Joe Yee Vegetarian Cuisine

I’ve always liked this place for delicious Japanese style veggie dishes esp. mock sashimi and rolls. The owner was very nice and friendly as well.
However when I called last weekend, the voice mail saying the number was not in service any more. May be this place is no longer in business?

Excellent Vegetarian Restaurant! Very Creative interpretation was faux meats with popular everyday dishes. Great restaurant for even the non-​vegetarian people.

«I can’t believe it’s not real sushi!»
This place is such a wonderful haven for vegetarians to dine and share in the joy of eating vegetarian.
I knew that Toronto had great Chinese food… so far Toronto’s dim sum blew me away, but I didnt think they could do vegetarian so well also.
This place offers all kinds of vegetarian sushi and hand rolls plus other fancy to down-​to-​earth dishes. They do it all! When I walked in and saw the sushi counter, I couldn’t believe those things were vegetarians. The rolls my party ordered were excellent, artistically crafted, and portions were beyond generous. The prices are also so reasonable. Again, I couldnt believe it. A place like this with similar offerings would be so expensive in Los Angeles.
They have Bento boxes for $ 8. You will get the entrée you picked plus very fresh sushi rolls, soup, rice, salads and some fruits. It’s really a huge box filled with quality food. You will finish your meal more than satisfied.
I was fortunate to meet and chat with the owner Jason. He used to be a non-​vegetarian sushi chef and learned his craft in Japan. When he decided to go vegetarian, he transformed his craft into something that he could share with other vegetarians; and I’m so glad that he did. I think many people must leave his restaurant feeling grateful and happy for the good food. I know everyone at our table did.
The interior of this place is very calming and serene. They have beautiful portraits of various Bodhisattvas on the walls with text sharing their story and history. I love that.
Considering Toronto is quite an expensive place to dine out, this place is really excellent and amazing for its prices, value and quality of food.
Service is very friendly, attentive, and welcoming. Before I forget, they serve really good green tea here. I am so glad that I got to experience this restaurant in Toronto. One of the highlights of my trip.
Special thanks to the owner, Jason, who gifted me a Buddha jade pendent and told me to «Always be Happy.» I will always have very fond memories of your restaurant.

The restaurant is neatly presented. The difference between this place and other restaurants is that the servers are so polite, always with a smile and can see them that it is from their hearts. With the posters and scriptures that they have, they believe in Buddhism. There is no Buddhism song as background music.
The BBQ Pork and Roasted Pork look so so visually appealing. The chef must spend quite some time in preparing them as there are different layers interleave with the lean meat and the fat and have the crispy skin. The salmon sushi hand roll is good. The salmon maki roll is great. If you eat it with the wasabi, it tastes so real. The brown rice is an upgrade. The best part is the fried beef noodle. You can’t really know without telling you that you are eating in a vegetarian restaurant.
I like the service, the creativity and the presentation

