conde.kedar
Reviews written by conde.kedar
Nov 16 08
And so the heavens opened, the birds sang, and I found marked vegan food in an airport other than MSP (Minneapolis). Admittedly the food was from a Minneapolis-based restaurant but it was still good, and once again proves that Minneapolis will save the world. French Meadow is the type of classy, principled establishment that can lure philistine suburban-types in droves, while also maintaining a steady grip on its edgier vegan clientele, without ever compromising its lofty ideals.
This tiny quick-serve station had only one vegan option at the time but man was it delicious. It was a "cosmic vanilla creme" cupcake which I've never seen before at either the MSP branch or the Lyndale Avenue restaurant, suggesting that while French Meadow might be expanding nationally, it is NOT homogenizing and replicating itself mindlessly from location to location.
Bravo, French Meadow, for your passionate embrace of organic, natural and vegan-friendly foods for everyone.
I travel a lot and, as a vegan, I've never been well-accommodated at airports; but thanks to Minneapolis' progressive attitude, I can get vegan cookies, muffins, prepared wraps, and hot, fresh, organic cooked dishes before catching a flight. They also feature a bar.
When I had dinner there, my vegan burger was tasty and fresh, as was my side dish of Minnesota wild rice. The menu features at least two other vegan dishes.
In their dessert section, their vegan carrot cake is wonderful and inexpensive, as is their vegan chocolate rice bar.
UPDATE: The service is generally slow, either in the table-service area, or in the self-service area. If you have a flight to catch in a hurry, don't order anything and expect to get it quickly. Anticipate at least 15-20 minutes before your food will arrive and plan accordingly.
For breakfast items, they only offer one vegan selection, a microwaved oatmeal porridge in a black styrofoam bowl. I found it to be bland, watery and not edible. Also, it took them 20 minutes to bring me the dish, which is remarkable, given that the dish was microwaved; lucky for me, I had enough time before my flight.
Unfortunately, they don't let you order from the lunch/dinner menu if it's before 11 a.m.
Their pre-made vegan wrap is big and filling, and a decent option if you're in a hurry, but not as good as their fresh-cooked dishes.
Because of the consistently slow service and the low quality of their sole vegan breakfast item, I have to dock them one star.
Dolma's buffet is simple, but tasty, with a few vegan options. Their salads are fresh, and their rice and cabbage dishes are wonderful. I just wish they had at least one main-course vegan dish; most of them seemed to be lacto-vegetarian. Also, there were no vegan desserts. Service is friendly and our waiter spoke English, which helped. The decor is quiet and cute. Lunch buffet is 15 euros (US$21), and for dinner it's 18 euros (US$25), both of which seem extremely high, given the simplicity of the food and that it's a buffet. But pure vegetarian and vegan options are limited in Brussels, so they can afford to charge that much.
La Tsampa is a cute little place located at the back of a health store. Service was friendly, though I'm not sure my waitress understood the word vegan. My Indian curry dish was tasty, but extremely small in size, and maybe added up to ten bites of food, not including the boiled carrots and green beans on the side. It was tasty, but super-expensive at 12 euros (US$17). Vegan and vegetarian options are limited in Brussels, so this is one of the best you'll get.
This is a great restaurant with the best soy chicken I've ever tasted (lemongrass chicken). The main courses are fresh, healthy and nicely-seasoned and served with a tasty side salad, too. You can pick from a number of stir-fry type dishes, though they also have vegan burgers and sandwiches. My non-vegetarian colleagues were impressed with the food here, too.
The service is amazingly friendly and they also have superb vegan cakes (which are made by an independent baker). The prices at Au Lac are really low (most dishes range $5-8), too, considering the value of the food.
I think Au Lac closes too early, and I wish they accepted credit cards, but it's otherwise highly recommended.
I appreciate the large, all-vegan menu at Cha-ya, but was not thoroughly impressed with the food. My kitsune noodle soup was a bit too salty and didn't stand out in any way. The tempura didn't taste right and the miso soup seemed more like a veggie soup than anything else. My chocolate mousse cake was dry.
Prices at Cha-ya are good, and the space is quaint and inviting. But the food was only decent and nothing special. The service was wonky and curt and all of our dishes came out at random times. I appreciate any all-veg restaurant, but this one has some room to improve.
I loved this place. It's a cute little place with a super-friendly hostess (who was on the phone organizing an animal rights meeting when we entered). The decor is bright and inviting.
The food was spectacular. My mock chicken in curry sauce took me back to Thailand---the coconut curry was amazingly rich and filling, along with potatoes and excellent mock chicken. My friend's Mongolian mock chicken was also savory and subtly sweet, with a great array of vegetables.
Our vegan cheesecake was fresh and light. My only gripe was that our hot tea was served with our food, though we wanted it earlier. Other than that, I was greatly impressed with Happy Veggie and will definitely return whenever I'm next in LA.
The service here was friendly, but it took forever for our food to arrive (at least 25 minutes). Also, the space upstairs for dining is tiny and kind of grungy and uncomfortable.
We found the food to be largely bland and uninspired. My philly cheese steak was spongy (both the bread and the seitan) and had no real flavor to it. My friend's Gandhi bowl does a disservice to the man it's named after (who believed in the inherent flavorful nature of vegetarian food), as it was basically a salad with leafy greens and some spices randomly tucked away at the bottom of the bowl.
The chicken wing appetizers were good, crispy and light. Our cheesecake was also good, though it wasn't made by Native Foods, and came in a plastic container. All in all, Native Foods in Westwood has much room to improve.
What a great little joint. We had to wait 25 minutes for a table (make reservations beforehand), but the food and service here were excellent. The food took a little bit too long to arrive, but we passed the time with great cocktails and unusual, organic microbrews.
I was impressed with my rustic-roll "torta" that had "carnitas" made of spiced jackfruit (what a clever idea! I wish more Mexican joints would use jackfruit or tvp). The "fish" tacos and carnitas tacos were also light, fresh and flavorful, and served in an authentic Mexican way: no cheese; no excessive salsas; no filler ingredients like avocado or beans. Just lettuce, tomatoes and carnitas/soy fish. My friend enjoyed his wrap, too.
The interior decor is decidedly independent and refreshing when most restaurants these days tend to look similar. This is a good place to take a date.
My only gripes: there were no desserts (they're trying to add some to the menu); seating is highly limited; and the location is a bit shady, though there is parking available (including a small lot in the back) and lots of young people walking around, so it must be fairly safe.
Shojin offers an upscale experience at reasonable prices. Portion sizes are a bit small, but the ambience and service are excellent. We arrived late and stayed past closing, but our server was continually warm and gracious. I took three colleagues to this place, two of whom are non-veg, but everyone loved the joint.
The grilled seitan roll appetizer was delicious and savory, as were the Nasu miso vegetables, which all of my colleagues loved. They also enjoyed their three-mushroom pasta, whereas I found my BBQ seitan with broccoli a bit too slight---it needed rice (which was an extra charge) and its portion size needed to be increased to justify its price ($11.95).
Desserts were a mixed bag. The green tea moss cake was unusual and while I liked it, no one else did. It might have been too strange a taste for some. The peach and apple cobbler with mint ice cream was a bit pedestrian for me, though tasty enough. The walnut chocolate cake was too flat for my tastes, without enough zing or sugar.
Still, Shojin is to be recommended. The location is a bit shady, and it's on the third floor of a shopping mall which seems to close earlier than the restaurant does, so make sure to get there by 9pm at the latest. We got in because the security guard saw us and let us in.
This is a lovely, practically brand-new vegan soul food and Mexican restaurant in downtown Inglewood. It's not the nicest area of LA, but I appreciate the social commitment of the owners who wanted bring business to an economically-depressed area, and provide healthy food options at that (the owners, both in their late 50s, look twenty years younger than they are).
The service is excellent, enthusiastic and friendly (they give free sample tacos to first-time customers). The interior decor is modern and funky.
The food, particularly the tacos, are delicious, light and fresh, filled with either wild rice or wonderfully-spiced, firm, diced tofu, along with vegetables like lettuce, avocado and tomatoes.
My friend loved his jerk tofu sandwich. I liked my deluxe quesadilla, but was not impressed with the side greens, which were covered in a too-strong lemon sauce.
Our raw mango pie dessert was refreshing and not too sweet. The crust was too crumbly, though, and I didn't like that it came in a plastic container.
Portion sizes are decent, but prices are quite high ($10-11 for most dishes, and $5 per taco; desserts were $7 a piece). Worst off, this place is cash-only, so make sure to bring a wad of bills if you are a heavy eater.
All in all, this is a great, tasty joint in an area that needs it. Recommended.
Vegan Glory is a nice little joint, though the food didn't blow me away as far as Thai cuisine is concerned.
The "chicken" satay appetizer was excellent, with richly textured chicken and a wonderful peanut dipping sauce on the side. This was the highlight of the meal. My pepper steak basil stir fry was decent, but nothing special. It didn't have the array of flavors that Thai basil stir frys are supposed to have (sweet, salty, crispy and soft). The pepper steak itself was just hydrated tvp and nothing fancy. My friend's green curry was too heavy on some seasoning, which corrupted the curry taste. Also, both of our dishes were a tad too spicy, though we weren't even asked about spice level when we ordered (note: I grew up eating Indian food, so I know spice, and if a dish is spicy for me, it'll be spicy for 99% of the world).
The service was fast and friendly. Prices and portion sizes are good.
I took two colleagues to The Veggie Grill (one is semi-vegetarian and the other is non-veg) and both of them loved it. The prices are reasonable for the quality and quantity of food offered (BIG sandwiches).
My Santa Fe Crispy Chickin sandwich was delicious---excellent textures, flavors and fresh ingredients. The Chill Out Wings were also breaded little marvels. One colleague's V-Burger had an excellent meaty texture and the other colleague's carne asada was straight out of Mexico, it seemed.
We also enjoyed our carrot cake and vegan pumpkin cheesecake, which were refreshing and not too sweet, though also rich and creamy.
Service was fast and friendly and the decor is modern, bright and inviting. The place gets packed around lunch time, so make sure to go early or late, as otherwise there will be a line to get in!
I think this was a slightly above-average Chinese restaurant in a strip mall. The service was extremely friendly (they give you a free can of pop) and the food was good, if not great. Their Kung Pao "Chicken" was respectable, though nothing to rave about.
I appreciate that they have a huge selection of vegetarian dishes (most of which are vegan), with a variety of mockmeats.
Sipz has a large menu featuring hearty, simple Asian dishes (and some non-Asian dishes). All their entrees are under $8 and they come in portion sizes that are perfect for a single meal (though not big enough for me to have leftovers!). The food was tasty, but not superb by any means; sometimes it seemed a bit too greasy or sweet, but on a whole it was good. The service was a bit slow, especially when trying to get the check.
This is a cute little place within walking distance of the beach. Extremely friendly service with a wide array of items, including multiple delicious fruit pastries, muffins and drinks (from coffee to Mexican hot chocolate to chai latte). I wasn't completely impressed with the chai I got, but the baked goods were great. The prices are reasonable and the location is great. Only wish they had some outdoor seating!
The service was friendly here, though the interior is a bit dreary and dark. I found the taste of my dish, the Ro Ti Chicken, to be nothing special---it seemed like your average vegan Chinese dish in a thick soy gravy---but the quality of the ingredients seemed a bit higher (the fake chicken was huge and had good texture). Next time I'll try some different dishes to get a better sense of their range of flavors.
I had already tried the other Herbivore on Valencia, so I came to this one to see if there were any differences. The Divisadero location is nicer and trendier, and the interior space is slightly more upscale as well. However, the service wasn't nearly as good as at Valencia. At first our waitress was attentive, but gradually seemed to lose interest, prolonging our presence for longer than we thought.
Also, the food didn't seem as good as at the Valencia location. My zataar appetizer was overly-seasoned and the bread was too chewy and hard. My gnocchi was sparse (there were maybe a dozen pieces of gnocchi, floating in a sea of tomato sauce) and not filling and definitely overpriced at $13. However, my partner's "chicken" sandwich was good, just as good as at the Valencia location. Judging from these two visits, I would have to recommend the Valencia location over this one.
I really liked Herbivore. The service was super-attentive and efficient. The ambience is nice. My "chicken" sandwich was delicious and filling, with unusual flavors of garlic-lemon sauce. I also loved the vegetable-protein taco appetizers. I hadn't had quality vegan Mexican food in a long time, so that was a treat. Finally, they had Maggie Mudd ice cream, which was a great dessert. On a whole, the food and service were great and the prices were reasonable, too.
I had a huge vegan chocolate chip cookie here that was pretty decent. However, there weren't many vegan food items available when I went, other than some baked goods and smoothies.
This is a trendy, modern diner/cafe with a very vegan-friendly menu and also wine and beer. Almost all of their food is organic and fresh, with an emphasis on local ingredients, too. My tempeh green curry was a bt bland, but the ingredients were of high quality. My partner's garden burger was delicious and filling, though, with a spicy chipotle sauce. They only had one vegan dessert, a raw cheesecake, which was creamy and wonderful.
The prices are a bit on the higher side, but the food is fresh and fairly tasty, the service is friendly, the place is clean and modern, and it's in a hip, vibrant area just off of Chestnut St.
This is a quaint, small restaurant run by a few women. The service was consistently friendly and the menu is large with a number of mockmeat and vegan Chinese dishes. They even have unusual mockmeats like mock-goose.
I loved my diced chicken curry, which was light, fresh and filling. Their mock chicken looks like tofu, but the taste and texture is actually quite close to real chicken, which might be a plus or minus point depending on your point of view. I was not so impressed with the vegetable deluxe stir fry, which was a variety of different mushrooms (including unusual white fungus), with a couple of vegetables, in a watery soy sauce. It lacked zing. On a whole, though, I think their food was excellent. Prices are extremely low (under $7-8 for most dishes), but you have to pay $0.70 for each small cup of rice, so it adds up to much more. I was disappointed that they didn't have brown rice. Still, this is a nice joint to get a simple, fresh, tasty vegan Chinese meal.
Millennium's location, ambience and service are all top-notch. This is arguably the ritziest veg*n restaurant in the US, no doubt. However, I went there twice and was not completely impressed by some of the food. The appetizers were uniformly excellent, especially the savory, creamy gnocchi; the desserts were out-of-this-world, either the blueberry tartlette or the chocolate-almond midnight. They have a separate pastry chef, for god's sake! But the main courses I tried---the blackened tempeh and the roulade---were a bit flat. They were tasty, and would be acceptable at any other restaurant, but not at a place like this, which charges $23 a dish.
I would definitely recommend Millennium for drinks, desserts and appetizers; it's a great place to take a date. Maybe I picked the wrong main courses, and their menu does change frequently, so I'll keep trying new dishes whenever I'm in town. But in terms of overall delectable, unusual and spectacular vegan food, my favorite remains Horizons in Philadelphia.
I tried to go here on a Friday night in July 2008. It was 9 p.m. when I got to the door, and still an hour to closing time, but they wouldn't let me in. They actually had a busboy keeping his hand on the door to not let anyone inside.
There were a few people inside and two or three waiting in line to order at the counter. Given that they were still one hour to close, I was pretty angry to be turned away with no explanation, especially as that neighborhood isn't so inviting at night. I ended up at Herbivore about a 15-minute walk down the road.
Make sure to call ahead to see that this place will let you in.
I found the service here to be super-friendly and attentive. They give you free, subtle, tasty herbal tea which I got addicted to. The menu features unusual dishes (vegetarian kidney anyone?), which I have to try later. For this first visit, I tried their black bean "chicken." It was a decent, straight-forward stir fry with plenty of vegetables. However, what they gave me was actually mock duck from a can, which was okay, but hardly spectacular, given the array of mockmeats you can find in San Francisco. On a whole, there wasn't any special here, but it seemed pleasant and comforting and I look forward to trying their more unusual fare next time.
I can't rate this place as I didn't eat here, but I can tell you what I learned about it and what I saw when I visited. It has undergone numerous changes since its recent opening. I've heard of issues relating to the ex-chef and the staff. Also, I'm not sure what the place is---it seems to be a 1950s diner, a lounge, a comedy club, a drama theater, and something else, all combined.
In any case, when I went there, the place looked almost abandoned, was cluttered, and had only two people working. It smelled of wet wood.
The menu has become "Russian vegan home-cooked" food, and it was hand-written on a sheet of lined notebook paper. Needless to say, it didn't sounded appealing. I would recommend letting this place settle down and figure itself out.
This place had solid English desserts and a decent stir-fry type of dish. The prices were reasonable, though the place is crowded and hard to move around in. Also, they accept only cash, which was a bit of a problem. I'd recommend it for a light snack, but definitely not during peak hours.
The location and decor and service are all Dickensian---you tell them what you want, they slop it into a bowl or dish, and then you grovel over to a table. I felt like Oliver Twist, asking for gruel after a long-day at the smokestack.
The food here was quite tasty, if a bit heavy. Prices are extremely high, but the quality of the food and its presentation justify the prices. I highly recommend trying their desserts, especially the vegan cheesecake, which is one of the best I've tried in the world.
Bambu is one of few restaurants in San Pedro Sula that offers unabashedly vegetarian options. Their daily breakfast buffet is loaded with all types of fruits and juices and salads. I highly enjoyed their pasta dishes, which are drenched in olive oil, covered in herbs and spices, and feature delicious, fresh vegetables and sun-dried tomatoes. The biggest problem is price---Bambu is expensive ($15 for the breakfast buffet, $10 a dish for the pasta); these are American-style prices in a place where ordinary meals on the street cost less than $2. But good luck trying to find vegan or vegetarian options outside of fancy places; Honduran restaurants are not veg-friendly at all, and even seemingly-vegetarian or vegan dishes are probably cooked in animal fat or god knows what.
Bonsai has edamame, which is a great snack and quite filling and cheap. It also has a vegetarian sushi roll, which can be made vegan if you ask them to leave out the mayo. While nothing spectacular, it's more than passable and at par with vegan sushi in the US. The chef can also prepare something special if you can speak Spanish and explain your needs; but don't expect anything great, as it will most probably be noodles with some vegetables covered in ketchup.
This place has simple, hearty Thai food. I liked their green curry and their basil stir-fry. Our waitress was extremely helpful and friendly and made sure that all of our dishes were vegan (but make sure to specify no fish sauce/oyster sauce/shrimp paste, just in case). Normally I would give a place like this three stars, as it is good, but not great. However, I'm giving them an extra star simply for EXISTING---there aren't many veg-friendly options in random Idaho, so I was on my knees and grateful that the owner had the guts to open up in such a non-traditional, possibly hostile location.
The ambience here is somewhat lacking, but the menu features eclectic options and eco-conscious choices. The food was tasty, but sat a bit heavy for me. Large portions and decent prices make this a worthwhile place, but with room for improvement.
I tried some of Artfully Delicious' catering at a vegan event in Chicago. Their pad thai had a nice flavor, but I wasn't a fan of the Upton mockmeats they used, which were just slightly too chewy. I liked how they cooked the dish in front of you, on a wok. Nice display.
The cinnabons were fantastic. Those were the real deal and took me back to my pre-vegan days.
On a whole, I'd be curious to see what else Artfully Delicious could make.
Bleeding Heart is a nice little cafe with cool decor and a cozy atmosphere. They have more than a few vegan options by way of baked goods.
I had a triple chocolate cupcake, a "Ginger Rogers" cupcake, and a scone which is supposedly their best-selling item in the whole shop. The cupcakes were 2 for 1, which is a great deal, though I'm not sure when that promotion is valid.
The triple chocolate cupcake was good, though it had a buttery flavor that I didn't like. The Ginger Rogers was much better and had a soft, moist cake bottom and creamy chocolate frosting. On a whole, I would say it's my favorite vegan cupcake in Chicago, now that I've tried a few different places.
The scone was tasty, though it seemed more like a crumbly pastry filled with nuts and other goodies. It's definitely large enough for two people to share over a few cups of tea.
This is a landmark restaurant for vegetarians in Chicago. While the food (for me) has been hit or miss, its wide array of choices, great staff and cool atmosphere make it a great place to visit. The cheesecake here is probably the best I've ever had, vegan or otherwise. Also try the hot chocolate! Anything that sounds bland probably IS bland on their menu; on the other hand, anything that sounds exotic or and tasty is probably exotic and spicy and tasty. Portion sizes are huge, so expect to take home plenty of leftovers. Prices are high, but the portion sizes more than make up for that.
As many others have mentioned, Chutney Joe's is basically an Indian copy of Chipotle (practically plagiarized). It's in many ways a hip, slicker version of Indian whole-in-the-walls that serve full meals for very little money. Funnily enough, Chutney Joe's has the balls to make this claim on its website: "Chutney Joe's aims to correct the errors of typical Indian restaurants in America."
The food here is okay. I had a two-curry combo meal with a fountain soda and a baked samosa ($12 with tax and a student discount). They also had a tofu tikka special which sounded good, but I didn't try. The samosa was pretty decent, though the curries were both bland and seemed to be missing some crucial ingredients. The chana masala was watery and lacked zing; the aloo gobi was made with fresh, tasty potatoes and cauliflower, but the sauce had no flavor other than that of vegetable oil.
I like that they label all their vegan options, which is extremely helpful and progressive. However, they don't offer vegan bread such as whole-wheat tandoori roti (they only have naan, which is made with dairy), and they don't offer brown rice, which is always a travesty. It seems strange that they don't offer these things, considering the restaurant emphasizes its "healthy" aspects (no butter, no cream, no trans-fats, etc.).
The portion size is large and definitely a good value though, again, the food isn't spectacular.
Also like other Indian whole-in-the-walls, Chutney Joe's serves its food on paper plates and styrofoam/plastic and everything here is disposable. That was pretty disappointing and I felt extremely wasteful eating there (not that Chipotle is much better).
On a whole, Chutney Joe's is decent. I'm giving them three stars because they do try to do new stuff (such as the tofu tikka) and because they're one of few places in the Loop that offers labeled vegan food. That said, this is definitely not stellar Indian food and has much room for improvement.
I don't understand why Cousin's Incredible Vitality has such a high rating. The food here is not the best raw food I've ever had, nor were the main courses even edible (in my opinion).
We started off with a "live pizza" ($6) which was, in fact, excellent. I've never tasted a raw pizza that good before. It was not only delicious and well-presented, but it actually tasted like real, cooked pizza.
The meal went downhill from there, though. We also had a falafel dish ($11) and a burger ($11). I hated the burger and couldn't stand the strong, displeasing taste that it had. The falafel was okay, but the falafel pieces themselves were not prepared properly and the spices were literally raw, which meant they were basically inedible. You can't put falafel spices in a dish and then not cook them; you'll end up with something awful. The only thing that made the dish palatable was the lettuce wrap around it and the vegetables inside.
Dessert somewhat made up for the terrible main courses. We had a piece of mango cheesecake ($7) which was well-done, though the fermented citric taste of it was dangerously close to being overpowering.
I'd return to Cousin's to give them another chance and try something else on the menu. Their live pizza was excellent, so make sure to try it. But I was extremely disappointed with the rest of my meal.
The service was friendly, if a little bit inattentive. Cousin's location is also a bit out of the way and the nearest CTA stop is about a mile away, which makes this a difficult place to get to.
What a wonderful, cozy little cafe. I came here for breakfast and didn't realize that it was an all vegetarian (99% vegan) joint. I had a breakfast sandwich ($4.25) which consisted of sausage, tofu "egg" and colby nut cheese between two English muffins. It was definitely tasty, though just a tad too salty. Also, the sandwich was extremely small and seemed expensive for that price (I think $3.50 might have been a more reasonable price).
The cafe also has a variety of different sandwich options (including a build-your-own) and four or five nut-based cheeses with different flavors (colby, pepperjack, etc.).
Lastly, Delicious Cafe has a good selection of loose-leaf teas. On a whole, this place is a winner for its atmosphere, charm, and unusual, fresh ingredients and flavors.
Dragonlady Lounge is a heady mix of dive-bar, Korean food, long-time old folks, newbie hipsters and indie rock. It's a strange place, but one that merits at least one visit, if just for the vegan buffet on Thursdays.
I came on a Saturday around 9 p.m. and was the only person in the joint at least initially. It's a long, narrow bar with sparse walls and lots of red and black vinyl. It's about as divey as it gets. As the night wore on, a group of 20-somethings showed up and then two old guys (probably hold-overs from the sports-bar previous incarnation of the place) came and played video blackjack while sipping PBRs.
The place is run entirely by one friendly Korean woman who shuffles around and is part bartender, part cook, and part social counselor.
I had a dish of fried tofu covered in scallions which was pretty tasty and came with three different sides of pickled Korean vegetables. There's no menu, just pictures of different dishes on the wall. I wish I'd come for the buffet on Thursdays which is supposed to be popular. The menu also offers vegetarian (vegan?) pancakes, dumplings and a couple other dishes that looked to be vegan.
I'm not sure how much the dish cost, though I think it was in the $7-9 range; I also had two Coronas and the total bill was $14.25. The beer selection is limited to mainstream bottles, though the place seems to also do its own mixed drinks.
Street parking is readily available in the area, which is a plus. One major drawback: Dragonlady is cash-only which is always a hassle.
Come to Dragonlady to start out your night or to end your night. This isn't a place to be the main course, but it's worth a visit and does pretty decent vegan Korean food. There are not many joints that like that around.
I was tempted to give this place two stars instead of one, but I decided that, given its hipster location, and given the multitude of great vegan-friendly joints serving American food in Chicago, Earwax really fails vegans and makes food that is mediocre, at best. There is no reason to come here.
A friend and I shared a tofu scramble ($9) as well as a seitan chorizo burrito ($8). The tofu scramble was bland. It was basically onions, green bell peppers and un-cooked tofu doused in turmeric to make it look yellow. The dish had almost no flavor. The seitan chorizo burrito was also bland; it was predominantly refried beans, strangely fluffy soyrizo that had no flavor, and un-melted Teese mozzarella, which didn't enhance the taste at all.
The service was friendly and prompt. The decor is hip and crazy and the clientele is 100% Wicker Park, meaning no diversity and everyone's under 25.
But the food here was barely passable. I didn't have the willpower to eat even half my meal and my friend also was greatly disappointed with the food. Finally, to add insult to injury, Earwax is cash-only. Go to The Chicago Diner, Vella Cafe, Pick Me Up Cafe, Handlebar, Lakeside Cafe or Karyn's Cooked instead.
Green Zebra is the closest thing to Candle 79, Horizons or Millennium that Chicago has to offer. GZ is modern, romantic, expensive (though not nearly as expensive as the three aforementioned places), fusion-y, and full of artfully-presented meals on square plates. The menu uses words like "reduction" and "emulsion."
That said, I'm not sure why they insist on always offering one fish or chicken dish, and I'm not sure why the menu is so heavy on eggs. The vegan food here almost seems like a hasty afterthought.
About a third of the menu can be made vegan. Strangely, these dishes are marked with a (V), but ARE NOT vegan by default. The "V" just means that the dish can be made vegan. Make sure to tell your server if you're vegan, otherwise you'll end up getting a dish you thought was vegan, but in fact contains dairy or eggs. The menu is confusing in this regard.
To start I had a green papaya/hearts of palm salad ($10) which was decent, but didn't stand out in any way. The distinct flavors of the green papaya and hearts of palm seemed to jumble together into a mish-mash of tartness.
For main courses I had the "slow-roasted shittake mushrooms in crispy potato with cabbage" ($12) and the "sweet potato dumpling with pecans and mandarin oranges" ($13). The shittake dish was tasty at first but seemed to become saltier and saltier the more I ate. When I looked closely, I could see salt crystals still sitting atop the sushi-shaped rolls. I thought the cabbage was a nice touch and the shittake mushrooms were prepared well and made to melt in your mouth; but the salt became overwhelming by the end.
My sweet potato dumpling dish was, however, excellent and the highlight of the meal for me. The dumpling shells were somehow simultaneously crispy and soft, filled with a creamy sweet potato puree, which mixed perfectly with the tiny, soft orange slices, all of which created an intriguing mix of savory and sweet flavors, done subtly.
For dessert I had their only vegan option, a mini slice of chocolate cake with banana sorbet and caramel sauce ($8). The chocolate was too subdued for my taste (but nicely moist). But sandwiched between the chocolate were nicely-salted layers of peanut butter/cream that crunched in your mouth like tiny, delicious crystals. I've never experienced a texture like that and was amazed by it, actually. The dessert wasn't perfect, but it came together on a whole and was worth it for the novelty value of the peanut cream alone.
I found the service here to be mixed. My water was always kept filled by busboys, but my waiter was sullen and not very helpful. Toward the end of the meal, another server randomly took my dessert order, and she was far friendlier, so maybe I just had bad luck with my original server.
This is a great place to take a date. Most of the people there seemed to be celebrating an anniversary or a birthday or something special. All the men wore blazers and all the women looked like they just came off a catwalk in Milan.
I think the biggest draw of Green Zebra, aside from its upscale atmosphere and unusual food, is the prices. The dishes here are innovative (if not always made perfectly) and edgy. At $12-15 a piece, they're actually quite cheap for what they offer and the portion sizes are pretty good. Dishes like these in New York or San Francisco would easily cost 50% more and don't necessarily taste better. I'm impressed that Green Zebra is able to be so affordable, actually.
If the restaurant were more vegan-friendly, and the dishes were more consistent in their quality, I'd give this place one more star. As it stands, this is the the most upscale vegetarian food that a city of meat and potatoes can produce. (If you're looking for an all-vegetarian place in Chicago that's sort of posh, Karyn's Cooked is your other best bet).
UPDATE: I had brunch at Handlebar and was extremely impressed with the options. Aside from vegan waffles and pancakes and tofu scrambles, they also had a "vegan diablo rancheros" ($8.75) which were excellent---spicy, colorful, crispy corn cakes with seitan, beans and more. The food was fresh and unusually sophisticated.
I'm still disappointed that I tend to be the only non-white person in Handlebar whenever I go, but maybe that's part of the game if you're vegan and in Wicker Park. Or Chicago, in general.
ORIGINAL REVIEW: I came here with two non-veg friends thinking it would be a good place for them and it was. Handlebar has a nice selection of unusual beers, though at $5+ a pint, it was kind of expensive.
My friend enjoyed his buffalo "chicken" vegan wrap. I took a bite of it and thought it was nicely spiced and came in a good-sized portion with fries on the side for a total of $8.25.
My seitan tortellini dish, however, was way too expensive for the small portion ($12.75), which added up to about 15 bites or so. It tasted good, but was not filling and could have used a side dish of its own.
I also had a vegan chocolate raspberry torte which was pretty solid (not too sweet, not too rich) and well-presented with raspberry sauce and blueberries. They also had a vegan fried apple-cranberry pie, which sounded wonderful.
Most of the menu is vegan and most everything else can be made vegan.
The presentation of the food in general was well-done and not what you'd expect from a place that doesn't look like much above a bar-grill tavern joint. This is a good place to take a date, assuming he/she is veg*n and not hung up about decor.
The service was friendly and prompt and we received our food quickly. It can get a little bit cramped in there, and Handlebar is not good for groups of more than four people, and even then you might have to wait a few minutes for a table.
I think Handlebar is just slightly over-priced and I was also a little bit off-put by the lack of diversity in there. Karyn's Cooked is able to attract all kinds of people so I'm not sure why Handlebar seems so centered around a certain breed of 20-somethings (the place does serve alcohol and some meat, after all). It could be the restaurant's fault or it could be the clientele's fault, but something seemed "off" about the homogeneity in there.
All in all, though, Handlebar is a good joint to get a drink and eat a vegan meal.
I have yet to find the perfect, gourmet, subtle and smart North Indian restaurant I've always been looking for. Indian food in the US tends to be greasy, oily, heavy and full of non-vegan dairy products such as ghee, yogurt, cream and butter. It's aimed at the all-you-can-eat-buffet crowd.
All that said, Hema's Kitchen is the first Indian restaurant I've been to which I actually think I'd return to. The food here was light, simple and freshly prepared. The service was friendly. There's no buffet. The decor and ambience are a little bit lacking, but oh well, you can't win them all.
We had an aloo palak ($10) and a dal ($10), both of which were vibrant and tasty. They weren't bogged down in oil and the portion size was big enough to get a second meal out of each.
I do have a few gripes, though. Hema's doesn't offer brown rice, and they actually have the gall to charge $2.99 for a plate of white rice. White rice is dirt cheap and should be given out for free, as it is at most East Asian restaurants; that rice cost Hema's at most a few pennies, but they have no issues in charging an exponential markup on an inferior product.
Second, Hema's is seriously lacking in the bread department. Their naan is not vegan, but they do have vegan-izble phulka ($1.25) and paratha ($2.95). Neither of those two options are particularly great, though the paratha is slightly better than the phulka (but is also more expensive). Hema's, why don't you offer tandoori wholemeal roti? You have a tandoor and could make tandoori roti if you skipped the white flour and went old-school, as is right and proper in the subcontinent.
Third, the menu doesn't list what is and isn't vegan. Our waiter at least understood the "non-dairy" concept and it seemed like most of the vegetarian section of the menu could be made vegan, but make sure to ask questions anyway. But it's always nice to have that confirmed with a green "v" and maybe some extra-special tofu or soy-meat options, which are all too rare in Indian restaurants.
Also, the restaurant supposedly opens at noon, but when we got there at 12:20, it was still closed. No one came to the door to explain to us what was wrong, but another waiting customer had found out they'd be open at 12:45. Call ahead to confirm they're open, otherwise you might end up waiting like we did.
In conclusion, Hema's is good North Indian food, which is a rarity in the US. It has some room to improve, but I'm glad it's around. Hema, why not open a vegetarian restaurant, too?
Like Chipotle, or fellow Chicago restaurant Chutney Joe's, I Dream of Falafel is a quick-serve, build-your-own lunch spot with falafel and hummus and whatnot.
I like that they label all their vegan options, which are standard Middle Eastern things made of chickpeas or eggplant. You can't find labeled vegan food in the Loop very easily.
I had a falafel sandwich ($5.99) (made with whole wheat pita!) and added some tomato and onions and tahini. They also had the option for a spicy tomato sauce or a garlic tomato sauce.
The sandwich was decent on a whole, but not great. The falafel itself was not terribly flavorful and I'm not a fan of mixing and matching loads of condiments and sauces to enhance a dish. The best falafel I've ever had can always stand on its own, without the need for extras, but I Dream of Falafel's doesn't.
That said, this place is not bad by any means and I'm always in favor of more vegan-friendly joints in the Loop. For that, I give this place three stars and would probably return if I ever worked downtown.
This is a pretty cool, futuristic ice cream shop. It looks and feels very much like Stogo in New York City, and even has the same pod-style bar stools.
However, unlike Stogo, and unlike any other ice cream shop I've been to, iCream doesn't have any tubs full of flavors to choose from.
Instead, you choose what flavor(s) you want and the staff then makes the ice cream on the spot, with fancy machines (which you can watch through glass) and sophisticated computer touch-screens. It was like something out of Star Trek.
They have vegan soy varieties of every flavor (except for white chocolate). I asked them to produce a mixture of chocolate and hazelnut which came out tasting pretty good, though not great (iCream is definitely not of the quality of Lula's or Stogo, both in NYC): the texture was a little bit icy, and the flavors didn't gel quite properly. This was especially true of my friend's combination of "burnt sugar" flavor and hazelnut, which had an overpowering after-taste of the hazelnut.
That said, I like the concept of the place. Single scoops cost $4 (there's an extra charge for soy), and we waited at least 10 or 15 minutes for our order (it was sort of busy, but not packed by any means).
Like most things veg-related in Chicago, iCream is a compromise: it still serves dairy ice cream and isn't 100% vegan. Similarly, the "upscale" (mostly) veg. place in Chicago (Green Zebra) is heavily lacto-ovo and even serves fish; and the flagship veg. restaurant, The Chicago Diner, is still happy to serve dairy and eggs. I guess I can't expect more out of a city built on slaughterhouses, but it always disappoints me that my hometown can't do anything properly when it comes to vegan dining.
UPDATE: I've been to Karyn's Cooked at least a dozen times over the last few years and a two trends have emerged: the service is always slow and on occasion curt and unhelpful; and the food is good on a whole, but there are more than a few clunkers on the menu.
This is also the only suitably upscale-esque vegetarian restaurant in the city (no, Green Zebra doesn't count) where you can take a date. Dishes are priced to be affordable (everything is in the $9-12 range) which is a great point in Karyn's favor.
Once you've gotten over the slow service, here are a few dishes that I enjoy: the lasagna; the taco salad bowl; and the green enchiladas. Their sandwiches (with seitan or tofu) are okay, and sometimes better than okay, but I'm not sure I can recommend any of them off-hand. The cheesecake here is excellent, so long as it's fresh (make sure to look at it in the cooler before ordering); I once ordered a mango cheesecake slice and what came out was an awful, two-week old, flat thing that I could only manage to take two bites of, before giving up. Note: their "tiramisu" is not, in fact, tiramisu, and looks and tastes like a piece of generic cake.
I think Karyn's has lots of room to improve, mostly in the service area, and also with quality-control of the freshness of their desserts. They also need a few fresher, edgier, spicier dishes. That said, I'm glad it's around and I will be returning. Below is my original review:
I've been to Karyn's Cooked three times and had superb food every single visit. Try the lasagne or the green enchiladas or the cheesecake. However, the service has been mediocre at best. Waiters are slow and inattentive and occasionally rude or curt. One time I waited over 45 minutes for my food without anyone telling me that the oven was malfunctioning. And the restaurant had only two customers in it! They did compensate me with a free dessert, but the service should be much better, considering the higher prices and food quality of the place.
It's a shame Lake Side Cafe is closing, because the place is pretty cool: modern; friendly; and all-purpose (it could be a coffee shop or a restaurant or even a bakery).
I had a vegan gyro ($10.50) which was tasty with Upton's Naturals seitan and a fresh cucumber sauce. My only issue is that the portion size was quite small---it was just a half wholewheat pita pocket stuffed with seitan and some lettuce, tomatoes and onions---considering the high price tag. For the same price, you could get twice as much food at The Chicago Diner. That said, I don't think the quality of the ingredients would be as high at The Diner as it was at Lake Side.
I also had a piece of chocolate cake ($4.50) and a chocolate-almond cookie ($2.50). All of their desserts are vegan which was pretty cool to see. The cake had a great, rich flavor, though it was dry. The cookie was also dry and rock-hard; it didn't soften too much even after I microwaved it. It wasn't very good, in my opinion, and had a salty taste that overwhelmed the almonds and chocolate chips.
Most of the menu is vegan and I appreciate that this place served a niche in far northern Chicago. It's unfortunate that it is shutting down but, on the other hand, at least a few new vegan places are opening up elsewhere in Chicago, so the net balance is still positive for the city's vegan community.
LooseLeaf Lounge has a small, but respectable variety of loose leaf teas. I do find it strange that a place with such a name could have so few varieties of tea, but oh well.
They don't have any vegan baked goods, but they do have one vegan sandwich made with artichokes and pesto that sounded pretty good.
The vibe is cool and casual with nice retro furniture. It fills a niche on Broadway, though it could go further to appeal to vegans and tea lovers alike.
Molly's a cool, cozy little coffee shop in a nice neighborhood. The interior is bright and it even has a counter area (with swings!) to sit with some cupcakes and the newspaper.
They only offer two varieties of vegan cupcakes, chocolate and vanilla, but they're good ones. The chocolate one ($2.20 with tax) decadent, moist and delicious; that said, they're also very dense and I had one non-vegan friend say he thought they were too thick and heavy to really compete with a "real" cupcake.
If Molly's had a few more vegan flavors this place would be an absolute gem. As it stands, it's pretty rocking and a good place to check out.
We got to Opera pretty late (10:45 p.m.), so I was happy that they're open late. They recommend making reservations, as it's a popular place in the theater district. The decor is pretty cool and artsy-unusual, and the service was friendly and prompt.
I also love that they have a separate vegan menu, however small it may be, and however confusing (it's not separated into traditional groupings of appetizer-entree-dessert, so make sure to ask what's what).
Now onto the food. The morel mushroom wontons were pretty good but nothing spectacular. Morels are delicate, so I wasn't sure that deep frying them in batter was the best cooking treatment. The portion size was kind of small considering the price ($9).
My Mapo tofu was also decent, but nothing special. The portion size was much larger, even though the price was only $8, so I'm not sure how they set prices. The flavors were a strange mix of sweet and spicy, but I found the dish became boring after ten or fifteen bites.
There were two other vegans in my group and one of them was greatly disappointed by her "vegetable rice noodle stir fry" which she found to be overly sweet with low quality noodles. I tried her dish and concurred---it was almost sugary, rather than savory. Finally, the last vegan in the group enjoyed her "spring vegetable muushu."
So while I must give the restaurant kudos for having a vegan menu, and having hip decor and nice service, I was not impressed by the food. Quite honestly, I probably won't go back here unless I'm desperate. It just doesn't merit a second visit.
I probably would have passed Pho's Thai by were it not for the "vegetarians welcome" subtitle below their sign. This is a small, quaint restaurant with simple dishes that feel home-cooked and authentic. The "garlic oyster sauce" they use is, in fact, vegan and they also have vegan curry stocks, which is rare in American Thai restaurants (they usually have either shrimp paste or fish sauce pre-mixed in the curry sauces).
