"2017-12-01T00:00:00"^^ . "0"^^ . . . "0"^^ . "4"^^ . "I dropped by around 1 PM on a Friday and the restaurant was half full. They had about 4 tables, a couch, and window seating. Menus for dining in were already on the table. I ordered their smoked gouda mac and cheese with bacon bits as a topping. Vegan cheese is something I always had trouble with and I'm always on the hunt for the best vegan cheese. \n\nA large bowl of warm brown rice pasta coated in a yellow sauce arrived in front of my after about 8 mins. The bacon bits reminded me of the artificial bacon bits you'd get in caesar salads. On first bite, I was disappointed since it didn't taste like real cheese. The bacon bits weren't as smoky as I'd like them to be and I noticed they were a bit too sweet for my liking. They did add a nice meaty texture to the dish. After the 3rd bite however, the meal started to warm up on me. I started liking it - not because it finally tasted like mac and cheese but I started to like it for what it was: vegan mac and cheese.\n\nMy server told me that they use a blend of daiya cheeses. As a person that never really enjoyed daiya cheese, I think it's fair to say that the lack of real cheese flavor is not their fault. Maybe someday a vegan scientist can finally create vegan cheese that tastes exactly like dairy cheese. I think this restaurant did a great job though - they have something unique and although it's not a perfect replacement for non-vegan food, it sure does come close. I even think they did a great job of making Daiya cheese taste way better since it's not really the best when it comes to cheese. My craving for mac and cheese was satisfied and I took half of the serving home. I also ordered a chocolate cupcake with French Toast icing. The cupcake was moist and not too dense. Not bad for a vegan, gluten free cupcake. \n\nIt was a bit pricey. My total bill came to $25 before tip. But I'm not surprised considering how pricey certain vegan and gluten free ingredients can get. Plus, being able to create comforting vegan dishes like mac and cheese and burgers takes a lot of creativity so they deserve the support. The dishes weren't small, although they might look that way but when you eat slowly, all that fibre gets to you and you're full. Save the rest for take out.\n\nOverall I enjoyed my time at VegeBitez. It is a fantastic addition to Halton Region's vegan cuisine and I'm sure I'll come back for times when I'm craving something meaty."^^ . "2"^^ . .