For some reason, my trip to Auckland included a 10 hour layover in Vancouver. I wasn’t complaining though because this meant going downtown to find some yummy vegan food and having lunch with a friend. As a bonus, it was nice to get in some walking before my 14 hour flight to Auckland.
I met my friend for lunch at Greens and Gourmet, a vegetarian pay by weight on Broadway. The inside was a lot larger than i was expecting but still felt warm and welcoming, like you could stay and chat long after you’re finished eating and no one would mind. There was a large selection of cold salads and hot dishes and a make your own salad bar. Most of the items were vegan and everything was clearly labeled. There were a lot of tofu and seitan dishes which is great because it can be hard to get a decent amount of protein when eating out. Everything I tried was great and the miso tofu and samosa were particularly yummy. I found the cost to be quite cheap – cheaper than the pay by weights that I’m used to in Ottawa. They also have a student discount.
After lunch I walked down to a vegan bakery a few blocks away called Edible Flour. They have an amazing selection including some gluten free options. Everything looked absolutely amazing – fancy cupcakes, cinnamon buns, cake donuts and cookie sandwiches. The cinnamon bun was probably the best I’ve had. My friend had the chocolate brownie cookie and said that it convinced her that vegan baking can be as good as its egg and dairy laden counter parts (she’s had a few vegan baking disasters). I also had a chocolate caramel cupcake to go which I ate later at the airport, to the envy of all those around me, and it was delicious.
And, because you can’t really go to Vancouver without getting sushi, I got some sushi takeout to bring back to the airport for dinner. I found this great Japanese place called Shizenya that uses a lot of organic ingredients and brown rice. I’m sure it’s way more expensive than most sushi places but I think it’s worth it for brown rice and rolls that are packed with veggies.
