Vegan Practically

I don’t travel as much as I used to, but I’m doing it more than I did during the pandemic. I was recently vacationing in Kawartha Lakes, Ontario where I spent two weeks with my parents in Haliburton. While away, I came up with the idea of a series of “travelling while vegan” posts. Whenever I go somewhere new I try to do some research in advance. Sometimes it’s encouraging and sometimes not so much. Outside of the larger centres, Ontario leans to the “not so much” side of that continuum.

Kawartha Lakes is part of a large area of Ontario known as “cottage country” because a lot of city folks have vacation places on lakes there. It covers a pretty large area, with lots of small cottage roads and a few towns that serve as hubs. My parents live in Haliburton just outside of the main village on a lake called Kashagawigamog.

As far as vegan food goes, the two large supermarkets that service the Haliburton area have a decent array of options. In recent years they’ve started stocking a variety of plant-based milks, a diverse selection of frozen foods including some ice creams and daiya pizza, tofu, and even some vegan cheeses. Around Thanksgiving time, I’ve been able to get the Gardein Stuffed Turk’y, which is satisfyingly reminiscent of the “traditional” meal without the cruelty.

While I was there, I had three dinners (The Curry House, The Rockcliffe at Moore Falls, and Hook, Line, and Sinker), one breakfast (Kozy Korner), and one “coffee break” (Abbey Gardens) out. Here’s my report, with a quick summary of unexplored other possibilities at the end.

Dinner at The Curry House in Bancroft. My parents hadn’t tried this place before either, and as fellow-lovers of Indian food, they were keen to try it. Bancroft is about a 45 minutes drive from Haliburton on Hwy 118 and then Hwy 28. The restaurant is easy to find, located on the highway just outside of the town. It’s an omni menu, with a fairly thin selection of vegan options. We had the vegetable pakora as an appetizer. They served us an ample portion of these tasty deep-fried fritters, with tamarind sauce for dipping. For mains, the chana masala — a popular chickpea curry — was among the best versions of it that I’ve ever had (and I’ve had lots of versions of it). We also had the bangain bartha (eggplant). I usually love this dish but I wasn’t super impressed with it this time. I had mine with rice because the only bread at the Curry House is naan (which contains dairy), not roti (which does not).

The restaurant was short-staffed when we were there, and between about five tables and quite a steady stream of take-out, the one server was clearly stressed. Apparently there was only one person in the kitchen, so the server was also handling the appetizers. If you know anything about Indian food, you know that most people order starters. So he was a bit frantic and we felt for him. We weren’t in a hurry — luckily.

Would we go back? I don’t think I would rush back there but if I did I would order the chana masala and let that be that.

Breakfast at the Kozy Korner in Haliburton. My folks have a regular Sunday breakfast crew that meets each week. They told me in advance that they were considering skipping it while I was there because they couldn’t think of anything I could eat. But I like going out for breakfast and I like spending time with my parents and their friends, so I thought, “How bad can it be?” Well, let’s just say it was a challenge to cobble together a well-rounded meal, and I failed to do so. The challenges of breakfast places for vegans are not limited to smaller towns. Diners and “family” restaurants like the Kozy Korner have the usual breakfast offerings that revolve around variations on bacon or sausage and eggs. I had homefries, toast with peanut butter and jam, and black coffee. I love homefries and theirs were good.

Would I go back to the Kozy Korner for breakfast? As a vegan, I’m going to say, “no.”

Dinner at the Rockcliffe at Moore Falls. The Rockcliffe at Moore Falls is a new post-pandemic business that replaced what used to be Summerkiss. Like its predecessor, it’s a higher end but still casual establishment. I went there for dinner with my friend Leslie, whom I first met at the bus stop on the first day of kindergarten way back when. The Rockcliffe is aiming to be a community hub, with a long event list that includes entertainment nights, trivia nights, motorcycle meet-and-ride nights, and such. I pulled up the menu in advance so I’d know what I was dealing with. Lucky for me, I really like falafel, so the mushroom falafel — as the only vegan option marked as such on the menu — seemed like a great option. The falafel and the salad it came with were both delicious. The atmosphere of the place just lovely. Leslie and I sat out on one of the two patios, and there was further outdoor seating at picnic tables on the front lawn overlooking the lake, as well as a pleasantly-appointed dining room inside. The service was good, and I think it was the owner came by a few times to see how we were enjoying our time.

