C/O Yoohyun Park
Check out these five local vegan restaurants in the Hammer
By: Edwin Thomas, contriubtor
The rise of plant-based diets in the past few years is part of an overarching trend involving environmentally conscious practices. Due to their reduced carbon footprints, plant-based diets are more sustainable than traditional omnivorous diets.
Plant-based meals can range from modified vegetarian meals to using meat substitutes such as tofu and tempeh. The rise in popularity of plant-based diets is reflected in Hamilton’s diverse restaurant scene offering great plant-based options.
These spots are classic go-tos for members of the plant-based community and serve as a great introduction for non-vegans into their culinary style.
Planted in Hamilton, 225 John St. South
A vegan and kosher establishment, Planted in Hamilton aims to serve familiar foods using plant-based ingredients only. Popular bites include pulled-jackfruit sandwiches, build-your-own-bowls and their mac and cheese. The restaurant also includes a vegan bakery, featuring donuts, cakes and milkshakes, among other options. The average price for a meal is around $12-14.
Planted in Hamilton offers takeout, delivery, indoor and patio dining. They are operating at full capacity now, though proof of vaccination and masking unless seated are required, as per current COVID-19 guidelines.
Rise Above Pizza & Wings, 274 James St. North
Established in 2019, Rise Above quickly gained popularity with their specialty vegan seitan wings, pizzas and wraps. Seitan is a dough made of gluten and flour used as a meat substitute. The restaurant features a family-sized nugget bucket with 30 wings. Their pizzas include toppings such as seitan sausage and grilled tofu and include vegan cheese and sauce options. The average price for a meal is around $8-16, with pizzas ranging from $14-32, depending on size.
They offer takeout, delivery and patio dining, in compliance with all current COVID-19 guidelines.
Democracy*, 202 Locke St. South
Democracy* offers a wide range of meals inspired from different cultures. From avocado quinoa bowls to Banh Mi, the menu consists of popular vegan ingredients like tofu and tempeh. House favourites include cauliflower wings and fries supreme. They also feature a breakfast menu consisting of tempeh bacon, breakfast burritos and scrambled “eggs.” The average price for a meal is around $12-16.
Fun fact: Democracy* was the first dine-in vegan restaurant in Hamilton.
They offer takeout, delivery and indoor dining. For indoor dining, proof of vaccination is required, as per current COVID-19 guidelines.
The Hearty Hooligan, 292 Ottawa St. North
The Hearty Hooligan is a punk-themed vegan restaurant and bakery. Popular bites include their anti-warrior bowl, pizza pockets and crunchwrap. Their bakery displays new desserts daily, including butter tarts, cupcakes and cookies. The restaurant also features a lot of Simpsons art. The average price for a meal is around $10-14.
They offer takeout, delivery and indoor dining. Proof of vaccination and masking unless seated are required as per current COVID-19 guidelines. They are also collecting contact tracing information.
People Under the Staircase, 27 Dundurn St. N
Built within the Staircase Theatre, the restaurant combines food and entertainment through its fully vegan menu and an in-house movie theatre. The menu features vegan pub food such as nachos, staircase chips and a yellow griffin burger. The theatre plays movies multiple times throughout the week. The restaurant also hosts live performances and contains an arcade room. The average price for a meal is around $12-17.
They offer takeout, delivery and indoor dining. They are operating a full capacity now, though proof of vaccination and masking unless seated are required, as per current COVID-19 guidelines.
The aforementioned restaurants are a delicious and environmentally-conscious introduction to plant-based diets for Hamiltonians and Marauders to try.
If you have walked into TwelvEighty or Bridges Café since school started, you might have noticed some significant changes from last year. Both campus restaurants have introduced new menu items, seeking to expand the types of foods offered and introduce fresh takes on typical campus foods.
TwelvEighty, the bar and grill situated in the basement of the student centre, is known for its affordable restaurant-quality foods and campus nightlife events. TwelvEighty usually swaps six or seven menu items at the beginning of each year. This year, however, 16 items were added.
“This is the first time we have majorly renovated the menu for about five years,” said food and beverage manager Richard Haja. “So this year we did quite a large revamp.”
The restaurant held focus groups before the year began to test out new items on potential customers.
Haja is particularly excited about the addition of vegetarian bowls, which consist of a mix of vegetables to which a variety of protein options, such as chicken or tofu, can be added. According to Haja, these have garnered a very positive student response thus far.