On a quest to get healthier I have begun eating lots of vegan and vegetarian meals, this is how I came across this gem of a resto.
HISTORY/​ABOUT: Joe Yee is a vegetarian, MSG free restaurant in Richmond Hill specializing in sushi, mock meat and vegetarian food.
DÉCOR/​AMBIENCE: JY has the décor of a med-​hi class Asian restaurant. Nice tables, chairs, sushi bar and clean overall. Even the tea kettles are a step up, and so is the green tea (I find most Asian restaurants have teas that lacks kick, body and punch — JY’s green tea tastes like it should. It tastes like it’s doing your body good.
MENU DESIGN/​READABILITY: Killer. There is a regular menu, a specials menu and then a huge album filled with pictures of dishes. The best part about that album is that the dishes in there look exactly like the ones that are prepared for you.
FOOD QUALITY: Delicious. Everything tastes fresh and is well executed. I highly recommend starting off with the Hot & Sour Thai soup. I’ve had Thai soups all over Toronto and this one is up there among the best, no BS. It is so well perfumed with lemongrass, ginger, stacked with soft tofu and citrus notes explode all over your palette. The regular is enough for 3 people so keep that in mind.
For the main try any of the sushi rolls and I personally never leave without having the Volcano Hand Roll from their brown rice hand roll list. You will be shocked that what you are eating is not meat, but analogue meat with 0 traces of any meat whatsoever. It looks like the real thing, and any one would be fooled. I typically always go for lunch so I am privy to the lunch specials. The sweet and sour pork bento box is impressive, the sweet and tangy red sauce we are accustomed to is there filled with onion, peppers, zucchini and pineapple, but most importantly the mock pork is strikingly similar in both taste and texture to the real thing. It is truly impressive,
even the mock crab tastes like the real thing. The wok-​seared tofu in black pepper sauce is also solid, the tofu is cut smaller (flatter) than I would like but tastes great nonetheless. You really wouldn’t be missing out on much by being vegetarian if you had this restaurant in your arsenal.
BOOZE: No Booze! There is even a sign warning you about sneaking it in! (TY Jennifer K.)
PRICE POINT: Fantastic. You can walk out full and satisfied for $ 15.
SERVICE: Great, everyone is courteous and even the Chef behind the sushi bar will softly bow.
BATHROOMS: Haven’t yet used but I would anticipate them to be clean.
FINAL THOUGHTS: Now on my list of go-​to restaurants, especially when I am uptown. I desperately want to try the stuffed baby pumpkin, go look it up in the album ;)

The food and service is so great but don’t let the price trick you!
The dish served is great, place great, very quiet but I repeat — Don’t let the price trick you!

No meat and no alcohol? Wait, why am I here again?
A group of us Unilocalers ventured out to Joe Yee for a Chinese eat-​up organized by our resident Chinese cuisine experts Jen K. and Wayne C. The menu for the night was to consist of some faux meat dishes that this restaurant specializes in. This was my first experience with faux meat and all-​in-​all I enjoyed it.
The highlight of the dinner IMO was the sushi and the roasted «pork» dish. The sushi was beautifully presented, there were some great variations of maki rolls (including a deep fried one!) all of which were pretty delicious, the texture of the «sashimi» was pretty spot on, although the flavour was not up to par with the real thing. The roasted «pork» was quite delicious; it had a great crispy texture on the outside and even had a layer of «fat» to help add to the realism, the flavour was smoky and pretty close to the real thing.
Other dishes that I enjoyed were the noodles with «beef,» the beef looked exactly like the real thing and tasted pretty similar also, the noodles were nicely done. The deep fried «chicken» dish did not taste anything like chicken, I was not a big fan of the texture either (it was a bit too chewy). The fried rice we ordered had no «meat» and was pretty bland; you should probably pass on this dish. I was not a big fan of either of the soups we got, the mushroom soup was too bland, the tom yum variation was a little too sour for me to enjoy.
Aside from the food the restaurant is quite small and the waitresses seemed very friendly (Jen and Wayne were in charge of the ordering). The ambiance of the restaurant seems better suited for meditation or a yoga class than eating; it was very quiet and serene. This is definitely not a place you come to get rowdy, but rather a place for a quiet dinner (indoor voice only). Overall when at Joe Yee one must suspend reality for a couple of hours and go into the meal with an open mind. This place is a solid 3.5 stars, I probably won’t go running back but will definitely visit in the future.
* On a side note the price was also very fair; everyone ate until they were stuffed for around $ 20 with tax and tip.

