The Clever Rabbit Vegetarian Café

The Clever Rabbit opened its doors way back in March, and sadly, I just couldn't make my schedule align to check out their brunch and lunch offerings. Last week though, with just a half shift making up my Wednesday, I made my way to the vegetarian café for some post work lunch.

At 1:30 in the afternoon I was the only table in the bright space save a couple finishing lunch towards the back of the restaurant. I ended up choosing a spot next to the window to observe the blustery day outside whilst enjoying a glass of unpasteurized apple juice. I have to say I was there for the lentil loaf, a veggie dish that is one of my favourites at Blue Plate Diner. But with the last slice sold earlier during the lunch rush, I opted instead for the Walnut Chickpea Burger along with a side of cream of tomato soup ($12).

Everything arrived about 15 minutes later. The burger was piled high with toppings and I could see a slathering of nut butter beneath the walnut-chickpea patty; the soup arrived hidden inside an adorable rabbit-topped cocotte. Along with the nut butter and groceries, the burger was fantastic, with a lovely nutty flavour and a creaminess that was amplified by the toppings. My only complaint was that the bun was cold, however that's something easily remedied.

The soup didn't fare quite as well. While I appreciated its brightness, the creaminess didn't come through and I never came around to enjoying the texture. Thankfully though, the soup changes daily.

Since this visit I've also stopped in for a smoothie - a super thick mixture of tofu and yogurt that I enjoyed in its peach incarnation - on my break, as well as a vegan cinnamon bun. And I will definitely be returning for some of those donuts.

The Clever Rabbit's tidy selection of vegetarian brunch and lunch items are just what 124th Street needed. I'm looking forward to my next visit... and a piece of lentil loaf.

The Clever Rabbit Vegetarian Café
10724 124 Street
780.455.4550
Hours: Tues-Sun (9am - 4:30pm)

You can also check out reviews from Sharon and Liv.

Noorish: Conscious Eatery and Superfood Elixir Bar

I was pretty skeptical of Noorish - "Really!? Superfood!?" - as we observed their sign going up a few blocks from our apartment earlier this fall. The health claims, marketing strategies and general use of the word "superfood" remain confusing on my end, but who am I to turn down an excellent veggie burger? Twyla over at "It's a Weird, Wild and Wonderful Life" visited the spot earlier in November, and we followed suit the very next week.

Although we were expecting casual, café style service a la DaCapo, when we arrived for a Tuesday evening meal we ran into a sign that said, "Please wait to be seated." A few minutes later we were greeted at the door and led to a table in the middle of the busy restaurant. Water was provided quickly, as was coffee for Charles and a chai tea for me. Food wise, the Bodhi Tree Burger ($17) was undoubtedly coming my way, and eventually Charles decided on the Laughing Buddha's Belly Bowl ($16).

Our food arrived at the table relatively quickly, though I had just enough time to browse their 'grocery' collection of bagged 'superfoods', spreads and gift totes from The Chocolate Doctors and raw-vegan books amongst other health food style items.

The portions at Noorish may appear small, but we struggled to finish our entrees. My burger was packed with chickpeas, walnut-basil pesto, cashew cream and avocado - an entire meal in itself. And it was one impressive veggie burger, with a soft interior and wonderfully crisp exterior. Combined with accompanying salad of kale, sprouts, seeds, beets and carrots, I was plenty full by the end (though not full enough to skip the dessert menu, of course). Charles ended up enjoying his bowl of quinoa and Thai green curry quite a bit, and now that I look at their menu again, it seems that it would be easy enough to re-create at home on a cool winter evening.

Charles had been eyeing the Walnut Brownie ($8) since we arrived, and we ended up sharing one prior to leaving. It was dense and certainly chocolate-y, and the cashew cream and cocoa nibs sprinkled on top provided nicely contrasting textures.

We also picked up four confections from The Chocolate Doctors ($10) to go. Since my current employment situation makes me slightly really biased, I'll just say that their confection style offerings are all available at Noorish.

While I remain skeptical about 'superfoods' and some of the general lifestyle prescriptions Noorish puts forward, their veggie burger is excellent, and if for nothing else, I would certainly return for another.

