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Jean's Vegetarian Kitchen
Categories: Restaurants Vegetarian Restaurants Thai Restaurants Malaysian Vegetarian, Thai, Malaysian [Edit]
1262 Danforth AveToronto, ON M4J 1M6
Neighbourhood: The Danforth
(416) 778-1388
- Hours:
Tue-Sun 5 pm - 10 pm
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take Away:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Alcohol:
- No
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Has TV:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
27 reviews for Jean's Vegetarian Kitchen
Review Highlights
"They have this scrumptious pumpkin soup appetizer."
(in 13 reviews)
"We had Taro Rolls and Fried Tofu appetizer to start."
(in 3 reviews)
"...crunchy YUM), the Green Veggie Curry with Coconut Rice."
(in 5 reviews)
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27 reviews in English
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Review from J R.
Toronto, ON
11/27/2011 1 Check-in Here
I am a life long meat eater, but don't let the 'Vegetarian' in 'Jean's Vegetarian Restaurant' throw you. We've been coming here for years (they've had previous locations) and never been disappointed. The classic Pad Thai is the only one I'll eat in the city; it hasn't been ruined by adding ketchup (a practice many Thai restaurants employ to sweeten it to accommodate our 'western tastes). The Pad Thai is so sweet and good in the hands of chef Jean, you'll be back for more.
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Review from Gary. chester T.
The Danforth, Toronto, ON
12/7/2011 1 Check-in Here
It's a quaint out of the way place providing a relaxing atmosphere to facilitate a quiet place for conversation as well as enjoying the taste and texture of the food.
The menu is quite diverse in selection. We had mock fish cake with a sweet chili sauce follow by the pumpkin soup. Pumpkin soup has a great texture of nuttiness and creaminess. The braised rice vermicelli was flavorful and fresh. The greens and mushroom stir-fry with mock chicken was very tasty. The Malaysian curry okra with mock shrimp has a mild spiciness that worked well with the coconut rice. The okra was a bit over cooked. Gary likes it the way it is.
The dessert was sweet potato pudding. This dessert special tasted more like an over baked sweet potato with some sweet white sauce. Not that it tasted bad, just underwhelming.
Overall, we will definitely come back. -
Review from Brandon D.
Toronto, ON
10/14/2011 1 Check-in Here
The service here is unreal. So fast and efficent it almost made my head spin. While everything here is indeed veg/vegan, the pad thai I had was not as good as other's.
Girlfriend had the pumpkin soup (loved it) and the green curry (also enjoyed). Veggies were perfect on hers. I felt the pad thai was a bit cold for my taste.
Either way, check this veggie restaurant out. It's pretty great, for the most part. -
Review from Karen A.
Toronto, ON
7/21/2011
I love Jean's. I've stored their number in my phone and often call on the way out of work and pick up dinner right after I get off the subway. We have also dined at Jeans and find the atmosphere pleasant and the service delightful.
My favorite dish is the Pad Thai, which to me is a comfort food akin to Mac and Cheese or Pizza. I will admit that I love faux meat, though I realize it is not for everyone. His favorite is the Tofu and Eggplant Assam (stirfry in a tamarind sauce). We also go for the delicious Pumpkin Soup (in the winter) or Mango Salad (in the summer).Listed in: My Neighborhood
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Review from Joanna L.
Toronto, ON
5/25/2011
Jean's Vegetarian Kitchen is such a lovely little place.
The food is so flavourful, the service so charming and the ambience very zen-like.
I recently dined at Jean's for my birthday. A few lady friends had said some great things about the Danforth Avenue resto so I thought I'd give it a try and I wasn't disappointed.
Essentially, it's a vegetarian Malaysian/Thai restaurant.
They have this scrumptious pumpkin soup appetizer. I couldn't resist giving it a try. My dinner date, Dad, enjoyed curry potato-filled spring rolls.
His pad thai was lovely as was the red curry I ordered.
We left feeling full but not stuffed.
I'd def. go back.
All in all, it was a wonderful dining experience.Listed in: Thai for me - I like it.
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Review from Rebecca M.
