Gwei Lo In Paradise - Part Deux

----- More Paradise -----

     Looking over the haul from Grants, we noticed that the really good shiitake-based vegan meat substitutes we dig so much were sold through a local company called Nelakee. Turns out you can buy directly from their showroom, located in the heart of the bustling and always-colorful Scarborough: 

     There were no paparazzi or flash photography allowed inside this hallowed lair - just a desk, a nice lady and a room with some fridges. But we did score some seriously gnarly snacks including, but not limited to: a bag of drumsticks, all kinds of shiitake-based mock chicken and beef stuffs, and some really boss shiitake jerky. They also sell products by Loving Hut, which you may know as a chain of international vegan restaurants, and you may not know is a front for a cult. But a cult with some killer moves in the kitchen, so...crucial times.

     And while we were so close, we took it as an excuse to check in on our favorite monolithic Scarberian Chinese supercenter, Pacific Mall (aka A Specific Mall): 

     If you like cheap groceries, bootleg DVDs, trinkets and what-have-you, and little buddhas with functional penises...

 ...it's definitely worth the trip. 

 I think we can all agree, Heatiness is basically THE worst.

Keep it away at all costs. 

...in case you ever need to make tea for a giant or a minotaur. 

 There were tons of these veg-specific food and snack spots...

 ...cohabitating with some MAJOR bum-outs: 

     ...sorry, that sounded vegan in the assholish way. I get it. In the end it's just cheap protein, coming from a country with a huge and dense population still only a few decades out of the starvation of the Cultural Revolution, so cheap sustenance is both automatic and amoral and a specialized diet is a luxury. It's a happy coincidence that there is as much variety of vegetable protein as there is animal. Ni hao, Buddhism!

So, then we found the Best shop:

     And speaking of Buddhism, another great unsung T.O. spot is Graceful Vegetarian, a Buddhist veg restaurant on the outskirts of Pacific Mall. It's dim sum style but has a full regular menu too. I was glad to see they were still kicking. Highly recommended spot if you can get yourself out there, and it's a great place to hit up over Christmas, New Years and those holidays when everything else in town is closed. 

Satay "chicken" skewers

"Shrimp"Dumplings and BBQ "Pork" Bun

      Pancake with Curry Sauce

     All in all another great expedition. And what Chinese superstore trip is complete without a random but always-timely Joseph Campbell quote?

  Dude spoke the truth. We need more JC and less JC, amiright?

Sheba Ethiopian (Toronto)

Sheba Ethiopian Cuisine (LINK)

(this post is especially for Ebro - Next time you are in T.O.!)

    Toronto has quite a few amazing Ethiopian restaurants that serve vegan dishes. M&B Yummy (exclusively vegan) and Addis Ababa, (both located in Parkdale) are killer. Ethiopian House (Yonge and Irwin) always gets great reviews although I've never eaten here personally and of course Sheba (on College just east of Bathurst). Sheba has a very warm atmosphere, friendly staff and usually play authentic Ethiopian music like Mulatu Astatke.

     My favourite things about Ethiopian food are the exotic, aromatic spices (berbere) and that you get to eat everything with your hands! Pictured below is the veggie combo with just a little of everything. The entire meal is served on a large plate for communal eating and each dish is placed on injera (a yeast risen flatbread that look like towels) which is served on the side and used to scoop up the veggies and beans. Here is a little description of what everything is. In the middle, salad with tomatoes, onions and oil and vinegar dressing. Starting at the top (by CC's hand) is Miser Wot (a spicy red lentil stew) one of my favourites. Next is Kik Wot (yellow split peas cooked in a red pepper sauce) and beside that is Kik Alicha (yellow split peas cooked with onions, ginger, garlic and tumeric). Then there is Gomen Wot (collard greens) and Tikel Gomen (cabbage and carrots). On the side to the left is Mama Shira, a mildly seasoned split chick pea stew.  - B

Hogtown Vegan (Toronto)

Hogtown Vegan (LINK)

Philly "Cheese Steak", Pulled Unpork Sandwich, Unchicken Sandwich and The Fries Supremacy. Have I got your attention yet?

 ....ABOIOIOIOIOINNNNNNG!!!!

Honorable Mention: "Chicken" & Waffles / Mushroom Po' Boy

All Vegan...all the time! Need I say more?

The End.

(B&CC)

Bacchus Roti (Toronto)

Toronto has some of the best vegan and vegetarian friendly restaurants around. So throughout this blog CC and I will be posting some of our favorite dishes from these restaurants. Hopefully we will turn you on to something new.

Bacchus Roti (LINK)

     Sweet, spicy, delicious and filling! Bacchus, a Guyanese and Barbadian restaurant located in the heart of  Toronto's Parkdale neighbourhood serves up the most delicious veggie roti. I was introduced to this place back in 1995 when I first moved to Toronto. My meat loving friends always order the goat, shrimp with cheese or chicken roti, while I, having never even heard of roti and was not too keen on the sound of goat or shrimp or even chicken roti for that matter, decided to play it safe by ordering the potato, chana and spinach roti. That did it for me. This place is #1 in my books (and I have tried others - believe me). Below is a photo of the potato and chana roti with spinach and squash added in. This a killer combo. Seriously. -B