Noorish: Conscious Eatery and Superfood Elixir Bar
8440 109th Street
780.756.6880
Hours

Leaving the familiar for Padmanadi

That's what we've been doing a lot of lately - the familiar. Transcend, DaCapo, Sugarbowl, repeat. We're trying to make the most of Garneau, since we'll be moving out of the neighbourhood, across the creek and into downtown/Oliver at the end of the year. Simultaneously sad and exciting.

Tonight, however, we ventured away from our regular hangouts to head to Padmanadi with Tanya after some puppy sitting. Neither Charles or I had visited the spot in sometime (although Charles mentioned just last week that he would like to swing by). The food is as good as ever, and the atmosphere is eternally friendly and welcoming. The three of us indulged in some favourites:

Bean curd "drumsticks"

The famed Curry "chicken"

Ginger "beef"

Shanghai Baby Bok Choy

Creamy rice pudding with coconut milk and cinnamon

We also swooned over their cups. Charles got a heart shaped cup and saucer full of coffee, while Tanya and I received our Jasmine tea in a couple green beauties.

I always forget just how comforting a trip to Padmanadi is. Here's hoping for many more visits throughout the cooler months.

Padmanadi

10740 101 Street

780.428.8899

P.S. Here is said puppy - Willow - who recently came home with Tanya. How could you turn down a request to look after her for a couple hours?

Sunday Dinner at High Level Diner

With a veggie burger craving already surfacing, Charles and I decided to head to High Level Diner for dinner this past Sunday evening. Walking into a slightly busy space around 7:30pm, we were seated at a cozy table for two near the bar, and were soon greeted by our very friendly server (Christina of August Studio Ceramics... she will be at Make It this weekend, btw).

Given the cold, snowy conditions that evening, we both opted for a warm pot of Earl Grey, and while Charles went immediately for the Sunday Prime Rib Dinner ($22), I was off to veggie burger land ($13).

We were happy to see our plates come out in good time, as we spent the 15 minutes in between listening to the threesome next to us talk about what is (and isn't) considered 'art'... just as they started getting into the Blair Witch Project (the original only!), we dove into our plates. Charles seemed to enjoy his prime rib, which came out medium rare, moist and tender (it starts at medium rare, but they will continue cooking at your request). While the steamed veggies weren't anything to write home about, it was certainly a welcome Sunday evening meal to counter the cool winter weather outside.

Prime Rib Dinner

I also enjoyed my veggie burger - full of sunflower seeds, brown rice and flax, amongst other items, it was cooked until crispy then loaded with sprouts and a whole wheat bun. And really, you can't go without the burger toppings here - dijon, corn salsa and beet relish... the latter is incredible. Oh, and the house ketchup, which is full of spicy horseradish. Like Charles' vegetables, there's not a lot to say about the green salad here - spinach, red onion, carrot and a balsamic dressing that's slightly overwhelming... next time I'll head back to my standard side, the caesar.

Veggie Burger

The toppings

As the snow came down a bit harder (and the threesome next to us moved into 'abstract art'), we decided to share the bread pudding as a final warm up. Thankfully it came out quickly, heated through and sitting in a pool of rich brown sugar bourbon sauce. Dense, moist and rich, we were happy for the small bowl of whipped cream that comes alongside to 'lighten' things up a bit. After many desserts around this City, I still think this is my favourite 'cold-snowy-evening' dessert.

No matter how much this little intersection of restaurants and cafés changes, I don't think we'll ever be leaving High Level Diner. Although all the meals we've had here in the past haven't been phenomenal, there are some times when it's just the perfect spot.

High Level Diner
780.433.0993
10912 88 Avenue
Hours can be found here.


*I also wanted to mention that back in August, we stopped for brunch with my Aunt, Uncle and cousin from Bonnyville. My uncle has had a severe case of Coeliac disease for the past 10 years or so, and he was the happiest person I ever saw munching on a club sandwich - "I can't believe I'm eating a club sandwich!"

While the kitchen is not wheat free, and the Coeliac friendly menu is mostly made up of their other menu items that can be made either with substitutes (ie. gluten free bread) or without the item containing gluten, he said the big thing was that they understood what was going on (ie. they weren't going to serve him a steak on top of a piece of garlic toast... yes, that's happened to him elsewhere, even after he explained the gluten thing pre-order). So thumbs up for that.

A veggie burger craving satisfied: Blue Plate Diner

Meeting up with a friend downtown a couple weeks ago, we found ourselves off to Blue Plate Diner for lunch a little before noon.