Toronto, ON
6/8/2011
We were thinking of some quick takeout but as we were waiting for our food we realized that there was such a good vibe in Jean's we decided to stay.
We ordered the pad Thai, spicy tofu with vegetables, saffron sticky rice and, of course, the delicous pumpkin soup. I am one of the lucky ones who has yet to have enough of it!
I'm not a huge fan of the faux meat and it seems as if most of the menu items have one or more types of 'meat' in it. I would like to see more options without them.
Our server was gracious and attentive with one of the warmest smiles I've seen. The food was not only presented nicely it was tasty, satisfying, abundant and very reasonably priced. I will be back very soon! -
Review from Jennifer M.
Toronto, ON
1/12/2011
Jean's is definitely one of the nicer vegetarian asian restaurants in the city. Run by a friendly Malaysian (?) family, we visited on a snowy (and relatively busy!) Tuesday evening for a late dinner.
I am a huge fan of faux meat. I travelled throughout asia, and Loved eating at the Cantonese vegetarian and buddhist restaurants where faux meat is the star. I have yet to find anything like that in Toronto, but I am always on the hunt, for certain.
My SO and I were both starving, so we ordered a wide variety of dishes. We started with the Deep Fried Tofu Appetizer, ($3.00) which was two tofu "sandwiches" served with julienne carrots and cucumbers, bean sprouts and a sweet peanut (and tamarind?) dip.
We then had a wide noodle thai dish, Pad See Yew ($8.50) with faux shrimp, and chicken. It was really flavourful thanks to some thai basil, and the veggie-chicken was fantastic. Best "chicken" I have had in a while.
We also ordered a red curry and tofu ($8.50) which disappointingly had only two pieces of tofu and was on the mild side. Lots of vegetables, but no comparison to Sukothai. Rice is extra ($1.50)
Lastly we had a GInger, Chili Eggplant ($8.50) which was really good. The eggplant was cooked perfectly, the sauce delicious and not too oily. Well worth it.
The Pad Thai is ENORMOUS. ($8.50) Every other table was ordering it.
It must be noted that the food came out FAST even though the restaurant was busy. Excellent alternative to fast food. The service was top-notch, and the friendly patriarch perched at the bar watched over everything. This place has an excellent vibe and we really enjoyed it.
In the end, I would have loved some more heat, everything was a little bland. It is nice to have a lighter, healthier option than Simon's Wok in the east end, and the service was fantastic. A little pricey, but worth it for organice and veggie treats. Dinner for two with tea $38.10.
Will definitely be back for Assam Tamarind Tofu with Eggplant and Curry Drumsticks (how did I miss those the first visit!) -
Review from Jennifer K.
Markham, ON
12/14/2010 5 photos
I love the concept of a Thai Vegetarian restaurant as I love Thai food and I can come with my Buddhist and non meat eating friends..
Jean's Vegetarian Kitchen services is A+ even as a single diner on a Saturday night I feel really welcome and comfortable. The waiter is extremely kind and attentive.
Love the Pumpkin soup ($3.95).. and the nice fried shallots to be sprinkled on top before eating... hmmm really hearty with a little kick.. not too spicy... great on a cold winter night!
I was a little bit disappointed with the Pad Thai ($8.95), I found it way too oily and did not have too much complex flavour. Though it was nicely presented with chili flakes on the side... so you can adjust your own spiciness...
For the time being it is a solid 3.5 star! -
Review from Carmen D.
9/3/2010
I suspect the old man who owns the place knows way more English than he lets on. He's kinda pushy - "you want soup? you should have soup. i make pumpkin soup today."
I didn't want any. But he insisted. I didn't regret it.
Great for vegetarians. Lots of yummy options. Our table ordered 3 noodles dishes though, and when I said, oh, can I have some coconut rice, he peers down at me through his glasses and says "No rice for you. No no, no rice."
Either he's looking out for the balance of dishes, my health or he just thinks I'm too fat to eat rice.Listed in: TDot Adventures
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Review from Alek L.
Toronto, ON
11/20/2010
I am not a vegetarian, but always have a good food and good times at Jean's kitchen. And I imagine vegetarian people like it even more.
