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vancouver • whistler • victoria • toronto • portland • san francisco everybody loves veggies! Everybody Loves Veggies, especially for lunch on a busy work day! Located on the far side of the food court, protected from the pervasive presence of the conventional fast food outlets by an organic salad/fruit stand, sits this gem of a quick lunch spot. They serve a rotating all-vegan menu of stews and soups - such as Shepherd's Pie, Ginger Kale and Yam Stew, and Split Pea Soup - sandwiches, salads and desserts. All the meals are made on premise, and everything tasted fresh and homemade. Nothing was salty, everything was delicious! The sandwiches are made with fresh, whole grain breads and feature fixings like avocado and cucumber with Vegenaise, or sun-dried tomato and tofu. Salads were not run of the mill from what I could tell and the dessert options confound the patrons with the choice of fresh-baked cookies or Chi Cake. Chi Cake, for those Vancouverites not in the know, is the single best vegan 'cheese' cake on the planet. It has no rival. reviewed by: Trev, veganunderground.com, August, 2007
radha yoga & eatery reviewed by: Trev, veganunderground.com, April, 2007
foundation lounge Foundation Lounge is a Main St. hipster-revolutionary hang out/breakfast-lunch-dinner spot. It is very popular, deceptively large and priced for the proletariat. They have a huge and entertaining menu, entirely vegetarian and, as far as I could tell by their creative descriptions, mostly vegan. The décor is 50’s diner, replete with leftist slogans and lots of secretive booths – just the sort of place one might gather his or her comrades and plan the uprising. If you’re afraid of a little working class grunge, don’t look in the open kitchen (pretty hard as it’s plainly visible from half the restaurant). It looks like the cooks, all disenfranchised offspring of the ruling baby boomer class, smuggled their apartment stoves into the restaurant for a kitchen coup. The food arrived quickly and the portions were generous. The hummous was piled so thick we ran out of warmed pita and tortilla chips and resorted to spooning it unaccompanied into our mouths. The winner of our meal was the Sesame Society, steamed veggies over steamed quinoa, all on a bed of fresh, raw spinach stirred with tahini sauce and chickpeas. Again, the portion was huge. A single meal could easily fuel a full day of civil unrest. The quality of the food belied the anarchic atmosphere and rebel staff. We thoroughly enjoyed the meal and the experience. The Foundation Lounge is our eatery of choice whenever we feel the need to fan the flames of revolt and plot the next move of the resistance. Highly recommended. reviewed by: Trev, veganunderground.com, March 2007 dharma kitchen 3667 West Broadway • Vancouver, BC 604-738-3899 Dharma Kitchen is a very quiet, slightly new-agey, maybe pseudo-buddhist, vegan restaurant at the similarly quiet end of Broadway (at Alma). The unassuming façade gives a good hint of what one should expect inside. It is furnished with simple tables and chairs, a couple of cozy couches and a smattering of imported Thai teak from the shop next door (tantalizingly adorned with price tags). The single room restaurant, built around a smoothie and juice bar, is painted in warm, calming tones. Our waiter spoke in a hushed, reverent voice, the slow pace of which took me a few sentences to get used to. I had to adjust from the pace of the world outside to the serenity inside. We started with a couple of fresh juices from their ample menu and were definitely refreshed. Appetites thoroughly wetted, we waited in the silence for our food. The restaurant was almost empty on our first visit and to speak seemed disrespectful. At first we seemed awkward and held our breaths, not wanting to disturb the air particles’ contentedness. As we started to relax and breathe more deeply, we settled into quiet conversation until the food arrived. On our second visit, the restaurant was packed and much more lively, which we felt more comfortable enjoying. The waiter’s pace, it should be noted, was still monk-like, despite the rush of patrons. That is admirable. I had heard marinated, grilled tofu was the specialty of the place and it was excellent. We tried the Buddha Bowl, which was tasty, but could have been a bit more generous with the