I’ll let you in on a little secret … I turned the fabulous forty this year. For some people, it would be the beginning of having a midlife crisis, but for me it’s been really calming. It’s nice to be comfortable in your own skin and know what you want in life. Hence, to celebrate the milestone birthday, I wanted to do away with bottle service or lavish dinners and focus on wellness instead. I know, how grown up.

Grail Springs Retreat Centre for Well Being fit the bill for a tranquil weekend getaway. It’s a small property that had about 18 guests over the Victoria Day long weekend - hurrah to no lines at check-in or having to hustle to find a chair. Of course, their outdoor “spa” facilities are no where near the calibre of sites Scandinave or Vetta. The miniscule jet less soaker tubs that make up the “water circuit” and warm-up-yourself infrared sauna could resemble ones you’d find at someone’s cottage.

Yet, that’s not why you come to Grail Springs. After experiencing it for the weekend, it’s the fact that there aren’t too many things to do that makes the stay attractive. I didn’t feel like I had to go from place-to-place or task-to-task (apart from the morning breakfast, spa treatment, then yoga timetable). It’s why when speaking to other guests, they choose to go back solo for progressively longer stays. It’s not about the amenities but finding time to relax and unwind. It’s a place where if you go by yourself there are tons of other guests doing the same, so it doesn’t feel weird.

Consequently, if you’re not there for the immersion pool and sauna, what is there to do? I highly recommend the spa treatments. They’re pricey but was one of the better treatments I’ve had at an out-of-town destination. When the weather is nice and the black flies are at bay, the outdoor lake-side property and trails are also a draw. Yet, when all else fails, it’s nice to just sit in their Great Room and read or talk to people. It’s also a great place to BYOB (bring your own board) if you’re into games.

But, onto the food – my focus here at Gastro World. It’s all inclusive and there’s no choice so everyone eats the same meal (with consideration for allergies). Everything is vegan, but delicious thanks to a new chef that has recently joined the team.

Just be mindful that Grail Springs tends to serve a substantial breakfast and lunch, a small snack in the afternoon, and ends with a light dinner. We didn’t realize the progression upon checking in on Friday and proceeding to dinner, it was really scant after hours of driving. It started with a not overly exciting green salad that was nevertheless refreshing and incorporated a tasty maple balsamic dressing that was balanced and not too acidic.

Their dishes are flavourful, the main of soft tempeh crumbles tossed in a lovely spicy mix. It’s simply paired with crunchy grilled garlic broccolini and seems hardly enough when the other sides are a bit of creamy corn “pudding” and a sweet and sour red pepper purée. This could really benefit from some wild rice or even a slice of bread to make the meal more substantial and to soak up the sauces.

A cup of fluffy raspberry dark chocolate mousse finished. It was a tad sour for my taste but did have a nice rich chocolate finish. I scraped every bit of the mousse since I was still so hungry – and they do not give seconds despite what their Google replies indicate. Do yourself a favour and have a hearty lunch or make a pit stop for a pre-dinner snack before checking in.

Grail is also known for their infused water and non-caffeinated teas. Their teas were delicious with the minty cold tea being my favourite, especially when paired with chunks of frozen pineapples that gradually thawed and were a great nibble.

I’m happy to say that they do serve caffeinated beverages during breakfast a wonderful cream of Earl Grey one morning followed by a well steep Classic Breakfast blend the next. There’s also a coffee station each morning for those who need a cup of java.

The breakfasts are hearty as everything comes with a slice of well toasted buttered multi-grain bread. Day one it was paired with creamy overnight oats that had a great fluid consistency and a fresh strawberry and date yoghurt that was more sweet than tangy. Day two the breakfast was less extravagant, a simple plain coconut yoghurt topped with various fruits and nuts.

We had an equally filling lunch on Saturday starting off with a bowl of piping hot silky cauliflower volute, which was spiked with curry oil to add an unexpected element that works well with the rich cauliflower soup. It’s a dish that our entire table loved, chef please do more soups!

After the hearty volute, we were surprised to see the baseball-sized stuffed onigiri that followed. I could have done without the orange added into the chopped kimchi and tofu filling as it was too overpowering. Once mixed with the crunchy sesame oil laced coleslaw and creamy whipped avocado the orange essence mellowed and was better. I love the inventive idea and certainly did not leave lunch hungry.

