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Real People. Real Reviews.®
Category: Vegetarian [Edit]
2301 Main St
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The Foundation is the best place to bring a group of friends for nachos and sangria. And it is far from perfect, but it's quirky and wonderful. The service is, well, let's just call it "casual." I have had orders forgotten, and sometimes orders not takes altogether and then being asked if I was waiting for the bill. I've been brought a pitcher of just iced red wine with no juice or fruit in place of sangria (same price, more booze - score!) They mean well. They also never fail to be of any help when asked and are never rude. The service being laid back pays off when your group of people grows from four to ten and you all start getting drunk and loud-talky and someone decides to pour a flask of vodka in the sangria pitcher. Remember that.
My recommendations:
The Satay Salad is delicious, the nachos are HUUGE and so close to mouthgasmic I can't help but order them every time I'm there after 5pm (re: Evilyn and Rheanna - beware the nacho bylaw police,) and every time I order a BLT-ish (which is only served before 3 - perhaps there is a BLTish clause in the nacho bylaw) it takes all the willpower I can muster not to grab the server and kiss them right on their cute dirty hipster mouth to thank them for bestowing a wealth of cheese, avocado and facon upon me. It doesn't help that at that point I've usually had a few glasses of sangria. Or maybe it does.
OH.
Did I mention they have MORE THAN ONE kind of veggie burger patty? Because they do. Oh hells yes.
Firstly-
Did it ever occur to the owner of the term "hipster" , that there is no definition of this word? Every time I hear it, I think ,"Wow-that person thinks their pigeon-holing skills are awesome"...or..."that person is lonely because she/he has to have a label for everything to satisfy an ineptitude within their pathos"....Jesus.
I live by this place, and I attend occasionally without pretense;or forethought as to who's going to be there,how cool they are going to be, or what I should adjust my expectations to be. Food is OK; Service is OK(taking into account what day it is, or if there are rubberneckers,complainers gumming up the works)...
Service is almost bang on(Wang On?) if you agree that the food is inexpensive. Usually that means they don't pay very much in wages;
if there are a lot of people there(and they are like previous reviewers) then ,yes, it will take longer than Earls.It is worth the wait.Relax.Stop looking for things to worry about.
Also, noticed a pattern in past reviews-Although the reviewer wanted badly to ream out the place, or did, positive reports accompanied, so it kinda cancels out the sourness doesn't it?. Funny.
If I'm grading the restaurant for how it meets my expectations as a restaurant, for the price it's above average...In fact, the only reason I "got off the couch" to review this is because I hate reading self-gratifying rants with the word "hipster" adorned every second sentence. You are the same person who condones "People Watching" as a satisfying venture - a practice that is akin to assault , in my opinion.Get a pair of binoculars,creep.
ALSO, to brag that I have eaten the Nachos, all by myself. Regular large size, and I don't recommend it... if you are trying to impress someone of the opposite sex. Date Over.
I'm not a hipster, so perhaps this entire review is tainted by the fact that I am somewhat put off by the culture as a whole, but that being said I was rather un-impressed by my overall experience at the Foundation.
We waited in line for about 30 minutes before getting to the front, at which point we witnessed what I see as classic stick-it-to-the-man behavior. Some shmucks pulled a dine and dash. The tattooed waitress came over looking quite puzzled. Not realizing they hadn't paid, someone nearby said "they already left," and at that point the waitress, and the few of us still in line put the pieces together. There was no check on the table nor any sign of an attempt to pay, and a very confused and disappointed waitress. Poor girl. I hear that the lost revenue from dine and dash patrons come directly out of the wait staffs pay...so whoever thinks its a good idea to do such a thing is in my opinion has their priorities completely crooked. I glanced across the dining room and saw the phrase "Vive la resistance" painted above the bar. Good job Foundation patrons. Way to live the resistance by not paying for your food. Anywhoo...no fault of the restaurant but a funny story nevertheless.
On to review content.
After waiting now 35 minutes for our table (not a problem per se, since we were waiting for another friend too), we were lead to a table in the way back that was near the bar, near the speaker blasting nondescript hip hop, and very very dark. At any other restaurant this wouldn't be a problem, but at the Foundation they think spelling things wrong and making the menu utterly incomprehensible is "hip." I thought I had figured out that broccoli is spelled broklee until I also saw something called brock and something else called brockli. Con-Few-Zing. They do add witty adjectives to their bun descriptions though (shapely, firm, toasted), so that was a plus.
Fine. Menu is witty and if there was a bit more light i could have made something out of it, but i heard the nachos were good so I ordered those.
They were alright. They actually tasted like the kind of nachos I make at home. Pretty simple. Chips + Beans + Cheese + Bake it in the oven + SourCream + Salsa = delicious. Nothing special, but then again you don't have to do anything special to make chips/beans/cheese/sourcream/salsa delicious.
