The “Bloody” But Meat-Free Burger Is Coming to Canada

CANADA — Vegetarian (or vegan) burgers that are uncannily meat-like have been making waves in the USA for a couple of years — now, Beyond Meat, one of the major purveyors of so-called “bloody” vegetarian burgers (featuring Bill Gates as an investor) is getting into the Canadian market in a big way. Burger giant A&W Canada will carry the company’s highly engineered burger at all locations, beginning next Monday, July 9. The burger comprises a mix of peas, rice, mung beans, coconut oil, pomegranates, potatoes, apples, and beets (for the “blood” factor), and has garnered generally warm reviews for its “meatiness”. While a bleeding burger from Beyond Meat’s main competitor, Impossible Foods, has made brief appearances in Canada, this is the first major test in the country for either of the players. But it’s unclear if Impossible Burger will follow suit: the company is focusing more on getting into higher end restaurants only, rather than the mass distribution approach of Beyond Meat.

CENTRE-SUD/MILE END — If you miss the excellent Sichuan food of former Villeray restaurant Trilogie, you’re in luck: owner Anita Feng is popping up to cook food around town in the coming weeks. She’ll be at the riverfront Village au Pied de Courant on Sunday (July 8) from 3 p.m. with a menu featuring noodles and fried chicken (although none of Trilogie’s beloved dumplings). Then later this month, she’s doing a $65 dinner at Mile End’s Lawrence, featuring various Sichuan pork dishes.

GRIFFINTOWN — Do you like foods that are made black with charcoal? Griffintown restaurant Chez Ann does, since they’ve added the entertainingly named “SoftGoth” soft serve, a lactose-free ice cream, dyed black with the harmless carbon-based substance.

Chez Ann/Facebook

QUEBEC — There’s a novel way to look for your favourite craft brews in the province, with a new search app named Birre&Co. The free app tracks where a wide range of beers can be found (both craft and big labels), and also has various discovery and ratings functions to help uncover new brews and breweries in Quebec.

• I love meat. But these new “bleeding” veggie burgers convinced me to give it up for good [Vox]
• Largest US meat processor invests in veggie burgers that ‘bleed’ [The Verge]
• Vente de Garage au Pied-du-Courant [Facebook]
• Dumpling Royalty Trilogie is Closing This Friday [EMTL]
• Everything You Need to Know About Eating Activated Charcoal [E]