Joe Yee’s might as well change their name to «I Can’t believe it’s not Meat or Fish» but then again, that would not roll off the tongue very nicely, would it?
Joe Yee’s is located in an unassuming lil’ strip mall all the way out in RH Land, but don’t let this put you off, it’s totally worth that (sometimes agonizing) wait on the DVP northbound.
Normally I actually despise sushi, well raw fish to be exact but at Joe Yee’s I can eat EVERYTHING woo-​hoo :) The presentation and execution of the sushi platters is flawless and beautiful, I couldn’t believe my eyes! Even hubby who loooves sushi was super impressed with the silky texture of the «faux-​shimi!!!» P. s. the «deep fried» sushi rolls were pretty off the chain too!
If one thing impressed me the most it had to be the mock bbq pork. Everyone knows I gave up pork because, well, I just can’t bring myself to eat pig anymore

but WOW, that mock pork was pretty good, it has a gristly texture, smokey flavour and even a crispy «skin»!! How the heck did they do that!!!
The surroundings at Joe Yee’s is serene and the music was a little bland if not completely dull but I didn’t think asking the proprieters to play Wu-​Tang Clan would have elicited a positve response, so I let it go.
I think, price-​wise you’ll get the best bang for your buck dining here as a group, that way you get a good sampling of dishes. For us it cost 20 bucks including tip between 11 peeps for about 9 entrees… I’d say that’s pretty effing good!
Big shout-​out to my Unilocal homies Jen K and Wayne C for rounding up a veg curious posse and introducing our tastebuds to some incredible vegetarian food!!!

Very interesting concept. When I heard vegetarian cuisine, I thought «no meat». I was surprised to learn pretty much every dish is a meat imitation. Looks like the Chinese aren’t just good at making fake Gucci purses! Some of the dishes were unbelievably close in look and texture. I could have easily been fooled with some of them. I was specially impressed with the sushi. I thought the work that went into making them look so real was, on one hand, amazing and on the other unnecessary.
This experience left me with more questions than answers. Questions like how and why?!

Joe Yee’s is the first vegetarian Japanese restaurant I’ve been to in the GTA (third vegetarian Chinese/​Japanese restaurant ever). I love the fact that their menu has photos.
We started off with Tom Yum soup and a mushroom soup. The Tom Yum soup was very tasty. The mushroom soup was good as well, but I thought it could be seasoned a little more. We also had 2 sushi boats. The fish was made of some type of gelatinous material that I didn’t really care for. I didn’t think it tasted anything like real sushi, but props for the artistic effort.
For entrees, we had roastedpork, which had the right texture and look, but personally I didn’t think it tasted like the real thing. I don’t recall the names of all the other dishes we tried, but there was stir-​fried beef and noodles, fried oyster bites, chicken and chestnuts. They were all tasty. I don’t recall thinking to myself that I’m not eating real meat.
Healthier eating choices, without the guilt. I think we’ll come back here again in the future.

I always go here as my gf and her family is vegetarian. Lots of variety and very good for people wanting to start exploring being a vegetarian maybe a couple of days a week. Everything is vegetarian, believe it or not. Look at the menu, it looks pretty normal.
A little pricey (for vegetarian) but lots of variety and quality makes upp for it. Definitely not pricey compared to non-​vegetarian places.
I recommend their «sushi» and just trying some of their special dishes.

My aunt is buddhist, and so for her birthday I had to break from my carnivore-​eating ways to take her out for lunch.
There are plenty of Chinese vegetarian options, but the ambiance is not as zen and other places can be crowded.
Joe Yee, located in Richmond Hill has a much more «upscale» feel to it and the atmosphere is calm and relaxing. The restaurant itself is not extremely big but spacious; the tables are set far apart enough to allow for some privacy.
We ate:
Pea Shoots with King Oyster Mushrooms — My aunt told me not to order any of their stir-​fried dishes because they’re not very good. Point made. While the flavour was there, the pea shoots were overcooked (read mushy).
The «Pork Duo» emulated roast pork and BBQ pork was good; although if it were up to me I’d probably opt for just the roast pork (rind made with toasted bread crust for the crunch) as the bbq pork was just a tad too sweet for me and didn’t emulate the real thing very well. The roast pork on the other hand was amazing! Definitely reminds you of the real deal.
We also opted for the Avocado Mango Roll which was made with really fresh mango. Mmmm…
I would definitely recommend Joe Yee for a relaxing dinner and creative dishes. My aunt did say I should come back and try the curry (Malay style). The late owner was the mastermind behind all of the dishes and after she passed away, her daughter and son-​in-​law (the sushi chef) are still manning the kitchen.
While there are definitely cheaper places to get your vegetarian food fix, this place encompasses good service, good food and a good atmosphere.