The service was utterly slow, which patrons should know before deciding to go there, but with 2h30m before our movie, it didn't really bother me. I had a lot of time to chat with friends and enjoy the ginormous plate of nachos in front of me. I'm not sure if its a canadian culture thing (i'm from california), but we had to ask for our check, which i'm totally okay with and actually prefer.
If you're pressed for time this is most definitely not the place for you. If you want to have a few beers with friends and pretend that you're sticking it to the man while being ignored by the wait staff, come to the Foundation.
Oh and the quotes on the walls are pretty awesome. Nothing like being inspired to change the world while you scarf down heaps of sour cream.
One of Main's most well known eateries and a corner stone of Vancouver's vegetarian culture; this place never disappoints.
Always worth the wait, always worth the walk, and always worth the $10 or less you'll spend.
Some say the service isn't spot on. I say its a lay'd back place. Some say that the menu never changes. I say the menu gives you something to count on. Some complain that they have to drink out of mason jars. I drink out of mason jars.
Foundation, your not enough for some but you've always been enough for me.
If you ask me on different days, I would possibly rate Foundation as a 1 star or a 5 star, because Foundation, like most hipsters, is moody.
And so am I, really, and so we don't always get along, but when we do it is like the best day you ever had with your best friend. We get along when I stick to what I love: the nachos, pitchers of beer and perhaps some molten tofu or sesamum salad.
When I veer from these menu items, things get ugly. My BF claims that Foundation is like that dude you knew in college who was always stoned, and late at night would amaze himself by concocting strange food from whatever was in the fridge. "Whoa - dude. What if I... what if I put the fuckin' peanut butter in this.... in this fuckin' pasta!!? Whoa! Now add some broccoli and onions, and..... dude. Dinner is SERVED!"
Basically, most of the menu is comprised of bizarre, schlocky stoner messes, heavy on the pastas, stews and soft pattied burgers (same texture as the bun - ack.)
I would love to see some seasonal veggies, seared tofu or seitan and roasted potatoes on this tired old menu (even though I know they have limited oven and kitchen space). But really, would that stop me from ordering the most amazing nachos in Vancouver?
No. It wouldn't. Because they are the most amazing nachos in Vancouver. And Canada. And probably the world.
So go to Foundy. Drink beer and eat nachos and be happy.
I love this place.
The first time I dined here I was warned in advance that the service was terrible. I've been many many times in the last 2 years and never once has my service been any worse than slightly indifferent. Even then, I don't really care, as long as the server isn't being completely rude.
It is pretty slow, but I usually stick to early afternoons or super late (near closing time) to go. I've almost never had to wait in the lineups. I don't mind the wait for everything once you're seated though. I like to sit and chat with friends without being rushed.
The food is just great! I usually get the small nachos to share with a few people. So simple yet so delicious! Black beans, corn, jalapenos and so much cheese that they put all other nachos to shame. The first thing most people will notice walking into the place, is that almost every single table is working on a platter of nachos. It is ridiculous.
The brunch is amazing. I have never eaten anything EVER as delicious as their "BLT-ish" sandwich. The fake bacon (facon?) is hot pink in colour and delicious. I don't remember what real bacon tastes like, but I assume this is pretty similar. I was a little wary of sheeps cheese being listed as an ingredient the first time I ordered it (I'm picky about cheese) but I was blown away. Every single thing about this sandwich is amazing. It also comes with a great mixed greens salad topped with quinoa and some kind of mango-tasting dressing. Order it with some coffee and Baileys! Perfect brunch.
And now the Sangria.. oh my god. Their sangria is the best I have ever tasted. I always want it. If I don't have anybody to share it with then I'll get a vodka with vanilla cherry soda. Trust me, it is delicious.
The rest of the menu is great too, although I don't often pay much attention to it. The molten tofu is great though!
Listed in: Veggie Spots
I dare say this veggie joint is better than The Naam even. (I shall now brace myself in preparation for the hate comments sure to ensue.)
Always consistently great. The nachos, yes, are fantastic. But the guacamole could use more jalapeno, lime and cilantro for my liking. However, if you get a side of yam dip and/or hummus to go with the nachos, it turns them from great to OUT OF THIS WORLD. Seriously, with the slight modification in dip choices, I cannot control myself from eating well past the feeling of stuffed. They're just that good!
Now I need to comment on the matter of service. A- to B+ . Yes that is a really high rating (prepared for more hate comments to come) but I feel it is well deserved. You cannot blame the servers for the place being packed, rather, blame yourself for coming to a place that serves wicked awesome food right at the busiest time of day for them. I find if you are friendly and give a smile, it is very appreciated by the wait staff and your service will be greatly improved. Remember these people are busting their ass for low pay and get flack from every second table, of course this is going to affect their mood and opinion of the people who eat here. So try a little "how's your day going?" or "what would you recommend" or whatever kind of pleasantries come to mind and you might just be surprised at the outcome.
