If you read this blog often, you know I’m a major meat-eater. But even I know, I should lay off the meat once in a while. So when Christina suggested a weekday lunch at the Sunflower Cafe, I thought, “Why not?”
The cafe is located inside the health food supermarket on 10th Avenue with a big sunflower painted on the building. It’s a cafeteria, self-serve set-up with mostly long communal tables for eating in.
The offerings are simple: organic hot and cold foods, baked goods and smoothies. The salad bar is more interesting than most. Along with the typical mixed greens and tomatoes, there are things like quinoa, sunflower seeds, couscous salad, feta, dried cranberries and roasted beets.
There was a choice of four dressings including a peanut one made with tahini and a honey mustard one that I quite enjoyed.
The stuffed vine leaves from the salad bar were amazing. Just filled with rice and spices – and no meat. Imagine that. (I picked up a container of about 12 for $3.99 to take home with me.)
Christina and I both got some delicious chickpea curry, mine with brown rice. I also spied some vegetarian stirfry and some sort of spelt spaghetti I think. The soup (maybe carrot?) looked really good too.
Everything in the buffet is measured by weight – $1.79/100 grams. My plate (2nd photo) was $6.64.
There was quite a long lineup around noon so I guess not everyone needs meat. I’d come here again when I’m in the mood for something that won’t clog my arteries.
The store itself is neat to wander through too. I came home with some tasty gluten-free, wheat-free ginger almond cookies.
Sunflower Cafe, Community Natural Foods, 1304-10th Ave. SW Calgary, (403) 229-2383. Cafe hours Mon-Fri 9 a.m.-5 p.m., weekends 8 a.m.-5 p.m.
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