veggies. To be fair, it was the middle of the winter. The Veggie Burger was nutty and hearty, if a bit simple in its presentation, perhaps more of a lunch choice than dinner. Their signature Dharma Bowl was our favorite entrée and was a fulfilling way to spend a cold, rainy evening. Overall, the food on both occasions was fresh and comforting. Dharma Kitchen definitely exists in its own quiet little world, with its own definitions, its own version of mindfulness. It is vegan, save the honey they provide for the tea, and Buddhist, save the root vegetables. It is a quiet, little protest in the face of our much hurried lives and much neglected selves. reviewed by: Trev, veganunderground.com, January 2007 fifty two 80 bistro 4591 Blackcomb Way • Whistler, BC V0N 1B4 Cost: $63 CDN for dinner for 2, incl tax and tip. Wine and dessert extra After giving up on the dream of finding a good vegan meal at a restaurant in Whistler, we decided to give the in-room dining of our hotel, the Four Seasons Resort, a try. I phoned and asked the order person if they could modify any of their menu selections for us. She immediately deferred to the chef. About 3 minutes later she called me back to say they would create a one-off vegan meal for us. When I called, I should have just said, we’re vegans, make us something to eat. That’s more the kind of clientele they’re prepared for.  Within half and hour there was a knock at our door. In came a table with 4 vegan dishes each on a funky Japanese-style plate, flanked by fine silver utensils and accompanied by ice water and flax bread with olive oil and vinegar. There were baby carrots lightly sautéed in olive oil, simple but a good start. To their right on the square plate stacked with four small square plates was a Tomato Olive Ragout. It was a really nice summer dish with ripe, flavourful tomatoes and 3 kinds of olives. On a diagonal to the lower left quadrant was a French Lentil dish, mildly spiced and rich. On the lower right, the star of the evening’s dinner: an Eggplant Lasagne. Noodles were supplanted by thick slices of grilled eggplant, and separated by a filling of sautéed onions and vegetables. The overall effect was much more than the sum of its individual ingredients. It was delicious. I savored every bite.  We paired the meal with a bottle of Coyam 2004, a big, jammy red from the Colchuaga Valley, Chile. It was a blend of all organic grapes: Syrah, Carmenere, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Mourvedre). Every mouthful was huge, especially for a $25 bottle of Chilean red. My only wish was that there was a bigger finish. Even so, it complemented the meal perfectly and was a delight to linger with into the evening. reviewed by: Trev, veganunderground.com, May 30, 2007 Cost: $110 CDN for dinner for 2, including inexpensive sake, tax and tip While not a vegetarian restaurant by any stretch of the imagination, at Zen, our waiter, a downhill mountain biker from Boston, who was also well versed in the finer points of Japanese food and premium sake, was eager to cater to our palates. Without consulting with the kitchen, he offered up several vegan options for us. Japanese food, and sushi in particular can be a good option for vegans, providing the restaurant is willing to leave out the fish sauces and mayonnaise. We started with the house spinach goma ae, which surprised us a bit with its freshness. Things were looking up. It was followed by a vegan rendition of their agedashi tofu. We had to forgo the broth it normally comes in, but they gave us a little dish of a killer hot sauce, made in-house. Their soy sauce is also made in-house and it was broth enough. It’s a low sodium soy sauce and it was so good that it held its own as part of the meal, rather than just a matter of tradition as is the case with generic, mass-bottled soy sauces in most sushi joints. On to the sushi… We had the Yam Roll, the Vegetable Roll, and the Special Vegetable Roll, which also had yam. They made it all fresh (like all their sushi) and kindly left out the mayo. They went one step beyond what you normally get when you order vegetarian sushi. The rolls had fresh asparagus, Japanese pickles and delicate mushrooms. Of course, when soaked in the house-made soy sauce, and house-made wasabi paste, we couldn’t cram them into our mouths fast enough. We washed everything down with an inexpensive but refreshing cold draught sake, Hakutsuru. Even saving the money on the sake, the meal wasn’t cheap. But we were eating high end sushi in Whistler, and I suppose that commands a price. Zen will definitely be our first choice in Whistler dining options from now on. The service is casual but detailed, leaving nothing to be desired and the food is as good as its pedigree suggests (the head chef at Zen in trained under the famous Tojo in Vancouver). There is good vegan food in Whistler after all! reviewed by: Trev, veganunderground.com, May 30, 2007
