(Written in Jamaican English with approximate Standard English translation)
>< >< >< >< >< a dis' ya' top of de' line someting(Outstanding)
>< >< >< >< everyting irie(Good and very good)
>< >< >< alright still(Just okay)
>< >< C'mon man! Unu c'yan do better 'den 'dat(Needs improvement)
>< a what de ras'?(Deplorable)
Taste of the food
>< >< >< ><
Look of the food
>< >< >< >< >< Love the fresh look. No wilted veggies here.
Environmentally-Responsibility
>< >< >< >< >< >< There were reusable utensils, cups, plates, etc. They even get a few extra points for not having air-conditioning (AC). To compensate and cool down our eating space, we ate in the dark with the lights out. How's that for conserving energy two-fold?
Health Savvy
>< >< >< >< Rawlicious aims to be totally organic and raw. Most of their dishes are 100% organic and 100% raw. Since they are gluten free and contain no meat, no dairy, and no refined sugar, they are easy to digest and accessible to most people. Since many dishes contain nuts, some people may not be able to eat here due to allergies.
Hospitality/Warmth
>< >< >< >< The waitresses were very friendly and busy. They also divided their roles as hosts and "cooking" staff, except there is no cooking and only preparation. They totally kept their cool and were friendly even though there was just two of them and the restaurant was busy.
Décor/Vibe
>< >< >< >< >< I did not hear any music playing in the background by I totally give them five butterflies for style and decor. I wish I could live there.
Added Perks
>< I am sorry Rawlicious. I love the restaurant, food, and vibe but I did not get freebies for writing this article.
Ethical and Community-Minded
>< >< >< Rawlicious is connected to TVA as a listed restaurant. I don't really know the answer to this one.
Price
$20-$29 For this price point, I got the taco wrap and the cheesecake which for today was lemon cheesecake with raspberry and a macaroon ($ 26 includes tip).
It's big, it's green, and it's crunchy! Watch out people. The raw revolution won't be televised but it has touched down at a local raw food restaurant in your city. Why raw food? Not cooking your veggies, means more of the proteins, vitamins, minerals, and enzymes remain intact. So more nutritious goodness!!!! I really looked forward to the Toronto Vegetarian Association (TVA) social dinner group experience at Rawlicious. Boasted as Toronto's "only raw food restaurant to never cook a thing!", Rawlicious is a rare raw restaurant revolution replete with roughage. (How's that for alliteration!) Boasting two other locations (Barrie and the swanky Yorkville neighbourhood of Toronto), I went to the location in the Junction, a burgeoning older community "by the traintracks" which streets are lined with specialty shops and restaurants and is quickly gaining a name for artsiness. Rawlicious aims to provide a "clear conscious eating" experience to its clients. (Our goal is to serve healthy delicious food in a comfortable atmosphere ... with a dash of inspiration. There is no wheat (gluten free), no meat, no dairy nor refined sugar in anything we serve.) As soon as I entered this restaurant, I loved it. Built on the main level of a house with different coloured walls, mismatched furniture, funky artwork, and a rustic feel, Rawlicious was as much a feast for the eyes as for the palette. The only downside was that they have no AC (air-conditioning) and on the second evening of Toronto's extreme heatwave, I sat in the backroom with twenty-ish TVA members with the lights out, fanning ourselves with our menu, sipping water from blue glass pitchers that seemed to chip. It was often so quiet back there, between long pauses as we waited for our meals, that I felt monkish. I enjoyed my company though. To my left and right were four older and retired fellow teachers who chuckled when we discovered that the educators all ended up sitting at one end of the table in chairs while the "other occupations" were sitting at low tables on cushions against the walls. Since raw foods tend to be a little on the pricey end, I conserved my order to a taco wrap (a delectable mix of fillings in a crisp romaine lettuce wrapper) and lemon raspberry cheesecake (my very first vegan one made of cashews). I must admit that I ordered the taco wrap mainly to taste the seasoned nutloaf and nut cheese which were inside. (I'm nuts about nuts). What a surprise when I tasted the sprightly salsa which gave the wrap it's zip. What a tiny (I should have ordered it with salad) but tasty taco! Thankfully I ordered dessert too. I loved every bit of it although I'm not too fond of lemon cheesecakes. The other TVA members also seemed to love their meals of tropical pizza, sandwiches, salads, smoothies, juices, and desserts of brownies and maple walnut ice cream (a childhood favourite flavour of mine). Restaurants like Rawlicious make going vegan so easy.
Famous words from Hippocrates.
Yummy taco wrap! Mmmm....
My very first vegan cheesecake made with cashews, nut crust, and lemony raspeberry-y goodness.
The prized macaroons.
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