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New Duncan restaurant all about vegan food

Cafe La Vie, owned and operated by Vanessa Phan and her family, is enticing locals and tourists alike with its unique vegan dishes
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Vanessa Phan

A new vegan restaurant has opened in Duncan.

Cafe La Vie, owned and operated by Vanessa Phan and her family, is enticing locals and tourists alike with its unique vegan dishes at its location on the corner of Canada Avenue and Kenneth Street.

Phan has lived a vegan lifestyle for years and developed a number of recipes that are so good, she decided to open her own restaurant to share her culinary delights with her customers.

“Our Caesar salads, which are made with a mayonnaise recipe that has no eggs or anchovies, are one of our more popular servings,” she said.

“But we also have a lot of comfort foods on the menu, like mac and cheese and sloppy joes, that are made from scratch with vegan ingredients. Many people say they taste the same, or even better, when they are made this way.”

Chef ready to open doors of Farm Table Inn

George Gates and Evelyn Koops, former owners of the Chemainus Village Computer Centre in Chemainus, are getting into the food business.

The partners have taken over the property where the old Stone Soup Inn was located, and will soon reopen it as The Farm Table Inn.

Gates is a Red Seal Chef and said on his Facebook page that the business opportunity allows him to get back to work in the kitchen.

“Thanks to all of you who believed it could happen and believe in its success,” he said.

“It’s going to be a crazy road to get there and we already have people wanting to book Christmas parties and make reservations. If any of you are hoping to book a staff party or Christmas dinner party, you should inquire soon.”

Have remains be bedrock of artificial reef

Ever think about spending eternity in the deep blue sea?

That option is now available to people on Vancouver Island from a growing number of funeral homes from Victoria to Campbell River.

Called “The Living Reef Memorial”, the involved funeral homes place people’s cremated remains in individually hand-crafted artificial reefs made of sea shells, sand, ash and ocean-friendly concrete.

The artificial reefs are then taken to one of a number of areas approved by DFO and Transport Canada in the Strait of Georgia, including an easily accessible area just off Coffin Point, near Ladysmith, to help create vibrant living reefs on the ocean floor.

Kevin Owens, funeral director at Ladysmith’s Evergreen Cremation Centre, said the concept started in the U.S. and is new to Canada.

He said he has been approaching funeral homes across the Island to offer the service and many have agreed.

Owens said a Canadian website for The Living Reef Experience is still being prepared, but people can access more information at the American website www.livingfreememorial.com, or by calling him at 250-924-8484.



Robert Barron

About the Author: Robert Barron

Since 2016, I've had had the pleasure of working with our dedicated staff and community in the Cowichan Valley.
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