Who would have thought vegetarian sashimi could taste possibly better than the real deal?
I can’t comment on the nutritional value, but if you never like the texture of sashimi, or the fishiness of raw fish, this might be the place for you.
I was surprised to find a HUGE variety of other dishes for dinner or lunch. It all looks SO good. I have to go back for more.
If only I worked or lived close by.

I know what you are thinking. You are thinking «Meat-​eater hates vegetarian place».
Not True.
In fact, I love vegetarian places. They open up a lot of avenues for creativity and new uses for dishes that require meat. One of my favorite restaurants is The Graceful Vegetarian at Kennedy and Steeles and it never disappoints.
This place however doesn’t have a lot going for it. Unless you live in the area, I wouldn’t recommend trekking out for it. The atmosphere is nice but the food lacks character and its hard to define an identity for this place because it jumps between Japanese and Chinese cuisine so decisively that I find it a little jarring. If it were Asian fusion like Ginza then I’d be able to understand the restaurant a bit better, but I felt there was little thought put into the design of the menu from that perspective.
I had their potato soup, Vegetable Tempura and the Crispy Noodles with Duck. It wasn’t terrible but it wasn’t memorable either. It was a bit bland and I found it hard to get into each dish. I wanted it to be better but didn’t deliver on this level either.
With some work this place could be absolutely fantastic but I don’t see any signs of it yet. There are sushi options and noodle options. There is a bit of away to go but this place could get there and I’d be glad to visit again in the near future if that happens.
Note: Non-​gluten eaters will have a hard time eating here as most of the food uses gluten in their recipes.

I was happy to have a meatless day without feeling «left out». This place offers a unique vegetarian menu and varieties.
Atmosphere: Very clean compare to the majority of Chinese restaurant.
Tea:
Served good Japanese Genmaicha (brown rice tea).
Food:
Spicy salmon sashimi roll — not spicy tho. But I quite liked the mock salmon. I found it «crunchier» than real salmon. Next time I’ll tell them to skip the mayo and terriyaki sauce.
Yuzu mushrooms — not bad. Luckily the sauce wasn’t too sweet. Didn’t realized it’s tempura style. =(Would like it more without the breading.
Roasted pork and BBQ pork — Mom was amazed that the roasted pork had «fat» and the «net» that connected the meat. Very crunchy on the outside. I just didn’t like the «fat» — both in the veggie and real roasted pork.
BBQ pork — probably the best seitan I’ve tried.
Overall: Very filling. I thought 3 dishes were not enough for 2 but they were! Worth a try and will come back again.

I wish I knew about this place earlier.
I came here yesterday evening with my parents and brother (who was visiting from HK) for Lunar New Year. We called a few restaurants earlier to see if they had available seats — Joe Yee had available seats at 7 PM, so we went.
I wasn’t too impressed by their fake shark fin soup — I actually had better at T&T. However, it was pretty healthy, considering that it was made with pumpkin (I still somehow think they gave us the wrong soup).
However, I DEFINITELY recommend the «duck lettuce wrap» and the «salmon sushi pizza». The «salmon» sashimi tasted fairly similarly to real salmon.
Service was pretty good for a Chinese restaurant. However, the food was a bit on the pricier side.
Will definitely visit again.

I work near by and am for SURE SURE SURE a fan!
Very friendly staff and you can tell it’s family owned and run. I’ve only been here for lunch, and they have excellent lunch deals. I drag the meat eaters from my office here and they like it too!
I usually get one of the lunch deals and then try on of theirs sushi rolls on the side. It. never costs more than $ 12 and I’m completely satisfied (if not stuffed) after wards. Check it out!

