No raw deal at Junction’s vegan diner

[Guest guest]

Posted Tuesday, July 8, 2008) http://www.towncrieronline.ca/main/main.php?direction=viewstory & storyid=7048 & rootcatid= & rootsubcatid=By Liz Campbell

 

 

 

 

 

 

ALWAYS FRESH: Rawlicious on Dundas St. West is free of ovens, and the vegan friendly eatery serves fresh, raw treats.

I didn’t know what to expect from a restaurant without a stove. Rawlicious has dehydrators, choppers, blenders and other paraphernalia, but no oven. This new restaurant has grown out of personal commitment. When Tracey Mulvihill was diagnosed with cancer last fall, she and her partner, Angus Crawford, began to search for a healthy solution. They tried raw food and discovered not only was it helping her but Crawford also felt stronger and healthier. So they decided to share their new passion. According to Mulvihill, raw food can provide energy and vitality. Because nothing is heated above 118 ˚F enzymes are not denatured and the vitamins and minerals remain in their natural state. But here’s the kicker: it actually tastes good. We begin with drinks – a Fruit Sensation smoothie for my guest. Rawlicious serves no meat or dairy products; it’s strictly vegan. So my guest’s smoothie is a rich

blend of banana, orange, pineapple and strawberry ($6 for 16 oz). “This is just yummy,†she coos. “I can taste banana and lots of strawberry.†My own juice, Pure Pleasure, ($5 for 8 oz) lives up to its name: freshly blended pineapple, orange and apple juices. It’s so good I wish I had asked for the larger 12 oz. glass ($7). The menu is small but fascinating. My guest’s appetizer choice is two spring rolls – rice paper stuffed with julienned, lightly marinated vegetables, ginger and fresh herbs and served with a tangy tamarind dipping sauce ($5). The waitress apologizes that the rice paper isn’t raw. My guest’s eyes open with pleasure at the first bite. “The vegetables are crunchy and the dip is gingery,†she says. “This is wonderful.†I have to agree. I have had many spring rolls, but this one seems to pop with flavours. We have also asked for a dipping platter with a choice of

three dips ($11). We ask for mango chutney (a salsa of mango, pineapple, red onions, and more), sun-dried tomato pâté (sunflower seeds, sun-dried tomatoes and basil), and green olive tapenade. A mutual favourite, the mango chutney quickly disappears, but all three are very tasty. The crackers are a blend of seeds and nuts with herbs, red peppers, onions, garlic and spices, which are dehydrated to form a crunchy flatbread. These are so delicious. I actually buy a package to take home. At this point I am beginning to ask myself if I’m not being drawn into this raw ethos and finding the food tastier than it really is. Sitting beside us is a couple that is back for their second time. The man is an admitted carnivore, but he “loves this place.†Go figure! I approach my main course with caution; I’m not going to get sucked in by the whole healthy thing. But I’m hooked. My seasoned nut loaf is wrapped in a

collard leaf and filled with spinach-walnut pesto, tomato slices, red onion, shredded lettuce, and pine-nut sauce ($8; $11 with a salad). It’s incredibly tasty. Our friendly neighbouring diners agree. She’s having the same dish. “I can’t believe how good this is,†she mumbles through a mouthful. “I was afraid to order this because there’s walnuts in it and I don’t like them, but everything works together beautifully and it’s just plain good.†Her dinner is zucchetti pasta with a tomato marinara sauce ($8). For an extra $2 she has ordered Neat Balls (cute, eh?). Patently pasta is verboten as it must be cooked. Instead, long strips of zucchini are curled in green-edged spaghetti-like swirls. “This sauce is like a fresh tomato salsa. It’s so good I could eat it by itself or with some crackers,†says my guest. The neat balls appear to be similar to my nut loaf but formed into little balls. I’ve never been

partial to meat balls, but neat balls have a lovely nutty, seedy taste. Finally, both replete with all this healthy food, we choose one dish of ice cream for dessert. Well, ice cream is a dairy product so this isn’t ice cream. What we get is a blend of ground cashews, fresh strawberries, maple syrup and “a secret ingredient.†The result is a creamy, rich, distinctly strawberry frozen dessert which I can’t stop sampling. The plan was to just taste; I am, after all, full. But I can’t believe I eat the whole thing! Go to Rawlicious. Inside you’ll find three separate rooms. The open kitchen is part of the front room with armchairs as well as dining tables. There are high, tall tables and small tables in the second room – take your pick. And the third is the Zen Den – all colourful cushions and a low table. There’s a patio in good weather as well. Wood, natural brick and warm colours make this a very

appealing spot. But the food makes it a spot not to be missed. Raw never tasted so good. Rawlicious, 3092 Dundas St. West (in the Junction), 416-551-3161.

 

Peter vv

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