Blossom's Bite | Review of Vegan Restaurant Aux Vivres

I have a confession I have to make: I have a bit of an obsession with food. I absolutely love it! There is something about a good meal that just makes me feel so happy. But I have to admit, I am not a very good cook. Thankfully I live in Montreal where delicious food in a huge part of the culture. With so many great restaurants to choose from, being a bad cook isn't such a bad thing after all ;)  There is honestly nothing that I love more than enjoying a good meal with some great people, so trying out new foods and new restaurants has to be one of my favorite things to do.

However, given that I am vegetarian, it can sometimes be difficult to find things that I can eat at restaurants. I love salads, but obviously that's not the only thing I want to eat when I go out for dinner. Recently, my sister Natalie who is vegan discovered Aux Vivres a vegan restaurant located in downtown Montreal. We had to give it a try, and let me tell you, we did not regret our choice. So if you are a Montrealer like me, or plan on visiting Montreal in the near future, you should definitely give this place a try.

So I know what some of you non-vegan/vegetarian readers might be thinking. Vegan food? I don't want to eat vegan food! To be honest, I use to think the same thing. But vegan food, when prepared well is not only delicious but also very healthy for you. You're just going to have to trust me on this one :)

Aux Vivres was actually the very first vegan restaurant to open its doors in Montreal and has since then become one the most reknown. The restaurant really prides itself on creating dishes that are not only healthy but also made from seasonal and locally grown produce. There are so many amazing options to choose from such as salads, sandwiches, burgers (yes, burgers can be vegan), smoothies, juices and desserts.

 As an entree, my sister and I chose a Greek inspired dish called Mezze Grec avec Chapati. This Greek inspired dish consisted of fresh chapati bread with vegan tzatziki, black olives, grilled red peppers, cucumbers and tomatoes. If you love Greek food, this entree is a must!

As the main dish, we both decided to go for a sandwich. My sister went for the Vegelox which was made with tofu cream, vegan mayo, lettuce and capers. Simple, yet really delicious. I, on the other hand, went for the BLT. There was just something about a sandwich made with coconut bacon, vegan mayo, tomatoes and lettuce that really peaked my interest. Let me tell you, this sandwich just brought vegan food to a whole new level. Aux Vivre's sandwiches are a must, just be prepared to bring home leftovers. The sandwiches are HUGE! Neither of us were able to finish it.

We obviously had to leave room for dessert. Given that we were already so full, we decided to share a slice of vegan apple-chocolate cake and a Blue Monkey smoothie made from blueberries, bananas, orange juice and agave. It was the perfect way to end a perfect meal. I am not normally a big fan of chocolate cake because it can be really heavy, but the mix of apple and chocolate made it a little lighter, so I really enjoyed it.

Have any of you fellow Montrealers ever been to Aux Vivres? Have I convinced you to give vegan food a try? Let me know in the comments below. I would love to hear from you guys!

For those who are interested in trying it out, you can find Aux Vivre's full menu and address on their website: www.auxvires.com

Until next time,
 Olivia -xox-

Blossom's Book Shelf | Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can't Stop Talking by Susan Cain

I am beyond excited to be starting a new segment on my blog called Blossom's Book Shelf! There is nothing that I love more than curling up on the couch with a warm cup of tea to read a great book. When I am on the lookout for my next great new read, it can be so hard to choose from all the books sitting on a library shelf. That's why I just love browsing through book blogs to see what other readers have enjoyed. I really look forward to sharing my new favorite reads with you guys, so all you bookworms like me out there, make sure you stay tuned ;)