Breakfast for Lunch: French Toast at Friends and Neighbours

I had brunch at Friends and Neighbours (10834 82 Avenue) last week, and was in the mood for something sweet, so French Toast was the order of the day. Three thick slices of French bread was slathered in a rich egg batter that was literally overflowing off of the sides of the bread. I added a couple of eggs and veggie bacon to make it a full meal.

Breakfast for Lunch: Tofu Scramble at Cafe Mosaics

Although I have reviewed this dish before, Cafe Mosaics has undergone a physical renovation and so has its menu. The tofu scramble is still loaded with vegetables and comes with the same delicious roasted potatoes as before, but now also comes with veggie candied bacon and toast with avocado spread on it. I was not as much of a fan of the candied bacon as I thought I would be - it was at once sweet and savoury but lacked the bacon flavour of other veggie bacons I have had. Still, this is a colourful, flavourful dish that has always been my go-to meal at Mosaics. I don't see that changing.

Vegging Out: Diner's Veggie at Friends and Neighbours

A late lunch on Saturday led me at Friends and Neighbours (10834 82 Avenue). I was really hungry and opted for the Diner's Veggie, which at $13.95 is one of the most expensive items on the menu. The crispy, grilled pita was packed with onions, bell peppers, tomatoes, avocado, and crispy soy bacon - definitely the star of the dish. I thought that the vegetables would have been sauteed, other than the avocado, of course. Otherwise, it was basically salad in a pita. The sour cream and salsa to the side made for some good dipping of the accompanying potatoes, as well as the pita itself, which also had vegetable spread on it. The flavours worked well together and the dish was filling.

Vegging Out: Vegetarian Triple Decker at Friends and Neighbours

I am starting to make Friends and Neighbours (10834 82 Avenue) a regular habit. Last week I tried the vegetarian club sandwich, which is a huge trip decker stacked with soy bacon, grilled tofu, lettuce, tomatoes, with roasted red pepper spread on toast. There appeared to be margarine on the bread as well - I am not sure if this can be held, as I know the buns and bagels are pre-margarined. The sandwich is too big to fit into most people's mouths. The soy bacon really steals the show, while the tofu was rather bland. I chose the house made has browns as my side. This is a very heart sandwich, but I prefer the veggie sandwich I had there on my previous visit, with just soy bacon, avocado, and spinach on a bagel.

Vegging Out: Veggie Sandwich at Friends and Neighbours

I returned to Friends and Neighbours Cafe (10834 82 Avenue) yesterday for another late lunch. This time I tried the veggie sandwich, which included a load of soy bacon, spinach, avocado, and tomatoes with red pepper spread on a toasted whole wheat bagel. The sandwich was not exactly as described: the menu said there was also grilled tofu, and made no mention of the red pepper spread, but the soy bacon was plentiful and the spread worked overall to bring the flavours together. For my side I picked the hash browns, which are really more like home fries. A note to vegans: the bagels and buns used for sandwiches at Friends and Neighbours are pre-buttered (margarine, actually). However, I could not taste it and would not have known about it at all had I not asked. Still, this may be an issue for some of you, so I thought I should mention it.

Breakfast for Lunch: Tofu Scramble with Soya Bacon at Friends and Neighbours

I went to Friends and Neighbours (10834 82 Avenue) a long, long time ago, and recently started dining there regularly for pho (the restaurant is divided into two sections: pho/Vietnamese and Western, although one can order from either menu on either side). However, I decided to venture into the regular menu, which features a huge variety of vegetarian items. For a late lunch last week I had the tofu scramble with soya bacon. The tofu was chopped up to give a texture like scrambled eggs, with lots of white onion. The "bacon" was plentiful, crispy, and seasoned. It did not taste as much like bacon as other bacon substitutes I have tried, but it had a great flavour and is somewhat addictive. My only criticism would be that the onions in the scramble should have been cooked longer, as they were still very strong. I would possibly ask them to hold the onions next time. The meal was also served with a generous portion of pan-friend hash browns and two slices of toast.

Vegan BLT Wrap From Sailin' On

Vegan BLT wrap from Sailin' On, a photo by raise my voice on Flickr.

How appropriate for a vegan food truck to be providing nourishment at a rally concerning food security. Sailin' On had its last day of service for the season at the World Food Day march and rally, serving up a variety of sandwiches, wraps, and fries to the hungry crowd. This was my first time ordering food from the truck. My BLT wrap was fresh and delicious, filled with lettuce, tomato, carrots, and a generous portion of "bacon" made from coconut! It was salty and tasted very much like the real thing, albeit with a coconut undercurrent. The garlic vegan mayo held everything together flavour-wise without being overly dominating. I hope I have more chances to experience Sailin' On when it sails back into service next year.

Breakfast for Lunch: Blueberry Comfort

Blueberry pancakes and turkey bacon #yegfood, a photo by raise my voice on Flickr.

Nothing feels more like comfort food after being sick for a while, than blueberry pancakes. The ones at iHop (3921 Calgary Trail) are very moist and covered in blueberry compote. I opted for turkey bacon instead of the piggy meat that usually accompanies. It was just the right amount of food, and worth the substitution costs (for the turkey bacon as well as having blueberry pancakes instead of plain buttermilk).