Monthly Archives: November 2001

Green Mango (chain)

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3006 Bloor W (416) 233-5004

730 Yonge St. (416) 928-0021

707 Yonge (416) 920-5448

 

Trendy and affordable, fresh and fast, tasty and simple, Green Mango offers simple quasi Thai food without that chain, “food court” feel. Noisy like a food court, and trendy, every Green Mango is crowded with people. Plates are enormous and presentation is beautiful. Waiting staff are very flexible to change your order and the Thai Green Curry with tofu and vegetables (without rice) is excellent.

Service is fast and reliable and lineups may be long but they often disappear quickly. There are many waiting staff so service is efficient and fast. There are also Green Mango “cafeteria-style” restaurants that are smaller and cheaper. The menu is smaller and more limited but food is fresh and fast and most of your favourite items from the larger restaurant can be found at the “cafeteria-style” venues. Tables are close together so there is not much room for private, intimate discussion. Selections are coded in the menu according to vegetarian friendly, spicy, recommended item, and healthy choice.

Vegetarian Restaurant, The (closed in 2003)

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2849 Dundas W,
(416) 762-1204

Nov 2005 Update: The Vegetarian Restaurant, the oldest vegetarian restaurant in Toronto, closed a few years ago. The last time I visited was in Dec 2001.

My first impression : “Juice for Life” but take out the artsy-fartsy student feel.

Elegant ambiance, comfortable seating, classy, healthy, natural vegetarian cuisine, and non-political. This wonderful restaurant is similar to Fressen without the pretentiousness. Claimed to be the oldest vegetarian restaurant in Toronto, The Vegetarian Restaurant is a small treasure in the middle of a charming (but dicey) neighbourhood, Junction Gardens. The restaurant only offers a vast selection of vegetarian meals, slightly pricy, but not as expensive as Fressen. They also sell a variety of both fresh and frozen prepared foods by the cash.

The ambiance is very comforting, with a waterfall flowing in one room, dimly lit lighting, and quiet background music. The staff are soft spoken and very friendly. Service is slow but worth the wait. The menu is more diverse than other vegetarian restaurants and they make and sell their own food (there are many frozen meals available in the front of the restaurant).

Their supplier, Soy City Foods is next door and supplies meals for them as well as other supermarkets, restaurants, and cafes in the city. There are no diet drinks served and only natural soda is served. It’s about a 20 minute walk North of Keele subway, and located at the corner of Dundas West and Keele.

Reviewed by Mark

Ouzeri

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500A Danforth Ave.
(416) 778-0500

I went with a friend quite a while ago. My first impression was that it was expensive and I was not satisfied. They had no vegetarian meals at all. I had to order from the appetizer list. I ordered a hummus plate and an order of spanakopita. Most of the entrees are served a la carte, so if you want any extras, you’ll need to order them separately. The restaurant mostly serves steaks and lamb chops, but there are no vegetarian entrees. There is a wall full of wines that sit just above the bar. It’s very interesting to see this wall full of alcohol. I assume bartenders would need a ladder if they needed a wine that sat up high. The ambiance is very dim lighting, romantic decor, spacious seating, with high ceilings. Wines are available by the glass. Garlic is a major ingredient in all dishes. Prices are between $15.95-$19.95 per entree. Appetizers are between $6.95-$9.95.