Vegan Lunch at Fabarnak

By Chris in Restaurants No Comments Tags: ,

Vegan Lunch at Fabarnak

Toronto’s 519 Community Centre in the heart of the gay village opened a well-received, sit-down restaurant earlier this year called Fabarnak. Finding myself in the neighbourhood recently around lunchtime I dropped in to see if they had anything on the menu for vegans and lo and behold they do. Two regular menu items — a roasted tomato bisque ($4/$7) and a bean cassoulet ($12/$17)— fulfill the no animal brief although I was a bit underwhelmed by both dishes for different reasons.

The soup was thick and a bit too acidic for my taste. The cassoulet was redolent with legumes and veggies, which was awesome, but the dish was too salty, an opinion I shared with my server so maybe the chef will adopt a gentler hand. I hope so because the stew was otherwise full of promise and it would be nice to know there was such a hearty vegan option just off the Yonge Street strip. The menu also features a roasted vegetable sandwich although vegans will have to order it without the ricotta cheese and aioli described on the menu.

So even though my meal was a bit disappointing I’m buoyed by the simple fact that there were options on the menu for me — a bit more care in the kitchen and I’ll be a happy little vegan.

Best Soy Latte Ever!

By Chris in Lifestyle 2 Comments Tags: ,

This post is really just an excuse to check in and let you know that I haven’t abandoned the blog, I’ve just been too insanely busy with other projects in this multifaceted life of mine. I hope to get back to vegan blogging more regularly very soon. In the meantime, I’ll mention that as a new convert to Soy Chai Lattes I had the best one of my life last week at Balzac’s in Toronto’s Liberty Village (another location in the Distillery District). The organic chai blend is spicy, well-rounded but with some bite, and the soy milk was lovingly steamed unto creamy deliciousness! Highly recommended.

Corner House Goes Vegan For Meetup

By Chris in Lifestyle, Restaurants 1 Comment Tags: , , ,

Corner House Goes Vegan For Meetup

Last night, I spent a really pleasant evening at Toronto’s Corner House restaurant, which agreed to prepare a special, fall-inspired, vegan menu at the request of Meetup organizer Val. Fifteen of us signed up to partake in what was a very good meal, but it was the company that I enjoyed most of all. Above, from left to right, are my new friends Vaike, Roger (organizer of the Toronto Vegetarians Meetup), Florence, Melanie, Sandra and Angela (apologies for the grainy image, good as it is, my Lumix LX5 couldn’t entirely compensate for the low-light conditions). I have to include a shout-out to fellow vegan blogger Willie Costello of Until We Eat Again who was seated at the next table.

The Corner House is a charming, old-school kind of restaurant on Davenport Road, below Casa Loma and Spadina Museum. Although not specifically vegetarian, the chef includes veggie appetizers and mains on each seasonal menu, which is what inspired Val to request a full-on vegan dinner, easily accommodated by the conscious kitchen.


We started with crispy Ciabatta with cumin-scented hummus and a silky squash soup with pear chutney. The soup was gorgeous, nicely seasoned and not at all salty. After such a good start, the main course felt a bit flat by comparison, the wild mushroom risotto with truffle essence was well executed but somehow one-dimensional, it wanted for a counterpoint of something crunchy, green and acid. Still, nearly everyone cleaned their plate and that’s the only compliment a chef really needs to be concerned with.


Dessert was a home run, a sort of pumpkin Blondie with mango sorbet, absolutely luscious.


The dinner provided some comical examples of ethical hairsplitting as we discussed the non-vegan aspects of wine-making and whether or not truffles are acceptable since pigs are required to sniff them out. We unanimously concluded that truffles are fine by us.

Special thanks to Val and Roger for helping to keep the Toronto Vegetarian Meetup group rolling with exciting evenings like this one: I’ve been passing the Corner House for years thinking that I’d like to try it and with a vegan-focused menu, how could I say no? If you’re interested in making some new acquaintances and trying some fun activities — Meetups aren’t all restaurant outings — definitely sign yourself up!

Vegan on the Run

By Chris in Restaurants 1 Comment Tags: ,

Vegan on the Run

Holy crap, life has been busy lately, hence no blogging, sorry. While on the run yesterday, I was delighted to find some vegan take-away at the Annex HodgePodge (258 Dupont Street). They always have a choice of two delicious vegan soups and five varieties of homemade, all-vegetable wraps which they’ll happily pop into the panini press for you. I selected the East Indies wrap ($3.99), sort of a dosa topped with Tamarind dipping sauce, and the thick carrot and ginger soup ($3.99), a tasty combination. If you’re on the run and in the neighbourhood there’s a vegan option to grab and go.