Molton tofu, open faced baked sandwiches, heaps of nachos, yam dip, humus, and home-made sesame salad dressing you are calling my name again... you devilishly low priced diner you.
P.S. Thanks for including tax in the menu prices. You've taken cheap eats to an extremely low price.
Not a person alive who goes here regularly will say the service is always spot on, but when you're paying 8 bucks for INCREDIBLE nachos covered in veggies, beans and cheese on a platter that can easily feed four... sacrifices must be made. I've had my order forgotten a few times and sometimes waited 20 minutes before a server even came to the table, but they ARE always really busy in evening hours so it's understandable. The food is so amazing and so cheap that they basically have me by the balls.
My fave dish is the Sesamum Salad. Spinach, broccoli, chick peas and tofu in a sesame-miso sauce. If you're there for lunch, my recommendation is their BLT (well, it doesn't have real bacon, but it's damn good anyway) Their nachos are my favorite in the city, although they are subject to the nacho bylaw*, which Evilyn T. and i have been lobbying very hard to get overturned. Their sangria is also excellent. Once they mixed it wrong and me and my friend were straight up drunk after only two glasses each. Thanks guys!!
And on a completely different note... Once while peeing, i noticed someone had written 'listen to your heart' on the bathroom wall... But someone had crossed out 'your heart' and wrote 'SLAYER' above it. If anyone knows who did that, please high five them (maybe even hug them) and tell them how rad they are for me, okay?
* The nacho bylaw: No one may serve nachos before 5pm. Evilyn n me went on a crazy hunt for nachos one day and got turned away at so many places who only had it on their dinner menu.
I love the nachos here, as I'm sure everyone else does too. If you like red wine even slightly, order the sangria!
I was warned that the service here was bad, and that it kind of had an elitist vibe, but I didn't find that at all. I enjoyed the atmosphere and the people working there are always friendly enough. The speed of service could be better, but I have never been in a rush when dining there.
Go with a group of friends if you're in the mood for a casual, yummy place.
I have eaten here for a while regularly but have never reviewed as it's OK for a big salad when you are craving greens and my veggie friends like it, but it is getting real dirty, like I was in for my last time on Saturday afternoon, it is 3rd world dirty these days, lost me as a customer.
There isn't much I can say about the food as 78 reviews before this one have done it for me.
I wanted to say that they were really baby friendly. My friend and I went with her 8 month year old son after being served a huge dish of attitude at Cafe Nuba (middle of the day, was asked what we wanted for take out, thanks for the assumption - a baby is not the plague). The Foundation accommodated us, no problem or judgement. Our server was friendly, made faces at the baby and really quick.
I enjoyed my fake bacon sandwich and the yam dip was delicious. The jars of beer on special were also ice cold and perfect for a rare warm day in this city.
The Foundation is a Vancouver vegetarian institution. It's relentlessly popular - there are lineups pretty much every night and no, they don't take reservations. It's also relentlessly badmouthed, for a number of different reasons. Still, we all keep going there; we all keep pouring our money into Foundy and enjoying what we get out of it.
The best thing about this place is that it's cheap. Lunchtime entrees run about $7 - $8 and supper is around $10. You get a tonne of food for your money - I've never still been hungry after eating at The Foundation - and the drink specials are cheap and excellent. They serve local beer at decent prices, and have a soup special (invariably vegan), a "restless" side dish, and a nacho special every day. Unfortunately, the nachos are smothered in dairy cheese, but that's part of what makes The Foundation so popular. Try the sangria - pricy but incredible on a late spring day, or really, any day.
The word "vegan" doesn't really appear on the menu, but when the servers are asked, they'll usually tell you that unless something obviously isn't vegan (if it says "cheese" right on it), it is. That's not strictly true. After maybe three years of eating at this place, I found out that their veggie bacon is made of egg whites, and most of their curry sauces contain honey. However, if you send your order in and say it's vegan, the kitchen can probably sub for maple syrup.
The service at Foundation is... well... it varies. So does the quality of the food. And sometimes you sit there for 45 minutes starving your head off before you're served. The music is really loud and it's always hip-hop. The place is packed with too-cool hipsters, and they're not half as cool as the people who work there. You have to wait in line for 20 minutes sometimes. There are obnoxious quotes on the walls about making the world a better place.