I always appreciate when a restaurant makes an effort to code their menu with symbols for vegan (V), vegetarian (VG), and gluten free (GF). But if they’re going to do it, it’s best to double check that it’s accurate. In this case, the big faux pas was on the desserts menu. The “fromage” (cheese plate) was noted as vegan. The creme brulée was marked as vegetarian (and not as GF, but it probably is). The strawberry shortcake and chocolate tart weren’t marked as vegetarian, even though by the ingredient list they appeared to be. I think I’m the first one to have (kindly!) pointed out the mistake on the fromage to the owner. She was surprised and said she’d “look into it.”

Would I go back to the Rockcliffe? Yes I would. I would get that amazing mushroom falafel again and try to schedule around a night where they have live music.

Dinner at Hook, Line, and Sinker in Haliburton. We went here again with a big group of my parents’ friends. Clearly, as a vegan it’s necessary to moderate expectations when going out to a place that clearly has a specialty (seafood). This is a newly renovated space that has done a great upgrade of what used to be there pre-pandemic (a different seafood place named Baked and Battered). It’s a happening spot, quite lively and loud. They handle large groups well and the service is friendly, patient and helpful. We were a group of 15 and they easily accommodated us in two enormous booths. If you’re gluten free, you’ll be pleased to see that it is well-indicated on the menu. But if you’re vegan or vegetarian, you’ll need to make some guesses or ask some questions. As I said in my google review, my only hope for next time is that there might be one or two plant-based offerings that are actual meals (that is, that include protein). Normally, with such a diverse menu, I would expect to at least see one plant-based burger or one plant-based salad (besides greens). There is a noodle and veggie dish but it has no protein and didn’t look especially inviting (someone else at my table ordered it). I opted for a side salad and sweet potato fries — both really good. Maybe next time there will be a little more to choose from or the plant-based items on the menu will be clearly indicated (like, are the cauliflower tacos vegan?)? That said, everyone’s food looked good (lots of people at my table had the fish and chips) and they do great with offering and clearly labelling gluten free items, so people with those needs are well-supported. And my mocktail mojito was really great.

Would I go back to Hook, Line, and Sinker? Despite my frequent references to “next time” in my google review, I’m not rushing back to this restaurant for a meal unless they make improvements to their plant-based options. Maybe for happy hour. I could do with another virgin mojitos and the sweet potato fries, while perhaps not a meal, are perfect.

Coffee time at Abbey Gardens. Abbey Gardens is a non-profit that transformed a gravel pit into a green space designed “to provide economic and recreational opportunities” for the local community. Their mission is to promote awareness about sustainability, so when we went their for the Electric Vehicle Test-Drive event and my mother mentioned they had a little café, it seemed like a good bet that they’d have some vegan baked goods (you know: sustainability–>veganism). After our EV test-drive, we went to the food hub for snacks. It’s a cute little place that coffees and a variety of baked goods, as well as fresh produce for sale, much of it grown on site. I had an oat milk latte and a vegan carrot muffin. My parents each had a latte and a vegan and gluten free brownie. Delicious.

Would I got back to Abbey Gardens for coffee and a snack? Yes. It was great and it is definitely an undertaking worth supporting.

This post doesn’t by any stretch exhaust the possibilities. In the past, I’ve had a good veggie burger at McKeck’s and an exceptional meal at Rhubarb. Rhubarb deserves special mention because it has really upped its vegan game in recent years (though the menu posted on their website is from 2016). Haliburton has a 241 Pizza place (a national chain) that has plant-based cheese and toppings, and an actual selection of plant-based pizzas that includes “Canadian Supreme,” “Spicy Pineapple” (I want to try that!), and “Garden Pesto.” I’ve also had a good coffee from the Upriver Trading Company on the main street, but I can’t remember if they have vegan snacks and you wouldn’t know from their website that they have a coffee shop.

I get that this isn’t a comprehensive account of what it’s like to travel to the Kawartha Lakes region of Ontario as a vegan. But it at least gives you some idea. Stay tuned for upcoming posts that include more Ontario destinations (Toronto and Stratford), and Stockholm, Sweden.

Please leave further comments about the Kawartha Lakes area if you know of any hidden gems.

Bon voyage!