself and don't want to be rushed eating. You can sit at a table with your food and read a book, and no one will really bother you.
It's a self serve buffet, which is great because of all the options. But if you're me, your eyes are bigger than your stomach. And one food of plate, desert, and drinks can add up.
The food itself, ranges. There is everything from veggie lasagna, to salads, setain, tofu stir fry, noodles, rice, daal - you name it, it's there. It's very much 'comfort homestyle cooking'. All the food is vegetarian but it is all listed so that you know if it has eggs, dairy or if its gluten free, which is helpful. The food is fresh and well prepared. I wasn't totaly blown away though. There was nothing 'wrong' with the dishes, in fact it all tasted good...but not great. There was nothing orginal, or particulary clever or outstandingly delicious. It was all nice home cooking. Which is great if that's what you're looking for. You won't get many surprises here.
There is a fantastic desert lineup though. It has everything from brownies to cakes to tapioca pudding. There's so many options at Commensal it's hard to know what to choose, especially as a first timer.
Buen Provecho!
Monday, November 16, 2009
Sunday, November 15, 2009
Toronto's Live
Restaurant: Live
Where: Toronto, Canada
Stars: 3.5/5
Price: $$
Summary: Cafe style joint, with uber healthy options for raw and cooked vegans alike. A number of different options, flavors could be stronger.
The newest fad in vegetarianism is 'live' or 'raw' food. This is food that is not cooked. At all. In fact it's sprouted most of the time so that there is a huge amount of enzymes and nutrients in the food.
The idea is that in today's world we overcook our foods so much that all the vitamins and nutrients have depleted and we're left with 'dead food'. So many people are starting to eat Raw, in the belief that it's healthier and gives your more energy.
I've had raw food before, so I knew what I was getting myself into when I walked into Live. The great thing about live though, is that it also has cooked options, for those who don't want to venture in 'enzyme' land. It's a casual restaurant with a relaxed atmosphere.
Everything about the menu at Live is healthy. You can binge and still feel good. It has some interesting variety of dishes from sushi to brushetta to stroganoff. I ordered the raw tacos with a side of tempeh, and well it tasted like ... raw tacos. The shells were made from sprouted seads and nuts and pressed together to make a shell. It was filled with guacamole and veggies.
It was good don't get me wrong. But it was missing something. I wanted more flavor. I wanted something to jump out at me. But then maybe that's the thing with raw food. It's a different mindset altogether from sinful, oily, buttery, warm dishes. So you have to be prepared.
The funny thing about raw food is that it fills you up. There's a lot of prep work that goes into the food, and all the nuts, the sprouting, the nutrients really make you feel full, even if its just a bunch of veggies on a sead crust.
To be fair, I've only been to raw once, so I haven't had the chance to taste too many of their dishes. I did have dessert (of course) which was delicious and moist and cakey - my favorite so it made up for my so-so taco experience.
Live does seel a bunch of their own packaged foods which is cool. So...to live or not live, that is the question. I say, if you're on a health kick and want something filling but simple in flavor, definitely go.
Where: Toronto, Canada
Stars: 3.5/5
Price: $$
Summary: Cafe style joint, with uber healthy options for raw and cooked vegans alike. A number of different options, flavors could be stronger.
The newest fad in vegetarianism is 'live' or 'raw' food. This is food that is not cooked. At all. In fact it's sprouted most of the time so that there is a huge amount of enzymes and nutrients in the food.
The idea is that in today's world we overcook our foods so much that all the vitamins and nutrients have depleted and we're left with 'dead food'. So many people are starting to eat Raw, in the belief that it's healthier and gives your more energy.
I've had raw food before, so I knew what I was getting myself into when I walked into Live. The great thing about live though, is that it also has cooked options, for those who don't want to venture in 'enzyme' land. It's a casual restaurant with a relaxed atmosphere.
Everything about the menu at Live is healthy. You can binge and still feel good. It has some interesting variety of dishes from sushi to brushetta to stroganoff. I ordered the raw tacos with a side of tempeh, and well it tasted like ... raw tacos. The shells were made from sprouted seads and nuts and pressed together to make a shell. It was filled with guacamole and veggies.
It was good don't get me wrong. But it was missing something. I wanted more flavor. I wanted something to jump out at me. But then maybe that's the thing with raw food. It's a different mindset altogether from sinful, oily, buttery, warm dishes. So you have to be prepared.
The funny thing about raw food is that it fills you up. There's a lot of prep work that goes into the food, and all the nuts, the sprouting, the nutrients really make you feel full, even if its just a bunch of veggies on a sead crust.
To be fair, I've only been to raw once, so I haven't had the chance to taste too many of their dishes. I did have dessert (of course) which was delicious and moist and cakey - my favorite so it made up for my so-so taco experience.