Good times start with the smiles - everyone is pleasant and polite. Next comes with the pumpkin soup, which I almost feel bad to reject (they will come to you and say, we have a pumpkin soup today, and after many visits, you will think, I had it 100's of times already :)
Pad Thai is possibly the best in town (although Pad Thai is far from my favorite dish, it's a must-try in any place) The menu has some very healthy options (a big reason why I like Thai in the first place).
Avoid the faux meats and shrimp, for me they just spoil the taste, if I feel for meats I go to the different restaurant in the first place. Love their noodles, you can never go wrong with any of the noodle choice here.
The good times end with a reasonable bill and again with plenty of smiles. Note that they only open at 5PM each day!!! -
Review from Josh A.
Toronto, ON
9/21/2010
When it comes to vegetarian food I always have nightmares of an ex taking me to Le Commensal on Bay Street where they weigh your food to charge you. Never was overly impressed by the place and i'm hesitant on wanting to ever go to any other vegetarian restaurants. This was my second visit to Jean's Vegetarian Restaurant.
An older man offered us Pumpkin soup first off but after sifting through the menu I had unfortunately forgotten about this and ordered the hot and sour soup which was fantastic. Based on previous reviews I regret not trying the pumpkin though
Although the older man took our order, he seemed to be only managing things as a younger lady ran around dropping orders off, cleaning up, and refilling water.
I stayed away from ordering a ginger ale this time around as the old guy brought us Ginger Beer by mistake last time.
I ordered the malaysian currie and a side of rice. Very tasty. Also had Currie rolls which although tasty, didn't really have alot of flavour.
Service was great and the place was absolutely busy. It is a small place and holds probably about 20 people. Restaurant is nice and clean although it is probably in the sketchiest block on the Danforth.
I would definately go back -
Review from Brandon R.
North York, ON
8/18/2011
Excellent vegetarian Asian cuisine. The mock beef was fantastic but the mock chicken seemed very slimy. The best part of the meal was the mango sticky rice for dessert--it was to die for!
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Review from Caitlin R.
Scarborough, ON
1/23/2010
I went here for dinner with my mother last night aftering doing a Yelp search for close by vegetarian restaurants. Let me tell you, Yelp did not let down.
The food was BRILLIANT!! Pumpkin Soup was delicious, Golden Basket App was addictively and deceivingly good (their appearance suggested cold vegetable flavor-- NA UH. Greasy, crunchy YUM), the Green Veggie Curry with Coconut Rice. Oh mi lord. I work at a thai restaurant, so I know my green curries-- But this one, was over the wall fantastic (if you can handle a little spice).
The only thing we ordered that I didn't like was the Deep Fried Tofu with Peanut Sauce. It had a very watery taste that left me wanting flavor. My mother loved it on the otherhand, as she appears to be a peanut sauce fiend.
We had the most adorable little server. She seemed rather young (maybe high school) but you just wanted to squeeze her checks she was so smiley and happy to be serving you.
The reasons why this is not a five star rating:
The lighting here was less then desirable.
They don't serve alcohol (which my mother was desperately in need of after a painful week of a new boss)
And the location is a little bit frightening. It's on that strip of the Danforth that seems to be home to sketchy male characters that don't seem to understand it's impolite to stare.
Otherwise, if you just want some darn good food and good service-- HIGHLY RECOMMEND. -
Review from Kat F.
11/23/2009 2 photos
This is an adorable little cafe along the Danforth amongst a sea of Ethiopian restaurants. Just a little reminder that there's more to Danforth Avenue than Greek food...
I enjoyed the hefty serving of house pumpkin soup ($3.50) more than my entree of red curry "chicken" ($8.50). I'm not big on meat analogues (the texture freaks me out) but I thought I'd at least give them a try for my first visit. The curry entrees don't come with rice, so I ordered a cup of coconut rice ($2) on the side. When you factor that in, I consider this to be a bit pricey for vegetarian fare.
The best part about dining at Jean's was the extremely kind and attentive service. My waitress (perhaps the owners' daughter?) was very polite and friendly and ticked off all the boxes in the "how to provide good service at a restaurant" manual with ease.
