Café by Tao boosts raw vegan food in North Vancouver

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      Agathe Mathieu wants everyone to give uncooked plant foods a chance.

      According to the North Vancouver resident, switching to a raw vegan diet nine years ago has improved her health and helped her have a smaller environmental footprint.

      On March 9, Mathieu opened Café by Tao (120-260 West Esplanade), a raw vegan restaurant in North Vancouver.

      “To many, it looks so overwhelming, because it’s a new way of preparing food,” Mathieu told the Georgia Straight by phone from her Lower Lonsdale café. “But, actually, it is so much easier. I find it easier than when I was doing the cooked.”

      Found in the courtyard of an office complex across the street from Waterfront Park, Café by Tao offers indoor and outdoor seating, as well as a menu that’s totally organic and wheat-free. It lies several blocks away from Buddha-Full Juice & Smoothies (101-106 West 1st Street), another vegan eatery in North Vancouver.

      Aside from coffee, tea, and the cooked soup of the day, everything Café by Tao serves is raw. The restaurant isn’t fully vegan, because it offers customers the option of having cow’s milk with their coffee and tea.

      Entrées range from $4 to $8, salads and soups go for $4 to $10, and juices and smoothies are priced at $6 or $7.

      Mathieu noted the Rawkin’ Pizza and the Real Lasagna are customer favourites. The pizza features nut cheese, sweet chilli sauce, kale, carrots, cauliflower, and mushrooms on a sprouted buckwheat crust. Layers of zucchini noodles, marinara sauce, nut cheese, spinach, and mushrooms combine to make the lasagna.

      The café’s menu also offers crêpes ($4 each or $9 for three) for breakfast and NorShore Please Cakes ($3.5) for dessert. There are seven kinds of sugar-free vegan cheesecake, including acai berry, double chocolate, and mesquite.

      “Being raw cuisine, the accent is on being fresh and being healthy and being colourful,” Mathieu said.

      Through her company Tao Organics, Mathieu provides raw food products, such as coconut orbs, to several stores in Metro Vancouver. In the future, she plans to offer raw food classes and seminars in another space in the office complex housing her café.

      “Try it. See for yourself. It really is delicious,” she said of her food.

      Café by Tao is open seven days a week, between 9 a.m. and 9 p.m.

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      Comments

      8 Comments

      spaceman

      May 16, 2012 at 9:52am

      It is super delicious. Best raw food in the GVRD if you ask me.

      Umm

      May 16, 2012 at 12:56pm

      Why do all the dishes look like a pile of vegetables? Oh, because they are a pile of vegetables.

      Halv

      May 16, 2012 at 9:54pm

      Can't wait to try this place!

      Anton

      May 16, 2012 at 10:49pm

      Queue JC and his youtube videos in 3...2...

      LisaD

      Jun 11, 2012 at 1:01pm

      Best video!!
      Looking for classes too.
      See you soon, can't wait!

      Irene McGuinness

      Nov 11, 2012 at 2:35pm

      Fabulous little restaurant. Wonderful fresh food. Terrific cooking classes. Agathe's energy is infectious! And her quality tops freshness.

      paisley

      Jan 21, 2013 at 12:59pm

      we love this place
      and she is so nice
      a must try for all
      you will love it

      jackie

      Sep 27, 2013 at 5:26pm

      just love this cafe....so happy to have found it...a gem!