Blossoms After Dark - Vegan Options

It was lovely to see Vancouverites emerge from hiding as soon as the first decent sun of spring revealed itself. Many, like ourselves, made their way to David Lam Park for the Cherry Blossom festivities, including Blossoms After Dark.

There was food, music, dancing and of course, cherry blossoms a plenty to be enjoyed. We especially enjoyed some of the messages that people had hung in the trees. I'm sure this group of trees had a name like, "Wishing Trees" but I don't know what it really was.

I was, however moved by some of the sentiments.

Given the current political situation, It would be nice to see some of these wishes work. Never give up hope!

It was hard to convince myself that I'd taken enough pictures! The blossoms come but once a year and are gone so quickly.

There was music.

And there was enthusiastic dancing. This was some kind of right of spring, I expect.

And of course, there was food. I noticed that several of the food trucks had at least one vegan option. Planted Love, however, is completely vegan with a chef/owner who worked in European Michelin Star restaurants, and this is a labour of love for him!

We had a Deep Fried Oyster Mushroom Sandwich on Challah, which was spectacular and maybe the best thing that we ate all weekend. I asked where they got plant-based challah, which is usually quite eggy. They told me they made it themselves! Of course they did!

The Cotton Candy man had a line a mile long and was working by himself! Time to expand operations!

So we loved Blossoms After Dark even though we didn't even stay until dark! In our defence, we had been walking all day (over 21,000 steps) and were a little on the tuckered-out side.

The cherry blossoms will be around for a while longer. Don't let them go to waste!

Bar Haifa - Vegan Options

Bar Haifi is located on the first floor of the coolest building in Vancouver at the corner of Homer and West Georgia (Sorry. No picture. Go see it!). And how is it that I have never noticed this building? It is fairly new but don't we pass by there from time to time? Anyway, when it opened, I read about Bar Haifa and messaged them to ask if the items on their menu that seemed to be plant-based are really plant-based as they weren't labelled as such? They assured me that they could feed a couple of hungry vegans. So they made it onto my list but we just didn't get there for a while. Then suddenly, "This is Plant Curious" messaged everyone to ask if they would be interested in a deal here. Well, of course!

We actually made a reservation pre-hockey game as given the location, we knew this would be a perfect place to eat before a game. Sure enough, they were very busy. We sat at the bar right in front of the chefs which was fun as they spent a lot of time torching various preparations!

We started with their Seasonal Hummus and this is a bowl that I ran my finger around (licking is frowned upon in polite company) at the end to get every bit. It was spectacular, in short. Creamy and delicious with pistacio and duqquah (their spelling) and crispy Brussels sprouts. Also served with the best grilled pita ever!

Is it possible that I've never had Jerusalem artichoke (aka sunchoke)? I must have at some point, but this was Kaarage Jerusalem Artichoke served with miso sumac mayo. Essentially a root vegetable but not as dense as sweet potato, the texture was pleasantly on the soft side, maybe like very well cooked beet. All that and crispy on the outside!  Can't quite nail the description, but we enjoyed this as well.

The Loaded Eggplant was a thing of beauty. Stuffed with farro in a tomatoey sauce, this was the "This is the Plant Curious" deal feature, and we were not sorry.

I had to bust it open to take another photo as how do you stuff an eggplant? The layers of flavour were what really made this thing spot on. In addition to the farro, there were pine nuts, chilis and tahini. Delicious! I looked at a lot of stuffed eggplant recipes later, but this one was unique and evidently the result of the kitchen's creativity.

The people working here were lovely and helpful. I will say that the bar stools were decidedly uncomfortable, but it was partly due to my own awkwardness. It was still cool to sit at the bar and watch the cooks, but try to get a table reservation if you are over 50!. Other than that, we would like to try a few more items on the menu and will be back!

Food                                        4 1/2 out of 5

Vegan Options Available         3 out of 5

Comfort                                   3 out of 5

Service                                    4 1/2 out of 5

Value                                       4 out of 5

Sweet Cherubim Restaurant - Vegan/Vegetarian Menu

One of the OGs of Vancouver vegan/vegetarian restaurants, Sweet Cherubim has been a part of the Commercial Drive scene (near Napier Street) since 1980. With their grocery store adjacent and leaning organic and fair trade, they certainly have filled a niche, while not being ethically vegan.

As soon as we stepped in the door, we were  met by the heavy and dark wood vibe that screamed vegetarian from the 60s (although 1980s in this case) just like The Naam. We like it and feel like we should bring it back.

Ordering was easy but also confusing as most of the foods are prepared and on display, but you can order plates or individual items or combos. We ended up with a taste of a few things but one could visit often and enjoy a continual variety.

We started with a Rice and Tofu Samosa. The menu here is heavily South Asian but incorporates some healthy variety. For instance, they offer many types of samosas. Some, like this one, are baked instead of deep-fried and with nontraditional ingredients. Almost a meal unto themselves, you can order them in combination with soup or salad, and they all come with a choice of chutney. Frankly, this samosa is a unique and delicious idea!