green cuisine %20Images/green%20cuisine.jpg "green cuisine") Green Cuisine has lots of seating in its simple interior, but the low overhead means good prices. It seems a great spot for a light (or heavy) lunch or a quick dinner before a movie. It also serves as a meeting place for the Victoria chapter of Organic Athlete. reviewed by: Trev, veganunderground.com, June, 2007
live organic food bar  To say we were excited by the prospect of dining at a real raw restaurant while in Hogtown would be an understatement. We’ve been predominantly raw for 3 months now, and were doing our best not to succumb to the lure of cooked foods. Not so easy to manage while on vacation in our home town, and visiting our parents(in-law). Fortunately there are places like live. We stepped up into the blustery, grey day from the depths of the Dupont subway station, scanned the red brick facades, and there it was, across the street. It was a bright, fresh oasis in the early spring, winter-worn urban Toronto landscape. It reminded us of our own city, Vancouver. We don’t have live though. We wish we did.  It was a late lunch on the first visit. We started with a Bleutiful smooothie (apple, lemon, wild blueberries for $4.75), and a Berry Buzz spritzer (wild blueberries, strawberries, sparkling water for $4.50). Both were downed before the meals arrived. For lunch we tried The Dhali Baba Pizza (A sprouted buckwheat crust topped with an Eggplant Baba ganoush, marinated Fennel, Red peppers, and Leeks in a Spinach pesto, and topped with a cashew ‘feta’ cheese; Super Duper! $8.75). Raw pizza? Awesome! And it was. The crust was the real key – it was light and very crunchy, fresh and without the heavy, dead baked feel of conventional crust. With a salad and their delicious house dressing, it made for a surprisingly filling lunch. You might otherwise be fooled by the meal’s spare appearance. Also on the bright orange, metal table was the Bohemian ‘Wrap’sody (A flax and fresh herb ‘pita’ dressed with a Kalamata Spread and filled with a Kale, Tomato, Avocado Medley topped with Fresh Sprouts; Served with Root Veggie ‘chips’ a Caper Sunflower Seed Dipping sauce. Nut-free $11.50). They definitely got the raw wrap right! It held the potentially messy contents together easily and didn’t crumble. Thankfully not too olive-y for my tastes and, again, really filling when the salad is included. Because it was my birthday, we had to order dessert. The raw apple crumble with pumpkin seed crust would have been a perfectly light and tasty finale to the meal. Of course, we had to go over the top and try the raw chocolate fudge cake with a coconut crust. Decadent, indulgent – hey, it’s chocolate fudge cake! But it’s okay, it’s organic, vegan and raw! We couldn’t get out the door without taking some Raw Chocolate Cookies and Raw Macaroons with us for later.  The second trip to live was an evening affair. We dragged, coerced and manipulated two non-vegans in the door. Actually, they came willingly. For drinks, we had La Messagere gluten-free rice and barley beer (a bit odd tasting, but not offensive) and good ole Creemore lager. For starters, one of the cooked items on the menu, albeit barely cooked, the Sweet Potato Carrot Ginger Soup with a side of almost raw Sprouted Millet Manna Bread. Mmmm, ginger. The soup was gently warmed. Two of us had the Raw Combo It Up for $14. It includes a sample of each of the 4 raw entrees on the menu. They were ample portions, so additional sharing was necessary to send the plates back empty. One of the unconverted in our little party had the Rajmah special, which was cooked bean stew over brown rice. He reported that it was tasty and very filling – coming from a meat eater, it must have been. The star of the meal, in my eyes, was the Spaghetti & Neatballs (Noodle-like Zucchini topped with our Fresh Sun dried tomato marinara, sprouted walnut sunflower seed veggie neatballs’ and finished off with a scrumptious Kale pumpkin seed pesto, all for $10). It was delicious, and inviting, not at all obscure or intimidating.  