I had a pad prik lunch special ($7.20 with tax) and chose "imitation meat" over tofu. The dish also came with a light vegetable soup and a fried spring roll. All in all it was a great value and the dish itself was tasty and basic, like a home-cooked stir-fry. I only wish they had brown rice as an option.
(For the record, the imitation meat is denser and chewier than tofu though it looks similar.)
The service was friendly and welcoming. I would definitely come here again to try their curries and other stir-frys. It's rare to find a Thai restaurant so accommodating to vegans and I think this is the one for Chicago.
Pick Me Up is an American diner with edgy clientele (especially compared to the residents of Wrigleyville). I like that they're open late and offer a variety of vegan options, though nothing here really stands out, and the options are pretty basic.
They have lots of tofu scrambles and pancakes and the like, but don't offer mockmeat sandwiches or stir-frys/pastas. I had the moo-free pizza ($9) which consisted of a flaky crust loaded with bell peppers, onions, eggplant and mushrooms, topped with a whipped tofu "cheese." The crust was the best part, as it was crispy and well-done, though it quickly got soft and soggy once the oil from the over-cooked vegetables got to it. The tofu "cheese" was decent, but needed more herbs and less salt.
I also had a chocolate rice krispie bar ($4) which was too dense and heavy for my likes. Also, it wasn't crispy at all and ws more chewy than anything else.
The service was friendly but slow. I'd come to Pick Me Up if I were in a bind late at night and if the nearby Chicago Diner had already closed. Otherwise, take a pass on Pick Me Up.
Ra Sushi has very little for vegans except the most basic kind of avocado or cucumber sushi rolls (or, as I like to say, the Japanese equivalent of iceberg lettuce salads at steakhouses). The bar area is pretty nice, though, and I like the decor. Be warned that their mixed drinks are pretty strong and not particularly well-mixed, in my opinion. The service was friendly.
If you happen to be in the area, this might be a good place for a late-night drink, as all the other bars in the neighborhood seem to be wood-paneled Irish pubs.
Rajun Cajun is decent for a quick, cheap meal. All the dishes are sitting there in a buffet counter and you tell them what you want (individual dishes, combo platters, etc.) and they slop it onto a plate for you. This isn't an ecological place by any means; everything is served on styrofoam plates and you use plastic utensils.
Make sure to ask questions about ingredients, as none of the staff seemed to be familiar with the word "vegan," though they understood the concept of no dairy and no eggs. Maybe the staff has changed since previous reviews? In general, as long as the dish doesn't have paneer, it's probably good to go in Rajun Cajun (they don't seem to use cream, yogurt or butter/ghee in their curries).
I had a vegetarian combo platter (two curries, rice, one samosa and one roti) for $8.99. Neither of my dishes stood out in any way and tasted like oily, all-purpose Americanized North Indian food. The chana (chickpea) was bland, in my opinion, and the gobi-mattar (cauliflower and peas) was watery. How come they don't have any dishes with tofu or seitan or some other cool vegan ingredients, such as the ones you find at Soul Veg or Yah's Cuisine?
The samosa was soft, rather than crispy, though the roti was well-made and felt authentic, like straight out of a kitchen in India.
The interior of the cafe is a bit bleak: plastic booths; weird neon light that somehow managed to be dark and moody rather than bright and vivacious; and loud Bollywood music.
This is eminently avoidable Indian food. The only plus points are that it's cheap and that it's one of only a few decent vegan-friendly options in Hyde Park.
Reza's is one of the few vegan-friendly places in the extended downtown area of Chicago. That said, the food here is not that great.
I split a few appetizers with my friend. The falafel appetizer ($5.95) consisted of big falafel balls with a lemony tahini sauce with dill. But it was served luke-warm and lost much of its appeal that way. Also, the flavor just wasn't that great; it tasted bland and got boring after a few bites. We also had a vegetarian shamshiri ($5.95), which was basically just falafel covered in an unusual, and tasty, sweet-sour pomegranate sauce. Finally, the vegetarian kabob (made without butter for us- $5.95) was pretty bland and comprised one piece each of carrot, zucchini, mushroom and tomato.
That said, the decor and atmosphere here was great. The place is huge and has a nice lounge area upfront. It looks like a fancy bar/restaurant from the 1920s. It's classy with high ceilings, dark wood everywhere, exposed brick, and a big, elegant bar. This is the type of place Al Capone would have dined at and I was pleased that places like this still exist in Chicago.
I loved Soul Vegetarian. The service was friendly and fast, the atmosphere was charming and worldly, and the food was delicious and perfectly priced and portioned. I haven't had soul food in a long time and found their cream of broccoli soup, cornbread, mashed potatoes, collard greens and country mock steak to all be wonderfully filling and tasty. My only gripe is with the location, which is hard to get to via public transportation. Otherwise, it's highly recommended.
There's not too much vegan food in the Loop, but my friend and I gave Star of Siam a shot one evening. The atmosphere is kind of nice and cozy and the service was fairly prompt and friendly.
That said, the food was terrible. The fried tofu appetizer was chewy; clearly the tofu had been fried hours ago and had been left around to sit under a heat lamp for a while. The egg rolls were okay, but a bit greasy for my likes.
The main dishes were the worst offenders. My pad prik (chili stir fry) looked nice, especially the way they cut the bamboo shoots to look like noodles, but the dish had no flavor. There was lots of oil, but no taste and I had to douse the dish with soy sauce to make it barely worth eating.
Similarly, the pad kraw pao (basil stir fry) was watery and flavorless. They put way too much tomato in the dish (why did they put tomato at all? it's not commonly used in Thai cooking), which sucked out the flavor, and the tofu was barely cooked.
The only plus point: they offer brown rice for an additional $1 or so.
Go try some other Thai restaurant in the Loop, as this place has nothing going for it.
I'd heard Sultan's has the best falafel in Chicago, and I can't categorically deny that (because I haven't had too much falafel in Chicago), but I can definitely say that the falafel here was okay, but not great. It's definitely not the best falafel I'VE ever had (that title belongs to Mim's Cafe in St. Paul), and there were serious issues with the preparation here that give me pause.
Food aside, the Clark Street branch of Sultan's is extremely small and has space for maybe eight people, all crammed near the entrance. This is a place where you get take-out.
Conveniently, all vegan items are clearly marked on the wall menu. I had a falafel sandwich ($4.14 with tax) which is hastily slapped together from already-prepared ingredients, much like a Subway sandwich or a Chipotle burrito. My biggest gripe was with the temperature of the food---the falafel pieces were lukewarm, the pita was room temperature and the tahini-cucumber sauce was cold, creating a passable, but inelegant whole. At the very least, the falafel needs to be hot, and the rest can be at room temperature, but if you have any cold items in the mix, the sandwich gets all messed up.
I did like the portion size, which was big enough for a meal, but also quick and cheap. This is the ideal snack or light dinner food. I also liked the hot peppers tossed in, which added a significant level of spice (albeit one that wasn't evenly distributed, because everything was slapped together, rather than mixed properly).
Next time I'll try the original Sultan's to see if there's any difference in quality. On a whole, I give this place three stars because it's quick and cheap, but the food has room for improvement, and I have to believe there's better falafel somewhere else in Chicago. If not, then it's pretty pathetic if Sultan's is the best Chicago can do.
This is a wonderful, quaint coffee shop/bakery with numerous vegan items to choose from. From the sidewalk you walk through their lovely, large, outdoor patio which is practically forested---it's amazingly lush and cool and makes you forget you're in a city. The inside of the shop is roomy and modern.
They have three or four vegan cupcakes, three cookies, and also a scone option (the vegan options aren't labeled, so ask questions). I had two mini cupcakes with interesting flavors: chai latte and mint chocolate ($1.50 a piece). I also got a chocolate chip cookie (~$1.50).
All of them were good, though the textures could have been a bit softer. Generally, the outer edge of the cupcakes and the cookie were just a tad crisp, but the insides were soft and moist.
Sweet Cakes also has a decent selection of loose leaf teas. The prices on the baked goods are excellent, though you might end up overindulging given the low costs. Come to Sweet Cakes for a cup of tea, a cupcake or two, and a pleasant afternoon on a beautiful garden patio.
Swirlz is an upscale cupcake shop that offers one vegan option daily. They're not terribly innovative flavors, though I'm amazed that the vegan cupcakes are also gluten-free.
I had a vanilla cupcake (~$3) which was super soft and moist. I couldn't tell it was vegan and I definitely couldn't tell it was gluten-free.
The frosting was okay, but had the slightest salty taste which detracted from its appeal.
If Swirlz had more vegan flavors and loose-leaf teas, I'd be here often. As it stands, it's a good place to grab a high-grade cupcake and slightly edges out its nearest competition, Molly's Cupcakes.
This is an upscale, modern tea shop with a nice range of tea-brewing instruments and an unusual and large selection of teas from around the world. I was impressed with the number of African, Vietnamese and Indonesian teas they offered, which is something of a rarity---most tea shops only offer a few tokens from these regions/countries.
The service is friendly and extremely helpful in selecting teas and even offering suggestions of where you might find a vegan baked good in the area (a Whole Foods is seven blocks away).
Three major gripes, though: 1. there are no vegan baked goods here; 2. there's no seating in the shop, so you can only get cups of tea to-go and; 3. because everything is to-go, you get served in paper cups with plastic lids. Fine tea is not meant to be had from cheap paper cups. I think Tea Schwendner does its product a disservice by serving it in this manner.
However, it might be nice to get a cup and walk a few blocks to the beach, if you're looking for a simple activity in the area.
This place is a solid vegetarian South Indian restaurant and a bit of an institution on Devon Avenue. You can't go wrong with anything you order. Service is friendly. That said, I wish they indicated which dishes are vegan on their menu; it's no big deal to ask the waiter, but I think South Indian restaurants should get the message that more and more vegans would eat there if they better knew the ingredients of some dishes. Still, Udupi is a classic.
I agree with the previous reviewer. The ambience of the place is good and it's definitely a trendy, well-done joint. But it doesn't offer much for vegans. When I went, I got a modified pasta dish which was passable, but nothing great.
I take issue with restaurants that claim to be socially and environmentally conscious, but then offer few to no vegan dishes. These are the type of places that offer a grass-fed burger and then automatically call themselves sustainable or local or ethical. It takes a little bit more than that, folks.
I came here expecting more, honestly. I'd had Veggie Bite food at green conferences in Chicago and was amazed (they set up shop at at least a few of these events) by their nuggets and sandwiches.
But when I went to their second outlet in Chicago I found the service to be slow and a little bit bumbling. The place wasn't super-clean either, with many tables and the especially the floor, needing a good wipe-down.
My meat-eating cousin who was with me loved everything here, from the chicken burger to the chili cheese fries to the nuggets. I, however, found all of the food to not be as impressive as at those conferences; this time it felt flat and greasy, like the ingredients had been sitting around for a while. I also thought they loaded the chicken burger with way too many liquid condiments, making the bread horribly soggy, and making the "meat" patty lose all of its crispy-fried goodness.
That said, I'll definitely come back here to see if I just ended up there on an off-day. At least my cousin loved it and he used to be skeptical of vegan food.
Vella is a decent place with a few well-made vegan options. Located right underneath the Western Blue Line stop, it's also fairly conveniently located.
I had the tofu scramble wrap ($8) and a tempeh sandwich ($7.50). The tofu scramble wrap had all the right ingredients, but was way too oily for my likes; the oil ended up making the dish fairly bland as none of the spices and ingredients could express themselves. The tempeh sandwich, however, was quite good with fresh bread and nice seasoning.
For dessert I had a vegan double chocolate cookie ($2.20 with tax) which was a little bit stiff, but had a good flavor and was definitely worth ordering, especially for the price.
I wouldn't go out of my way to stop at Vella, nor would I come here for brunch, but if you're on the Blue Line and looking for a quick vegan snack, Vella offers some decent options.
UPDATE: Since my last visit was on Christmas, I thought I'd come back on a less hectic day. I had a lunch special here when it was practically empty. The "empress soy protein" was decent, but a bit gooey. However the lunch special is an excellent value at only $6 and gives you a plate of food, a cup of miso soup and also an egg roll. (I also got some brown rice, which cost an extra $1.50; that's a steep price considering the whole meal was only $6.)
I'm amazed that a city as large as Chicago has no really good vegan Chinese options. Yummy Yummy is one of the only Asian places in the city that offers mockmeats, and they're not really mockmeats---just TVP or wheat gluten, which is like mockmeat from the 1980s.
I wouldn't go out of my way to try Yummy Yummy, but I'd probably stop by here if nothing else were available.
ORIGINAL REVIEW: I came here on Christmas with a vegan friend. Note to others who can't cook on Christmas: don't go to Yummy Yummy. We definitely didn't have a quaint "A Christmas Story"-esque situation with singing waiters. Other customers waited over an hour or more for their take-out orders and we waited 45 minutes for someone to take our order (given that it was Xmas, this was the only vegan-friendly restaurant open in Chicago, as we found out after calling many others). Then we waited another 40 minutes for our food to arrive. I'm not going to dock them any points for their harrowed Christmas service, as I'm sure it doesn't represent them under normal circumstances, but it does suggest they don't handle busy times well.
Yummy Yummy is tiny, with space for only 16 people. I like that they're open late (10:30 p.m.). They also have nice, simple decor. There was only one server for the whole room which can cause problems, though.
They were out of the Szechuan wontons appetizer, but we ended up with a Soy Protein in garlic sauce, and a Twice-Cooked Wheat Gluten. My friend didn't like the taste of the garlic sauce dish, nor did she like the soy protein, but I liked the dish completely. It had the perfect spice level, was full of vegetables (which she did like, too), and I thought the soy protein had a nice texture.
The twice-cooked wheat gluten fell slightly flat for me. It was passable, but nothing special. I thought the gluten was a bit too chewy and the sauce didn't have a bold flavor. Also, the only vegetables were onions and celery, neither of which I'm particularly fond of.
Yummy Yummy does have many vegan choices and I'd be curious to try some of their other dishes (they also have Thai and Korean options) and maybe one of their smoothies. The restaurant is not vegetarian, though, and the place can get packed easily, so make sure to call ahead for a table or stick to take-out. That said, this seems to be the only Chinese restaurant in Chicago that offers any type of mockmeat, so it's worth it for the novelty value alone. And, on top of it, their food is pretty good on a whole.
Borrowed Earth does a wonderful job with the presentation of their delicious raw food, as well as with the large selection, from comfort foods to more unusual fare. This is gourmet food with an edge; best of all, it's in the suburbs, rather than in downtown Chicago. Conveniently located in front of the Downers Grove train station, it makes it easy for city-dwellers to visit, as well as outgoing suburbanites.
The decor is modern and well-done with ample seating and a cool bar area where you can watch the food be prepared.
I am extremely impressed by all of their desserts, from their cheesecakes to their German chocolate cake to their peanut butter balls.
The tacos were also quite zesty and tasty. For me, you can't go wrong with pretty much anything on the menu.
One critique is that they serve a huge portion of side salads with each main course. With my lasagna dish, 75% of the plate was salad, and only 25% was the lasagna. While I like the fact that they give you three different types of salads with different ingredients and dressings, I'd rather have more of the main course than anything else. I wasn't a fan of the salads, which had too unusual a taste and smell for my likes.
Borrowed Earth also serves unusual drinks such as yerba mate latte with nut milk. This is definitely not Starbucks, but it's certainly healthier and more innovative.
The service is super-friendly. Prices are on the higher side ($11-15 for main dishes). Overall, I recommend this restaurant for its quality and novelty value. It's a gutsy, cool idea for them to open up in the suburbs and I laud them for it.
Flat Top Grill is yet another chain that that disproves the axiom that chain-restaurants must be bland and vegan-unfriendly.
While the Mongolian grill set-up is fairly familiar, FTG spices things up by having unusual ingredients (such as seitan, BBQ tempeh, "Veat" chicken, and curry pakora) and well-balanced, thoughtful sauces (such as Vietnamese soy, which has a spicy kick, and Indian "vindahoo"). These features alone put FTG a cut above the competition but, to make things even better, FTG has cheap cocktails and a good bar area.
The ambience is classy-modern, with a lot of red and black tones everywhere. This is a good place to take a date or to bring the family.
The prices are reasonable for lunch, though maybe a bit on the high side for dinner ($10 for an unlimited lunch, $15 for dinner); however, if you're any kind of student, you get a $1 discount at lunch and $2 discount at dinner.
Pretty much all of the sauces (except for one or two) are vegan, and all of the mockmeats are vegan, except for the Quorn. Everything that is vegan is labeled, which is extremely helpful, and this also puts the word "vegan" more into the mainstream, as FTG is a bustling, popular chain in the Chicagoland area; "vegetarian" is not used anywhere, as far as I could tell.
I liked that no matter what combination of ingredients or sauces I used, I always came out with something really tasty. The cooking time seems a bit long (roughly 7-9 minutes per bowl), especially since I was the only person in the restaurant when I went in the late afternoon. I think it might be a calculated effort to slow down your eating, thereby making you consume less food; but that's a savvy business decision which leads to smaller waistlines, so I'm okay with it.
I am surprised that an Indo-Chinese restaurant can support itself on its own without also having standard Indian food on the menu. In India itself, Indo-Chinese food is wildly popular, but relegated to roadside stalls or one or two menu pages at standard restaurants; but Inchin's Bamboo Garden seems to be solidly grounded in this peculiar, but engaging, new-age cuisine, which isn't Chinese, and isn't Indian, but something wholly new altogether (note: this food was created and developed entirely in India).
I came here with a friend and was impressed by the decor and spacious layout. The service was a bit curt and erratic but acceptable on a whole. The main draw for lunch seems to be the buffet, which my friend seemed to enjoy, whereas I ordered off the menu, getting a "veg. coins manchurian" ($9), which is the bedrock dish of Indo-Chinese food (in India, it's usually just called "veg. manchurian").
The dish was a very close approximation to what you'd find in India and was definitely tasty. I think the sauce could have been spicier (why not offer chili oil on the side?), and the "veg. coins" could have been softer and larger (in India, they're served as spheres, with a similar look and texture to meatballs), but on a whole, this was a good dish that I can't easily find elsewhere.
Unfortunately, Inchin doesn't offer brown rice, which is not unusual, given that I have almost never seen brown rice offered at an Indian restaurant. But it still disappoints me.
The clientele consisted predominantly of Indians, both young and old, though the place did seem to attract some white Americans, as well as some East Asians, which means the food might have broad appeal.
Inchin probably isn't worth a 45-minute drive into the suburbs from Chicago proper, but if you happen to be in the 'burbs (there are two locations, one in Aurora, and one in Hoffman Estates), it might be worth a visit.
Pita Pit is basically Subway/Chipotle but with falafel and hummus.
I had a falafel sandwich ($6.50 with tax) and it was surprisingly tasty---for one thing, they give you the option of whole wheat pita or white pita, and they also grill a bunch of vegetables (green peppers, mushrooms, onions and tomatoes) on the spot for you. They also have some super-spicy pepper sauces that they add to the grilled items which add a ton of flavor. Lastly, you get to choose other vegetables you might want, including cucumbers, lettuce, sprouts and a few other things.
The falafel pieces themselves are a bit soft (I prefer them crispier) but they are full of herbs and have a great taste. I could eat them on their own, which is the best gauge of falafel quality, in my opinion.
Their falafel sandwich is filling and easily constitutes a full meal all for about $6.
In a word: wow. I did not expect an innovative, cool place like Pizza Fusion to open in the sprawling, pedestrian-unfriendly, faceless suburbs of Chicago.
Pizza Fusion is expanding rapidly and seems to be opening a new franchise somewhere in the country every day. That's a huge win for veg*ns and eco-minded people, as 75% of the food here is organic, they use LEED design principles, and deliver all their pizzas in Priuses and Smart Cars.
Ironically, this Pizza Fusion is located in a brand new strip mall on what used to be verdant farmland not even a year ago. Next to it is a place called "MeatHeads" that is decidedly eco-unfriendly. That said, Pizza Fusion is at least leading the way with better practices.
I came here with my father and we had a large "Very Vegan" pizza ($17) which was delicious: thin and flaky crust, rich tomato sauce, delectable crimini mushrooms, and soy cheese that looked, tasted and melted like real cheese. It was golden brown, didn't look like plastic and melted thoroughly. For a moment I thought they'd gotten the order wrong, because I've never seen soy cheese this perfect before. While I'm not anti-soy cheese like some people, I'm also not a huge fan of it; that said, this stuff tasted excellent and even impressed my father, who a) had never tasted soy cheese before and b) doesn't even like pizza very much. Even he had to comment, "This is very good pizza," and he doesn't say that often about anything. And no, there's no casein in the cheese; Pizza Fusion is completely casein-free and even says so on the menu. They have some kind of proprietary soy cheese that is amazing; their gluten-free crusts, also, are made of an interesting mixture of chickpeas, fava bean and rice flour. Amazing stuff.
I also had a Boylan's bottled cola, which is made with cane sugar, and has a refreshing taste ($2.50).
We finished the meal with a vegan brownie ($4.50), which was moist, fluffy and rich, but not overly sweet, as it's made with carob. It came with powdered sugar, powdered chocolate and ripe strawberries and was delicious, again impressing my father, who doesn't like desserts or anything chocolate-y.
The service was impeccable and super-friendly. Our waiter went out of his way to discuss the principles of Pizza Fusion, pointing out the bamboo flooring, the bamboo menu, the recycled aluminum tiles on the wall, and the tables, which are made from reclaimed waste wood. He was caring, genuinely interested in our questions and was knowledgeable about all aspects of the business.
The atmosphere here is comfortably modern and classy; you could bring a date here, or bring your parents, or young children. I would give this place five stars, but they need more vegan items (maybe some fake meat toppings? one more vegan dessert? a few vegan appetizers?) for me to justify that. That said, this place is otherwise wonderful and is hopefully a sign of things to come in the suburbs of all major cities.
Veg Harvest is a bright and friendly vegetarian Indian restaurant. Their sign still says "Indian Harvest" but there's also a non-vegetarian Indian Harvest across the street in a more modern brick strip mall. Veg Harvest is in a two-story 1970s strip mall next to a convenience store.
Their Avial ($9) was great, and you don't see Keralite dishes often; the execution was smooth and spicy, without being overpowering. Basically it's a cashew-coconut curry with a variety of vegetables. I also thought their masala dosa ($8) was fresh and crispy, and therefore competently done, establishing their credentials with South Indian classics.
The menu has some unusual dishes, such as Indo-Chinese options, though I wasn't so impressed with the "Chinatown Tofu" ($9) which was basically tofu and onions in a thick, spicy, ketchup-based sauce. I didn't like the sweetish tones of the ketchup (I don't like ketchup in general), which I felt confused what was supposed to have been a savory dish.
I wish they served brown rice and I also wish they labeled their vegan options, but this is otherwise a pretty decent vegetarian place in the suburbs, which there aren't enough of. The service was also friendly, attentive and accommodating of my questions about the vegan-ness of various dishes.
Ashoka is one of the oldest Indian restaurants in the west suburbs of Chicago, which have become havens for Indian immigrants over the last 15 years. I always remember my parents taking me here to pick up small dishes or especially their samosas, which are huge and well-cooked.
The decor inside is quite drab, old and decayed. There are holes in the vinyl booths and the place is just generally grubby.
Make sure to ask about ingredients, as this is a North Indian restaurant, and many dishes will contain some kind of dairy product (milk/cream/yogurt/ghee/butter).
Also confirm that the samosas (their best dish) are vegan. Often times the samosa pastry shell is made with yogurt, so it's definitely worth checking every time.
Bangkok Restaurant is a gem of a place in the far west suburbs of Chicago. I eat there every time I'm visiting home. The restaurant itself is small and BYOB but is always bustling. The food is simply first-class; best of all, it's home-cooked, and feels fresh and hearty, unlike some other Thai restaurants. Honestly, this is the best Thai food I have ever had outside of Thailand itself. Portion sizes are large and I always have leftovers. Make sure to try their green curry or their pad ped ma muang (cashew stir fry) or pad graw paw (basil stir fry) which are well-spiced, delicious and fresh. They also use high quality ingredients from their vegetables to their tofu. This place is really special and stands out as one of the best Thai restaurants in Chicagoland.
I usually don't add strip-mall Chinese restaurants to VegGuide unless they're special or different in some way. China Taste, as generic as its name may imply, is actually quite good and worth a stop if you're ever in the far western suburbs of Chicago (it's a good 50-60 minute drive from downtown Chicago).
For one thing, the service as China Taste is always friendly and welcoming. They have a nicely decorated dining section, too, in case you don't want take-out.
Their menu looks like your average Chinese take-out menu, but actually uses the word "vegetarian" in a category heading (instead of "vegetables," which sounds like it'd be vegetarian, but it's often not). Indeed, all of the dishes in this section actually are vegetarian---no oyster sauce, no chicken broth, etc.
The dishes themselves are spicy and taste fresh, and not bogged down in oil and corn starch. I recommend one of their tofu dishes with garlic sauce---definitely a winner.
This place opened up about a mile from my high school and man do I wish it had been around when I was a student there. The quality of the food here is quite high---portion sizes are large (expect to take left-overs), and the dishes just taste fresh and light and inspired. Their curries are thick and hearty and they use a high-grade variety of tofu. I also liked their stir-fry dishes which were fragrant and full of basil and chilis.
The decor is also well-done; very clean and homey, but nice enough that you could probably take a date here. You wouldn't expect something of this quality considering CK Pad Thai is in a grungy 1970s strip mall with a Jiffy Lube and a dentist.
They're very accommodating to vegans so just tell them no fish sauce/oyster sauce/shrimp paste and they can do it.
El Taco Grande doesn't offer any mockmeats or soy cheese options, but their vegetarian tacos and burritos are quite tasty and filling. The food here is prepared freshly and feels home-cooked and labored-over, rather than just "assembled" at cheaper Mexican joints.
The portion sizes are huge and prices are fairly low. They use a ton of vegetables (broccoli, zuchinni, bell peppers and more) as the fillings for their dishes. Avocado is optional. Make sure to ask about their beans and rice, as I'm not sure they're vegetarian (lard and chicken broth, as usual).
Honey Cafe is exactly the type of restaurant more suburbs of major cities need. It serves fresh, home-made American foods like veggie burgers and tofu scrambles, in a modern, clean and well-decorated environment.
I went with a friend and was impressed by the prompt and friendly service as well as the ambience. There's a lot of natural light and lots of space to move around. They also have cool Eames-era retro-mod wood chairs.
My chai latte with soy ($4) was well-spiced and subtly sweet. It was quite well done and freshly prepared with their own recipe (no terrible Oregon Chai mix).
I enjoyed my tofu scramble which had a good array of flavors, from the tart marinated bell peppers to the starchy red potatoes to the light, punchy pico de gallo with green chilis. I wish there had been more tofu and I also wish it had been stir-fried or cooked a little bit longer, but the dish still came off well. The portion size on a whole could be increased slightly to justify the $9.95 price (or the price could be reduced to maybe $8.95, which seems more fitting for the portion).
My friend enjoyed her veggie burger, which is also made on-site with a number of different vegetables. The patty was huge and was served on home-baked multi-grain bread. The veggie burger can be made vegan, I think, if you leave off the mayo.
The only issues I have with this place are: dishes aren't labeled vegan or veganizable; there are no vegan baked goods or desserts; the prices are just a tad high. Otherwise, this is a great addition to the west suburbs of Chicago.
This is an above-average Indian joint in the west suburbs. There's no reason to go out of your way (it's probably a 45 minute drive from downtown Chicago under good conditions), but if you're in the area, it's worth a stop. Their food comes in generous portions and they were more than happy to veganize dishes for me (just tell them no milk, butter, ghee, cream or yogurt).
Note: their naan, like most naan, is not vegan and cannot be made vegan (it's made with yogurt). Stick to roti instead.
The only reason I found out about this place is because they partner with Mileage Plus Dining (for United or NWA) and you can get airline miles for every dollar you spend there. India Palace doesn't have a website but does show its menu on the Mileage Plus site (link above).
Mai Thai is quaint and has a good location in downtown Wheaton, but their food is mediocre. I only go there to get air miles, as they're part of the Mileage Plus Dining program.
Portion sizes are huge, but their curries are watery and have all sort of weird ingredients, like corn and jalapenos, neither of which are Thai, and completely change the flavor of the dish into something unrecognizable.
There isn't much else in downtown Wheaton, though, so this is your best bet.
I used to love Nathan's, as the food was light, fresh and felt home-cooked. Their basil stir-fry dish with tofu was my favorite.
Unfortunately Nathan's now has a new cook (new ownership as well?) and the quality of the food dropped considerably. The food became saltier, more fried and potentially less vegan. In the early days my waiter would always know what contained fish sauce/shrimp paste and the kitchen could always modify dishes.
These days, the waitstaff is never quite sure what "vegan" even means. So my trust in this place is blown and the food isn't good anymore anyway.
Siriwan is in a plaza with a gigantic supermarket and is easy to miss. The food here is not particularly good or memorable in any way---it's pretty much generic, watered-down Thai food---but the prices are reasonable and the portion sizes are large, if that's your thing.
I do like that they have Chinese dishes as well, which adds to the variety of the menu.
If you're all the way out here, go to Bangkok Restaurant instead.
This place doesn't offer anything you can't find at major supermarkets or Trader Joe's. They have a few pre-packaged vegan cookies and some Asian foods and vitamins and stuff like that. I thought the prices were way too high, on the order of 20-50% more than what you'd pay at chain stores. Given that Soups to Nuts doesn't really offer anything special or unusual, I'm not sure how they can justify their prices.
I like the atmosphere and friendly service here. Thai Village is in a 100-year-old building in downtown Batavia and makes good use of the space. It's intimate, well-decorated and inviting.
I've had mixed experience with the service. Sometimes it's excellent, whereas other times it's slow and rude.
The food here is a notch above average, though not spectacular. Prices are reasonable and portion sizes are large.
Personally, if you're this far west from Chicago, I would recommend going one town over to Geneva and eating at Bangkok Restaurant, which is arguably one of the best Thai restaurants in the whole of sprawling Chicagoland.
There's been a spate of Thai restaurants opening in the "Tri-Cities" of Batavia, Geneva and St. Charles in the far western suburbs of Chicago. Thai Zie is one of the newest and while it does a good job with decor, I found the food and service lacking.
The restaurant was nearly empty when I came but it still took the waiter five minutes to give me water and another five minutes for him to take my order.
I had one of their stir-frys which are bland and watery and just flat somehow.
If you're all the way out here and are looking for good Thai, go one town over to Geneva and check out Bangkok Restaurant.
This new Thai restaurant opened up in what used to be a greasy spoon diner. They definitely cleaned the place up as it now looks quaint and well-decorated.
The service is friendly but I wasn't impressed with the food. My green curry was way too salty, and my basil stir-fry dish was oily and just tasted weird.
Prices are reasonable and the portion sizes are huge (one dish could easily last two or three meals).
For my money, Bangkok Restaurant in Geneva is still the best Thai around.
There aren't too many food options in downtown Elmhurst for vegans. But Wok N Fire is actually pretty good. It's basically a smaller version of P.F. Changs (dark lighting, waiters dressed in black, cloth napkins, etc.), but there are only two locations in the west suburbs of Chicago.
Some of their dishes contain fish/oyster sauce, so make sure to ask. They're very accommodating about making dishes vegan here and the servers tend to know what's what.
Solid Asian food in a classy environment, akin to PF Changs. This is a popular date spot and also attracts large groups for parties and birthdays. They have alcoholic drinks, too.
Their location is right across from the Marcus Cinemas, so come here after seeing a movie. It's a nice option to have in an area that otherwise consists of chains and big box stores.
Vaishali is legendary and known to all the people of Pune and many people outside of it, as well. It's an institution. It's a simple cafe with indoor and open-air seating and classic South Indian dishes like masala dosa, idli sambar and uttapam. Their dosas are without a doubt the best I've ever had, and I've lived and traveled all over India and had many dosas in the US as well. My parents are South Indian and I can honestly say that Vaishali cannot be beat, not even in the deep south of India. Also make sure to try some of their appetizers like veg. cutlet and vada. Their juices are also fresh and tasty.
The bulk of the menu is naturally vegan, especially staples like masala dosa and uttapam. Non-vegan items will typically be labeled with the words "butter" or "ghee." If you're still unsure, ask the waiter or someone nearby if a dish is traditionally prepared with dairy products (either milk, cream, butter, ghee, yogurt or milk curds).
Vaishali is almost always full, and you'll always have to wait for a table. That said, turnaround is fast and you never have to wait long. The service is brisk and efficient, though not necessarily super-friendly. Vaishali attracts a mixed crowd, from old men who sit, reading the newspaper and drinking coffee, to college students, to in-the-know foreigners, to families.
I loved the atmosphere and location of this restaurant. It fits perfectly with the old part of town in Fells Point. Our service was friendly, but slow on a whole (it seemed like they had only two people working five or six tables). The food, which falls on the sandwich side, was wonderful; my BLT was crispy, fresh and light and my friend's tofu reuben was also good. Our drinks were tasty, especially my apple-lemonade. Prices are low, with most of the menu under $10. My only gripes would be lack of parking in the area and that they're cash-only.
I liked the atmosphere, concept and location of this restaurant. Service was friendly and prompt. But the food didn't stand out in my mind. My tomato tofu curry was a poor approximation of an Asian dish (though it was called a "fusion" dish) and makes me wonder if I shouldn't have ordered the meatloaf instead. My friend's penne-basil dish was much tastier, which gives me a hint that this place does European/American food better than any other genre on its menu. Our Earth Day-special "dirt cake" was minty, moist and delicious; our carrot cake, however, was mediocre and its frosting was overpowering. On a whole, I think Great Sage can improve, but they seem to be on the right track and I appreciate that they opened up in a difficult, remote, suburban area.
The food here is excellent. It's light, freshly prepared and full of vegetables and well-spiced sauces. The mockmeats are light and tasty and have excellent texture---not too firm, not too soft. Prices are extremely reasonable and portions are large enough for leftovers. I liked the orange beef, hunan beef and chicken kung pao.
Yuan Fu is a nice little place with extensive vegan dishes and options. Their service is super-friendly and their food is tasty, light and healthy. I found their orange beef to be a tad dry, but their chicken with mixed vegetables was robust and diverse in its flavors. Their prices are good and portion sizes are large. I'd say Yuan Fu and its down-the-road competitor, The Vegetable Garden, are on equal footing.
This quaint cafe is located in the basement of an old building in the Canal Park/Lakewalk area, which means you'll probably stumble upon it while roaming the lakefront of Duluth. It's a good place to get a cup of coffee or a hummus-sandwich type of thing, though the vegan options are extremely basic.
However, they do offer a vegan rice crispie bar ($3) which was excellent. It was covered in a thick layer of chocolate and, unlike other choco-rice bars I've had, this one also contained berries, which put it way above the rest and gave it a fresh flavor. Come here for this rice crispie bar if nothing else.
Chester Creek is located in a somewhat remote area of Duluth, but it's probably worth a visit, as it offers a few labeled vegan items (a rarity in Duluth).
The service was extremely friendly, both from our waiter (who gave us great tips about things to do in Duluth) and from another worker there who happened to be vegan (and gave us tips about where to eat).
We had a tempeh ciabatta ($8) which was tasty and fresh, made with avocado and veganaise. It's only on the lunch menu, not the dinner menu, but the kitchen was gracious enough to make us the sandwich anyway. The ciabatta could have been toasted slightly, but it was an otherwise good sandwich.
We also had a Thai red curry bowl with tofu and brown rice ($9.50) which was spicy and tasty. The portion size was large and I found the dish filling, though I think it could have had more tofu. I'm really glad they served it with brown rice, instead of white, which is a nice touch. I normally don't eat "ethnic" dishes at American-food diners, but this was the only other vegan option on the menu, so we didn't have much of a choice.
My friend also had a macaroon ($3?) which was not totally vegan (it contains honey, which the vegan staff member helpfully told us) and she enjoyed that.
If Chester Creek had a few more vegan options (how about a seitan burger? or tofu tacos?) it would be worthy of much more praise. As it stands, it offers at least a couple good vegan options and is worth a visit.
I stayed here for a night and found the house and the service both above average. Be warned that the bed-and-breakfast experience in Duluth, while a good cultural activity, is extremely expensive. One night in the Olcott House set us back $194 (with tax, and the mid-week discount) and while the experience was quaint and unusual, I'm not sure it's worth the price. I would have rather taken a Holiday Inn downtown for $80, but maybe I'm too utilitarian.
The master suite we had was large and comfortable, though I thought the tv in the room was extremely small (a 13-inch LCD) and the bed was a little too springy. The decorations and furniture do a good job of replicating what this 1904 mansion might have felt like in its heyday.
The owners seem to have changed since the last reviewer stayed here, so we had to start from scratch in getting a vegan meal. Fortunately, a co-owner/chef was extremely accommodating and went out of his way to studiously check pancake ingredients in some pre-made mixes, before ultimately deciding to use some online recipes to make us some from scratch. For a first-attempt, I must say the pancakes were excellent: soft, fluffy and delicious.
If you're coming to Duluth for a special occasion, Olcott House or some other bed-and-breakfast might be worth the money, if just for the experience (most will run you $150-$250 a night, without tax). The majority of them are located in the North Shore area, fairly close to Lake Superior, though a bit too far from downtown for my likes. Otherwise, get a cheap hotel downtown or on the shore and do your own vegan-catering.
And so I finally made it to the mythic Duluth branch of Pizza Luce. I'd heard about it from so many different people though, truth be told, it didn't seem all the special or mythic when I got there.
The downtown location is nice, there's lots of space, and the service is just as friendly as at any of the Twin Cities' branches.
Contrary to previous reviews, there is no Mexican food served here, at least not anymore. The menu here is now all but identical to the Twin Cities' locations.
We split a mock sausage parmagiana which was just as good as the other locations. Along with Chester Creek Cafe and the Whole Foods Co-op, Pizza Luce is one of only a few places in Duluth to get a decent vegan meal, so I'm glad it's around, though I don't think it stands apart from the other Pizza Luces.
This is a pretty comprehensive co-op with a wide range of bulk foods, vegan packaged goods (including hemp ice cream), and best of all, a hot bar and deli area with some vegan options. Duluth doesn't have too many places where you can get labeled vegan food, but this is one of them.
I had a falafel wrap ($8) from the deli, which can be made vegan by substituting the garlic aioli instead of the yogurt sauce. It was decent, but not great. The whole thing was lacking salt, and the falafel was a bit too soft (I like it crunchy). Also, using a tortilla wrap instead of pita made the thing basically a glorified veggie wrap, more than anything else.
My friend got some stuff from the hot bar, such as the pilaf, tempeh and a citrus bbq tofu ($7.99 per pound). There weren't too many vegan offerings other than those. From what I tasted, it was all pretty bland again, and needed salt and pepper, at the very least.
We finished things off with a slice of chocolate raspberry cake ($2.99), which was decent, but a bit dry.
All in all this is a solid co-op and fills a great niche in Duluth. The hot bar/deli foods need a bit more variety by way of vegan options, and also needs a flavor boost, but I'm still glad it's around.
UPDATE: The Backroom Deli serves great, cheap, simple vegan food. I had a cajun tofu sandwich ($6) which was fresh and well-seasoned. My friend had a wonderful, delectable buckwheat pancake (short-stack for $6) which was arguably the best-tasting pancake I've ever had. It was thin, soft on the inside, crispy on the outside and just had a wonderful texture and flavor. Backroom is a great little spot to try in Rochester, I just wish they were open later in the evening (they close at 7 p.m.).
ORIGINAL review: This is definitely a solid co-op given the lack of other options in the Rochester area. The prices are reasonable and there's a good selection of mockmeats, soy products and packaged goods. The bulk section has an unusually large variety of beans, pastas, rice and other staples.
My only gripe is that the deli/cafe portion closes too early at 7 p.m. I arrived at 7:15, after a long drive from Chicago, but the deli was unwilling to help me out (so I loaded up on packaged junk food instead).
This is a medium to upscale Italian restaurant on the main drag in Stillwater. The town doesn't have many vegan-friendly options, but Luna Rossa at least has a large pasta menu, and a "pasta bar" option at lunch, where one can select a type of pasta and the sauces and vegetables you want to go with it.
NOTE: if you're vegan, make sure to tell them NOT to put any parmesan cheese on the dish (otherwise they do this automatically).
The food is reasonably tasty and the place has nice atmosphere and good prices (the pasta bar option was only $8 for a decent-sized portion). If not for Luna Rossa, we might have ended up eating salads at a steak and potatoes tavern or pub. That's a sure way to spoil your day trip to quaint Stillwater.
UPDATE: I have since found out that a couple of the bigger dishes on the menu at 501 Club, namely the "soy pattie" and the "rice and black bean burger" are not vegan. This is disappointing as it means the only vegan options available are the chili, guacamole, hummus and fries. These are good snacks, especially for Happy Hour, when they're half-price (3-6 p.m.), but they don't constitute a meal. 501 Club, if you're listening, add some hearty, fresh vegan dishes (how about a seitan burger? or a fried tofu taco?) and you'll offer something no one else does in downtown Minneapolis.
Also, how about adding some local, vegan-friendly beers such as Lift Bridge or Rush River? MGD and Bud are okay, but they're not cool enough for a live music joint in cutting-edge Minneapolis.
