This humble little food item may or may not be magical, but it’s certainly popular. And it’s building a surprisingly devoted following for a fritter; people from all over the world have been seeking it out  at West-end Ottawa’s oldest vegetarian buffet, The Table Vegetarian Restaurant,  on Wellington Street West at Holland Avenue.

The fritter has always been a bestseller since day one. As manager Cheryl Abboud says:

“We can’t make enough of those fritters. They will never, ever come off the menu!”

So what’s so special about the fritter? Well there are the facts: it’s an organic tofu fritter, lightly grilled, made with simple, natural ingredients, and served with one of the Table’s house-made mango or onion chutneys. It’s also really, really tasty  (as this hard-working reporter can attest).

But then there’s that extra bit of magic. For one thing, we’re told it can impress hard core carnivores, or even get them to consider switching to vegetarian or vegan fare. But also, along with the other dishes on The Table’s diverse, globally-inspired menu, this fritter might just have some magical healing properties as well.

Recognized by Best Health Magazine as one of Canada’s healthiest restaurants, The Table’s owner Simon Saab proudly relates a tale of a regular client who, while spending a week in hospital, instructed friends and family to bring her three meals per day from her favourite eatery. Perhaps she was the inspiration for The Table at Home, the restaurant’s Gourmet Shoppe offering a wide variety of gluten-free and vegan ‘freezer to oven’ prepared foods, and a host of other quality items?

Simon’s sister-in-law, Cheryl Abboud, who helps run the restaurant, says that The Table is one of the few places where people with dietary restrictions can feel totally comfortable eating. With her background in nursing, Cheryl understands the importance of ensuring that every single ingredient in every dish is clearly indicated on accompanying labels. So fritter on!

And how can you try this amazing fritter for yourself? Be sure to visit The Table during TASTE of Wellington West on September 15, where they’ll be serving up free samples of their fabulous fritters.

For more fresh FINDs from Wellington West, check back here every Tuesday!

Keyword tags: WWBIA, Wellington West, Ottawa, restaurant, organic, gluten-free, vegetarian, vegan, buffet, local, local finds, local business, shop local, local food, fresh food