This peppy-looking lunch spot opened up near my office a few months ago, and I was instantly intrigued. They boldly advertize GLUTEN-FREE in the window, so how could I not check it out? I’ve wandered in occasionally since they opened, and I finally feel I’ve tried enough of their offerings to give an honest review. I must say, I am quite pleased!
This is one of the few places I have managed to find a quick gluten-free breakfast. I was on my way to work one cold rainy morning, and decided to stop in and see what they might have. They offered me a bowl of their hot cereal (made with, I think, buckwheat, apple sauce and cinnamon?) with a side of sliced fresh fruit. It was just what I needed to perk up my day and warm me up. And, healthy too! Mmm!
One of the big draws of Vitaemine is the fact that you can get any sandwich made on a gluten-free bun. The bread is quite good, and my only complaint to date has been the quality of their tofu. In the company's early days, I ordered a sandwich with tofu, and it was raw and wet. Ew. The juices soaked into the bottom of the sandwich, and the texture was so chalky and unpleasant that I started to feel a little ill. But I ate the sandwich anyway, in the name of research. See the things I do for you, dear readers? ;) Anyhow, I digress! The manager told me the tofu thing would be fixed, so today, I tried another sandwich. It was awesome! The bread was really tasty, and the tofu was fabulous! And, I am sitting here feeling quite full and satisfied. A good sign.
I've also tried each of their sweet breads - Chocolate zucchini, banana, and pumpkin. All were tasty, though the pumpkin bread easily stole the spotlight. It was spicy and moist, while I found the chocolate and banana breads to be a little boring and maybe a touch dry.
Vitaemine also makes a bunch of healthy smoothies and usually has some gluten-free sweets on hand too! Find their partial menu
here. They have more offerings listed in store.
The staff at Vitaemine has consistently been friendly and knowledgeable. I generally ask a lot of questions (i.e. annoying customer), but since their business depends on a lot of us allergenic folks, they have always taken a lot of care in ensuring my questions are answered. I find that really shows a business cares about the needs of it's clientèle. I would certainly recommend this place for a good healthy lunch or simple breakfast. Plus, they prepare gluten-free foods in a separate area from the rest to keep them safe!
Happy Lunchtime!
Vitaemine136 O’Connor and Laurier
info@vitaemine.ca
Dear readers,