Open for dinner from 5-10pm every night except Mondays.Listed in: 100% Vegetarian Eateries In…
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Review from Min min T.
Scarborough, ON
4/8/2009
Every few weeks, our family and I make a lengthy drive from central Scarborough just to come here. This petite diner is well-lit, clean and polished, although seating is quite limited. Great taste, good selection and awesome service; the owner, an older gentleman that always has an apron around his waist, speaks Cantonese and is extremely pleasant to us when me and my family come here together. As Carmen D. noted, he always tries to push the pumpkin soup on you, but you'll never regret ordering it!
Don't expect typical Malay or Thai; the food is here is made with heart and meant to be healthy, and lacks the typical heavy-handed grease at Asian eateries. There are also a ton of gluten-free selections; the broad rice noodles here are something I ordered ... every time! Take note: those with nut-allergies should stay away as peanuts are served in quite a number of their dishes.
My only problem is that the dishes are somewhat small and the cooks were sparing with the amount of tofu and mock meat that went into each dish. What I can commend is that every piece of kai lan, broccoli and sweet pea is a choice selection, you'll never get a bruised leaf or an overripe tomato in your dish. The vegetables here are organic, which bumps up the price a bit. Still, I'd be better satisfied if the portions better matched the prices charged. Too bad there's no discounts for Toronto Vegetarian Association discount card holders.
4.5/5 starsListed in: Herbivore Heaven
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Review from Abby R.
Toronto, ON
6/7/2009
I was ultra-excited to sample the vegetarian delights said to be found at Jean's Vegetarian Kitchen. Everyone who found out I was vegetarian said "you MUST go there - it's amazing."
So, I was all psyched up and excited for some delicious vegetarian grub. And you know what?
"Meh, I've experienced better."
In fact, MEH, really sums it up. It was just meh. Nothing was memorable. Nothing was good enough to make me come back again (which really disappoints me). I feel bad because I like that it's run by a cute little old married couple, and there are plenty of fans of this place - but alas - I am not one of them.
Yeah..... Meh. Meh indeed. -
Review from Greg F.
Toronto, ON
2/26/2009
The Danforth is typically know for Greek Food. This unexpectedly upscale ,sleek Buddha on the bar vegetarian restaurant is a far cry from the souvlaki's on the street. It also comes equipped with everything available in vegan versions. I have never seen that before!
I started with the wrapped rice-paper rolls deep-fried in canola oil, packed with noodles, and raw carrots which made it perfectly crunchy!The main I went for the Pad Kee Mau, a similar take on pad thai with cauliflower and broccoli, shrimp and basil. This was a meal that filled me up!
The best part - It was under $8!!
The service was great , prompt food delivery and always a smile on the servers face- I think it was Jean herself?! I will definitely have to go back and try out the dinner selection! -
Review from Helen L.
Toronto, ON
7/25/2009 2 photos
We had a great meal at Jean's. The prices are really reasonable and the restaurant is nice and clean. The food taste lighter in flavor in comparison to other thai places in Toronto and doesn't feel greasy.
We had Taro Rolls and Fried Tofu appetizer to start. They were both good but I really enjoyed the fried tofu as they were like little tofu sandwiches. For our mains, we ordered a pad thai with faux chicken and faux shrimp, red curry with veggies and a side of saffron rice. The pad thai was really good and even though it wasn't too saucy, it was still very tasty. The curry was a bit spicy for me but not for my bf. They don't have a liquor license so don't expect to get boozed up! -
Review from David M.
Toronto, ON
2/24/2010
I'll add my name to the list of satisfied customers.
If the pumpkin soup is available, try it! It's not huge, but big enough to share if you're trying to save room for the rest of the meal.
The meat analogues were interesting, but unnecessary. I'd stick with the vegetable/tofu versions next time.
The staff is very friendly, and we'll be back. -
Review from Greg C.
Toronto, ON
9/10/2009
Yeah, I'm on a 5 star kick lately. But this is taking into account the strict no meat regimen they have to work with. I am not a vegetarian but I have a real fondness for faux meats.