ORIGINAL review: 501 Club gets some props from me for being a bar in downtown that serves vegan food. They don't serve much vegan food, but it's still more than pretty much any place outside of Seward, Cedar-Riverside or Uptown-Nicollet.
The space is large and standard as far as bars go (lots of open space, pool table, some booths, etc.). 501 Club has ten free parking spots in the lot surrounding their building, otherwise you'll have to pay around $5 to park for an evening.
I had a soy pattie burger (which I later found out was not vegan) ($6.75), and it was plain, but edible. The fries were decent. The menu also offers chili, soup and hummus. The regular prices are very low for the quantity of food offered (my burger and fries would have cost closer to $10 anywhere else), and the happy hour prices are even better (half price on appetizers, $1 off on entrees).
I haven't been here for a show, but it's always good to have another live music joint in Minneapolis. All in all, 501 Club is a decent place that I'll be returning to.
I'm not sure how to rate this place. I was expecting a small grocery store; instead I stumbled upon a bookstore with all Christian materials, along with a small section of frozen and canned mockmeats.
If you're out in the northwest suburbs, the ABC Store has an unusual selection of mockmeat deli slices, mock tuna, and Morningstar meal starters. It also has a wide array of canned mockmeats (including canned veggie burgers, which is something I've never seen before). Not all of the stuff here is vegan, but much of it is; make sure to read labels.
They also have a small assortment of spices, and dry bulk grains/beans.
You can't find 75% of the stuff here at your average grocery store, or even at some of the co-ops. That said, the selection isn't huge, and I'm not certain of the quality either.
Lastly, the ABC Store is in a strange location in an office park off of I-94/694, which is the last place you'd expect to find a Christian bookstore or a vegetarian grocery. But at least it's accessible to people in the suburbs, if not necessarily Minneapolis and St. Paul proper.
The falafel here is unusual and deserves recognition. It's not deep-fried and crunchy like at Holy Land Deli, but it's not cheap either (the falafel sandwich at Abu Nader is $7.98 with tax). Indeed, this was the most expensive falafel I've seen in the Twin Cities so far.
That said, I liked how it had a differentiated taste, with more of an emphasis on herbs. The interior was almost creamy, rather than dry and crumbly, and it seemed to be filled with unusual spices/herbs, though I'm not expert enough to identify what the actual ingredients were.
I wasn't a big fan of the way it was served pita-pocket style (I prefer pita wraps), but that's a minor quibble. A bigger issue was that Abu Nader also includes pickles, which is unusual and doesn't, in my opinion, go well with tahini sauce and fried chickpeas. The other ingredients, which included tomato, lettuce and onion, were a much better fit.
The location is convenient, though the store/dining area is kind of bleak and stuffy.
I wish I had known about Akshay-paatram earlier, so I could have supported them on my Saturday farmers' market bike rides. But I'm glad I found them now.
They don't have too many options, but they do seem to have at least one vegan dish and one vegan dessert available. I had the quinoa curry ($4) and a strawberry churro ($1.50). The quinoa curry was tasty and unusual (you don't see Indian flavors, mixed with non-Indian ingredients like quinoa, too often), though it could have used a bit more spice (how about some red chili powder?) and maybe an extra protein, like tofu or TVP, to give it some varied texture.
The strawberry churro was also tasty, and quite unusual (why does the Mexican food stall ten feet away not offer a vegan churro?). My churro was a bit old, though I imagine this crispy, fried dough covered in sugar and filled with strawberry jam would be heavenly right out of the oven/fryer. Instead of jam, I would prefer fresh strawberry compote, and maybe a side of vegan whipped cream, and then you got a masterpiece.
Akshay also has chai (sometimes offered with soy milk) and fresh mango juice. On a whole, I'm glad Akshay is around and I hope they expand their vegan options.
I came here on a Friday night and easily found a spot at the bar, but groups of two or more should make reservations or be prepared to wait for a table. Amazing Thailand seems to be a popular date spot and the crowd consists almost entirely of people aged 22-32.
The decor is nice and the service was prompt and efficient at the bar.
I had a Pahd Ped (chili stir fry) with tofu ($12) which was pretty decent. I wouldn't go out of my way to have it, but it was certainly acceptable and well-presented---it was symmetrical and had a good array of colors and textures. The menu also has a number of other veganizable stir frys with different ingredients. But be warned that only one of the curries is vegetarian/vegan (the "Amazing Thai," which is a thick peanut sauce curry), as the rest all have fish sauce or shrimp paste pre-mixed. Pre-mixed stocks are a classic sign of sinful shortcuts in Thai cooking and something which is looked down upon in Thailand, but is somehow acceptable in the US.
Two major gripes: they don't offer brown rice and they charge $1 for extra white rice. The brown rice issue was expected; but I detest restaurants that charge extra for rice, especially if it's crappy white rice. It's something you won't see in Asia (or even on Nicollet Avenue), but it's common in hip, upper-middle class areas where the customers don't know any better and probably wouldn't complain regardless. But it's a rip-off, as the restaurant's cost for a small cup of white rice is probably 5 cents or less, but they charge you a full dollar, jacking up their margins; and they practically force you to buy more rice as the free amount they provide with the dish is paltry.
Amazing Thailand probably does have the best Thai food in Uptown as it's better than Tum Rup or Chiang Mai, but the quality of the food still pales in comparison to pretty much any restaurant on Nicollet Avenue in Minneapolis or University Avenue in St. Paul.
I like the neighborhood feel of Anodyne and its cozy atmosphere. But I wasn't impressed with any of their offerings---when I went, they didn't have anything vegan, not even pre-packaged cookies. Their drinks were standard and could be gotten at any of the multiple independent cafes in Minneapolis; these days, it seems most cafes aren't willing to freshly make their own drinks. Instead they rely on powders and concentrates and syrups, to which they just add soy milk and heat. Anodyne is no different. Then again, I don't think most people go to cafes for the drinks. They go for the free wi-fi and a nice place to study/hang out. In that regard, Anodyne knows its clientele well, but it doesn't stand out in any way.
Asian D'Lite is a solid, simple, cozy Thai restaurant just off the main drag in Dinkytown. The service is friendly and the restaurant seems to be popular for take-out; the owner seemed to be on a first-name basis with all of the clients who came in ready to pick up their order.
My green curry was light and delicious. It wasn't "authentic" per se, as it was a bit watery, too green in color, and full of non-standard vegetables, but the taste was fresh and unusual. I loved the way they made it colorful with green and red bell peppers, yellow zucchini and bright green scallions.
Portion sizes are large. Prices are reasonable, mostly under $10 a dish. I didn't like that I had to specify "no fish sauce" as it always makes me suspicious that a restaurant doesn't advertise controversial ingredients like that, but the restaurant was happy enough to modify my dish and actually UNDERSTOOD what truly constitutes vegetarianism. I'll definitely go back.
Babani's is a quaint, friendly place with simple, light Middle Eastern food. I came for lunch twice and was impressed with the prices (the lunch specials come with a salad and all cost $7-9) and have reasonable portion sizes.
The first time I had a mushroom-zucchini saute (called "bakla"; $8) over white rice which was tasty, though not that unusual or distinctly "Kurdish"---my dish could have been from anywhere between Greece and Iran. I wish they had an option for brown rice, too. However, my friend had a garbanzo stew ($7) with a side of tabouli and both were excellent and far more flavorful than my dish.
The second time I went to Babani's I tried their "niskena" soup ($5 for a bowl) and a side of Kurdish bread ($1.75) which other reviewers had mentioned. The niskena is basically a lentil soup that was fairly tasty, but needed black pepper, as well as some red chili flakes, to really give it some flavor. Otherwise, it's basically a watery, spice-less Indian dal. The Kurdish bread is fluffy, just slightly oily, and goes well with the soup, though be warned it's filling.
On both occasions, the service was prompt, attentive, friendly and knowledgeable about what dishes were vegan (most of the vegetarian dishes are vegan by default, or can be made vegan if you omit the cheese, but none of the appetizers are vegan).
Babani's is definitely a winner.
This place definitely has room to improve as far as vegan selections are concerned. While I appreciate that they serve vegan items at all (many other greasy-spoon brunch places aren't vegan-friendly), I felt they were underserving the community, especially in a diverse and punker place like Nicollet, near MCAD. They offer tofu scrambles, tempeh scrambles, vegan sausage, and a mushroom burger or a veggie burger (which I'm not sure is vegan). However, they don't have soy cheese, or vegan analogs of egg sandwiches, though other places like Hard Times and Seward Cafe, do. Also, they don't even have a vegan pancake option, though just a few streets down, you can get an awesome one at French Meadow Cafe. I had their tempeh scramble, which was decent, but over-priced considering the taste and portions. It's a super-busy place on Saturday and Sundays, so make reservations or come early if you have a big group. All in all, the Bad Waitress has room to improve in terms of its vegan offerings and in terms of its prices. That said, it's still better than most diners and greasy-spoon joints in the area in terms of vegan options. Their website is sophisticated, fun and cool, too.
Bali is the latest trendy arrival to an area of Nicollet that is thankfully undergoing a revitalization. This is great because it's a connecting area between downtown and uptown and an neighborhood sorely in need of more vegan-friendly restaurants.
The current menu (which will soon be revamped and expanded) features two labeled vegan dishes, though their fried rice can be veganized, as can their soup. They also have one vegan dessert.
We tried all of the vegan food they had to offer, except for the soup. I found their "Tumis Kecang Panjang (bean sprouts with tofu)" ($6.00) had an unusual sweet, peanut flavor. While the sauce was good, I think it's a dish that could have used more vegetables and more color to be a more filling, substantial meal. Also, the tofu didn't seem marinated in the sauce so it came across as a bit bland. The "Tumis Buncis Wortel (long green beans)" ($7.00) was a tasty dish of stir-fried green beans with shallots in a soy-based sauce; while it was good, I think the simplicity of the dish makes it better fitted to being an appetizer or a snack to go with beer or cocktails. The specially-made vegan fried rice ($7.00) was my favorite dish of the night---it was spicy, but in a way that didn't linger heavily on your tongue. It felt hearty and had a good savory flavor, balanced by neutral pieces of tofu. Finally our lychee-mangosteen-coconut milk-chili dessert ($5.00) was wonderful. The fruits were fresh and the delicate sweetness of the coconut milk mixed well with the hint of spicy chili. It sounds unusual, and it was, which is why I liked it even more---you don't see desserts of this creative, challenging style often. It's more of a liquid than anything else, so I wouldn't mind seeing it in a vegan custard form, just to make it easier to dig into.
The service was friendly, attentive and knowledgeable. The chef also came to speak with us to let us know what else he could make.
The decor and ambience of Bali are upscale, but not pretentious (the interior is similar to Jasmine 26), and the prices for the vegan dishes are unusually low given their quality. This is a good place to take a date or to just have a drink at the bar. I'll definitely be coming back to see their updated menu which promises to have even more vegan options.
Ban Thai has some of the best Thai food I've had in the Twin Cities area. The dishes here have the taste and look of home-cooked Thai food with fresh, colorful ingredients and simple preparation. Prices are reasonable and portion sizes are good. I appreciate that they have mock duck and mock chicken as options, which is rare outside of Vietnamese or Chinese restaurants. Be careful of the spice level---anything more than "2 peppers" on their scale will scald your mouth. The service is super-friendly and attentive; the cook even went out of her way to make a new, vegan batch of green curry paste especially for my dish, because the existing batch had fish sauce already mixed into it. NOTE: you have to request for them to leave out the fish/oyster/shrimp sauce, but they're very accommodating about this. All in all, it's a great restaurant, but I wish they were in Minneapolis or St. Paul, rather than remote White Bear Lake.
This is a tough place to rate. It looks like a slightly-grimy food counter in Bangkok, but one that holds promise of great food. The food certainly looks, tastes and feels authentic which is both a revelation and also a potential nightmare, as it means perhaps the cook didn't honor my request to leave out the fish/oyster sauce and/or shrimp paste. Unfortunately I don't speak Thai and I'm not sure my fears can be assuaged until I get definitive proof that I was eating vegan food. I do know how to say the equivalent of "vegan" in Thai, but somehow I always harbor suspicions when I say it to the nodding waiters. Maybe I'm overly paranoid.
In any case, the food here is super-spicy. It's almost painfully spicy, to be honest, so don't try to be ballsy when asked about how spicy you want a dish. I grew up with Indian food and I found Bangkok Thai Deli's "3" rating (on a scale of 1-5, with 5 being the spiciest) to be scalding and difficult to eat after five or six bites. I eventually made the dishes edible by spending many minutes carefully removing all the chilis and chili seeds from the dish. My sister-in-law, who's actually FROM India, couldn't handle the spice here.
The green curry was strange as the oil from the coconut milk completed separated in the dish, making the curry look yellow instead of greenish-white. I was told that Thais just spoon out the oil from the coconut milk, which I tried, but found very difficult to do. As a result, the vegetables and tofu seemed to be completely overwhelmed by taste of oil and I was not pleased.
The menu doesn't list the specifically vegetarian/vegan dishes on the menu (tofu isn't even listed as an option to meat), which was a bit of a hassle. Someone has since told me that the "Pad Pak Ruam Mit" with tofu is an ideal dish for vegans and can be trusted to be vegan.
The wait for my food was extremely long at over forty minutes. The place was packed, though, with large families and lots of young children. I was the only non-Thai in the joint, which is a good sign for authenticity. Prices are really cheap with most dishes under $7-8.
Bangkok Thai Deli is hard to find as it's inside an unmarked Asian grocery store. It's easiest to find by its address, so keep on the lookout when you're on the 300 block of University Avenue.
I will give this place another chance because I think it may be a hidden gem. I also think the food quality is usually higher (based on reviews I've read elsewhere) but decreases when the place gets too busy. On a whole the food here is for Thais by Thais.
Bar Abilene offers a few vegan or vegan-izable options, such as black bean hummus, guacamole (make sure to request no worcestershire sauce), portobella fajitas and an option for tofu fajitas or tacos if you request them (tofu is not listed on the menu). Most of these are standard things, and most of them also require you to say, "no cheese," but that's more than what most bars in the Uptown/Calhoun Square area offer.
The drinks and food items are extremely expensive during non-happy hours, but extremely affordable if you're going for happy hour (of which they have two each day, I believe, one in the early evening and one late). I wouldn't come here for anything other than happy hour, given the steep prices otherwise.
In the end, Bar Abilene is about as vegan-friendly as an Uptown bar can be, though I wish they'd go just a bit further.
I went to Best of India with high hopes, as the place is near my office and, according to their website, has a chef who has worked under the legendary chef Satish Arora in India, and was also the personal chef to the Sheikh of Abu Dhabi.
Clearly someone was exaggerating or lying outright, because the food at Best of India was woefully generic and mediocre, at best. What could one expect from a place in a 1970s strip mall on Minnetonka Blvd.? I've had better Indian food at unlicensed roadside stalls in Bombay. My alu gobi ($9.50), a standard North Indian dish, was missing at least one or two spices and was dry. The dish seemed bogged down in heavy oil and overcooked. This restaurant doesn't use fresh herbs and spices and the two key vegetables in the dish---cauliflower and potato---tasted like they were bought in bulk at the supermarket down the road. As such, the vegetables were mass-scale-industrial bland and the preparation was edible, but nothing more. The tandoori chapati bread was good, however.
The service was decent. My waiter was a bit curt, but at least this restaurant allows you to order off the menu, rather than being forced to make-do at the buffet (I hate Indian buffets with a passion because they usually only have one or two vegan dishes at most and the food isn't fresh).
The ambience inside is passable. It falls into the category of "tacky-upscale", with drab and dark colors, and paper napkins instead of cloth. It felt kind of musty inside as I don't think they get much business. The music playing was far too loud for my likes and was also too frenetic in style; low-key, quiet Indian instrumentals would have been better than whatever Bollywood blockbuster soundtrack they were playing.
All in all, I am greatly disappointed. Low quality ingredients and compromised preparation make for a poor meal. Other than Nalapak and The Vegetarian, I haven't had good Indian food in the Twin Cities. I'd also recommend Namaste Cafe or The Himalayan, which are Nepalese, but have similar flavors and use fresh ingredients and have a light touch to their preparation.
This is a hip, friendly little place in downtown Hopkins. It's a nice place to get a cup of tea, but it doesn't really have any vegan options, and all the food is heavy on cheese and eggs. Given that the place it now has an Indian name (it used to be called Munkabeans and Sunshine Cafe) and is attached to a yoga center, I'm surprised they don't have an ALL vegetarian menu, with many vegan options.
Birchwood fits in the mold of Common Roots, another eco-friendly, local, sustainable cafe. This means rotating menus based on what's available from some farm in Wisconsin, composting all its waste, and offering various sorts of grass-fed animals on the menu, sadly (feeding livestock grass, while better than other alternatives, is still not sustainable).
Anyway, I found the food here to be mixed, on a whole. The black lentil soup was too watery and plain for my tastes, and its accompanying side bread was also too chewy (and, at $3.50, it was extremely expensive for the portion size). But the vegan burrito with tofu and local vegetables was delicious and extremely colorful (however, slightly pricey at $10). The thing that made it stand out was the sweet potato puree with chili, which acted like a cheesy-spicy salsa to add zing to the vegetables. Finally, the Mexican hot chocolate with soy was decent, but not properly mixed and not sweet enough for my tastes ($3.50).
Like Common Roots, there was only one vegan entree available, which is a shame, considering the place has an emphasis on local and sustainable food; unlike Common Roots, there were NO vegan desserts or baked goods, which was a major downer.
Prices are on the higher side. The service was friendly, but mostly do-it-yourself, which entails carrying hot liquids and soups to your own table in a crowded environment. Servers only bring out the main courses.
The place seems to get extremely packed on Saturdays and Sundays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., mostly by the brunch crowd of hung-over college students and uber-sober senior citizens. Strange bedfellows a brunch does attract. Get there early if you want an indoor table; I was able to eat outside only because it was fairly warm, if overcast and gloomy.
On a whole, if this place had more vegan food options, and slightly lower prices, it would be a wonderful, quaint, cozy neighborhood cafe. As it stands, it falls short of its full vegan potential.
This coffee shop has a nice vibe and it provides somewhere to go in Lowertown, which is otherwise devoid of business.
That said, it's a pretty generic independent coffee shop: mysterious, potentially un-vegan soup; a few bland sandwiches with potentially un-vegan bread; and mediocre chai. They also offer hummus and tabouli for a whopping $7.25.
The chai comes in a small cup and costs a pricey $3.27 with tax (you could get twice the chai, and much higher quality taste, at Namaste Cafe, or even Caribou). It's a pre-made mix from a plastic jug, with is pretty lame, as I think independent coffee shops should earn their chops by making, say, their own chai recipe or their own proprietary drink/food (of whatever kind). Just because you're independent doesn't mean you should stoop to the lowest level and just serve packaged goods (at a steep mark-up from wholesale rates) that your food distributor happens to offer (which is the case with most places).
Why not have some mockmeat sandwiches? How about baking your own bread or vegan cookies? Anything? Black Dog doesn't do anything to stand out, other than happening to be the only coffee shop in an otherwise empty area. Go the extra inch, Black Dog, and make some food that requires more skill than unscrewing a cap or tearing open a plastic bag.
This is a tiny, cash-only hole-in-the-wall that almost makes you feel like you're somewhere in Turkey with the elaborate, and perhaps excessive, decorations and bead-curtains all over the place.
I came here around 1:30 p.m. on a Thursday and it was packed, though people steadily started clearing out. Be warned about this if you're looking to get a lunch table (there are only a few) at peak time.
I had a falafel sandwich ($4.65 without tax) combo which comes with fries. It was okay at best. Basically it was a white flour pita pocket stuffed with four or five falafel pieces, a few shreds of lettuce, and exactly one small slice of tomato. I felt kind of jipped on the ingredients. The lettuce and tomato were really low-grade, too, and completely flavorless.
The falafel pieces themselves were passable. My main gripes are that they were too soft and that the filling was not flavorful enough.
I don't like white flour pita so I wish they offered a whole wheat option. This particular pita wasn't very good either---too paper-y and chewy.
I give this place three stars instead of two because I liked the service and the low prices. The owner was a super-friendly guy who promptly greeted me upon entrance even though the place was bustling. I also like the Turkish coffee and tea which they serve in tiny glass cups.
On a whole, if you're looking for good falafel, my three top spots remain: Mim's (St. Paul); Abu Nader (St. Paul); and Loon Deli (Minneapolis).
Black Sheep is a cool little place with a cheese-free pizza that fits the bill for vegans (the #2 "tomato and oregano"). The 6-inch base pizza is $6 and then it's $2 for each additional topping. I got the base pizza with roasted red peppers which came out to about $8.50 with tax.
Compared to a place like Punch Pizza (which is decent, don't get me wrong), Black Sheep offers something truly unique: a cracker-thin crust made to perfection. The crust is precariously thin, measuring only 4 millimeters. Amazingly, it was: a) not crunchy; b) not charcoal-burnt in spots and; c) not chewy or doughy at all.
Each bite required the perfect amount of mandibular force, if I dare to pull out my imaginary MD degree. There's something deeply satisfying about that level of perfection and attention to detail which is something you don't see often at 99% of restaurants.
The sauce and roasted red peppers were also fresh and flavorful.
Be warned that the 6-inch pizza is more like a snack than a meal in terms of portion size. I wish Black Sheep offered a more veggie-loaded version of their pizza for around $7-8; otherwise, it becomes an expensive proposition to keep adding individual toppings.
Also, they don't offer any cool vegan toppings like tofu-cashew cheese (Pizza Luce), phony pepperoni and mock fennel sausage (Galactic Pizza or Pizza Luce). Nor do they offer Daiya vegan cassava cheese (Z Pizza in Roseville).
The service is friendly and prompt. Space is highly limited so make reservations or expect to wait during peak times on peak days.
Come here for the novelty of a superb, crispy-perfect crust and high quality ingredients.
UPDATE: I've upgraded Blue Nile's rating as it's one of only a few places in Minneapolis that: a) is open late; b) has tons of space; and c) has a variety of good vegan foods and draft beers.
The restaurant area is nice enough with Ethiopian dishes (watch out for buttermilk in their berbere sauce) but the bar area is what really grabs me: low-key, large, unpretentious, casual, and generally quiet (except for when the late night DJs come, and it gets super-loud).
The draft beer selection is diverse and spans at least three continents with excellent, highly representative selections. I was especially impressed that they have Lion lager on draft, a Sri Lankan beer. There are two happy hours each day when it's two for one.
Food-wise, there are a number of great options at the bar (which offers Middle Eastern food). I thought their baba ganouje (~$6) was one of the best I've had in the Twin Cities: fresh; citrus; smoky; and served with soft, warm pita pieces. Every one of us loved it.
Their hummus (~$6) was not as good and too salty for my likes. The lentil sambusas (~$6) were good, and definitely a winner in terms of bar food, but not as good as a larger, more substantial samosa or momo at an Indian or Nepalese restaurant. The french fries ($4) are crisp and tasty.
Lastly, the falafel sandwich ($5.75) is just slightly above average and generally hits the spot, though is a bit messily-constructed and could use some tahini (the sauce they normally use is made with yogurt, so make sure they leave it off).
My only gripe is that the wait time for your food to arrive is generally long (15-20 minutes) even if it's not busy. In the end, though, Blue Nile is a winner and a great all-purpose late night spot for beer lovers and vegans alike.
December 2008 review: I found myself craving Ethiopian food and so I ended up at the ominous, mysterious Blue Nile restaurant. I'm not sure why all the Ethiopian places in Minneapolis are also live music-lounge joints, but Blue Nile does a good job of demarcating the dining area and the bar/lounge area.
I was one of only a couple of customers and was seated promptly. The ambience is passable (maybe a bit too bright to be romantic) though the dining area shows signs of decay.
My server was knowledgeable about ingredients and told me which dishes were vegan; of the ten or so on the menu, six or seven of them are vegan. Their dishes with berbere sauce are NOT VEGAN, as the sauce is made with buttermilk.
My food took 15 or 20 minutes to arrive which was long considering there were only a few customers. Even though I had specified no yogurt and no berbere sauce, my dish was served with a dollop of both. Fortunately, they were on the side and I could just eat around them.
My dark lentils with garlic/jalepeno main course was decent but didn't blow me away. Each of the veg. dishes comes with another side dish of your choosing, so I picked a fava bean dish that also was decent, but nothing special. It tasted and looked like refried beans. I did, however, like their injera bread which was soft and fluffy, but not too thick.
If you're looking to make your dish spicier, ask for the vegan "hot sauce" which will end up being a plate of freshly minced jalapeno. It certainly adds a kick and mixes well with any dish.
It took a while to finally pay the bill. The service was friendly but could have been faster. Prices were decent in the $9-12 range.
This is a great little joint with simple, honest Indian snacks (samosas, vada pav, masala tea, chaat) and comfort food dishes like lentil curry, chickpea curry and Indian breads. The tastes are good and the prices are extremely low (mostly under $5) and the service is friendly and fast. Seating is limited and it can get crowded easily.
Bordertown is an easy-to-miss little coffee shop located inside a beautiful old frat house on a quiet side street. I stopped by for a cup of tea and a vegan cookie and was quite pleased.
For one thing, the place offers a variety of loose leaf teas, which is always a huge point in their favor (I loathe independent coffee shops that pawn off "Stash" or "Republic of Tea" prepackaged bags, which is a cheap and mediocre way to do things). They also have extensive coffee/latte offerings.
I also had a vegan chocolate chip cookie ($1.50) which was excellent: this was definitely one of the best vegan cookies I've had in the Twin Cities, beating out anything you'd find at The Wedge, Hard Times, or Seward Co-op (however, Common Roots and Seward Cafe do make excellent cookies, albeit with different styles).
Bordertown's cookie (which was also their only vegan offering) is moist, sweet and substantial in texture and heaviness.
I went back a few days later and had a double chocolate chip cookie with fresh almonds ($2) that was also amazing: rich, soft and fresh.
However, the place's hours are troublesome and the main room was a bit too bleak for my likes. The chairs and tables weren't very comfortable or cozy and the noise level is too quiet (mostly because the acoustics of the room amplify even whispers). This might be a good place to study, but not to chit-chat or hang-out.
Bravo is a cute little bakery/cafe with an assortment of vegan and vegetarian Chinese dishes and baked products (none of which are vegan anymore, but there are some egg-free options). It's a shame, because their vegan spongecake was super-moist and subtly sweet and one of the best I've had (however, they recently stopped offering it).
The food here is super simple and consists primarily of mockmeat Chinese stir-frys. They offer brown rice (topped with sesame seeds) as an option, which is awesome. Each dish costs only $6.44 with tax, and you get a good, solid meal for that price. The food quality isn't the highest---I think the sauces tend to be way too gooey, sticky and sweet, and I'm bothered by having to use plastic utensils and styrofoam cups, but every town needs a vegetarian Chinese restaurant, and I'm glad Bravo is around to fill that niche.
This cafe only holds about a dozen people, so space might be an issue for larger parties. The service is always friendly. This is a good place to get a quick, cheap meal, or to get a cup of tea (they also have bubble teas) and read the newspaper.
I wish I'd known about Breadsmith earlier as there's a definite shortage of vegan baked good options in St. Paul. Breadsmith somewhat improves the situation by offering a few vegan options: a caramel pecan bun (Saturdays only); and either a chocolate bobka roll or loaf.
I had a chocolate bobka roll ($2.10 with tax) and it was delicious: not too much chocolate, not gooey, and fresh, soft pastry. The bobka was also really large which made it a great value at only $2.10.
If Breadsmith had a few more vegan dessert options I'd probably come back more often. That said, I'm looking forward to their caramel pecan bun on Saturday.
I haven't been terribly impressed by Bryant Lake Bowl's food and service, though I do think the place is fairly cool and has an unusual concept that keeps the neighborhood edgy and smart (unlike, say, Tiger Sushi around the corner).
First, on the few occasions I've been to BLB, I've noticed the service is slow and not overly warm.
Second, I'm not impressed with the food. There are only two or three vegan options on the whole menu and none of them were particularly good, in my opinion. The tofu scramble was slight and bland. The mock duck spring rolls were decent, but only worth getting for the happy hour price of $4.50 (normally they cost a whopping $8). I've also had a black bean burger, which is only vegan if they serve it to you on a baguette, instead of a bun. Well, baguettes and burgers are not meant to go-together, so that was a mistake on my part; also, the burger itself is clearly just a Gardenburger patty you could get at a grocery store.
BLB, you got a nice concept, but you need some new dishes (how about a seitan burger? or a faux chicken burrito?) to get my business.
I had high hopes for Butter Bakery. In retrospect, I'm not sure why, as the "Butter" in its name automatically suggests a place that won't be great for vegans.
First the good: this is a cute, quaint, cozy little neighborhood cafe on a quiet street. There's outdoor seating and it's never so packed that you can't find a seat (even at brunch time on Saturdays and Sundays, when places like Common Roots and French Meadow are standing-room only). The staff is friendly and this looks like the type of place to make some cool, smart friends.
Now onto the food: the tofu scramble, in my opinion, was bland and too slight. At $6.98 with tax, it also seems overpriced. For that price, you could get tastier food, and three times the portion size, at Seward Cafe or Hard Times Cafe. There was no option for soy bacon or vegan sausage. I tried their tempeh sandwich which also fell flat for my tastes. It didn't feel fresh or light; the tempeh was too crispy and the cafe doesn't offer any vegan spreads to enhance the flavors. Compare this to the MULTIPLE tempeh sandwiches at French Meadow and there's no comparison: FM wins outright.
The food menu is available only from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m., so keep that in mind if you want to try their food. Their chai latte was decent, but they were out of rice milk every time I visited, so I settled for soy.
One final drawback: they have NO vegan desserts or baked goods at all. I found this surprising, as they do have some vegan food items, at least. Then again, as I mentioned earlier, "Butter" is the name of the place. What could I expect?
UPDATE: Cafe Agri has a new chef so I stopped by to see if anything had changed (see below for my original review). It's still a quaint, cozy little neighborhood bistro that gives Minneapolis more "foodie creds." I also appreciate that so much of their menu is vegan or vegan-friendly (though why do they continue to insist on that one fish dish?).
That said, the food isn't as good as I remember it. I had a tofu scramble ($9), which was pretty plain and boring and seemed to be just tofu cooked in olive oil, along with some onions and red bell peppers. The sweet potato fries that came with the dish were cubed (why not cut them in long-strips, like normal fries?) and were okay, but not great.
The chocolate almond cake ($7) was the only vegan dessert. I thought the texture and sweetness of the cake were well-done, though the edges seemed overly-hard, whereas the interior portion of the cake was soft. The cake supposedly had an orange glaze sauce, but all I tasted was vanilla. I did, however, like the generous quantity of raw almonds they provided.
The theme at Cafe Agri is "farm to fork" but given how infrequently their menu changes, I kind of doubt that they're actually using many local, seasonal ingredients, and they're clearly not as committed or transparent as the hyper-local Common Roots Cafe.
As such, discounting the supposed "local-organic angle" (I have a hunch they're just green-washing), you can get three times the tofu scramble, with a more sophisticated flavor and seasoning, along with vegan home-made nacho cheese and skillet potatoes, at Triple Rock Social Club for the same price as the bland stuff Cafe Agri serves.
If a punk-rock bar can out-cook a chef-driven bistro, something is seriously wrong with the bistro. Similarly, you can get a larger, more moist, more delicious vegan turtle cake at French Meadow for only $4, or basically at half the price of what Cafe Agri charges for its vegan cake.
I think Cafe Agri has a cool concept and is a nice joint, but their food and implementation falls dramatically short of the competition, whether it's a vegan-friendly bar (Triple Rock), an organic European bistro (French Meadow), or a truly local/organic cafe (Common Roots). In any case, Cafe Agri doesn't seem to have a sense of itself, or its market, to really compete at this point.
ORIGINAL REVIEW: Cafe Agri is a trendy, modern, little joint in a nice residential area of Minneapolis. Seating is limited, but the service is friendly and fairly prompt.
The food is on the pricier side, but the quality of the ingredients (fresh, local, seasonal, organic) justifies this. Our beet ribbon salad was wonderful---subtly sweet and savory, with juicy beets, fresh strawberries and nutty, perfect figs (I normally don't like figs, but these were special). My main course, vegetables in a light BBQ sauce with heirloom rice, was simple and popped with the flavors of local, sustainable peas, bell peppers and onions. My friend's pasta dish was light and tasty, featuring avocado, hand-picked tomatoes and delicious brown-rice penne. Finally, our dessert, a mango pudding with Brazil nuts and dark chocolate shavings, was complex, and had a perfect balance between semi-sweet chocolate and semi-ripe mango.
Brenda's offers some interesting, tasty food, but nothing spectacular. Prices are a bit high at $12-16 per dish. The service is friendly and the atmosphere is classy; this is a good place to take a date. Vegan options are limited, but they do have some dishes and also vegan desserts.
I like the atmosphere and clientele in this cafe, but lately their vegan desserts have been lacking. They usually have the same three vegan baked goods from Hard Times Cafe (an espresso muffin, a chocolate-covered shortbread cookie, and a peanut butter cookie), and I'm a bit tired of them now. They're also not very good---they tend to be too sweet or dry. I like however, that they've started accepting credit cards finally. If they could just start offering a better array of vegan desserts (maybe some vegan pies or cakes from The Wedge Co-op across the street?), I'd give them a higher rating.
I really like that Camdi has an all-vegan menu with numerous (and unusual) soups, appetizers and pan-Asian entrees. They also cook all the vegan dishes in separate woks and fryers, which is much appreciated. The service was friendly and prompt. That said, I wasn't amazed by the food. It's much better than your average strip-mall Chinese joint, but not as light, fresh or tasty as Evergreen on Nicollet or Jasmine Deli, also on Nicollet (two of the best Asian restaurants in the Twin Cities). Their tofu vegetable curry was solid, but nothing special and reminded me heavily of Lotus To-Go restaurants and also E Noodle Cafe in Roseville. Their mushroom stir-fry with mock pork was a bit too salty, oily and sticky for my likes; the mock pork, too, had a horrible texture, like fried tofu that has gone soggy and chewy after soaking in water. The vegan cream cheese wontons were definitely good, though, with just the right balance of savory flavor and crispiness. If the quality of the food here improves, I would definitely give it another star. At present, it's a distant third when it comes to Asian food in the Twin Cities.
Caspian Bistro has a really well-done, semi-swanky interior and is, to my knowledge, the only Iranian/Persian cafe in the Twin Cities.
I had a falafel sandwich ($6.95 without tax). They served it wrapped in what appeared to be a flour tortilla; do Persians not like pita? I did not like the tortilla too much. Also, the tahini sauce they use apparently has dairy in it, so they left that off for me, though it compromised the dish's overall taste. Who makes tahini with dairy? It's just sesame usually.
The falafel pieces themselves were unusual: at Caspian, they make them soft and fluffy. They tasted pretty good though they could have used more herbs.
This was decent falafel, but without the tahini, the final whole definitely felt lacking. My waitress thoughtfully brought out some olive oil as she figured the falafel might be dry; the olive oil helped the dish though not by much.
The dish also came with a light salad of lettuce and an olive covered in Italian dressing.
For dessert I had Iranian tea ($1.95) that came in a glass cup and also got a free refill. This was excellent tea: black, plain and light. Brewed to perfection with no bitterness.
I also had dates stuffed with walnuts ($1.95) which proved to be a wonderful, light, delectable dessert. Who would have guessed that dates and walnuts would go so well together? The dessert also went perfectly with the tea.
Caspian has great ambience and friendly, attentive service. While they could stand to improve their vegan offerings and find a non-dairy tahini, the place stands out from most Middle Eastern joints and therefore merits attention, especially in Stadium Village.
Cat-Man-Do is the fourth, and newest, Nepalese restaurant in the Twin Cities. It's a nicely decorated space with an outdoor patio as well.
I tested out some standard dishes here so I could compare Cat-Man-Do to the other Nepalese restaurants in town. I started out with an order of samosas ($4.50) which were flavorful and well-done, though not the best I've had in the Twin Cities (the best are at Delights of India in Minneapolis). Next I had a jackfruit curry ($8.95) which was also well-prepared; jackfruit is a delicacy in South Asia and looks like a cross between tofu and chicken and serves as a good "meat" for any dish. The portion size was large, and the price for the dish was two dollars less than what Everest on Grand or The Himalayan charge for their jackfruit dishes. It also had some nice distinguishing touches, such as roasted onion and red chilis.
My biggest issue with Cat-Man-Do was the slow service. I was the only customer in the restaurant initially, but the server didn't seem to care to take my order and so I waited at least ten minutes to actually place it. More customers started piling in and the place got half-full and now the solitary server was bogged down; my food took another ten minutes to arrive and I waited at least twenty minutes to get my bill, get my card swiped, and receive a to-go box for my leftovers. The service was friendly, just extremely slow and inattentive.
Also, I was given only a 10% discount for being an Minnesota Public Radio member, though the site says I should receive 15%. Given how slow the service was, I didn't want to stay to ask questions, but it's frustrating nevertheless. It's also not the first time I've been jipped on my MPR member discount by a Nepalese restaurant in St. Paul (see my review of Everest on Grand for more info).
Ultimately, Cat-Man-Do is a decent place with good food at cheaper prices than The Himalayan, Everest on Grand, or Namaste Cafe. Its food is nearly identical to the food you get at The Himalayan or Everest on Grand, but Cat-Man-Do is the better value for your money. Namaste Cafe is the odd-man-out; most of its food is not as good as the other restaurants, but it serves killer chai and some delectable appetizers and desserts, which the other three don't.
Chef Shack is a buzzing food mobile located at the stylish Mill City Farmers' Market. The food is basic and American, but fairly well-prepared with high quality ingredients.
I had a vegan beer brat ($5) which was, other than the fries, the only vegan thing available. The brat was pretty good: nicely flavored (hickory smoke?), filling and simple. None of the condiments looked too interesting to me, though all of them are vegan (except for the bacon ketchup).
If Chef Shack had more vegan options, I'd give them a higher rating and probably come back for more. For lacto-ovo vegetarians, they also offer a cheese-filled veggie burger, as well as Indian-spiced donuts and a fancy nacho dish.
The prices are pretty high considering the style and quantity of food, but the quality is high, so maybe it's worth it.
Chindian sounds like it would be cool, bringing together Chinese and Indian foods into a fusion whole. Sadly, this place is not cool. It's basically a glorified Chinese take-out joint with little to no Indian influence, but lots of influence from Chinese restaurants that serve chow mein and fried rice.
I had a fried tofu with shiitake mushroom stir-fry ($8.25) that was basically just tofu, carrots, onions, scallions and some shiitake in a garlic-brown sauce. It was really simple and not particularly interesting, especially not with flavorless, unhealthy white rice.
Vegans beware to ask questions about ingredients, as some of the dishes contain fish/oyster sauce or egg. The only dishes that the waitress could recommend for vegans were the mock duck with broccoli, the fried tofu with shiitake, and a chown fun with vegetables.
There were two Malaysian dishes that sounded unusual and interesting, but they could not be modified.
Why not offer some Indo-Chinese dishes such as veg. manchurian? Granted, Indo-Chinese food was wholly developed in India, so it's not a true "fusion," but it tastes good and is hard to come by in Minnesota. I can get chow fun and garlic stir-frys anywhere. Chindian, live up to your concept and offer something that would make the drive to Northeast worthwhile.
I'd somehow never been to Chino Latino until now, and now that I've been, I doubt I'll be back. If you're in a skirt with high heels, and will be going to the Warehouse District after eating, Chino Latino is for you. If you're vegan, vegetarian, or more interested in the quality of your food than the quality of the decor around you, Chino Latino is eminently avoidable.
I came here with a group on a Saturday night; the place is packed, so don't expect to be seated promptly if you don't have reservations. Even the bar area had limited standing room. Everyone there is in a group of twelve (myself included), so if you go by yourself or with only just one other person, be prepared to feel awkward and unloved.
The place is loud, so conversation is not easy, and there's always so much movement and noise that it's hard to relax in Chino Latino.
There were some good points: the waitstaff is friendly, attentive and helpful. The atmosphere is upscale and modern, though it treads facile (the crazy and confusing bathroom, however, puts the place back in edgy territory).
Now the not-so-good: there's not much cultural diversity at Chino Latino and, amazingly, it seems even more homogeneous than other places in Uptown proper.
The drinks are all extremely expensive at around $10 a piece. Yes, the drinks are strong, so you get your money's worth I guess, but it is still excessive. Also, none of the drinks I tried were particularly tasty or memorable (unlike the $10 strong drinks at Red Dragon, which are delicious and have funny names). My caipirinha (Brazil's national cocktail) was totally off and not very appealing; I don't know what it was, but it wasn't a caipirinha (and I've lived in Brazil, so I know what it should taste like). My friend's margarita (~$10) was awful; five of us tried a sip and all of us recoiled in disgust. My friend actually sent the drink back and got a Budweiser instead (kudos to the waitstaff, who didn't argue or question anything, and promptly took the drink away and got him the beer).
Now onto the food. Make sure to ask lots of questions about ingredients, because even dishes that seem to be vegan/vegetarian are not, in fact, vegan or vegetarian. The stir-fried veggies ($7; side order) are cooked in oyster sauce. The vegetable potstickers ($9) have egg and oyster sauce. The spicy edamame ($9) has oyster sauce.