If you’re new to raw, or even vegan cuisine, this would be a good choice. It would be perfect comfort food, and perfectly healthy comfort food. When dessert rolled around in the casual, ‘live’ way, and it is a very casual, relaxed restaurant, we tried some chocolate rice/millet crispy squares, and their Cheesecake, which was, of course, cheeseless. It’s no secret that some of the best cheesecakes ever are actually vegan, and this would fall right into place among them. It took me right back to my discovery of Chi Cake in my neck of the woods.  If you’re in Toronto, live organic food bar should not be missed. I had built my expectations up before dining there and was still very impressed. It’s really too bad places like this are so rare. It easily compares to Café Gratitude in San Francisco, and at half the price. live also serves weekend brunch, filling yet another hole in the raw vegan’s dining out options. During both our visits, the restaurant was very busy, so I’m confident they’ll still be around next time we’re in Toronto. Until then, I’m clinging hopefully to the rumour of a live ‘franchise’ opening up near a certain beach in a certain city, very near to the veganunderground.com HQ, in a couple of years. Please! reviewed by: Trev, veganunderground.com, April, 2007
red & black café
The Red & Black is equal parts café, social and animal rights activist hub, community hang-out and local night spot. It’s worker-owned and even the customers help out by clearing their own dishes. The walls are a showcase of local artists and the place frequently has local music acts doing live shows in the evenings (mostly free too). They have free computers to surf the internet on and free wi-fi. They’re all about equality, fairness and social justice – in every way. Their only crime while I was there was that they ran out of their vegan chili! %20Images/2008/California%20Road%20Trip/California%20Road%20Trip%202008%20%282%29.jpg "red and black cafe interior") One look at the menu board will have you drooling for more substantial eats. We tried the Red Dragon Salad – a huge plate of fresh greens, tomatoes, carrots, and ginger tofu in a mild miso dressing. It was very healthy and pleasing to the palate. The Black Dragon Noodles are a similar dish with soba noodles replacing the salad. The ginger tofu makes a return in this dish. Again, it was very tasty. If you’re jonesing for something a little more like comfort food, look no further than the TLT – the Tempeh, Lettuce and Tomato. This was the best vegan sandwich I’ve ever had. It was toasted seedy bread layered with thick, hearty lettuce, firm tomato slices and grilled tempeh bacon strips all glued together with a herb-veganaise. It came with a side of tortilla chips to scoop up any escaped toppings. De-lish.
One of the coolest things about the whole lunch experience was just that – the experience. It’s the kind of place you want to hang out in, get fired up reading a political commentary or have a heated moral discussion with someone you only just met. Just by sitting in the place and having a coffee, you are engaging in a unique community. Indeed, we were joined by some Portland-based friends from our own little community of vegan athletes, some of whom we previously knew only on the internet. The Red & Black manages all this without a hint of pretension or holier-than-those-capitalist-fascists-that-run-things attitude. It’s a place to get things done, to make a difference. %20Images/2008/California%20Road%20Trip/California%20Road%20Trip%202008%20%285%29.jpg "black dragon noodles") My experience was neatly summed up by a poster I saw as I was leaving after a 2 hour coffee-food-conversation stop in our roadtrip. It looked like a block-watch sign but it read, “Don’t Talk to the F.B.I.!” Cool. reviewed by: Trev, veganunderground.com, May 10, 2008 millennium
