Eat Dance Live

Aside from feeling energetic, happy, and awesome, there's something about raw food that really just makes me smile. I've often talked about the Chinese cooking elements of taste, texture, colour, smell, and flavour. The ideal dish has all five, along with being nutritionally maximizing. Raw food is often able to hit all of those things to perfection, but I have to say, our trip to la Belle Verte across the bridge in Gatineau took that concept to a whole new level. We've been wanting to try this place since we moved here, mostly because it's kind of the only raw vegan restaurant in the area right now. On the downside, because it's in Gatineau and we're car-free, it's a little hard to get to. However, since we had to rent a car this weekend to go help out some friends anyway, a trip to la Belle Verte became a top priority. The food there is just so beautiful. I already love my veggies to begin with, but their platage actually made me giggle and do my l...

What's better than a spontaneous dinner date before a night out to the theatre? An amazing spontaneous dinner date that fulfills a craving that you've had for months, and that's discounted through Groupon, that's what! There's been a new Lebanese restaurant in the neighbourhood that I've been wanting to try since it moved in months ago and today was the day. Naji's  is a wonderful little place right by Bank Street and Second Avenue that has just brought a whole new world of flavour to the Glebe. Apparently, I have to come to terms with the reality that there is a compartment in my stomach dedicated purely to digesting falafels, and since it's been about a month since I had any, it was time to replenish its stock. Conveniently, right in time for out date night, I found a Groupon for Naji's and I was sold. Though I didn't get any good pictures of the inside of the place, it was really nice; warm colours, really simple but classy decor, and i...

I've always been a big pre-planner (though hopefully not to the point of obsessiveness). One of the big things I've found about going vegan is that it takes pre-planning to a whole different level. Whenever you go on a trip, most people can just think "so, what do I pack?" but one of the big questions in a vegan's mind, especially an organic-eating processed-food-avoiding vegan, always ends up being "so, will I actually be able to eat  anything ?" Enter Disney World. Now, as much as Disney World elicits princesses, and magic, and dreams coming true in my mind, vegan-friendly is definitely not something that jumps to mind when I hear those two words. Ever since I planned this trip with my sister, my food-loving self started scouring the internet for vegan-friendly resources about Disney World (see below for details). At my public library, I also found the very nifty book called " Vegetarian Walt Disney World and Greater Orlando " that wa...

Once upon a time, there was a modest little bakery at the corner of Bank and Gloucester Street, named Bread and Sons . When they moved into town, the two heroes of our story learned that at 195 Bank Street, they would likely find one of the best vegan pizzas in town. Now, everyone knows that excellent vegan pizza is a rare thing to behold. Fake cheeses and processed soy meats abound, masking the health and deliciousness of what vegan food can be. Few are the vegan pizzas our heroes have truly considered delicious and consumable. Only once before, at Bread & Brew in Washington DC, had they had vegan pizza worthy of raising their four united thumbs to. The quest for a better vegan pizza was theirs to make.  However, life's trials and tribulations kept them from the little Ottawan bakery, and it quickly faded from their memory. Many moons passed... Papers were written, tears were shed, laughter rang within the halls of their home, walks were taken, meals were eaten...

Time to pass through Toronto = Time to go eat at Live Organic Food Bar We're in London (Ontario) this weekend to spend some quality time with my partner's fam. With a bus stopover in Toronto, we couldn't help ourselves but stop over at our favourite raw restaurant. Here were some of the eats: 1) The Raw Poutine: Andrew saw this on the menu and couldn't get over the fact that someone had actually made raw poutine. Despite my now six years of living in Canada, I've never actually had poutine (even when I wasn't vegan). I know that probably makes me a bad immigrant. Why would I pass up this Canadian culinary wonder you ask? There are three things my taste buds have never taken to: a) potatoes; b) gravy; c) greasy cheesy things... so why in God's name would I try a combination of them? I hear poutine is fantastic if that's your thing, and that's wonderful, but it's just not mine. However, this raw version, made with marinated jicama fries, a mi...

Whether you're from there or just visiting, everyone knows that London is a pretty conservative town. Generally, conservative town = not super vegan friendly. Every time we go there, I tend to kind of forget about that, probably out of some sort of denial. However, if you know where to look, there are a fair number of organic and veg-friendly options. Especially if you choose to go the DIY route, their health food stores stock some very decent options: downtown London hosts the London Food Co-op , Wortley Village's Quarter Master Natural Foods , and the East End has Lyn-Dys (they are a bit pricier). Even more exciting, we discovered Organic Works ' new location, a mostly vegan and gluten-free bakery and cafe for all your yummy bread/baked good needs. We even got to meet the owner, Peter, who took us on a quick tour of the bakery! A foodie's dream come true! (If you're not in London, you can still find their stuff in most cities in the province and I would defini...

I believe that there are only so many instances in ones life when one is able to partake in a truly gourmet meal. Good food, yes. Delicious food, often. But truly gourmet? I can count those times on one hand. Whether at the Courtyard in Ottawa's Byward Market in 2007, at Luke's Gastronomy in Kingston, Ontario in 2008, or at Lou Fassum in Plascassier, France, in 2009 (where a French restaurant, yes a French one , accomodated my vegan diet), those experiences were rare, but all a unique delight. Tonight, I had my gastronomic experience of 2010 at none other than the Ottawan gem, Zen Kitchen . Walking into a gorgeous heritage house on Somerset Avenue, we were immediately struck by the place's vibrant energy. It was both peaceful and energetic aside, as warm as it is classy. In terms of their ethic, Zen Kitchen boasts that they are local, organic, and gourmet, but the added bonus? They're vegan. No more do vegans have to bemoan the idea that they are stuck with bu...