Still, I love The Foundation. Their yam dip is incredible, the homous is even better, and for a dollar more you can combine them into the YAMMUS plate (my invention, c. 2005 - you're welcome). Some other favourite choices: The Tropic Option is a spicy fruit curry with mangos and bananas and strawberries; it's my #1. The OPPP is a peanut-pesto-pasta delight, vegan, delicious, with broccoli. The Serial Salad is grains and fruit and salad and is incredibly satisfying. Also, try the Mango Forte, the Pa-Pasta-Ya (my friend Tara, who cooks at Foundation, eats this when she craves Kraft Dinner [Mac'n'Cheese]), the Sesamum Salad, and, if they have it (they rarely do), the Vegan Sugar Pie. Nuff said.
Conclusion: I have some friends who refuse to go to The Foundation because of the awful service, the awful atmosphere, the awful people, or some combination of all three. I totally understand that. However, I still visit at least once a month and have for years, and that's not likely to stop. It helps that I'm hip as hell, of course. Plus, they're open til midnight on weekdays and 2am on weekends. Perfect for after-drunk nosh. Stay strong, vegans, and don't order those nachos.
Listed in: Vegan Vancouver
I made plans to meet with my friend Mike this evening for some late evening munchies at The Foundation.
As usual our eyes were bigger than our stomachs and we ordered more food than two people could reasonably consume in a single sitting. We opted for the small Nachos (which aren't small at all) and the Katered Affair (a sampling platter including hummus, yam dip, "molten tofu", "serial salad", greens with mango dressing, tortilla chips, and flatbread). Mike had a pint of their daily beer special, whereas I went for their homemade iced tea (fruity-hibiscus and not too sweet). The bill, including food, drinks, tax and tip came to only $16 per person. We were totally stuffed and still had lots of leftovers to take home afterwards.
The food was tasty, as always, although I did find the hummus to be too heavy on the lemon and too light on the tahini, and then there's my eternal complaint regarding the pablum-like texture of the yam dip (flavour alone is not enough, food needs to have a bit of texture and a good mouth feel). On a positive note, we loved the generously-portioned Nachos which were loaded with black beans, corn kernels, and gooey cheesy goodness. And I'm absolutely smitten with the Serial Salad (a mixture of grains, seeds, nuts, fruit and tahini). To my regret, in all my visits to the Foundation, I have never ordered anything from their dessert menu -- the sugar pie has been calling my name for quite some time now, unfortunately my tummy simply never has any room left. Maybe next time....
I love the retro, mismatched kitchen tables and chairs, and the thought-provoking quotes displayed in large print on the walls. I find that the wait staff here can be a bit too laid-back at times, to the point of seeming almost disinterested. The visual aesthetic is mellow and funky, unfortunately this is often at odds with the music selection and the stereo volume -- tonight the musical flavour was loud rap, which seemed to abruptly clash with the visual atmosphere of the venue. In my opinion, the volume should be reduced by at least 30% to allow diners to enjoy a more pleasant, social experience -- I'd like to be able to talk to, not shout at, my dinner companions.
I've had my fill of The Foundation for awhile...but as always, eventually the cravings will hit me, and I'll find myself tempted to return. The place certainly isn't perfect and I'd like to see them tweak a few things, but despite the flaws there's a certain undeniable charm that I can't seem to resist.
Listed in: Guilt-free Eats
I love this place: It has dim lighting, good atmosphere, and great food. I especially enjoy their Spicy Peanut dish.
This used to be my favorite place but i think i may have burnt out on it over the years. I still try and go back for there amazingly loaded nachos but i really can't be bothered to wait in a line for them so i end up down the street at The Whip now.
There lunch is actually really good, with a nice selection of sandwiches served with there signature salad and dressing. Soups of the day are an excellent choice if your tired of curries. My favorite is the fruit infused curries, East Van Town or Tropic Option are my stand by's.
Realizing now that these curries are probably severely easy to make at home on my own.. the prices are hard to beat!
The service has never been good, and what's with the hip hop? I like some hip hop, but all the time? all these years? only hip hop?
Listed in: Best Veggie Eats!, Main St. Bites
3.5 STARS.
This is the kind of place I find along Haight-Ashbury. It's not only serving vegetarian, it does vegan too. 13 years being a vegetarian. I needed this kind of support then. Too late. I eat anything now. Anything! Mwa ha ha!
I tried two dishes thinking I could save space and go further to try their chocolate fondue. I was wrong. Serving size was very decent.
The Spicy Peanut Pasta was a definite winner. That Thai peanut sauce made me hunt for one at a local grocery afterwards. Nada. But this left me a lasting impression to want to come back.
Also ordered the small portion of the famous nachos. The server said one of their ovens imploded causing a back up of nachos that each and every table most likely ordered. After waiting for over 40 minutes it finally arrived. Finally. I almost dozed off there if not for the lengthy writings on the wall to keep us occupied. Speaking of which short quips would have been more effective.