Live does seel a bunch of their own packaged foods which is cool. So...to live or not live, that is the question. I say, if you're on a health kick and want something filling but simple in flavor, definitely go.
Toronto's Fressen
Restaurant: Fressen
478 Queen Street West,
Where: Toronto Canada
Stars: 5/5
Price: $$
Summary: A delicious experience.
You know when you're eating something so delicious that you can't stop making love sounds as you chew your food?? Well that has been my experience at Fressen every time I go there.
Not many people know about Fressen in Toronto, which is surprising. I found out about it from a little Vegetarian Restaurant pamphlet I found while I was in the city. I've been there four times and so far and I have never been dissapointed. In fact, I've been surprised. In most veggie restaurants there is a staple of rice bowls, veggie burgers, wraps etc. But not here. It is totally orgional and there is nothing granola about this place.
Fressen has a great, hip atmosphere with brick walls and hardwood floors. It's not over crowded with tables but feels really comfortable and at night it is lit with candles. Beautiful.
Fressen has a brunch and dinner menu. The brunch menu is pretty fantastic, and includes 'eggless waffles'! I was so happy when I saw that, because frankly there are not enough eggless waffle/pancake/crepe places in the world. And the taste of the waffles was soft, buttery and divine!
The brunch menu is all filled with salads, and sandwiches and scrambled tofu - the perfect food for Sunday at 1.
The dinner menu has a lot of original recipes like squash ravioli, jimaca salad, and black pepper fettucini. It felt more like five star dinning than most veggie restaurants. You can't help but order a bunch of appies, just so you can try a little of everything.
All the food is eggless and they a have a lot of wheat free and gluten free dishes as well.
They have a small list of delicious deserts, and a good sized wine list.
My only complaint are some of the snobby staff, which is usually a huge turn off for me. But you know, the food here is so good that it compensates for that.
Buen Provecho!
478 Queen Street West,
Where: Toronto Canada
Stars: 5/5
Price: $$
Summary: A delicious experience.
You know when you're eating something so delicious that you can't stop making love sounds as you chew your food?? Well that has been my experience at Fressen every time I go there.
Not many people know about Fressen in Toronto, which is surprising. I found out about it from a little Vegetarian Restaurant pamphlet I found while I was in the city. I've been there four times and so far and I have never been dissapointed. In fact, I've been surprised. In most veggie restaurants there is a staple of rice bowls, veggie burgers, wraps etc. But not here. It is totally orgional and there is nothing granola about this place.
Fressen has a great, hip atmosphere with brick walls and hardwood floors. It's not over crowded with tables but feels really comfortable and at night it is lit with candles. Beautiful.
Fressen has a brunch and dinner menu. The brunch menu is pretty fantastic, and includes 'eggless waffles'! I was so happy when I saw that, because frankly there are not enough eggless waffle/pancake/crepe places in the world. And the taste of the waffles was soft, buttery and divine!
The brunch menu is all filled with salads, and sandwiches and scrambled tofu - the perfect food for Sunday at 1.
The dinner menu has a lot of original recipes like squash ravioli, jimaca salad, and black pepper fettucini. It felt more like five star dinning than most veggie restaurants. You can't help but order a bunch of appies, just so you can try a little of everything.
All the food is eggless and they a have a lot of wheat free and gluten free dishes as well.
They have a small list of delicious deserts, and a good sized wine list.
My only complaint are some of the snobby staff, which is usually a huge turn off for me. But you know, the food here is so good that it compensates for that.
Buen Provecho!
Toronto's Fresh
Restaurant: Fresh
http://www.freshrestaurants.ca/
Where: Toronto Canada
Stars: 4.5/5
Price: $
summary: Great casual restaurant with healthy choices and wonderful drinks and deserts. Standard veggie cuisine with a flaire!
I've been living in Toronto for two months, and have been hearing about a restaurant called 'Fresh' by everyone I meet. It seems to be a favorite amongst Veggies and Non-veggies alike. There are three locations in Toronto and they all have the same menu and more or less the same Health-food-lover/student/casual/laide-back/busy atmosphere.
I've been to Fresh about five times now, and have never been disappointed. The food is really healthy and ranges from the typical brown rice dragon bowls, to various types of veggie burgers, wraps and salads. The menu is quite standard 'Veggetarian-Healthy' which can sometimes be boring. But the great thing about Fresh is that all the dishes are really well made: good quality ingredients, great flavors, huge portions. They try to be really origional with all their recipies and they give A LOT of different options. For example there are 5 different types of veggie burgers, all totaly different tastes depending on what your mood is. Want cheese? You got it! Lactose intolarant? No worries here's soy cheese. Or no cheese. Feel like a rice bowl but without the rice? That's fine, you can have noodles. You get the point.
