Hello everyone, I live on the Island (Victoria) and I am new to this board. I just wanted to say hi!!!

Hi fellow BC'ers. I'm from Kamloops where we're suffering from all the "cough" forest fires

Hi Meadow,
I was in Kamloops over this past long weekend, I couldn't believe the smoke in the air. At one point during the weekend we were actually "rained" on with ash!! I sure hope they get them under control soon...

hey meadow and snowshine ! :hi:

Hi everyone,

The air quality here is still pretty bad. There are some mornings I feel like I live in L.A. and would rather stay inside. The McLure/Barriere blaze is now 50 percent contained. It rained last night...so let's hope there's more wet stuff coming!

Just wanted to pop in and tell you guys about this quaint Chinese restaurant in Victoria that is 100% vegan (or so they advertise). It's called Lotus Pond, and although, because they are Buddhist, they don't cook with any onion-type plants (onions, leeks, shallots, etc), the food was really good!

It's on Johnson St. in the Downtown core.

i've eaten there, marmalade! it's pretty good! though i have to say that the "buddhist vegetarian restaurant" in vancouver far surpasses the "lotus pond" in both taste and value. check it out if you're ever across the big water. it's cheaper and the food is amazing!

I'll definitely do that the next time we head to the mainland!

I was just impressed because we just moved to Victoria and where I'm from, there are NO vegan restaurants and only one vegetarian restaurant that substitutes meat for cheese - so there's cheese in everything.

Although their black rice pudding with mango and coconut cream is amazing.

We visited another vegan restaurant today, they had a great coconut pie and the polenta was pretty good too.

Green Cuisine - 560 Johnson St, in the Market Square.

hehheh, i think you've found the only two vegan restaurants in victoria, there, marmalade.

i like green cuisine for their desserts, but have found the majority of their dishes to be rather bland. still, it's nice to have the option when i'm visiting.

I'm really fond of their desserts. I didn't really think of the dishes at Green Cuisine to be bland, but then, I have pretty sensitive taste buds. I like their polenta and their "quiche".

you guys should go to the jamaican jerk house in esquimalt (940D Esquimalt rd) and try their jerk tofu... it's to die for. i eat it all the time. its right at the corner of esquimalt rd and head st.

thanks for the tip, janette! i'll probably be on the island for thanksgiving, i'll try to get there. do they serve other vegetarian things?

hey guys !!
i was just wondering if anyone knew of any veg*n restaruants in vancouver or even better the lower mainland ?
thanks alot !!
Becky

sho nuff i do, *sprout*. vancouver is a part of the lower mainland, though...so i'm not sure what you mean by "in vancouver or even better the lower mainland". my favourites:

1) the best, by far, is the buddhist vegetarian restaurant on pender street, in the heart of vancouver's chinatown. all vegan, and totally delicious chinese food. try the "lemon chicken" and "peking-style chow mein"! it's also REALLY affordable!

2) sweet cherubim on commercial drive is a cafe/deli that serves vegetarian food and some lovely cakes, pies and cookies, much of which is vegan. their pakora and salads, and smoothies, all rock.

3) cafe du soleil/cafe deux soleil - both are located at opposite ends of the commercial drive in the vancouver's east side. they serve mostly vegetarian in a deli-style restaurant. they also serve good local beers, have great smoothies, and i love having their tofu scrambler for a late sunday brunch. their fries also rock.

4) bo kong - located on main street in vancouver, with a second location just outside vancouver in richmond, this is another, higher-end vegetarian (but not all vegan) chinese food restaurant. my favourites include the "vegetarian steak with sizzling black bean sauce", "chef's special rice" and the deep fried cashews.

5) WaaZuuBee's cafe - another restaurant located on commercial drive, it is not specifically vegetarian, but they have many, many delicious vegetarian selections. they also serve liquor, and play funky house music. it's a little expensive for my tastes ($12 for an entree; $8 for an appetizer), but still a good option if you're going to be dining with omnivores.