My vegan friend ended up with chips and guacamole ($9) which was tasty, but super-expensive (you could get superior chips and salsa/guacamole for FREE at most Mexican restaurants). I had a weedeater sushi plate ($14; modified to be vegan) that was okay, but not worth $14, and was akin to the quality of sushi you get at Whole Foods: edible, but nothing special.
In conclusion, Chino Latino is loud, expensive, homogeneous, and doesn't make good food or drinks. But the atmosphere is kind of fun (if you're in a group of twelve, which you will be) and the service is solid, which is why I give it two stars, rather than one. That said, I wouldn't come here again on my own accord.
This is one of those places I've walked by a hundred times but never bothered to check out until recently. I like that they have the guts to be a Greek restaurant on a street full of predominantly Asian (and increasing Mexican) restaurants; they fill a niche and create variety.
I had a falafel and soup combo meal ($6.55 without tax), which also comes with french fries. Unfortunately, neither of the soups were vegan, so I substituted a tabouli salad. I thought it would be free, but they charged me $2.30 for it which I guess is okay, considering the size of the salad.
Christo's has a number of vegetarian items, but very few vegan options (I think the hummus, tabouli and falafel are the only ones), which is disappointing, but probably better-than-average for Greek restaurants. The tabouli was good: fresh, light and simple. That said, I got tired of the taste after about ten bites or so---how much parsley can a man take? My server also tossed in some free warm, soft pita slices on the side; this pita was great.
The falafel sandwich was a mixed experience. I think the falafel pieces were good and competent, but the pita pocket they used was mediocre at best: dry; chewy; and white flour (why no wholewheat option?). Also, why was this pita pocket so markedly different in quality from the delicious, fresh pita slices they'd served me earlier?
They made another crucial error in loading the pocket with yet more tabouli. I'm sorry, but tabouli and falafel don't mix that well and Christo's should just stick to lettuce, tomatoes and red onions. The tahini sauce was good and the french fries were tasty though I felt like it was too much food.
The service was friendly and prompt. The decor on the inside is really warm, pleasant and elegant; this is a good business-lunch spot or a place to take your grandparents. Indeed, the clientele is also much older than you normally see on Nicollet Avenue (the average age in there must have been around 50).
By the way, lunch prices are significantly lower than dinner prices here, so while I think this is a great lunch spot, it would be a bit too expensive for dinner.
Update III: I must give credit to Common Roots for its consistently wonderful vegan desserts. Their tarts are always amazing, their cupcakes are rich and moist, their cookies are soft and large. Also, while I don't think they offer enough vegan lunch and dinner options, I respect their unwavering dedication to sustainable principles and locally-sourced food. You won't find many places in the US that make such a public, transparent commitment to local, sustainable foods (you can check their website to see stats on their "localness" and other "goodness" factors). Nor will you find other places in the US that have such a dynamic and rapidly-changing menu, at reasonable prices.
My gripe with their food is this: they always have at least one, sometimes two, vegan options, but the portion sizes are really small and the taste never really blows me away. I'm more impressed with the fresh, local ingredients, than I am with the constructed whole of the meal. The prices tend to be high, too. $9 for tofu scramble? $11 for spaghetti? You could get twice as much food for the same price at more vegan-friendly, but perhaps less eco-friendly, places like Triple Rock, Seward Cafe or Evergreen.
Generally speaking, their tempeh/tofu sandwiches tend to be tasty. Their entrees, be it tofu scrambles or stir frys or whatever, are usually too small and too expensive. Their desserts and teas are good or, in the case of their tarts, excellent. Their soups are also hearty and delicious, though expensive. I've never been impressed with their cold pastas, which always seem slightly undercooked and slightly bland.
I'm disappointed that they haven't found a way to make bagels without honey. It seems like an easy thing to do.
The quality of the service is mixed. It takes forever to order as people stare at the menu and lines frequently build up at the cash register. The food also usually takes close to 15 minutes to arrive. The people behind the counter are either really friendly or slightly aloof.
Common Roots creates problems as it's not quite a restaurant, and not quite a coffee shop. As such, I've found myself in situations where I order a meal, and then don't have anywhere to sit, because all the tables are colonized by no-good faux beatniks with Macbooks, who order a cup of coffee then plant their flags on tables for hours and hours, even during peak times, when some people just want to enjoy their curry garbanzo burger ($8.95) and a vegan cookie.
I am still impressed with their social dedication---they compost everything, use recycled products and biodegradable utensils and plastics. They also host various social events and speakers, as well as "meet your farmer" sessions. Finally, they have a few local beers on tap, with an outside garden area open during the summer; their happy hour is a pleasant respite after a long day at the office.
I also like that they have a private room open to groups wanting to hold discussions or events.
It's all a question of expectations. As a cafe/coffeeshop, Common Roots is pretty good and offers more than it needs to for vegans. But, as a local, organic, environmentally- and socially-committed cafe (which one would think would offer more sustainable vegan food) Common Roots falls short.
The Twin Cities seems to have at least two or three gluten-free bakeries and this is one of them. I suppose I'm a bit jealous because there are ZERO vegan bakeries in the Twin Cities. Why should gluten-free get all the fun?
In any case, I'm glad that Cooqi had at least one vegan item, a pumpkin chocolate bar ($3.50). It was very moist and had great texture. I think the pumpkin flavor was too subdued and the bar tasted more like soft sugar bread with some chocolate on top, but it was still pretty tasty.
The interior is very small and it's probably not ideal for setting up your laptop and hanging out. This seems more like a grab-and-go joint.
I was irked by the fact that the two people ahead of me were asked to join the Cooqi Club (buy ten Cooqis, get one free), whereas I was not asked to join. It seemed like gluten-free discrimination against vegans. We should all be in this together, not breaking into petty factions; most vegans are vegans by choice, whereas the gluten-free folks are usually forced into it, but that doesn't mean we can't work together. There's plenty of overlap in our worlds and mainstream restaurants usually lump vegan and gluten-free together anyway.
Next time I will insist on joining the Cooqi Club.
The more expensive and ritzy the restaurant, the better the likelihood that its chef is incompetent at cooking vegetables and using his/her imagination to make a creative, tasty dish without meat and butter. Indeed, if you're vegan, you'll often end up with boiled vegetables and sorbet. For $50.
That said, Cosmos is slightly better than your average expensive restaurant. I came here with a number of colleagues and Cosmos was super-friendly and easy-going with our frequent reservation corrections; the service at the restaurant was impeccable, too. My table's server was charismatic, smooth and efficient, and somehow managed to make my vegan dishes seem more interesting and appealing than my colleagues' ordinary meat and seafood entrees. Indeed, his descriptions of the off-menu vegan dishes made my colleagues think twice about their orders.
The starter salad was okay, but nothing special. My main course showed some signs of competence and imagination in the kitchen: it was a mushroom-rice risotto stuffed inside skinned tomatoes, served atop mustard greens with a side of artichokes. It was artfully presented (looked like a bouquet of flowers) and tasted good, though it could have used more flavoring or some kind of curry sauce. For dessert, I got a sorbet (why can't a restaurant like this make a tofu cheesecake? sorbet is boringly enough the default vegan dessert), but it was lemongrass flavored, which was unusual and got my attention. They served it with fresh blueberries, raspberries and blackberries, which stood out as an excellent, personalized touch. One of my colleagues said my dessert should have been on the menu, as it was so lovely.
But, for $25, I was not blown away by my meal. It was certainly better than I've had at other expensive places, but it wasn't good enough for me to justify returning, especially not at that price.
Also, while the bar looks great and the service is awesome, I was shocked by their pathetic, sports-bar beer menu which was overpriced and had no microbrews (a bottle of Miller Lite for $6? seriously? at a place that charges $25 a plate?). Their cocktails looked appealing, but were hard to justify at $14 a piece.
The ambience at Cosmos is decidedly lounge-modern, the type of place where you'd expect to meet runway models at after-parties. I like that it's quiet and spacious. The service is excellent but the food for vegans is nothing to rave about.
Kudos to Cupcake for creating a quaint, quirky environment, with comfortable indoor seating and a good amount of outdoor seating. I must also give praise to them for having high-grade loose-leaf tea from TeaSource.
That said, this place is NOT vegan-friendly. I came here expecting to find vegan cupcakes or other baked goods, but they had none. Their only vegan food option seemed to be a hummus sandwich which is so mundane and commonplace that I can't applaud them for it. Perhaps tellingly, Cupcake uses the letter "v" to denote lacto-ovo vegetarian items, whereas I think the rest of Minneapolis uses "v" to mean vegan.
The location of Cupcake is also not ideal as it's at a particularly vast stretch of busy four-lane University Avenue and is up a huge hill for anyone coming from campus.
I'd come here to get a cup of tea but that's about it.
Sometimes I have to remind myself that the hole-in-the-wall Indian restaurants of my youth are either gone or on the verge of extinction. This is a new era and Indian food isn't so exotic anymore and visiting Curry Up reaffirmed this notion. It's a clean, bright, modern cafe with plenty of space and a savvy, average-priced menu that won't scare off the natives.
Indeed, I was the only person of Indian origins in the restaurant, which is a first for me. The friendly woman at the register was Caucasian and the lone cook was Hispanic. Another customer, who spoke only Spanish, had a hard time ordering, though he seemed pleased by the bits of Spanish in the Slumdog Millionaire song "Jai Ho" which played over the speaker. A globalized world.
I had batata vada ($3.99) which came out a bit too soft and bland for my likes. Similarly, the masala dosa ($7.49) wasn't crispy enough and the potato stuffing lacked zing and was too starchy. All of the food looked perfectly authentic, but the flavors were off, or maybe dumbed-down for suburban tastes. A globalized world, again.
Kudos to them for labeling all their vegan dishes, though. That's a nice touch.
Curry Up also has an Indian grocery section with some staple spices and bulk products.
If I were in the area, Curry Up would edge out Qdoba or Chipotle (the only other vegan-friendly places in that sprawled strip-mall area), but it's otherwise not worth the long drive from Minneapolis or St. Paul proper.
Since my first visit to Dancing Ganesha in August 2008 I've been back a few times. I'd hoped it would improve over time but I think it has somehow managed to actually decline in quality on a number of fronts.
The food is not as interesting or as tasty as it was initially. During my first visit the menu took some risks by offering unusual "fusion" concepts such as rougail d'aubergine (smoked eggplant) and water-chesnut and swiss chard pakoras. I thought DG pulled these off well and I applauded them for breaking out from the standard chickpea-lentil-spinach trifecta that normally dominates North Indian cuisine.
Lately though the menu appears to have been dumbed down and these types of dishes are no longer available.
Instead I had a chana masala ($10.99) which was, to sum it up in a single word, imprecise. That is, the dish was not prepared properly and what should have been a curry instead was a red sauce with chickpeas. Chana masala, for all its seeming simplicity, is extremely easy to mess up; if you're not careful about proportions and add too much tomato or tomato paste, you'll end up with a glorified pasta sauce. As such, Dancing Ganesha probably should have served me this dish with penne instead of roti and rice (and they only have white rice, by the way).
I later had a dal tadka ($10.99) which lacked salt and seasoning and was also imprecise: it had not been cooked long enough, so the dish was watery (like a soup) and the lentils didn't become creamy.
I also had an aloo gobi ($10.99) which was acceptable but not worth the price considering the small portion size. All of the entrees come in small portions and don't represent a great value.
Vegans should make sure to ask questions about ingredients, as many of the vegetarian dishes contain dairy, though some dishes can be modified.
I was shocked to discover, for example, that the masala dosa here is made with cream---never in my life have I ever encountered a masala dosa made with cream (and I've been eating dosas since I was a child as my parents are both South Indian). As such, Dancing Ganesha loses points for not only being imprecise, but also "inaccurate" (that is, "inauthentic") in its ingredients.
Lastly, their gobi manchurian appetizer (~$8 for dinner, $5 during happy hour) was actually pretty good: spicy and crunchy. I just wish they had the other Indo-Chinese classic dish, "veg. manchurian" and preferably made in a soy sauce, rather than a tomato-based sauce.
The atmosphere at Dancing Ganesha needs some work. They keep the lights way too low and, what lights they do keep on are blue in color, which is not easy on the eyes. Also, the music is too loud and features an all-Bollywood soundtrack that grows old quickly.
Lastly, the service is consistently slow (though friendly). During each of the four or five times I've been to DG, whether it's crowded or not, I've waited at least 20 minutes for my food, and one time I waited closer to 40 minutes. Given that this place seems to cater to many downtown office workers you'd think they'd have faster service.
On a whole, Dancing Ganesha isn't a great place, though I suppose it's more vegan-friendly that 95% of other downtown restaurants. That said the food and overall experience here are not good enough to warrant a recommendation.
As an avid Brazilianist, I was pleased to find this cafe in suburban Minneapolis. More importantly, I was pleased to see they had vegetarian and vegan options on the menu, which is unheard of in Brazil.
They have a specific vegetarian section on the menu which features some cheese and dairy dishes, as well as some pastas. Their fettucine dish with veggie meat is simple but tasty. You can also have them modify some other standard Brazilian dishes to get a vegan meal of beans, grilled vegetables and a starch side dish. Also, make sure to try guarana, the classic Brazilian soft drink.
Service is friendly and helpful. Unfortunately they don't have any vegan desserts, but they do have soy milk for their cafe drinks.
Delights of India is a delight indeed. If you're looking for light, authentic, home-cooked Indian food, come here (they also have a lunch buffet). In the Twin Cities, this is the only place that accurately replicates the complex, sophisticated tastes of North Indian cuisine and, best of all, uses fresh (non-frozen) ingredients and limited amounts of oil.
You can't really go wrong with any dish here, though I would recommend dishes with potatoes, spinach or eggplant; their lentil and chickpea dishes are good, but don't quite match the tastes of their vegetable dishes. Their samosas are also excellent.
The service is extremely friendly and gracious, though not the fastest in the world. Don't expect to schlep some buffet items on a dish, eat like mad, and then run out; in Delights of India, you'll actually want to savor your meal.
All vegan items are labeled on the menu and they even offer soy chai (though the tea base they use needs to be stronger---the current tea they use is a light black tea which gets drowned out by the milk).
My only gripes would be that they don't offer brown rice (not unusual for Indian restaurants) and that the prices are a bit on the higher side ($11-13 per dish).
Nevertheless, this is the highest quality Indian food you'll find in the Twin Cities, and the most authentic. At Delights of India there are no concessions to Americanized tastes; this may sound scary at first, but it really just means that you'll get healthier, fresher food that can express itself properly, without relying on buckets of oil and raw quantities (like at most Indian buffets).
E Noodle has a large selection of vegetarian (all vegan) items, from the standard mock duck stiry frys to more unusual dishes such as curry tofu and also Korean and Japanese dishes. This is not your average strip-mall Chinese take-out joint.
I was particularly impressed with their pearl tofu tender, which is a high grade tofu baked and served with colorful vegetables. I chose black pepper garlic sauce to go with it and what a dish it was. The service is prompt and friendly and the owner went out of her way to emphasize that all the vegetarian dishes are vegan at E Noodle. Prices are low ($6 for a lunch plate, $10 for a take-out quart) and portion sizes are large. I would definitely go back. My only gripe is that they're far away in an isolated area of the Twin Cities and that they still serve meat. Otherwise, E Noodle stands out for its taste, quality and unusual dishes.
East Village Grill is a great anthropology lesson. The place serves Middle Eastern food, such as hummus and falafel, but is run and patronized by Somali immigrants. It seems like a bustling community gathering spot in a nice area of town. I've been there a few times and the main room is full of young and old Somali men, usually in pairs, chatting, eating and watching whatever sports game is on the tv.
There's a separate, curtained-off area for women to dine alone, which is something I've never seen anywhere else in the US, but is fairly common in Islamic countries.
I like their falafel sandwich ($5.50 with tax) which is fresh, light and delicately prepared. You can tell their cook takes pride in his workmanship. The pita is soft and wrapped perfectly around the well-seasoned, crunchy-on-the-outside, but soft-on-the-inside falafel, lettuce, tomatoes and tahini. I was not expecting that quality of falafel and I must say it's one of my favorites in the Twin Cities.
Go to East Village Grill for a snack and experience a quaint little entry into a vibrant immigrant community.
UPDATE: Ecopolitan has really grown on me. At first I thought many of its dishes tasted similar, but I think my taste buds have evolved a bit since then and taken to raw flavors. Their spicy Thai noodle dish really is quite spicy and has an unusual taste---it has familiar hints of Asian flavors, but somehow also manages a distinctive, bold, new taste. The flax jacks provide a simple, light, tasty breakfast. The pizzas are okay, but seem more like glorified salads on top of hard flaxseed crackers (their red avocado pizza was so salty that I couldn't eat even half of it---but they didn't charge me for the dish as a result). The lasagna is tasty.
I love their desserts. I've never been disappointed by any of their desserts, from the kiwi lime "pies" to cookies and more.
Ecopolitan certainly takes pride in the presentation of its foods. All of its dishes come across as artful works with a broad range of colors and contrasts and near-perfect symmetry. This perfectionist tendency is appreciated and adds a level of classiness to the place.
Decor and ambience are pleasant. Ecopolitan is in an old house and certainly makes you feel like you're in a quaint, well-maintained home. It's a nice plate to take a date and they also have a wine menu.
The service is consistently friendly and helpful but generally tends to be slow and inattentive also. I would suggest budgeting an hour if you plan to eat here; expect twenty minutes or more for the food to arrive and don't expect frequent check-ins or water fill-ups from your waiter. There's only one waiter at any given time so it can get really slow an inattentive if the restaurant is busy.
Prices are on the slightly higher side for many dishes ($12-14) but Ecopolitan is the only pure vegan (and raw) restaurant in the metro area, so it's worth it for the novelty value of the food and its unique status in the Twin Cities.
El Mariachi caters to Mexicans (most of the signage is in Spanish, as are the printed receipts) and accordingly has no labeled vegetarian food on the menu. You can have them construct a taco or tostada but it won't be anything you couldn't have done at home with lettuce, tomatoes and a tortilla. Avoid the beans and rice, as the former is cooked with lard and the latter with chicken broth.
Given their location on Nicollet, I'm surprised they don't even attempt to attract a more diverse crowd with vegetarian options or even a token "vegetarian" section on the menu with cheese enchiladas and avocado.
While they do serve free chips and salsa, I found the chips to be overly salty and the salsa was more like a thick marinara sauce, rather than a fresh and light pico de gallo with tomatoes, onions and herbs.
Come here for the bar and the music (which can get pretty loud, by the way). Their mixed drinks are tasty but quite expensive at $7-9 a piece. Better stick with a Corona next time.
I like the location of this joint and the fact that it has a labeled vegan hummus and vegetable wrap. I also like that it's in an old building with a lot of charm and character, as opposed to some strip-mall place or event a loft-style coffee shop in a new downtown building.
I think their chai was a bit too sweet, but I did appreciate that they have their own recipe, and don't rely on crappy Oregon chai or some other pre-made mixture.
They also seem to promote veganism. Today their specials board advertised free soy milk in an attempt to get people to try soy instead of dairy. I like that.
Everest on Grand is, on a whole, the best Nepalese restaurant in the Twin Cities. The decor is nice and cozy and the service is friendly (though fairly slow, so don't expect a quick lunch here).
First, I started out with a samosa ($2.50). It was flaky, hot and nicely seasoned; it was definitely one of the better samosas I've had in the Twin Cities.
Next I had a kathar curry (jackfruit curry) ($10.95), which was great; the portion size was easily 75% larger than the jackfruit curry at The Himalayan, but the same price. And they didn't skimp on the jackfruit, either. The flavors were good, but it could have used a bit more seasoning or spice. I enjoyed the extra finishes they added, such as fresh chopped cilantro and tomato.
Finally, you can get a good sense of the sophistication and quality control of an Indian or Nepalese restaurant by their rice and bread. Accordingly, this is where I realized that Everest was the best Nepalese joint in town. I had a side of white rice ($1) and a piece of tandoori roti ($2.50), which is a vegan alternative to naan (naan is usually made with milk/yogurt). I didn't like that they charged me for the rice, which seems really cheap and tacky, especially if it's not even brown rice. That said, it was some of the best white rice I've had in the US: it was bone-dry, long-grain basmati rice, nicely fluffed. It takes skill to make rice that well, with the grains not sticking to each other. You don't see it often. The roti was also excellent: light, soft, fluffy and huge. From the rice and roti alone, I could tell that Everest has a serious, diligent cook.
A few drawbacks, though: because they have a buffet, it's not exactly a quiet place. There's constant chatter and over-fed people are continually shuffling around. Don't expect to have a quiet, laid-back lunch here.
Second, while I like that they have a 15% discount for MPR members, they didn't give me a discount, claiming it is valid only on weekdays. Something didn't sound right about that to me, and once I got home and checked, I saw that THEY were in the wrong; there is a 15% discount at all times of the day, every day. I didn't appreciate them not knowing their own policy.
Third, the menu is very busy and not laid-out in a clear manner. I had to ask questions about confirm what's vegan vs. vegetarian.
Lastly, Everest doesn't have an extensive, innovative chai menu like Namaste Cafe; nor does it offer soy milk for its regular chai, which seems like a major oversight. Other than these drawbacks, I definitely liked Everest and will be back to try other dishes.
I eat Evergreen (take-out or dine-in) at least twice a week, if not more. Evergreen offers excellent vegetarian and vegan dishes, from the spicy, colorful mixed vegetables with fried tofu, to the tender mock beef with broccoli or the mock chicken with blackbean sauce. My favorite dishes (and I've basically tried the entire menu) are most definitely: three-cup tofu (herbal and aromatic!); house-style eggplant with basil (deliciously smooth, fragrant and subtle); five-spice dried tofu with bell peppers (unusual and savory); and mock beef or mock pork with garlic sauce (great array of textures and flavors).
The owners and servers are always friendly and the menu is diverse for meat and non-meat eaters alike. It's rarely ever crowded and they have good hours. The quality, variety and reasonable prices of the dishes make this the best Chinese/Taiwanese restaurant in Minneapolis, and one of my favorites of all time. Highly recommended.
This place is just a tad grimy but the food was actually pretty decent. I had a falafel pita sandwich which was respectable, given the price, and probably the best I've had in Uptown (which isn't saying too much, as there's much better falafel to be had outside of Uptown).
The service was kind of slow. My tiny order took a good 10 minutes to arrive, but maybe that means it was made fresh?
With the low prices, late hours and halfway decent food, I am satisfied with Falafel King. I wouldn't ever crave it or go out of my way to have it, but I would eat there if I'm hungry and in the neighborhood.
I also like that they give Minnesota Public Radio members a 15% discount
Various people I've spoken to have suggested that Fasika serves the best Ethiopian food in the Twin Cities. Those people are correct. Fasika is easily the best Ethiopian restaurant in the Twin Cities.
While they don't have too many veg. dishes, what they do have is delicious, and prepared with grace and quality. The menu states that all the vegetarian dishes are "100% vegan" which was a nice touch; kudos to the owners or to some previous vegans who managed to get that labeling added and understood.
My friend and I split a "miser wot" ($8.50; lentils with berbere sauce) and another lentil dish with unlisted spices (also $8.50). Both were excellent. The miser wot was spicy without being overpowering and tasted fresh and light. Similarly, the other lentil dish we had was served hot (temperature-wise) and had a perfect, delicate balance of garlic, onions, jalapenos and other spices; it's rare that one finds such a perfectly executed dish. More over, other Ethiopian restaurants I've been to have a hard time maintaining the freshness, texture and temperature of the food they served---dishes come out lukewarm, mushy or with an aura of day-old leftovers. Not so at Fasika, where everything was popping, bright and flavorful.
The injera that came with the dish was ample and tasty, without being overly sour. This was the first time I've been to an Ethiopian restaurant where I actually ate all of the injera that they gave me.
The service was warm, friendly and unobtrusive. They also gave out free small cups of coffee to every table. My only gripes are that the ambience was lacking (it seemed kind of bleak and bland like every other Ethiopian place I've been to), and at least for the beginning of our meal, there was some super-strong incense burning right in the middle of the restaurant that made it difficult to breathe. Regardless, I will definitely be coming back to Fasika in short order.
The fact that the Twin Cities has a vegan clothing store at all is amazing. It's definitely "gutsy" as another reviewer commented and I commend and appreciate the owner for his dedication and courage. Their new location on Franklin Avenue is chic and modern and full of space. I bought a pair of shoes there for a good price (they were on sale), but I do wish they had a larger selection of shoes. In fact, I think they should dedicate less space to bags/purses/belts/wallets, and focus most of their energies on shoes for men and women. As it stands, they have a decent collection and the sale-price shoes are affordable, but most of the rest seem to hover in the $120 range, which is way too high. Also, many pairs had limited sizes in-stock (the "bell curve" sizes from men's 8-10 were usually out of stock). So, the store has some room to improve, but as it stands, I will be shopping their again in the future.
I love this place. The decor and atmosphere are sophisticated and European in feel. The service is super-friendly and attentive and knowledgeable. The food is spectacular for the most part, but take a pass on their attempts at Asian-style dishes. Their vegan stromboli was succulent, subtle and filling. Their vegan turtle cake was the best cake I've ever had, vegan or otherwise. It was moist, not overly sweet, and well balanced with cake, sugar, caramel and nuts. The prices of the food are extremely low given the high class atmosphere and the high quality of the food. The vegan dishes max out at $12 and most are closer to $9; their desserts are $3.95, though in other places, they'd be twice that price, with half the taste. Highly recommended.
Pros: Quality * Prices * Service
I'm glad to say Galactic Pizza has regained its crown as the best vegan pizza maker in the Twin Cities. They just recently started offering Daiya vegan cheese which hopefully will wash away the dark memories of their Chicago Soydairy Teese days. Daiya looks and acts like cheese and tastes pretty damn good to boot. It's superior to every other rice or soy-based cheese in the US market.
Galactic Pizza makes wonderful vegan pizzas, with numerous topping choices, including local, seasonal CSA options and Minnesota-centric things like wild rice. Their crusts are absolute perfection---crispy, thin, light and golden. I can honestly say that I crave Galactic Pizza quite often. They also have killer, gourmet vegan cheesecake from a famous local Minneapolis cheesecake maker, Muddy Paws (now that Muddy Paws only does catering, Galactic is the only place in Uptown to get your fix for a slice, rather than a whole cake).
The service is consistently friendly. The interior decor is hip, retro and funky. They deliver in an electric pod car and wear superhero costumes. I love it.
Prices for their pizzas are a bit high, especially considering how light their pies are (I can finish off a medium in ten minutes); on the other hand, the quality of their vegan cheese, their unusual vegan topping choices, and their delicious crust, makes it worth every penny.
"To my mind the life of a lamb is no less precious than that of a human being. I should be unwilling to take the life of a lamb for the sake of the human body. I hold that, the more helpless a creature, the more entitled it is to the protection by man from the cruelty of man." Mohandas K. Gandhi, The Moral Basis of Vegetarianism
Gandhi, the father of India, the anti-colonial revolutionary who overthrew an empire and helped create the world’s largest democracy, was a vegetarian. When he was a young man, he struggled with his food choices, especially when he went to London to study law in 1888. After continuous soul-searching and no end of personal and cultural obstacles, he not only amazingly remained vegetarian in meat-heavy Victorian England, but went on to play a prominent role in The Vegetarian Society in London, and became an ardent vegetarian spokesman until his death in 1948. Aside from the above quotation, he also stated, “The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated.”
Had the owners of Gandhi Mahal Restaurant cared to read Gandhi's autobiography, which the restaurant displays prominently when you walk through the front door, they might not have chosen to use his name and visage for their establishment.
Had the owners cared to read Gandhi’s treatise, The Moral Basis of Vegetarianism, they might not have chosen to serve meat, and to use his familiar, smiling face to brand their business.
If the owners had any respect for Hindus, Jains and Indian Buddhists, they would not have chosen to serve meat, and especially not beef, in their restaurant.
Then, appallingly, the restaurant has the sheer disrespect and gall to state on their menu that they are “dedicated to the principles that Mahatma Gandhi advocated in his lifetime. Gandhi lived a life of satyagraha, peace, voluntary simplicity, and an end to discrimination against people.”
Conveniently, they don’t mention his vegetarian principles, lest it conflict with their business model.
I don’t think I’ve ever been so appalled and angered by a restaurant in my entire life. For the record, I am Indian-American, and a vegan. Though I was born in the US, I have a deep admiration for Gandhi. And, while I prefer vegetarian Indian restaurants, I am not opposed to non-veg. Indian restaurants in principle. As such, I came to Gandhi Mahal with an open mind. I read all the previous reviews on Yelp and VegGuide.org which spoke highly of the food and of the service.
But I found the food to be passable at best, with nothing special going for it. We couldn’t order some dishes because they could not be modified to exclude dairy products (ghee/butter/cream/yogurt are commonly used in North Indian cooking), which I found questionable, as I’ve lived in India and know you can make any dish vegan if you have a good, creative chef (which Gandhi Mahal does not have).
So, after asking a lot of questions about ingredients, we ended up with two dishes and an appetizer. Our “eggplant pakora” appetizer was decent, but nothing I’ll remember tomorrow. Our “Alu Begun” (potatoes and eggplant) curry was okay, but used bland, industrial-grade vegetables bought from any generic supermarket. The “Vegetable Kahari” suffered from the same issue and had strange spices that tasted wrong somehow. The main dishes were both oily and heavy, which I’ve come to expect at North Indian restaurants in the US, but is disappointing and tiresome nevertheless.
The service was all over the place. We seemed to have three different waiters, all of whom were friendly, but not particularly attentive. The service wasn’t fast by any means nor was it special. At the end of the meal, they gave each of us a gigantic wet paper napkin to clean our hands, which was wasteful not only because of the paper material, but also the sheer size of the napkin, which was more like a hand towel. In a traditional Indian restaurant, you would be served a finger-bowl with lukewarm lemon water, not an environmentally-destructive piece of paper. At least they could have given us something made of cloth instead?
If you’re looking for good Indian food, go to The Vegetarian or Nala Pak instead, both of which label their vegan dishes. If you’re looking for fresh, light, innovative and Indian-esque food, check out the wonderful Nepalese restaurants, The Himalayan or Namaste Café (both of which serve meat, but have excellent vegan food as well).
Gandhi Mahal not only spits on the memory and philosophy of India’s first and foremost citizen, and one of humanity’s great spiritual and political leaders, but it serves mediocre food to boot.
Gangchen has a surprisingly warm, trendy and well-maintained interior with friendly service. It also has a cozy, quaint bar which seems to attract lots of locals and regulars. The place definitely feels like a classy, understated, never-crowded neighborhood bar where everyone knows everyone.
The restaurant is ostensibly Tibetan, but the bulk of the menu consists of Chinese, Thai and Vietnamese dishes. Tofu or mock duck can be applied to all dishes. Prices are low and the veg dishes max out at $7.99 a piece. Portion sizes are respectable, about as much as you'd get with a lunch special somewhere else.
From what I gathered, the restaurant doesn't put fish or oyster sauce into dishes, so vegans can rest easy. My hot pepper stir fry with tofu was decent but didn't wow me. It tasted just a shade above Chinese strip-mall food and was too heavy on sauce-thickening corn starch. That said, I'll definitely go back to try one of their curries or see if they can veganize a Tibetan dish. I will also try some of their cocktails and see if they can't make a delicious Himalayan drink of some kind.
This is a lovely, cozy cafe that's minimal in decor, but gets tons of sunlight, which makes it feel really inviting and familiar. I really like the atmosphere here, first and foremost.
It's also the only Greek restaurant I've been to that has labeled vegan food. Granted, you have to read the descriptions carefully, as the "vegan friendly" disclaimer is buried in the text of the menu, rather than marked with a bright green "V".
I had a leek-lemon-garlic Boughatsa ($1.95 for a small one) which was a phyllo dough pastry filled with potatoes and a mash of leek, lemon and garlic. It was quite tasty and would make a great appetizer to go with wine or beer.
I also had a "Yigandes" ($8 a la carte) which consisted of lima beans baked with other vegetables/herbs in a tomato sauce. This was one of two vegan entree options. Normally the dish comes with either a soup or a Greek salad, but none of the soups were vegan and the Greek salad has feta. Strangely, they wouldn't allow me to substitute a vegan salad, of which they had four or five different options.
The Yigandes was really delicious and simple---lots of olive oil, garlic, onions and a really fresh, home-cooked flavor. It seemed like an excellent sauce more than anything else and I wondered why they don't serve the dish with fettuccine or some kind of egg-free noodle; on its own, the dish is tasty, but feels insubstantial in quantity and needs a starch component. It's definitely a small portion and therefore, at $8, a bit on the pricier side.
On a whole, though, I liked the food and atmosphere here. I think they could make a few adjustments to be more vegan-friendly (like adding a couple more dishes and soups, allowing for substitutions of vegan salads, and offering a vegan dessert) but it's still a great, unusual place in the Northeast.
Ginger Hop is probably the only place in the portion of Northeast, directly across from downtown, that has labeled vegan food. I stopped by here for lunch one day and had a mixed experience.
First, the location is great in a quaint, cozy section of Northeast. Second, the bar area is gorgeous and makes you feel like you're in the 1920s with original woodwork, high arches, brass and the whole deal. It's truly striking and atmospheric. The draft beer selection is limited, but has a few keepers (Lift Bridge, for example); the bottled beer selection is much better, though prices range in the $5-7, which is a bit pricey for what they're offering.
The main dining room area is nice, too, though modern and not as distinct.
The service was excellent: friendly and prompt.
But I was not terribly impressed with the food. There are a few labeled vegan options on the menu, but none of them were particularly appealing or innovative. Also, there was only one vegan entree option; otherwise there's one vegan soup, a couple of salads, and a couple of appetizers such as sweet potato fries.
I had the only vegan entree, the Bodhisatva curry ($10.95 with tofu). The dish came to me lukewarm in temperature, and I felt the dish lacked robust flavor---no spice and little salt. The fried tofu that came with it were tiny, runt-sized cubes that were deep-fried rather than stir-fried, which made them too chewy and slightly unappealing.
The portion size was also quite small considering the dish cost $11 (they charge $1 extra for tofu, just to make things worse). You could get 2-3 times as much food, and much higher quality food at that, at Evergreen or Jasmine 26 for the same price.
Also, there was no option for brown rice. Please, offer brown rice, Ginger Hop.
To make matters worse, Ginger Hop is one of "those" restaurants that gives you a tiny portion of white rice and then forces you buy more for $1. I hate it when places charge for white rice, especially because it's an inferior product and the restaurant's cost is pennies (at most). It's a really dirty way to do business, I think, and disrespects your customers.
Ginger Hop is a new place so I'm sure they're working stuff out. Add some brown rice, stop charging for white rice, add more vegan options and this place will be worth coming back to.
This seemed like just another coffeeshop with nothing special. They had Oregon Chai (ugh) and did not have any vegan baked goods, though I had been led to believe they did.
I like that they opened up in a remote location (as neighborhoods need business) but there isn't really any reason to go out of your way to get here, as Gingko doesn't offer anything unusual.
I finally came to Grand Shanghai and was impressed with their unusual menu items, from fried tofu skins to the "8 treasure rice pudding." Their specials board suggested a variety of vegetable stir-frys, though I didn't ask about those. The place was bustling and filled mostly with families eager to set their children on the early road to obesity through $6.99 all-you-can-eat buffets. As such, if you're coming to the restaurant alone or with only one other person, be warned that they'll seat you in a high-traffic and busy area with kids running around and people picking up take-out orders.
I had the mock goose (thick mushrooms wrapped in fried tofu skins and cooked in a wine sauce) and the "tofu skins with Chinese greens." The mock goose is ostensibly an appetizer though, at $7.25, it's quite expensive and the portion size could easily constitute an entire meal. That said, it was delicious. The tofu skins are semi-crunchy and chewy, amazingly all at once, and the mushrooms were delectable. This was a highly unusual dish with tricky and complex textures. It's also one I've never seen before and I've eaten at hundreds of Chinese restaurants.
But my main dish, tofu skins with Chinese greens, was mundane. I asked them to veganize it and the dish they served to me was bok choy and whole soy beans with the tofu skins stir-fried in corn oil. No soy sauce, no chili oil, nothing. It was amazingly bland. Sadly, there was no brown rice option, either. I hate white rice.
However, the tofu skins in this dish were prepared differently---they looked like long, flat egg noodles and were super-thin (only a special machine could slice tofu than thinly). The consistency of the tofu skins also reminded me heavily of high-grade cheese. With a little bit of nutritional yeast we could have the perfect mozzarella substitute.
Also, with a more creative chef, these tofu skins could become the backbone of many a delicious dish (here's hoping Evergreen will start using them).
Grand Shanghai is a cut above the average Chinese restaurant and offers unusual dishes with delicious tofu skins. But their vegetarian selection seems bland, excepting the mock goose. I would recommend this place if you're in St. Paul; otherwise, stick to Evergreen in Minneapolis.
The dark and drab atmosphere inside Grumpy's depresses me; I wouldn't say it makes me grumpy, but it does make me sad. All the colors are black or grey, the bartenders are not talkative (though the servers are friendly and attentive) and it's just generally not a bar I enjoy going to.
It does have lots of space, though, and a pretty decent location with a fair amount of street parking nearby.
People rave about the tater tots, but I could taste the "frozen" in them and got bored after three or four.
Also, the kitchen is not forthcoming about ingredients in their food. For example, none of us have been able to determine whether there's honey in the BBQ sauce (for the mock duck sandwich) or if the breads/buns they use are completely vegan. They just wouldn't tell us anything. So the kitchen staff either didn't know or didn't want to say, which is both unusual and unacceptable.
All in all, I'd rather go the 501 Club a few blocks away, which has more food options and better atmosphere.
Hard Times is the ultimate punk-rock all-night vegetarian cafe and restaurant. At any given moment expect to see intellectual punkers, hobos with coffee, and everyday folks playing chess. The atmosphere is pure 1970s grunge, with a kick. The music is a bit too loud, but tolerable; the food is well-priced and tasty, with various comfort-foods, gyros, tacos, burgers, hummus and desserts. They can make pretty much anything vegan and everything is vegetarian. Waits for food are long and the service isn't the friendliest, but it's crisp and mostly efficient. Come to Hard Times for the food and the vibe. It's a Minneapolis institution.
UPDATE: Harry Singh's is my go-to place when I'm in the mood for something other than Evergreen/Jasmine 26/French Meadow/etc. The vegetarian items here are pretty much all vegan and consist of simple, home-cooked Indo-Caribbean specialties such as roti-dhalpourie (curried vegetables and/or potato and chickpeas stuffed inside a fried wheat roti) and pigeon peas with rice.
The prices are reasonable given the portion sizes (two dishes are $8.50, and a few others such as the rotis are around $11).
The food here has a lot of black pepper and Caribbean spices, but if you want to make the food "hot" you should add a little bit of Harry's signature sauce which is on each table. It's possibly the spiciest stuff I've ever tasted, easily surpassing anything I've eaten in Mexico, Thailand or India; even a drop is scalding on your tongue and mouth, so be extra careful, or you'll end up hurting yourself and completely ruining your dish.
I only wish Harry Singh's had a few more vegetarian options, with an emphasis on different ingredients (potatoes and chickpeas get boring quickly) such as bell peppers, tomatoes, broccoli, carrots and squash. Marla's Caribbean Cuisine (owned by Harry's sister) has similar food and also gives you the option of tofu in some dishes, which is really nice, and adds some variety to the flavors and textures you encounter in each dish.
Still, I'm glad Harry's is around and keeping my food choices diverse.
I like that Herkimer's brews its own beer, though I wasn't that impressed with the draft that I had. But it's gutsy to brew your own beer and I don't think any other place in the greater Uptown area does that, so I must give them credit for it.
The atmosphere was okay when I went. It felt like a friendly, familiar, comfortable place and didn't seem pretentious at all.
I also had a plate of mini veggie burgers which were made of blackbeans. They were fairly bland and boring, mostly because I couldn't use the main condiment on the side, a chipotle sauce (which is NOT vegan). I did like the sweet potato fries, though.
That there aren't many vegan food options at Herkimer is surprising, especially given that moto-i next door (owned by the same guy who started Herkimer) has a ton of vegan stuff. Also, Lyn-Lake is otherwise a bastion of veganism, from the pizzas and desserts of Pizza Luce and Galactic Pizza to the falafel and baklava at Falafel King. Herkimer could really jack up its business if it put a little bit more thought into its food; that said, it's a halfway decent bar with the courage to serve its own brew. That's rare and unusual and deserves recognition.
Hien Deli is smart enough to copy the business model/atmosphere of Jasmine Deli, as it tries to cater to non-Vietnamese and vegetarians. It has clearly labeled vegetarian options and veg. banh mi. Many of the other small Vietnamese cafes on Nicollet don't make any effort to be veg-friendly or to attract frightened, uninitiated Minnesotans.
However, the food at Hien Deli falls short. Their banh mi was more coarse and bland than Jasmine's; Hien's bread was dry and not crispy and warm, they don't have a more flavorful "curry mock duck" option like Jasmine, and the rice dish I had was passable, at best. It lacked the delicacy and freshness you find at Jasmine.