They also have a few 'original' recipies, mostly appetizers like the Chick pea dosa, and the Avocado and white bean dosa (a take on the South Indian crepe dish).
Another great thing about fresh is their looooooooong list of drinks. I'm not just talking about wine and beer, but they have tons of smoothies, hot infused drinks, fresh juices etc. They are generally priced at about 5 or 6 dollars a drink.
Finally desert. As most vegans know, it is hard to find good cakes without eggs. Generally eggless cakes are dry and flat. But not at Fresh. They have the most delicious carot cake I have ever eaten! It's moist and fluffy and is topped with a cream cheese icing. Heaven! They also have a great Chocolate fudge cake, and a lovely assortment of fluffy, sweet cupcakes, as well as banada cakes, cookies etc..
Their cakes surprisingly are not only all eggless, but are totaly vegan. They are not made with milk, butter or sugar. How? I don't know. But they're delicious. They also have some wheat free options as well, which aren't quite as soft and moist but are pretty good.
So, if you're in Toronto and you're hungry and don't want to disspointed go to Fresh. It's healthy, well made food in a relaxed atomosphere. The staff is really friendly and they even a have a few cookbooks on sale in case you want to take Fresh home with you.
Buen Provecho!
http://www.freshrestaurants.ca/
Where: Toronto Canada
Stars: 4.5/5
Price: $
summary: Great casual restaurant with healthy choices and wonderful drinks and deserts. Standard veggie cuisine with a flaire!
I've been living in Toronto for two months, and have been hearing about a restaurant called 'Fresh' by everyone I meet. It seems to be a favorite amongst Veggies and Non-veggies alike. There are three locations in Toronto and they all have the same menu and more or less the same Health-food-lover/student/casual/laide-back/busy atmosphere.
I've been to Fresh about five times now, and have never been disappointed. The food is really healthy and ranges from the typical brown rice dragon bowls, to various types of veggie burgers, wraps and salads. The menu is quite standard 'Veggetarian-Healthy' which can sometimes be boring. But the great thing about Fresh is that all the dishes are really well made: good quality ingredients, great flavors, huge portions. They try to be really origional with all their recipies and they give A LOT of different options. For example there are 5 different types of veggie burgers, all totaly different tastes depending on what your mood is. Want cheese? You got it! Lactose intolarant? No worries here's soy cheese. Or no cheese. Feel like a rice bowl but without the rice? That's fine, you can have noodles. You get the point.
They also have a few 'original' recipies, mostly appetizers like the Chick pea dosa, and the Avocado and white bean dosa (a take on the South Indian crepe dish).
Another great thing about fresh is their looooooooong list of drinks. I'm not just talking about wine and beer, but they have tons of smoothies, hot infused drinks, fresh juices etc. They are generally priced at about 5 or 6 dollars a drink.
Finally desert. As most vegans know, it is hard to find good cakes without eggs. Generally eggless cakes are dry and flat. But not at Fresh. They have the most delicious carot cake I have ever eaten! It's moist and fluffy and is topped with a cream cheese icing. Heaven! They also have a great Chocolate fudge cake, and a lovely assortment of fluffy, sweet cupcakes, as well as banada cakes, cookies etc..
Their cakes surprisingly are not only all eggless, but are totaly vegan. They are not made with milk, butter or sugar. How? I don't know. But they're delicious. They also have some wheat free options as well, which aren't quite as soft and moist but are pretty good.
So, if you're in Toronto and you're hungry and don't want to disspointed go to Fresh. It's healthy, well made food in a relaxed atomosphere. The staff is really friendly and they even a have a few cookbooks on sale in case you want to take Fresh home with you.
Buen Provecho!
Hello Veggie World
My name is Agam and I am a huge fan of culinary delights! Even though I am a vegetarian, and have been my whole life, I love tasting and cooking all types of food. I grew in a home where food was celebrated and shared, and I think that gave me a good respect for food and for my body as I got older. I'm not a huge fan of dieting and I definitely don't believe in going hungry. But I do believe that making healthy choices while still allowing yourself to eat the more 'sinful' foods every once in a while, is a good way to go.
As a vegetarian I love discovering new vegetarian restaurants. They're cropping up everywhere. In this blog I will write about my experiences at different veggie restaurants and hopefully all of you reading, will enjoy what I have to say and get something out of it. If you have any questions or comments, I would love to hear from you.
As a vegetarian I love discovering new vegetarian restaurants. They're cropping up everywhere. In this blog I will write about my experiences at different veggie restaurants and hopefully all of you reading, will enjoy what I have to say and get something out of it. If you have any questions or comments, I would love to hear from you.
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