6) The Naam - on west 4th in trendy kitsilano. this place is always packed! it's got a great selection of organic dishes, all vegetarian. a little on the expensive side but the portions are HUGE. don't be surprised if, when you get there, there is a line-up, though.

there are other places i haven't checked out, too. i like www.vegdining.com as a resource.

wow thanks alot Kreeli !!
btw for some reason i always thought that you lived in florida lol i dont know why !
sho nuff i do, *sprout*. vancouver is a part of the lower mainland, though...so i'm not sure what you mean by "in vancouver or even better the lower mainland".

lol opps i meant the tri-city area !! sorry but what you gave me is totally awesum too !

Hey Medow,
I know you posted like 3 months ago but I just cruised through this thread and saw that you live in Kamloops. That's so cool, I live here too. So where are all the vegetarian restaurants? I think there's one in Kelowna so why don't we get one? I was quite disappointed that our new Kamloops Organic Food Co-op sells organic meat. Yuck.
So i keep doing all my shopping at Nature's Fare. They sell organic meat too but I was hoping our new co-op would take a stand but they didn't so I have no reason to switch to buying there.

Do you remember "The Zone"?

I used to go there alot before it burned down. Seems to me that Nature's Fare is probably the best place to shop for Organic produce...although Overwaitea has really good organic bananas.

I try to support the Kamloops Food Co op because it's local and I know Mendel and Paula and most of the people who run it...but I'm also disappointed by the selection..it's limited. Part of the problem is that they don't have enough support yet and alot of people still think that they have to pay a $20 membership fee to shop there. I haven't paid for a membership yet..but I drop in once in awhile and buy their lettuce and apples.

I hope with time people support it more so that they can offer a better selection.

I did actually buy my membership. I bought it a long time ago before the co-op opened, a few years before it opened. I probably would do some of my shopping there but I'm housebound now and I have my dad "trained" at Nature's Fare. He's used to finding everything where it is and he knows the staff well.
I guess you would know Tyson too. He offered to take my dad on a tour of the co-op so he'll know where everything is there too. But I really like Nature's Fare, I really like Spencer, and I've also heard that the selection isn't very good at the co-op.

I loved the Zone. It was so too bad they didn't rebuild. I used to hang out there all the time. Isn't it funny, we've probably seen each other around town, do you recognize me?

I'm trying to switch to a raw food diet too. Slowly but surely. I don't know if I'll get there 100% but I'll see how far I get. Did you get the hair falling out thing straightened out?

Hi!

I am a vegan from Victoria BC and to me this is the best place in Canada. Anyway to answer some of your questions on Vegan restaurents in Victoria thiere is of course The Green Cuisine, The ReBar, The Lotus Pond and The Mint.

oh, did The ReBar go vegan? last time i was there they were serving a variety of vegetarian dishes (and seafood, too?) and some vegan, but not all. what's the mint like? i've never heard of it!

and, doh! welcome! sorry, i got so excited to read about a new veg' restaurant in victoria that i forgot to say hi. i live over the big water from you, but i do visit victoria occassionally. :) glad to meet you.

oh, did The ReBar go vegan? last time i was there they were serving a variety of vegetarian dishes (and seafood, too?) and some vegan, but not all. what's the mint like? i've never heard of it!

Hey! Thanks for the welcome. Are you veg*n or vegetarian?I guess I should have worded my post alittle better so yes you are right the rebar is veggie with some vegan options. The Mint I have posted a link to it for you below. They aren't strickly vegan, BUT they do have a vegan chef and they serve , veggie, vegan and meat eaters options. There is also a local group called VIVA(Vancouver Island Vegetarians Association) and they hold a monthly vegan potluck at the beginning of each month. I will also post the link below :)

The Mint
http://www.foodcitynetwork.com/Restaurants/Mint/mint_main.htm

The Lotus Pond
http://www.vegdining.com/GetRest.cfm?rk=CAN-BC-VIC-LOTUS

VIVA
http://www.islandveg.com/

I just resenlty went to The Noodle Box in victoria and they also serve Vegan and vegetarian options.

They are located on Fisgard st near China Town

Hi! I am in Surrey BC.
Just checking this place out.

:)