While I appreciate that Hien makes an effort to attract vegetarians, its food quality is not up to par with its inspiration, and the still reigning-king of Nicollet, Jasmine Deli.
I went here for the first time yesterday. I loved the kothe (fried dumplings), which were delicious, especially with the tomato-cilantro sauce on the side. Our main courses, bhanta aaloo (eggplant curry) and kataar aaloo (jackfruit curry) were both delicious---the sauces were light, fresh and not oily, and the addition of fresh tomatoes and green onions made the flavors come alive.
The kitchen also accommodated our request for tandoori roti (which is not on the menu, but is a vegan version of naan).
I was especially pleased to see jackfruit curry on the menu, which is a rare and unusual item---jackfruit looks similar to chicken and has an airy texture; but it's light and absorbs the flavors around it like tofu. It's a natural, unprocessed mockmeat, in a way. I've only eaten jackfruit on rare occasions in India, so it was a surprise and delight to see it on a menu in the Twin Cities!
Portion sizes were large and excellent for the price (most dishes are around $10). Namaste Cafe on Hennepin offers similar food at the same prices, but they have much smaller portions than Himalayan.
Service was friendly, but the wait for the food was long. That said, the quality of the meal was high. If Himalayan adds a few more vegan dishes and also creates a large, fresh chai menu like Namaste, I'll have a new favorite Nepalese restaurant in town.
I'm a little bit skeptical of Holy Land. While their pita is excellent, I wasn't that impressed with their hummus, baba ganouj or (most of) their falafel.
I first had a appetizer sampler ($7.51 with tax) which had two huge portions of hummus and baba ganouj, two small stuffed grape leaves, two small pieces of falafel, and three half-slices of pita. The hummus was pretty bland, in my opinion, and the baba ganouj was a notch better. It had a tart, lemony taste which was decent, though I wish it could have had a slightly smokier flavor. The falafel was great, with a good mix of spices, though I felt cheated since I only got two small pieces. The grape leaves were okay, but nothing I'd come back for. Finally, the pita was great, but only three half-slices? I would have needed at least eight in order to have done justice to the massive amount of hummus and baba ganouj they give you; in the end, I wasn't convinced enough by the food to justify buying more pita.
I also had a falafel sandwich ($7.51 with tax), which was a major disappointment. For one thing, the portion size is massive and much larger than it needs to be. Then again Holy Land is also a buffet, so they cater to the all-you-can-eat crowd; everything has to be in excessive proportions. The falafel in this sandwich was NOT the same as the one I got in my appetizer; the appetizer falafel was great and spiced, whereas the falafel in the sandwich was bland and didn't taste like anything, really. Also, the sandwich was stuffed with slightly burnt zucchini and cauliflower, which didn't enhance any flavors. Lastly, the tahini sauce was ice-cold and layered at the bottom of the sandwich, which made part of the pita cold to the touch, and the other part (not covered in tahini) piping hot. This was both annoying and disconcerting.
A word on the ambience: there is none. It's basically a bustling food court with people constantly shuffling around, yelling and munching away. It's not a great place to sit down and eat; I would recommend take-out to most people. Holy Land is an institution, so I feel wary giving it a mixed review, but I'll give it another shot in the future, to see if there's variance in the quality. There certainly was in the falafel.
Huong Sen has a large menu featuring at least a dozen or more vegan dishes, but the quality of the food is terrible. The curried tofu was bland, mucky and overcooked; the black mushrooms with broccoli was greasy, bland and heavy. The food reminded me of two-day old cafeteria buffet items---all mush and awful. Worse yet, the place is expensive at around $9-12 per dish; most Vietnamese restaurants in the area are not only cheaper, but give better food and larger portions. Even their tea had gone stale and was one of those 2-cent varieties you find in the discount bins of Asian stores. While the service was friendly, the atmosphere of the restaurant was dull and dark and they keep the heat low, so I had to wear my jacket while inside there! Huong Sen is not to be recommended, especially when the Twin Cities have so many other great Vietnamese restaurants.
Indian food is the great tragedy of my life. I was born into it and I can't escape it (nor would I try to) and, yet, I find myself dissatisfied 99% of the time at Indian restaurants pretty much anywhere in the world (including India).
In this case I'm talking about that Indian restaurant in your neighborhood. You know, the one with the buffet, and the tandoori dishes and the naan. The one with either Bollywood music or Mughal elevator tunes playing. The one with "India" or "mahal" or "palace" in its name. Yeah, that one.
India House falls into all of those categories. It is, in terms of food, an imprecise disappointment. The food here isn't bad per se, and it's more than edible, but the flavors are wrong and the preparations are botched.
I went to India House twice to put it through its paces, once for lunch, and once for dinner. The first time around I had an order of samosas ($5), tofu masala (~$9), and a tandoori roti ($2). The samosas were okay; the best part was the cilantro chutney they provided which was unusually fresh, coarsely chopped and spicy. It felt more like a great pico de gallo.
The tofu masala, however, was totally wrong: the tofu was not cooked (it was just dumped into the dish) and the curry was turned into a pasta sauce more than a proper curry. This is an easy mistake to make. The true measure of an Indian restaurant is whether it can make a tomato-based sauce into a curry, rather than pasta sauce. India House failed the test.
The tandoori roti was whole wheat and well made. Kudos to them for offering a whole wheat option; deep sixes to them for not offering brown rice.
For round two I had a chana saag (chickpeas and spinach) (~$9) and a bangan barta (eggplant) (~$9). Both dishes were spicy, as I had requested, but both also felt to be missing something. They were edible but flat and empty. I did like, though, that India House doesn't douse every dish in tons of oil. There's a light touch here which is appreciated; I just wish their recipes were better.
I give India House three stars because, while the food is only passable, the service is friendly and the prices and portion sizes do represent a good value. But, if you're looking for better Indian or Indian-style food, check out Delights of India (Minneapolis) or Everest on Grand (St. Paul).
I had tried to get Isle's vegan scone earlier, but they had sold out by the time I arrived. So I went back the next day and got a hot, fresh scone filled with some fruits (peach and fig? I'm not sure what they were). It was delicious and super-filling, so don't expect to eat anything else for a couple of hours. Best of all, it's super cheap at only $2.
Their hand-squeezed orange juice is also spectacular. It's some of the best orange juice I've ever had in the US---it reminded me of when I was in Brazil and you'd get fresh orange juice at roadside stands next to groves.
There's some seating outside, but it gets filled quickly on the weekends. Inside has a few spots, but it's awfully tight. This place might be a good take-out joint; get some stuff, walk to Lake of Isles or Lake Calhoun and just sit and enjoy some scenery along with a vegan scone and orange juice or tea/coffee.
I'd been meaning to try Izzy's for a long time and finally got around to doing it. The service was really friendly, but a bit slow, as there was only one person working the counter, and numerous customers.
She was well versed in the vegan selections available (4 sorbets and 1 soy ice cream), and even went to so far as to say, without me asking, that the cones were vegan, too (but the waffle cones are not vegan).
I had the blueberry soy ice cream, with "an Izzy" (their word for "topping") of mango sorbet. The blueberry ice cream was wonderful---subtly flavored, with a creamy and airy texture. I love most soy ice creams from the grocery store, but Izzy's definitely tasted special and different.
The mango sorbet was also solid, though perhaps not as exotic or as uncommon as the blueberry ice cream. They did have different sorbet flavors, such as pomegranate fizz, lemon, and rasberry, which might have been better choices.
If this place had one or two more flavors of soy ice cream (or even rice/coconut ice cream), it would rock the house. As it stands, it's awfully good. Even better, it runs on solar and wind power! What a cool place. Thank you, St. Paul.
A curious place, Jack Yee's is. It's an old Chinese restaurant that reminded me of the one featured in "A Christmas Story." But, as Bender from Futurama once said, "Father Time really took a bat to this place."
The inside looks nearly abandoned, like a decaying set-piece, with an unused buffet bar. The heat is barely on and I was forced to keep my jacket on the entire meal (it was around 40 degrees outside and maybe 60 degrees, at best, inside).
The owner is a jolly, energetic, helpful guy, but he also functions as the cook, waiter and busboy. As such, the service is pretty slow.
I walk by the place often and have noticed that the restaurant is usually empty, but sometimes has one or two old ladies on the inside. It seems to attract some regular customers, though not many.
Jack Yee's has a decent vegetarian section with mock duck and tofu options. If you like oily, sweet-and-sour stir-fry dishes, this is the place for you. Jack Yee's is not good or unique in any way, and it suffers from slow service and freezing inside temperatures but, given the lack of vegan options in this wasteland portion of the Minneapolis suburbs, I'm actually marginally pleased it's around.
UPDATE: There was some concern that the curry pastes here contained shrimp or anchovy. The latest report is that they do not but you should ask questions anyway. Otherwise, the menu is super vegan-friendly and the waiters are knowledgeable.
Jasmine 26 is urban-chic and modern and has excellent food quality and prices. I've been eating and drinking there for about a year now and I still love it. It's my go-to place for late night meals, dates, or when I want to impress out-of-town guests. I dare say it's the flagship Vietnamese restaurant of the Twin Cities.
Most of their vegetarian/vegan items max out at $12-15 (lunch prices are 20-40% cheaper, but the portion sizes are smaller). The vegetarian crepe (which is actually vegan) and the veggie spring rolls are both wonderful; the crepe is especially unusual and the portion size is huge. Their lemongrass noodle "salad" is spicy, huge and delicious. The spring rolls are fresh and served with an excellent spicy peanut sauce, but the real thing that makes them stand out is a hint of mint. Also make sure to try their sea salt and pepper tofu cube appetizer which is so popular and delicious that I always overhear non-veg people at other tables ordering it.
The service is always friendly and they have a nice bar and drink menu with unusual Vietnamese and Asian cocktails and beers. Recently they added a cheap late night menu (after 10 p.m.) which includes the delicious banh mi mock duck sandwich you can find at their other restaurant, Jasmine Deli.
Jasmine 26, unlike Azia next door, creates the atmosphere of a local hangout with regulars and devoted customers, while still seeming upscale and sophisticated. This is a rare feat. I've become a "Norm-like" fixture (a la "Cheers") because I can always wander in, wearing jeans and a t-shirt, and get a great meal and drink. You can't do that at Azia. The hours are great for nighthawks looking for a meal or a drink after the 10 p.m. close of most other restaurants. Jasmine 26 is highly recommended.
Jasmine Deli is the in-the-know spot for people looking for authentic, light, tasty and home-cooked Vietnamese food. The service is always friendly and fast and there are numerous vegan items, including mock duck curries, cold salads, huge bowls of noodle soup with tofu, stir-fry rice plates and my favorite for quick-eats, the mock duck baguette sandwich (if vegan, specify no butter). All of their prices are under $9 and the sandwiches cost only $3 and make a great meal. Two issues, though: they don't accept credit cards and they have highly limited seating. Otherwise, this is the gem of the many Vietnamese restaurants in Minneapolis.
This place is a shade above your average strip-mall Chinese take-out joint. It's a small restaurant with seating for maybe a dozen people at most, and is not particularly well-kept or inviting. But the service is friendly and the place seems to be run by a nice family.
While the menu appears to be almost exactly average strip-mall Chinese, I found the food here to be quite good, actually. It's not heavy on oil, corn starch or sugar, and generally feels much lighter and fresher than most Chinese restaurants. They use fresh green onion and zucchini, both of which you don't see often in Chinese strip-mall joints. They even offer brown rice (for no extra charge!).
Their "bean curd homestyle" is a solid dish. The woman behind the counter assured me the dish was vegan (after I explained what vegan meant), but I admit harboring some skepticism. On the other hand, the servers were friendly and seem trustworthy. I need to learn how to say "no oyster sauce" in Mandarin.
Given the dearth of decent food options in the southwest suburbs, especially Hopkins, Jasmine Garden is about as good as you'll find.
Jasmine Orchid is owned by the same people who run Jasmine Deli and Jasmine 26, two of the best Vietnamese restaurants in the Twin Cities. The food at Jasmine Orchid, in my opinion, was nearly identical to what you'd find at Jasmine Deli (and all at the same prices)---mock duck banh mi, broken rice plates, noodle soup and simple appetizers.
However, unlike the Deli, Jasmine Orchid also has a selection of Thai dishes, all of which are significantly more expensive than the Vietnamese dishes.
My friend and I split a herb-basil spring roll with tofu ($4.50), which was spectacular. The basil was fresh and the thin, translucent rice wrapper allowed you tantalizing peeks inside the rolls, which were fill with golden-friend tofu, carrots, cucumbers, bean sprouts and basil. Spring rolls are usually not my favorite, because they're so easy to mess up in one way or another, but Jasmine Orchid pulled them off with grace and artistry.
We also shared a curry mock duck banh mi sandwich without butter ($3.50), which could have used more mock duck, but was otherwise tasty and the same quality of what you'd find at Jasmine Deli on Nicollet.
Finally, we split a mock duck and tofu noodle plate ($7.25) which was decent, but nothing special. It was served semi-cold and lacked a good sauce to give it flavor (this was the only dish that deviated in quality from Jasmine Deli). Also, I thought they skimped on the tofu and mock duck they provided with the dish.
All in all, this is a good restaurant and I'm glad it's in an area that's otherwise lacking solid vegan options. Kudos to Jasmine Orchid for accepting credit cards, which is a point of difference between it and Jasmine Deli.
This is a strange place on Eat Street and probably the only Middle Eastern restaurant on the street. It's been open since 1974, apparently, and once you walk inside, you'll definitely think it's 1974: the place is completely faux-wood paneled; the carpet is worn; and even the cash register is pea green and old school. This restaurant feels like someone's 1970s rec room.
That said, it's pretty clean and the service is fast, not in least part because it was empty (they do seem to get many phone orders, though).
I had a baba gannuj appetizer ($5.00) which was nicely presented, but didn't have much taste---the eggplant could have been smoked more and maybe could have used some kind of spice. My falafel and vegetable "sandwich" (served in a piece of pita) was huge and cost only $4.75, but it too fell flat in terms of taste. I'm not sure what this place is doing wrong, but everything tasted bland; the vegetables, which included cauliflower, potato and eggplant, were burnt, which negatively affected the flavor as well.
This place has eight vegetarian dishes and a couple of veg. appetizers, all of which seem to be vegan, but I was not impressed with the food. The prices are really cheap and the portion sizes are large. Java's been open for 35 years now, so it must doing something right, though I'm not sure what that is.
I went to Jerabek's with high hopes that it was a hidden gem of an independent, family-run cafe in a remote location of the Twin Cities. Ultimately, it didn't fulfill my full hopes, but it does have some charms.
I love the atmosphere there. It seems to attract regulars and lots of locals who sit and read the newspaper over a cup of coffee. It definitely feels like a neighborhood hang-out spot for people young and old alike. The vibe is cozy and familiar.
But they don't offer interesting vegan stuff. I thought they'd have two or three vegan baked goods, but all they had was a "crispie" (a flaky pastry filled with either cherry or apple) which wasn't labeled as being vegan. The staff actually deliberated a while before deciding that it was, in fact, vegan. It was tasty enough and quite cheap ($2) but somehow I have a feeling that it wasn't actually vegan.
They don't have any interesting drinks. They use crappy Oregon Chai like most other places, but their soy milk was a brand I've never seen or heard of (Moon Rose), that was fairly decent.
I like that they give a 15% discount to Minnesota Public Radio members.
In conclusion: Jerabek's has nice atmosphere but isn't all that vegan-friendly or original in its offerings.
I had a "vegetarian plate" ($7.50) which was the perfect amount of food for lunch, and also gave me a chance to sample a variety of their vegan offerings. The fried potatoes were, oddly enough, not that tasty and could have used some extra seasoning. The salad was standard with lettuce and tomato covered in tahini. I thought their hummus was decent, but not the best I've ever had; however, their baba ganouj was pretty good with a tart flavor and good texture and probably my favorite part of the meal. Unfortunately, the falafel was bland and they only gave two tiny patties on the whole plate, which seemed like too little.
The service was fast and friendly, though I did eat there at 2:30 p.m., when it was completely empty. The decor is overdone and all the colors from the rugs/decorations have faded and all the furniture is from 1970s, but not in a cool, retro way.
All in all, this is a decent place to get some standard-but-unspectacular Middle Eastern food for low prices, especially for lunch.
Katar River is an easy-to-miss small Ethiopian cafe/bakery that serves excellent, fresh food. Located in the warehouse/office park area around Lake Street and Minnehaha Avenue, Katar is in an unusual location, but it's also easy to get to, being right off the Midtown Greenway, and only a short walk from the Lake Street light rail station.
I had the vegetarian combo plate ($8) which consists of two pieces of injera, a berbere lentil dish, a tomato-jalepeno salad, and another lentil dish (though the menu claims it's a "chickpea" stew/curry) and collard greens. All of the items were great---fresh, flavorful and well-prepared and presented. For example, the tomato salad, which is covered in olive oil and lemon juice, was made into a colorful dish with the addition of orange bell peppers and green jalepenos. The portion size was large and definitely a great value at only $8.
The service is friendly and fast and Katar also has a lovely, covered patio that is a great place to sit, eat, and drink a cup of tea.
I only wish Katar had more variety in its vegetarian/vegan dishes: with only three options, it'll be easy to get bored of this place.
Still, as far as Ethiopian food is concerned, Katar is the only Minneapolis joint on par with St. Paul's superb Fasika.
I was not terribly impressed with this place. The atmosphere is grim, spare and depressing, much like its neighbor Red Sea Bar and Restaurant, and the food quality is a notch below. In general, I found the food here to be below that of all the other Ethiopian restaurants I've been to in the Twin Cities, namely Blue Nile, Red Sea, T's Place.
My miser wot (lentils with berbere sauce) ($7.95) was too mushy and had a sour flavor, as opposed to the spicier, fresher preparation I've had elsewhere. I wasn't impressed with the flat and flavorless green beans, or the generic iceberg lettuce salad with Italian dressing, either. The small side of split peas that came with the dish was pretty decent, and I wish I had ordered that instead.
In summary, I probably would not come back here again, especially not with better Ethiopian places out there.
Like almost every other Thai restaurant in the Twin Cities (and maybe the US, from what I've seen), King and I offers a menu full of seemingly-vegan/vegetarian dishes which are not, in fact, vegan or vegetarian. Indeed, fish sauce or shrimp paste is lurking in every corner. Ask questions, people!
Indeed, the red and green curries at King and I contain shrimp paste and cannot be made vegan. Also, the "Roasted Red Pepper Sauce" dish cannot be made vegan.
However, there were a couple of other dishes that we could work with. We shared a "Holy Basil Sauce" with fried tofu ($17.50) which was spicy and loaded with tofu and basil. The portion size is huge (it's easily enough for 3 or 4 meals), which sort of justifies the unusually high price tag, though I would prefer a smaller dish at a smaller price. For $17.50 you expect a 4-star dinner or maybe a 5-star lunch; King and I is but a generic Thai restaurant at the end of the day. This first dish was good, maybe even above-average, but it wasn't gourmet or spectacular.
We also shared a "Palatial" modified to be vegan with tofu ($17.50). Since the red and green coconut curries contain shrimp paste, The Palatial is the closest thing at King and I you'll get to a proper curry---it's basically a stir-fry with vegetables and tofu or mock duck, covered in thick, creamy coconut milk. The dish was slightly bland as it was served, but we added some garlic chili sauce and suddenly it became quite good. Again, the portion size is huge, and the food is good, but it's not outstanding.
King and I does have great atmosphere. The main dining room is a bit staid, but properly formal, whereas the bar area where we sat was lively, yet comfortable and calm enough for a romantic dinner. The bar is cozy and chill and feels like a neighborhood joint; I'll definitely be coming back for a drink at some point.
The service was excellent. Our server, a young woman with glasses, was extremely friendly and attentive and kept checking with the kitchen to see what could be made vegan. Moreover, she told immediately that the curries were not vegan or vegetarian and could not be modified, which suggested to me that she's conscientious and thorough about ingredient issues. She also went out of her way to prepare an all-vegan spice rack for us, with three types of chili sauces, sans fish sauce.
All in all, King and I is a good place, though very expensive (but at least the portion sizes are enormous). They don't offer brown rice, which is a bummer, and they also will charge you $1 for extra white rice, which is a double bummer. That said, this is a good place to get a drink and maybe split a dish with two other people.
Kinh Do is a notch above your average unidentifiable pan-Asian joint. I found the service to be friendly and prompt and my food arrived quickly. The ambience is decent---not quite a strip mall buffet, but not classy either. They have a huge selection of vegetarian dishes (many of which may or may not contain fish/oyster sauce, so make sure to ask) all of which are stir-fry variations on mock duck or tofu.
I had a mock duck with cashew nuts. It was fairly tasty; I liked the sour-tart flavor added to the mix by the banana peppers, and I appreciated the large portion size. But the mock duck wasn't cooked very much and must have been dropped into the wok straight out of the can, which is typical of most places that serve mock duck, but disappointing every time nonetheless.
Another downer: no brown rice. Why is it so hard for places to serve brown rice? It's healthier, tastier and, these days, roughly the same price as white rice.
Kinh Do seems good for take-out and attracts regulars. I like their hours and their location but, in terms of food, I'd rather go to Evergreen or Jasmine 26, which are fresher, more unusual and have a personalized touch.
I'm not sure why this restaurant has such a high rating on VegGuide. The menu doesn't have anything inherently vegan or vegetarian; all of the tofu dishes contain seafood, the menu is more than a bit confusing, communication about ingredients was a chore and constant worry, and there's no ambience. It's super popular with Korean students and some adventurous Americans but doesn't try at all to attract newcomers to Korean cuisine (I'm not a newcomer, but I'm not well-versed, either).
Ultimately, using tips from previous reviews, we had a vegetarian dumpling dish ($6) which was edible, but not very flavorful on its own. Also, my friend and I were both confused and worried about the ingredients, as there are small chewy, roundish balls that looked like some kind of meat. When we asked, the answer was that they were dried radish. If I had to guess, it was texturized vegetable protein (I hope) or something I'd rather not think about. I still don't know.
We next had a Tofu Jorim (~$10), also at the suggestion of the previous reviewer. This dish wasn't on the menu, so I'm glad my friend had remembered the name of the dish. It was okay, but also not terribly flavorful; there was no "sauce" per se, it was served luke-warm and it was basically just tofu with green onions and red chili, but had no kick to it whatsoever. It came with a meager portion of super-sticky and compacted white rice, which was not impressive.
Finally, we had a noodle bowl dish, the name of which I can't recall (also ~$10). It was not good. It consisted of tofu over long wheat noodles, covered in a black-colored gooey sauce that had a bizarre flavor---not sweet, not smoky, not salty. I don't know what it was, but it was not something I cared for after a few bites.
The side dishes and pickled foods were pretty decent, especially the eggplant and the kimchi.
This place gets packed at peak hours, so avoid it then if you don't like crowds. I wasn't a fan of all the styrofoam and disposable utensils either. I also didn't like the cafeteria-style service, where you order and pay, wait for your number to be called, eat and then have to bus your own table.
In the end, this place makes me even more suspicious of the vegetarian credentials of Korean food. It's a shame, because dishes at other tables looked really tasty and fresh, but they all had meat. If they could replicate that freshness vegan-style, I'd be back in a hurry. I'll try again, because I think Korea Restaurant can make good vegan food if I knew how to order it, and the service is friendly enough. But if you are vegan or vegetarian, and know nothing about Korean food, do not come here.
I liked La Chaya but I think it has room to improve. The atmosphere is chic and romantic without being pretentious or intimidating. This is a good place to take a date though the restaurant seems to attract a slightly older crowd, for your information.
The service was extremely friendly and the chef/co-owner, Juan Juarez Garcia, came to talk to us extensively about what he could make vegan. I truly appreciated his attention and dedication. A few dishes on the menu were already vegan but Mr. Garcia was happy to make something from scratch (though he said it would take longer, and the dishes he thought he could make impromptu sounded a bit pedestrian).
We enjoyed the oyster mushroom appetizer which was cooked with a wonderful Mexican chili and roasted garlic. It came with grilled soft bread and the combination went well together, with an array of textures and flavors (soft, crisp, chewy, spicy, savory).
The penne pasta with wild mushrooms was tasty but seemed too slight and not very filling. It was also pricey at $14. The special salad we got, an avocado-tomato salsa atop a piece of grilled bread, was artfully presented but seemed a bit bland. Finally, our kiwi berry sorbet was quite good---it was refreshing with a subtle sweetness and fruit flavor along with the wonderful presence of tiny, crunchy berry seeds. One final option vegans might consider is the potato pizza, which we didn't get, but is easily made vegan sans cheese.
In conclusion, I liked the atmosphere and attentive, caring service. I like that they use mostly organic ingredients. Some of the food was excellent, but some seemed bland, and a tad expensive. I think La Chaya could stand to diversify its menu and add some bolder, spicier options; for a Mexican-Mediterranean fusion bistro, the flavors here generally seemed to fall short of the ideal produced of such a mixture. It was almost as if the chef were holding back the full potential of such a wonderful combination.
For vegans and vegetarians the joint could use a tofu or seitan dish.
This is a wonderful little gem of a place in a neighborhood filled with more conventional coffee/tea joints. For one thing, it's super-small and intimate, more like someone's living room, and there's only space for about eight people. The tables are small so don't think you can sprawl out your laptop and papers there. I'm not sure that there's wi-fi but, even if there is, this isn't the type of place to go web-surfing.
This is a cozy, European-style tea salon (not a cafe) for sampling high-grade teas and for having engaging conversations, either with your companion or with the outspoken, worldly and friendly owners.
Currently some of the baked goods (such as scones, muffins and cake) are vegan and efforts are underway to get them labeled so there's no confusion about what's what.
Make sure to sample some teas. You can get a pot (which consists of around 3 cups) for $3-5, depending on what tea you select. If you get a darker tea there's a good chance it'll make for a second steep, getting you double the tea for the same price. I find their Indian black teas to be exquisite but you can't go wrong with any of their multiple offerings.
Unlike its competitor TeaSource, La Société du Thé treats tea as an experience to be savored and understood, rather than a bulk commodity to be bought and sold. This place is an elegant anachronism in an age of to-go cups and standardized tea-bag offerings. I highly recommend it.
Little Szechuan is definitely not your ordinary Chinese restaurant though it may appear to be on pure looks alone. For one thing, the menu has unusual items such as lotus root, pea tips and bamboo tips, and you have to search pretty hard on the menu to find American-Chinese dishes (such as General Tso's), which are called "classics" and tacked onto one of the final menu pages in much smaller font size.
Like old-school Chinese restaurants, Little Szechuan gives you a big pot of Jasmine tea for free and, unlike most Chinese restaurants, they also give you a small bowl full of cucumbers in a sweet sauce. That was unusual and pretty damn tasty.
The first time I went I shared a House-style tofu ($9.95) and a stir-fried pea tips ($11.95) with a friend. The tofu was pretty tasty and had the perfect level of spiciness---just enough to make you feel it, but not enough to make you reach for your water after every bite. The dish itself consisted of lightly fried tofu slabs and lots of cabbage.
The pea tips were tasty, but I'm not sure this is a great dish in itself, as it consists of just tons of pea tips in a garlic sauce and nothing else. If it came in a smaller portion it might make for a good appetizer.
The second time I visited I got to try and share a few more dishes, including the ma po tofu ($9.95), Szechuan spicy tofu ($9.95), kung pao lotus root ($12.95) and Szechuan cucumbers (or something to that effect, $9.95). The ma po was good and had an unusual tangy flavor; that said, I prefer the ma po at Evergreen, which has slightly better tofu and also mock pork in the mix (minced pork is often times added to the sauce of traditional ma po tofu). The Szechuan spicy tofu was excellent, with fried tofu, red bell peppers and scallions in a subtly sweet and spicy dry seasoning. The kung pao lotus root was okay, and I love lotus root (it's not commonly seen on menus), but I didn't think the brown sauce's flavor they used was great (too much corn starch, as well). Lastly, the Szechuan cucumbers were amazing---very simply stir-fried cucumbers in a soy sauce with dry red chilis. This would be a great appetizer with beer and a football game.
The service was fast and prompt though I've heard it gets busy on weekend nights. The customers comprised actual Chinese people and more than a few "in the know" Minnesotans.
I wish they offered mockmeat options, or even just mock duck. Also, they don't have brown rice, which is always a devastating blow to both my taste preference and my health. C'est la vie. Little Szechuan is one of the best Chinese restaurants in the Twin Cities though I think Evergreen in Minneapolis is the reigning king.
This place is decent. My falafel sandwich was a bit dry and the tahini was too liquid for my likes, but the overall taste was good. The fries were okay, but nothing special. Prices are on the higher side considering the quantity of food they give you.
I wasn't impressed with their tea which was just a Lipton bag. The service was also kind of curt and rough. I had to explain what "vegan" means which is never a good sign.
Ambience and decor are lacking. I'm sure this place looked great when they first overhauled it, but today it seems on the edge of decay and neglect, with somewhat sticky floors and faded paint on the walls.
I think this place might be a good spot for a quick snack like baba ganush or fries or a cup of coffee. But the food was nothing special and the more interesting sounding dishes seemed too expensive.
Minneapolis has many Mexican restaurants but very few of them are truly veg*n-friendly. The general trend seems to be that most Mexican places have beans cooked in lard and rice cooked in chicken broth and there's a pervasive misunderstanding about the meaning of "vegetarian" (to say nothing of "vegan").
So I appreciate Little Tijuana for not using either of those common, hidden ingredients, and for explicitly stating so on the menu. It certainly set me at ease.
At most Mexican restaurants, even if you speak Spanish, explaining veganism is difficult (which makes sense if lard and chicken broth are considered "vegetarian" in Latin America).
I thought the service was friendly and prompt. My food arrived quickly.
I had a guacamole taco without cheese ($3.50) which was pretty decent, but would have been much better if they made it with mock duck or soy protein (it seems so obvious; I don't understand why more Mexican restaurants don't embrace faux meats).
Fearing the taco wouldn't be enough to fill me up, I also ordered a black bean burger which was, in actuality, a Morningstar vegan patty on a bun ($7.25). No black beans there. It came with fries on the side. This portion of the meal was a disappointment.
I was also disappointed that Little Tijuana charges you for chips and salsa ($2.25) which are normally free at most Mexican restaurants. Their deep-fried chips were okay, but their salsa choices were almost all mediocre. The only one with any quality was the pico de gallo; I recommend avoiding their tomatillo or normal red salsas which didn't taste fresh at all.
My other major gripe is that this place nickel and dimes you for everything. You want lettuce and tomato with your veggie burger? An extra $0.50. You want a three ounce side of guacamole? $2.50. Also, they automatically gave me a larger and pricier glass of Coke, even though a smaller and cheaper size was available (which they didn't tell me about). I didn't like this at all, even if it was only an extra $0.55.
All told, Little Tijuana is not the best place for food, but their pico de gallo with chips is solid, as is their guacamole taco. I like their extra-late hours.
Most critically, this is the only Mexican place that I've been to in the Twin Cities which doesn't use lard or chicken broth, which in itself is a huge plus point in its favor. Little Tijuana keeps my trust whereas most other Mexican restaurants do not.
While the convenience store portion of Loon is pretty standard (and more than a bit trashy), I found the falafel and hummus here to be unusually tasty. The pita falafel sandwich ($5.34 with tax) was not only cheap, but perfectly filling. It didn't feel heavy at all and consists of four or five pieces of garlicky falafel, chopped lettuce and tomatoes, and tahini sauce. The pita was soft and didn't get chewy, and the falafel was crispy without being crunchy, if you know what I mean.
The price was great (cheaper than nearby Falafel King or Lyndale Grill and Grocery). It also wasn't burdened with over-sized chunks of zucchini or cauliflower, and ice-cold tahini sauce, like at Holy Land Deli. Loon Deli has an understated, simple touch to their falafel.
I am impressed with the food here (if not the grubbiness of the joint). While both of the cooks are friendly and talented, I find that I slightly prefer the falafel made by the bald gentleman who adds lots of fresh herbs to the mix; the other cook, a mustachioed gentleman, does a great job, but leaves out the herbs.
Lotus is decent at best. They give large portions and have a number of vegan options, but the food doesn't rise above its strip-mall setting. There seems to be a lot of industrial salt and oil and generic flavors, with no special spices or subtle sauces. This place is good for a quick, cheap dinner on a night you don't want to cook, but don't expect to the food to amaze you.
This place depresses me. It's slightly grimy and cramped, the service is slow, and a tv blaring Lebanese news is smack center in the eating area of the joint.
I had their falafel and pita appetizer ($4.84 with tax), which came with hummus; the falafel was decent, but the hummus was below-average (where was the garlic?). I wasn't sure why it took 10 minutes to make the falafel, which felt like an excruciatingly long wait in those bleak environs.
It's a shade more expensive than Falafel King and the portion size was slightly too large; I would have liked two fewer falafel patties and a 50-cent discount on the price. I didn't appreciate that everything was served in a styrofoam container.
I would recommend this joint for a cheap lunch or for a late-night snack, but only for take-out, and only if you can't find anything else.
Given the previous reviews, I went here with high hopes. While Mango Thai's in a great location near Cathedral Hill, and have hip decoration and sophisticated utensils and flatware, along with bistro-lounge music playing, I was not pleased with the food options for vegans.
I asked for a green curry with tofu, without fish sauce, but my waitress told me that fish sauce is pre-mixed in the curry paste. This was disappointing because a) green curry is my gauge-dish to see how good a Thai restaurant is; b) they were not willing to make the curry for me without fish sauce, which suggests they aren't so accommodating to vegetarians/vegans; and c) no Thai restaurant that is worth its name should be using pre-mixed and stock ingredients. Thai food is all about freshness and simple improvisation, which suggests that Mango Thai is cutting vital corners.
I ended up with a Pad Kee Mao (basil stir fry with flat rice noodles), but make sure to order it without eggs if you're vegan. The dish itself was decent, but nothing special.
Prices are reasonable for the quantity of food. The service was friendly, though a bit slow. This is a good place to take a date. But overall, I was disturbed that a Thai restaurant could be so vegan un-friendly.
UPDATE: The service at Marla's is still extremely slow; I was there with a friend, and we were one of only two occupied tables in the restaurant, and yet it took nearly an hour for our food to arrive, and our waitress barely bothered to stop by our table, except for the initial order-taking, and finally the bill payment. The decor has improved slightly, though it's still a dive.
The food is still decent, but missing something to put it into higher-grade territory. Maybe it needs more spice or fresher vegetables? We had a chowmein with tofu ($8), which was good, but needed more spice for my likes. Also, the sauce was too watery. We also shared a stew/brown-down ($8) which was a bland stew served with herbed rice and red beans. The rice was good, but the stew was only passable. Make sure to request your meals be made vegan; I'm not sure what they use that's not vegan, but our waitress made it seem like there might be some hidden dairy in the mix.
However, the highlight of the meal for me was the "doubles" ($2). These are fried pastries filled with chickpeas and two types of sauces. I found the mixture of the tangy and spicy sauces, along with the semi-sweet, fluffy pastry, to be a wonderful combination. If anything, I'd recommend going for the doubles alone.
ORIGINAL REVIEW: This new Marla's restaurant is a nice addition to the Indo-Caribbean fare already around. My Jerk Tofu with dalpourie was super-spicy (maybe too spicy, even for this Indian-American) and extremely filling. It was basically a Caribbean burrito---lightly fried tortilla stuffed with onions, cabbage, green peppers and a spongy, fluffy type of tofu, spiced with black pepper and who knows what else. It was cheap at $8, especially considering the quantity of food.
My problem with the food, however tasty it was, is that a dish like this quickly gets boring after seven or eight bites. There's no surprise left to the flavors you'll encounter. And the portion size is so large that it becomes hard to justify eating the whole thing. Sadly, I don't think a dish like this would re-heat well, mostly because the tortilla would get soggy (I have the same boredom problem with the other major Indo-Caribbean joint, Harry Singh's). Smaller portion sizes, and maybe offering a side dish or salad along with the main plate, would make the food here more interesting.
The service was friendly but very slow and inattentive. I finally had to get up and force the attention of an employee so I could pay my bill.
This place has no ambience. Though it's only a few months old, it looks completely decayed and drab. The furniture is all old (and not in a retro, funky way) and the restaurant itself is littered with debris and odds and ends. The place looks like a cluttered, dingy 1970s wood-paneled rec-room, temporarily converted into a space for a birthday party. It was depressing to be in there.
Also, while I appreciate that Marla's opened up in an economically-depressed area, this also means that I'm not sure how safe the neighborhood is. There are a lot of shady-looking characters at that corner and I felt extremely worried about my bike, which I locked to a bus stop pole in front of the restaurant. I was constantly checking up on it. If you're coming in a group, make sure to take a car, as that pole is the only place to "safely" lock up your bike, and even then you should keep a close eye on it.
This place has lots of room to improve but, on a whole, it's a good addition to Minneapolis.
This is a decent Indian restaurant. I thought that, given the owners' Caribbean births, they might put a novel twist on the Indian food they serve; unfortunately, Marla's offers straight-up North Indian fare and the Caribbean items are separate. I'd be curious to see if they could add some new, West Indies flavors to a South Indian dish like a dosa---that would really intrigue me and force me to come back.
My alu gobi was nothing spectacular. I was happy they were willing and able to veganize it for me but the dish itself was a bit flat and not memorable in any way.
The service was slow but friendly. Ambience and decor were passable, though a bit dreary and dark. I'll probably go back here as Marla's is, as of late 2008, the only remaining Indian restaurant in Uptown. But it didn't blow me away. If you're looking for fresher, more innovative Indian-esque tastes in a better atmosphere, check out Namaste Cafe or The Himalayan.
Marrakech is in the basement of a building in Dinkytown. It has a bit of a bleak, dark feel to it. I came here because of a sign outside advertising "vegan falafel" ($5.99).
The portion size of the falafel was huge and nearly enough for two meals. That said, I was not impressed with the food at all. The falafel pieces themselves were soft (not crispy), bland and lukewarm in temperature. The pita was so overloaded with falafel shreds, lettuce, tomato, tahini, mint and whatever else, that it ripped apart.
Worst of all the tahini was cold and made the whole dish lukewarm. You can't eat lukewarm falafel. It's like eating french fries at room temperature: all of the appeal is lost and weariness sets in.
I've seen other joints do the same thing (I'm looking at you, Holy Land) and end up ruining the dish. Also, the produce here tasted like bland, cafeteria-style cardboard vegetables (the tomatoes had no flavor, the tahini had no flavor).
I'd come to Marrakech only if you're looking for a cheap, quick meal with huge portions. Be warned you'll be sacrificing on taste and temperature, though.
I liked the chai here, especially because it is home-made and not some awful over-the-counter stuff that comes out of a Tetra-pak (I'm talking about you, Oregon Chai).
I also appreciate that they have ABC vegan cookies, though I wish they would make their own instead.
The space itself is really small, but it's in a quaint, quiet neighborhood with galleries and other art-shop places. It's a great place to bike to, or to get a cup of tea at, after a day of wandering the galleries and antique furniture stores.
This is a quaint, cozy little cafe. I liked that they had loose-leaf teas and two vegan pastry options: scones and cookies. The scones were out when I went, but I had a cup of Oolong tea and a vegan oat-chocolate chip cookie for only $2.87.
So it's not only cozy, but it's also cheap, for high grade stuff. The cookie was big and soft and well made.
The service was brisk and efficient, though not necessarily super-friendly. But it wasn't curt, either. The place can get crowded pretty easily, it seems, so be prepared to wait for a table or to get your order to go, depending on when you visit.
I thought the vegan pizza here would have soy or rice cheese, but it does not. It doesn't have mockmeat toppings either. That said, they had one slice left of their "vegan pizza", which has a perfectly light and crispy crust, a semi-sweet and salty red sauce, and a TON of grilled vegetables as toppings (zucchini, bell peppers, artichoke, mushrooms, onions, etc.). The slice, costing only $3, was excellent.
I'm not sure this place qualifies as "vegan-friendly" simply because it was smart enough to realize it's in Dinkytown and should offer at least one vegan item, but the quality of the taste and the reasonable price for the slice makes this a good joint. If they only start adding soy cheese and some mockmeat toppings (Galactic Pizza and Pizza Luce have both), this place would get a lot more patronage from at least one vegan.
Update: While I appreciate Midori's vegan menu, I think the choices on it are quite limited. How often can you get tempura or noodle bowl soup? The only other options are cold Japanese salads, but those don't quite hit the spot for me. Their dinner specials are not usually vegan or veganizable.
Worst of all, their usually-reliable noodle bowl soup (udon or soba with mushroom broth) has declined precipitously in quality. The broth has no flavor and looks like water; their soba noodles are grey (instead of that beautiful purple hue), slimy and similarly flat, like the limp broth.
In comparison, Tanpopo Noodle Shop in St. Paul offers a larger, heartier soba bowl, with super-fresh ingredients, bursting flavors and thick, rich broth. Tanpopo also has limited vegan options, but at least they do those options well.
The atmosphere at Midori's is nice and I like their new location. This is an elegant place, to be sure, and I would take it over pretty much any other Japanese place in the Twin Cities (with the exception of Tanpopo), but it could really stand to revamp its vegan offerings and up the quality simultaneously.