“It’s kind of on trend right now,” said Haja. “The bowls themselves are all in the $6.99 range. That’s one of the cheapest values on campus because it alone as a vegetarian option in some cases is by far the cheapest you’ll find around.”
https://www.instagram.com/p/BnWnV-sn-2r/?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet
Other new items include various desserts, a jerk chicken club wrap and macaroni and cheese balls. TwelvEighty has been working to add more vegetarian, halal and gluten-free options. Haja says that the ethnic diversity of McMaster has inspired the chefs to appeal to a wider variety of tastes and cultures.
“It’s not just the individual’s ethnicity,” said Haja. “It’s that people are traveling and people are experiencing new tastes and new cultures, so they’re almost expecting those flavours to be in their everyday life now.”
Along with a culinary revamp, TwelvEighty has undergone a physical transformation. In addition to opening The Grind last year, TwelvEighty renovated its floor. It is also considering the addition of seating spaces.
Like TwelvEighty, Bridges Café has also recently redesigned its menu, adding ten new options for customers this year.
Currently, Bridges Café is the only campus restaurant that exclusively serves vegetarian and vegan options. The new items include vegan sloppy joes, vegan pad thai and crispy avocado halves.
Director of McMaster Hospitality Services Chris Roberts said that the menu changes were made with the growing diversity of McMaster in mind.
Bridges is also experiencing its fifteenth anniversary in Jan. 2019. To celebrate the milestone, the café is adding highlights from the past fifteen years back to its menu.
Ultimately, Roberts is pleased with the changes. Bridges had record sales during opening week and Roberts says that student feedback on the rebranding has been positive.
Bridges remains committed to providing quality vegetarian and vegan food for many on campus at the same standard prices. With these new changes, Roberts hopes that even more students, particularly non-vegetarians, will come in for a meal.
“We hope the new branding and menu will attract a new customer base, one that has not traditionally eaten plant-based foods,” said Roberts. “We want to encourage a healthier, more nutritious diet for students. You no longer have to be a vegetarian to enjoy plant-based foods. It’s a lifestyle choice now.”
As students have been getting settled in to the rhythm of classes, TwelvEighty and Bridges have been spicing things up by offering fresh foods and environments for Mac students.
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By: Emily Current
At a time when we are realizing that climate change is becoming an increasingly pressing issue, that our society as a whole doesn’t have the greatest eating habits, and that there are ethical issues surrounding meat production, many people are turning to veganism as a solution. Veganism, not eating any animal products, including eggs and milk, is often seen as healthy, environmentally-friendly, and socially-conscious, making it the magical solution to all of our problems, right? Not quite. While veganism is often presented as the best option for everyone, we need to realize that not only is veganism not perfect, but also that it is not an option for everyone.
First, we need to consider the fact that veganism is an individual choice and it is not always the best option for everyone. Consider for instance, people recovering from eating disorders. Veganism requires a large amount of thought and time being put into what foods can and cannot be eaten, and many people in recovery cannot handle this amount of conscious restriction on what foods they can or cannot eat. The fact that veganism cuts away two of the four food groups is extreme, and many people may not have the time or energy to be able to find a healthy, balanced, vegan diet. So while veganism does have the potential to be healthy, it simply does not work for everyone.
One of the selling points for veganism is that it will supposedly help lessen the impact of climate change. It is reasoned that since plant agriculture requires less water and produces less greenhouse gases than farming meat, it is better for the environment. However, veganism isn’t the great solution to climate change that it is suggested to be. With veganism comes an increased demand for certain foods like quinoa and soy products (some of which must be imported) that actually leads to the development of monoculture of such crops. These monocultures lead to water depletion and drain soils of their nutrients, making this agriculture unsustainable. While eating plants may in fact have an impact on greenhouse gasses, it is not a flawless environmental solution.
Because veganism is not limited to food, but also extends to all animal by-products, there are some issues with veganism unrelated to nutrition. For example, some vegans avoid certain vaccines, like the flu shot, because they are typically grown in eggs. While this may only be a minority of vegans, it is still a problem that people are not getting vaccinated, which is important to maintaining health.
Veganism isn’t the great solution to climate change that it is suggested to be.
Veganism is also expensive, meaning that it is simply not an option for many people. For example, soy milk costs almost twice as much as regular milk. Even if you think that veganism is the way to go and that people should adopt it, it is not fair to tell people who cannot afford it that they should go vegan. If someone is struggling to pay for food in the first place, they should not be guilted into buying more expensive foods. It is important to realize that income is a factor for some consumers, and this means that not everyone has the option of even considering ethical purchasing.