The nachos at this point was over-hyped. Each table was slowly receiving theirs. I thought they ordered a large since that was generally the only dish at their table. When ours arrived, it was a hefty serving. This is small? Nice. But alas it was an ordinary nacho concoction with big servings. That's all I remembered. Maybe if they mixed in some Thai peanut dressing as well it would have been unique. I dunno.
Don't expect much from the place and serving. It's pretty good, but with no one really managing, it can get pretty rough. You'd have to flag whoever passes your area. Is that a staff or a patron walking by? I don't know.
There's a smell in the air that reminds me of rickety old homes. I don't care at this point. The food and pricing is enough to make me want to come back. And like I said, if I had this kind of restaurant back then I could have been at least a vegetarian 'til now. Mmm, foie gras. Or maybe not.
Wow this is my first 2 star-er...actually it's a 2.5 but I don't know how to do that yet.
Ok, hipsters, or anyone with an ironic fashion sense or outlook on life, leave now...are they gone? ok good...
Now the Foundation has great food, the veg burgers are awesome (even for carnivores like myself), the nachos are probably the best I've had outside of Piedras Negras or Texas and the beer is divine, true ambrosia.
But I have to say the whole hipster attitude is wearing thin on me. Personally, yes, I like retro stuff, I mean I really like it. Pac Man from the 80's? Awesome. Old skool converse high tops? God give me 12 pair. Seriously though, anyone wearing them "ironically" rubs me the wrong way.
So does the service here. I mean it's at best, passable service. At worst it's a horrible nightmare of late, cold food and a flippant, almost arrogant attitude when that happens.
So in summary, food = great, service = tipping my baseline 10% for their "good" service.
Hipsters, you can come back into the room. Yes, yes that is a nice "ironic" beard you're growing.
"Nachos" is the only word you need to know/say when you visit Foundation. It only gets 5 stars (it won't let me give more than that) because of the nachos.
*Quick side note before I rave about this delicious platter, don't order anything else besides beer. I once veered off my destined path and ordered a burger. Knowing this was a vegan restaurant, it would not be your typical burger but I didn't know it would taste so horrible that I could only eat one bite. The patty was dry like the desert and so tasteless.
So the nachos. HOLY MOLY. That stuff is sprinkled with crack or something because it is hands down THE best nachos IN THE WORLD. Me and my roommate always come here for them because we only live a block away (which is good but so bad for my health at the same time). The service is kind of horrible in that if it is really busy (which it usually is), you have to basically wait an hour until you get your food. BUT, once you pop your first chip in and you taste the explosion of flavor with the dips, you will forget how long you waited. Remember to add guacamole as well. The price is unbeatable for this plate of heaven.
The only cure to a horrible/long day is that platter of gooey goodness and a beer (get a small if you're splitting between two people. Their small = A LOT). Who needs drugs when you have these nachos?
WOW.
what in the heck is wrong with these people.
i went here for dinner with a couple of friends last night, and we like, don't have facial piercings or beards, nor are we (currently) completing useless masters degrees but you know, one of us was wearing a plaid shirt so i think that should have counted for something....
and honestly the person who evidently was running the joint was UNIMPRESSED.
it was NOT ok that we didn't like the first table she offered us (it was literally right in front of the door; that place is cold as it is) and very politely asked to wait for something in the other room... it was also very definitely our fault that our server punched in the wrong order. like there were literally eyes rolled over this debacle. clearly it ruined her life to have to carry that veggie burger back to the kitchen. we got some more eye rolls when we asked for a water glass for our friend who came a bit later. roll roll roll. lots of rolling.
the table next to us had to like bus their own table; the table on the other side had to pour their own water... it was just. bad.
then they screwed up our bill but i was like literally scared to tell them. that's not a good sign, guys.
the servers/management/owners/whoever is responsible for the shitty vibe of this place really should check themselves before they... wreck themselves. because honestly there are a lot of new restaurants opening in that area lately and if they think they are going to be the only OMG COOL HIPSTER vegetarian place on main forever, i think that they might be wrong.
they might be the only super cool hipster vegetarian place on main with epicly bad service forever, but let's hope not, and to be honest, i'm not sure that that's the draw for most people.
p.s. the food is still really good.
I really like it here, but I don't usually take people with very fussy palates. Most things are a combination of a grain, chick pea or tofu, and a tahini based sauce. Often there is too much sauce so I try to get it on the side.
That said, I always feel good (and full) after eating there and the vibe inside is really enjoyable. Be prepared for a line at the door and less than eager-to-please waiters.
This place hurts my last feeling.
Don't get me wrong, the food is great, but the attitude of the staff ruins the experience.
I've been here 5 times and have never had a friendly server. Super strange. Or is it ironic?
Oh hipsters.