July 17, 2008 review: I love that Midori's has a separate, all-vegan menu (you have to specifically request this menu, of which they have only two copies). I went to Midori's twice, just to make sure it wasn't a fluke that the food was so good. Midori's, along with Tanpopo in St. Paul, are the two best Japanese restaurants in the Twin Cities.
Their edamame is fresh and they also have authentic Japanese plum wines (tastes like almonds!) and beers. I normally don't like vegetable tempura, but their tempura batter is special---it's light, crispy and subtle, allowing the flavor of the vegetables to stand out (Midori's uses interesting vegetables such as pumpkin, squash and bell peppers). They also have a wonderful curry dish (available Wednesdays only) that is savory and filling, with artful presentation of long asparagus stalks, carrots and other vegetables. Finally, their kitsune soba soup bowl was not the best I've ever had, but it was certainly serviceable (Tanpopo wins on noodle bowls).
My only complaint is about their service. Both times we went, our waitress was not attentive, and it took forever to order and even longer for the food. Also, the first time we went, all of our dishes came out at the same time, so we had to quickly eat the appetizers and main courses all at once, while they were still hot. Other than the faulty service, the food is excellent and prices are reasonable. This is a great place.
I really like the Midtown Bike Center. It's one of those stores/cafes that comes to define a place---how many other cities in the country have a pit-stop cafe for bicyclists on a trail? (For that matter, I think Minneapolis might be the only city in the country to have marked vegan items on the menu of an airport cafe---French Meadow.)
I should add that the Midtown Bike Center is a well-done place. It's not just an ad-hoc joint set up on the trail. It's a spacious and well-designed store with all sorts of bike gear for sale and even offers bike rentals and valet parking and storage, among other things.
It's also right in front of the Midtown Global Market, which is a great location for bike day trippers.
The cafe used to be rudimentary with offerings like Clif bars and cheap coffee, but they recently added smoothies and Salty Tart baked goods which are made at the Midtown Global Market.
What's really clever is that they also sell day-old baked goods for only $1 ($1.07 with tax, to be precise) which is a cheap way to snack. I had a day-old mocha chocolate cupcake and it was delicious.
The Midtown Bike Center is a classy, innovative, well-implemented store/cafe aimed at bikers on the Midtown Greenway, but has enough stuff to attract even non-bikers. Kudos to them for doing such a good job and making Minneapolis an even cooler, cutting-edge city.
The Midtown Global Market is a cool, unique, interesting place with numerous food stalls offering dishes from practically every continent. It's also a good place to get imported package goods and fresh produce. It speaks to the multicultural spirit of Minneapolis. I went today and the Mexico Tourism Board had musicians playing lovely tunes.
That said, I don't think there's too much for vegans here. The new Salty Tart bakery occasionally has vegan cupcakes and some other vegan baked goods, but you should call ahead to make sure stuff is in stock, as I've been there many times only to be disappointed that they ran out of their only vegan item. Holy Land Deli has some items which look vegan (couscous, veg. curry) but their veggie burger has cheese in the patty. There's a vegetarian dish at the African restaurant and vegetable roti at the Jamaican soul food place.
You can also try a vegetable torta at Manny's Tortas. They build to order, though I found that if you don't speak Spanish, describing what you want could be tricky. Fortunately I do speak Spanish and was able to get a confirmed vegan torta (vegetable sandwich). It is a soft grilled baguette filled with mushrooms, avocado, beans, lettuce and tomato. It sounds like a burrito, but it's much lighter and less dense. But at $6.45 it's awfully expensive considering the small portion size.
Be warned there are at least two large meat counters which is a huge turn-off. At least they're in the corners of the place and not dead-center in the market. On a whole, though, the Midtown Global Market is a hip place to explore different foods, do some grocery shopping or hang out and get a cup of tea/coffee at one of the cafe vendors.
I think Mim's might have the best falafel in the Twin Cities. I'll have to go back a second time to be sure, but that's my initial impression. I've been to the standards---Falafel King, Holy Land---as well as more than a few smaller venues (Jerusalem's, Java, Shish Cafe, Lyndale Grill and Grocery, Loon Deli) but Mim's comes out on top for pure freshness, taste and value.
The cafe itself is a cozy little spot next to the St. Paul campus of the U. It could stand to be a little bit more sparkly and decorated, but it's decent as it is.
I had a falafel sandwich ($4) and a side of fries ($1). The falfel pieces themselves were excellent: fragrant; crunchy on the outside but soft on the inside; loaded with herbs; and not oily. The tahini was also fresh and actually tasted like sesame, which is a departure from the industrial-grade tahini you find in most places. Similarly, the tomatoes and cucumbers in the sandwich also had flavor and didn't seem to be the plastic cafeteria service veggies you find all too often at inexpensive Middle Eastern joints.
A couple gripes: the pita was not fluffy enough and seemed more like a triple-thick flour tortilla, rather than a proper pita. It was still tasty, but a bit too flat for my likes. Also, the french fries were super-oily and not crisp in the least (soft french fries are depressing and hard to justify eating).
For $4, the falafel sandwich is a great, delicious bargain. I only wish Mim's were not so out of the way; otherwise I'd be there all the time.
UPDATE: I've been to moto-i more than a few times since it opened back in October 2008. Their rooftop deck is nice, though I was bothered that they allow people to smoke up there, which killed a lot of the enjoyment of being outdoors on a summer day with fresh sake.
The sake menu has expanded, though I find myself less and less impressed with the sake as time goes on. I'm not sure why. Maybe their quality control has gone down? In any case, this is still one of the edgier places in the Twin Cities, and the US at large, as it brews its own sake on-site; good luck finding something like that anywhere else in the country. I must give moto-i credit for its sense of courage to try something new and keep Minneapolis firmly in innovative territory.
The food here is passable, at best, however. Make sure to ask lots of questions if you're vegan or vegetarian, as many dishes seem to contain fish or fish flakes. Based on what I've had, the ponzu broccoli tofu bun was bland and had a weird sweet sauce. The coconut lemongrass stir-fry was one of the most flavor-less dishes I've ever had; I had to douse it in soy sauce to get any sort of flavor.
The shirito pepper appetizer was pretty good though, if a bit too salty.
The free peanuts that came with the dish, which are cooked in lemongrass and chili, also pack a tasty kick, much more so than anything else on the menu.
The service is friendly. The bartender walked us through the various sakes they offer and how they're made. There are three levels of space to occupy, from the bustling ground floor, to the quiet, laid-back lounge area on the second floor, to the spacious rooftop deck.
All in all, this is a cool place, but the food is extremely bland and needs better labeling for vegan options. That said, any place that serves its own sake deserves recognition.
As of December 24, 2007, Muddy Paws' has closed their cafe. They are now focusing on their cheesecake business and have moved to St. Louis Park, but there is no cafe.
Their retail outlet closed a year ago, but Muddy Paws lives on in catering-form. Muddy Paws makes arguably the finest vegan cheesecake I have ever had, and I've tried at least two dozen different ones around the world. You can't go wrong with any of their multitude of standard and unusual flavors; their plain strawberry cheesecake is fresh and delectable while their edgy chai cheesecake is exotic and familiar all at once.
I highly appreciate that they have such an emphasis on vegan cheesecake, as well as gluten-free, for my new gluten-intolerant friends.
We recently had an office party where every single slice of the vegan cheesecake was devoured, whereas the non-vegan cheesecake wasn't even touched. My middle-aged suburban colleagues didn't notice any difference and, in the end, they were amazed to learn that they had just eaten vegan cheesecake. This is a testament to Muddy Paws' quality and deliciousness.
I rarely went to Muddy Waters before, mostly because they never had any food, and I wasn't impressed with their drinks (mediocre tea selection and a passable chai mixture). Now that they added some food, I have to admit that they're worth a second look.
The only vegan thing on their menu is a hummus sandwich, but it was a great sandwich---warm, soft bread and fresh vegetables. I wasn't expecting something of that quality at a punk rock coffee shop at midnight.
The service is friendly and the interior is nicely decorated with a retro-grunge feel. I like the roomy and comfortable counter area. They also have some retro video games.
The outdoor seating is usually populated by edgy, artsy punker types who, sadly, are always smoking. This makes it uncomfortable to sit outside, for me anyway. It's a shame, because this is prime territory for people watching.
If Muddy Waters added a couple more vegan options (how about a tempeh or tofu sandwich?) and some vegan pastries (Caffetto only one block up has vegan desserts, so why can't Muddy Waters?), this would be a prime contender for best neighborhood cafe. Right now, it's just falling short.
Mysore offers a good dosa and a marginal South Indian buffet, with vegan options clearly marked, but I was disappointed that it recently added chicken to the menu and to the buffet. This is a huge disappointment not only because meat has no traditional place in South Indian food (it seems to have been jammed in at Mysore for business reasons), but also because it alienates the vegetarian community, Indian or otherwise. Given the unspectacular food, and that Minneapolis has three much better and pure vegetarian Indian restaurants, I wouldn't recommend Mysore. Try The Vegetarian or Nalapak or Bombay 2 Deli instead.
I hadn't had South Indian food in a long time and was pleased to find Nalapak, a fabulous joint with friendly service and great food. Their dosa (sometimes spelled dosai) was crisp, huge, light and fresh; their Jalfrezi curry was creamy and spicy and went well with airy, un-oily chapati. Their samosas were also light and crispy with well-seasoned filling. The service was extremely friendly and the menu clearly listed what was vegan and what was lacto-vegetarian; they even have tofu as an option to paneer, which is not a common option in Indian restaurants. Highly recommended.
Namaste Cafe makes great chai and has excellent ambience, as well as a focus on local and organic foods (though it's not 100% vegetarian), but the service is lacking---our food took forty minutes to arrive and the waiters weren't very attentive. The food was light but seemed a bit flat in terms of spices and overall flavor. Prices were high, too, considering the quantity of food they give. I'll give it another shot, but was not totally impressed. I'd definitely take a vegetarian Indian restaurant over this place.
UPDATE: The service here has improved considerably. They've also added outdoor seating and wine. It can get really hot if you're sitting inside during the summer (they don't have a/c), so keep that in mind. I still think it's overpriced, especially for the tiny portions they give you, but the flavors are fresh and light and they've improved the taste quality. Their chai is still the best in the Midwest, and they've added beer and wine to the menu. They have one excellent vegan dessert, the "carrots in coconut cream" which is deliciously sweet, smooth and creamy. Amazing, unusual flavors. Unfortunately, they only occasionally have the ingredients for it.
Ngon has great ambience and service. It's a good place to take a date.
I wasn't completely floored by the food, though. I ordered a tofu dish that was overly simple and extremely small in terms of portion size (maybe 15 bites at most). But it cost $10, which was excessive, especially for lunch.
If they added a few more vegan menus, increased their portion sizes and jazzed up the food a little, this would be a gem of a Vietnamese restaurant. As of right now, it's pretty decent, but falls short of its potential.
Noodle Bowl has a large vegetarian section on their menu and I was pleased that they don't consider fish sauce to be vegetarian. Most of the dishes are very simple (tofu with one other ingredient, or mock duck with one other ingredient).
I had a "fried tofu with chives and bean sprouts" ($8) which was good, but not great. I think it needed a lot more spice (fortunately there's some chili oil on each table) and also could have used a bit of ginger to add some zing; as it stood, the tofu was nicely fried (though they skimped on the amount of tofu) and I appreciate any dish with chives, because you don't see them often enough.
The dish could have used one other vegetable (carrots? bamboo shoots?) to give it some color and break the monotony of the chive-bean sprout-tofu holy trinity.
I was also disappointed, as I always am, by places that don't offer brown rice as an option. Unfortunately, Noodle Bowl is one of them.
The prices are good, with pretty much every dish in the $7-9 range.
The service was friendly, if a bit slow, even with a lack of other customers. The air conditioning wasn't working so it was nice that they kept my glass of ice water filled.
All in all, Noodle Bowl is a nice alternative on Nicollet, though in terms of taste and quality, I'd still prefer either Jasmine Deli or Jasmine 26.
I don't understand how Obento-ya could win City Pages "Best Japanese Restaurant" award in 2008. The service was friendly, but slow, erratic and crazy. If we didn't flag our waiter down, he would have never stopped at our table to take our order. Getting the bill took forever and all of our food came out in random intervals (the edamame was supposed to be an appetizer, but ended up being a main course). The best part of my meal ended up being the Asahi Super-Dry 12 oz. beer that I ordered.
This is the first Japanese restaurant I've been to that has a difficult menu for vegans. You wouldn't expect this from a restaurant in Minneapolis, and especially one that's so close to Dinkytown.
The only marked vegan item is a mediocre, dry and bland sushi roll. Obento-ya doesn't have a separate vegan menu (like Midori's Floating World Cafe), nor does it have vegan specials or vegan broth for noodle bowl soups (like Tanpopo Noodle Shop). I ended up cobbling together a few grilled vegetable skewers (robata), which was unsatisfying and didn't fill me up at all. Also, they only give you two or three pieces of vegetable and charge you $3 for each.
The edamame was not fresh and was served to us lukewarm, as it must have been sitting on a counter somewhere. On a whole, this place is not only a rip-off with poor service, but it's also not vegan-friendly for the most part. Don't waste your time or money here; got to Tanpopo or Midori's instead.
UPDATE: Old Arizona is a quaint place. Their tea room/chocolate shop is a cozy room full of all sorts of gourmet chocolate bars from around the world; they also have a good array of different types of loose-leaf teas which they have helpful, detailed descriptions of in an information binder.
I love that this is a community-oriented venue. They're currently undergoing major renovations so their hours are a bit erratic right now. But once the weather gets warmer, they'll be in full-swing.
If you're looking to buy tea or chocolate or to dance, this is your place. I haven't tried the cafe yet but the team the runs Old Arizona is animal-friendly and they have some vegan options and hope to expand their menu to include more.
Om is probably the poshest Indian restaurant I've ever seen and also one of only a few nation-wide that falls into such a chic category. This is not your auntie's curry shop.
That said, the food is far from authentic and it's maybe not even fair to call it "Indian" considering the non-traditional ingredients and heavy use of American-preferred meats, fishes and dairy products.
As such the food is not terribly vegan-friendly. Somehow Om's "fusion Indian" concept has managed to browbeat Indian food into a mild, milk-filled meat fest, rather than a complex, vegetable-based bonanza.
None of the main entrees are vegan or can be made vegan. A couple of their salads can be veganized, and a couple of their side dishes are vegan. Our waiter told us all of the bread dishes contain buttermilk, so make sure to ask questions.
We shared a peanut eggplant side dish ($7) and also a new potatoes and chili side dish ($7). The eggplant was well-prepared and covered in a semi-spicy peanut sauce. I liked the presentation and the flavors though the dish didn't surprise me in any way. The new potatoes were much milder and tasty enough, but way too basic and bare for the trendy, fancy vibe of this joint. The portion sizes were large which made these a pretty decent value at only $7 a piece.
Om does make a great cocktail, though. I had a "Slumdog" ($9) which was basically a subtle lemonade with bits of mint and cilantro; it was unusual and it all came together smoothly. I think it could have used a bit more vodka but it was otherwise an edgy drink. My friend got an "Amber" which was gorgeous to look at and consisted of different layers of ingredients such as mango juice, Bombay sapphire, creme de cassis and lemon juice. It also tasted quite good.
The top floor of Om is good for lounging or watching a game at the bar. The bottom floor has large booths and tables for bigger groups, and is nice enough, if a bit spare.
I'm giving Om three stars for its drinks and relatively cool atmosphere; if they up their game on vegan offerings and get back to more traditional North and South Indian foods, I'd consider coming back more often.
I like the open atmosphere and layout of Open Book. This is a good place to get a cup of tea, read a book or consider making one of your own (in the book arts center a few feet away).
When I went they had one vegan soup (artichoke) and some vegan rice crispie bars from French Meadow, but no vegan sandwiches. Unfortunately, they only carry Oregon Chai, which is a serious negative point, in my opinion.
If they had some vegan cookies or cupcakes, along with a tofu or tempeh sandwich, this place would merit an extra star. As it stands, it's pretty decent.
While I'm generally not a fan of chain restaurants, I have to admit that P.F. Chang's has saved me a couple of times, usually in work-related situations, where I'm forced to eat dinner with colleagues. If we end up at P.F. Chang's, I know I'll at least get a certifiably vegan meal, with actual spices (as opposed to an iceberg lettuce salad at some bar/grill joint).
Their Mapo tofu is actually excellent and as good as you'll find it anywhere. I also enjoyed their Buddha's Feast which has a good variety of vegetables and mushrooms. The food here never feels heavy or gooey, like at most Chinese strip-mall joints.
Prices are reasonable given the portion sizes and the overall quality of the meal.
I really like that they offer brown rice and also have a gluten-free menu, both of which demonstrate their conscientious spirit.
The service is consistently friendly no matter which outlet you go to (ah, the unwavering quality of chains). Their bar is fairly decent and the restaurants are always good at accommodating large groups. All in all, P.F. Chang's is mostly a winner and a net positive for vegans everywhere.
UPDATE: the home-made tofu here is NOT vegan, as it is made with eggs. My waiter did not tell me this and I only found out later from another vegan. If you're vegan, make sure to avoid anything with tofu here. I think it's ridiculous how they make tofu here, since it's such a simple, ancient food and usually basically consists only of soy.
Peninsula has some unusual offerings which merit recognition. I started out with a "roti telur" appetizer ($5.95), which is an Indo-Malaysian dish consisting of a doughy shell filled with vegetables and other stuff. The kitchen graciously left out the chicken and the eggs and replaced them with some home-made tofu instead (which I later found out is not vegan). I found this dish to be pretty tasty; the shell was soft and I liked the bell pepper and onion filling. Finally, the dish came with a spicy peanut sauce that really gave the food some flavor and zing.
My main course, only called "mock duck" ($11.95) on the menu, sounded amazing, but wasn't that great (and probably wasn't vegan). Like the tofu, this mock duck was home-made, which stands out in a town where mock duck usually comes from a tin can. It seemed to consist almost entirely of layer after layer of thinly-sliced, fried tofu; if there were any wheat gluten in there (the normal main ingredient of mock duck), I didn't see it. It was topped with thick mushrooms and everything was cooked in a soy-based sauce that made the tofu go soggy. The sauce was the biggest problem of the dish---not only was it bland, it was also gooey with excessive use of corn starch as a thickening agent. I got bored with the dish after a few bites. In comparison, Grand Shanghai in St. Paul makes an extremely similar dish called "mock goose," but they use a light, fresh soy-red wine sauce, and the tofu remains crispy as a result. They also use better mushrooms than Peninsula.
The dish came with white rice infused with coconut milk (brown rice was not an option, sadly), which actually cost $1 (I thought it would be free). This rice was okay, but it was not nearly as rich and fresh-tasting as the coconut milk rice, offered for free, at Bali Restaurant on 14th and Nicollet.
Finally, I wanted to try the unusual-sounding dessert "cendol" (green pea flour strips with sweet red beans, shaved ice and coconut milk), but I was informed that it's made with some dairy milk. Instead I ended up with the more pedestrian "pulut hitam" ($2.50), which is just sweet sticky rice in creamy coconut milk with sugar (one of the few dishes I can actually make myself).
In summary, the service at Peninsula is fast, efficient and friendly. The menu offers some unusual Indo-Malaysian dishes and also has home-made tofu and mock duck, which you don't see often (though I'm not sure either are actually vegan). But the execution of the food was mediocre on a whole and I'm not pleased that they are clearly confused about the meaning of the word "vegan," which is unacceptable in a city like Minneapolis.
I loved this place. Their Lil Gracie pizza with soy cheese and veggies and fake sausage and pepperoni was tasty and light; their garlic-cheese toast with rinotta vegan cheese was also delicious and unusual. This is a great option to have for vegans who miss pizza and are also looking to have a beer with some good music in the background.
I love Pizza Luce in general. They're open late, the service is friendly, there's plenty of space, and they have a ton of quality, thoughtful vegan options. Make sure to try their garlic cheese bread with their own proprietary "rinotta" vegan cheese---it'll blow your mind.
This particular downtown branch now offers brunch options from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays. I tried their vegan biscuits and gravy ($8.49) which comes with a side of tofu scramble. I liked the tofu scramble quite a bit---it was fresh, light and colorful, with an array of bell peppers and tasty broccoli. The seasoning was also good, though it could have been spicier. This is probably the best tofu scramble in the Twin Cities, in my opinion, easily beating the scrambles at Hard Times, Seward Cafe, Triple Rock and French Meadow.
The biscuits and gravy was okay, but not great; the biscuits were too doughy and small (I prefer crispy/flaky biscuits) and they floated in a huge sea of gravy; the gravy was way too sweet and should have been savory. I think it could have used some fresher touches, like chopped green onion and tomatoes in the mix.
The portabella florentine is also okay, though I wasn't a fan of the overly-salty red sauce that came with it. This dish is highly unusual, though, and not the sort of thing you'd see elsewhere, so I appreciate Pizza Luce for flexing their culinary chops.
I love the vegan breakfast burrito. I normally don't like burritos of any kind, but this one is loaded with seitan, fake sausage, rice, peppers and more. It's super flavorful and covered in a nice pico de gallo and herbs and comes with hash browns. It's also quite filling.
As it stands, the brunch menu at this location is an intriguing addition to Pizza Luce's already-great vegan choices.
I am never disappointed by Pizza Luce; it's my go-to place late at night or when I just want a big, filling meal with a consistent taste and quality. Their rinotta garlic cheese toast is delicious, mostly because of the wonderful marinara sauce they give, though the rinotta is also an unusual and tasty creation (why can't more pizza joints try to make their own vegan cheese, rather than just using pre-packaged ones?).
I find the service and vibe at this particular Pizza Luce to be a bit friendlier and more laid-back than the other Minneapolis locations. Also, I've never had to wait for a table at this location, whereas the Uptown and Downtown branches can easily get packed, especially on weekends.
I finally visited the St. Paul location of Pizza Luce, but wasn't as impressed with it as I am with the others in the Twin Cities. In terms of parking and interior space (along with a bar), the St. Paul location beats the Uptown one, but for pure atmosphere, I would prefer the downtown Minneapolis or Seward branches.
I came here for brunch and was somewhat disappointed by my meal. I had the tofu scramble ($8.99) but it lacked flavor, and seemed to missing at least one or two crucial ingredients. Adding salt and black pepper didn't help. My friend, who also had the tofu scramble, agreed with me. We both also compared this scramble to the one at the downtown Minneapolis branch; the downtown location's version bursts with flavor and is probably the best tofu scramble in the Twin Cities, whereas the St. Paul branch served up a sleepy, boring, bland dish.
The service was friendly and prompt as I've always come to expect at any Pizza Luce. I'd go to the St. Paul branch for pizza or maybe a drink at the bar, but not for brunch again.
Of the three or so neapolitan pizza joints in Minneapolis (Punch Pizza, Black Sheep and Pizza Nea), I think Pizza Nea is probably the best value for your money. Punch Pizza is slightly cheaper, but also slightly lower quality and has less ambience; Black Sheep is about the same price as Nea, and produces higher quality pizza (especially their amazing crusts), but they have smaller portion sizes. Pizza Nea falls right in the middle of that and does a decent job in terms of quality, ambience and portion size.
For one thing, their "marinara" pizza (which comes without cheese and is vegan by default) is less than $7 and it's actually quite large. The sauce and toppings are all good quality and adding individual toppings is cheaper here than at Punch or Black Sheep.
I had a marinara with roasted red peppers and porcini mushrooms (~$10). It was a good, full meal. The crust is not as thin and perfectionist as at Black Sheep, but it's crisper and not as chewy and doughy as Punch Pizza's crusts. It also was not as charcoal-burnt as Punch's tend to get in certain spots.
The service was friendly and prompt. I like the atmosphere in the joint which feels like an upscale, but unpretentious, neighborhood hangout. You could have a beer with friends, or a romantic evening at Pizza Nea. All in all, this is a good place and holds its own against the competition.
I like the comfy, familiar ambience in Plan B. The service is always friendly and it feels like the kind of joint where you could easily become a regular.
Their drinks are nothing spectacular or unusual---standard teabag offerings, Oregon chai, etc.
They do make some effort to have some vegan options, such as pre-packaged ABC cookies. This is better than nothing, but falls short of the fresh, home-made vegan desserts and snacks you could get at other places in Uptown.
Plan B doesn't do anything new or anything daring, but at least they got a good vibe. If you're looking for unusual, fresh, lovingly-made snacks, desserts and drinks in Uptown, go to Namaste Cafe, Common Roots or French Meadow. If you just want a cup of tea with Silk soy milk, Plan B is fine.
In the vegan world raw food falls into a weird niche that has a lot of ardent supporters and also a fair share of skeptics. Pure Market Express, though, can win over skeptics and even surprise the choir.
First, this is not really a cafe. It's more of a pick-up retail outlet. There is space where you can sit and eat (a cool, elevated oval table) but all of the food will come to you in plastic packages and wrappings and you'll have to use plastic utensils. As such, if you're eco-conscious, I recommend bringing your own silverware and plates and insisting on the place using those.
Second, it's better if you order your food a day in advance. This should reduce your wait time as each dish takes quite a while to prepare (raw food is extremely complex, despite seeming simple in theory).
We shared a number of dishes and desserts. To start we had a lasagna ($10) which was just wonderful: it was fresh, light, full of a subtle basil-pesto flavor and superbly layered with "noodles" made of zucchini. Second we had a sausage pizza ($14) which was also excellent: a thin, cracker crust with nut cheese and a fresh tomato sauce. The sausages were made of nuts, mushrooms and other good things. This dish required a fair amount of assembly as each component was separately packaged. Our last dish was the jalapeno poppers ($9) which were also really tasty though I wasn't a fan of the chewy, salty eggplant-"bacon" strips that you sprinkle over the nut cheese-filled jalapeno pieces. Lastly, we got a free sample of pepperoni bites which were really delicious, crispy and tasted like actual pepperoni, more so than even the phony pepperoni you get at Galactic Pizza or Pizza Luce.
For dessert we had a slice of chocolate cheesecake ($8) and a piece of pumpkin pie ($9). The chocolate cheesecake was amazingly rich and dense. It also retained a sense of "wild" flavor with hints of cacao. The pumpkin pie was good, but not great. I was impressed that it really tasted like pumpkin even though there's no pumpkin in the ingredients. We also got to sample different macaroons; my favorites were the coconut and caramel ones, though the chocolates ones could hold their own.
On a whole this was some of the best raw food I've ever had. I'd actually want to come back here and try more things. For reference's sake, the food here is orders of magnitude better than what you can get at Ecopolitan. Ecopolitan isn't bad, but I find the flavors and preparations there to be extremely intense and hard to handle.
In fact, too much of raw cuisine easily turns people off with its intensity of flavors. Pure Market Express somehow manages to soften the edges and create food that's readily edible and doesn't require any acquired tastes.
I do have a few major issues with Pure Market Express: 1. there's an inordinate amount of packaging with each dish. Really unbelievable quantities of plastic wraps, boxes, utensils and more. I understand that they're more of a mail-order business, but maybe they could cut down on the packaging for in-store orders?; 2. the food is pretty expensive and comes in small portions. It's just as expensive as Ecopolitan, and much tastier, but also has portion sizes about 50% smaller than Ecopolitan; 3. it's way out in Chaska (a good 30 minute, 25 mile drive). That said, they do deliver to the Twin Cities.
In conclusion, Pure Market Express is worth the drive to Chaska and definitely worth it if you're skeptical about raw food. Nothing here disappointed us and a few dishes really amazed us. If all raw food were like this I would eat it more often.
Quang has large portions and a decent number of vegan options. But the food itself is industrial, heavy, oily and salty in taste; it surely lacks the delicate flavors that Vietnamese food calls for. Jasmine Deli is still the undisputed king of Vietnamese food and will remain that way. In terms of atmosphere, Quang seems more like a greasy Chinese diner/buffet with laminted tables, vinyl seating and fluorescent lights. This is a good place to get your fix for oily, heavy food, but it is no culinary gem, nor is it representative of true Vietnamese cuisine.
The previous review scared me off from this place as I hate restaurants that don't disclose or even care about serving fish/oyster sauce to vegetarians.
But I gave this place a shot today and was not displeased. Our server assured us that the menu has been redone and revamped and that all dishes with the vegetarian symbol are 100% vegetarian, without fish/oyster sauce.
Our steamed vegetable dumplings ($7) were really tasty and light; the filler vegetables and mushrooms felt fresh, too. I think they're over-priced but they are definitely well-done.
I enjoyed my fried tofu with chives and mushrooms ($12). The sauce was light and not bogged down with corn starch and oil like you find at most Chinese strip-mall joints. I think there was some red wine in the sauce, too, which was a nice touch. The dish could have used way more tofu (there were only four pieces in the whole dish but no end of bean sprouts), but the flavor was subtle and good. My friend's non-veg dish also looked pretty fresh, simple and appealing. No grease, no rapidly-congealing sauces.
I also liked Rainbow's non-alcoholic cocktails which consisted of clever mixes of pop and fruit juices.
The decor is nice and modern and this is a good place to take a date.
I only have two gripes about Rainbow: a) they don't offer brown rice and; b) the portion sizes are way too small for the prices (most dishes are $12).
So while I like the light and un-greasy flavors at Rainbow, I'd still much rather go a few blocks up the road to Evergreen, which is cheaper, gives larger portion sizes, and has an infinitely more innovative and vegan-friendly menu. Rainbow makes good food but the dishes are pedestrian. Evergreen makes excellent food and has dishes you won't find anywhere else in the country. As such, I know where I'll be spending my food dollars.
Yet another mediocre, depressingly-decorated, buffet-serving North Indian restaurant. I don't understand why North Indian restaurants all look the same and all serve the exact same mind-numbingly mundane and heavy, oily dishes.
As the child of Indian immigrants, I grew up with Indian food, albeit South Indian cuisine. That said, I am extensively familiar with North Indian fare as well, especially after living in India for a year after college.
After explaining my vegan requirements my waiter suggested the aloo gobi, a classic North Indian dish. The service was friendly and prompt. The vegetarian section of the menu seemed to be mostly lacto-vegetarian so make sure to ask for a dish that doesn't have ghee, butter, cream or yogurt in the sauce.
The food was passable at best. Like most other North Indian restaurants I've been to in the US, this one served up a copper bowl filled with a heavy, thick curry sauce with a flavor that sledgehammers you over the head. No subtlety in this dish. It was a bit too salty and citric for my likes, and the potato and cauliflower were cut in excessively large sizes, which also seems to be standard practice at North Indian joints. Also, the tandoori roti was too thick. Delicacy, attention to detail and understatement are generally not to be found at North Indian restaurants.
The prices are reasonable though it's depressing to be in the restaurant with its tacky decor and slightly run-down feel. I was hoping for some creativity in the food, something unique, a touch of home-cooked goodness, but did not find it here.
If you want innovative, fresh, light, simple and tasty food that's Indian-esque, go a few blocks down the street to The Himalayan or to Namaste Cafe on Hennepin Avenue. If you want quality vegan Indian food, check out The Vegetarian or Nala Pak, both on Central Avenue NE, and both of which are 100% vegetarian and clearly label their menus to show what's vegan. You don't have to play the "non-dairy" game at those places, unlike Raja's Mahal.
All in all, Raja's Mahal is a disappointment. I give them two stars only because the service was friendly and the food wasn't completely horrendous (but wasn't good either).
I wasn't initially sure how to review Red Dragon. For one thing, it's an institution in Uptown. It's always packed at night with people looming over you, waiting to occupy your table/booth (get there before 9 p.m. if you want to sit down). The drinks are super-strong and most cost $8-$11. So, it's not a cheap place for cocktails, but the vibe in the joint and the amount of liquor they give you makes up for any high prices.
Onto the food: I was surprised that Red Dragon, given its location and clientele, does not have more vegan options. They serve LOTS of meat and most of the dishes are Chinese or Southeast Asian.
There's a small "vegetarian" section on the menu, but our waiter told us that the only vegan dish is the Buddhist Delight with mock duck. I'm not sure what they're putting in the other dishes, but it makes me worried, because East Asian food typically doesn't use dairy or eggs in their sauces/curry mixes. Yet the description of the dishes doesn't mention egg as an ingredient anywhere. In other words, they might be using fish sauce or some other awful thing in their so-called "vegetarian" dishes. Make sure to ask.
That said, the Buddhist Delight dish was fairly tasty, though in a salty, MSG-laden, gooey corn-starch-sauce kind of way. It'll definitely hit the spot if you're drunk, which you will be after one Red Dragon cocktail.
The service was friendly and attentive, despite the hectic, crowded, busy nature of the joint. Impressive. They definitely need more vegan dishes, but I give them props for their ambience.
Red Sea offered solid, simple Ethiopian food. I enjoyed my split pea with injera dish; it was delicately spiced and tasted fresh. The portion size was large (and included two small sides of red lentils and spinach---for free, apparently) and nicely priced at $8.99.
I wasn't impressed with the ambience of the place, though. If it weren't for the kindred spirits with whom I was eating, I would have found it difficult to have stayed in there for too long. For one thing, there's sickly, dark lighting with some stray bits of neon near the counter/bar. The speakers played random music and the big screen tv's glare was hard to avoid. This isn't a good place to take a date or to enjoy a pleasant dinner. I'm not sure I'd want to be there for alcoholic drinks, either. Just too bleak.
Rice Paper is quaint and small, with friendly service. The food is definitely tasty (try the spicy/smoky/sweet grilled "New Moon tofu" or the excellent, subtle, complex green onion Chinese pancake wraps), but the prices are much too high. Everything is in the $15-18 range for dinner and $10-13 for lunch. Also, there aren't a huge number of vegan-friendly options, as even the veg-seeming dishes contain fish sauce. I don't appreciate restaurants that consider fish to be vegetarian, or restaurants that don't list or mark what's specifically vegan/vegetarian. In the Twin Cities, with so many vegans and vegetarians, people shouldn't have to ask whether or not a dish contains fish sauce; it's discourteous for restaurants to not disclose this information openly. In conclusion, the food is tasty, but expensive. Make sure to specify you're vegan. But for my money, I'd rather go to Jasmine Deli or Jasmine 26, which are more vegan-friendly, have better atmosphere, and equally tasty food---but much cheaper.
I give Royal Orchid a 4-star rating, though with a tiny bit of hesitation.
Having grown disgusted by the "we want to be a chic bistro"-style Thai restaurants in Minneapolis, I decided to venture out into the suburbs to see what was available. I thought to myself, maybe outside of the city center one can find honest, simple Thai food that isn't dumbed-down or industrialized for co-ed taste buds in Uptown.
Royal Orchid, cozily tucked away in the corner of a strip mall in Roseville, offers an effective antidote to the mediocre, standardized Thai food in Minneapolis.
My green curry was hearty and had a good, strong flavor that suggested a personalized touch---this was home-cooked Thai food, carefully prepared, by someone with a welcoming idiosyncratic preparation sytle. That's the way Thai food should be.
The restaurant, most importantly, accommodates vegans and doesn't screw around with furtive fish/oyster sauce or other unsavory ingredients. The statement on the menu about "strict vegetarians" was reassuring. This restaurant, like most in Thailand, respects vegan and vegetarian diets and doesn't make it a guessing game for patrons.
My only reasons for hesitation on the 4-star rating: the curry, however tasty, had corn and carrots in it, which is strange and completely irregular; oddly enough, the curry DID NOT contain eggplant, which is the one staple of green curries. While the food tasted good I have to disagree with some of their ingredient choices. On the other hand, it does show the sign of an independent cook willing to do his/her own thing. Also, the service was fairly friendly, but a little bit inattentive. I could have used some more water fill-ups, for example.
Now I just wish that Royal Orchid were actually in Minneapolis. But at least whenever I have to go the big-box stores at Rosedale Center I'll have a great restaurant to eat at.
Sambol is a nicely decorated, predominantly North Indian restaurant in a strip mall in Eagan. Normally I wouldn't bother going out of my way for a place like this, but Sambol also serves Sri Lankan food, making it one of very few places to do so in the Midwest (and maybe even in the country at large).
The standard lunch buffet offered only North Indian options, so I instead ordered from the menu, getting a "gothamba roti" ($11.95; Sri Lankan vegetable curry with thin wheat flat bread). Unfortunately there aren't many Sri Lankan options on the actual in-store menu (the online menu, which has many options, seems to be out of date).
I found the dish to be extremely reminiscent of a Thai red curry. Rich coconut milk served as a filling base, and red chili went well with the vegetables in the dish, namely peas, cauliflower, green peppers and carrots.
The roti had an interesting texture, not being soft, but not being hard or chewy either. I liked the unusual nature of the bread. I wasn't offered rice, but it seems they don't have brown rice anyway (only white), which is a minus.
While the food was tasty enough, the portion size was quite small, especially for the $11.95 price tag (not including tax or tip).
Given Sambol's remote location in Eagan, I won't be back often, especially as the Sri Lankan choices here are limited; however, I might be willing to give their North Indian curries a try at some point in the future, as I appreciate any place that tries to serve up different or unusual foods. Restaurants like these tend to do a good job on normal/everyday dishes, as they're probably what pay the bills (as opposed to exotic Sri Lankan dishes).
Sen Yai Sen Lek is a gem. It keeps getting better each time I go back and is one of only a handful of Thai restaurants that I've been to in the US that accurately recreates the flavors I encountered regularly in Thailand itself.
First the foremost, this is probably one of only a couple Thai restaurants in the Twin Cities where you can be guaranteed to get a meal without fish sauce, without shrimp paste and without any other animal product. The staff and owners here understand and respect veganism and go to great lengths to make sure we are accommodated, and in fine style, I might add (separate veg*n menu, numerous veg*n appetizers, entrees and desserts, and friendly staff that always finds answers to your questions).
Secondly the food here is simply excellent. The curries and stir-frys are robust and complex and never feel watered down or simplified like at practically every other Thai restaurant in the Twin Cities (I'm looking at you, Tum Rup Thai and your Uptown clones). Too often does Thai food get turned into either piddling pad thai or soy sauce stir-frys over white rice; at Sen Yai, on the other hand, you'll get a dish loaded with herbs, a multitude of Thai chilis, and tricky variations of from-scratch, hard-to-make curry pastes. You never get the sense that Sen Yai takes shortcuts in its preparation.
Third, Sen Yai Sen Lek really listens to its customers and makes changes quickly. The first time I went they didn't have a separate veg*n menu. The second time they did have a veg*n menu, though my noodle dish seemed a little bland. When I came back the third time my next dish was wonderfully spicy and hearty. The fourth time I went they didn't have brown rice but their green curry with tofu was still stunning and substantial in its spice levels and overall heft. Finally, the latest time I went, the panang curry with mock duck ($11.95) was fragrant, rich, and now came with brown rice.
I also had a dessert, black beans with sticky rice and coconut milk ($4.95) which really hit the spot. You'll often see sticky rice with mango or banana, but rarely do you see unusual ingredients such as black beans. In another testament to Sen Yai Sen Lek's quality and attention-to-detail, the dessert came with a little twig of mint leaves. This doesn't sound like much, but it's something I have never seen at any other Thai restaurant, and it added that much more flavor, complexity and interest to the dessert.
Finally, this is a great place either for a quick, affordable lunch (lunch specials are around $8-9), or an intimate, extended dinner date. They have a good selection of beer and wine and the interior decoration is warm and inviting. I highly recommend Sen Yai Sen Lek.
Senor Wong makes the best vegan tacos I've had---the "el mockos" made with mock duck. They're authentic, simple, and delicious. And they recently expanded their veg. options and have labeled their veg. menu items as well.
I like the downtown St. Paul location as it's an area devoid of many vegan-friendly restaurants (Tanpopo is the only other that comes to mind). Senor Wong has a lounge/bar feel and it draws the power lunch crowd. At night they have DJs and it's a good place to take a date or a group. It's cozy and yet also hip and smart.
I found the service to be friendly but slow. The menu has a number of vegan-friendly choices, mostly of the Thai/Korean/Vietnamese variety and has recently doubled their vegetarian and vegan offerings. I had a bell pepper stir fry with tofu ($8) in a home-made Korean sauce (or so they told me). It looked great but tasted bland and flat somehow. It was missing something. I might try a different stir fry the next time.
At the recommendation of the previous reviewer, I tried a mock duck taco a la carte ($3.50)---truly this "mocko" is a treat and a wonderful replica of authentic Mexican street food, down to its ingredients, taste and presentation. I honestly was not expecting a pan-Asian restaurant to do such a wonderful version of a Mexican standard. The corn tortilla was served open-face, slightly crisped, and the mock duck was subtly grilled/roasted (amazing touch!); the whole thing was lightly covered in pico de gallo. No lettuce, no cheese, no beans or other Americanized nonsense. It was a Mexican taco, although blessedly veganized with wonderfully-cooked mock duck (they didn't just dump it on straight out of the can). Happy Hour prices are lower so consider coming here after work to load up on these treats.
While I shop at The Wedge more often (entirely due to its proximity to my home), Seward Co-op's prices have me reconsidering things.
The prices on produce of all types seems consistently and significantly lower at Seward than at The Wedge (today, for example, Seward is selling avocados for $0.89 a piece, whereas The Wedge is selling them for $1.49 a piece).
Similarly, prices on other items such as Field Roast mockmeats and Seeds of Change pasta sauce, are on average 10-20% lower than at The Wedge.
