Fresh

Annabelle Goodman —
 

My sister and I were so excited to see our nephew. He is a doctoral candidate at McGill. He is leaving in a few days for Peru to do some more research. We adore his company and wanted to see him for a send off lunch. It was also New Year’s Eve day and nobody wanted to eat copious quantities of food. Our nephew is a vegetarian so we also considered that fact. Fresh was decided as the perfect meeting place. When in Toronto he loves to dine at this restaurant. I am always happy to dine on that fresh, healthy delicious food.
 

362 Bloor St W – 416 599 4442

 
My sister enjoyed the Falafel Tacos. What an interesting combination! What a healthy portion! What a delicious inexpensive lunch! The guest of honor opted for the Dragon Bowl. Grilled tomato, zucchini and tofu steaks with sunflower sprouts, toasted nut & seed mix, tomato, red onion and spicy tamarind sauce made for a filling tasty creation.
 
I don’t even look at a menu. I love their homemade Soups. There were two available on this day. A large bowl was brimming with a spicy tasty broth packed with grated carrots, cabbage and other vegetables. I couldn’t half finish it because I was so full. The Deep Fried Cubes of Tofu are a must. They melt in your mouth and make for a great appetizer with drinks.
 
I love this restaurant because it has so many choices. Everything is so fresh (hence the name) The Salads are filled with many healthy tasty items. How about a Soup, Salad & Cornbread Combo. The cornbread is grilled. A cup or bowl of soup and a green salad would delight anybody. The Tangled Thai is prepared with shredded carrots, yellow beets, jicama, napa cabbage, chopped peanuts, cilantro, cucumber, and all enhanced with a salad topper and peanut lime dressing.
 
Craving a Burger? The high protein, house made vegan burger patties are served on a whole wheat bun with a side of kale slaw. The Mushroom Onion Burger is my favorite. The Thai Burger is topped with Thai peanut sauce, tomato, lettuce, green onions, bean sprouts and cilantro. You can even order your burger on a bed of lettuce if you prefer to forgo the bun.
 
Many of the guests were enjoying a Wrap on this pre New Years lunch. They are very large and filled with scrumptious ingredients. Grilled Vegetable and Pesto Burrito is packed with grilled red pepper, zucchini & sweet potato with pesto, house mayo, lettuce, cucumber, red onion and alfalfa sprouts.
 
I don’t know how the restaurant does it. The menu is many pages. The line ups are constant. The service is always so friendly and most efficient. I asked the lovely Lindsey if she received special training. She had such a lovely smile and was very patient with our indecisions. The food arrived very promptly. What a well run restaurant. Bottles of water are placed on each table and constantly replenished.
 
The desserts are worth checking out. Daily hand crafted decadent vegan desserts are available they are baked especially for Fresh and are nut free and many gluten free items are available.
 
Several pages are just dedicated to drinks. Power Shakes. Vegetable Juices, Frappes, Smoothies and Elixirs are all great to help the immune system. I still prefer my glass of Wine and a Macchiato. Wine and a variety of tea and coffee are always available.
 
Fresh is also located at 894 Queen St at Crawford and 147 Spadina Ave at Richmond. Call ahead for a quick pick up. The Fresh Cookbook makes a great gift. Weekend Brunches are served Saturday, Sunday and holidays from 10:30 – 3:00pm.