Vegetarian Toronto
Vegetarianism is a millennia-old tradition in India with deep roots in the south. Little India's Udupi Palace (1460 Gerrard St. E., 416-405-8189) offers a good introduction to this ancient cuisine. The house specialty is dosa, a thin, crisp pancake made from ground rice and a legume called urad dal. They come stuffed with a variety of fillings and there's coconut chutney and tangy lentil soup for dipping. Their mango lassi (yogurt shake) is dynamite, but it's a meal in itself.
A good friend and flexitarian lives in the Annex, and on Hockey Night In Canada we often get takeout from Mt. Everest (469 Bloor St. W., 416-964-8849, www.mteverestrestaurant.ca). It's not a vegetarian restaurant, but their Nepali and Indian vegetable dishes are promoted front and centre. Our favourites include tandoori vegetables, baigan bharata (spicy mashed eggplant) and jhane ko daal (Nepali-spiced lentils). Instead of naan, try their flaky whole-wheat paratha.
Closer to home (Leslieville), my takeout standby is Simon's Wok (797 Gerrard St. E., 416-778-9846), a family run joint specializing in the vegetarian cuisine of China. After sampling much of the menu, my girlfriend and I have settled on three favourites: a casserole of tofu and silky eggplant in black bean sauce, fried rice zinged with fistfuls of fresh ginger and vegetarian deluxe, a beguiling stir-fry of veggies, exotic dried fungi and moss and cashews.
In Kensington Market, King's Cafe (192 Augusta Ave., 416-591-1340, www.kingscafe.com) is a great spot for a leisurely plant-based lunch. The Pan Asian menu is a bit ambitious in scope, but their signature fried tofu and nori on a bed of baby bok choy is one of the city's best vegetarian dishes. The crisp seaweed contrasted by the soft tofu is reminiscent of pan-fried fish.
Over to the Middle East via Hillcrest, Mezzetta (681 St. Clair Ave. W., 416-658-5687, www.mezzettarestaurant.com) has a treasure trove of vegetarian dishes on their small plates menu. Highlights include Moroccan carrot salad, deep-fried green beans spiced with garlic, chili and dill, and Sultan's stew, a ratatouille-like concoction perfumed with cinnamon. They also make an irresistible baklava.
Finally, I couldn't write a vegetarian column without mentioning my favourite meat-free sandwich. On Queen West, Ghandi Cuisine (554 Queen St. W., 416-504-8155) makes some of the tastiest roti in town. Rolled and cooked to order, these West Indian burritos require two hands, a hearty appetite and a stack of napkins. My vegetarian filling of choice is malai kofta, fried balls of potato and paneer cheese in a thick, creamy curry sauce.
For a more thorough list of Toronto veg options, visit www.veg.ca, the website of the Toronto Vegetarian Association.