So, price-wise, Seward wins hands down. But in terms of selection, The Wedge offers many more varieties of non-dairy milk brands, yogurts, ice creams and bulk dry produce (such as nuts, grains and rice). Also, The Wedge has better vegan baked goods and hot cooked foods and sandwiches, in addition to a larger selection.
But I like that Seward has a little cafe/dine-in area to sit and eat or chat, which is something that The Wedge sorely lacks. The community aspect of The Wedge is missing.
In summary, Seward is definitely cheaper, edgier and less corporate than The Wedge. But in terms of selection and (sometimes) quality and variety, The Wedge wins. We'll see what happens when Seward moves to its new, larger location.
UPDATE: The more I go to Seward, the more I like it. It's more consistent at producing tasty meals than its main competitor, Hard Times Cafe; the food's quality doesn't seem to be determined by the whim of whoever is the line cook at any given moment. It's also slightly friendlier than HTC. However, it is not 100% vegetarian, unlike HTC.
I'm always impressed by their greasy but tasty hash browns, as well as the vegan french toast. I finally got to try their lunch food and was impressed with their marinated tempeh gyro which was filling, fresh and well-prepared. Next time I'll try their tofu sandwiches. I wish they offered these dishes on the weekends; unfortunately, they close too early (3 p.m.) on weekdays for me to get a chance to try their lunch foods more often. Their brunch food has some high points (french toast and hash browns), but treads mediocrity on others (tofu mock muffin is dry and small, biscuits and gravy is bland).
I'm not as impressed with their baked goods, though they do offer a good number of vegan and gluten-free cookies and muffins. HTC has mediocre baked goods as well. Also, Seward's bottomless cup of tea sounds great in concept, but is poorly executed, as the tea is low-grade and tends to over-brew on the hot plate.
Prices are good, though not as cheap as they used to be (most dishes range $5-8), and portion sizes are good, but not as large as at Triple Rock Social Club, another competitor.
The wait for the food is generally long (15-20 minutes).
In summary, Seward offers a few good dishes and has great lunch items which are unfortunately not available on weekends. Their weekday hours are problematic and I wish they'd stay open longer.
I also wish they were 100% vegetarian; what's the point of struggling to serve one or two local-meat dishes, when you can go all-veg for a mostly-veg crowd anyway?
Finally, my biggest gripe: they're cash and check only. Since I never carry around my checkbook I always have to remember to have a wad of cash with me, which is annoying in this electronic day and age.
As far as Americanized Chinese food goes, Shuang Cheng is pretty good, and has a much larger selection of vegan/vegetarian selections than most Chinese places.
We shared a curry mock duck, modified to have more vegetables ($8.25) and a spicy vegetarian vegetables ($7.95). Make sure to ask questions about ingredients, as some dishes contain oyster sauce.
I thought the curry mock duck was tasty in a salty-MSG way. Tender mock duck and a large portion size make this dish a good value.
The spicy vegetarian vegetables was bland, though, and the sauce had so much cornstarch that it congealed into a thick glop. It also skimped on the tofu.
And, as expected, there's no brown rice available. Say it with me, folks: brown rice tastes good and does a body good. Not offering brown rice at an Asian restaurant is akin to having only Wonder Bread at a sandwich shop. It's sacrilege.
Given that Camdi is so hit-or-miss, I like that Shuang Cheng provides an alternative veg-friendly option in Dinkytown. If you're looking for excellent Chinese food go to Evergreen. But if you just want a quick, cheap stir-fry and aren't in Uptown, Shuang Cheng does a slightly above-average job.
Singapore Restaurant is a semi-classy Malaysian joint with friendly service and a nicely vegan-friendly menu. I tried the Captain's Curry after reading rave reviews about it; honestly, it was decent, but nothing spectacular. I probably wouldn't order it again given all the other vegetarian dishes on the menu. It was strangely salty, but the salt was masked by subtle hints of peanut, garlic and sugar. The curry itself was too watery for my likes and the vegetables were not really cooked---all of the vegetables were chopped in huge chunks and just tossed into the wok a couple of minutes before completion, if I had to guess. The vegetable choices weren't exactly inspired either---cabbage, broccoli, carrots, onions and a couple pieces of green bell pepper.
There was also a TON of tofu in the mix. Huge, block-sized pieces with didn't add anything to the meal, as the tofu was not cooked either.
There aren't many Malaysian restaurants in the Twin Cities (I think the newly-opened "Bali" is the only other one) so I'm glad that Singapore offers some variety. But the food seemed haphazardly prepared. I'll definitely give it another shot as other dishes on the menu sounded appealing and the service was definitely welcoming and accommodating.
The restaurant is in a random, isolated residential area that was awfully dark at night (no street lights) so I advise caution if you're riding a bike there. There's also a steady stream of traffic on 34th Avenue, and most of the cars seemed to be speeding and not making full stops at stop signs, so be careful.
Spoonriver is a sufficiently swanky spot to get a drink or meal before a show at the Guthrie. If you're on a date I recommend it for its convenience.
Food-wise, however, Spoonriver falls short, mostly because of some ingredient errors and also because of a lack of value for your money. While the menu has about three vegan or veganizable dishes, and two vegan appetizers, nothing really stood out as being "must-have" or highly innovative. And given the high prices at Spoonriver the food and portion sizes really do not live up to their cost.
We shared the veg. special of the night, an eggplant-squash-chickpea "stew" over couscous ($17), as well as an udon mock duck salad with peanut dressing ($15). The eggplant chickpea stew was tasty, but could have been served hotter (in terms of temperature). It was basically an Indian curry, though in a small portion. The eggplant wasn't properly integrated into the dish and felt tacked-on and out-of-place; I think the dish would have been better if they dropped the eggplant and added tofu or mock duck/seitan to the curry itself.
The udon salad was also relatively tasty, but I think they used the wrong types of vegetables (why lettuce and radish, when bell peppers, carrots or Chinese broccoli would have been more appropriate?). The peanut sauce had good, subdued flavor and the mock duck was unusually fresh and "meaty," but for $15 this dish did not fulfill my expectations. At Noodles & Company you can get an extremely similar peanut sauce noodle dish, which is just as tasty, but one-and-a-half times the portion size, for $8.
The service was friendly, attentive and knowledgeable.
Also, the drinks were pretty good, too. I had a ginger cosmo ($10) which was an excellent, smooth mixture of cranberry nectar and vodka. While the cocktails are expensive the quality of ingredients and the unusual flavors justify the price.
In conclusion, Spoonriver has the outlines of a a great place, but the content of a mediocre one. If they dropped their prices by 20-30% and looked up some more sophisticated vegan offerings (take a gander at what Blossom, Horizons or Candle 79 offer) I'd come back.
Spyhouse is in a nice location and has good atmosphere with plenty of space to study or read or check out local artwork. I like that they have some pre-packaged vegan cookies, but their drinks are mediocre and the same as any other place---just the same old liquid Oregon chai mix added to some soy milk. Every cafe in Minneapolis does that. If you want fresh, home-made chai brews, go to Namaste Cafe, Common Roots or Butter Bakery. If you're just looking for a place to hang out and drink a cup of coffee or tea, Spyhouse serves the purpose.
I like the quaint, cozy atmosphere in St. Martin's Table. The staff is always friendly and helpful. I also love how much of the proceeds go to charity and that the place is non-profit.
The food is simple, tasty, fresh and cheap. I usually get a cup of soup and a whole sandwich combo for $7.50. The soup is often times heartier than the sandwich; I particularly like their chili, or their curry soups, while the sandwich is just basically sprouts and a tofu or bean spread on top of fluffy bread. That said, it hits the spot, and it's usually hard for me to decide between the flavors for their spreads and soups (they usually have two vegan soup options and two vegan spread options).
Sometimes they have a vegan dessert option as well. I wasn't expecting much, but the mocha chocolate cake ($3.75) I had was spectacular---it was unusually moist, fluffy, soft and rich. The mocha flavor was oh-so-subtle. It was easily superior to anything at Hard Times, Seward Cafe or The Wedge. In some respects, I think it was better than even the turtle cake at French Meadow.
If St. Martin's had one or two killer vegan desserts daily, and also a mockmeat sandwich, I'd be there all the time, as the atmosphere is great, the prices are good, the food is fresh and light, and the mission of the cafe is pleasant and inspiring.
Yet another industrial-grade, oily North Indian restaurant. How many of these are there in the Twin Cities?
I came for lunch with some colleagues and was forced to make-do at the standard buffet. At least some Indian joints let you order off the menu if you don't want the buffet, but Surabhi doesn't. All I wanted was a dosa, but instead had to settle on chewy papadadum, and a grease-heavy chana (chickpea) dish with crappy white rice. The rest of the veg. options in the buffet were loaded with cream or yogurt.
I didn't appreciate having to ask about which dishes were vegan versus vegetarian. If you want Indian or Indian-style food, go to The Himalayan, The Vegetarian, Nala Pak or Namaste Cafe. They label what's vegan and what's not, and the quality of their food is much higher.
T's place has great atmosphere with lots of space and a bar and live music on some nights. Also, their food is tasty and unusual, particularly the vegan dishes like "yesawir wot," which feature wonderfully-spiced and flavored lentils, alongside a big, fluffy, spongy rice pancake. It reminded me of South Indian food, but had distinctly different flavors and a hearty, home-cooked feel. It's not often that one gets to eat Ethiopian food. The food here is not oily or greasy or heavy; it fills lightly and you feel satisfied. Their spicy tofu was also delicious. My only complaints are with the service and the menu---the online menu features only some of the vegan dishes they offer (they're labeled online), but their actual, in-restaurant menu doesn't label what's vegan and what's not (many of the dishes are lacto-vegetarian). So unless you've memorized the online menu, you're out of luck if you're vegan. Similarly, when I asked the waitress about ingredients, she didn't seem to know. The food comes out quickly, but service is otherwise slow and inattentive. Also, the first time I went, the main cook was unavailable, so I couldn't order half the menu. The next time I went, the cook was available, but the restaurant was mysteriously "half-open" and they kept the door locked, forcing people to knock on the window to gain entrance. All in all, the service and menu have much room to improve, but the food is unusual, tasty and lovingly-prepared.
Tam Tam's offers a small, simple menu of pan-African stews, savory pastries and vegetable curry-style dishes. It is more meat-centric than not, but it does have some vegetarian dishes, all of which appear to be vegan.
I had the lentil sambosas ($2.50) which were similar to Indian samosas, but crispier and filled with different ingredients. The sambosa had a good crunch to it and the lentils stuffed inside were nicely flavored and kept whole, rather than turned into a mush.
I also had the "vegetable delight" ($8.99) which was a mish-mash of vegetables in a thick, semi-spicy curry sauce. It wasn't spectacular, but it was tasty enough, and seemed fresh and filling. The portion size was huge and I could barely eat even a third of it. The dish comes with either white rice (no brown rice here, sadly), injera or "ugali" (cornmeal bread); I had the rice and ugali. The rice was standard basmati, but the ugali was a big loaf of white cornmeal and was a nice, and unusual, alternative to plain old rice.
The service was a bit slow but friendly enough. The decor is above average and the place seems to attract an array of customers, from old Somali women to college students.
Finally, as an added bonus, Tam Tam's is part of the "Rewards Network" which gives you various perks (such as airline miles or cash-back or other 'points') when you dine there. I racked up over 80 Northwest air miles from my meal (6 miles per dollar spent Monday-Wednesday, 3 miles on other days). Pretty sweet.
Tanpopo is a wonderful restaurant. It looks and feels like a home and, indeed, the food is cooked "home-style" and is simple and tasty. There is ample parking nearby and the service is friendly and fast. I appreciated that they have a beer and sake menu, which makes for an even better occasion. Finally, the food is simple but delicious; they substitute vegan mushroom broth for their noodle-soup dishes, whcih are ample, fresh, healthy and well-seasoned. I loved their tofu soba noodle bowl (kitsune) and will try their wild mushroom bowl next time. Highly recommended. My only gripe is that they don't have more vegan options, other than the kitsune and mushroom bowls; other than that, they only have one or two vegan appetizers.
UPDATE: Tao, while still tasty and good, increased its prices in 2008 as well as reducing its portion sizes. So, you pay more, but get less food. I still like the food here---they have delicious vegan milkshakes (12 oz. for $7 ??) and a great black bean burger ($8)---but I've cut back on going here as the place is so expensive and the portion sizes are so tiny.
Tao also nickle and dimes you for everything. Add avocado to a sandwich? $2.50. Extra bread? $2.50. Before you know it, your $8 meal turns out to be $13 or more with these add-ons and you leave still feeling hungry.
Also, they got rid of their vegan waffle (why???) and their veggie burger is not vegan either (it has cheese in it). What a disappointment. At least they added the black bean burger, which makes up for the loss of the cheese-filled veggie burger. Also, their macrobiotic rice plates pack more of a kick than you might guess, especially with toasted sesame oil.
All that said, Tao has great atmosphere. It's a cozy little corner joint with the feel of an old-time diner. The wait for food can be long, but that's only because each dish is lovingly prepared and hand-made; no short-cuts here.
The food is healthy, fresh and nicely prepared. They also feature at least one or two vegan desserts. Tao also has a large selection of health food and body-care items, as well as a small book section, in case you need more than just food.
The menu here is misleading, as it uses the word "vegetarian" but does not disclose that every dish has either fish/oyster sauce or shrimp paste. That said, with the exception of the curries, all the dishes can be made vegan.
Taste of Thailand is probably the best Thai restaurant downtown (and one of the only ones, for that matter), and probably one of the better ones in Minneapolis. It slightly edges out Amazing Thailand in Uptown, in my opinion.
We asked lots of questions and had a wonderfully friendly and helpful waitress who checked with the chef about ingredients. First, as stated earlier, none of the curries are vegan or vegetarian, and cannot be modified (the curry pastes all contain shrimp paste). Even the so-called "vegetarian red curry" is not, in fact, vegetarian.
Also, all of the stir-frys have oyster sauce, but at least these dishes can be modified to be completely vegan.
We had a Pad Bai Kra Prao (basil stir-fry) with mock chicken and no oyster sauce ($10.50). I found the dish to be nicely seasoned and spicy; it felt like there was some authenticity and heft to this dish, which can easily be made bland by a lesser restaurant. The mock chicken was cooked well, though it looked and tasted exactly like mock duck to me.
We also had a Pad Thai with tofu, and no egg or oyster sauce ($10.50). I liked the Pad Thai quite a bit, as it had an array of flavors and tastes, spanning the range from sweet to spicy to sour, which once again suggested authenticity. Pad Thai can easily be made poorly, but this place managed to get the tricky balance of flavors just perfect. The tofu could have been marinated or seasoned more, but that's a minor quibble.
In the end, this is a good Thai restaurant, but make sure to insist on no fish/oyster sauce in the non-curry dishes. Avoid the curries all together if you are vegan or vegetarian and don't wish to eat shrimp paste.
I give this place kudos for having a separate vegan menu (albeit only containing drinks, not food) and for having a decent array of loose-leaf teas. I also like that they have pre-packaged vegan cookies (though freshly baked ones are better).
However, I don't like the ambience in there. It's a bit too spartan and unwelcoming, in my view. And it doesn't fall into the hip, retro-modern look, either. It just looks plain, with a slight twinge of grime, the likes that accumulates when tables aren't cleaned off regularly.
Their worst offense, by far, is that they don't have mugs or in-house cups. Everything comes in paper cups, with those cardboard holders, and un-recyclable lids. This is inexcusable given that they're in the eco-mecca of Uptown, and that almost every other independent cafe in the Twin Cities offers re-usable cups and utensils. Tea Garden has a long way to go in terms of being eco-friendly.
This place gets crowded and was bustling when I came for lunch on a Tuesday at 1 p.m. I waited a few minutes for a table. It seems like a business power-lunch hotspot.
The service was friendly, if somewhat inattentive. I skipped the lunch special, as I'm sure the soup offered wasn't vegan; better to just go for the dinner menu and get a larger portion size for leftovers.
My "Garlic Lover's" with tofu was tasty enough, but the sauce was a gloppy, gooey, pinkish cornstarch mixture that seemed better fitted for a strip-mall Chinese take-out joint. Also, they don't offer brown rice, which is a bummer.
Prices are reasonable. I'll try ThanhDo again for their curries and maybe another stir-fry. Generally speaking, I like my pan-Asian food to be prepared lightly, with simple, fresh ingredients and not a lot of extra processing (i.e. corn starch and oil). Delicacy is the key, especially in Vietnamese or Thai food. I'm not sure ThanhDo is capable of this, based on my first visit, but I'm willing to try them again to find out.
Tiger Sushi started in the Mall of America, which is fitting, given its mediocrity and utter lameness. Indeed, Tiger Sushi is representative of everything that's wrong with suburban mall-culture America and the insipid rise of generic sushi joints.
If you're a sorority girl looking for a place to start out your Friday night, or if you're a newbie to "ethnic food," Tiger Sushi will probably impress you and make you feel edgy and smart. You'll have fun playing with your chopsticks and pretending to like raw fish.
If, however, you're more adventurous and willing to go to places other that aren't owned by a corporate body, please read on:
I started out with a draft of Sapporo ($2.50 for happy hour), which was probably the best part of my meal; I did, however, find myself wondering how a supposedly "Japanese" restaurant could commit the grave sin of not offering Asahi Super-Dry, which is arguably the best mass-market beer Japan has ever produced. It would be like going to an American restaurant and seeing Budweiser, but no Miller.
After the beer I had a "kitsune udon bowl" ($8.95) which consisted of slimy noodles in a broth that seemed to be watered-down soy sauce and absolutely nothing else. I don't know if you've ever tried drinking soy sauce, but it's not pleasant. I foolishly thought that the menu's statement of "vegan version available" meant I'd get a mushroom broth, which is standard at true Japanese restaurants. While I give Tiger Sushi points for using the word "vegan" on the menu, I must say that their execution was revolting.
For vegans, there's one other type of noodle bowl, as well as a kung pao tofu appetizer, and steamed edamame. Other than that, vegans (and even lacto-ovo vegetarians) are out of luck in terms of food.
The hostess originally tried to seat me at the sushi bar, in a cramped spot wedged between two couples. I wouldn't have been able to even spread my elbows. Ironically, she called this "the best seat in the house" and didn't seem to think otherwise. Instead I seated myself at the empty and spacious bar.
The service was friendly and prompt. Kudos to them for that.
But let's get back to the mediocrity of Tiger Sushi. Not one block down the road, another Japanese restaurant, moto-i has the vision, creativity and courage to be the first and only saké brew pub in the US, and only the second in the entire world. Indeed, moto-i not only dares to serve a delicious, unusual product, (brewed on site), but it does so with skill and reinforces Minneapolis' reputation for cutting-edge food culture. It also educates people about a topic---saké---that they otherwise might not learn about.
What's Tiger Sushi's idea of boldness? Having a circular sushi bar. Track lighting. Waiters wearing shirts that say "Macho maki man" and waitresses wearing shirts saying "Tigress."
Three miles away on Lake Street, vegans and non-vegans can go to the family- and Japanese-owned Midori's Floating World Cafe. The food there is lovingly hand-crafted and they feature a separate vegan menu that offers far more options, with far better quality food. They offer multiple Japanese beers (including Asahi) and other, unusual liquors, such as plum wine. There are no curved sushi bars and tacky t-shirt slogans. There's no corporate, suburban glean to the place.
In St. Paul you'll find Tanpopo Noodle Shop, which is also Japanese-owned and operated and features a vegan prix-fixe menu on Tuesdays, along with superb noodle bowls with your choice of noodle (soba or udon) and a wonderful mushroom broth. They also have mochi, a Japanese vegan dessert. The food here is home-made and while you can't watch them slice it up in front of you, you can certainly savor its flavor and expand your palate.
Tiger Sushi is an embarrassment to Minneapolis and a sad addition to the Lyn-Lake neighborhood. They should have opened a location in another suburban shopping mall so they could better cater to their core audience. As it stands, they fall woefully short of the quality and innovation of their nearest competition (namely moto-i) but their true crime is homogenizing and bastardizing a cool neighborhood.
Ah, Trader Joe's. Since moving to Minneapolis, a city with so many co-ops, I don't need Trader Joe's the way I used to, when I lived in the suburbs of Chicago.
But I can still always rely on Trader Joe's to offer low prices on soy and rice milks, as well as make unusual and tasty pre-packaged goods like their artichoke dips.
I also really love their store-brand mango-vanilla soy ice cream, which is dirt cheap and arguably better than brands you find elsewhere.
Most of all, I just like the vibe in Trader Joe's. It's casual, fun and sort of post-hippie, but still earthy enough to keep you interested.
Triple Rock is a punk-rock bar with lots of beer, music, atmosphere and a large menu featuring numerous vegan comfort foods. On the weekends they have breakfast items like tofu scramblers and pancakes with vegan sausage; in the evenings they have various sandwiches, nachos, fries and other greasy-spoon vegan options. The service is super-friendly and fast. Prices are all under $10 for most items. Seating might get limited if you have a big group, especially at night. All in all this is a great place with an appreciated focus on accommodating vegans.
Update: Since my initial review on March 13, 2008 I've been to True Thai four or five more times. I've noticed that the quality of the food and the service decreased each time I visited; the waiters seemed to get less friendly and the food seemed to taste worse and worse. The curries tasted burnt and the stir-frys were watery and bland.
I am also deeply concerned about allegations that the curries at True Thai are NEVER vegan and cannot be made vegan. The waiters and the female owner assured me that there was no fish sauce or shrimp/anchovy paste in the curries but the September 24 review by 'vegout' worries me. On the other hand, 'vegout' only posted that one review and hasn't been heard from since, meaning he/she might just have a grudge. But it's worrisome nonetheless.
Personally, I am putting a moratorium on this restaurant until I can find out for sure about their vegan policy. Below is my original review:
True Thai has some of the best Thai I've had in the Twin Cities, with a caveat for vegans and vegetarians listed below. Having lived in Thailand, and having been to at least 100 or more Thai restaurants around the world, I know what Thai food should taste like, and this place is awfully close to the real deal. Ingredients are fresh and light, well-spiced, colorful and fragrant. Prices are reasonable (in the $8-10 range) and they offer unusual options, such as curry puffs (similar to Indian samosas) and a tamarind stir-fry.
My only gripe is this: the menu doesn't clearly list what is and isn't vegan and I'm always suspicious of places when I have to tell them "no fish or oyster sauce or shrimp/anchovy paste." The waiters should tell us outright that some dishes use fish sauce, lest many innocent veg*ns make a false assumption and end up eating fish bladder. True Thai's curries can be made vegan, though if they're using pre-made curry pastes, it might have some sort of fish already mashed into it---the waiters seemed to be on top of this when I asked, but given the hustle and bustle of the place, I'm worried "no fish/oyster/shrimp sauce" specifications might get lost in the frantic kitchen somewhere. So that's my caveat: the food is good, but as a vegan, I'm skeptical of their commitment to me.
I've been to True Thai twice, on a Monday and Wednesday, and both times the place was packed (mostly with university students and professors). That said, we only had to wait five or ten minutes for a table. Service is prompt and friendly, if also hurried. Street parking isn't difficult to find in the area.
This place is decent, at best. The service is friendly and prompt. The decor inside is okay, but nothing special. Prices are pretty low for vegan dishes (under $10). But the food is nothing special. The sweet green curry was a bit too sweet and had no zing. The basil stir-fry (horapa) was decent, but nothing I couldn't make at home---it was just vegetables stir fried in soy sauce with some basil.
I fit this place in a category of lounge-like Thai joints which have mediocre food which, while better than the food in a chain restaurant, is still nothing to rave about. This is the sort of joint that will attract ex-sorority girls and frat boys who have some semblance of taste not to patronize Famous Dave's, but not enough taste to eat on Nicollet. Mediocre Thai or East Asian food is a sin in the Twin Cities, where one can find some of the most spectacular Vietnamese and vegan Chinese food in the country (I'm thinking of Jasmine Deli/Jasmine 26 and Evergreen Restaurant). As such, Tum Rup Thai is to be welcomed for not being a steak joint in Uptown, but it's to be derided for not being anything better than average.
UPDATE: The food here just isn't doing it for me the way it used to. It's still acceptable, and better than your average strip-mall Indian buffet in Bloomington, but lately the dishes here seem a bit too oily and hastily prepared. And the total lack of ambience and decor in the restaurant, while normally not an issue for me, is starting to stand out now that the food quality has decreased. I'd much rather go to Delights of India instead, which is brighter, fresher and has better food.
ORIGINAL review: The Vegetarian has extremely friendly service and a simple menu of basic, honest Indian food. Its specialty is South Indian cooking, but they also have some North Indian standards. Everything that is vegan is clearly marked on the menu and the kitchen is more than willing to modify some dishes to make them vegan, should you wish. The prices are reasonable, too. Overall, a recommended restaurant.
This place has nice atmosphere, some outdoor seating and live music, but it otherwise has almost no vegan food items. This is a bit galling as nearly every other cafe in the extended Uptown area offers at least pre-packaged vegan cookies, if nothing else. But Vera's doesn't even make that effort. In my opinion, I'd rather go to Caffetto (corner of 22nd St. and Lyndale) or even just get tea and appetizers are some place like Jasmine Deli, Namaste Cafe, Galactic Pizza or Pizza Luce. Vera's doesn't offer anything special and doesn't even try to have vegan items.
Sure, Village Wok is greasy, gooey, MSG-laden and buried in corn starch. But as an American Chinese food restaurant, it has inexplicable appeal and also has a huge selection of vegan dishes with the option for mock chicken and mock fish, in addition to ubiquitous standards such as tofu and mock duck.
Warning: Make sure to ask for your dish to be prepared without chicken broth; the menu has a "vegetarian" section but then indicates that you should tell your waiter if you want a dish made without MSG or chicken broth. At least they're upfront about ingredients. My waitress used the word "vegan" without any prompt from me, which was encouraging. I do find it frustrating that chicken broth is somehow considered vegetarian by Village Wok.
I had a mock chicken curry ($8.95) which was a savory, messy dish full of green onions, carrots, water chestnuts and unusual mock chicken. I'm not sure where they got their mock chicken from, but it's pretty realistic and reminded me of just a tad dry, day-old chicken. They also don't scrimp on the portion size. The taste was passable, and probably something I'd appreciate better at a late hour after drinking a few beers. That said, I'd be curious to try some of their other tofu and mock fish dishes.
The place is a low-scale, low-lit dive-esque place, but still was bustling when I went on a Tuesday afternoon.
The service was pretty friendly and attentive (with free tea, like old-school Chinese restaurants back in the day), though my order took nearly 20 minutes to arrive.
Village Wok is no Evergreen, but I appreciate that it offers unusual mockmeats and has such a large array of choices. The food wasn't terrible, but it doesn't stand out; my three-star rating rests primarily on the restaurant's long hours, mockmeats and scrappy mentality.
This place used to be a Vietnamese BBQ with dead animals hanging in the window. So I was pleasantly surprised to walk inside and see a cleaned up, if depressingly utilitarian, interior.
The new owners have revamped the menu and added a substantial number of Thai dishes. In order to get a sense of the quality of this place, I ordered a mock duck sandwich (banh mi), and was impressed by the soft baguette and fresh ingredients served to me. It's definitely on-par with Jasmine Deli's legendary mock duck sandwich, though Vinh Loi falls short because it doesn't offer a spicier, "curry mock duck" option like Jasmine does. Vinh Loi's tofu banh mi was also tasty.
I also had a lemongrass rice noodle dish with fried tofu. It was wonderfully fresh, light and simple. It was also perfectly spiced. I didn't get any sense of excess oil use or cornstarch in the sauce---this felt like home-cooking. The portion size was fairly large and good for left-overs.
Sadly, their Thai food can only be described as pedestrian. It fits in the category of "Thai-lite", which is a shame, because all of the other Thai restaurants in Uptown are equally mediocre: most, but not all, of the ingredients are in place, and the flavors and actual preparation are far off from what Thai food is supposed to be. Stick to Vinh Loi's Vietnamese dishes.
The service was friendly and my waiter helpfully informed me that most of the menu can be made vegan, and that the Vietnamese dishes don't contain fish sauce (the cook doesn't like fish sauce in the Vietnamese dishes, but she uses them in the Thai dishes, so make sure to ask). I just wish they would be more explicit and list the vegan options, or create a separate vegan menu.
Prices are reasonable ($7-9 for the Vietnamese food, $9-12 for the Thai and $3 for a mock duck sandwich).
I love The Wedge. First and foremost it is a community gathering spot and you constantly run into friends there. It represents the liberal, progressive and intelligent nature of the community perfectly. It eliminated plastic bags early in 2008 and most of the customers are conscientious enough to bring their own bags. The staff is consistently cool and helpful and fun to chat with. If you're a member ($80 gets you four shares in the Co-op, along with yearly dividend payments based on your total purchases) you can get good discounts and access to cooking classes and other cool stuff.
The store carries everything you could possibly need, including obscure types of brown sugar and vegan baking ingredients, multiple vegan cheeses, Toffuti cream cheese, three or four brands of tofu and tempeh, six or seven brands of vegan ice creams and non-dairy desserts (soy, rice, oats, coconut, sorbet), multiple brands of vegan deli meats, three brands of soy yogurt and half a dozen different types of non-dairy milks (soy, rice, hemp, almond, etc.). They also carry four or five varieties of veggie burgers.
Their deli/cafe area seems to have gotten much better since I first started going there in October 2007. Today, a year later, they have a vegan burrito, portobella burger and tofu/tempeh sandwich options, in addition to at least two or three hot vegan dishes cooked daily (curries, dals, seitan stews, etc.). I find their sandwiches and deli items to be tasty, fresh and fairly cheap, but their hot cooked items tend to be expensive ($8 per pound) and a bit bland and boring. Make sure to try a sample before ordering anything.
Their baked good section is a rock-solid vegan haven. They always have three or four different types of cakes/pies, in addition to truffle balls, four types of muffins/cupcakes, as well as three types of cookies, and also macaroons and simple things like pumpkin bread or banana bread. Every once in a while they have key lime coconut pie (heavenly), chocolate mousse pie (decadent beyond belief), and cheesecake (crave-inducing). Their cooler section also has wonderful vegan tapioca pudding (made with coconut milk and sugar) and German cake.
I just recently discovered their smoothies and shakes which are unbelievably delicious, though probably calorie-laden. That said, they're cheap at around $4 a pop (in comparison, TAO Cafe on Hennepin charges $7 for the same size soy-banana-chocolate-ice cream smoothie).
I've probably gained 15 pounds because of the continuous, easy access to delicious, varied vegan foods I have there.
My only gripe (and it's not a trivial one): prices are generally higher at The Wedge, though you do get much better quality foods than you would at a mainstream grocery store. But organic produce at The Wedge tends to break the bank---for instance, they'll charge you $2 a pound for green peppers, whereas as Rainbow/Lunds you could get organic for $1.25. Non-organic would be under $1. In other words, produce tends to cost twice as much as elsewhere.
In the end, though, The Wedge is a special place. If I ever leave Minneapolis, it's the first place I'll miss.
I think this Whole Foods has a good selection of vegan packaged goods (such as soy/rice/coconut milks, mockmeats, and desserts). The prices are pretty decent on vegan items as well (for example, Field Roast sausages are only $4.99 here, as opposed to $6.59 at The Wedge).
However, it has a mediocre hot foods section. It only has a few, bland-tasting vegan dishes; their hot wok Asian area is a tad overpriced and also too processed-industrialized in its offerings (tofu teriyaki bowl, etc.).
However, they have at least three or four high quality vegan desserts, including vegan cheesecake from The Chicago Diner. This makes the place serviceable.
Parking is difficult as it's a small lot in a confusing, busy 3-way intersection.
This Whole Foods is smaller and cozier than the Minneapolis location, but it also has a smaller selection of pretty much everything. There aren't as many mockmeat options, the hot bar doesn't have as many vegan items, and the bakery has only one or two vegan cakes, and only one or two Chicago Diner offerings (the Minneapolis location has double the bakery offerings).
It's a nice bike ride from Minneapolis, though.
What utter mediocrity. In a city with no shortage of innovative, delicious East Asian food, Zen Asia thinks it can serve bland, unfocused food and slide by with its track lighting and romantic decor.
I came here for lunch and had a hard time figuring out what was vegan. Choices are limited and seem to comprise a "greatest hits" package of East Asian food: tempura; curry; pho; and all-purpose stir-fry. Instead of focusing on one cuisine and doing it well, Zen Asia wants to pursue a pan-Asian approach, which doesn't necessarily mean failure, but in this case, it does.
I ended up with a tofu stir-fry with mixed vegetables in a garlic-wine sauce ($9). The food was oily and bland, like the most basic stir-fry you've ever tasted in your life. Also, they don't offer brown rice. I found myself struggling to finish my meal and I was kicking myself for not getting a real meal at nearby Galactic Pizza, moto-i, or Pizza Luce.
The decor at Zen Asia is kind of upscale and loft-esque, but the restaurant is too vast and spread-out (also, what's the deal with the carpet?). It's not a place I'd take a date, and there's no bar. The air inside was horribly dry and stuffy and the place smelled like a cross between the shoe section of a sports store and a Lysol-soaked model condo.
My food took over 25 minutes to arrive, even though I was the only person in the restaurant. I must admit the service was extremely friendly and helpful; I felt sorry for my waitress, who was very sweet and attentive and did her best to accommodate my vegan diet, even though (from what I could hear from the kitchen) the cooks didn't seem to care.
If you're looking for good Asian food in a posh environment, go to Jasmine 26 or Rainbow instead. If you just want a good Asian meal, go to Jasmine 26 or Evergreen.
We finally have a vegan cheese that can please both vegans and non-vegans alike: Daiya. Made from cassava root, this cheese actually melts, stretches and looks and tastes like real cheese (and it's soy-, rice-, gluten- and casein-free). ZPizza in Roseville is, as far as I know, the first place in Minnesota to offer it.
I don't remember the last time I was so excited to try a new vegan product. We ordered an extra large "Berkeley Soy Cheese" pizza ($20; note the names of the pizzas haven't yet been changed to reflect Daiya's arrival, but ZPizza no longer offers soy cheese). It came loaded with onions, tomatoes, bell peppers, mushrooms and vegan sausage crumbles; we also asked them to leave off the pesto, which is not vegan.
The pizza was good. Quite good. The vegetables were fresh, the sauce was flavorful, the crush was light and thin (though not as good as Galactic Pizza's crusts) and the Daiya cheese took me back to a world I had forgotten. On a whole, the quality of the pizza here is about equal to that of Galactic or Pizza Luce.
Daiya is an excellent vegan replica of cheese, and much better than any other vegan cheese on the market. It would also be, I suspect, happily consumed by non-vegans, as it has a tangy, authentic taste and texture. It's definitely a signpost in the road: the vegan world is becoming complete and we're turning the corner on cheese.
So, while the Daiya cheese is great, and worth a drive to Roseville, I do have some issues with ZPizza itself: the restaurant at first looks sort of modern and nice, but it seems tackier the longer you stay, and functions more like a dinky mom-and-pop joint, with paper plates, flimsy non-compostable plastic utensils and fountain soda. This is the type of place you'd go to after your kid's tee-ball game. I was expecting something a bit classier, such as actual silverware and table service. This is especially galling, as ZPizza proudly claims, "We use environmentally friendly packaging." With paper plates and plastic forks that go straight into the trash? That's not even greenwashing, that's just outright lying.
However, the prices here are good (cheaper than Pizza Luce or Galactic for the amount of food offered), and the Daiya option alone makes it stand out. I wouldn't want to come here to sit and eat, but I could definitely do take-out.
ZPizza delivers to a five-mile radius, and while that includes Dinkytown and the East Bank, it pretty much skips the rest of Minneapolis, and the trendier areas of St. Paul (south of I-94).
Also, for a limited time, ZPizza offers buy one get one free on large pizzas, but only on Mondays and Tuesdays, which is a pretty remarkable deal.
ZPizza has much room to improve, but I applaud them for making Daiya readily available across the country. Vegans, come here to taste the shape of things to come in the cheese-world.
This is a nice, quaint little cafe just off of Dartmouth's campus. I used to go here if I had out of town guests that weren't too keen on getting Dartmouth cafeteria coffee. The drinks were okay but nothing special (though their website says they'll be getting loose leaf teas soon). Go here for the ambience or if you just want to get out of the Dartmouth bubble for a few hours.
India Queen, how do you stay in business? Your food is terrible so it must be the karaoke that keeps the masses happy.
I ate here a few times during my Dartmouth days but was consistently disappointed. The curry sauces tasted like the tomato paste you get out of a can of Chef Boyardee ravioli.
Go to Jewel of India, which is a block away, instead.
Jewel of India is a fairly decent, standard North Indian restaurant. I liked their aloo gobi and their fried cheese pakora (which I no longer eat since becoming vegan).
The service was usually decent. But the last time I went there I actually had to send a dish back (my standard aloo gobi) because it just tasted awful. I'm not sure what was wrong with it, as I had ordered that dish multiple times before. The owner was not happy with me and gave me a dirty look and didn't attempt to replace the dish. I think I was black-listed from that point forward; fortunately, I was just a few weeks away from graduating, so it didn't really matter.
The ambience is sort of romantic/quiet/classy and I found this was a good place to take a professor for lunch. Back then, Dartmouth students could get a discount, but I'm not sure if they still have that promotion.
I used to eat here all the time when I was a student at Dartmouth. Their curries and stir-frys are fresh and colorful and reasonably priced. They use nice, crisp tofu. Make sure to specify no fish sauce.
This is one of the few restaurants in Hanover that is good to take a date. It has a nice bar and overlooks downtown.
Service is friendly, though tends to be quite slow. Make sure to plan for long waits between sitting down, ordering and actually getting your meal.
My non-vegan friend took me here on a whim and I'm glad he did! There aren't that many casual, vegan-friendly, sit-down joints on the Upper East or West Sides of New York City, but Alice's Tea Cup fills that niche well.
To start, this particular location has excellent ambience---it's like being in someone's cozy kitchen with lots of wood cabinetry and friendly folks chatting.
I liked their extremely large tea loose-leaf tea selection and fairly low prices (I had a cup of black tea from Mauritius for $2).
They only had one vegan baked good at the time, an orange-glaze yellow cake ($6 for one slice), but it was spectacular. It's expensive, for sure, but the size of the cake slice is large and the quality is top-notch gourmet; it was moist, soft, and the orange flavor and glaze came through beautifully, without being overpowering. Best of all Alice's Tea Cup makes their own product, rather than relying on outside vendors.
Definitely come here for a cup of tea or a slice of cake. It can and will get crowded on the weekends during peak hours (there was an hour-wait when we went), but you can always get something to-go and sit on a bench in nearby Central Park.
Atlas has a huge selection of vegan desserts, pastries and donuts (though the donuts sell out almost immediately when they arrive on Tuesdays, so go early, as I learned the hard way). Their chocolate cake was decent, but a bit bland. Service is friendly and the location is nice, though, with outside seating.
This is a cute little bakery with a great selection of muffins, cakes, brownies and cookies. Our chocolate cake and pumpkin cake were both rich, creamy and delicious. Service was super-friendly. My only complaint is that the place gets crowded awfully easily and there's only space for about six people to sit (and even then you'll be bumping elbows and brushing up against other patrons). This is a perfect place for take-out vegan sweets, but not as good as a cafe---that said, they bake wonderful desserts and you'll be tempted to take home a variety of different treats.
I like the concept of this place (simple bakery with bicycle deliveries) and the generous discount they give to bikers.
They only had two or three vegan options when we went, and their vegan chocolate chip cookie ($2.50) was good, but not great. That said, they make all their own stuff, and fill a niche in the East or West Village, so I'd definitely come back to try their other options.
Blossom is my favorite vegan restaurant in New York. The food was amazing (try their BLT sandwich or their chocolate ganache), the service was friendly and prompt, and the location and ambience were both superb. The prices are high, but the quality of the food made up for it. Definitely recommended.
This is a pretty cool book shop with a good selection of vegan cookbooks and some obscure academic stuff and good fiction. They also have some pre-packaged vegan cake slices and muffins.
I had a big cup of tea and listened to people around me chat about veganism, movies, and other college-era discussion topics. It's a nice environment on a busy street and a good place to just sit and read.
Buddha Bodai has a huge menu with many innovative vegan dishes and some traditional Chinese dishes using mockmeats. I found their garlic-pepper chicken to be filling and tasty, without being oily or heavy. Their walnut shrimp was good, but a bit too sweet for me. Their cheesecake was simple, but great tasting, but their ice cream was too icy, dry and flavorless. On a whole, this is a great restaurant, though.
Cafe Blossom, like its sister restaurant in Chelsea, is a gem. The ambience is chic and modern, but the service is friendly, prompt, and exceedingly helpful. My pecan-crusted seitan had a complex array of tastes and textures, and my friend's chipotle aioli sandwich was spicy and fresh. Portion sizes are generous. I also greatly enjoyed my mimosa, which is an unusual drink option at a vegan joint. To make things even better, Cafe Blossom fills the great need for a quality vegan restaurant on the Upper West Side. Highly recommended.
Cake Shop feels like your friend's 1970s faux wood-paneled rec. room. In that sense, it's cozy and a cool place to get a cup of tea and lounge with your Macbook (let's face it: if you're in the Lower East Side, you have a Macbook) or chat with your friends. I didn't see any bands that night in the basement music area (there were $8 cover charges), but I've heard they get good acts.
