Before November a person living in the Tri-Cities seeking a vegan, gluten-free dining experience was destined for a trip to Vancouver.
Not anymore.
With the opening of Chomp Vegan Eatery in Port Moody's Suter Brook area, local herbivores can now enjoy a meal close to home. Restaurant owner Vanessa Mills, who has lived in the suburbs for most of her life, knows the trouble of finding vegetarian or vegan-friendly establishments in the area.
"It can be inconvenient," she said. "You usually have to go to Vancouver. So I really wanted to cater to some of the people who live out this way."
So far, the 29-year-old restauranteur said she is happy with the response. Opening at the base of several high-density condo developments, news of her restaurant has spread quickly within the neighbourhood and she already has several regulars.
Chomp's menu consists of several vegetarian and vegan mainstays, like the gluten-free mac'n'cheese and the Thai tofu bowl, but Mills adds her own spin with several dishes.
Vegan cheese is smothered on wedge fries for her homemade poutine and she also offers up the Chomp sliders, a white bean patty lined with creamy sauce, spinach, tomato, sprouts and avocado.
Learning how to cook is often the first step when cutting meat and dairy out of a diet and Mills said most of the dishes she offers were concocted in her own kitchen.
"There are supplements for everything out there now," she said. "Some are tricky to find but they are out there."
The result, she added, will please both plant and meat eaters alike.
While Mills is a natural in the kitchen, figuring out the business end of the restaurant industry took some schooling.
Armed with a few ideas and a rough business plan she enrolled at the Douglas College self-employment program at the David Lam campus. There she met countless other entrepreneurs, receiving practical business advice and group support.
"It was a fantastic course," she said. "Almost everyday there is a different teacher and all have their own businesses. You get so many different opinions and ideas from these people. They just helped me walk through the process."
With the business plan in place MIlls can once again focus on doing what she does best - preparing food. She has a few new ideas for the restaurant and is thinking about adding several breakfast items to the menu.
"If you asked me five years ago I wouldn't have thought I would be doing this," she said. "But I just love cooking. That is where all the ideas are coming from."
To find out more about Chomp Vegan Eatery go to www.chompveganeatery.com.
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