Since moving to Garneau a couple years ago, we barely ever make it to Blue Plate anymore. Actually, neither Charles or I could remember having been there in the past six months or so. With the lunch menu seemingly unchanged, there were a few decor updates to keep us on our toes - new paint and a divider between the seating area and the 'bar'.

With the place filling up quickly, we decided on burgers all around - the friend with a Pemmican burger, Charles with the beef burger, and me with the veggie burger. All of us also went for the soup - a curried vegetable and almond.

I also went for a chai latte, and Charles for coffee

After a quick perusal of Avenue's Top 40 Under 40, our burgers came sailing to our table. The Pemmican (bison) burger, full of dried blueberries, was reported to be very well flavoured by our friend, although maybe a little overcooked. From the looks of it, I also thought there might be a little too much ciabatta in the burger-bread ratio, but he didn't seem to mind. Charles beef burger was enjoyed as in previous visits, and he said it was both well flavoured and well cooked.

Pemmican Burger

Beef Burger

As for the veggie burger, I should first say that our friend gave me a pretty hard time when ordering it - "What, are you becoming a vegetarian again?" Firstly - no, I'm not. And secondly, Blue Plate's veggie burger is simply amazing, and although I've been tempted in the past by Pozole Chicken Enchiladas, tuna melts and meaty weekend dinner specials (that, don't get me wrong, were all good), it always comes back to the veggie burger here. Beets, turnip, zucchini, sunflower seeds, and carrots all make for a wonderfully flavoured patty that doesn't suffer from fillers like TVP, tofu or frozen peas, carrots and corn. This is a veggie burger that is proud to display its fresh vegetables (particularly the beets, which I think is the key here), and I will continue to enjoy it, vegetarian or not. (Okay... rant done!)

A very cheesy veggie burger

The soup went over well, with Charles and our friend both appreciating the texture of the ground almonds throughout. I enjoyed the slight spiciness as well as the flavour, but the gritty texture was too much for me. But there's always another soup of the day around the corner.

Content with our burgers, and with a good veggie burger rant under my belt, we parted ways. Sampling a few other veggie burgers around the City (namely High Level Diner's, Urban Diner's and more recently, Next Act's), it's still only the High Level version that offers anything comparable to Blue Plate's for me.

So hopefully we can start heading back to Blue Plate a bit more often, as now that those veggie burger thoughts are refreshed, I know I won't be able to resist cravings for long.

Blue Plate Diner
10145 104 Street
780.429.0740

Padmanadi Vegetarian - the new local

Although we knew some sort of major transformation was underway for Padmanadi, I don't think we expected anything quite so sleek and modern. Their new space is bright and airy, and is complete with beautiful tables and chairs with what looks like a lovely private dining room towards the back of the place.

Yesterday was our second visit to the new local. While the same friendly, 'family' atmosphere remains, service seemed a bit rocky as many new staff appear to have been hired on to serve the large space. The food however, was as good as ever.

Before heading off to our second and final site meeting of the year, we gave into some vegan chocolate 'mousse'.

With the new larger space has come a huge increase in hours, with the 107th location open daily for lunch as well as dinner, and the addition of a vegan weekend brunch as well... I hope to check out the latter soon, as their vegan eggs benedict with a butternut squash 'yolk' sounds pretty interesting...

Padmanadi Vegetarian Restaurant
10740 101 Street
780.428.8899
Hours: M - Su (11-2 for lunch; 4-10 for dinner); Sa-Su Brunch (9-2 and 4-10)

A meeting, burgers and beer

We really wanted to go to Indulgence last night, but alas, our very first site meeting happened to fall on the same evening so we were forced to skip the event this year. So while preparing for 100 or so site crew to show up, we decided to grab some High Level Diner for take out...

Veggie burger (minus mayo and tomato plus cheese)

Ural burger (minus tomato)

House condiments (beet relish, corn relish, house ketchup and dijon)

My favourite... the beet relish

After what turned out to be a lengthy meeting, with about 150 people showing up, we decided a beer at Sugarbowl was in order, so we headed over with a few others to indulge. I'm happy to see that they have added a chocolate mousse to the menu. We became quite addicted to their chocolate souffle awhile back, and the mousse seems to be sort of equal chocolate wise, with chunks of chocolate studding the whole thing. I also love that they served it in a Leffe glass. (Our server also said they are currently doing an 'overhaul' of the menu, and will be bringing back some old favourites... she thought the souffle probably wouldn't be returning, though.)