Overall, people need to realize that veganism is not what it presents itself as being. Is it inherently healthy? It can be, but not for everyone and not easily. Is it better for the environment? Maybe, but it can lead to monocultures and water depletion. Is it socially-conscious? No, it is not financially accessible. While none of these issues are exclusive to veganism, they are important to take into account. Because of the way veganism is presented as an ideal to be adopted by everyone, it is critical that we stop and think about the ways in which this might not be true.
Photo Credit: Bettaveg
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By: Allison Mizzi/SHEC
Does one of your New Year’s resolutions include an attempt at becoming vegetarian or vegan? This lifestyle has many potential benefits, but the change requires reflection and careful consideration of your nutrition-related needs. There are many types of vegetarians or vegans. These include lacto-vegetarians, ovo-vegetarians, lacto-ovo-vegetarians, pescetarians, vegans, strict vegans, or anything in between. You may identify with one of these labels and enjoy finding a community of others that share it. However, you don’t have to define yourself or how you eat; your relationship with food is yours, and that can change over time.
People often choose a plant-based diet for health-related purposes. Many vegetarian options tend to contain lower fat and cholesterol, and are associated with lower incidence of chronic diseases like obesity, heart disease, diabetes and certain cancers. They also contain more fiber and antioxidants, which promote digestive and cognitive health.
Others argue that vegetarian nutrition lessons strain on the environment. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, chemical and animal wastes are the major sources of pollution in rivers and streams. Others feel that meat and animal products are unethical and thus their diet represents a stand against the use of animals as food. Others choose plant nutrition for religious, cultural and spiritual reasons.
There may be people who disagree with or stereotype you for your chosen diet. Luckily, McMaster is a very vegetarian-accessible and inclusive university: McMaster was voted Canada’s most vegan-friendly university in 2013. Bridges Café, McMaster’s all vegetarian restaurant, provides a plethora of veggie-friendly meals, and Hospitality Services has expanded their range of vegetarian meals and snacks across campus eateries.
It is important to replace meat with nutritionally equivalent alternatives. As a major source of protein, vitamins, and minerals, eliminating meat without replacing it with plant-based options may lead to protein and nutrient deficiencies. Luckily, there are several nutrition and delicious vegetarian protein sources to fill up with. These include tofu, tempeh, beans, seitan, eggs, milk and milk alternatives like soy and rice milk, high protein grains like quinoa, wild rice and amaranth, lentils, edamame, protein powders and nutritional yeast. It’s helpful to make a conscious effort to include protein with each meal and snack you eat throughout the day, paired with healthy portions of carbohydrates, to set you up for a balanced and healthy vegetarian diet.
In the initial transition, it might be particularly beneficial to connect with others, for support and to gain insight into their tips and tricks. Be prepared for some trial and error, and listen to your bodily needs.
Photo Credit: Bettaveg
Survival of the fittest can be a skewed term. In apocalyptic scenarios, common methods of endurance tend to favour the idea of burly men cutting down trees, sowing and gathering seeds, and the inevitable hunting of animals. Although meat may seem like an element of a balanced diet and a necessity for survival, recent studies have proven that vegetarianism may be the way to go.
Research completed at Loma Linda University in California has proved that, on average, vegetarians had a 12 percent reduced risk of death from any possible health-related scenario as opposed to meat-eaters, who all appeared to be looking down the barrel of death.
In line with this research, five McMaster students share their veg*n stories and prove that following a meat-free diet can be a beneficial and accessible change.
Veg*ns on Campus
Second-year Electrical Engineering student Michael Podlovics chose to make the move to meatless when he started university. “When I was planning on living away from my parents, I realized that moving out was a chance to build my own lifestyle,” he explained. Podlovics has now transitioned to veganism and is still rooted in his initial cause for making the change. “The biggest concern I had, and still have, with the industry is the staggering environmental impacts and ethical issues associated with industrial production of livestock.”
A commonly overlooked trait of the food industry is that meat production doesn’t rely solely on animals that are born and raised naturally in farm settings. Livestock production and harvesting is a huge industry that uses valuable natural resources and fossil fuels to mass raise and transport animals that are born to be turned into meals. It’s both an environmental and ethical issue that resonates with many turned veg*ns.