I meant to order Moussaka but asked for Spanakopita. Either way, I was not expecting Greek dishes but this was pretty good and served with Tamarind Chutney again which was fine as tamarind chutney goes with everything There are quite a few non South Asian but vegan standby dishes!

Mharie likes a good smoothie and this one had raw chocolate (whatever that means) with almonds etc. With that unique rich but not too sweet flavour, this also could also be a quick meal all by itself. Ingredients on the smoothie menu include carob which would be familiar to anyone who was already vegan in the 1960s!

The star of the show was the Indian Thali which we ordered with dal, kofta and brown rice. It came with an amazing quinoa salad (which isn't listed as part of the thali), as well as raita and mango chutney. The mango chutney was fairly amazing. It was a smooth sauce and more on the sweet side than savoury. The papadum and chappati were also landmark tasty and nothing on this platter was wasted.

We could not pass on the baked goods and got a couple of things to go. We tried 2 of their cheesecakes namely mango and blueberry. These were creamy and sweet and although small, they were rich enough that we were not left feeling unsatisfied.

I have felt nostalgic from time to time for bird's nest cookies (something my mother used to bake) and this one was very good. The well for the jam was deep enough that there was jam in every bite. The big cookie was peanut butter forward with chocolate chips. Also very enjoyable.

There is probably seating for about 20 in the dining room in addition to tables outside (today not being the day for that).

The grocery next door is basic vegetarian but stretches into all the crazy assed stuff you could want if you happen to read Prevention magazine and need organic horsetail. That's not really our scene but it was interesting to look at. We noticed that prices were not unreasonable on the things we were familiar with like the frozen Gardein products.

Overall, fairly friendly people and decent service but the food was great. As I mentioned, the variety in the restaurant is wonderful!

Food                                     4 out of 5

Vegan Options Available      5 out of 5

Comfort                                4 out of 5

Service                                  4 out of 5

Value                                    4 out of 5

 

   

Sangham Restaurant & Catering - Vegan Options

How did we end up way out in Mission? I've mentioned before that  sometimes my search plan is to type "vegan" into Google Maps over a specific area. Since we're often in Abbotsford, Mission encroaches into my "vegan" searches. When I checked the website of Sangham Restaurant (in Mission), they indeed had a vegan section on their menu!

When we showed up on Saturday p.m., we were surprised to see the All You Can Eat Lunch Buffet sign! Not a bad thing but I really didn't expect the buffet to have a decent vegan selection. I had a plan to order off the menu but when assured by our lovely hostess, we decided to try the buffet.

It was not a huge buffet but when you pay $15 for lunch, a few tasty items may do the trick. I asked if they would have Veg Manchurian on the buffet (if not, I would have ordered it separately as it is one of our favourites) which they don't usually do but said they could for us!

And suddenly there it was! Mharie and I agreed that it might have been the best Veg Manchurian that we have had! A little spicy but definitely rich and savoury. We felt obliged to finish the big bowl that they made for us as we are definitely against food waste but this was not a hardship! Really though this and a little rice would have been a perfect meal all by itself.

Prior to the arrival of the Veg Manchurian, we had already made a trip to the buffet. The Samosas were very good and definitely on the large size. There was a very nice noodle dish, a dal and a cauliflower curry. All were tasty and satisfying.

They were good enough to bring us out some naan, which were hot from the tandoor and excellent.

Once the rice arrived on the buffet (we were at the beginning of their lunch service and not everything was out yet), I made a second quick visit to get some rice to soak up the Manchurian sauce. I tried a little more of the noodle dish and some salady raw vegetables to round things out.

Can you even eat at MacDonalds for that price anymore? And if you could, why would you with these wonderful flavours available? There was not a lot for vegans on the buffet but there were the main Indian food profiles covered. There was a little heat, a little curry, some rice, some naan and a choice of chutneys. You could not ask for more but we did, and they brought us Veg Manchurian! Dollar for dollar, this was the best value and experience that we could have expected! If I did not mention earlier our hostess was very hospitable and helpful!

Food                                      5 out of 5

Vegan Options Available       3 out of 5

Comfort                                 4 out of 5

Service                                  5 out of 5

Value                                     5 1/2 out of 5   

    

Vogue Cakes - Vegan Bakery

Worth a field trip! We got up early (for a Sunday) and made the trip especially to visit Vogue Cakes, all the way from Aldergrove. Don't worry as we drive an electric car and so our carbon footprint remains low. Anyway, that was our total Sunday adventure and we went crazy at Vogue Cakes. 

We bought way more baked goods than anyone should but we also tried to spread the results to friends and family. I am sometimes concerned about breaching the 200lb threshold but that won't happen soon...unless I keep going crazy in bakeries! Located near Blenheim on West Broadway, there is lots of parking, at least on Sunday morning at 9 am.

My goal was one of everything but that would have been a bit much. We started with Lemon Shortbread which was close to life changing. The lemon flavour was so forward. A Butter Tart and an Eclair which were rich and sweet and light and airy (in that order).

Donuts were next including Lemon and Strawberry. This was just a cross section as they had quite a few more flavours. Both were very good and the strawberry was my favourite.