The meeting continues... after we were all full of beer and mousse

Trying to find something unique to attend in lieu of Indulgence, we stumbled onto Opera al Fresco, which will be held at the Devonian Gardens this coming Friday. Three performances in three different gardens, with stops throughout the gardens for hors d'oeuvres and En Sante wines. Sounds a little Indulgence-esque (with some opera thrown in for good measure), so we'll see how it goes and report back.

Rebar Modern Food - Victoria, BC

Charles and I ventured off 'early' Sunday morning, our third day in Victoria, in search of some breakfast. We ended up at Rebar, a vegetarian restaurant in Bastion Square, around 9am to find plenty of tables still available for Sunday brunch (I was a bit worried after reading up on Chowhound about the popularity of weekend brunch in Victoria and the resulting long line ups).

After being seated, we first perused an extensive list of juices, smoothies, coffees, and teas. Charles automatically jumped at a large glass of freshly squeezed orange juice ($4.5), while I went for a small pot of Angel Water tea, a herbal blend of elder flower, lavender, rose petals, red clover and mint, from Silk Road just a few blocks away (we did hit Silk Road up the day before for a couple tins of tea to bring home too).

Food wise, Charles went for something sweet, opting for whole wheat hotcakes with raspberry sour cream and maple syrup ($13). I was in for something savoury, and went for the smoked salmon scramble ($12.75).

Our food arrived soon after ordering, and we dug in. Charles pancakes were cooked perfectly (as in not doughy), and the raspberry sour cream provided a nice sweetness along with a necessary tart punch. My eggs were equally good, with nuggets of smoked salmon hidden throughout, as well as a satisfying amount of dill. This was all atop a pretty good poppy seed bagel.

Like Ferris', Rebar had a fantastic calm and relaxed vibe, with some really good reggae playing in the background throughout our visit too. With the favourable atmosphere combined with good food, we will definitely be back to Rebar for more breakfast.

Rebar Modern Food
50 Bastion Square
250.361.9223


*Rebar also has a vegetarian cookbook that we kept bumping into all over Victoria. You can find it on Amazon here, or directly through the restaurant itself here.

Winter Root Vegetable Salad

I'm all about using the internet for any food recipes I may need, but sometimes it is nice to have a coordinated selection of recipes to browse through. So last week I finally broke down and bought my second vegetarian cook book.

For the past few years I've been living out of "The Clueless Vegetarian" by Evelyn Raab. It's a great starter book: it explains the different types of vegetarians, introduces you to alternative protein and iron rich foods gently (lots of beans, tofu, seitan, tempeh, etc.), helps you and your family work with your vegetarian-ness so you can all eat peacfully, and helps out with lots of other necessities otherwise lost on someone new to the diet.

I thought it was finally time to purchase another veggie book, and I ended up selecting "The Vegetarian Cook's Bible" by Pat Crocker. I'm really enjoying the book: there is a ton of information about different fruits, veggies and herbs, including nutritional info, when they are in season, how to store them and what to do with them. She also includes recipes to create your own spice mixtures, such as red and green curries, Cajun and Ethiopian Hot Pepper as well as tea blends. Best of all, her recipes are seasonal (she must be Canadian), and often she includes suggestions on how to make a summer dish with what's available during the cold months and vice-versa.


This is the second recipe I've tried from the book (the first was a mushroom-barley soup with chocolate) and both turned out well.

Warm Root Vegetable Salad with Winter Vegetable Dressing

2 beets; trimmed and quartered (I didn't have beets handy so left them out)
2 small turnips; trimmed and quartered (I grabbed rutabaga instead)
2 carrots cut into large chunks
1 parsnip cut into large chunks
(I added one small sweet potato as well)
1/2 onion chopped into large chunks (I used red)
1 can (10 oz/300 g) water chestnuts; drained and chopped (I omitted these)
1/3 cup Winter Vegetable Dressing (recipe below)

In a small saucepan, cover beets with water. Cover and bring to boil over medium heat. Reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes or until tender. Drain and let cool slightly, then slip skins off.

