Samadhi Vegetarian Restaurant & Teahouse

Samadhi Vegetarian Restaurant & Teahouse Restaurant Review:

A giant seated Buddha marks the outside wall of the otherwise unremarkable building where Samadhi resides, tucked away on the second floor. Inside, the waitresses dart about in white kung-fu garb and the atmosphere is one of hushed elegance. The best seats are along the bay window that looks out onto a park, or in the scarlet-hued Japanese private room. Food portions are on the small side, and are prepared with attention to colors, textures and flavors. A tofu chrysanthemum soup, the signature dish, presents a cube of Japanese tofu hand-cut to resemble a blossom with a wolfberry for its centre, floating in a smoky liquid. Mushrooms of all shapes and sizes are flown in daily from the southern province of Yunnan. Bamboo gives dishes crispiness, mushrooms provide meatiness, and pumpkin imparts creaminess. We suggest the silky almond tofu for dessert. While there is a small selection of wine, we recommend a pot of Chinese tea instead, which complements the light, mostly vegan dishes.