What can I say? Millennium is the vegetarian restaurant in North America. It’s unapologetic fine dining. To eat here requires no compromise, no second guessing, just pure indulgence. And indulgence is rewarded. Every dinner starts simply with sourdough bread and the house spread, which are perfect for whetting the appetite. Other simple and delectable starters include the olive plate or the zara and garlic roasted frites (this one’s addictive). On our first visit we had the Polenta Nera, which was a tasty polenta cake topped with grilled vegetables and served on a base of spicy seitan. This was our favorite dish. It was simple, but managed to be elegant as well. We also had the Yuba Roulade, stuffed chard, farro & French lentils, morel, caramelized onion & Porcini reduction, roasted chanterelles, sautéed Broccoli di Cicco with currants & pine-nuts. This felt like an exotic dish worthy of any fine dining experience. It was a unique assortment of textures and flavors and was very enjoyable. A bottle of 2003 Chateaux Puys Bardens Bordeaux complimented the meal nicely. For dessert, Everett Ridge Port (Sonoma) and the Apple Quince Crisp with praline “ice cream”. Indulge, please. Unbelieveably guilt-free. This kind of dessert makes you wonder why we ever used animal products in the first place. This is the only apple crisp I’ve ever had that competes with mom’s (which is also vegan). The second visit found me ordering the Polenta Nera again. It was just too good. We skipped the appy’s and sufficed with the bread and spread. We also tried the Chipotle Grilled Portobello & Zucchini Tamale, with dried cherries & toasted almonds, sautéed greens, Ancho-carrot "cream", roasted tomatillo salsa, and spiced toasted pumpkin seeds. If there was one vegan dish that could convince a carnivore they didn’t need meat to have a good meal, this is probably it. It was hearty and sumptuous, bold and delicate all at the same time. We paired an organic Rhone (La Cabotte 2003 Cotes du Rhone) with it and the combination was perfect. Vegan food isn’t supposed to be this good, is it? Can we feel good about this? Then there was dessert. Pumpkin cheesecake, of course, cheeseless, but still might have been the best cheesecake we’ve ever had. We also had the signature Chocolate Almond Torte. I defy any non-vegan to detect a compromise in this dessert. It came drizzled in sour cherry compote, with a chocolate wafer garnish. We let the wine stay with us through dessert this time. And that was Millennium. It lived up to the hype and is quite worthy of the rewards bestowed upon it. The food is excellent, yes, the wine list extensive and thoughtfully selected, but it’s the concept of Millennium and its execution, that make it shine. It’s a place where vegans can dine with impunity. It is real fine dining without compromise, without excuse, and without prejudice. reviewed by: Trev, veganunderground.com, December 9, 2006 As a vegan, going to a non-vegetarian restaurant is always a little worrying. Will they know, will they care? Avatars is about as vegan-friendly as a restaurant that serves meat dishes can be. Depsite friends’ assurances about the place, I must admit I hung on to a little trepidation. Indian-Mexican fusion. And that’s about the only label I can stick on this dining experience. Everything else about it was decidedly different, un-status quo, dangerous even! No sooner had I begun perusing the menu for vegetarian options, than our waiter, and owner asked for all the menus back. The expression on my face must have said, “But I wasn’t fi...” because he interjected, “You don’t need a menu.” Our friends had been there before but we were newbies. He asked us about our food preferences and, of course, we said we were vegans. His eyes lit up, “Vegans are my favourite kind of people! I will make you the best vegan food you’ve ever had.” This was showing some promise. What we were going to eat, however, was a total mystery. Apparently that’s how Avatars works. They have some nightly specials, or you just tell them vaguely what you like and they come back with something for you to eat. When the food started arriving, I couldn’t help but be excited. I felt like I was part of some secret supper club, quietly stiffing the status quo. Well, that’s how the writer in me felt. The vegan in me was still nervous and untrusting. The starters were vegan samosas. They were tasty on their own, with fairly light pastries and more delicately spiced insides than I’ve had recently, but the best part was a sweet pumpkin compote that accompanied the dish. For mains we had a dish of lightly grilled (still almost raw, which I like) vegetables and tofu with a spice combination I couldn’t quite place. It