V A N C O U V E R · F I R S T I S S U E
The Curious
Keeping tabs on Vancouver’s plant-based food and culture
Hey {{first_name | there}},
Welcome back 👋🌱 This issue’s got genuinely big news for Vancouver’s vegan scene, a new cuisine I'd never tasted before, two baby goats, and a whole lot more.
Let's get into it.👇👀👇
I N T H I S I S S U E (TL;DR)
🔥 Just 4 seats left at our World Vegan Day dinner
🥐 To Live For’s second location opening soon
🍣 Cofu is transforming its former Granville Island location
🫓 I tried Maharashtrian food for the first time
🐐 Baby goats at The Happy Herd and much more!
🥡 Members only: Buy 2 dishes, get 1 free at Sun Bo Kong
L A S T C A L L
Just 4 seats left for our World Vegan Day dinner! 🎉
Chef Scott's North African and Middle Eastern-inspired spread.
We invited Plant Curious members to our second-ever dinner with Chef Scott Hardy, and it sold out in two hours. Scott suggested adding a second seating, so we opened up another full 24 seats at 7:30 PM.
And as I'm writing this, there are just 4 seats left. And honestly, the menu has me drooling.
By the time you're reading this, those last four seats might already be gone, but it's worth checking!
B I G N E W S
To Live For is opening a second location! 🥐
Erin and co-owner Darren in the new space, mid build-out.
Okay, I genuinely did not see this coming.
Ever since Erin opened To Live For’s first location, she's been pretty clear that she did not want a second location.
So when I heard they were opening another one, I was shocked. Happy, but shocked.
As it turns out, the stars aligned, and the story of how it happened is pretty cool.
Vancity is opening a new branch near Science World, and rather than bringing in a big chain like Tim Hortons, they wanted To Live For!
Erin has banked with Vancity for years, and according to what she shared on Instagram, they're helping with the build-out and offering favourable rent to make it happen.
A local credit union going out of its way to support a local business. I love that.
The new To Live For will be a kiosk in Mount Pleasant, just a short drive from the original, with fresh pastries delivered throughout the day.
A second location is a HUGE win for Vancouver.
And if you live near Science World, I'm jealous. 😂
R U M O U R H A S I T 👀
Something new is coming to Cofu's original location
After five years of serving some of Vancouver's most beautiful plant-based sushi, Cofu’s original location on Granville Island closed it’s doors at the end of September, moving some of its sushi menu over to Cofu Chinatown.
But here's where things get interesting... The original space isn't going anywhere. It's becoming something new!
Last week, Cofu shared photos of the space being renovated, with two words on the wall: “Coming Soon.”
They haven't revealed what the new concept will be, but knowing owner and chef Akiko's track record with plant-based food, I'm VERY curious to see what she's cooking up. I think we all have our fingers crossed that it will be vegan too.
N E W O P E N I N G
Indish the food truck just opened its first restaurant!
If you've ever tried the Indish food truck around Vancouver or at The Vegan Night Markets, here's some good news: they've just opened their first brick-and-mortar location downtown!
They're open Monday to Friday, 10 AM to 4 PM, so it's very much a downtown weekday lunch kind of place.
My girlfriend and I recently stopped by and tried two dishes.
The signature rice bowl, loaded with veggies and their vegan korma sauce.
And the paratha wrap, made with two layers of flaky Indian flatbread, crispy on the outside and soft on the inside, stuffed with your choice of curry, sauce, and protein. We went with the vegan butter chicken sauce and vegan kebab.
Both were really, really good, but their korma sauce was the standout for me.
W H A T‘S O N O U R P L A T E
I tried Maharashtrian food for the first time… and I'm in.
One of my favourite things about exploring new restaurants is discovering dishes I didn't even know existed.
And that's exactly why I loved trying Vadapav Mirchi by Geeta, a new 100% vegetarian restaurant bringing Maharashtrian food to Cambie Street.
I'd never tried this cuisine before, so I had no idea what to expect.
We ordered five dishes, but three of them made me want to come back immediately.
Puran Poli: My favourite of the bunch. A soft flatbread stuffed with sweet lentils (yes, SWEET lentils), served with a spicy and tangy dip made from the broth the lentils were cooked in. The combination was epic.
🥔 Sabudana Vada: Crispy, golden-fried tapioca and potato patties with a coconut-peanut dip. Crunchy on the outside, soft and chewy inside. A little spicy, too!
🌿 Oli Bhel: The perfect starter dish. A tangy, crunchy mix of puffed rice, sev, onions, cilantro, and chutneys.
And here's the best part for plant-based eaters: 40+ dishes are vegan or can be made vegan.
W O R T H N O T I N G 👀
|
🍽️ Folke gets Michelin recognition for the fourth year!
Still the only fully vegan restaurant in Vancouver on the Michelin Guide. Well deserved, Colin, Priscilla, and the whole Folke team! 👏
|
|
🐐 Two baby goats just arrived at The Happy Herd!
Mama goat Poppy gave birth to two kids on October 22nd at one of my favourite places on earth. Both are doing great. Support the sanctuary: donate here.
|
|
👩🍳 AM Café is hiring!
Our friends at AM Café are looking for kitchen staff. If you want to work in a vegan kitchen, this could be your shot. Send them a DM.
|
M E M B E R S O N L Y 🌱
NEW PLANT CURIOUS DEAL
Buy 2 Dishes, Get 1 FREE at Sun Bo Kong!
This might be the best deal we've ever launched at Sun Bo Kong. I went last Saturday to use the new deal myself!
Live now, all Plant Curious Members can Buy Any Two Dishes And Get A Third FREE from select sections of their menu.
There are over 40 dishes to choose from, with up to $22 in savings!
Click here to see all Vancouver Deals.
$175+ in savings live right now on Plant Curious
Let me know what you thought of this issue! 👇
That's it!
Vote in the poll above ⬆️ and let me know if you liked reading. After voting you can leave additional feedback if you like. I’ll read every response.
Thanks for reading all the way to the bottom 🙌 You rock.
Stay curious 🌱
Jordan · Plant Curious
🌱