Vegan coming to Edmonton

I'm a longtime vegan who lived in Edmonton up until January of 2011... slim options in/around the mall but these are my recommendations:

In the mall:

Cafe Levi on Europa Boulevard is a little kiosk that has some good hummus, pita, and other Israeli vegan offerings. Not all vegan, but a few substantial not-a-salad kind of items.

Harvey's is fast food in one of the food courts, and they have a decent veggie burger that is vegan, including the bun. You get to customize your own toppings, so there won't be any confusion with the "no mayo" thing.

Tokyo Express sushi is... fast food sushi at yet another food court within the mall. I find that any avocado maki is decent, and cheap too.

Boston Pizza, sit down restaurant on Bourbon Street in the mall has vegan pizza crust and sauce, so you can build your own yummy veggie pizza with no cheese. Decent.

Close to the mall:

A couple Indian restaurants stand out that are really close to the mall-

New Asian Village, on 100 ave and 171 or so St - They have a buffet at lunch and dinner, and I've always had good luck with asking someone to point out what's vegan on the buffet. They seem knowledgeable every time I've been in, and there has always been at least a few delicious things to eat.

Daawat, in Mayfield Common - same as New Asian Village, slightly more vegan friendly and less use of ghee, but a little less tasty, but that's just my opinion. Both are good options.

La Shish Taouk in Mayfield Common has some wicked falafel, it's a casual eatery where you can sit in a decent atmosphere or do takeout. Good sides too.

In general:

There are a few chain fast foodish restaurants where you can get decent vegan food if you're stuck with coworkers - Extreme Pita, Opa! (greek food), TacoTime, Taco Del Mar, Mucho Burrito....

And, of course, if you have the luxury of time and cab money, visit Padmanadi in Chinatown. Amazing food, staff, everything. I've rarely eaten so much that it's uncomfortable, but I have on many an occasion there. :) Also, Remedy Cafe by the university, great coffee and South Indian vegan food. They even have vegan cheesecake! But these are a bit of a drive from the monolithic Mall. If you're stuck at West Edmonton Mall, you have to make do, but there are options.

Good luck!!

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Taco Del Mar
420 2 St SW, Calgary, AB , CA

Mucho Burrito
11658 Sarcee Trail NW #104, Calgary, AB T3R 0A1, CA

Padmanadi
10740 101 St NW, Edmonton, AB T5H 2S3, CA

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Nourish Bistro?

Stellar. You should go! It's vegetarian, but most dishes can be modified to be vegan or gluten free, and everything is clearly labelled on the menu. The atmosphere is fun and homey, and you need to get the nachos. Everything on there but the kitchen sink, and so so good. I'm not kidding! There were pickles, strawberries and quinoa on there, among other things, the time I went. It all worked!

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Asafoetida/Hing in YYC?

Thanks, Scary Bill! I'm vegan, but I passed on the info to my bf who is definitely a carnivore, and he is making a trip on Wednesday to check out the bison. I forsee a few bison on the grill soon, especially since it's been nice out :)

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Asafoetida/Hing in YYC?

Thanks for all the advice!! I'm going to check out all those places, I love exploring new groceries!!

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Asafoetida/Hing in YYC?

I've searched the prairie board, but no notes on where to buy powdered hing in Calgary - I'm new to the city but I've explored a couple little grocers and no luck so far.

Anyone know of a good Indian spice market/grocer that stocks hing?

Thanks!

SeitansMinion in Prairie Provinces

Heading Up To Jasper

Went to Jasper for two nights on the May long weekend, and had fantastic food. My boyfriend is an omnivore and I am vegan, but we both had great meals.

Evil Dave's was the first night, and the atmosphere was warm and casually sophisticated, if that makes sense at all. The service was friendly, attentive, and knowledgeable without being intrusive, and provided a seamless experience. My boyfriend had the halibut on the server's recommendation, and raved about it. I had the coconut curry vegetables over rice noodles, and the dish was simple and well-seasoned, a perfect balance of sweet and spicy. Overall we had a perfect evening, sharing a half-litre of the house "Evil" red, and lingering over our meals.

We had wanted to try Andy's Bistro the second night as everyone had recommended it, but we arrived a little after the 9pm closing time, and the server directed us to Fiddle River. I had my doubts walking in as the decor is a little dated, more "old Jasper" with lacquered wood and mountain artifacts adorning the walls. The service was spotty and slow, but it could have just been an off night. The food made up for our concerns about the service as soon as it arrived - the omnivore boyfriend had the beef tenderloin special, wrapped in bacon and in a lobster cream sauce. (For the record, even disregarding my long-term veganism, I thought this sounded like an odd combination!) Apparently the combination worked, as the plate was met with bite after bite followed with exclamations of approval. The kitchen made me lentil-stuffed peppers over rice, a tomatoey dish with lots of French herbs. Excellent.

For breakfast, Coco's Cafe was our favourite - I could eat tofu scramble and the omnivore could indulge his egg and French Toast breakfast cravings. We also consumed way too many cups of the Oso Negro coffee, roasted in Nelson, BC. The cafe has counter service, limited seating, and a decidedly hippie vibe, but as we sat and relaxed, we watched a steady stream of people from all walks and occupations coming in for a quick bite or takeout. Always a good sign.

Overall, Jasper is more expensive than an average weekend of eating in Edmonton, but that's what is to be expected in the national parks. I was surprised that both of us could eat so well with our different diets - my boyfriend actually commented that I ate "real food" all weekend, as usually it's a salad for me if he has a meat meal. I was impressed with the way the servers seemed to be better-informed and aquainted with food restrictions and allergies, and general menu knowledge.

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Looking for Harissa - Edmonton

For those south-siders, I just bought a can of "harissa sauce" at the SS Italian Centre Shop on 51 Ave and 104A St. It is Cedar brand, a yellow can, and I found it with pickled peppers, etc on the bottom shelf of the aisle that faces the deli. On the side closer to the freezers. It was $2.98.

Haven't tried it though!

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Kai Edmonton

Interesting... I would like to try Kai for dinner sometime as my first time there was later-night drinks. My partner and I got hungry and ordered edamame, calamari, and sweet potato fries as the bartender had assured us the kitchen was still open, albeit with a limited menu. I had ordered the edamame and my partner the other two dishes, the fries as an afterthought, so when the dishes arrived I asked the server if the sweet potato fries were breaded (I have celiac disease). She cocked her head at me and laughed, saying "Oh, I don't know"! in a pretty little voice as she walked away. Not to demean servers, I served as a career for 11 years, but as a GOOD server I would have said, "I'm not sure, I will check for you." And done just that. She never reappeared, so I did not try the fries.

The food, though - the edamame was completely unsalted. No salt. Bland beans. According to my partner, the calamari was subpar, and the fries were atrocious, limp and mushy. He held one up and it sagged pathetically before my eyes.

So - if a restaurant is serving good food at dinner but going to a half-arsed and poorly cooked menu for the late-night crowd, why bother? I would rather not have the option of ordering food rather than expecting a dish on par with their regular menu. I have heard good things from friends who have eaten there at the dinner hour, but if I had to base my assumptions on the late-night fare, I would only go for drinks.

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Restaurant Gift Certificates from Costco

I wouldn't say that they thought I was stupid, necessarily... the couple that owns the place are really nice and I'm sure the price difference was just a regrettable decision on their part that I'm sure has turned more than one person off. I had no interest in making a scene because we had received the certificate as a Christmas gift and were using it for a romantic in-town staycation. I didn't want the price difference to start our lovely night off badly, sometimes money isn't worth it.

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