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| - I haven't set foot in a steakhouse since a friend had a birthday at the Keg Mansion a decade ago. I spent that evening eating greasy garlic toast because they didn't have a single vegetarian entree and all the vegetable side dishes(steamed greens, mashed potatoes) contained beef broth and other masking agents used to hide poor skill with vegetables in the kitchen.
How did I end up at Prime then? The Windsor Arms Hotel, while regal in its appearance, is going undergoing a culinary rejuvenation it would seem. In a stroke of genius, they hired Doug McNish, a celebrated local vegan chef (formerly of Live Organic Food Bar/Raw Aura) to prepare a dedicated vegan dinner, mostly cooked, some raw. This dinner is served throughout the week at Prime, the Arms' steakhouse, of all places and a specially dedicated vegan brunch on the weekend.
I really enjoy fine dining and lament that so many high end North American restaurants still can't be bothered to have a vegetarian or vegan main on their menu. So, when a place like this does just the opposite, I say 'sign me up!'
I thought this would make the perfect weekend brunch to celebrate my one year anniversary with my sweetheart, who loves his vegetables just as much as me.
The Food:
My beau ordered the 'The Works', a dish comprised of bean chilli, tofu scramble, tempeh strips, homefries and toast. A feast fit for a kind and healthy-hearted king.
For me, it was a real nail-biter between the gluten-free buckwheat pancakes and the french toast(thank goodness there weren't waffles in the mix as well). I went with the pancakes and I was not disappointed. They were moist and dense, unlike the eggie Aunt Jemima variety you commonly find in North America, too big, to stack onto one fork. These pancakes reminded me fondly of pannekoeken, thin Dutch pancakes. The colour was dark, partly because of the dark syrup used and partly because of the grains used. The texture was heavenly.
You know when you get that perfect short stack and every bite has 3 layers of pancake and syrup on the fork? That's what this was. My pancakes came with a strawberry-grapefruit compote on the side which accompanied the pancakes really nicely.
The OJ was freshly squeezed but pulpier than I like. Next time I would try one of their juice blends or smoothies. They have an extensive list of offerings. The coffee was exactly what you would want at a posh place like this. It was a pricey cup at $4, but at least it was bottomless and I was offered regular refills. Our brunch total for 2 meals at $15 each, 2 coffees and 1 OJ came to under $50. A bit more than some look to pay at brunch, but not unexpected here.
I noticed all the servers were male, something that unfortunately is pretty common at finer establishments. What's up with that? The feminist in me says, 'Hire some women. You don't need brute strength to pour coffee.'
The moral: A really solid, healthy, high-end breakfast, complete with white-table cloth. Don't want to deal with hipsters and lines out the door? Go here! Especially if you want it to be a date. I will certainly be back with more friends for brunch and will have to try the dinner as well.
Reservations are advised. It was a full house of vegan diners when I was there.
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