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Toronto Star

This irresistible wok-seared $14 noodle dish is the best thing I ate this week

THE BEST THING I ATE THIS WEEK A $15 three-course pasta lunch in North York, an incredible $13 muffuletta in Etobicoke, and $2 buttery Uzbek samsas in Scarborough — each week, food reporter Karon Liu travels the GTA to bring you a trusted and affordable recommendation on what to eat while exploring the city. Fried Rice Noodles and Mock Beef, $14, from Greens Vegetarian at 638 Dundas St. W. Gta This mouthwatering $12 sandwich is the best thing I ate in Toronto this week Our food reporter explores the city in search of the most delicious — and affordable — dishes Toronto has to offer. Gta This mouthwatering $12 sandwich is the best thing I ate in Toronto this week Our food reporter explores the city in search of the most delicious — and affordable — dishes Toronto has to offer. THE DISH This flat noodle classic, often called Beef Chow Fun, shows up at just about every Cantonese restaurant and food court. It's the textbook example of wok hay — the smoky, seared flavour that comes from high-heat wok cooking. Traditionally, it features slices of beef tossed with onions, scallions, bean sprouts, rice noodles, soy sauce, and a pinch of sugar. At Greens, a vegetarian spot that has been around since 2010, the meat is swapped with chewy slices of seitan — an underrated, centuries-old meat substitute made from kneading high-gluten flour into a spongy loaf that mimics the texture of meat. Instead of onions and scallions, the dish leans on the earthier aromas of cremini and rehydrated shiitake mushrooms, with crunch from celery and sweet peppers. Eat it immediately while the rice noodles still have their bounce as they get clumpy with time. While many places rely too heavily on onions to bulk up a dish, Greens elevates the ingredient list with vegetables and fungi, all while remaining a satisfying main for under $15. Gta This cheesy, delicious, jam-packed $25 taco platter is the best thing I ate this week Our food reporter explores the city in search of the most delicious — and affordable — dishes Toronto has to offer. Gta This cheesy, delicious, jam-packed $25 taco platter is the best thing I ate this week Our food reporter explores the city in search of the most delicious — and affordable — dishes Toronto has to offer. THE CUISINE Greens Vegetarian is located on the southern edge of Kensington Market. Karon Liu/ Toronto Star Many vegetarian Chinese (and Vietnamese) spots in the GTA follow Buddhist ways of cooking, which emphasize non-violence — so no meat or seafood — and typically avoid strong aromatics like onions, garlic, leeks and scallions, that are believed to distract the senses. Mindful eating is at the core, and Greens' location just west of bustling Chinatown — with its sunlit dining room filled with blooming hydrangeas — certainly enhances the sense of culinary zen. Seitan is a menu staple, first developed by East Asian monks centuries ago as a meat substitute. But the food here is far from bland—equally suited to the health-minded (think brothy vegetable noodle soups, fresh rolls) or the indulgent (spring rolls, fried rice). When people ask for vegetarian recommendations, I think of places like Greens Vegetarian, which serves a cuisine that predates veganism by centuries. ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW ALSO ON THE MENU The assorted seitan appetizer and wok-fried rice noodles with mock beef. Karon Liu/ Toronto Star A requisite appetizer at any vegetarian Chinese restaurant is a $14 plate of assorted wheat gluten: braised, steamed, and crisped seitan served as chewy puffs and tender layered strips. Wherever you order it, the dish always comes in a trio of flavours — ruby-red sweet-and-sour, mild curry, and oyster sauce. Greens serves theirs warm, but I find it's even better chilled at home, once the seitan firms up slightly. Gta Our food reporter's top picks for meals under $15 in Toronto From prix-fixe lunches to hearty sandwiches, here are four places in Toronto where you can get delicious meals without breaking the bank. Gta Our food reporter's top picks for meals under $15 in Toronto From prix-fixe lunches to hearty sandwiches, here are four places in Toronto where you can get delicious meals without breaking the bank. EXPLORE THE AREA Most people skip this stretch of Dundas West between Chinatown and Bathurst Street, but it's home to a trio of excellent East Asian vegetarian spots. Just a few steps west of Greens is Buddha's Vegan Restaurant (666 Dundas St. W.), a smaller spot also serving Chinese vegetarian fare. Closer to Bathurst, at the Scadding Court shipping container market, you'll find Omusubi Bar Suzume (707 Dundas St. W.), a Japanese food stall with a mostly vegetarian menu and seasonal specials for Japanese holidays. This is the Thursday, June 5 edition of Food Crawl, the Star's weekly food newsletter. Sign up to get it in your inbox every week.