As a former private chef with vegan friends and clients, I absolutely LOVE cooking vegan. It is a chance to show people that you can create delicious full meals that are 100 per cent vegan without using any of those weird ‘beyond’ or ‘impossible’ products that people “swear taste just like the real thing!”
Unfortunately, when eating out, the same values aren’t always shared surrounding how to serve vegan delights, which is why when I find a dish or product that hits all the right notes and is vegan, I flock to it!
That’s where Drip House comes in. I’ve come to know the Hintonburg and Chinatown locations well. I visit for a couple of hours, have my oat milk cortado while I write, and then leave until the next day, when I inevitably end up back in my unofficial seat.
Occasionally, I feel the rumble in my stomach and need something tasty to keep my creative juices flowing. Their sandwich and snack menu is vast, and I’ve made my way through much of it, but every so often, I like to do my part in reducing meat consumption.
When I first noticed the ‘Good Falafellas,’ I was optimistic. A falafel, done right, is one of the most delicious morsels of food you can enjoy! Seeing the ingredients list that brings this sandwich together, I knew that as long as the falafels were crispy, this sandwich would be a winner.
Let me tell you, a winner it is!
The fried falafel discs were crispy on the outside and soft on the inside, not to mention perfectly seasoned. This sandwich is entirely vegan, and in lieu of a mayo, Drip House opts for an avocado mousse and a spicy tahini, providing a balanced mix of creamy, spicy, and fresh.
Speaking of fresh, the added tomato and lettuce do not go unnoticed. They don’t do the heavy lifting, but neither are they just thrown in there as filler or an afterthought — they provide body and freshness to the sandwich that is welcomed, along with the pickled red onions that add an acidic component.
Every sandwich fan knows that it is only as good as the bread. Too often, the perfect selection of ingredients falls flat because the bread ratio, texture, or both are off. Thankfully, that is not the case here. The Portuguese bun used in the ‘Good Falafellas’ is nothing short of ideal. The bun is pillowy soft but holds structure when you press down and bite into it. The outside of the bun is slightly crispy and gives a textural contrast without the feeling that you have to work through it to get to the goods.
What can I say? I love this sandwich and this place!
Sitting in the Hintonburg location (where I wrote this from), you can sink your teeth into the cleverly named menu item while admiring the art on the wall from local artists, listen to the barista-curated playlists, and sip your drink of choice. Drip House brings quality, atmosphere, and care to everything they do, including the vegan food experience . . . Trust me when I say there’s nothing “impossible” about it.
Good food is good food. Whether it’s packed with meat and dairy, completely vegan, or everything in between, you know what brings you joy when your tastebuds dance. The point of eating anything (other than survival) is to find what brings you joy!
Vegan food has been given a bad name, an image of rabbit food-esq lettuce on a plate or fake ground meats packed with additives and preservatives. We have to thank and support local businesses, like Drip House, that show we can happily and thoughtfully cut back on our meat consumption without sacrificing flavour and joy!
Unfortunately, there are no Goodfellas gangster movie quotes for me to sign off on that also relate to this wonderful sandwich, at least none that are appropriate for this article.
But when you’re done re-watching the movie, make your way to Chinatown, Hintonburg or Mechanicsville, pop into a Drip House, and order yourself a Goodfalafellas; I promise you won’t fughettaboutit.