“After opening up my eyes to the reality [of meat production], I knew that being vegan was the right choice for me,” explained Tori Jelilyan, a second-year Health Science student and a vegan since May 2013.
Both third-year Multimedia student Rebecca Annibale and fourth-year Philosophy and Multimedia student Mathew Towers made the transition to vegetarianism when they were in the tenth grade.
“The main reason I decided to become a vegetarian was the disdain I felt towards eating meat; not only did I find it not appetizing, but I found it unethical as well,” explained Towers.
Meg Peters, a fourth-year English and Arts & Science student, is also one of the presidents of the McMaster Veggie Club. Peters became a vegetarian at age 12, and a vegan at age 13. For almost a decade now, she has been devoted to maintaining her diet and has used knowledge of the practice to spread its pros and cons with the McMaster community.
Accessibility at McMaster
“Bridges is a godsend for veg*ns trying to eat on campus,” added Peters.
The on-campus vegetarian and vegan-friendly restaurant has been run in collaboration with Diversity Services since 2005. The café also contributed to McMaster being ranked as a top veg*n friendly campus through the “peta2” list (a branch of People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) in 2006 and 2007.
Bistro, or East meets West, has also been noted as a great campus spot for veg*n friendly cuisine as it easily makes substitutes for ingredients.
“A nice new addition to campus has been the Mac Farmstand in the summer and fall, which has started serving up wonderful fresh and local salads,” said Jelilyan.
Although McMaster has definitely proved itself to be a veg*n friendly campus, there is room for improvement to make it more inclusive for all dietary concerns.
“One of the main problems that I have heard from a lot of veg*n students at Mac is the lack of transparency on campus with respect to ingredients,” said Peters.
As tasty as Mac’s vegetarian and vegan options are, many of the servers that deal directly with the students are not well informed on the contents of dishes being made and served. The Veggie Club is looking into fixing this problem by developing a sticker system that would involve labels being placed next to campus foods that are veg*n or can be modified.
Common Misconceptions about Meatless
“The biggest struggle of being a vegetarian is gaining understanding from others, and constantly having to justify our choices,” said Towers.
Identifying as veg*n often leads to associations with pushy beliefs and an otherwise “hipster” culture.
“Sometimes I feel when I tell someone I'm a vegetarian/vegan they instantly assume I'm the leader of an animal rights protest who is going to push my beliefs of vegan-ism on them and everyone I meet,” explained Annibale.
Veg*nism is a lifestyle choice that is often rooted in ethical beliefs and environmental and societal concerns. With negative ideas surrounding their choices, sometimes the true reasons for their beliefs can get clouded in misconceptions about neighboring cultural patterns.
Another common misunderstanding is that veg*nism does not provide enough nutrients to sustain an active lifestyle.
“I have noticed no visible hindrance in my athletic or academic performance. I have actually noticed improvement due to being overall more conscious of my diet and nutrient intake,” explained Podlovics, whose recent veganism and yearlong vegetarianism has yet to affect his athletic performance in recreational sports.
“After substituting plant-based foods for meat, I can honestly say that I feel healthier, more energetic, and I actually have been getting sick less often,” added Jelilyan.
If a veg*n diet is maintained thoughtfully, it can include the same amount of protein as a diet including meat.
Considering a variety of veg*n?
“Should students consider a meatless diet? I say yes! Meat causes more emissions than all transportation combined. But if you're not into binary solutions, just minimize the amount of meat you consume,” said Annibale.
“And as an added bonus for students, meat is expensive and I have found that going vegan has even left me with more money in the bank,” noted Jelilyan.
With a campus that has proved to work for other veg*ns and has been noted as a progressive school in terms of its food diversity, McMaster may be a great place to taste test veg*nism.
“There’s a strong community of veg*ns at Mac,” said Peters.
Keep in mind though that becoming veg*n isn’t a decision you should make overnight. It is a thoughtful diet that requires planning and understanding. The more restrictions you choose to make, the more difficult it will be to accommodate your diet. Look into the various types of veg*nism that exist and choose the right one for you and your lifestyle.
Going veg*n can have a positive impact on your health, the environment, and the ethical treatment of animals. And when it comes to the game of survival of the fittest, you may just come out on top.
Elizabeth Root
The Silhouette
Celebrating its tenth birthday, the “Meatless Monday” movement has grown to more than 29 countries since its inauguration at John Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. This proactive movement has been monumental in inspiring not just individuals, but workplaces, schools and cities to take on this weekly challenge. Launching this initiative is a step forward to better health, a more sustainable environment and the welfare of animals.
This simple, one-day program can easily be implemented into food services across McMaster University. This is not saying that the entire campus will be banned from serving meat on Mondays; rather, emphasis could be put on meat-free options for this day. Informative brochures and signage could be displayed to help educate students and inspire them to make positive food choices. Highlighting a meat free special on Monday is an easily attainable action, one that would reap many benefits.
University is a time of development and learning where many students begin to make independent decisions about their own diet and lifestyles. In a longitudinal study done by Tufts University, it is shown that 66 per cent of first years didn’t consume the recommended servings of fruits and vegetables a day, 50 per cent of all students didn’t get enough fiber, 60 per cent were eating too much saturated fats and 59 per cent of students surveyed said that they knew their diet has gone downhill since they went to post-secondary institutions.
These statistics are problematic in the world we face today, and we must find ways to curb these alarming figures. What greater way to promote healthy living than with weekly reminders and specials of health-conscious food choices. With a focus on meals infused with fresh fruits and vegetables, McMaster’s students would begin their week on an encouraging note, hopefully inspiring them to make positive food and lifestyle choices for the rest of the week.
According to meatlessmonday.com, a reduction in meat consumption, even for just one day of the week, can have extensive benefits to your health. One can reduce their risk of heart disease and cancer, fight diabetes, curb obesity and prolong your life. The government could also benefit from this cutback through lowered healthcare spending on treatment of chronic preventable diseases.
By starting Meatless Mondays at McMaster, it would be a huge step to becoming more environmentally sustainable. The United Nations estimates one-fifth of all environmentally deteriorating greenhouse gases come from the meat industry. Water use for meat consumption is also huge (meatlessmonday.com estimates around 1800-2500 gallons of water is needed to produce a single pound of beef). Mac’s environmental footprint can drastically change with this one-day reduction. All small progresses are baby steps into creating a better planet.
Lastly, there are huge benefits on decreasing meat consumption to reduce animal suffering. Routine factory farm practices in Canada are beyond horrid, and animals are put through a lifetime of suffering. By reducing the amount of meat on our plates even for just one day of the week, we are directly saving lives.
It would reflect positively on McMaster to take on this proactive initiative, and it would set a precedent for other Canadian schools to follow. Starting a Meatless Monday program at McMaster will snowball effect to healthier lifestyles and sustainable practices.
2013 Food Trends
Asian Comfort Food
If you’ve ever watched an animated film or television production exported out of South East Asia, it is likely that you will agree that nothing looks more delicious than animated food drawn by the hands of Japanese graphic artists. From colourful bowls of noodles to sugar-coated confectioneries, cartoon food has been delectable to viewers since the early days of Sailor Moon and her donut obsession. And guess what? All of those colourful creations, are real. With the growing love of noodles and soups like Pho and Ramen, restaurateurs are taking note and making them a staple in more mainstream and western restaurants and chains.
Looking for some Asian comfort food in the Hamilton area? Check out:
Pho Dau Bo - 15 Cannon Street East
Saigon Asian Restaurant - 1024 King Street West
Cauliflower
Not too many people are pleased to hear about the rise o
f this flowery, tree-like vegetable, but true enough, this crumbly bland veggie is up and coming in the food world. Taking over for 2012’s kale trend, cauliflower is predicted to be the next hipster fun food. And although it has an unfriendly demeanour, mashed cauliflower is a carbohydrate-free alternative to conventional mashed potatoes, and a little seasoning can jazz anything up.
Looking to try something new with the caul’? Try this easy recipe:
Ingredients:
- 1 medium head of cauliflower
- 2 cloves of garlic
- 1-2 tbsp butter
- 2 tbsp sour cream or Greek yogurt
- Milk and salt & pepper to taste
Directions
Donuts
Associated with gluttonous cops and balding characters on long running television series, donuts have not had the most glamorous of reputations. But, long gone are the days of cupcakes and macaroons, donuts are the new ‘it’ dessert and will be available at more bakeries and on more menus. With both poached and baked options and unique new flavours like salted peanut and chocolate chip, the donut is receiving a makeover.
Looking for donut fun in the Hamilton area? Try:
Sweet Paradise - 630 Stone Church West
Hot Sauce
In an attempt to spice things up (ha), many chefs and foodies have decided to embrace the Sriracha - along with its spicier South American and Caribbean counterparts - and amp up the flavour on certifiably bland staples like soups, sandwiches and nachos. This year, look forward to requiring a glass of milk along with your food to tone down the shiny new spicy flavours. But hey, spicy food has been known to boost serotonin levels and lower blood-pressure.
Top hot sauces from a girl raised by Caribbean parents:
Tabasco Red Pepper Sauce - $7
Matouk’s Hot Calypso Hot Sauce - $5.50
Hot Mama’s Red Pepper Jelly - $8
Home Grown/ Vegetarian
They’re pretty, they’re healthy, and they’re trendy. Vegetables are the new meat, apparently, and you can look towards more vegetarian options at your favourite local hangouts. As more and more jump on the veggie, vegan and pescatarian train, restaurateurs are taking note and catering to the demand. If you love meat, fret not, it’ll still be around, but try branching out into some of these delicious new meatless options.
Opinions Editor Mel Napeloni’s favourite vegan-friendly dishes in the Hammer:
Injera from Wass - 207 James Street South
Orange Vegan Chicken from Affinity - 87 John Street South
Sauteed Cactus from MEX-I-CAN - 107 James Street North
By: Palika Kohli
I have been a vegetarian for the past five years of my life. Despite the increasing popularity of the vegetarian diet, I still constantly get hit with the question: why?
It’s possible I get asked a little less than some people. After all, the Indian-vegetarian-girl fits a certain stereotype, and for many, my religious background is sufficient explanation.
Except that it’s not. I may have been raised in a Hindu household, but growing up, there was nothing - no food, no pet, no person – that I loved more than chicken. It was only as I got older that I began to learn about the environmental consequences of eating meat products and by-products. This awareness eventually caught up with me, striking a particular chord. So I finally removed meat - that is, all products that I describe as being “once alive” – from my diet.
I learned afterwards that this personal choice and description had a name: ovo-lacto-vegeterian. There are many varieties of vegetarians to describe almost any combination of dietary restrictions. Here are some of the specific labels for various degrees of vegeterianism:
Semi-Vegetarians: basically these people don’t eat red meat, but eat just about everything else.
Ovo-Lacto-Vegetarians: people who consume both eggs and dairy products, but no fish, meat or poultry.
Ovo-Vegetarians: people who eat eggs, but no other meat or dairy products.
Lacto-Vegetarians: people who consume dairy products, but no other meat or egg products/by-products.
Vegans: people who don’t any animal products or by-products whatsoever. Instead, they opt for meat “alternatives” – food that is high in protein, like tofu, soy, lentils, peanut butter, etc.
Raw Vegans: raw vegans don’t eat any meat or meat-related products, nor do they eat food cooked over 480C (1180 Fahrenheit). They tend to limit themselves to fruits, vegetables, roots, fresh juices, nuts and the like.
When considering vegetarian diets, most people are concerned about a decrease in protein intake. No need to worry though - most vegetarian foods contain at least a little protein, from nuts (which are high in protein), to soy, wheat, and even dairy products. What vegetarians can also do is something known as ‘protein-complementing’. Protein complementing is when two different foods containing higher amounts of certain amino acids are paired up. This compensates for the other food’s lack of the amino acid and ensures that people are still obtaining their necessary amino acids.
While it is possible that for some people, becoming a vegetarian means that their choice in food is limited – it doesn’t have to be! Starting here at Mac, there is the wonderful Bridges café, which is great for those who are going to miss eating meat-like food. There is also Creation X within La Piazza at the Student Centre, where you can get the vegan version of all their wraps.
For off-campus, here’s a list of fantastic vegetarian/vegan restaurants in Hamilton.
August 8: 1 Wilson Street. Of the many local sushi places, this is definitely one of the best in Hamilton.
Bangkok Spoon: 57 King St. West, Dundas. This restaurant serves some of the most delicious Thai food in the area. You can order just about everything and ask for it to be made “without the meat”!
Basilique: 1065 King Street West. Right around the corner from campus in Westdale village, Basilique has amazing pizza and Mediterranean food options.
Earth to Table Bread Bar: 258 Locke St South. Lots of options and some of the best specialty pizza out there!
The Himalaya: 160 Centennial Parkway North. A small restaurant with a more specialized selection of vegetarian Indian food.
Mex-I-Can: 107 James Street North. Right on bustling James Street, this is a super cute Mexican restaurant that offers amazing vegan options (like cooked cactus!).
