One of the last notable vegetarian / vegan restaurants, that we have not visited during my previous vegan forays is Heirloom. Almost 10 years old now, Heirloom is located just off Granville on 12th Ave. Their website says that they do not take reservations but I did not read that until after I had made one. No worries as there was plenty of room when we arrived on a stormy Sunday evening when all the sensible people were staying at home.
We were seated right away and our very pleasant and friendly server got us started with an appetizer salad that we shared. Not all items on the menu are vegan (all are at least vegetarian) but more than enough are so that you have good choices if you are vegan.
The Santa Fe "Chick'n" Salad features the best vegan chicken that we have had. Not that we look for meat substitutes but the texture was quite pleasant compared to some faux meats and it suited the salad as an accent. The bean and corn salsa dressing had just enough spiciness to make things interesting. Excellent greens, a taste of avocado, a dollop of almond feta, some tortilla chips and some wonderful sweet date pieces rounded things out. This could pretty much serve as a meal by itself.
I chose the Ratatouille Burger which is kind of surprising as I have never been too impressed with ratatouille itself. A few grilled vegetables and a falafel patty, all on a pretty good bun, this was a satisfying if not startling burger. I will always choose the falafel patty over the Impossible patty which I can have at home if I wanted to.
Mharie chose the Grilled Cheese (not vegan but there is a vegan option) as she is not doing the vegan thing (expect by extension when she's with me at a fully vegan place). This was a four-cheese blend on some excellent sourdough. I messed it up by asking for the soup of the day (a tasty black bean concoction) instead of tomato soup which, as everyone knows, is the best accompaniment for grilled cheese.
And we love Root Vegetable Fries!
This is a sharp place in a classic old heritage building. We were comfortable and enjoyed the interesting decor and gentle lighting. The menu is maybe more casual than one might expect but we have no problem with it and are certainly content with the comfort food leanings. There are quite a few other items that we would love to try. As mentioned, our server was great as were the other staff. We have to recommend this as one of Vancouver's best choices for vegan or vegetarian eats.
Food 4 out of 5
Comfort 4 out of 5
Service 4 out of 5
Value 4 out of 5
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