Tag Archives: Asian Fusion

Marche Movenpick (now Richtree markets)

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For a list of Marche Movenpick locations, please visit this web site
http://www.richtree.ca/richtree-locations.htm

A paradise of food, a marketplace of wonderful dishes, pasta, soups, stir fries, grilled vegetables, wine and beer, farm fresh fruit and vegetables, heavenly desserts from chocolate truffles to orgasmic crepes and Belgiam waffles, and gift items like chocolate, candy, and boxed coffee and tea. There is something for everyone here.

This place serves a large variety that pleases even the most finicky eaters. Food ranges from steak and potatoes to pizza to pasta to mussels and seafood to healthy salads and grilled vegetables.

The game goes as follows: you enter this martketplace and the waiter hands you a ticket and a map of all food kiosks. Your ticket is your credit card for all of the food in this market. You are warned not to lose the ticket or else you will have to pay $100 or wash the dishes for a couple of days. You freely visit any food kiosk and choose whatever food you want to eat. You choose a plate size and vendors stamp your card and then you pay for your dinner at the end of the evening. In total, you will get charged over 30% in tax which sucks. [This includes the PST + GST]

The only disadvantage is that the place is noisy and it almost feels like a glorified food court. You hardly ever dine with your friends or family because someone is either eating or getting up to get more food. It is rare to have everyone at the table all at once

I always enjoy the same thing, a medium size plate of lentil salad with sesame oil and veggies and grilled mushrooms and zucchini and eggplant along with a corn salad and chick pea salad. I also order from the antipasto bar: grilled eggplant, grilled zucchini, grilled mushrooms, and sundried tomatoes ($2.99 per 100 g)

I sometimes order a “made-to-order” fruit smoothie with bananas, strawberries, and other fruit. I can only complain that Marche Movenpick is damn expensive (because of the tax) There is underground parking.

Decor is like a closed in market with artificial plants, trees, waterfalls,
Water is served in a beautiful, kitschy fountain right by the entrance of the restaurant. Be warned, some nights there are lineups with waits up to one hour. Liquor licensed. Accepts all cards. A few locations across Toronto. Open 365 days per year from 7:30am-2:30am.

Insomnia

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563 Bloor St. W., 416-588-3907

Located right in the Annex at Bloor and Bathurst, this bistro/bar/cafe is named for its late, late hours. The kitchen cooks till 3:00 a.m. on Friday and Saturday. “Tapas” here means caesar, mesclun and Greek salads, along with crab cakes, soup and calamari. My friend ordered a thick tortilla soup and he said it was very tasty. I did not eat anything but I did take a look at the extensive menu.

They serve many French dishes, like an eight-ounce strip loin with peppercorn ($17.00), Mediterranean dishes (capon stuffed with spinach, peppers and chèvre which is $16.00) and Asian (curried mussels are $8). As you can see there are no vegetarian healthy dishes for me, so the hell with them. They do serve pasta dishes ($13.00–$15.99) and thick-crust pizzas ($11.00–$12.00).

Generous desserts are led by a flourless chocolate cake known as the Climax ($6.00). Prices are way too high for me and there are not enough vegetarian dishes but I may try this place again in the near future.

Green Room

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296 Brunswick Avenue
(416) 929-3253

Open Mon 12am-2am, 11am-2am; Tue-Sat 11am-2am; Sun 11am-12am

Hidden behind Future Bakery in the Annex, this place can be categorized as grungy, earthy, funky, smoky, and ecclectic. With mismatched chairs and a dark, pub-like ambiance, this casual bar/cafe is a great place to hang out and enjoy some decent vegetarian and non vegetarian dishes, all at a cheap prices.

Quality is not high, but most patrons go for the alcohol, not the food.  Green room, like its sister cafe Red Room, offer a large variety of beer, wine, and other alcoholic beverages.

Le Commensal

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Montreal

1204 McGill College
(514) 871-1480

1720 St-Denis
(514) 845-2627

South Shore -Saint Lambert

4817 Boul Taschereau 
 (450) 676-1749‎

Toronto:

655 Bay Street (main entrance is on Elm Street)
(416) 596-9364‎
Quebec city
860 Rue St Jean
(418) 647-3733‎

 

With 7 restaurants in Canada (3 in Montreal, 1 in the South Shore, 1 in Quebec city, and 1 in Laval) and 1 restaurant in Toronto, Le Commensal has been a leader in providing healthy vegetarian cuisine that is diverse in flavours, colours, textures, and palattes.