In fact, I was so stuffed that I didn’t even need the afternoon snack – an “elixir” that tasted like watered down passionfruit juice and a dark chocolate chunk cookie. I had a bite of the cookie anyways and it was surprisingly soft and fluffy for being gluten-free.

Thankfully, I left room for dinner as the broccoli salad was a delicious start, the florets cut into slices so that each was well covered with a creamy chili dressing that seeped into the broccoli’s cervices. I would forego the coconut bacon and spiced sunflower seeds as the dressing was already so savoury and flavourful that adding the other two elements made it too salty. Personally, I found the salad had a Caesar-like taste and would have paired the broccoli with vegan parm and lightly toasted still soft croutons instead.

The lemon garlic roasted tofu was surprisingly tasty and went perfectly with the stewed ratatouille base. I didn’t even mind the olive tapenade, but only used a bit of it as with the ratatouille was well seasoned already. You will not find bland tofu here.

Another dark chocolate element for dessert – a disappointment for someone who does not like chocolate. This was worse, the “brownie” resembling a crumbly and dry truffle ganache that I could only have a couple bites before giving up on. Give me a large scoop of the popcorn ice cream with crumbles any day, the highlight of the dessert.

A few letdowns aside, I was pleasantly surprised by the calibre of the plant-based dishes served at Grail Springs. After reading their Google reviews, I had braced myself for flavourless starchy concoctions that would leave me starving and in need of the protein bars I brought for back-up. Their new chef has certainly elevated their offerings, creating flavourful meals that were vibrantly coloured and plated beautifully. It was a great experience and the weekend left me feeling nourished, both in my stomach and soul.  

Avelo’s 8-course meal ($120) leaves you comfortably full, without sickness, given dishes aren’t overly heavy. Perhaps that’s what I found lacking, the one or two course that simply envelops you in glutinous comfort food. The closest contender was probably the fourth course - a buckwheat gnocchi with fermented porcini sauce – still, the buckwheat gave the gnocchi a nutty fibrous kick and the sauce was more umami than rich. Hardly the sinful plate I was looking for. At least it was flavourful and the chanterelles beautifully sauteed.

The sourdough everything bagel on the bottom of the first course was superb: crusty on the outside and fluffy on the inside. In lieu of cream cheese and lox, Avelo uses kojified carrot and macadamia cheese, which replicates the slight smoky creaminess on the bagel. It’s just an interesting way of starting a tasting menu, maybe Avelo’s version of a bread course?

Having dined at Avelo’s predecessor, Awai, I was praying for the mushroom soup, a heavenly concoction that had even those who detest mushrooms nodding in approval. Sadly, it didn’t make an appearance and the soup featured roasted kabocha squash instead. It’s difficult to make squash soup exciting, something that can so easily be made at home. Avelo tried to enhance its presentation with apple and salsify pieces to decorate the bowl, but they did little to augment the experience as they’re rather similar in texture. The pumpkin dust was a good start, adding a bit of grittiness to the smooth soup, but it really did need something else crispy or chewy (perhaps a puffed tapioca) to balance out all the mushiness.

Interestingly, after a rutabaga is roasted, it gives off a potato-like flavour, except it’s a severely dry spud. The kitchen tried adding mashed cauliflower to create moisture in the dish, but the small dollop was hardly enough. What it really needed was a sauce, something that would add liquid and flavour as the dish was so boring - when you’re serving vegetables flavour is your friend.

Slices of truffle garnished the rutabaga, but its dry texture meant the truffle was wasted. If anything, this prized ingredient would have been better featured with the gnocchi instead.

Their one bite amuse bouche was impressive: a potato galette that’s described as Avelo’s version of cauliflower tots. I’d say it’s more like fried mac ‘n’ cheese except without the pasta. The galette is piping hot and delicious. Still, some of my friends found the horseradish garnish overpowering, adding a sharp tang when the onion base was already good on its own.

Give me another galette in lieu of the celeriac kofta any day. The kofta is just a drier less exciting version of the potato galette. Sure, it was plated prettily with a well roasted parsnip log adorned with flowers but didn’t taste nearly as good.

