Hibiscus
238 Augusta Avenue
416-364-6183
Dinner for two with all taxes, tip and coffee: $30

Despite what I consider reasonably solid skills of observation, it took me two-and-a-half years to notice Hibiscus. Thirty months while walking into Kensington Market – in the same direction, south down Augusta then back again – I was oblivious to the meatless, wheat-less dining spot that sat near my preferred fruit market.

But, sure enough, there it is nestled into a small, graffiti-laced enclave right on Augusta. Once inside, it becomes clear how I might have missed it all this time. It is a bright, serene setting that offers sanctuary from the often boisterous street outside. It doesn’t seem to seek customers; it waits for them to discover it. Once inside, it’s easy to give in to the relaxed, near-meditative atmosphere. No lunch will be freer of stress than one taken at Hibiscus, a true hidden gem.

In a near-perfect illustration of irony, Joseph Tam and cousin Grace Hung turned a space intended to be a butcher shop into an all-vegan café. The deceptively simple menu excels in taste despite lacking not only meat but eggs, butter and dairy. Tam shops for his ingredients right in Kensington, using local and organic products as much as possible. Everything is prepared fresh each day by the two relatives, who also take care of serving and cashier duties in the intimate space.

Soup-in-a-mug ($2.50 small) rotates mostly along seasonal lines. When I visited it was tomato-basil-mushroom but clearly there were many more ingredients swimming about. Terms like “hearty” and “comforting” spring to mind. Drinking chunks of vegetable can occasionally become tricky, but worth the effort.

Soup is included with the popular Hibiscus Special ($7.50), which comprises a well-sized bowl filled with nine different salads. It is a great and healthy bargain – and declared here to be victor over the subs, wraps and sandwiches that tend to eclipse seven bucks these days. Each salad has its own salty, sweet or sour taste: take a bit of many at once and happily confuse the taste buds. Quinoa sweetened with cranberry and nuttified with sunflower seeds is a mainstay. Tangy asparagus, potatoes with parsley and chives, mildly sour broccoli, bits of tomato and tofu, a light bean salad and shavings of carrot and beet offer interesting taste arrangements.

The buckwheat crepes ($4) made by Tam are absolute standouts coming in either sweet or savoury versions which blend a type of cheese with fruits, nuts or vegetables. Each item in my mozzarella, spinach and mushroom crepe was independently flavourful. It makes me think the two cousins truly enjoy making the food—the care and effort they put into the preparation is reflected in the taste.

Back-ending the meal are a few options. A sweet crepe may be difficult to get through come dessert, but if the appetite allows it, a sugar, lemon and cinnamon pastry does the trick. A better idea is a scoop of organic vegan ice cream sided with a strawberry-pistachio cookie made of brown rice flour ($3.50). Hibiscus also has the requisite fair trade coffees, cappuccinos, teas, lattes and smoothies ($3.50 to $4.50).

I overhead another diner saying she spent three hours in Hibiscus the previous day with a group. I don’t find that hard to believe. It’s such a calming, reflective place to spend some time. It can also be slower service if the room is busy, but understandably so. With its seating comfortably accommodating 17, Hibiscus blends a backyard garden with an antique shop with a waiting room for a practitioner of transcendental meditation. For a reminder of the outside world, there is a large front window with stools to perch on and watch the street. But all in all, I’d turn my gaze and attention inside and enjoy the peace while I have it.