Listed in: Vegetarian Fav's
What a cool place. No fake pretentious people. Just a cool hangout. Kick back, lay down, make out, do whatever you want at this little haven. No one cares. Be yourself.
Oh and did I mention the delicious, well-priced food? MMmmm MMMmm GOOD! I had the Foundation Burger last night and it was mouth watering (seriously, no meat, and mouth watering!). I wish I lived next to this place so I could eat here every day.
PS: Good beer!
The food here is pretty tasty - I apparently got lucky with the nachos, I love the fondue at the end of the meal, and the warm peanut salad is tasty.
But sorry, the service sucks. I wish people would stop excusing that on the "aw but it's just laid back and hipster". I don't care if you're hipster or laid back or whatever, but I come to a restaurant so I don't have to get up to get my own glass of water, you know? More so than the staff I'm disappointed by the management, because this is clearly a big issue that a lot of people have noticed and yet it doesn't improve.
I went twice for sit down meals, and after that decided to go for take out to avoid the rude service, but somehow it was still an issue. The five minutes I had to wait for my food (don't let that mislead you, I'd ordered ahead of time on the phone - expect a loooooong wait for your meal) was super awkward as I stood there being stared at by the servers. They're just really off putting and rude.
Honestly the food is pretty good, and cheap, but the service is so atrocious I won't be going back.
Foundation boils my blood.
The food rocks, I love love it. But the service is so incredibly painful that I actually hate going there like a person hates going to the dentist.
The servers are indifferent at best, but some of them are downright snarly and ooobviously too cool to be dumping your nachos on your table... after your mains come.
But the food rocks.
Someone needs to tell the people running this place that they really need an attitude adjustment. Not EVERYONE is a dirty hipster (and clearly those who aren't won't ever get a job here) BUT everyone deserves a little respect.
And the food rocks.
I wanted to like this place. I really did. But I didn't.
I've been to The Foundation twice. The first time I went, I was following the recommendation of a close friend who's opinion I, generally, agree with. I order some kind of vegan burger. I am not vegan but enjoy vegen food as much as any other and my friend assured me that this particular burger was delicious. It was not. It was soggy and sloppy and bland.
My boyfriend ordered the chili and disliked it so much he couldn't eat it. He had ordered rice and was brought quinoa. I don't think he ever got over it.
The cups for the water were dirty. The table was dirty. The staff was dirty.
The server took her sweet time taking our order and seemed to sneer while doing it. We were, clearly, not her idea of the right kind of clientele.
The second time I went to The Foundation, it was to meet up with a large group who had chosen the location. We went, hesitantly, remembering our initial bad experience but I'm always one to give a place second chance so off we went.
After a long wait, we were seated in the second room in a very dark, very loud corner. The waiter was rarely seen and, several times, drinks we'd ordered did not arrive and had to be reordered after tracking someone down.
We got a big plate of nachos to share. It was quite the concoction, burnt on top and soggy beneath.
All in all, not my type of place. I guess our sneering server was right afterall!
I love the quotes on the wall! It's nice to see creative decorating that can also be inspirational. My friends love this place, but I would say that's its just alright. They make excellent nachos, the only problem is that you can't order them until 5pm or so. Why do so many restaurants in Vancouver have nacho restrictions? Is there some sort of nacho bylaw that I don't know about? Don't they know that if they served them earlier they would never get rid of me? Ohhh.... wait a sec... But seriously, why do they want you to wait until 5pm? So you can stand in a lineup to get in?
If you do happen to order the nachos you may as well wash that down with a glass, I mean pitcher, of sangria, because it is also delicious!
When I do get there before Nacho time, I usually get the green salad that has the spicy peanut dressing on it, but I can't remember what it is called. It is served warm, so don't be fooled that because it is a salad it will be like gomae, it's not. Also they have a hearty chili that is so filling that you won't be able to eat for the rest of the day, and for dessert check out the fondue chocolate, they sprinkle coconut on the fruit and its super yummy!
Sometimes the service can be pretty slow, and when I say pretty slow, I mean reeeeeeeally slow, but the place is usually filled with hungry people so it's not always the server's fault. I am not a fan of the music they play when I go to the Foundation to eat, it's either some random horrible sounding hip hop or music that just is far too loud to actually hold a dinner conversation. I do still go to the Foundation, but usually on the request of a friend.
Listed in: Vancouver Vege-me-tarian.
After reading the other reviews...
9 out 10 times I have ordered the veg chili on rice with cheese. It has always been delicious.
The last time I was there three of us had wine, a shared appy and a meal each for under $60, so the price is right.
Service has been ok to pretty good for my standards and I know I'm not a hipster.
The only time I ate the famous nachos they weren't that great.
I'll let you know what happens after my next visit.
Listed in: Where you'll find me
Hipster food at its best!
