Jan 7, 2009: The Green Mango has been assigned to our "ugly" list due to the presence of fish ingredients on their "vegan" menu. See below.

Back in 2006, Doug alerted us that Spring Rolls’ menu included what appear to be vegetarian options listed as "vegetable and tofu" and "vegetarian". The problem was their definition of "vegetarian" included oyster sauce and chicken stock. We followed up with the owner and pressed for a solution.
    Good news: After several emails and a personal meeting, they added a pure vegetarian menu at all their locations in addition to their main menu. They followed our suggestion to use a vegetarian "oyster" sauce that relies on shiitake mushrooms in lieu of oyster.
   Spring Rolls has several restaurant locations in Toronto including recently opened "EAST" across from City TV. The new menu can be viewed at www.springrolls.ca.

In order to avoid hidden fish ingredients at restaurants that serve traditional east-Asian cuisine, it is best to clearly mention no fish, oyster, bonito, etc. Also try requesting “vegan”, since this word is clearer than “vegetarian” for some places. Also see our ingredients page for more information.

Toronto's Asian restaurants

The Good
In addition to Spring Rolls try Golden Thai in Downtown Toronto. They have a vegetarian-aware menu. Jean-Guy wrote us to say that "Ginger restaurants (at least the location on Church St) actually DO get it. All their veggie-identified options are meat-and-fish-free!” And HoSu Bistro (254 Queen St W, at John, 416-848-9456 and 2352 Yonge St, n. of Eglinton, 416-322-6860) "offers a wide range of appetizers, Japanese bento boxes, sushi, and Korean entrees to please all discerning vegan and vegetarian palates." It is the only Korean restaurant recommended by TVA volunteer and podcast host, Colleen, who loves Korean food. A lot of Korean restaurants include fish sauce and egg in their tofu and vegetable dishes.

The Bad
Jean-Guy recommends caution at The Bowl, at Yonge and Grosvenor and some of the items on the menu at Rollu Sushi at Bloor and Spadina are misleading.

The Ugly
• Barbi recently visited Green Mango's location at Bloor and Runnymede, looking forward to ordering from the section of their menu titled "Vegan Heaven". Upon ordering, she found out that some of the items in the "Vegan Heaven" menu contain fish and oyster sauce. After unsuccesful attempts to speak with the manager via telephone, a polite letter explaining our concerns and suggestions was hand delivered, however we have not yet had any response from the restaurant.
• Podcast host, Colleen, reports that she has been going to Diner's Thai, at 395 Danforth Ave, for the past two years. Every time she has asked about fish ingredients in the vegetable items. The have always replied "no." Except for the most recent visit, they said yes, there is fish sauce in all the dishes, and there always has been.