Sesame-Crusted Tofu

By Chris in Recipes 2 Comments Tags:

Sesame-Crusted Tofu

Here’s a simple, delicious way to enjoy tofu. I especially love these hot, tossed into a cold salad but they’re also great straight from the fridge or at room temperature.

Start with my basic marinated tofu recipe, which I’ll repeat here so you don’t have to click back or open a new tab: Combine 2 tablespoons of olive oil, 2 tablespoons of soy sauce, 2 teaspoons of dry sage or fennel, 1 teaspoon of olek sambal (or other hot sauce) and 2 small or 1 large clove of garlic, crushed; blend then toss with 1 cake of firm organic tofu cut into 1″ cubes. Let stand for one hour. Roll to coat in sesame seeds (a great source of calcium!) then bake on parchment paper at 425 degrees for 20 – 30 minutes until lightly browned, turn once or twice during baking. Serve and savour!

Cooking Class at Mela Café

By Chris in Recipes 3 Comments Tags: ,

Cooking Class at Mela Café

Last night, I spent an amazing evening in the kitchen at Toronto’s tiny Mela Café in Yorkville. Held every Wednesday from 5:30 – 8:30 pm, the class is taught by chef Roberto Granata, above foreground, and his sous chef/pastry chef Chris Pineda. The sign over the door promises Italian Vegetarian Magic and that’s exactly what we found in the small kitchen, and later at the table as we got to enjoy the delicious fruits of our labour.


The class is typically kept to a maximum of five but last night we were just three pupils, myself and a very sweet couple, Eamonn O’Connell and Courtney Lawrence, herself a blogger on culture, beliefs, behaviour and relationships. The class costs $75 per person and boy, oh boy, did we get our money’s worth! In addition to some fine instruction, delightful camaraderie and a fantastic dinner — completely vegan, in this case — I was also sent home with enough food for several days, all of which can be frozen for later indulgence (below).


So what did we make? Lentil soup, quinoa salad, sweet potato and bok choy mash, potato-mushroom pie, beet risotto and watercress pie, Mela’s delicious house tomato sauce and vegan mango tarts with a thick, wonderful coconut cream and caramelized ginger. Fantastic! I don’t have time this morning to provide the blow-by-blow but stay tuned and I’ll share some of chef Roberto’s excellent recipes, all of which adhere to Ayurvedic principles and use no garlic or onions.

Mela is located at 7 Yorkville Avenue (just west of Yonge Street) and is open for lunches and takeout until 5 pm daily, closed Sundays. Classes are booked in advance by calling 416.916.0619.

Rosti Potatoes With Mushroom Sauce

By Chris in Recipes 3 Comments Tags: ,

Rosti Potatoes With Mushroom Sauce

Stupidly, I neglected to take a photo of the rosti in the pan, which really is the beauty shot, and generally speaking one of my finest moments in the kitchen. There is something so satisfying about turning the pan over to reveal a lattice of golden brown potato, my mouth waters at the thought. But I’m getting ahead of myself.

I like to use Yukon Gold’s for this preparation; wash the potatoes and leave the skins on, cut them in half and boil until just shy of tender (about 12 minutes), remember you’ll need to shred the potatoes so you don’t want them mushy. While potatoes cook, prepare mushroom sauce. Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil on medium high and saute half an onion until nearly translucent; add sliced Cremini or Porcini mushrooms, a handful of chopped fresh parsley and some sliced red pepper for colour. When mushrooms are lightly browned mix in 2 teaspoons of corn starch followed by 1/4 cup of vegetable stock or white wine. Blend and simmer until sauce thickens slightly, set aside.


Rosti is best made in a heavy skillet or saute pan, I prefer my trusty cast iron. You can’t crowd rosti potatoes and I find that one medium potato per pan is ideal so if you’re making this for your family or a dinner party, start early and make several batches, which you can keep warm in the oven on a parchment-covered cookie sheet. When potatoes are cooked, blanche them in cold water, meanwhile heat your pan on medium high. Add olive or sunflower oil, swirl it to heat evenly, then lightly sprinkle the pan with kosher salt and ground pepper. Now, shred your potato halves directly into the pan evenly covering the surface. Reduce the heat to medium and let cook until the potatoes are caramelized on the underside (lift a corner to check if you’re not sure). When you think the potatoes are ready to turn, give the pan a shake to loosen the rosti then gently place a plate the same size as the pan over the potatoes. Using both hands flip the pan so the potatoes fall brown side up onto the plate, then slide them back into the pan to cook the other side. Transfer to serving plates and finish with mushroom sauce.


