Green Door = Good

Good day, dear readers! Today will be a Canadian review rather than a Brazilian one, just for kicks. (Aaand also because I haven't been in Brazil all that long but spent my whole life in Canada, so I have a little more experience with Canada's veggie products and services. You get it.) And, for something new, today will be our very first restaurant review! Woo! Are you as excited as I am? I can tell you are. Let's go.

The restaurant in question is Ottawa's The Green Door. Ahhhh Green Door, how I miss thee! It's probably Ottawa's number one veg*n restaurant and rightfully so. They work with a buffet format (like the once-mentioned Commensal), and you pay by the weight of your food (other than the bread and soup, which are flat-rate options). You know, I love buffets (good buffets, that is). You get to pick exactly what you want, in exactly the quantity that you want. So if I want to have three quarters of my plate covered in mashed potatoes (by the way, the Green Door's mashed potatoes are excellent), then I will! Or if I want to mix some broccoli-and-tofu stir fry with lasagna, spanikopita, and avocado salad (again, these are all wicked choices on their daily menu), then I can! You see my point.

The Green Door knows their stuff. They've been in business for more than 20 years, have a devoted clientele, and are pretty much always working with a full house. They have vegan and vegetarian dishes (always clearly marked), organic and soy-based drinks, a great selection of fair trade tea and coffee, offer take-out, and have a catering service as well. I believe they also have some t-shirts for sale and even published a cookbook (which I really wish I had purchased before I moved to Brazil, *sigh*). They also showcase and sell a rotation of local artists' works. Overall they are just a really cool place to hang out and eat and feel at home in downtown Ottawa.

My only real beef (tofu?) with them is that they're a bit pricey. Not ridiculously so, but be prepared to spend about $15 or more if you have a good-sized plate and a drink. Oh, also, they are closed on Mondays. On more than one occasion, Boy and I forgot this and trudged over in the snow, only to be left hungry and (literally) in the cold! Picture our wistful, frost-bitten little faces pressed against the window, staring longingly at the empty buffet trays and unfilled coffee pots. (Cue violins.) Okaaay, so it wasn't that dramatic - shush. But it's a testament to how much I like this restaurant that I wish they were open every day. So if you're ever in the Ottawa area and need a nice, cozy place to get your veggie eat on, head over to the Green Door. You'll be glad you did!

Website: www.thegreendoor.ca