Fressen

Fressen 478 Queen St West 416 504 5127

The name Fressen is a good joke. ‘Essen’ means eating. Fressen means eating like a glutton. It is a good joke because in reality you dine in great quality and with such pleasure in this vegan restaurant. I hesitate to use the word vegan because I know many of you will turn your head in the other direction. Trust me. This is outstanding food, beautifully prepared and creatively presented. The menu is extensive. We had trouble making a choice. Everything was delicious and the prices are so reasonable.

I have had brunch here on two occasions and each time I promised myself I would return as soon as possible. I love the food. Jana, our server, was so much fun and very informative. We loved hearing the stories about her family. She has worked here for 4 years and loves to dine here working or not.

The place was completely full and I had such fun looking at all the plates being presented. My dining companion is a vegetarian and a fantastic cook. She prefers to dine at home rather than have inferior food in a restaurant. We both agreed that Fressen was totally delicious, obviously healthy and serving superior food.

We started with two types of tasty foccacia. We ate every piece on the plate. My favorite was the sun dried- tomato with olive. I had three pieces and my friend enjoyed the nut bread. Outstanding!

My friend ordered the Creamed Corn Penne. The pasta was perfectly cooked and she adored the creamy sauce made with a white wine and celery root. She found it to be a fantastic choice.

My Moroccan Stew was a work of art and so satisfying to the taste buds. Perfectly cooked sweet potatoes, onions, carrots and chick peas were presented in the most flavorful aromatic tomato sauce. Black rice was presented in a scoop in the middle of the bowl topped with fresh herbs. I don’t know what type of rice was served but it was nutty and flavorful. It was the best I have ever tasted. The serving was very ample and I ate it all.

The Grilled Tofu Kebobs were served to the next table. We stared at it and offered to help the young man if he couldn’t finish it all. Skewered tofu, peppers and mushrooms are served with roasted potatoes and mixed vegetables. I was also tempted with the Grilled Black Bean Setan. Charred black bean wheat steak is served with vegetables and grilled greens.

Would you believe that all entrees are only $14.00? It is the best tasting value anywhere. We then realized that the name Fressen was appropriate. Stuffed would be more like it. This did not stop us. Fressen is noted for their Chocolate Terrine.($10.00). Because this is vegan, no butter could be used. Would you believe that avocado is added to the chocolate? It was creamy, rich, chocolaty and divine. Two triangles were served on a dish garnished with chocolate sauce and strawberry coulis. Fresh fruit garnished the plate. You guessed. We ate it all.

This is an amazing restaurant. The word ’vegan’ does not bring to mind gourmet food. I urge you to try it and your preconceived notions may change. You are in for the biggest surprise. Cold Tapas are offered three for $15.00. Appetizers are $9.00. I suggest you share several dishes to sample the variety of flavors.

What a tasty treat. Brunches are served on weekends and dinner begins at 5:30 p.m.