What does Avelo’s kitchen have against moisture? I can imagine someone at a stove grumbling about never wanting to make a French sauce again. All their dishes are dry and screaming for sauce… like the cranberry bean tempeh with roasted radicchio. The fruity glaze on the tempeh was fine, giving the beany slab an almost Asian sweet and savoury flavour. But then the huge slice of bitter radicchio was such an inappropriate side. If anything, they could have continued with the Asian influences by having the tempeh sit on a bed of soba or slaw, switching out the pickled okra for snow peas for crunch.

After scanning the menu, the dish I most anticipated was the rye berry risotto. Overall, the execution was satisfactory, but the grain could have been cooked longer to allow the exterior to soften; as it stands, its more wild rice than risotto. I did enjoy the mole base (yay, a sauce!) that when mixed with the plain grains gave it a boost of flavours. The crispy crackers were also a nice garnish that contrast textures, and useful for scooping up the rye berry and mole to create a fancy tortilla and salsa.

Avelo presented two different desserts amongst the table and recommended people share with their neighbour. It’s a smart idea to encourage diners to try something different. Initially, I thought the pineapple upside-down cake would be a winner but found the coconut mousse base (not a cake) made the dessert taste more like pineapple pannacotta and lacked the buttery richness I was craving.

While the tonka bean amazake wasn’t my first choice, the hints of cocao nibs gave the gelatin-based dessert an earthy depth. Still, it could be creamier. If Avelo was going to feature two desserts, they should consider making each stand out – two pannacotta-like desserts with different flavours are hardly exciting - I would have much preferred if they switched it up and did a sweet and savoury option. The later being a nut cheese and cracker plate that is also more shareable.  

At least their mignardise was impressive. In lieu of the traditional truffle, Avelo presented their version of a “Ferro Roche”, a silky hazelnut ganache piped into a crispy caramel cone dipped in chocolate. Now this is inventive and fantastic, something the other desserts should aspire to grow into.

Overall, the meal wasn’t bad, it’s just not overly exciting and tastes like a vegan meal – healthy and void of rich elements, which is what you need to counteract course after course of vegetable and grains.

Still, I could probably overlook the blasé food and rate the experience a 6 out of 10 if it weren’t for the service. Maybe we just got someone who was too new that was left on her own. The gentlemen who eventually stepped in to explain the dishes was so passionate and animated that I loved hearing his descriptions of each course… somehow, he made a piece of charred radicchio sound exciting (it’s not). But our main sever just didn’t perform basic things I’d expect from a restaurant:

1) Using proper glassware for wine. When we ordered Prosecco, it wasn’t served with a flute or champagne glass, instead those small 3oz glasses you’d find at a winery tasting. It was a little strange as these hardly bring out the bubbles of the wine, but we used it without complaint.

It was when we switched to a bold red and our server brought another round of these mediocre glasses that my friend stepped in to politely ask if she could bring us the red wine glasses, we clearly saw displayed at the bar instead. Our server’s response, “Oh, I guess you’d prefer something that can let the wine breathe more?” Ding, ding, ding! Yes, and something to allow us to take in the aroma of the wine.

2) Performing basic math to split a bill. I completely understand if a restaurant can’t accommodate bill splitting for large tables, but our group was less than six. Since everyone didn’t partake in the wine equally, we asked if she could split the first bottle amongst the table and the second to the few who drank it.

After making it sound like a HUGE favour, something that could be accommodated this one time as they weren’t busy, the bill was merely split equally in five. C’mon, if it’s dividing by five, I could have done that calculation in three seconds with a phone. After explaining again what we were hoping for (uneven bills given the wine situation), on the second attempt, she simply took both bottles and split it amongst the few.

With this much modern technology and the tasting menu prices being constant, is splitting two bottles of wine differently that difficult? In retrospect, I wish she just said she couldn’t do the math as I could have easily calculated them myself.

To sum the experience up in an equation: boring dry food (6) less lack of basic serving skills (1) = experience at Avelo (5). 

While Toronto restaurants have made great strides with accommodating food allergies, choices are still limited for those who have celiac level allergies to gluten. It’s an added liability or investment that some restaurants don’t want to take on to make to ensure their kitchens and food handling is celiac safe.

Accordingly, it’s admirable that Tabule Middle Eastern Cuisine has not only dedicated their chain to being celiac friendly but also offers a wide range of menu options. In fact, they seem to cater to a host of dietary restrictions including those who are vegan.