For over 30 years Le Commensal has been providing a large selection of options for vegetarians. The name, Le Commensal, comes from the word “commensal” meaning an organism that lives off another organism without harming each other. That is the true essence of vegetarian cuisine

Food is priced according to weight, so if you are hungry and the items you choose are hefty, expect to pay between $20-$25. From my last visit, i chose beet salad, sweet and sour seitan, chili, ratatouille, cous cous salad, hummus and tabouleh, strips of tofu braised in ginger. Although it’s a glorified cafeteria, food is piping hot, fresh, and full of flavour and colour. Overall decor and setting is tranquil, and relaxing. Food is labeled v (vegan), l (dairy), and o (eggs).

Le Commensal offers some take home meals including an assortment of sweet and savoury pies and quiches, fresh soups (broccoli, butternut squash, carrot, Indian lentil, minestrone, pea soup, tomato and barley, and hearty vegetable. In the past, I’ve bought tons of vegepate ( a veggie alternative to liver pate), and packaged marinated sweet and sour tofu and sweet and sour seitan.

Frozen meals include a meaty Bourguignon Stew (cubes of seitan, button mushrooms and pearl onions, simmered in a red wine sauce, with heavenly mashed potatoes) , Cacciatore Veggie Simmer (soy-protein simmered in a tomato and herb sauce, served over pasta), Chinese Stir-Fry (slices of seitan baked in a tomato and tamari sweet and sour sauce, served with garlic-saut饤 pasta.), Creole Jambalaya (rice seasoned with jalape񯠰eppers, garnished with beans, vegetables and chunks of soy protein), Greek-style Casserole (saut饤 tofu with garden vegetables seasoned with garlic, lemon, oregano, topped with basmati rice), the classic lasagne (drop dead delicious) with layers of fresh pasta with tomato sauce, creamy b飨amel sauce, and an assortment of cheeses, the three bean chili (a hearty dish of beans, chunky vegetables and Le Commensal Mexican style ground soy) , Le Commensal Thai Delight (strips of seitan in a tangy sweet-and-sour sauce, with a hint of chili pepper) , Vegetable Couscous (simmered vegetables and chick peas smothered in tomato sauce with couscous), the famous Veggie Shepherd?s Pie (seasoned ground soy with sweet corn and mashed potatoes).

You may notice that many items are sweet. This is because the chili, seitan, and the ratatouille has an added touch of maple syrup that accentuates the flavour of the dish. For Ontarians who dine at Le Commensal, it may give them a touch of Quebec maple syrup.

Be careful, you can choose low fat dining by opting for salads and light fare, there are some oily and rich, decadent dishes like the drop dead yummy lasagna, tofu burgendaise, and the seitan in the various sauces (sweet and sour, etc). Even though some chocolate cakes are vegan, don’t assume it’s fat free or sugar free. Be careful. Choose smaller plates (meals can cost $12-$16) while larger plates can cost more ($14-$23). Food is refreshed constantly and overall decor is clean, not cluttered, tasteful, and pretty relaxing. Considering it is a glorified cafeteria, they try to avoid making it resemble a food court by having it divided in sections and putting calm music, free water, and choosing colours and designs that make the place overal tranquil and not busy (like McDonalds, Subway, or other fast food chains).

Accepts all cards and has liquor license.

Vichy, Buffet

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7205 Newman
514-367-1731

Located right on Newman Boulevard near Dollard Ave, on one of the main strips of Lasalle, this place has the most diverse menu of affordable, fast food for the hungry one in all of us. If you like to over-eat, then this place is for you. They offer huge roasts of beef, veal, lamb, ham, turkey, all kinds of seafood, every variety of chicken, pizza, pasta, sausages, ribs, kebabs, salads, fruit and desserts. GROSS. The cost is $9.95 on Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights, $7.95 all other nights. Lunch is $4.95; Sat. Sun. brunches are $6.95. Excellent value for your money but not for your tummy.

Buffet Vichy offers a large dessert menu (cakes, pies, ice cream, fruit salad) and prices are low. Quality is low and food is not that fresh. There is a section where you can make grill your own meat. I don’t recommend this place if you want high quality, healthy food. In terms of freshness, it’s a gamble. Since the food just sits there it may not be sBuffet Vichy is not fresh, unless you go right when it opens, and often times, most dishes have a lot of salt, preservatives, and a thin layer of oil. YUCK. In general, I usually have salad, bean salad, sometimes a pasta item, and ice cream, fruit salad, or jello for dessert. Not the healthiest of places and can be packed and loud like a baseball stadium at times.

530 seats, expect lineups on the weekend. Accepts all cards.