What does kosher mean?
 
It seems that everyone has a different concept of what "kosher food" is. The closest Hebrew translation would be "proper" or "fit", as in fit for consumption. What is deemed "fit" for meat will be different for dairy, bread, fruits, vegetables etc...... Thus resulting in rules to follow for every kind of food.
 
These rules come from the Jewish scriptures found in The Torah. According to the Torah, one must only eat animals that have "cloven hooves" and "chew the cud". Cloven hooves have the split up the middle and chewing the cud is a part of some animal’s digestive processes. Some kosher animal that fit both of these requirements are cows, bulls, sheep, lamb, and goats. The Jewish laws also state that the animal must feel no pain. For meat to then be kosher it must be processed in a very humane way.
 
One of the most known rules of kashrut is to not combine dairy and meat in the same meal. Maple Grill does not have a drop, crumb, or scoop of dairy in the entire restaurant!  Because of this, we can offer you our famous burgers and flame-grilled steaks. It seems like everyone knows someone who is intolerant to dairy these days, make sure they know there is a restaurant perfect for them right here in Kitsilano!
 
For the Vegans out there - We are not an entirely Vegan restaurant by any means, but we do make it easier for you. Most bread has dairy ingredients such as whey in their recipes. Our bread is made without any traces of dairy. You can come and enjoy a Vegan Grilled Veggie Sandwich on Marble Rye, or a delicious Stuffed Portobello Mushroom. If you are a vegetarian, we have even more options for you!
 
Although we have Salmon, Tuna, and Sable Fish on our menu, you will not find any shellfish. The Jewish Laws only allow consumption of Fish with gills, scales and five fins. Along with the restrictions on what food is kosher and what is not, there are also some preparation details specific to our kosher menu.  All fruits and vegetables are kosher, but before we can serve them a kosher specialist must triple check all produce and eggs for blemishes or traces of insects.
 
Behind The Bar
 
When it comes to the bar, there are very few restrictions! For a drink to be kosher it cannot have any artificial flavours. We don't offer the standard flavoured spirits found at the liquor store, but we have infused our own liquor with natural flavours for an even more pure taste. Try our Earl Grey Martini or a Real Fruit Martini to taste the difference. Our wines are all Mevushal Kosher. We must have this type of wine so that our non-Jewish servers can pour wine for you. We have worked very had to offer you every Mevushal wine in British Columbia. These efforts are prevailing and our wine list will only continue to grow. Luckily you can come and enjoy some of Israel's finest wines with your meal at Maple Grill.
  www.bckosher.org