Sel Z.
Yelp
As a multicultural nation, Canada doesn't have many restaurants that specialize in truly "Canadian" or Indigenous cuisine. Miijidaa Café & Bistro specializes in "Canadian" cuisine that blends Indigenous roots with French, English, Viking, Portuguese, and Italian influences.
The word "Miijidaa" is from the Ojibway language that loosely translates to "let's eat". It's a celebration of Canada's Indigenous roots, and a chance to showcase cuisines that influenced the country's culinary landscape.
The menu changes by season as it utilizes seasonal local ingredients. There are lots of vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free options. Every pizza and sandwich can be made gluten-free and vegan by using gluten-free dough / buns, and substituting dairy with vegan cheese.
This fall, we tried:
1) Three Sisters Salad (leafy greens, marinated chickpeas, charred corn, roasted butternut squash, toasted pumpkin seeds, puffed wild rice, maple mustard vinaigrette) - Loved everything in this salad, especially the charred corn and roasted butternut squash. Perfect for autumn.
2) Vertical Greens Salad (leafy greens, compressed pear, roasted grapes, Woolwich goat cheese, almond granola, marigold petals, elderflower vinaigrette) - Light and refreshing with a nice subtle dressing that isn't over-powering. I asked for it without the goat cheese / have it on the side, so the salad could be made vegan / without dairy.
3) Forager Pizza (thin-crust pizza with pesto bechamel, roasted mushrooms, baby spinach, crispy shallots, porcini powder) - This could be made gluten-free and vegan, using vegan cheese. The crust was quite chewy. Toppings were alright. The mushroom slices were quite thin.
4) Umami Vegan Burger (roasted mushrooms, butternut squash and wild rice patty, house ketchup, sage & sumac aioli, pickled red onions, tomatoes, vertical greens, o'doughs bun) - This was one of the best veggie burger patties out there, in my opinion. It had a nice crispy outer edge, with real chunks of butternut squash and mushrooms in the patty. They gave a good amount of fresh lettuce and tomato slices in the burger too. The house ketchup and aioli definitely tasted house-made. Really great vegan burger with plant-based "umami" taste!
5) Butternut Squash Barley Risotto (roasted squash, caramelized onions, chestnuts, toasted pumpkin seeds, nutritional yeast, fried sage, kale chips, basil purée, maple gastri) - This was just alright. They used barley instead of the usual arborio rice that's usually used to make Italian-style risotto. (I prefer barley so that worked out.) It was warm and soothing, the kind of food you'd want on a cold autumn day. I wish they incorporated more of the kale chips in the dish.
6) Cast Iron Brown Butter Pumpkin Bread (butternut squash purée, cream cheese & crème fraîche, fried sage, toasted pumpkin seeds, maldon salt) - Not sure why they put this in the Appetizers section. It was very sweet and had the texture and taste of a cake. Not my cup of tea. I appreciated the nice plating on a wooden board though.
My favourites were the Three Sisters Salad, Vertical Greens Salad, and Umami Burger - all vegetarian but can be made vegan by ommitting the cheese in Vertical Greens Salad. You can also substitute the fries with a salad that comes with the burger (for an extra $3). I love the concept of using local seasonal ingredients, especially butternut squash and pumpkin in the fall.
The interior of the restaurant is spacious, well-lit, and there is a sizeable patio with umbrellas at the back for warmer months. The walls are adorned with paintings of landscapes and animals from local artists. There is a full bar in the middle of the restaurant, and more table seatings at the back.
Another big reason why I love supporting this business: Miijidaa is a proudly certified B corporation. B crops are "leaders in a global movement of people using business as a force for good that champion an inclusive, equitable, and regenerative economy." They do a lot of good and philanthropy in the community, such as:
- Helped combat iron-deficiency in Indigenous communities by donating over 2,200 Lucky Iron Fish
- Raised over $500,000 for local non-profits including Kidsability, Food4Kids, Women In Crisis, and many more
- Fed more than 5,000 Superheroes at Kidsability's annual run
- Kept local riverways such as the Speed and Grand Rivers safe by raising over $250,000