This is for the amazing curries. They can't be beat. Seriously, give the red and green curry a try with some steamed coconut rice. I'd score the noodles high too but they don't compare to the awesomeness of the curries. -
Review from Thom H.
11/26/2010
Excellent food. Friendly folk. Great service. I'm holding out one star b/c I think they could do more with vegetables and maybe offer less of the faux meats. Overall, a great place.
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Review from Rich S.
Toronto, ON
9/29/2008
This restaurant has the distinction of being perhaps the only Thai/Malaysian vegetarian restaurant in town, and is located just steps from the Greenwood TTC station, next door to a vegetarian Ethiopian restaurant (haven't tried that one yet).
My first visit to the restaurant was favourable and not too pricey (dinner for 2 was around $40). The service was friendly, and while the first two dishes were so-so (the cold rolls were merely average and the curry was a bit too liquidy for my taste, the Mee Goreng (fat noodles) dish was simply amazing - flavourful and with lots of textures. I really enjoyed the meal as a whole, and I look forward to sampling different dishes on my next visit. All in all, a very welcome addition to the vegetarian restaurant scene in Toronto. -
Review from Jacqui L.
Ottawa, ON
4/22/2010
Lived in the Danforth for 4 years, and this place was a frequent stop.
Best to have:
Golden Baskets (appetizer)-- delicious little mouthfuls
The curries: I especially loved the malaysian one with lots of potatoes and tofu in a creamy coconut sauce
House vegetarian delight with the "chicken" drumsticks: these chicken drumsticks are seriously the best fake meat EVER. We always order an extra side order to top up what comes on the dish.
Saffron rice. It's practically a dessert rice, so rich and delicious.
The owner is a super cute old dude who moves suuuuuuper slowwwwly.
The Danforth is greek-food hell, this place is a welcome respite for vegetarians. -
Review from Geoffrey W.
Toronto, ON
One of my favorite Thai restaurants, vegetarian or not. I like almost all the food I've had, including the fried bananas, honey lemonade, pad thai, pad see yew, green curry, mango salad.
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Review from Sarah O.
Toronto, ON
3/4/2010
Bonus points for the east end for this little gem of a restaurant! It's been 2 1/2 months since I converted to eastendism and this restaurant made me proud of my moving decision.
The aesthetics of the restaurant isn't high-end but it's very clean and comfortable. The stereo was kickin' some AC music but not loud enough to grate on the nerves.
The owner is this elderly gentleman who looks like he could've been a former buddhist monk. He shuffled slowly up to our table and gave us some pearls of wisdom about how awesome the pumpkin soup is. I want to try it next time based on some of the above reviews but I was more in the mood for appetizers.
I tried the cold rolls and they were light, crispy on the inside and the tofu was flavourful! I ordered the Pad kee mau (??). I asked the owner what he recommended from the noodle selection other than pad thai. My dish was plentiful and so delicious! The rice noodles were perfect! They didn't sit on my plate in a gelatinous clump like I've experienced with other pad thai's. The spice was enough for a bit of ring of fire (tmi?). It had one piece of fake shrimp which was new to me. A bit weird. The fake meat wasn't overpowering and the flavour of the dish was packed with garlic, basil and yumminess.
i had a taste of the red curry and that was pretty awesome too. Brown rice comes at a separate price. other than that, I thought everything was priced fairly.
This place made me swoon! -
Review from Ryan F.
Toronto, ON
4/18/2009
Great, unique food. Super friendly staff. Music was not to my taste, but hey, I think it was at least native to Malaysia.
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Review from b J.
4/12/2010
Should be labeled an Asian (at least mostly Thai) vegetarian restaurant. Generally great food. Gai tom Kha OK, not as flavorful as others I've had. Many dish come with fake non-vegetarian items. We had the chicken - which resembled dark-meat chicken pieces. Mango salad was excellent. Green curry with chicken was pretty good. Coconut rice was sweet/interesting - seemed as though cooked in coconut milk- not with coconut pieces. Curry crispy rolls were pretty good. Ambience small nice, casual.
