here are many veggie joints in town, but Fresh's innovative cafe contains none of the pretension found in spots that have obviously placed so much emphasis on appearances. In a brick building in Toronto’s west end, this vegan juice bar is original in its design and function.

The staff is as easy and open as you'd expect in this neighbourhood of artists and students and young professionals, just a little more polished. To varying degrees the food helps to underscore this impression. Giannone associate's uber-design of the room aims for a grown-up mix of vegetarian cuisine and fun; food that doesn't take itself too seriously, but which is nonetheless carefully thought out and executed.

Menu optics is pure vegetarian variety, hinting at from Mid-Eastern and Asian cuisine. There isn't a dish on the menu that's terribly sweated over or intricately thought out. The menu's high points bear witness that the good aspects of this approach far outweigh the bad: wraps with a chickpea filling seasoned and fennel; dragon rice bowl, miso burger with miso gravy. There are also small salads and dishes that span a number of culinary styles.

Wherever possible, Fresh has committed itself to using organic ingredients, a philosophy that brings freshness and a menu that changes regularly. Not surprisingly, the kitchen's approach is more about enhancing flavours than adulterating them. The selection from the juice bar includes over fifty fruit, veg or soy-yogurt juices and shakes.

This is one of those cafes that looks and feels just fine - from the wood-paneled walls to the air vents made to look like logs. The centerpiece of the establishment is a long breakfast bar resplendent with a slick surface, matching the room’s table tops, and patio furniture while the stereo pumps out jazz and Moby-type eclectia. - S.W.