Toronto part 1

Instead of running away to the circus or getting a traditional Japanese full body tattoo, the last fun thing I did before turning 30 was spending 4 days in Toronto with my best friend, Tara. I had never been to Toronto before and had pretty high expectations, which were not dissapointed.

I love cities, and as soon as I set foot in downtown Toronto I took a big breath and said,
"Ah, this is what a city is supposed to be."

Everything is old and made of brick. There is variety. There is more than one vegetarian restaurant.

Tara is vegan, so eating out needs thought and preparation. In some towns the only option for her is a big bowl of lettuce at the local family restaurant. But not so in Toronto! We headed down Queen Street armed with a list of local veggie places to choose from ( taken from veg.ca). We tried 3 of them with great success.

Get Real Cafe, 135 Ossington Ave.
A cute, clean little place. Run by a healthy, artsy looking couple. This is the kind of place I picture when I think of veggie cafes. We had a hearty coconut milk based stew and a huge tamarind-marinated tofu sandwich packed with so many sweet and savory flavors. The food is fresh and incredibly flavorful. The cucumber water was a refreshing alternative to the common lemon wedge, and if you go, you must finish it all off with a sour cherry tart. You MUST.

Cafe 668, 668 Dundas St. W.
Even smaller than the Get Real Cafe, and a bit funkier. We had walked up a bigger appetite this time, and ordered 3 dishes from the pan-asian menu. There is a lot of fake meat at this place. The flavor is surprisingly true, but I'm still adjusting to the texture difference. I prefer foods that are comfortable just being who they are. The pad thai was pretty good, but the star of the show - what I will be sure to go back for - was the deep fried mushrooms with lemongrass dipping sauce. These were brought to the table so quickly that when we bit in the juices were still boiling inside the mushrooms. A little danger adds flavor to any food.


Tara enjoys a yummy, mouth-searing mushroom at Cafe 668

Fressen, 478 Queen St. W.
Saturday night, before going out to a show, we had dinner at Fressen, an upscale, gourmet restaurant. Sleek and classy with a sexy bar (and a cute bartender). Anyone who loves gourmet will enjoy Fressen, carnivores included. The food had the depth you would expect from any skilled chef. I went for a decidedly orange and earthy theme: yam soup, pumpkin ravioli and a side of roasted root vegetables. Silky textures, smart presentation, but sadly no room for dessert. I would share the root vegetables between 2. I would also give yourself plenty of time to enjoy. The kitchen takes a slow food approach, and if you need to be somewhere later, you should let them know.