Kale is an organic eatery that opened last year and is a refreshing addition to the Yonge and Eglinton area. Amongst the many pubs and fast food joints, Y&E can certainly benefit from a healthier option. The restaurant is simple yet sterile with a buffet lining one side of the narrow room. Full of vegan, organic and macrobiotic foods, diners can eat-in or take-away in recyclable containers.

I fill a large container with everything and anything that looks new and interesting. Though I'm not a vegetarian, I fully appreciate and am intrigued by a good veggie dish. At $2.50 per pound my total bill is a reasonable $11.26, though the dishes themselves are a bit hit or miss.

A delightful crust-free spinach pie is light and pasty with a touch of sesame seeds that add a little crunch. The cabbage salad is a hearty mix of green, red and Napa cabbage as well as some broccoli and bok choy for an extra healthy punch. A Cajun spice gives the salad a subtle kick through the lemon juice and olive oil. The zucchini and marinated tempeh is simple yet filling, the roasted zucchini compliments the cubed tempeh nicely, and keeps it moist. A curried Napa adds some spice to my selection, and I gobble up the lightly curried brown rice filled with chopped Napa, green pepper, peas and green onion.

The ginger tofu, however, is a little bland. The cubed tofu is firm but too cheap on the ginger. Both the marinated salad and the couscous with sundried tomato are nothing special. Perhaps I did not scoop enough of the tomato and olives, for the couscous is filled with only a handful of chopped celery and carrots. Finally, it is only fitting that I sample the steamed kale, a simple dish as the title suggests, and I feel no more enthusiasm for the leafy green than I did before.

Kale also offers a variety of organic juices that range from $6.50 for a 16 oz to $13 for a 32 oz as well as a basic selection of loose-leaf organic teas for $2.50 each.