It seems that as soon as the sun starts to make even the faintest of inroads into the perpetual cloud cover, people start worrying again about healthy eating. The resolutions that faded away by the end of January come back into sharp – and guilt-ridden – focus. We’re back! We’re running! We’re jumping! We’re eating our greens, see?!
It’s probably worth bearing in mind that incorporating healthy meals into your lifestyle should be more than a seasonal endeavour, and it’s not an either-or scenario. Hmmm, I just ate a platter of ribs with cornbread and drippings…guess that salad will have to wait until spring. If only to allow you to continue eating pork rinds and deep-fried cauliflower for years to come, including some healthier options in the meal plan is a good idea.
Vancouver, fortunately, has a splendid group of establishments that focus on food and drink that does not unduly clog the arteries. Here are a few choice options for nutritiously slaking your thirst and easing those frequent pangs of hunger.
Be warned: “Healthy” doesn’t always mean “vegetarian/vegan” and/or “gluten-free.” There’s more than one plant-based eatery in this city that serves up enough salt and cholesterol to make the city’s cardiac surgeons rub their hands together in glee. With that proviso, here are few places both delicious and nutritious.
Burdock & Co.
Owner and chef Andrea Carlson keeps her meat-friendly and plant-forward menu rotating frequently, but there are always at least a handful of options that will satisfy vegetarians and vegans. Crispy chickpeas and herbs are served with a fermented sunchoke puree, rosemary-smoked potatoes come with a cream that has potato skins as its base, and the “gomae,” here made with kohlrabi and cabbage, will ruin you for the original. burdockandco.com
Chau Veggie Express
The name Maria Huynh should be familiar to anyone who remembers a small, modern Vietnamese eatery on Robson from almost a decade ago called Chau Kitchen and Bar. Huynh was a generation ahead of her time, serving up classic and contemporary takes on staple Vietnamese fare, and using high-quality ingredients to do it. Sadly, Chau Kitchen closed after a year, when Huynh had to focus on urgent family matters.
Six years ago, she came back to doing what she loved and opened Chau Veggie Express, a Vietnamese restaurant that is entirely vegetarian (and mainly vegan). If the idea of Vietnamese food without pork or fish seems odd, don’t worry. Huyn and her mother – a genius cook who ran several eateries of her own – came up with a vegan version of fish sauce, and you’ll never miss the proteins in dishes like the savoury lychee and date broth soup with organic tofu, bean curd, mushrooms, and rice noodles. Even the ice creams – and they’re delicious – are vegan, and free of gluten or any preservatives. chowatchau.ca
Nuba
What started as one underground location on West Hastings has grown into a mini-empire, with four locations around the city and hints of more to come. This popular Lebanese eatery doesn’t compromise on taste one iota with its super-fresh and brightly healthy fare. The farm-to-table approach to the menu means it’s mostly organic and socially conscious as well, like its use of Canadian-grown and GMO-free quinoa, and greens from Strathcona’s Vancouver Food Pedalers. Best of all, it tastes good. The popular baba ghanooj (eggplant puree with citrus and tahini) is not to be missed, but even dishes like the lamb hushwieare a guilt-free indulgence, sautéed with onions, bell peppers, pine nuts and spices. nuba.ca
Indigo Age Café
This small downtown café features vegan and gluten-free dishes with some interesting twists. In addition to the usual bowls, smoothies, salads and burgers, this hippie bastion also serves up Ukrainian fare with some serious cred. The perogies are made with wheat, yes, but are stuffed with mashed potatoes, sauerkraut and cherries, and drizzled with a cashew dressing. Or try the kasha, a hearty serving of buckwheat with mushrooms, miso and onions with a side or Russian vinaigrette salad made with beets, sauerkraut, peas, potatoes and olive oil. Just like Baba used to make, except with a leeetleless butter. They also have a collection of “mylk” shakes and kefirs, as well as kombucha on tap. indigoagecafe.com
The Juice Truck
Juiceries are becoming as ubiquitous as sushi joints or Starbucks locations in Vancouver, but they’re a damn sight better for you. In the growing juice repertoire, cold-pressed is still king, and The Juice Truck was the first producer and purveyor of zingers like the pineapple-cucumber-kale-mint concoction that sells under the moniker of “The Remedy.” Even better, the trucks have now been complemented with bricks-and-mortar locations that not only serve up the juices and smoothies, but also plant-based bowls and bars, like the kale Caesar with smoky maple tempeh and chipotle coconut “bacon,” or the peanut butter fudge bar. thejuicetruck.ca
More places to bulk up on the good stuff
Tractor Everyday Healthy Foods
With several locations around town, this popular “fast-casual” chain offers healthy soups, salads and mains that won’t break the calorie budget or your wallet. tractorfoods.com
Field and Social
Salads are the focus at this busy and bright spot on Dunsmuir. Everything from greens to chutney-marinated chick peas and orzo with chicken breast is yours to savour.
fieldandsocial.com
Zend Conscious Lounge
This has to be the feel-good vegan restaurant of the decade. Not only is everything plant-based and 100 per cent organic, but the alcohol-free cocktails (all based on the house elixir made from the kava kava plant) are girls’ night-worthy. Plus, all profits are donated to charity. zendlounge.com
Gorilla Food
It’s been a few years since this popular raw-vegan eatery closed its doors, but the news that it recently re-opened in a new location on East Hastings had a good portion of the city’s taste buds watering. gorillafood.com
Farmer’s Apprentice
Chef and owner David Gunawan’s testament to minimalist locavore cuisine is one of the city’s best places to indulge with excess in plant-forward food paired with an excellent selection from the list of naturalist wines. farmersapprentice.ca
• Anya Levykh is a food, drink and travel writer who covers all things ingestible. Find her on Twitter and Instagram @foodgirlfriday.
