Look of the food >< >< >< >< >< Amazing presentation on the Raw Combo platter. The use of herbs and greens really make the dishes appealing.
Environmentally-Responsibility >< >< >< >< (I did not get to ask the owner about this one but they use reusable utensils and dishware. Plus their food is organic and non-genetically modified (non-GMO).
Health Savvy (organic food, do they know a lot about the food or the plant-based foods, intentionality, informative, resourceful)
>< >< >< >< ><
Hospitality/Warmth >< >< >< >< The staff was very friendly and helpful.
Décor/Vibe >< >< >< >< I do not remember too much of the music but the decor is cheery and colourful and bright but simple.
Added Perks I did not put a rating here since they did not know I was conducting a review nor did I receive any freebies.
Ethical and Community-Minded >< >< >< >< >< Live is reaching out through its online cookbooks, cooking (or should I say food preparation classes, since they serve mostly raw foods), and prepared food items that are available in grocery stores. Live is evolving.
Price (for a main course including dessert and wine)
$ 40 and up >< >< >< >< >< $ 43 to be exact including a tip, this was a bit of a splurge
It had been years since I visited the well-known Live restaurant tucked in the northern-end of Toronto's Annex neighbourhood where I used to live. This restaurant was highly recommended and first exposed me to the raw food concept in my omnivorous days. Now, as a vegan, I appreciate that it has been a mainstay in Toronto serving up both cooked and raw organic vegan options. Live has also expanded its influence through cookbooks and raw food selections sold at local health and co-operative food outlets. When Chrissy, my fellow Thy'Ca warrior, decided to organize a get together she chose an ultra-healthy option. Just two weeks after her radioactive isolation, she looked amazing and if she keeps it up with the plant-based foods, I can only imagine her glow will beam. Also in attendance were other Thy'Ca survivors: Lindsay (another chum), Rita Banach (President of Thyroid Cancer Canada and 12-year Thy'Ca survivor), and two more newer warriors, Lisa and Jill. We talked about the usual Thy'Ca stuff like our scars which I must say looked amazing on everyone except my own, Meaty and the (Click here to check out Meaty's most recent photos.) Low Iodine Diet (LID). Chrissy had brought bags of LID chips she did not end up eating. Having had my surgery on January 26th, I felt like a bit of a veteran compared to some of the most recent warriors and I felt that I could share some wisdom and experience about what I went through. I was amazed and I am still amazed at how quickly these women were able to connect after their diagnosis. When I was diagnosed, it took me about four months to reach out and meet other survivors face-to-face. I met other survivors after my surgery, after the LID, after the radiation... I feel like I missed out. Yet I know that when I finally did get to meet Thy'Ca and other cancer survivors, I was soooooo ready and got a lot out of it. Now, I'm actually going through some of the emotional and mental impact of just having cancer and where to go from here. This is a topic which is very real and fresh for me at the moment and I am finding it difficult to blog about. We talked a little bit about this at the restaurant and I have found these and other conversations with survivors to be very helpful.
Now, on the topic of food. Lindsay was smart to have selected an appetizer of sweet potato fries (NO these were not raw). She offered us some and when I thought she was making a huge mistake (I was beginning to devour these delicious fries), Lindsay assured me that she wasn't that hungry. (Oh, those fries were soooo good.) For the main course, I ordered the Raw Combo since it had been quite sometime since my visit to Live The Raw Combo gave me an opportunity to sample a lot of different things. It was tasty, refreshing, tangy at times, and cold. I love the tostada (what's it called?) toast. Very crispy and satisfying. I also ordered a glass of organic white wine. To end my meal, I had a lovely sweet chocolate mouse which just made the meal complete. If you have nut allergies, Live is probably not the place for you (nuts are used a lot in raw dishes to add texture, filling, and nutrition) however I do recommend this place. It is very bright, colourful, and there are so many desserts to choose from, you know you just can't have one.
Don't know who that girl is but this is the front of Live. Found the photo on Google.
Hey! The Live tables are different in this photo (also found on Google) then they are now. I remembered Live looking like this. Yes. I supposed it had been a long while since I went there.
Vegan drinks but I'm not sure what they are called
These appetizers are called Sweet Potato Fries but are shaped more like Sweet Potato Rounds.
Someone ordered the Chickpea Burger which is one of the few cooked items on the Live menu.
Along with most of the folks at my table, I ordered the Raw Combo which gives you the best way to try as many new things as possible because if you don't like it, you will most likely have something else you will like. The Raw Combo is a sample platter which includes a taste of the pizza, curry noodles, ravioli, and tostadas. The only issue I had was that I didn't know what I was eating since nothing looked like what I thought it was. Take the ravioli in the bottom right corner which looked more like a soft pasta-shelled taco.
Tostada
Pizza (?)
As I wrote this review, I learned that these were curried noodles. They were noodles but I did not taste one drop of curry.
Several desserts are on display here of the raw variety.
Raw tiramisu. Very tasty. Chrissy cut up into pieces so we could all sample.
The chocolate mousse was amazing. Very mousse-y indeed. It was raw and achieved with lots of ground nuts.
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