My wife loves a good croissant. I used to think of them as obligate butter filled but if you buy frozen puff pastry in the store, you will see that quite a few brands do not use butter. I'm not sure how these are made but the result was delicious. These were Almond and Chocolate Filled Croissants.

Last of the sweets were Tiramisu and Chocolate Cheesecake. Neither of us has ever been a huge fan of Tiramisu so I'm not sure why I even ordered it. It was still creamy and tasty. Loved the Cheesecake.

Finally, we brought home a few savories and carefully followed instructions to reheat them for lunch at home (it worked well). On the left is a Calzone which was very good with a rich pizza like filling. The other two were savoury filled croissants, Ham and Cheese and Pizza. This made for a pretty good lunch!

In addition, they have sourdough bread (I think you are better off to order this in advance) and made to order cakes for birthdays etc. You can even order a non-dairy Ice Cream Cake! We barely scratched the surface. If it was a nicer day, we would have ordered a couple of coffees and sat at one of their outside tables. Thanks again to This Is Plant Curious! I'm not sure I knew about this bakery before the offer came up on their website!

Food                                      4 out of 5

Vegan Options Available       5 out of 5

Comfort                                 NA unless its sunny and warm!

Service                                  5 out of 5

Value                                     4 out of 5

Maple Thai Cuisine - Vegan Options

We've been here and posted before but this little local (and when I say local, I mean Aldergrove) Thai place manages to give space on their menu to a vegan section and I believe that deserves our support. As much as I kind of believe that I am the only vegan in a 20 square mile area, I know that is not true and if no one else ordered from vegan menus, they would disappear. So for the 10 or so people who actually read this blog, I want to remind you about Maple Thai Cuisine on 272nd just north of Fraser Hwy. 

This time, we tried a couple of standbys but I realized that there was possible a vegan dish on the curry section of their menu as well! So I checked in with the kitchen and sure enough the Yellow Curry does not have any animal products assuming you order the tofu.

So we did and it was pretty great. There were lots of vegetables and a good amount of tofu and when splashed over rice this was a satisfying meal all by itself. We ordered everything with medium spice which is our lazy answer to that question every time.

We also ordered the Vegetarian Lettuce Wrap. We decided that it could use more sauce. Actually, when we compared our photo with their website photo, we realized they must have forgotten the sauce altogether. The result was on the bland side. With the sauce, it would have been great...without it, meh.

The Vegan Tom Yum Soup was very good just as it was! This was my wife's favourite dish. It was a little spicy and a little sweet and loaded with veggies. We would order this again for sure.

This is a nice little family-run business that deserves our support. When I saw the piano, I knew somebody was coming to the restaurant and practicing piano after school. I told our hostess (Mom) that she shouldn't let her daughter quit after a few months as my mother let me quit and I have regretted it for 50 years. She confirmed that her daughter is not thrilled but I know she will thank her some day!

Food                                      3 1/2 out of 5

Vegan Options Available       4 out of 5

Comfort                                 3 1/2 out of 5

Service                                  4 1/2 out of 5

Value                                     3 1/2 out of 5

The Burrow - Vegan / Vegetarian Restaurant

We haven't been to The Burrow since the days when it was still Bandidas Tacqueria in Veganuary of 2021. I don't know if it is fully the same ownership, but things have not changed greatly as far as the interior and exterior of the restaurant. The menu has changed from fully vegan to vegan/vegetarian. I can't make any excuses for vegetarians who contribute to animal suffering in the dairy industry in a large way but I am not up to making a fuss about a restaurant doing what it has to to survive. If adding dairy to the menu helps this restaurant stay viable then at least my wife and I can still enjoy vegan Mexican-style food here.

The Burrow has a decent number of tables and we have never had to wait for one (they do get busy!).

We started with half a dozen Sticky Garlic Wings. These were decent wings but could have been a little firmer as far as the interior is concerned. They were as advertised, sticky and garlicky and we loved that. The house-made vegan ranch was good enough that I slurped up the rest even when we had finished the wings.

I couldn't help but order the Danny Trejo Burrito (currently a special) just because I am a huge fan. I can remember what the filling was but they were definitely great with a decent red sauce and there was an impressive of cheese (we ordered it baked). 

My pre-vegan standard order was always enchiladas so its fun that The Burrow has enchiladas. So, 3 enchiladas with spicy lentil-walnut filling and green sauce. They were wonderful. Lots of cheese on top is what enchiladas need. I loved the rice and beans that we chose as a side. I pay less attention than I should to prices, but $19.50 seems reasonable for all this delicious food.

We loved that they delivered a choice of salsas on the side. Pineapple, green, chipotle, mango-habanero and habanero salsas were lined up from mildest to hottest. They were all pretty decent.

A great meal with really friendly staff. This is still a vegan hotspot despite the fact that it is not strictly a vegan restaurant. Once our servers knew that we were vegan, they were completely in our corner. Great vegan Mexican-style food! BTW, This is Plant Curious was again one of our motivations to come here at this time!

Food                                      4 1/2 out of 5

Vegan Options Available       4 1/2 out of 5

Comfort                                 4 out of 5

Service                                  4 1/2 out of 5

Value                                     4 1/2 out of 5

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