was certainly delicious. The dish came with a side of pretty normal pulau (rice with peas). The second dish was the real charmer: pumpkin enchiladas with a spicy sauce. I apologize for the lack of real descriptors, but these items were not on the menu and the owner wouldn’t say what was in them exactly when asked. All I know is that the enchiladas were amazing and unlike any Indian or Mexican food I’ve ever had. There was some curry in it, but it was otherwise quite unique in its flavors. We washed the food down with a bottle of Cline Syrah 2003 and were too full for dessert. There were, in fact, no vegan desserts prepared that night. A couple nights later we ordered take-out from Avatars and asked for the same dishes out of convenience. They were tasty, but they definitely lost something in the styrofoam containers. The strength of Avatars is in the power of surprise, the dismantling of expectation. Clearing the mind really does clear the palette. Without that, the food is merely delicious and satisfying. The rest of the dining experience added some intangible and that’s what really sets any restaurant apart. Highly recommended, but do yourself the favor of dining in. reviewed by: Trev, veganunderground.com, December 9, 2006 Avatars update: reviewed by: Trev, veganunderground.com, May 10, 2008
euphoria loves RAWvolution
Euphoria Loves RAWvolution (tell that restaurant name to a cab driver) is a raw café and food store run by raw vegan chef and un-cookbook author Matt Amsden. It is a typically hip kind of place – right at home on Main St. in Santa Monica. There is a variety of indoor and outdoor seating, a thriving juice bar and constant buzz of to-go customers coming and going. The staff were very laid back if a bit serious – I guess it is L.A.
We were there around 9:30 in the morning and hungry for lunch. We had been on the road since 5:30, driving in rushhour traffic from Santa Barbara and pausing at various beaches along the way. Their usual breakfast fare seemed to be elixirs but the whole menu was open for us to order from. %20Images/2008/California%20Road%20Trip/California%20Road%20Trip%202008%20%2814%29.jpg "rawvolution products") We had the Big Matt Burger – which is such an unhealthy-sounding name for what was actually really light and ridiculously healthy. I know, it’s irony, I’m in L.A., I get it. It was sort of like a burger – a nut patty sandwiched between layers of thick lettuce, tomatoes, raw ketchup and contained impressively well in a savoury raw ‘bun’. It made for a rich, gourmet, uh, burger. It came with a fresh, raw broccoli slaw on the side. It was a very enjoyable meal. %20Images/2008/California%20Road%20Trip/California%20Road%20Trip%202008%20%2819%29.jpg "Big Matt Burger") We also tried the Coco-Phoria. Its name didn’t give anything away, other than some expectation of how good it might be. It was an interesting surprise – the aforementioned raw bun format, but stuffed with curried raw coconut nibs and a creamy sauce. This is a must have at RAWvolution, not just because it’s unique, but because it’s yummy, even for breakfast! %20Images/2008/California%20Road%20Trip/California%20Road%20Trip%202008%20%2817%29.jpg "coco-phoria") If you’re in this part of L.A., this café makes a great spot to enjoy fantastic raw food and bask in the euphoria that can only be Santa Monica on a sunny morning. reviewed by: Trev, veganunderground.com, May 10, 2008
may kaidee's vegetarian restaurant  If this is your first culinary stop upon arrival from the west, you’ll need to adjust to the Thai way of doing things. Service is relaxed, the ambience genuine Bangkok. The alley is lively with delivery people, children playing, street dogs – it’s really quite charming.  The menu is fairly extensive, including all your Thai favourites and plenty of unique dishes.  On our first visit, we were hungry so we spared no expense. We started with the Guitlow Loul Suan, which is tofu and veggies in a rice wrap. You can choose your sauce and we went with the Chili Mango Sauce. For mains, we shared a Shitake Mushroom Bake on glass noodles, which arrived sizzling from the oven. We also had the Green Curry, which was loaded with fresh vegetables and came with a bowl of black rice. All were outstanding. We couldn’t pick a favourite. I’d have a bite of the curry and exclaim, “Oh yeah, this is the one to get.” Then I’d go for a mouthful of the mushroom bake and my previous conviction would melt away. The meal would be back and forth like this until the last scrap was plucked from the plate.  