Grain Vegetarian Fare – The workshop vegetarian

Grain Vegetarian Fare is a Japanese inspired vegetarian restaurant located across from Kootney loop bus station near Boundary road. It’s an extension of The workshop vegetarian in North Vancouver.

I’ve actually been wanting to come to Grain Vegetarian Fare ever since it opened but haven’t had the opportunity to pop by until now because they stop serving food at 6pm.

At first glance, it may look like your typical cafe but they actually have lots in store for you to purchase and look at on the inside in addition to their food menu.

Grain Vegetarian menu

Their menu is simple, a few noodle items, cafe drinks and pastries. I liked this concept because it meant that there was something for everyone whether they wanted a drink, snack of something more substantial.

Pastry options

Their pastry case was unlike any other I’ve seen before because there was so much selection. There were muffins, cookies, croissants, mochi cakes, krispy treats and so much more! Some of these items were vegan and/or gluten-free as well which makes it very easy for any consumer to enjoy.

As if they didn’t have enough food options, they also have a cold area with onigiri, puddings, sandwiches, and salads to choose from if you need something on the go.

Since Grayson and I were going to dine-in, we decided to both order a hot food item to enjoy. While we were waiting for our order, we decided to hydrate at their water station and was surprised to find that they had charcoal sticks in their water! We’ve only seen fruit water before so this was cool to try out. It didn’t taste like anything so we’re not sure how much charcoal was actually infused into the water but it was nice to try.

Kansai udon

★★★★

Grayson decided to get their kansai udon dish which was served in a light broth and topped with puffed tofu. He decided to add an egg to it to up the protein count. Unlike the udon you’re probably used to, kansai style udon is flatter and thinner which makes them easier to eat. The tofu puffs absorbed some of the broth like sponges which made them packed full of flavor. Although the eggs weren’t seasoned, they were cooked and cut so beautifully that we thought that they looked fake! With so many amazing things put together, how could you not enjoy it?

Butternut tomato ginger soup

★★★★

I opted to go for their soup of the day which was a butternut tomato ginger soup. It was super creamy and the tomato was surprisingly nice because it added some acidity. The soup had the perfect kick of warm ginger to tie everything together and make it feel all the more cozy to drink. I’ll be replicating this at home when I can…or at least I’ll be attempting to…