The Naam

Vancouver sleeps early. It’s pretty difficult to find an eatery that serves food after 11pm. The Naam is one of the few; it’s open 24-hours, 7 days a week. After our night scuba lesson, Batman and I were famished, and met up with DesignGirl to indulge in some midnight snacking (more like, food-hoarding).

Even at midnight, the Naam is brimming with business, mostly from starving students. We pulled up a few seats near the back as courtyard dining was not available at such a late hour, but the dim lighting and deep foliage that lined the courtyard made it irresistibly romantic. You’ll find an eclectic group of diners here – everything from lululemon-wearing yogis to blockbuster celebrities such as The Red Hot Chilli Peppers, and Jessica Biel. The appeal of the Naam rests in its simplicity – the Naam serves up huge portions of simple, warm, comfort food. Hempwear and dreadlocks are common. Oh, and did I mention that it’s completely vegetarian? But even the most meaty meateaters go gaga for the Naam.

DesignGirl opted for the Buddha’s Feast – and it is what it sounds like – a heaping plate of stir fried vegetables (broccoli, cauliflower, tofu, peppers, zucchini, beets, carrots) atop organic brown rice. The veggies are meant to be jumbled together and post-mixing, we arrive at a dish that’s undeniably delectable. The vegetables are crisp and well-cooked, the tofu is flavour-bountiful, and the brown rice is soft and savory.

Batman’s quite affectionate about avocados, and ordered the cashews and avocado enchilada, which came with a side salad. His dish arrived piping out, with guacamole gushing below a tortilla coated in melted cheese. Batman’s verdict “avocado, beans, and other hippy vegan veggie stuff (which is good for you) baked inside cheese. Need I say more? The salad was interesting too.” Personally, I found the enchilada to be too heavy on the avocado – a few spoons would have satisfied me, but eating a whole enchilada was just too rich. The side salad had your standard greens, tomatoes, and sprouts. The dressing was their homemade ‘miso-gravy’ dressing – light and different, without the usual acidic zing of a vinaigrette.

Batman also ordered a beer – the Deadfrog Brown Ale: “The deadfrog brown ale is not dead at all. It was hoppy and jumping all over the place! Settling down with this refreshing beer made me feel grateful to be alive and well. (I think he was just happy to have alcohol) For me, it’s not as consistently drinkable as a lager or pale ale, but I enjoyed the glass of this acquired taste. It made me feel like a froggin’ King.”

I finished everything off with a large carrot juice – which by the looks of it, did not come in a very large glass – and with this being The Naam, I knew it was freshly squeezed.

The service was horrible, I’ve could’ve friven home, planted and harvested my own carrots for juice, with the time it took them to take out order.

For huge portions of organic veggie eats that will fool even the most clever carnivore, The Naam is your best bet – especially for those late night cravings.

We rate The Naam: