Like moths to a flame, vegans and hip Edmontonians alike have been flocking to this newly opened cafe in the Quarters, aptly named The Moth Cafe. Opened by the same family behind Cafe Mosaics on Whyte Ave, the Moth Cafe shares some DNA with its big sister, offering plant-based food and drinks.
The Moth Cafe took over the space vacated by Trang Tien, a Vietnamese restaurant that my family frequented quite a lot when I was younger. (They were known for their bun bo hue and I especially loved their banh bot loc.)
Stepping into the wooden doorway (entrance is now on the right of the restaurant building), it's amazing to think that it was even the same space as before. Natural light pours in, but the space retains a cozy charm with its brick walls and wooden ceiling beams.
There is a long communal table in front of the bar counter, but most other tables are suitable for groups of two or four. On the left side of the restaurant sits a cozy elevated nook with comfy chairs and poufs.
Lunch on a Wednesday was quite busy, and the place was full by the time we left. Considering the location and the fact that it was a weekday, it's encouraging to see an honest business thrive in such an area.
A cute mini clipboard holds the menu together, with six of the nine pages dedicated to just drinks. Coffee, tea lattes, kombucha, medicinal tea, fresh ice blends, and (coming soon) gin and tonics. It's to be noted that all coffee and tea lattes are made with the mylk of your choice: almond, soy, coconut, or cashew. It's a refreshing change of pace, not just for vegans, but for those with lactose intolerance (you poor unfortunate souls), to not have to pay extra for a milk substitute. However, I will say that the prices (especially the tea lattes) are a bit more expensive than your average Starbucks.
Closer to the back of the menu, you'll finally reach the food, split into small bites, breakfast, noodle soups, and mains. Small bites are an eclectic mix of items, some suitable as appetizers for sharing and others suitable as light meals for one. Breakfast includes smoothie bowls, gluten-free pancakes, and tofu scrambles. Mains and noodle soups are heartier fares, with noodles and pasta being the main focus. They also carry a changing selection of vegan desserts at the counter.
Although the Moth Cafe is sister restaurant to Cafe Mosaics, it's nice to see that they didn't just copy and paste the menu. If you wanted to take a good look at their offerings, the full menu is posted on their Instagram.
Choosing a drink from the extensive list was not an easy task, but both MH and I settled on a tea latte. I ordered the happiness ginger chai ($7.00) with chai, mylk (I chose soy), and happiness elixir. MH got the cardamom rose latte ($7.50) with rosemary cardamom syrup, almond mylk, rose oil and graviola. With all these elixirs and ingredients I haven't even heard of, you might think we were ordering potions. But if you were actually interested in learning their health benefits, the menu also has an appendix for your reading pleasure.
I had a sip of MH's latte and found it strong on the cardamom flavour, similar to mine which had a distinct ginger kick. The flavour actually mellowed out a bit as the drink cooled down and more sips were taken.
For food, MH chose the pulled jackfruit enchilada ($17.00) with mole sauce and "sour cream". Inside the whole wheat tortilla wrap was pulled jackfruit, mushrooms, onions, and garlic. I believe the "sour cream" (the white spread) is made up of the rest of the listed ingredients, those being tofu, peanuts, almonds, walnuts, and sesame. Pulled jackfruit has become quite trendy as of late, as a vegan alternative that mimics the texture of pulled pork. MH cleared her plate, but may have found the "sour cream" to be a bit much, as she wiped off some of it by the end.
Although it may seem like I'm listening more negatives than positives here, I actually really liked the dish and recommend trying it when you visit. I think I was amazed at the texture of the jackfruit and how closely it resembled meat!
 |  |
As a whole, I actually might have enjoyed my experience at the Moth more than my previous visit to Cafe Mosaics. The general vibe is definitely more chill and relaxed. Also, I think the highest compliment for any vegan restaurant is when even non-vegans enjoy the food, so my hats off to them.
P.S. Can I hire their designer/interior decorator to do my place?
The Moth Cafe
9449 Jasper Ave
Edmonton, AB
Edmonton, AB
(780) 244-9702
- CT
One of the owners has a masters in architecture. She did all the interior design and her uncle helped with renovations!
ReplyDelete