As a vegetarian, the foundation has established itself as THE place I will take my friends when they come up to visit from the States. Sure there are hipsters everywhere, but compared to SF, they are just a drop in the bucket.
Ok. Nachos nachos nachos. I am not a huge nacho fan (I am picky and nachos are dangerous), but these are the best fucking nachos I have ever had. Hands down. The large nachos is good for about 4 people. FOUR GOD DAMN PEOPLE. I came here with my girlfriend in hopes of clearing a plate between the two of us (nothing wrong with some competitive eating), but we couldn't do it. Damn.
The service can be a little slow, but nothing horrid for how busy it can get. We had to wait 30 minutes for our nachos one night, and they gave us half off our meal. We were like, sweet! I honestly didn't even think the service had been bad. Yay friendly hipsters! Actually, I have had great service every time I have been here so far.
On a side note, we came in for brunch nachos one day to find that the nachos weren't served until later. We were forced to get some sandwiches instead, and honestly, so good. All I can remember is sheep cheese and pesto, and the salad had this awesome mango dressing that was super yum.
So the moral of the story is, come for the nachos, stay for the brunch! I mean, fuck, might as well get some good hipster watching in while you can. Skinny jeans cant be in forever, so take advantage of the view
Came here for dinner with a small group. Service was slow and lacking. Our food took forever to arrive. The atmosphere was very different - loved the quotes on the walls. The bathroom was really sketchy and I wasn't sure if the door was closed properly (!!!) and there was no way of telling from the inside.
Water and other drinks are served in old jars which adds to the character of the place. The food was decent. Large servings for a really good price. Burgers and pastas for $10! We started with the yam appy. It was good, but the temperature difference between the bread and the yam dip made eating it really weird. The dip tasted much better with the tortilla chips than the sesame bread that came with it. I ordered the Mango Forte - a pasta with broccoli, zucchini, and jalapeños in a coconut sauce. It was good, but almost too sweet. The OPPP was delicious - the pesto sauce wasn't too garlicy and had a heavy dose of peanuts which was nice.
All in all, the food was decent and was really inexpensive. However, because of poor service and the ridiculous long wait for our food, I probably will go elsewhere for my veggie fix.
Note: Cash only
I liked this restaurant. There is a caveat about restaurants which are being run by what can be best described as hipsters, hippies and other counter culture minded individuals. You have the choice usually between good food and mediocre service, or mediocre food and good service. With this in mind I went to this restaurant. The service in retrospect wasn't terrible. Perhaps, because I had this mindset I was a little bit more forgiving of the shortcomings.
The ambiance was really loud however, and it was hard to have a really conversation. But, we could talk a biy so it was ok.
The food was outstanding however. I had the Mango Forte and it was great! Fresh mango, pasta, with what appeared to be ginger. The food definitely made me forgive the odd service.
i would go again
It's the sort of vegetarian food that somehow leaves you both bloated and hungry. The music is usually "positive" ,socially conscious hip hop. Sometimes the side dishes are unidentifiable compost-like fermented slop. The weirdly ill conceived combinations of fruits and vegetables are pretentious and really pretty gross. I am going to go have a bath now.
Finally went to The Foundation today after complaining about going there for months. I went with 3 other friends for lunch in hopes to avoid big line ups and such. It was only about half full of people. Right away you notice that.. everyone who works there are hipsters. And everyone that comes in are hipsters too. So if you're not even close to being a hipster.. you might feel a little out of place.
Okay. It looks worn out. Seriously. The place could definitely use a new paint job.. and replace their really old worn out chairs with "new" vintage chairs or where ever they find their furniture. Apparently the washroom was creepy and the door was broken too. The music volume needs adjusting.. it's not all equal. Sometimes it's blaring and sometimes it's soft. And wtf is with the jars for glasses? It's not cool, the ridges on the jars make it inconvenient to drink out of.
It's true. The service sucks.. so badly. Other than coming to take our orders and dropping off the menus, don't expect a smile or recommendations. Oh, and don't even think about a water refill. They ignore you unless you go up to them. And sometimes they leave your order sitting there for like 5-10 mins before they bring it over to you. And we had to wait for our orders for OVER HALF AN HOUR. Around 40 mins! And this was when the place was only half full! My god, I don't want to know how long dinner would have been.
I'm a vegetarian, so this place is a HUGE plus for me. Despite everything else, I would so come back for the food. And the price. It's so good. One of my friends had the burger which is really good (it's her first time trying a veggie burger, she's almost a carnivore), another had the hummus plate, another had the mingling yam plate (ahhh I loved this, I almost got a take out for this dish), and I had this sandwich.. I forgot the actual name of it. It has sourdough bread that's spicy though. The salad is a plus, dressing was very different from your usual salad. Loved my sandwich. But loved the yam dish even more, it's a mixture of yam and strong garlic dip with tortilla chips and flat bread. They could have heated up the bread more, and if the dip were hot instead of served cold, even better. And with the price? Wow. Each dish was anywhere from 5-8 dollars with tax.