Traditionally, the tabule in the sampler platter ($22) wouldn’t be gluten-free due to it’s use of bulgur wheat. As a result, the kitchen substitutes quinoa into the finely chopped parsley, tomato, and onion salad instead, which gives it a finer and more delicate consistency. I love mixing the citrusy tabule with smoky rich babaganoush and sandwiching a spoon of it into the thin and chewy laffa ($3.95 a piece), it’s a great way to start the meal.

In fact, you can make a whole meal from their starters with the host of other mezze options gracing the menu. From the inexpensive assorted pickles ($4.50) made up on turnips, olives, hot peppers, and dill pickles to something warm and comforting like the aaranbeet ($8.95), which is unbattered fried cauliflower that’s tossed with tahini creating a warm nutty bite.

Tabule’s falafel salad ($14.95) continues to impress, the crispy chickpea and fava bean nuggets are deliciously fluffy, moist, and flavourful putting other falafels to shame. I do find the vinaigrette overly acidic (mixing a bit of tahini into it helps) and the dressing could use a hit more salt. If you’re not into super lemony salads, I’d stick with ordering the falafels solo.

The warak enab ($12.95) is also overly citrusy, which is a shame as the stuffed grape leaves are a great consistency – the leaves delicate and soft and the rice not too mushy. If only Tabule tones down the lemon seasoning and augments the tomato, garlic, and other spices instead.

For something filling, go for the eggplant meal ($16.95) where slices of aubergine are fried until soft and topped with tahini and pomegranate creating a salty, sweet, and nutty main. The sauces and juices go equally well when soaked into the mujaddara, a fragrant rice studded with lentils and onions. If things become too oily or heavy, have a bite of grilled vegetables that round out the dish.

Gathering around the table to eat and share is such an important ritual to build connection. Cheers to Tabule for making this possible for so many more people. 

Azhar Kitchen & Bar is one of the many restaurants that forms the Gusto 54 chain, and it is no less inviting and delicious. After attending an event in Ossington, we were peckish and in search for a satisfying dinner before calling it a night. After being turned away from other Ossington establishments, it was Azhar that took us in and welcomed us onto comfortable seats at the bar.

Famished, we opted for shared starters, and I was excited to find zucchini flowers ($15) on the menu. The delicate flora is stuffed with a smooth cheese filling, which the menu describes as feta based but I tasted a faint blue cheese element as well, and deep fried giving the flower petals a light crunchiness, the centre a heat that blends with the creamy cheese, and the stem that zucchini texture and taste. Now these are the kind of flowers I like getting.

The babaganoush ($12) could easily satisfy four people, a huge mound of the roasted eggplant with a tart hit of date and molasses syrup and added crunchiness from a sprinkle of seeds. I appreciate Azhar’s use of vibrant high-quality olive oil that can blend with the eggplant or shine on its own. Either goes so wonderfully with the hot-from-the-oven pita that so soft and chewy. We thought one pita would do but after the first glorious bite, we immediately wanted another. The second arrived in no time and was equally piping hot… like singe your fingertips type of hot.

Being a weekday vegetarian, I appreciate the host of meatless options on Azhar’s menu. Although, I found they are generally a series of dishes (a side, a plant-based protein, etc.) that need to be ordered together, rather than having one dish that works as a complete meal. Accordingly, unless others at the table also want to go meatless it would be too much for one person.

In the end, I thought the Mujadara rice ($21) would be the best bet for a main, albeit a tad heavy for one (there were leftovers to bring home). The fragrant stewed lentils and caramelized combined nicely with the basmati rice studded with raisins and spices to create a flavour-packed dish. Generally, I’m not a fan of fruit with rice, but when combined with the creamy labneh, the raisin’s sweetness helped tone down the yoghurt’s acid. I wish there was the option to add another vegetarian protein to really round out the dish, a handful of roasted mushrooms might be great with the rice.

Service was top notch even sitting at the bar. The bartender was by to make sure we were satisfied and taken care of whenever he had a chance, and despite also having to man the bar was engaging and welcoming. In fact, if I had to describe Azhar with one word it would be ‘welcoming’, from interactions with staff members to the dishes that draw you in for another bite - Azhar would be one big welcome mat.