FEAST Restaurant Review + A Love Letter to My Favourite Gypsy

Restaurant Review, Toronto

In the hustle and bustle of prepping for my trip to Bald Head Island, I had the bittersweet experience of saying a temporary goodbye to Saar, who has just departed on another stretch of world travelling. She has had a pretty huge impact on my life in the two years that I’ve known her, and even though she just left, I already can’t wait for our next reunion. Who knows where it will be… Bali, Thailand… I’m sure it will be one of her favourite places somewhere in this beautiful world, and she can give me the grand tour!

Ever since Saar included it in her ‘5 Musts for August‘ post I’ve been dying to try out FEAST (Fabulous Eats for the Allergic and Sensitive Types). This being our last get-together for the next little while, it seemed only appropriate that we pop in. We took a lovely stroll down Crawford, through Trinity Bellwoods Park, to West Queen West, where you’ll find Feast.

FEAST: Fabulous Eats for the Allergic and Sensitive Types

"'Best pastry I have ever had gluten-free or otherwise. Thank you for existing.' Savoury pocket pies, vegan donuts, come in and taste what everyone is talking about."

When you first walk in, you’ll notice that Feast is more like a specialty grocery store than a sit down eatery. Along one wall are shelves stocked with chocolates, oils, and other tasty-looking goodies, all blessedly free of common allergens. There are a few bar stools and a counter looking out the front window. The space is light and airy. We were quickly offered samples of the store’s housemade coconut butter – which tastes pretty close to real butter, actually – and nut butters (chocolate sunflower butter! What, what?). 

Store menus: "What's brewing" "What's in the pantry" "What's in store"

In the glass case by the front counter were an assortment of pocket pies: Jerk Chicken, The Beefeater, and Vegan Curried Black Bean. I went with the black bean pocket pie this time. The pastry was perfect (tender, chewy, and totally convincing for those who are still a bit leery of gluten-free flours) but the filling left a little bit to be desired… a bit more spice or a dipping sauce would have been a lovely addition here. 

Vegan Curried Black Bean pocket pies in display case

In a cooler next to the counter are some interesting beverages, including Toronto-based Vams’ kefir water and kombucha. 

Vams Kombuch & Kefir Water (lime + turmeric, beach, ginger, spirulina + lime)

We sat down in the bar stools by the window, and smiled at everyone who walked by. It was great.

A tender and flaky vegetarian pocket pie ready to be devoured.

For dessert, I picked up a pair of coconut caramels, which were sooooo yummy. Up in front is their Tropical Caramel (coconut and pineapple, sprinkled with sea salt), and in the back is one of Feast’s Chocolate Krispies (cacao nibs and puffed rice cereal). 

Dairy-free vegan coconut caramels

After lunch, we explored some of the surrounding stores. Next door to Feast is “Type”, a beautifully curated bookshop. It was perfect for vegging out in with a satisfied tummy. Saar and I grabbed seats in the children’s section at the back and read picture books to one another. 

Type Bookshop (view of fiction section and displays from the back of the store)

Before long, we headed back out into the sunshine to check out some more of the neighbourhood (a very pretty and trendy neighbourhood at the moment) and to grab some green juice.

"She's an explorer, a daydreamer, and never turns down an excuse to wear flowers in her hair. She believes in magic, likes the challenge in finding the perfect dress, and always mixes in her favourite vintage tee with a dash of delicate sequins. There's no problem a swipe of lipstick can't fix, and she's always up for a midnight adventure."Floating books display

While at Feast, I had also grabbed one of their Triple Chocolate Love donuts. We plopped down under an oak tree in Trinity Bell Woods park so I could dig in. Also very yummy, but really more cake-like, if I remember correctly, than any donut I’ve ever had.

Me and My DoughnutLove you, buddy. <3 (Saar. Not the donut. Okay, also the donut.) 

Killer Crispy Kale Chips

Recipe

Bowl of crispy kale chips in a decorative glass bowl, sitting in the sunshine

Homemade Kale Chips are one of life’s great joys. They’re a healthy and delicious alternative to potato chips, and you’d be surprised by how easily an entire head of kale can disappear when consumed in the crispy, crunchy, bite-sized form that is the kale chip. There are endless combinations to how you can dress them, and seasoning can be whatever you feel like putting on them. Here are a few of the many reasons why kale is killer:

  • 1 cup of kale only has 36 calories, and 5 grams of fibre
  • Kale is an amazing vegetable for supporting the body’s detoxification pathways, it is rich in antioxidant phytonutrients, is anti-inflammatory, and can even help to lower cholesterol levels
  • High in iron: Iron is needed for the formation of hemoglobin and enzymes, transporting oxygen to various parts of the body, cell growth, liver function and more. Per calorie, kale contains more iron than beef!
  • Great source of calcium: Calcium is needed for preventing bone loss which helps to prevent osteoporosis, and maintaining a healthy metabolism. Per calorie, kale has more calcium than milk!
  • Rich in vitamins A, C, and K 

Uncooked massaged kale tossed with applewood smoked sea salt and nutritional yeast, spread out on parchment paper

Overhead view of oven fresh kale chips, in a decorative class bowl

This particular take on kale chips was probably the yummiest I’ve ever had. Ever. Erik and I were spoiled this Christmas by our family in North Carolina, who supplied us with some gourmet goodies from their local shops. They gave us two different infused olive oils (Basil, and Wild Mushroom and Sage) and three kinds of sea salt (they come in a bunch of funky colours, and each one has its own very unique flavour) which I’ve had quite a lot of fun experimenting with. They’re also a great way to jazz up any dish, ranging from salads, to soups, to whatever! For the splendiferous kale chips pictured here, I massaged them with basil-infused olive oil, and sprinkled them with some applewood smoked sea salt and a ton of nutritional yeast. Ugh, to die for.

All the ingredients I used for these kale chips: basil-infused olive oil, applewood smoked sea salt, nutritional yeast, and a head of kale torn into bite-sized pieces

Killer Crispy Kale Chips
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Ingredients
  1. 1 bunch of curly kale (can be red or green, you decide)
  2. 1 tbsp of olive oil or coconut oil
  3. Sea salt, to taste
  4. Seasoning of your choice
Instructions
  1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F.
  2. Tear kale up into chip-sized pieces and place them in a large bowl.
  3. If using olive oil, drizzle the olive oil over the kale and massage it into each leaf. If using coconut oil, the oil will melt from the heat of your fingers as you massage it into the kale.
  4. Sprinkle sea salt and other toppings over the kale chips and toss them in.
  5. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and spread out the kale chips in a single layer on the parchment paper. Do not put more kale on the baking sheet than will fit in a single layer as they won't cook through properly. You can save the remaining kale for another time, or bake a second batch.
  6. Bake the kale chips for 12 – 15 minutes. Keep an eye on them to make sure they don't get too crispy (by which I mean burnt :P).
Other amazing combos
  1. Sea salt and vinegar
  2. Nutritional yeast and cayenne pepper
  3. Homemade cashew cheese and chives
Annemarie Dixon http://annemariedixon.com/