Eat Nabati – 160 Baldwin St, Toronto, ON M5T 3K7
Country: Egypt  
Must-try dish: Cairo Kofta
The high: A perfect sized lunch made with fresh ingredients and gave a feeling of lightness for the rest of the afternoon. 
The low: There are no bathrooms available for customers. 

For all you vegetarians in the house, we found your next meal!

A lot of the food Mandrea Bike eats on the blog adventures is meat-heavy, so we wanted our plant-loving friends to be included in our tasty journeys. Eat Nabati is the ideal spot to achieve this since they serve up an Egyptian menu focused solely on a plant-based diet, and most of all, they do it well. 

The best way to maximize tasting the majority of what’s on offer is to order the Sampler Platter. The menu itself isn’t huge, so it’s possible to experience a healthy amount of the items. Typically, the plate comes with four fillings, rice, salad, pickled vegetables and hummus. There were too many tempting options, so we opted for five fillings: Mama Shawarma, Cairo Kofta, Egyptian Eggplant, Alexandria’s Shrooms, and Teta’s Halloumi. Not only did this give us a chance to savour most of the dishes, it was a nourishing afternoon meal at the same time. 

Both the Mama Shawarma and the Cairo Kofta are made with soy and have a meaty texture, which isn’t surprising since they’re based on chicken and beef recipes traditionally. Not surprisingly, similar spices and herbs would likely be used regardless of it being meat or soy. The kofta melted in your mouth, and although everything else was amazing, it was hard to forget the impact that made on the tastebuds. 

The eggplant and the mushrooms are cooked with spices and sauces that dominate the vegetables, packing them with flavour. As for Teta’s Halloumi, can you really go wrong with this grilled and salty cheese? 

There was a need for an order of six falafels to accompany the platter, which comes with flavoured tahini for dipping. The falafels were crispy on the outside and warm and fullffy on the inside – they come strongly recommended. However, the debate lies with the tahini. It was a toss-up between the beet and the harissa flavours for the title of best, but at the end of the day, both are incredible. Those with a low tolerance to spice might want to steer clear from the harissa and instead stick with the more traditional lemon and herb tahinis. 

The entire aesthetics of the place were on point. Not only was the food presented in an attractive manner but the decor inside the restaurant is worth checking out – the walls are coated with colourful murals complemented by a floral piece on the opposite side. The tiled tables are also pretty, so much so that someone walking by asked to buy one. 

As the city dives into another lockdown, and patios go back into hibernation, Mandrea Bike wants to remind everyone to get takeout from local restaurants and stay safe.

Eat with you soon,

Mandrea Bike
(Mat & Andrea)