Vegetarian food isn’t just for vegetarians: a varied diet is important whether you eat meat or not. If you’re interested, want to know the names of more restaurants or cook yummy vegetarian recipes on your own, contact the Mac Veggie Club at macveggieclub@gmail.com.
Veganism is a commonly misunderstood lifestyle.
Aaron Grierson
The Silhouette
Vegetarianism. Veganism. These are both commonplace ideas in this day and age. Yoga too has been gaining popularity over the last couple of years. Looking back on the cultural history of the West, these three things were not so popular or well known. Now that cannot be attributed to media coverage, such as commercials and advertisements alone. For yoga and veganism especially, these things didn’t really exist outside of the area of their origin. This probably has to do with cultural factors alone.
Yoga is a form of exercise, muscle control and meditation, centring on the concept of maximizing one’s chi or natural energy. It seems to have explicitly religious connections, concerned with finding the Way that supposedly exists. Obviously, it is also known through its incorporation and use in numerous styles of martial arts. Take a look at popular actors such as Jackie Chan or Jet Li. The martial art styles we see in their films is demonstrative of the years of practice they have put into their ability to attune their bodies with a natural flow. It struck me recently that yoga is essentially a fad. The newest weight loss and exercise hit. Now I say this not from jealousy, racism or cynicism, but from the idea I had about timing. Yoga seemed to be publicized a lot more around the time we started seeing advertisements concerning child (and national) obesity. What better way to lose weight and gain muscle than to practice various forms of yoga? It’s cheap too. Pay for a class, personal trainer or instructional video and get toned abs in a matter of ten weeks! All right, so there may be some cynicism involved, but really, why else would anything become so popular so fast?
Don’t get me wrong, I think yoga is an interesting way to exercise, and it really does improve your physical fitness. I just don’t like seeing things being appropriated for the sake of a quick dollar. If there had been some natural incorporation from East to West rather than basically a stolen and hollowed out religious practice, I may not have written this article. Of course I get the feeling that would only have occurred through the East colonizing the West or just friendly global relations. Regardless of speculation, however, history tells us a different story.
From a historical perspective, it seems like veganism also has roots out in the East, and, like yoga, carries religious connection. Their diet comes largely from a central tenant of many religions over that way: nonviolence towards all things. You don’t harm the animal in any way. It’s also important to remember that as with the Ancient Greeks and Romans, some animals are very sacred. This is a stark contrast to the eating habits of Westerners, especially when compared to fast foods. As an exact comparison it’s an ascetic looking at someone who’s been encouraged to take as much as they can.
Now, to be entirely honest, this section was inspired by an article I read in my local newspaper. It was a bit of a feel good read, explaining how veganism has gone from something almost shunned and cultic to something more mainstream and widely accepted. Underneath the subtitle was a series of book titles concerning veganism. The two that stuck out to me the most were “Appetite for Reduction” and “Skinny Bitch.” These titles got me thinking once again about fads. Obviously veganism is a little more than a fad for some people (serious diet or religious [I know a couple of practicing Buddhists]). I sat there thinking to myself “so we’re encouraging pretentious attitudes and image issues in addition to trying to get people to eat healthier and debasing religious practices. That being said, it’s not like I have a problem with vegans, though I could never do it myself. I just love milk, cheese and meat too much. Besides, we’re omnivores by our very nature. Nature allows us to have the treat of meat (or any other animal products).
Returning to the theme of history, we can see that excessive food was once a rarity for most people (and still is). And so I think vegetarianism grew more out of the availability of food more than anything. I follow a similar idea when questioned by people about my eating habits. If there was no meat, I’d probably be reluctant to go out, kill a deer and have my three servings a day. However, due to capitalist endeavours, there is an absolutely disgusting excess of meat, and until it is all gone, I will continue to try and ensure that it’s not just wasted and those poor creatures die in vain. That very well could be a redeeming quality for meatless food practices.
All in all I am not writing to insult these practices just because I don’t partake in them, or because I think they’re genuinely bad for anyone either. I just hope people reconsider why they partake in certain activities, or at least have the decency to read up on the background. In that regard it’s no different from all of the animal rights advocates concerning the food industry and the way animals are mass farmed.
They had to do the research to figure out the problems with that system. So maybe if people researched the origins of the fads or trends their partook in, they might realize they’re doing a little bit more than just losing weight.
