Where We Eatin': Vegetarian Haven

Vegetarian Haven

17 Baldwin Street, Toronto, ON

http://www.vegetarianhaven.com/

Kreck here.  My mum made the trip to Toronto to visit me today, and we went for lunch at Vegetarian Haven in Baldwin Village.  It boasts a wide selection of vegan appetizers, entrees and desserts, and has several wheat-free and wheat-optional items.  There is also a daily lunch and dinner special, which the staff will bring to the table and describe.  The wait staff were incredibly nice and friendly.  Veg-Haven offers a roomy front patio (for taking in the bustle of Baldwin St.) and a cozy interior.

Let's just say, Mary (my mum) has a new favourite restaurant in Toronto...

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I ordered the avocado salad ($12) with maple syrup dijon mustard dressing on the side.  The presentation itself was beautiful -- it was hard to take the first bite of this salad!  It wasn't hard to keep eatin' it though, because the salad was so tasty.  It was an interesting mix of avocado, corn, cucumbers, apple, sprouts, lettuce, shaved carrot, apple, nuts and raisins.  The salad was a smidge bland, but with the dressing it was a-mazing.  I'd love to try this salad with all of the other dressings on the menu (ginger sesame vinaigrette, creamy miso tahini, olive oil rosemary balsamic vinaigrette...).  Yum.

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My mum opted for the lunch special ($10) -- a salad with oil and herbs, lo mein noodles (with tamari?) and three baked sweet potato and taro root pieces with a savory sesame sauce.  The noodles could definitely be switched for rice noodles or rice to make this gluten-free. 

In Mary's words:

• it was good "comfort food"
• there was a "good assortment" and "nice arrangement" of flavours
• it was "pleasant" to eat
• it was "good to the last morsel"
• she "would recommend"
• (she could have kept going, but I stopped her)

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The verdict:  Vegetarian Haven is quite possibly my fave vegetarian restaurant in Toronto.  Added points for the vast menu, amazing service and switchin' it up with the daily specials.

Vegetarian Haven:  It where my mum's eatin'!
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(We also went to High Park!)