Hello yet again! SpoonfulofReviews is back with- yes you guessed it- yet another review about an excellent restaurant right here in the T dot. So what was it this time? Well as the title of this post has given away, this review is based on the service and cuisine of Raw Aura Organic Cuisine located on Lakeshore Rd. East - major intersection: Lakeshore Rd. East & Elizabeth St. North. RAOC is a tiny little spot, almost bistro like, amid many other restaurants and shops along Lakeshore Rd. East, but it's just one of those places that you'll keep going back to after that first taste... Before I give away too much, let me give you a little background on this Vegan/gluten-free/dairy-free gem of a place...
Raw Aura aims to provide its patrons with familiar foods but they've managed to tweek it so that it's nutritious, flavour-packed, and incredibly healthy for you. They don't serve meat. Or dairy, or anything with gluten... Nor do they cook anything above 43 degrees Celcius... Doesn't sound very appetizing I know, but don't discredit them before you've tried what they have to offer.... So what exactly do they have to offer? They offer their customers raw food of course... They serve their cuisine a raw state as it retains digestive enzymes, vitamins and minerals that are usually lost in the heating/cooking process most foods we consume endure, which in turn doesn't make it as healthy for us as we are led to believe... Raw foods are better for digestion, and the flavours are fresh and pure and stand out on their own. RAOC aims to serve only organic foods that are harvested in a responsible way that helps to promote environmental sustainability... So not only do you leave RAOC feeling energized by your meal, but you can also leave knowing that you've aided in reducing our environmental footprint... Okay I know what you're saying at this point- that's cool and all but enough with the jabber- tell me about the food- so lets get into it...
So upon entering RAOC I couldn't help but notice how tiny it looked which would perhaps not be best suited for larger groups, but don't let that stop you from trying out the food at RAOC. Once I'd been seated and handed a menu I was surprised at the list of menu items... It didn't seem possible that they'd have appetizers like nachos with no "real" cheese... And by real I'm referring to dairy cheese... They had quite a few familiar menu items and I couldn't seem to grasp how it'd be possible to make some of these dishes- like the pizza- without a dough crust, or dairy cheese, or pepperoni for you meat lovers out there... Being a big pizza lover I decided to give this one a shot... I ordered the nachos and the pizza... As I waited I noticed a woman beside me who'd just received her order... I asked her what it was she ordered as it looked delicious... She replied that it was the "beet ravioli" and proceeded to eat her meal which by the look on her face seemed like it was excellent... I'll probably try that the next time I visit this establishment...
Approximately 20 minutes later, and I had my meal in front of me, nachos complete with non-dairy cheese and all the raw fixings, and my pizza... Let me just say I didn't think raw food could be prepared in such a way to exude so many flavours but RAOC definitely found a way to do so... This was by far one of the best meals I'd ever had and I couldn't believe it was all raw. Everything was flavourful and I felt healthier by just eating it (lol)... And then there was dessert... First let me say that if you're not crazy about the idea of eating raw-meatless-dairy-less foods just try a dessert... It will change your life... I couldn't decide between the banana chocolate cake or the mint ganache cake... I ended up choosing the mint ganache cake and made a mental note to come back for the banana chocolate cake because it sounded amazing... Anyways I took my first bite of the Mint ganache cake and couldn't believe how good it was... It doesn't seem possible that it was completely vegetarian/vegan, dairy and gluten free and taste that amazing... Yes I had my cake and ate it too... I highly recommend the dessert above anything else!
And of course they get bonus points for doing their part to preserve the environment and for having friendly service. My only criticism would be that it's not an ideal location for larger groups... But other than that it's totally worth a try- you won't be sorry!
SpoonfulofReviews.blogspot.com - Overall Rating (out of 5 stars) for Raw Aura Organic Cuisine:
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This is one of the best restaurant experience I had. The food is excellent and so is the service. Loved this place I have been there so many times, I at least go there twice a month. It's a must try.
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