But yeah. If you're not in a rush and with a few friends that have plenty to chat about (so the wait doesn't seem so long).. come here and eat. Great pricing, great food. If they're service finally met up to their food standards, this place would easily be one of my favourite places to eat.
You know, the quotes on the wall are better than the food. They could take the ingredients they put together, like black beans and mangoes, and make something less stew-like for a plate and a little more classy. I know there is a core of apathy in every self righteous hipsters' heart but I don't need to see it manifested on a plate.
I do quite enjoy this place. The food is great and fairly inexpensive.
Great Value !
Though the staff is absurdly pretentious and their hipper than thou attitude is a definite downside, the food is worth it.
At one point, me and my friend were the only people in the restaurant and there were a good 6 or 7 people working and we still had to wait 15 minutes to be asked what we we would like to drink.
But if you're willing to put up with the terrible service, than this place is perfect.
Also, the nachos are heavenly!
If you are looking for good/fast service this is NOT the place for you...it was terribly slow. The food good, but definitely not worth the wait. I will admit however, that it has a cool vibe going on, with the 1950s diner feel. And the open kitchen concept is entertaining as you wait for your meal, but I'm not sure that I would venture back...not anytime soon at least.
So i have been here twice now, with several years in between. The first time I hardly remember except for that the food was yummy. Stopped in here the other night...
#1 I went in knowing that this sort of place is not known for the best service ever, and that further... this place in particular is known for shoddy service, so I was actually pretty surprised. Saturday night, it was like 8:30pm when we get there so plenty busy! We had to wait a bit for a table, actually we had to wait a bit for anyone to even acknowledge that we wanted a table, but once we talked to one server... it was all uphill. He said it'd be about 5-10 minutes for a table, it was probably closer to 5 minutes. Water glasses were kept full. Our server(s) were friendly and seemed to work well with one another. Food came out fast! Wow fast! Especially since they were so busy.
their menu... there is nothing on that menu I wouldn't like to order. The Molten Tofu was exceptions. My boyfriend had something with Papaya... and zucchini that was tender, flavorful and like a little bit of love on a fork.
Actually, that is a great way to explain the meal, love on a fork. Flavors and preperation are both clearly well thought out, and generally original. Its not like the same crap you get everywhere... Its new, its original, its delicious. I found it all VERY tasty.
Decent beer menu, I think a full bar(?) and prices are generally pretty good.
This is defiantly a place I will be returning to when I return to Vancouver again!
4.5
BEST nachos in town!!! They do not hold back on the cheese and beans! The service is on the slow side. I had to wait 10 minutes for a table, and then 25 minutes for my food. However, the place was packed. My curry was kinda weird. I can't remember what its called. I definitely felt out of place in a sea of hipsters, but I will be coming back for more!
Okay, so I might have sounded excited today when I posted that I was going to Foundation for dinner, but truth be told, I was skeptical. The last 2 meals I had here were ultimate failures.
-The first time, I realized that the service sucked and no one really seemed to care about our table.
-The second time I realized that the kitchen thinks it's okay to completely burn something, responding "Just eat around the burned bits." The burned "bits" made up 1/3 of the dish.
But, once again, a friend suggested Foundation and I obliged. And all of the one stars melted away, like the yum-yum-yum nacho cheese. Mixed with gomae like salad (is that the actual name of it, I'm not sure) and I was in flavour heaven. Oh, and much better service here this time than ever before! And only half the amount of 'tude!
Listed in: Main Street's not just at…, Vancouver Burgers, Help! I'm Hungover, Hanging Out Hippy Style, Veggies for Vancouver
My vegan spouse has me always searching for somewhere that I can enjoy the food as well. Enjoy means good service too...not something that is normally associated with hip vegetarian restaurants.
However, my two visits to The Foundation were both good food-wise, although the first service experience was lame. The second visit had good but not excellent service.
I had the chili and my son had a nice pasta. The nachos are kind of plain. We'll be back because there are only a few vegan choices local to us.
A lot better than the Naam though, which I cannot stand. The Foundation is a lot more creative with their food, it's actually tasty, there's more seating, and the service is far better. If The Foundation was across the street from the NAAM, that hole would go out of business.
Service with a smile? No, not at all. The people that work here seem angry at the world! But what they lack in personality they make-up in delicious food. I've never had a bad meal at Foundation and the value is fantastic! If you're looking to go out for a nice dinner with that special someone this isn't the place, but if you want a tasty vegetarian lunch and don't mind poor service I recommend you try it out.
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