CLOSED: Prime

This is probably Toronto's only upscale vegan cuisine.

I love that they have a separate vegan menu although it would be nice to incorporate it into the main menu so that others are more likely to try it out as well.

I opted to try the wild mushroom and pearl barley risotto with crispy sage and truffle oil as a starter. It was decadent and delicious. It was also rich and filling, so I decided to pace myself and take half of it home. I also tried the nori rolls stuffed with a creamy ginger dill sunflower seed pate but we didn't find them that exceptional.

For our mains, I happily munched on the herbed portobello mushroom and tempeh burger which was the highlight of the night. I have never had such a flavourful veggie burger. Unfortunately, the sweet potato fries were subpar, even after I asked for fresh ones since mine were cold. They also forgot to give me the sun-dried tomato aioli, but I am glad I reminded them because it was really good with the burger.

I also sampled the cornmeal crusted tempeh steaks, spiced sweet potato coconut mash, steamed greens with caramelized onion and cherry tomato relish but we both found it lackluster. I suppose we've been spoiled by great vegan eats elsewhere (although not in Toronto).

For dessert, I was salivating the vegan Mango Cheesecake with a Raspberry Coulis. However, it was bad. It was uber sweet but in a dry icing sugar kind of way. Turns out, I can make a better version at home anyhow.

In summary, the risotto and burger are your best bets.

We were visiting Toronto to celebrate my daughter's birthday and decided to give Prime at the Windsor Arms Hotel a try. This is quite an expensive restaurant but it is ceretainly a nice atmosphere and the food was great. I was concerned that they might have a dress code but my jeans did not seem a concern. They have a separate vegan menu and there was enough choice to keep the four of us happy. The Nori roll appetizers were great. I had the stir-fried tempeh which I really enjoyed. We all had beer so I have no idea about the wines although they looked expensive. They have a happy birthday plate but you should order ahead. The 6:00 pm sitting suited us and the service was excellent. It was a real treat to be in a quiet unrushed restaurant.