Raw lemon meringue pie: macadamia nuts, salt, lemon, Irish moss, agave, turmeric, coconut, cashews and vanilla. Photo credit: Indigo
Vegan and veg joints are opening all over Vancouver these days. The Acorn (my favourite) opened on Main this summer and serves epicurean veg, vegan and raw fare. Meanwhile all-veg restaurants Heirloom (Granville) and the Parker (nestled between Chinatown and Strathcona) opened this fall. I just learned about another vegan dining option in Kits: Indigo Food Café at 2589 West 16th Ave.
The Straight reviewed Indigo’s high tea, judging it to be a prime opportunity to crook a pinky….and try most of the cafe’s vegan and raw menu in one sitting.
From The Straight’s Steven Hui:
“We ordered the Mermaid kelp-noodle salad, collard roll-ups filled with avocado-corn salsa, and buckwheat crêpes—the latter being one of the few menu items that are not completely raw. Featuring excellent-quality ingredients as diverse as dulse flakes and enoki mushrooms, these dishes were both fresh and filling. For dessert, we shared the toothsome cake trio—a tart-sized berry cheesecake, coconut-cream pie, and chocolate ganache.
While I don’t consider myself a raw-food enthusiast, the meal’s impeccable presentation, interesting textures, and vibrant flavours had me excited about coming back to try Indigo’s raw vegan cheese fondue ($16 per person) and high tea ($27 per person), both of which require a reservation and a minimum of two people.”
As Hui notes, Indigo also serves vegan fondue. I tend to find that vegan food tastes best when it invents new dishes within its dietary parameters, rather than mimics non-vegan items. But that’s just me. You’ll have to head over, dip some bread into the creamy cashew, garlic, lemon, and nutritional yeast mixture, and let me know.
Owner Lovena Galyide opened the café in July 2011.
Indigo Food Café, 2589 West 16th Ave., 604-537-7288, Indigofood.org
Last modified: October 19, 2012
I had the high tea in the summer and it was wonderful. I had never eaten raw vegan before and the high tea is a lovely introduction with lots of little items to sample.