Golden Aura organic eatery to serve raw vegetarian food in Vancouver

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      When Mahan Khalsa credits divine inspiration for leading her to create Vancouver’s newest organic eatery, she’s not kidding.

      Khalsa told the Georgia Straight she plans to open Golden Aura (2680 West Broadway), which will serve raw vegetarian food, on Wednesday (March 20) at the “quirky” time of 3:33 p.m.

      “I really feel like it’s a temple,” Khalsa, the 36-year-old “goddess formerly known as Shine Apsara”, said during an interview at the Kitsilano restaurant. “It’s a sacred temple. From your first connection with the door—it’s wood—it’s bringing us back to the elements: the earth, the air, the fire, the water, the ether.”

      As she sipped a Shiva’s Nectar smoothie (seasonal greens, ginger, apple, lemon, and celery) from a wine glass, Khalsa explained both the menu and interior of Golden Aura are heavily influenced by a decade of living in several Asian countries and her practice of Kundalini yoga. The Ontario-born restaurateur moved to Kitsilano from the Sunshine Coast late last year.

      If Khalsa seems familiar, you might have seen her—as did her silent partner in Golden Aura—on CBC’s reality TV series Dragons’ Den. In a 2011 episode, she asked the show’s venture capitalists for an investment of $111,000 for a 22-percent stake in her former company, Sunshine Living Foods. After the Dragons praised but didn’t finance her line of organic, raw, vegan, and gluten-free snacks, she rebranded her products as Raw Aura. Last spring and summer, she sold them at the Granville Island Public Market and still plans to wholesale.

      Golden Aura will offer juices, smoothies, teas, super-food lattes, elixirs, soups, salads, entrées, and desserts. Everything will be organic and free of dairy, eggs, and gluten, and most of the menu will be vegan. (Honey and bee pollen will be available as add-ons for drinks, and honey will be used in some desserts.) There will be a couple of cooked options.

      Dishes will include raw pad Thai, sushi, and pizza, as well as a Thai-inspired Symbiotic Slaw. Brownies, bliss balls, cookies, cheesecakes, and pies will be among the “very decadent” raw and sugar-free desserts.

      Khalsa noted that lunch mains will run from $9 to $11 and dinner entrées likely from $9 to $15. Smoothies will average $7, while soups will go for $5.

      “My inspiration really is the garden and Mother Earth, and really just reconnecting people to the energy of real food, and—through that connection—really connecting people to their true essence through the food as medicine,” Khalsa said.

      Golden Aura is ready to open in Kitsilano.
      Stephen Hui

      The first thing one sees upon entering Golden Aura is a 100-year-old Indian altar. There’s also a statue of the Hindu figures Rama and Sita on an altar in the back.

      “Seeing as this space really feels like a temple, we really want to house the Goddess—and the energy of the Goddess—in the space,” Khalsa said.

      Asked which goddess, she responded: “I just mean the energy of divine feminine and the energy of the divine masculine that lives inside each and every one of us.”

      Golden Aura occupies 1,400 square feet—half of that’s the kitchen—and has seating for 16 people. Golden lotus candle holders sit on the two communal tables. At the front of the restaurant, there’s a Moroccan seating area on a wood stage covered with real sheepskins, as well as a few bar-style seats. The walls and ceiling are painted with colours such as Chocolate Cosmos, Solar Fusion, and Sun God.

      According to Khalsa, Wednesday will be a “soft opening”. To start, the eatery will be open 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. seven days a week, with a rotating lunch menu. After its grand opening, likely in April, Golden Aura will expand its hours to 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. (with shorter hours on Sunday) for spring and summer, and introduce its full menu.

      Khalsa pointed out that three yoga studios are conveniently located within a block of the restaurant.

      “There’s so many holistic people here just on this block alone that are so excited and so grateful,” Khalsa said.

      “But I want to have the door open to all people that are curious about a healthier way to live,” she added. “My intention is embrace all, and I really hope that people feel comfortable to come in and experience.”

      Comments

      18 Comments

      Tyler

      Mar 18, 2013 at 4:50pm

      Looking forward to checking it out.

      DavidH

      Mar 18, 2013 at 5:16pm

      Let us know if it's still there a year from now. I suspect that the Goddess will sweep it up into the celestial star maze.

      RP

      Mar 18, 2013 at 8:44pm

      You just know her name is Gladys or Trudy. And she's 36? Khalini Buska!

      Natty

      Mar 18, 2013 at 8:58pm

      Raw food is an interesting trend, but a lot of the recipes are way too time consuming for home preparation. This place could be worth it for people like me who are game to taste it but can't dedicate an hour to doing prep.

      Concerned Vegan

      Mar 18, 2013 at 10:32pm

      I have been eagerly awaiting the opening of this restaurant; however, I am saddened at the use of a real sheepskin as "decoration".

      Nigel

      Mar 19, 2013 at 7:18am

      Raw vegetarian food.... so that would be salad, then?

      dave

      Mar 19, 2013 at 9:40am

      new age bs without the bull, or the sh*t.

      Alison C.

      Mar 19, 2013 at 10:14am

      Looking forward to a raw (mostly) vegan place in my neighbourhood! I'll be by asap.

      Anthony

      Mar 19, 2013 at 12:05pm

      Disgusting. Most everyone I know who eats this way has virtually NO tone in their skin. The walking dead.

      Crhis

      Mar 19, 2013 at 12:08pm

      The ignorant seem to be posting in droves today.