PaiGu

The weather was perfect when I met my friend on the patio of Veg Out, taking over Jambalaya’s spot on Richmond Row¹. After a bit of awkward standing around while the staff (or were they customers? It was hard to tell) shared anecdotes and hugged each other, a server finally acknowledged us and showed us to our seats.

I settled on the Thai Peanut Power Bowl while my friend chose the Pate Sandwich. The sauce in my Thai Peanut Power Bowl was more like a red curry sauce than a peanut sauce. In fact, I don’t think I tasted or saw any hint of peanuts in the bowl. The chickpeas and sweat potatoes gave a nice texture to the sloppy mess, which rested on a bed of quinoa. The dish certainly could have used more kick, the sauce was bland and most of the flavour was from the sweet potatoes. I was disappointed to realize that this restaurant perpetuated the vegan reputation: blandness². Giving them the benefit of the doubt, I thought that perhaps they did not want to put in too much sodium – you know, being health-conscious and all.

On the side, I had ordered a sweet potato cornbread, which turned out to be dry and tough and tasted nothing like sweet potato. I took half of it home in a paper bag, and when I got home, the paper bag was soaked through with oil. So much for the health-conscious defense.

For dessert, we shared a velvet chocolate cake. It was slightly more dry and crumbly than I’d have preferred. It was not too sweet, like the cakes of the “good ol’ days.”

Service was hit and miss. Sometimes the server would check on us twice in ten minutes, other times she wouldn’t come by for a stretch of 30 to 40 minutes. The washroom was small and cramped, but not anymore cramped than the rest of the restaurant. It has a homey feel, and the staff are certainly very welcoming. Unfortunately, I suspect the chef of this restaurant is also a family cook.

Rating:

1. Jambalaya is now at 119 Dundas Street. [↩]
2. Blandness is not something that vegan restaurants have to suffer from. I have had plenty of vegan dishes that were just as flavourful, if not more so, as non-vegan dishes. [↩]

Thai Basil is a bustling Thai eatery on Bloor that’s trying to gain sophistication but is still a student eatery as far as my school mates and I are concerned. It is usually busy, so be prepared to wait half an hour for your food (or longer, depending on how much you’ve ordered). The interior decor reminds me of a modern cafeteria, and the food is unspectacular. The Fried Satay Noodles ($8.95) and the Thai Fried Rice ($7.95) are too oily. The satay chicken skewers ($2.25 per skewer) are too thick, and always over-grilled or under-grilled. The Pad Thai ($8.95) is not sweet enough, and the spring rolls ($3.50) are too bland. The curry chicken is too watery and not enough chicken. What it keeps me coming back is the affordable prices and hearty serving sizes.

Rating:

467 Bloor St. W.
Toronto, ON
(416) 840-9988
Website

The Yonge location of Spring Roll is way too busy at lunch hour, and they don’t have very big tables, so don’t go with more than four people, and be prepared to wait. The menu and interior design tries too hard to be sophisticated and trendy. The selection of spring rolls is not particularly tempting, and for a place named “Spring Rolls,” their spring rolls really aren’t anything to boast about. The “Grilled Marinated Chicken w/ House Mango Salad” appetizer ($8.95) is decent, but overpriced. The “Famous Pad Thai” (shrimp and chicken, $8.95) is only mediocre, and nothing memorable. Service is also disappointing, as we were shoved into a corner and ignored for the most part. Also, they don’t accept debit, so bring cash or credit card.

Rating:

693 Yonge St
Toronto, ON
(416) 972-7655
Website