Living in Huron County in Canada definitely has its drawbacks. An individual is able to have ties to the outside world, learning about new and exciting ideas and opportunities; yet, these ideas and opportunities are just that, outside of Huron County. A quick jaunt to Toronto's Fresh, a gourmet vegan restaurant, will appetize your every desire.
My excursion to Fresh began on a cold winter morning in March, with the hopes of rekindling my frozen taste buds. As we arrived on the doorstep of Fresh, I took notice of the countless neighbouring meat market and knick-knack stores littering this section of Bloor Street. Could this possibly be the location of a gourmet vegan restaurant, nestled in among vendors of fish heads and questionable discount clothing, like a jewel hidden among stones?
My worries were relieved upon entering and brushing past the black curtain which hung just beyond the entrance; perhaps meant to act as a divider between the exquisite environment of the restaurant and the dirty, noisy, and busy outside street. The restaurant itself is quite small, with a serving counter to the left and seating tables filling up the rest of the floor space. The Bloor St. location is actually the smallest of Toronto's three Fresh restaurants, with the two other being located on Queen Street and Crawford Street. The Queen St. is quite larger than that of Bloor St., with a small second level seating area and a large patio along the sidewalk. Fresh on Crawford Street is the newest and most glamorous of the three locations, with claim to four 2003 design awards.
As mentioned, Fresh caters to the gourmet vegan market. The menu is impressively large and varied, including selections ranging from tofu steak wraps, to intricate rice bowls, to their signature fruit smoothies, and much more. Each item on the menu is entirely vegan; however, if you are less adventurous, there are more familiar items such as french fries and spring rolls. The menu is priced quite fairly, with the average lunch meal being priced at $10 and the average dinner meal resting around $15. Rest assured your money goes a long way at Fresh; the dishes are prepared with the healthiest ingredients of only the highest quality. Quite simply, the quality and variety of food available is far above that of nearly any restaurant.
In addition to serving extraordinary vegan food on location, the restaurant even provides their genius recipes to the public with two cookbooks; Fresh at Home and The Juice for Life Cookbook. Both of the cookbooks are available for purchase online at juiceforlife.com.
Whether you are a seasoned vegan or merely interested in more adventurous and healthier food, Fresh will fulfil your every desire. With a wide array of delicious and healthy foods, coupled with reasonable pricing, Toronto's premiere vegan restaurant Fresh is the right choice.
