A lovely quote from their website: “Vegetarianism is an acknowledgement of interconnection between beings. We yield to the fundamental truth that our actions invariably and significantly affect the lives of others. We then take responsibility for this power by tailoring our choices to support a wholesome result; wholesome, in that it is healthy, and “whole-some” in that it acknowledges the greater community. This is the vision of the Vegetarian City; not merely a group defined by dietary restrictions, but a paradigm for awareness, compassion, and respect. The Vegetarian city is an embodiment of harmony, from the community of the individual, to the community of the world itself.” Agreed!
Tofu Drumsticks From the menu: “Sink your teeth into our famous crispy drumstick made of soya protein with a scrumptious sugar cane center.” These were delicious and a really fun treat. After eating the fried tofu, you get to suck the sugar out of the sugar cane. Yum!
Fresh Garden Rolls
From the menu: “A refreshing burst of cucumber, avocado, mango, carrot in every bite. Cilantro, a hint of mint & lime wrapped in rice paper. Served w/ a spicy dipping sauce.” I love all the flavours in these rolls, especially cilantro, so these were really great!
Spicy Coconut Curry ‘Seafood’ Bowl
From the menu: “A savoury mouth watering bowl of fresh rice noodles, ‘salmon, king prawn’, seaweed, mushrooms & vegetables in a spicy coconut curry broth.” My mother ordered this one, her favourite dish.
Take a look at the “fish”, it’s all entirely vegan. The faux king prawn had the rubbery texture of shrimp and thanks to the seaweed, the whole dish had a surpringly strong fishy taste. I never was a big fish eater pre-vegetarian days so the fishy taste was not my cup of tea, but if you like the taste of seafood, I bet you will love this dish. It’s a very generous portion too.
Spicy Bali Stir-fried Rice Noodles
From the menu: “Fresh flat rice noodles & tempeh, sautéed with sweet & spicy coconut, peanut sauce and vegetables.”
Singapore Seitan 13.49
From the menu: “Tender slices of succulent seitan cooked in a sweet & spicy pineapple peanut sauce, served with purple rice & vegetables”.
I took the Bali noodles and Singapore Seitan home to enjoy with my husband and kids and we all agreed that the noodles were quite flavourful (but very spicy!) and the seitan was okay but not our favourite.
The very best entrée was the special of the day: a Sweet Potato Carrot Potato Frittata on a bed of greens with a pineapple mint citrus sauce stir-fried house rice pasta mixed bean salad with ginger sesame dressing. The frittata was amazing! There were some spices in there that I couldn’t put my finger on but it made the dish beyond delicious. Too bad they don’t have it on the menu regularly, it was one of the best restaurant dishes I’ve had this year!
We treated ourselves to dessert: Blueberry Tart with crumble topping and chocolate almond bark ice cream. The tart was homemade and absolutely scrumptious! It was the dessert I enjoyed when I went a year ago and was looking forward to enjoying again. A dessert you fondly remember a year later is a really great dessert indeed!
I also enjoyed a Ginger Almond Steamer: hot almond milk with shaved fresh ginger. Wow! I’ve been recreating it at home and they are a super autumn treat!
Overall, an outstanding meal! Lovely staff, quick service, and a large menu full of delicious options. I got to meet the owner and she was so wam and gracious; someone I am happy to see succeed. I highly recommend trying Vegetarian Haven if you have the opportunity.
Vegetarian Haven is located at 17 Baldwin St, Toronto, ON.
This was such a great meal, I am submitting it to Peas and Crayons’ What I Ate Wednesdays blog hop.
