EAT Magazine Jan_Feb 2014_Victoria_40_Layout 1 12/31/13 10:00 AM Page 20
EATING WELL FOR LESS
By Elizabeth Monk
Be Love Be Love | 1019 Blanshard St, near Fort | 778-4337181 | beloverestaurant.ca
Elizabeth Nyland
It is hard to convey my sense of wonder at how much effort goes into each dish at Be Love, the vegetarian restaurant brought to you by the owners of Bliss. Everything they serve is free of wheat, gluten, dairy, meat, additives and processed sugar. Nothing is hasty or careless. Take the crackers, for example. You might think, “Just crackers,” right? Well, these take up to 48 hours to make. They’re a compilation of flax, sunflower, pumpkin, sesame and chia seeds, as well as hemp hearts. The seeds are soaked so they sprout, and then the crackers are dehydrated at a low temperature for 36 to 48 hours. Take that, Ritz brand! The hummus and olive plate for $10 features these precious crackers for dipping in a smooth, lemony hummus, alongside seductively warmed-up olives. The sweet yam crackers have a similar treatment and complexity, being created with hemp hearts, carrot, red pepper and sun-dried tomato, and are served with guacamole for $8. It feels a little strange that I’ve spent half my review talking about crackers, but really, they’re a marvel. In the actual meal category, Autumn Spring Rolls for $9 make for a colourful light lunch. An intensely green blanched collard leaf encases almond-coconut paté, cilantro, sprouts and pineapple. If you like coconut noodles, you’ll like this. At the higher-price-but-worth-it end of the menu are the enchiladas for $16. The tortilla is not so much a tortilla as a raw food crêpe of flax and tomato. It is stuffed with spiced black beans, corn, spinach and roasted squash and topped with pseudo sour cream made with cashews and roasted tomato chipotle sauce. Drinks are a whole other menu page of juices, smoothies, sodas and hot drinks. Do try the latte with hazelnut milk. They make the milk there so it has a creamy consistency (this is no watery almond milk from a box). Children are taken care of here with a simple dish of rice or quinoa with two toppings for $8. So too are the impecunious, who can purchase the Love Bowl for whatever they can afford. The conclusion was clear for my family: we love Be Love. *On Friday, Feb. 20, Be Love is hosting a dinner with William B. Davis, author of Wheat Belly, as part of the upcoming Victoria Gluten-Free Health and Wellness Festival. Go to www.glutenfreehealthandwellnessfestival.ca.
Rebecca Wellman
top: Joe Cunliffe, Heather Cunliffe & Ayrie Cunliffe of Be Love far left: The bar at Be Love middle left: Chocolate truffles middle right: Wild mushroom fettucini
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EAT MAGAZINE JANUARY | FEBRARY 2014