When at May Kaidee’s, you must have dessert. It’s not a reccomendation, it’s not a suggestion, it’s an order! A command! The Coconut Mango Banana Black Sticky Rice is to die for. There is no better way to follow a spicy Thai meal than with a dessert like this.  The total for the appy, two mains, dessert and two whole coconuts to drink was 340B, or just under $10.  May Kaidee’s is amply hyped but it is worth every glowing word. It was no small comfort to sit back and enjoy real Thai cooking, knowing that it was vegan. Even if Khao San Road’s not your style, it’s worth staying in this area just for this restaurant. Hint: the Viengtai Hotel one street over on Rambuttri Rd. isn’t too backpacker at all. reviewed by: Trev, veganunderground.com, December, 2007
ethos vegetarian restaurant  Ethos seems content to play second fiddle to the almighty May’s but it’s worth a try for sure. The laid-back atmosphere invites you to kick off your flip flops and plunk down on a cushion at one of the low tables (there are also some regular tables with chairs). If you’re in a hurry, this probably isn’t the best choice of places to eat.  The menu is quite varied, with Thai, Indian, and Western foods, as well as breakfast selections and smoothies. Vegetarian dishes are written in green, and vegan dishes are in red. There are far more vegan offerings, and for some items it’s a matter of choosing real milk or soy milk. Ethos also makes their own bread.  We gave the Banana-Coconut Shake a go and it was very satisfying after a day of sightseeing. I wished it was a little larger for the price, but I wouldn’t let that stop me from ordering it again. On this occasion we had the Green Curry Fried Rice and the Spicy Fried Glass Noodles. Both were generous, loaded with fresh vegetables and very spicy. They were bordering on too spicy, so if you remember, ask them to tailor the spice to your liking. Overall, the meal was tasty and well presented. It was reasonable too: 185B or about $5.50 for the whole meal.  We visited Ethos for a second time to have lunch on Boxing Day 2007. This time we decided to try their veggie burgers. The patties are homemade with lentils and lots of other good stuff, they’re vegan and they come wrapped in a homemade multigrain bun. The burgers come with a side of coleslaw. The only thing we didn’t think was vegan was a mustardy/creamy-looking sauce. It was in a separate dish on the side so we just avoided it. The waiter disappeared after bringing us our food so we couldn’t ask him exactly what the sauce was. That little hiccup aside, the burgers were awesome. They’re the perfect thing if you’re looking for a break from Thai food. They were hearty, but not excessively filling. We had room for dessert, so we tried the apple crumble with coconut custard. It was as tasty as it sounds. Ethos has a handful of vegan desserts on their menu, so it would be a good choice for dessert and coffee.  The food at Ethos was very good, if a notch below May Kaidee’s (the comparison is inevitable). As we walked down the alley, we wondered why Ethos seemed a bit empty and May Kaidee’s was overflowing with customers. Service. It’s Ethos’ one downfall. If the owner, Greg Gwyn can motivate his servers to a slightly higher level of attention, and perhaps speed up his kitchen a little, his tidy little restaurant should flourish. He’s got the perfect atmosphere for the Khao San Road area and a great menu. I’ve read other reviews echoing the comments of good food and not so good service so I’m sure Ethos will improve before long. If you’re not in a hurry, and you shouldn’t be if you’re on vacation in Thailand, Ethos is a relaxing place to sit and enjoy some good vegan food.  reviewed by: Trev, veganunderground.com, December, 2007
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%20Images/2008/California%20Road%20Trip/California%20Road%20Trip%202008%20%283%29.jpg "red and black cafe")
%20Images/2008/California%20Road%20Trip/California%20Road%20Trip%202008%20%284%29.jpg "red dragon salad")
%20Images/2008/California%20Road%20Trip/California%20Road%20Trip%202008%20%2821%29.jpg "rawvolution")
%20Images/2008/California%20Road%20Trip/California%20Road%20Trip%202008%20%2812%29.jpg "rawvolution interior")