On sugar high still & trying to remember the wonderful din from last evening w/​some great Unilocalers. Ummm cupcakes & macarons. no this wasn’t part of the menu but we will get to this later.
We had about 6 or so dishes. My favs were Salmon Sushi Pizza, BBQ Eel, Deluxe Spicy Salmon Roll, Tofu. Presentation wise, everything was great! In fact I forgot I was at a vegetarian restaurant. The first thing I had was the Spicy salmon roll. I just put the whole thing in my mouth w/​o admiring the workmanship… ! damn next time :) It was amazing… was it salmon? it looks just like it! what was it? :) The same could be said for all the dishes.
Service was great & fast. Our waiter recommended some dishes to us & always had a smile. He even gave us a knife to cut up the macarons & cupcakes (thanks Jen & Wayne for the wonderful sweets!!!). Even though we’re not supposed to bring in food from outside.
Can’t wait to come here again soon! Next time… I will eat everything slllowllllyyyyy :) Also… wear smth washable cuz your clothes & everythiong will reak of fried oil…

I’m having some Technical Difficulties in my head as I review this place. A preview should be necessary just in case you think this is a horrible review. I might have to admit to that since I barely knew what I ate and what is considered Vegetarian. This to me is very ASIAN Vegetarian because of the elements and ingredients that make up the dishes.
I have limited experience in Vegetarian consumption but what I have had is Chinese Buddhist Vegetarian which consist mostly of Deep Fried Tofu Pockets doused in sauces while others include Wood Ear, Bamboo Shoots, etc. Nothing too exciting for the General Public but to devoted Buddhist it was. Moving to present time…
In that comparison of the more traditional Chinese Vegetarian, this modern take trumps it in Creativity, Presentation, Flavour, Texture and Selection. This ain’t my Grandmother’s Vegetarian Platter by a long stretch and I’m sure she would spit this stuff out because she would think it’s REAL meat.
I think 95% of the Unilocalers that are reading this but haven’t reviewed Joe Yee yet will be disappointed to know that Buddhist cannot consume Meat or Alcohol, the sign at the doorway also notes that neither can be brought into this establishment. The other 4% are curious and eats everything and anything (open minded) while another 1% are forced in by their GF. I bet he’s having a Burger right now as I type this.
Now you understand the background. You can understand also why I give Joe Yee the rating I did. If you were without such knowledge and assume this is a regular Vegetarian restaurant in the western sense, you might have an adverse experience. Excellent service tonight by the Cantonese speaking Gentlemen that catered to our sharing needs.
Roast Pork — YAY (Texture, Flavour)
Salmon Sushi Pizza — YAY (Creativity, Presentation)
BBQ Eel — YAY (Texture, Flavour)
Tofu w/​Mixed Mushrooms — A-​OK (Flavour)
Deluxe Spicy Salmon Roll — A-​OK (Presentation)
Bean Curd Wrap — Meh (Not a Fan of Taro)
Char Siu — Meh (Didn’t have that meatiness)
Mock Salmon if I remembered correctly uses Agar Agar and Whey. T&T has it in their Frozen Ice Cream aisle.

A revisit to Joe Yee and I am more impressed with the food this time. This is because now I know what good to order!
The Salmon Sushi Pizza is so out of this world! You can even see the fat on the faint salmon and it tasted like salmon! How can it be!!! This is so so amazing!
The Roasted Pork is another almost like real dish. The time they spent to prepare this…
Another reason I love the food here. The hot and spicy dishes are really hot and spicy! I have to say it is even better than some of the Malaysian one I been too.
However, I still have my doubts about why one will make the food like real meat and seafood. Maybe the idea of not killing any animal to feed us carnivores is their objective?
They accepts Visa and Mastercard.