In the photo I’ve served the dish with Thai-style Brussels sprouts à la chef David Lee in a recipe I cribbed from last week’s Globe and Mail. The potato/mushroom recipe was adapted from one that appears in Simon Hopkinson’s new book, The Vegetarian Option.

Black Beans and Tofu

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Black Beans and Tofu

Canned black beans are a staple in my pantry. Sure, dried beans are cheaper and I often start them from scratch but when you’re in a hurry this is a quick and easy meal if you start with a can. The basis of this recipe was adapted from a longstanding favorite in the Fog City Diner Cookbook. I’ve tweaked the ingredients and added tofu but the spirit is the same.

In a spice grinder blend 1 teaspoon of cumin and 1 teaspoon of cardamon seeds. Discard unground husks and toast the powder in a medium-hot, dry pan for 20 or 30 seconds until fragrant but not smoking; reserve. In a heavy pot or skillet heat 1 tablespoon of oil (olive, sunflower or coconut) and saute 1 clove of chopped garlic with 1 small onion. Add 1/2 a sweet bell pepper, diced, and 1 diced jalapeno pepper. Add reserved spices, 2 teaspoons of chili powder (ancho if available), a pinch of salt and a splash of tamari sauce. Add 1 can of black beans (drained and rinsed), a few leaves of chopped basil (or 1 teaspoon of pesto sauce), 1 teaspoon of sambal olek, the juice of 1/2 lime and 1 cup of vegetable stock. Simmer until flavours are combined; add cubed tofu (about 1/2 lb) and simmer 20 minutes until flavours are absorbed. Serve with brown rice and sauted kale for a hearty, balanced meal.

Exotic Rhubarb Apple Sauce

By Chris in Recipes 1 Comment Tags: , ,

Exotic Rhubarb Apple Sauce

I learned the hard way that rhubarb doesn’t freeze well — it retains too much moisture so that when it thaws it’s a soggy mess. The bag of frozen rhubarb that taught me this lesson was still in the freezer and I decided to put that locked-in liquid to work in an apple sauce.

I combined about three cups of frozen rhubarb with four medium Fuji apples, diced. Fuji’s aren’t an ideal cooking apple but that’s what I had on hand. A little research reveals that the best apple varieties for sauce are Gala, Delicious (golden or red), Melrose or Jona.

I added as little water as I thought I could get away with — about 1/4 cup — knowing that the rhubarb would provide most of what I needed once it started to sweat. I love exotic flavours so I enhanced the sauce with 1 cinnamon stick, two kaffir lime leaves and four cardamon pods, plus 1/2 cup of white sugar (I’m sure agave syrup would work just as well). I simmered for 30 or 40 minutes then cooled and mashed the remaining chunks of apple (like I said, Fujis aren’t ideal).


The sauce was delicious, not too sweet and a little surprising thanks to the hints of lime and cardamon. I especially enjoyed it for breakfast with a warm vegan muffin, in this case a pear and walnut muffin from Toronto’s Urban Herbivore, now in the Eaton Centre’s newly refurbished food court.

A Meal In Praise of Krishna

By Chris in Restaurants 1 Comment Tags: , ,

A Meal In Praise of Krishna

Judging by the light trade they’re doing, I’m guessing that Govinda’s, a restaurant in the Hare Krishna temple at 243 Avenue Road (north of Dupont), is little known in Toronto’s vegetarian community. And that’s a shame because the food is good, if unspectacular, and the atmosphere is certainly unique.


Govinda’s is open for lunch (12 – 3 pm) and dinner (6 – 8 pm), with both meals served buffet style for $8 per person, all you can eat. The dishes are fragrant but mild with nearly everything vegan, aside from one or two yogurt-based dishes (definitely ask before you dig in). Menu items vary with more selection at dinner than at lunch time.


My lunch, above, was very good; the dishes at Govinda’s tend to be of the stewed variety so having the crispy onion bhajji (pakodas) provided a nice textural contrast to the lentil dahl and loki (Indian squash). The evening I went for dinner there was nothing so toothsome although the loki, aloo gobi and zucchini and tomato were flavourful.


My only real advice, aside from recommending Govinda’s, is the caution that you really need to arrive when they open. The steam table doesn’t do an adequate job of keeping the food hot and fresh so best to get it while it’s fresh from the kitchen.


And if you have any qualms about visiting for fear of being set upon by robe-wearing devotees bent on converting you, fear not. No one will try to indoctrinate you and you’re welcome to pause and appreciate the beautiful alters and gilt work that have helped convert the building from Christian church to Hare Krishna temple.

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