Meanwhile, in a saucepan, cover turnips, carrots and parsnip with water. Cover and bring to a boil over medium heat. Reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes or until tender. Drain and cool slightly (I cooked everything a bit less, drained it, then through it all into the oven with the onion chunks, olive oil, salt and pepper to roast everything slightly).

In a large bowl, toss the cooked veggies, onion and water chestnuts with the Winter Vegetable Dressing, Serve warm or at room temperature.

Winter Vegetable Dressing

3 Tbsp olive oil
2 Tbsp freshly squeezed orange juice
1 Tbsp white wine vinegar
1 Tbsp curry; home-made or store-bought (I used store bought)
2 tsp organic can sugar (I used some Agave nectar)

In a jar with a lid or small bowl, combine oil, orange juice, vinegar, curry and sugar. Shake or whisk well to mix.

A return to Padmanadi's

Zed and I ended up eating at Padmanadi's on Saturday night with a friend that we had promised to take there.

After our evening of Curry "Chicken" and Potatoes, Ginger "Mutton" and other lovely treats, Zed and I agreed that our conclusions about Oriental Veggie House the night before were still correct: while the food was good, it didn't quite reach the level of Padmanadi's rich, colourful and flavourful dishes.

Our friend, a hardcore carnivore (this was her first encounter with "fake meat"), really enjoyed all the dishes... but like most, she found it creepy how the "wheat-gluten" could so successfully masquerade as chicken, pork, shrimp and mutton/beef.

I always get questioned about "fake meat": why don't you just eat the real thing? And if you don't, why would you want anything reminiscent of meat?

I can't explain it. I enjoy the chewy, satisfying texture of the wheat-gluten products offered at Padmanadi's, but this still doesn't mean I want to eat the real thing...

In the end, a trip to Padmanadi's is wonderful; and as the lines and long waits for a table have shown, other vegetarians and carnivores think it is too. With a whole menu guaranteed non-meat to choose from (whether you like meat or not), their flavourful dishes are a treat for everyone.

Padmanadi Vegetarian Restaurant
10626 97 Street
780.428.8899

Mmmm... Veggie "Meat" at The Oriental Veggie House

Yesterday evening Zed and I decided to head downtown to check out The Oriental Veggie House. After passing the sketchy pub on the corner of 105th Ave. and 101 Street, we headed east to find the restaurant tucked away on 100 Street.

It was about 8PM and I was expecting the place to be full (I was thinking of Padmanadi's). Instead though, we arrived at an empty restaurant and an owner ready to seat us. He provided us with menus and tea, and went back to whatever work he was doing on his laptop while we decided what to order.

A friend who frequents the restaurant suggested trying the Curried Veggie Lamb Hot Pot, so that was already on the list; Zed added an order of spring rolls and the Veggie Beef and Vegetables with Black Bean Sauce, and we topped everything off with an order of steamed rice.

Although we arrived in an apparently empty place, another party of two arrived shortly after us and people wandered in and out throughout our meal to pick up their take out orders - I was glad to see there were more customers than initially encountered.

Our spring rolls arrived about 5 minutes after our order was taken, and they were fantastic - with a filling comprised primarily of cabbage, they were completely original. These were followed quickly by the Lamb Hot Pot and Black Bean dish. As our server set down the lamb dish, I could hear the sauce sizzling away, and before leaving, he dramatically removed the lid and left us with the still sizzling wonders inside.

Spring Rolls (2 of 4)

The Hot Pot was just as our friend described: lots of chewy "lamb" (I've never tried the real thing before, so I'm not sure what the texture is supposed to be like...), carrots, bean sprouts and potatoes swimming in a spicy yellow sauce. While I can't say I enjoyed it as much as Padmanadi's Chicken Curry and Potatoes, it was definitely a close second. The "beef" dish was just as good: lots of broccoli, carrots, celery and thin slices of "beef" encased in a thick, dark and slightly spicy black bean sauce.

"Lamb" Hot Pot

"Beef" and Vegetables with Black Bean sauce

While paying, Zed inquired whether or not they make all the veggie meat in house, and apparently it is shipped in from Taiwan. Extra is also brought in to sell "as is" in the restaurant, which I thought was a real plus.

Although neither of us can say we enjoyed the dishes quite as much as Padmanadi's versions, we will definitely be back to Oriental Veggie House to further explore their extensive menu (I really want to try the "shark fin" and "veggie duck" dishes...).

Oriental Veggie House
10586 100 Street
780.424.0463