I liked that there's a good array of vegan baked goods, but my chocolate cupcake ($2) was dry, sour-ish and had a weird, unpleasant aftertaste. Ultimately, I didn't finish it. It was like a prototype vegan cupcake from the era when no one knew how to bake anything vegan.
My plain tea was pretty good (I had a loose-leaf black variety) but Cake Shop earns jeers for having only awful Oregon brand for their chai. No place in the edgy, cool Lower East Side should be serving Oregon Chai, I'm sorry. It's unbecoming and unworthy.
If you live in New York, hanging out at Cake Shop might be pretty cool. But if you're just visiting the city, there's no reason to go here when you can get better drinks and vegan food at other cafe or coffee shops nearby (such as Teany).
I went to Candle 79 with high expectations. Ultimately, I found most of my meal to be bland and uninspired, especially considering the price of the place. The avocado-black bean salsa appetizer was heavy and dull; the main dish, a fava bean puree with tempeh and morel mushrooms, was bland and unsubtle. Finally, the ice cream sampler, while tasty, came in a tiny portion (and cost $8). The service, while friendly, was slow and inattentive. Decor and ambience don't make up for bland food, high prices and poor service. Go to their sister joint, The Candle Cafe, instead.
Candle Cafe has great ambience, though it's a small place. The service was attentive and friendly. Their chocolate peanut butter smoothie was too liquidy for my tastes, but their Tuscan lasagna was layered, tasty and filling. Prices are high, sadly.
Caravan has nice atmosphere (with live music) and seems to have an innovative menu. That said, the service was a bit confused (they forgot at least one item we ordered, but still charged us for it), and many of the dishes seemed indistinguishable from one another. This was particularly true of their "live" dishes, which just seemed like glorified salads, more than anything else. I think their cooked dishes would be superior, based upon my experience with their paella (which was light and tasty). Their desserts were lacking, however; none of them, raw or cooked, grabbed my attention or seemed extraordinary. It might be better to go for lunch, at an odd hour, when the service will be less hurried and the food better prepared, perhaps.
This is more of an eco-shop with a small cafe in the back. They only have a few vegan baked goods (as opposed to numerous lacto-ovo stuff), none of which looked that appealing; I had their chocolate espresso cookie and wasn't that impressed.
Similarly, I was totally turned off by the chai they have, which comes in a gigantic plastic jug and is mixed with whatever milk you want (soy or dairy milk). That's pretty lame chai in an edgy, smart place like the East Village.
Counter is decent at best, but this rating rests heavily on its location, atmosphere and generous portions. The service was friendly. But for the most part, I found the food to be bland and uninspiring, especially considering the hefty price tag. My paella was large, but had no zing to it; it seemed more like a mishmash of fresh vegetables, with little thought to seasoning or taste. Similarly the "tornadoes of seitan" was something more akin to a cloudy day; there was no "pop" to the dish. In the end, I found Counter to be an imitation of other upscale NYC joints like Blossom or Candle 79; though it charges in the same price range as those two, Counter fails to bring the accompanying expectation of taste and novelty.
I wanted to like this place, but I can't completely. It's a tiny joint with friendly service (maybe too friendly, as I felt like the waitresses were constantly hovering over my table) and a hearty menu.
Almost the entire menu can be made vegan, or so it claims, but I managed to order the one thing that can't---the bacon burger (~$10). Apparently the "bacon" isn't vegan, so they substituted "soychovy" which was basically a soft block of tofu with a salty taste. The burger wasn't that great. The bun was too chewy, the burger patty had no flavor and was dry, and the soychovy taste grew tiresome after a few bites. I later found out that other people had similar problems veganizing various dishes, which suggests to me that the place leans heavily lacto-ovo, and not vegan.
I also had one taco with "spicy chicken" ($7), but it was more like a burrito with a floppy, slightly crisped whole wheat tortilla. The portion size was huge, as I expected it would just be one small taco (the menu lets you order 1, 2 or 3, which made me think the things were small), and it came with a side of black beans. I didn't like the taco at all. The taste of the mozzarella soy cheese didn't jive with the weird mayo-esque dressing and all the greens. There was no pico de gallo, only tomatoes. Also, there was barely any soy chicken; I had to dig through the thing to find small bits here and there. It was more like a mediocre salad wrapped in a tortilla.
I would come back here to try some of their other dishes (such as a tofu scramble), mostly because the place did seem inviting and accommodating, but I wasn't impressed on a whole.
Dirt Candy is tiny, so make reservations beforehand, and assume that two is the maximum size of your party. It's definitely a good place to take a date.
All of the menu can be made vegan and our waitress even stated that before we mentioned our veg-status. I liked that. We started out with the jalapeno hush puppies ($10) which were breaded, fried little things that didn't have much flavor on their own; they came with maple butter which made them slightly tastier, but not by much.
We also had a tofu ragout (~$15) which had an interesting green curry-type sauce, but the dish didn't come together on a whole, as the tofu wasn't marinated and didn't absorb the flavors very well.
The parpardelle pasta dish (~$15) was much better than anything else; it tasted fresh, had a little bit of spice, but not too much, and had a good balance between sweet-ish tomatoes and sour greens. It also felt more filling than the first two dishes.
I was generally impressed with the prices here. Other upscale vegetarian restaurants in NYC charge more than $15 a dish, but Dirt Candy manages to give you a fancy experience at a lower price. That said, the food didn't amaze me, and I think it's because the chef seems anti-vegan in her philosophy; that is, she'll make vegan food on request, but her expertise seems to lie in lacto-ovo dishes, and she has publicly stated this. As such, she's not focusing on trying to make the best vegan food she can with novel substitutions or innovations; she wants to make good lacto-ovo food which can be veganized without much effort, but might lose some or much of its flavor when it is. I think Dirt Candy has some way to go, but I applaud them for the ambience and the low prices and the solid pasta dish.
This is a nicely decorated, quiet place to meet for tea and snacks. I didn't try any entrees, but the dumplings were decent (if a bit bland) and the tofu cheesecake was tasty, but not the best I've ever had. I did like their extensive options for tea and the great ambience and decor inside.
This place looks like a generic American diner, but has an edge to it. For one thing, they serve their tea in lovely, tiny black kettles; for another, they have more than a few vegan options.
We had tofu tacos which can be made vegan if you omit the tartar sauce. I wasn't blown away by these; the tofu was bland, as it had no seasoning, and the pico de gallo was weak.
We also had the BBQ seitan over rice, which was okay, but I thought the BBQ sauce was generic and tasted sugary and more ketchup-esque. I think either a chili garlic sauce or a marinara sauce would have been better.
The service was extremely friendly and helpful; they had no issues with us asking questions about ingredients and checking on what's vegan and what's not (they even made sure that the tortilla for the taco was vegan).
Galaxy Global Eatery is a decent joint if there are no other options, but for brunch, I'd rather go to Sacred Chow.
I liked the cozy, sort-of-upscale atmosphere here. The place looks very nice (though if you look closely on the seats and chairs, there's a bit of decay and staining).
The dinner prices here are 30-50% higher than at lunch, so I would recommend coming here for lunch, if at all.
The menu features a ton of pan-Asian dishes, from curries and stir-frys to noodle dishes. My friend and I had an appetizer of yam and yucca fries ($6) which were delicious---crisp, huge and fresh. We also had a small plate of roti canai ($8) which is a soft, flat, phyllo-esque bread served with a delicious stew of seitan, potatoes and a smoky curry sauce. It isn't common that I see it on menus, and they executed it excellently here, though I wish they'd provided at least one or two more rotis (one was not enough for the amount of stew they give).
Our main courses weren't as good. We had the slow cooked Malaysian curry stew ($11) which ended up being a blander version of the roti canai, but without roti. We also had a Vietnamese spicy stir-fry rice noodle with five spice tofu rolls ($12) that wasn't spicy at all, and was filled with a few varieties of mockmeats, from tofu to seitan to mock crab/lobster. It was okay, but definitely needed more spice and perhaps lemon or lime for acidity. The mock seafood in the dish was extremely realistic, down to the smell and flavor, if not just the texture, so be warned if you're afraid of super-realistic mockmeats.
On a whole, this is a decent place. Maybe we ordered the wrong items, but I wasn't blown away. I'd come back for lunch, which is relatively affordable, but not for dinner, which is too expensive.
Green Bean Cafe is a tiny joint with a variety of vegan baked goods, juices, other drinks, and some to-go wraps and sandwiches. There is space for about five to be seated comfortably, so I ended up having to walk around looking for a park bench to eat what I bought. This is not a place to get a sit-down meal.
The tofu breakfast burrito ($4) was tasty with marinated tofu in turmeric and also had bell peppers and onions. It was a little bit small, and the vegan cheddar cheese didn't melt (though it tasted just like real cheddar), but I would definitely get it again. I didn't like that it was wrapped in transparent plastic, but there aren't too many packing options to keep to-go foods hot and avoid messiness.
I also had a chocolate chip banana muffin, which was not only vegan, but also gluten-free ($2.50). I'm not sure how they managed this, but it was one of the most delicious, moist and balanced muffins I've ever had. It was fresh, kept its consistency without being crumbly, wasn't oily or heavy, and just tasted excellent. I crave another one as I write this review. I highly recommend their muffins, and probably their other vegan baked stuff, based on the quality of that muffin.
This place is a good 10-minute walk from the E. 77th St. subway station, and is in a random location with only apartments and schools nearby, but it's still a gem.
For ambience and novelty-value alone, Hangawi stands apart. It's a completely different dining experience, with submerged seating (sans shoes). I found the prices to be low considering the atmosphere and the unusual nature of the food (vegan Korean joints aren't exactly common). All of the dishes were delicious, from the mushroom pancakes to the tofu stone pot. Their vegan cheesecake was also delectable. This is a great place to take a date or to simply eat healthy, tasty food in large portions.
This is a hippie yoga cafe with a decidedly bohemian atmosphere. You eat at long wooden benches, though are separated tables as well. The place is hard to find; there's a sign outside, but you have to walk into a small entryway to the building, go past the security guard, walk one floor up the unmarked staircase, and through the first door you see with a piece of paper saying "yoga studio."
I went with two non-veg colleagues and they seemed to like their food (one ordered a portobello panini and the other ordered a veggie burger); I was not that impressed with my tempeh bacon BLT ($11), however. I liked the tempeh bacon, but the sandwich was pretty small and I didn't like the excessive use of vegan mayo. I also was not impressed with the salad that came with the dish. It was mostly bitter green leaves (some kind of lettuce?) covered in a bitter orange-colored dressing. I wish they'd given fries as a side instead.
As this is a yoga cafe, there was also a "natural" bent to things---water is served at room temperature, as is the fresh orange juice I ordered ($3). The cafe was extremely hot, though I think that might have been because of the 62-degree, record-high temperature outside on the day I visited (February 11).
Be warned that while you might see a fair number of beautiful, young people in the cafe, you will also get some unpleasantness---for example, one guy in short shorts and a tiny tank-top proceeded to do lots of stretching and yoga postures not four feet in front of my table; another guy with a beard, long hair, and a wool sweater, plumped down next to me at his table, and proceeded to remove both his shoes and his grimy socks. That was not cool.
Kate's Joint was exactly what I needed after a long day of walking around and dealing with the crowds and aggression of New York.
For one thing, the place is huge (by Manhattan standards) and I liked that I didn't feel like I was in a closet. I had room to stretch, and there's also a bar, in addition to a dining area.
I had a country-fried unsteak ($12.95) which consisted of perfectly-crisped and battered seitan, along with sides of green beans, mashed potatoes and gravy, and a dollop of sweet potato mash. It was hearty, filling and well-executed. I wouldn't say the food is as good as Soul Vegetarian East in Chicago, but it was more than competent.
Kate's Joint also participates in the Mileage Plus Dining program, which was a nice perk.
Lan Cafe offers friendly service and excellent prices for unusual, tasty Vietnamese dishes. Their coconut-potato soup was simple and good; I loved their tofu curry and green papaya salad. The tastes were spicy, but subtle, and completely different from Thai or Chinese cooking styles. I really liked that this place is all vegetarian as Vietnamese food can be intimidating if you're vegan and not familiar with the ingredients. If you're looking for a delicious change of pace in a great environment, I strongly recommend Lan Cafe.
I love the atmosphere in Lula's, which is a quaint, friendly, old-time soda fountain shop. It truly feels like a throwback to a simpler, nicer era, and that's something I haven't encountered often in my travels. The first time I walked in, I was greeted by the sight of a kid coloring with crayons (Lula herself, I discovered) and neighbors chatting with the lovely owners Blythe and Derick. They already have regulars and I became one of them during my short trip to New York.
I was astounded by the creamy, rich flavors of their ice creams, which are predominantly made of cashews (something you don't see very often). All of the flavors seemed perfectly balanced and could be mixed and matched to make a killer sundae (with your choice of toppings). I especially like the S'more ice cream, which had a great array of textures (especially with the pieces of graham cracker crust) and flavors, without seeming over-powering or industrially-assembled like the s'mores you get in boxes from the supermarket.
Their "egg creme" was also remarkable; it's a spritzer drink made with rice milk, chocolate and something else. I thought it was delicate and smooth, with an unusual bubbly nature; it wasn't overly-sweet, either, which I loved.
They also have soft-serve and some cookies and brownies.
Lula's is the perfect dessert spot in the East Village, but I found myself going there just to try new flavors and sundaes and drinks, at all times of the day. I also greatly enjoyed talking to the friendly owners. If you're in New York, Lula's is not to be missed.
This vegan food cart makes impressive South Indian food at extremely low prices (everything costs $2-6).
They were out of the vegan drumstick when I went, which was disappointing, but I had a samosa ($1.75) and veg. roti ($2) instead. The samosa was delicious---it was lightly fried, with a medley of spices, but didn't feel greasy, oily or heavy like samosas at other snack food Indian joints. The veg. roti was pretty good, though it was basically just a bread roll filled with potato, and a bit blander than the samosa.
I didn't like how they served the items on a paper plate and allowed all the different sauces and chutneys to ooze together and mix into the main food. I like to have control over my sauces and chutneys.
The guy seems super-friendly and he's extremely efficient, though the lines can get unruly around the cart and he seemed to take other people's orders before mine. In the end, though, this is great, cheap South Indian food, which you don't find often.
UPDATE: I've been to Pukk twice now, once in 2007, and once in 2009. The decor is lounge-y futuristic, but has decayed a fair bit since my first visit there. That said, the food is still good. The mockmeats here are well-done; if you're looking to fool someone, this is the place to take them, as their mock duck is extremely supple, as is the mock chicken. Their Prik King Duck ($8) was delectable, and their green curry chicken ($8), while tasty, was a bit sweet. I would say the Massaman curry ($8) was also a bit too sweet. Make sure to try their chocolate mousse pie ($5), which was heavenly, or their sesame cheesecake ($5), which was unusual and distinctly Asian. That said, the sesame cheesecake was far bolder in taste in 2007; in 2009, I found it to be dumbed-down and more pedestrian. The prices are very low and the food is excellent. I also love that they offer brown rice.
Pure food has great decor and atmosphere, and efficient, friendly service, but it's a little loud for conversations. That said, it's a great date spot.
The food here is raw, though it's unusual by raw standards and definitely didn't taste like any other raw food I've eaten. For the first time ever, I didn't actually realize I was eating raw food; my non-vegan colleagues didn't even realize the food was vegan (it was just good and well-presented food). As such, I must consider it a success.
Most of the dishes have an emphasis on avocados and mushrooms. We started with a sushi roll ($20) which had a great array of textures and flavors and was some of the better vegan sushi I've had in my life.
I then had a braised mushroom dish with mustard greens ($25). It was unusual, and again didn't taste like raw food, but didn't blow me away. I didn't like the vastly varying tastes from the mushrooms to the sweet rice-pudding-like risotto that was underneath the greens and mushrooms. My colleagues enjoyed their hempseed burger and lasagna, which suggests to me that I should have gone for something more normal-sounding.
I finished the meal with a superb, delicious, delicate and refreshing mint sundae ($17). My colleagues loved their black forest cake, too.
I don't think this was the best food I've ever had (that title still belongs to Horizons in Philadelphia), but it was very good, and elevated the status of raw food in my mind. It's also one of the better expensive vegan joints in New York; though it's not as good as Blossom or Cafe Blossom, it's better than Counter or Candle 79.
Red Bamboo has a huge, diverse menu with great, inspired and unusual dishes. I had their mango-pepper "chicken" which was spicy and sweet. Excellent mixing of tastes and the portion was huge, enough for two meals. The service was fast, friendly and attentive. I didn't like their lemon cheesecake, though, which was too hard, too sweet, and also dried-out. Prices are excellent, especially compared to other veg. places in NYC.
I had a wonderful brunch here on a Saturday. It wasn't crowded at all and the quaint atmosphere made for a relaxing environment in which to eat and chat with friends.
I was impressed with my seitan Philly cheesesteak ($9) which did a great job replicating an old standard. The bread was soft, the portion size was just right, and the "cheese" had a good kick to it, not tasting plasticky in any way. I had a side of tofu scramble with it (~$5) which was definitely tasty, and one of the better I've had in a restaurant, but it could have used some more color and vegetables---bell peppers and broccoli, perhaps?
One of my friends enjoyed his three tapas selections which provided an unusual array of flavors and textures for only $15; my other friend seemed to enjoy her tofu breakfast sandwich (~$8), though the kale/collard greens came in an excessively large portion.
I was blown away by the smoothness of my hot chocolate with hazelnut liquer ($3), which was sweet, but not overly so, and perfectly blended with the hazelnut. At the same time, I couldn't taste the alcohol at all.
Finally, our dark chocolate truffle cake (~$6) was positively decadent---it was rich in cocoa flavor, moist and impressed all of us. Sacred Chow is definitely a winner and one of the better vegan restaurants in NYC.
I had a cup of chocolate and coconut vanilla bean ($5.70). The chocolate felt flat in my opinion, but the coconut vanilla bean was rich and creamy and the interplay between the coconut and vanilla produced great results.
All the ice cream here is made of soy, which is fine, but I found it to be a mundane and pedestrian choice compared to nearby Lula's Sweet Apothecary, which makes everything out of nuts, like cashews. The nut-based ice creams are far richer and creamier, in general.
In general, Stogo seems to take the corporate, post-modern approach compared to Lula's. Stogo looks like a glistening cafe from "2001: A Space Odyssey," which is a tired theme in New York, and I found the service to be unhelpful and unfriendly.
I was also deeply disappointed by their lack of compostable utensils, and their decision to use all-plastic stuff which just ends up in the trash. In comparison, Lula's uses only eco-friendly materials and also serves you stuff in actual glass, with metal spoons, just like in the old days.
The prices here are also super-expensive. $5.70 for a scoop of ice cream, really? Many of the flavors here are good, but that's just too expensive. They also wouldn't let me use credit card, as they have a $10 minimum charge (which is illegal, by the way). I found this ridiculous as Stogo has a lot of money and fame behind it (one of the owners is Kyra Sedgwick's brother) and looks to try to compete with the big corporate players; you'd think they wouldn't be so chinzy as to be cash-only for under $10.
I appreciate that Stogo is vegan, so come here to try some samples; but if you're looking for a friendlier environment with an innovative product, go to Lula's Sweet Apothecary instead.
Strictly Roots fills the need for a vegan soul food restaurant in Harlem. The service was friendly, but a bit slow. I was impressed with the taste of their buffet items, especially the tvp pasta and the fried tofu filets. Their vegan mac and cheese wasn't so great, however, and tasted more like bell peppers and water than anything else. Prices are extremely low (most items are under $4-5) and portion sizes are good.
Teany offers an extensive tea and juice menu with light snacks and desserts. I wasn't that impressed with their chocolate vegan cheesecake ($5) (it was served as room temperature, instead of cold), but I liked their smooth ice tea ($3) and the absolutely delectable "teanychino," which I had with almond milk ($3.50). It was light years ahead of every day chai lattes in terms of taste and refinement. Their chai latte ($3.50) was extremely understated and good, but paled in comparison to the teanychino. This is, in the end, a good place to get a late afternoon snack or drink, but be warned that it is cash-only and gets packed quite easily during peak hours, and especially during the weekends. It's a small place and not good for groups larger than 2 or 3. Your best best is to go on a weekday after 2 p.m. (you might combine it to a trip to the nearby Tenement Museum).
I found Vegetarian's Paradise to be less tasty or eclectic compared to its neighbor Red Bamboo. My stir-fry was sticky and heavy and they don't have any standard desserts like tofu cheesecake or pies. The service was slow and inattentive, too. There was nothing special or unusual about this place and I'd probably skip it on the next trip. Red Bamboo has a bigger, better menu with more desserts and better service.
I really liked this place. Our seitan skewer appetizer was a perfect blend of sweet and spicy; the basil soy protein was spicy, fresh and crispy, with an array of colorful vegetables; the shredded tofu was light and well-seasoned, though could have used a bit more spice. Our desserts were both spectacular, from the chocolate vegan cheesecake to the peanut butter bomb, which was rich and decadent. Service was friendly, if a bit slow. Prices are reasonable and the portions are just right.
UPDATE: CLOSED AS OF SEPTEMBER 2007. Peking offers a large vegetarian/vegan menu with traditional Chinese dishes with faux meat substitutes, as well as innovative vegetarian dishes that don't rely on fake meat. Portion sizes were good, service was friendly and prices were reasonable. Decor and tables are in a state of decay, but the food is still good. I had the garlic "chicken" with vegetables, which was spicy and filling, though not heavy or oily at all. The tofu cheesecake was decent, but a bit dry and bland.
While the location of this joint is out-of-the-way, it's a nice, cozy place to dine in. As a vegan, I appreciated their extensive, well-highlighted options. Their tofurkey de la sol sandwich was delectable---tasty, healthy, light and inspired. All of their breads are made on the premises. This is a great place, but I just wish they were in a better location like Harrisburg or State College.
Some of the best vegan food I've ever had in any part of the US. Everything was artfully prepared and presented with top-quality service. The golden beet tapas were succulent and its accompanying edamame puree just amazed me. The portobella carpaccio was delicate and tender. The Bourbon BBQ tempeh was filling and tasty, but I found that the Pacific Rim Tofu was tastier and had better side dishes (ponzu brocolini, edamame mash). For dessert, make sure to try their cheesecake or their chocolate peanut butter ice cream brownie, both of which were top-notch. Prices are high, but the quality of the food is five-star gourmet.
I found the food here to be quite disappointing. I had the Beef Chow Fun and a Chicken Hot Pepper with Broccoli, both of which were bland, oily, and generally uninspired. The mockmeats were both gooey and had the texture of steak fat. While I appreciated the quantity and variety of vegetables they offered in each dish, the flat tastes and the low-quality mockmeats made this place a major disappointment. I also tried their mango vegan cheesecake, and it tasted all right, but was clearly not fresh.
This place does much better food than its sister joint Lemon Grass Cafe. The food here comes in large portions and is distinct from Thai food (it seems more Cambodian, which is a nice touch). The waiter was knowledgeable and made sure everything was completely vegan.
The food here was greasy, uninspired and bland. The mockmeat was too chewy and I have the sneaking suspicion that it was cooked in chicken fat. Not to be recommended.
This place does decent Thai food, but is nothing special. Service was decent.
Cozy Thai has great ambience, and is a good place to take a date, but their food is generall mediocre. Their curries and stir-frys are either too salty, greasy or sweet and portion sizes are small. Prices are reasonable, the service is slow, and the place gets jam-packed at peak hours (12-1 p.m. and 6-8 p.m.), so make reservations ahead of time, especially on Friday or Saturday. Their main competition, Viet-Thai, has much better food but is lacking in terms of decor. Vegans and vegetarians make sure to specify no fish or oyster sauce.
I ate here often, as it provided decent vegan sushi and also had drinks like sake and Japanese beer. The Chinese menu was also pretty decent, at least a notch above your average strip-mall Chinese joint. I appreciated their mock chicken stir-fry, which was always on the "specials" menu and cost around $10 or so. I think it's the one and only place in central Pennsylvania that offers a mockmeat option. Service was always prompt and friendly. This place is good for events or large-group gatherings, as they have a lot of space and also a separate, private room which can be reserved for parties.
This is a simple and fairly cheap buffet-style place which cooks your food fresh for you. I like being able to select what veggies and sauces I want to have. The multiple options, however, make it difficult to get a good combo---often times you mix the wrong sauce with certain vegetables and the taste is bland at best. They should have more recommendations for what sauces to use with certain veggies. Vegans and vegetarians: ask the cook to cook your food in a separate wok, off the main grill. Given that it's all-you-can-eat, don't load up on vegetables in your first bowl, because the bowls are small and you'll generally end up being full after one dish. Better to make multiple small bowls, that way you can get a better range of the sauces and veggies.
This is a hip, trendy bistro in historic Bellefonte, about ten miles outside of State College. It has outdoor seating and lots of local beers and wines, so it's a nice place to gather with friends on a warm day.
The service was always fast and friendly. The menu changes frequently, as it has an emphasis on local and seasonal foods. They usually had one vegan special available. When they didn't, the kitchen was more than willing to make something vegan for me, and it was always fresh, tasty and innovative (not just pasta and vegetables in olive oil).
Kaarma has some great vegetarian dishes which they will happily make vegan for you (just specify "no cream or dairy"). If you want bread, order "roti" which is completely vegan; "naan" uses dairy products. Kaarma uses fresh ingredients and the dishes are not as oily and heavy as other North Indian restaurants. Try the 'mushroom muttar (peas)' or the "Bombay aloo (potatoes)" or 'channa' (chickpeas) dish. They also have Indo-Chinese dishes, which is unusual and nice to see. Sadly, they don't have any south Indian food.
Portions are large and prices are low. The only complaint that I have is if you're vegan, you can only go for dinner, because for lunch Kaarma only serves buffet, and all the dishes have cream pre-mixed. They only have the buffet on weekends, so vegans are out-of-luck.
Mad Mex is a decent place. Its vegetarian and vegan options are good, particularly the burritos and mushroom burger. I'm impresed that they do easy substitutions with soy cheese and vegan sour cream. Their chips and salsa, while costing extra, are excellent and freshly-made. Their vegan burritos are filling, relatively tasty, but a bit on the pricier side. Portion sizes are huge, so expect to take home leftovers. This place isn't authentic, but it's the closest thing to Mexican food you'll find in central Pennsylvania.
This store has a decent variety of Asian products and veg-friendly products, such as Ener-G egg substitute. They didn't have any mockmeats, as far as I could tell. It also has many eco- and animal-friendly cleaning products and skincare products. Prices are a bit on the high side, though. They also sell lots of meat in the freezer section, which was a bit of a turn-off.
This is a busy, bar/grill type of place outside of downtown State College. That said, it's also a microbrewery and has an unusual array of vegetarian and vegan options.
I liked their beers and also their pasta dishes. Their mushroom burger was also quite good and filling. Recently, it looks like they've revamped their menu and added a tofu dish, too.
Service is friendly. Prices are reasonable. But this place gets crowded pretty easily, so make sure not to go during peak hours on a Friday or Saturday night. Parking is limited in their small lot; otherwise you'll have to park next door or in the Wegman's lot down the hill.
Saints has great atmosphere and friendly service. They have a good selection of teas and coffees, though their chai, sadly, is not vegan (the powder mix they use contains whey, a milk protein).
They also offer pre-packaged vegan cookies, which is a nice touch. My only gripe would be that they close too early (6 p.m.) each day.
I like the decor and atmosphere of this restaurant. It's trendy and antiquated all at once. Service is prompt and friendly. The menu always has at least a few vegan-friendly options and if you're in doubt, your waiter will be more than willing to check in the kitchen.
Portion sizes are good here and the Cajun food is nicely spiced and unusual. Prices are high, though, especially for dinner, when they increase prices 50%, but give you the same amount of food as at lunch.
Viet-Thai has the best Thai food in town. Their green and red curries are delectable with high-grade baked tofu and fresh vegetables. Also try the sauteed Chinese broccoli or the chili stir-fry, both of which can be made with tofu. The lemongrass chili tofu is also excellent with hints of Indian flavors. In general, their food is unusual and extremely tasty. Service is prompt and friendly and the place is never crowded. Their hours are a bit troublesome, as they close early in the evening and also shut down in the middle of the day. Decor and ambience are sorely lacking, but the quality of their food makes up for that. Highly recommended.
Webster's has great, fresh bagels and homemade hummus and sunflower dip. They also have vegan soups and loose-leaf teas. This is a great place to sit and talk or read, with light snacks and drinks. Service is slow, though, as the bagels take a long time to toast and the lines get long because of cash register and coffee machine delays.
This Whole Foods-esque grocery store has a good selection of vegan items in the freezer section, including a few brands of tofu, various types of grain milks, and an assortment of vegan ice creams and yogurts. They also have a decent ethnic food section, with lots of imports from India, Vietnam, China and Korea.
I was disappointed, though, that their hot foods section and their bakery have zero vegan items.
This place has good falafel. It's well-spiced, nicely fried and best of all, you can load up on an array of interesting and unusual toppings.
I had a small falafel sandwich ($4.40) and added some lemon-garlic topping, marinated tomatoes and onions, and some lettuce. But there were salsa options, tahini, cucumbers and other vegetables, marinara-chickpea stuff, and more.
I just wish this place accepted credit cards and there was more space. I can't imagine how difficult to navigate this place must be on busy nights, especially with the toppings-bar.
I kind of liked the atmosphere in here---dark, velvety and goth---but didn't get a chance to try the food as they stop serving food at 11 p.m. or something like that. Make sure to get there early if you want to eat.
The service was slow. We sat at a booth and waited a while to get our order placed and then to actually receive our drinks. It wasn't too loud when I was there, but maybe it was an off night. There didn't seem to be many people in the joint so maybe it gets crowded and loud on weekend nights.
I went to Bread & Brew thinking they would have vegan breakfast options like tofu scramble. They don't. The only vegan items on the menu are a pizza with soy cheese and a hummus wrap.
I ended up getting the pizza ($10), which was nicely done. The sauce was high-quality, the crust was light and golden, and the soy cheese melted nicely. Also, I'm a big fan of fake pepperoni, so that was an added bonus.
I'd give this place a higher rating, but they don't have enough vegan options to justify that. However, I was there on April 17, 2009, only to find out that on April 22 they would debut a separate all-vegan menu in conjunction with Compassion Over Killing. So stay tuned, because Bread & Brew will soon be very vegan-friendly.
What a great concept of a restaurant. This particular branch is a large, two story loft-space with the cozy atmosphere of someone's living room. It's not quiet, but not loud either, and it's a good place to take a date or to just sit and read and drink tea (or a beer). The bar area is particularly welcoming and already has the feel of a place with many regulars, even though the joint seems pretty new. The upstairs space is fairly quiet and offers a smaller bar along with comfortable seats and sofas to just hang out.
My vegan pizza with soy cheese and garlic-oil sauce was quite tasty and my non-vegan friend liked it as well. Our white chocolate raspberry vegan cheesecake was tasty, but not the best I've ever had. That said, the slice was huge and substantial, and well-priced at $5.
The service is friendly and fairly attentive, but not obtrusive. This is definitely a popular date spot so the servers tend to let you linger for a while, I think.
I'm skeptical. I came here only to find out that there was nothing vegan available (for the record, this location is a carry-out bakery with no seating). They seemed to be amused at my asking about vegan products, which didn't set me at ease; they explained that one of their branches in Maryland does all the vegan products and then distributes them to the other locations.
I went across the street to their cafe but they didn't have any vegan options either (and they, too, seemed amused at my question). The cafe itself is sort of lame, with generic teabag options, pre-packaged potato chips and nothing special. Some of their booths are covered in what appear to be cowhides, which was also a turn-off. I'm not going to bother with Cakelove ever again.
Amazing. You would never guess that this non-descript space has such incredible baked goods, let alone vegan ones. I'd read about Chez Hareg in the Washington Post and had to try it for myself.
I had one spritzer cookie, one butter-style cookie and one other thing with a name I can't remember. None of the vegan options are labeled, but pretty much the entire top shelf of the glass case is vegan. Each little cookie or pastry costs about $0.50, or you could get 3 for $1 with some varieties. The cookies that I had were all wonderful---crumbly and rich. They evoked memories of my childhood, eating butter biscuits with milk tea in the afternoon with my parents. I had not encountered such flavors in the vegan world and was amazed to find them at Chez Hareg.
I also had a "Napoleon" ($3.50) which was some kind of multi-layered pastry filled with lemon and powdered sugar. It was kind of like a lasagna in its design and appearance. The thing was a marvel. Each crust layer was impeccably thin and crispy, but also flaky; the lemon-custard filling was smooth, cold and just subtly sweet without being overpowering.
I have encountered vegan desserts of this sophistication and excellence on only two occasions in all my travels---once at Millennium in San Francisco, and once at Horizons in Philadelphia. However, the desserts there cost anywhere from $10-15, whereas Chez Hareg offers the same quality and taste for only $3.50 or, in some cases, for less than $1. Unbelievable.
The owner, Hareg herself, is a master baker who formerly worked at the Ritz Carlton. I applaud her for opening up her own coffee shop/bakery and exposing the world to the delicacy, balance and excellence of her products, all for absurdly low prices. It's going to be hard to justify paying $2 for a vegan pastry at the coffee shop down the road, knowing you could get a superior gourmet product for the same price, if only you lived in DC. Chez Hareg sets the bar impossibly high for pretty much anyone.
UPDATE: Whenever I'm in DC's Chinatown, I always seem to end up at Chinatown Garden, maybe because it's the only place I know that caters well to vegans in that area of the city. I've been there probably six or seven times now over the last three years. They have a large number of mockmeat dishes, though the mockmeat is all the same (whether they call it beef or chicken or whatever): chewy, striated soy protein. It's old-school, unsophisticated mockmeat.
Usually the food is passable, but nothing terribly memorable. The last time I went, on April 16, 2009, my Hunan mock chicken ($12) came out cold, and the sauce had congealed into a gloopy, corn-starch mess. It wasn't even busy in the restaurant. This was my first negative experience at Chinatown Garden.
Otherwise the location is good and has ample seating. Prices are reasonable and the service is prompt and attentive.
The service here was friendly though we had to wait fifteen or twenty minutes for a table. They have a good selection of alcoholic drinks and this is a nice hang-out spot for small groups or couples.
I liked the cheese-less pizzas, as they had great crusts, good sauce and a good selection of vegetables. But I was not impressed with the soy cheese here which somehow didn't taste right and was barely edible. I was here in January 2007 so maybe their vegan cheese has improved since then.
This is a great, grungy place with low prices and excellent food. Their vegan lasagna was delectable---just as good as anything I've tasted at fancy vegan places in New York or Chicago. Their nachos were also excellent, with a good mix of veggies and tangy cashew cream vegan cheese. The only drawback is that they don't accept credit cards. Also, it's not the best place for dates, but it's good for a quick, cheap, tasty bite.
I never thought a cupcake could be "gourmet" until I came here. It's a bit hard to find as DuPont Circle is a confusing area, and the store doesn't have a big sign (just an all-glass storefront).
It's a minimalist, super-modern space with a couple of Herman Miller Eames tables and chairs and sleek, all-metal counter areas displaying column after column of cupcakes, all uniformly perfect in appearance and positioning. It's like stepping into a cafe out of "2001: A Space Odyssey."
While they only had one vegan option, it was absolutely spectacular. It was a banana cupcake with chocolate frosting; the frosting was rich and creamy, while the banana portion was soft, moist and utterly perfect. It cost $3 but was one of the best cupcakes I've ever had. Highly recommended.
What an excellent joint, right in the center of DC. In fact, this is one of the few high-quality vegetarian/vegan restaurants in downtown DC; whenever I'm in the city I make it a point to eat here as often as possible. The menu is huge and eclectic with wonderful sandwich, soup and salad options, along with some traditional Korean rice and noodle entrees. It's hard to know what to pick as everything sounds great. Their grilled "chicken" sandwich was fresh and light, while their California gimbob sushi tray was delicious, subtle and complex. Their desserts are tasty but not mind-blowing; I found their blueberry cheesecake a bit dry and flat, but their vegan brownie was super-soft and smooth.
Their boolgogi deluxe noodle bowl or curry noodle with spicy "chicken" are both delectable, filling and unusual. Their smoothies are tasty and addictive (but probably 1,000 calories a piece). I loved their chai latte with raw (!) almond milk, but it was awfully expensive at $7. That said, I've never seen a place offering raw nut milks as options. Who needs soy milk?
Prices are reasonable, especially for its downtown location. I wish they had more space (it can get crowded very easily, especially at peak times) and were open later. In the end, though, this is one of my favorite restaurants in the country and I hope to see more of them in other cities.
My friend and I thought this place was pretty decent. I ate here a while back, but we had a green curry with tofu and a stir-fry dish with basil and tofu. Both were acceptable, if not super-memorable in any way.
The service was friendly and fairly prompt, though the place wasn't crowded, so I guess that's the way it should be.
This is one of the few Thai restaurants in Chinatown, so if you're looking for a change of pace from Chinese food, this should be one of your alternatives.
I came to LoveCafe after being told at their bakery across the street (CakeLove) that nothing vegan was available for the day. In fact, they seemed amused by my question, which didn't set me at ease. But LoveCafe didn't have any vegan options either (and they, too, seemed amused by my asking about vegan goods).
The cafe itself is lame, with generic teabag options, pre-packaged potato chips and nothing special. Some of their booths are covered in what appear to be cowhides, which was also a turn-off. I'm not going to bother with Cakelove or LoveCafe ever again.
Mei's has pretty solid pan-Asian food. My friend and I split a General Tso's mock chicken and also a mock beef with mixed vegetables. I thought the mock beef was kind of generic and lacked zing; also I didn't like the mock beef, which was that chewy, stringy-variety that I've seen at other places like Wild Ginger in NYC and Yummy Yummy in Chicago.
However, the mock chicken was amazing: crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. The textures were pretty remarkable, though make sure to eat it fresh and quickly, as the longer the dish sits out, the less crispy it stays. Also, I think the mock chicken might be cooked like this only for the General Tso's dish, and not necessarily others.
Kudos to Mei's for offering brown rice, too!
The restaurant itself is large, classy and has a full-bar. The service was friendly and prompt and I like that they give discounts to George Mason students, which saved us 10% on the total bill.
Nirvana has a good-sized menu with all of their numerous vegan options marked, which I greatly appreciated. They also have numerous vegan wines. The atmosphere is nice and fairly romantic. We were pleased by all of our food, including the Undhio (a Gujarati soulfood dish that you don't see in restaurants often). I was surprised that they don't substitute tofu for paneer in some of their dishes; instead they just drop the protein portion all together. While the food was good on a whole, the portion sizes were really small, so you might want to order appetizers to fill yourself up. The menu says they have daily vegan desserts, but our waiter said they were out. What bothered me most was that the waiter hurried us out of the restaurant after we paid the bill; it was still 15 minutes to closing time, and he told us to move along. So, they lose a star for service, though their food is solid.
I thought the vegan pizza here was solid---light, soft crust with an excellent assortment of vegetable toppings and a fairly tasty, unobtrusive vegan cheese. The service was good but be warned that this place gets packed quite easily. We had to wait thirty minutes for a table. This is a good restaurants for dates or special occasions (I think one couple next to us got engaged when we were there).
I like the concept of Science Club: a vegetarian lounge, situated in downtown DC to attract office-types, with small plates and music. However, I'm not sure that vision is executed properly here.
First, the space is small and you can't fit large groups inside easily. Also, the live DJ blares music to a point where normal conversation is difficult, if not impossible (my group had to move downstairs where it's slightly less noisy, but only slightly).
The "science" aspect of the place is lost on me. Aside from a menu design with beakers and the periodic table, the decor and ambience are pretty standard lounge-bar.
The downstairs portion of the bar is kind of grungy and uninviting. Also, there's no table service, so you have to place orders at the bar.
Now onto the food. We had a hummus plate ($14) which was decent, but super over-priced for that quality and portion size. We also had guacamole with chips ($9) that was tasty, but once again over-priced. My colleagues also had a small pizza, which they seemed to enjoy, but I of course did not eat. Finally, we had a baked portabella stuffed with quinoa ($9) which had good texture, but wasn't very flavorful.
I wasn't impressed with the beer or drink selection, either, which seemed highly limited.
In conclusion, I wasn't very impressed with the food, which was over-priced for appetizers/shared plates and mostly bland. Also, it's a bit too loud and the decor/atmosphere needs work.
Soul Veg.'s DC branch is not so impressive. For one thing, it's not clean; the floors and counter are dingy, and the kitchen didn't look much better. There's limited seating. The service was extremely slow and confused; I placed an order and then waited twenty minutes before it was ready, and this was in the middle of the afternoon, with few customers. If you're going for the buffet items, it would be fast, but if you're ordering off the menu, be prepared to wait. That said, the food was quite good (particularly the tacos) and reasonably-priced, which is why I give the place two stars.
Sticky Fingers shows a lot of promise. I tried a few of their offerings, including a strawberry shortcake cupcake, a chocolate cheesecake, a cranberry scone, and a chai latte. The shortcake had a great fluffy texture, but was slightly too sweet; the cheesecake was good, but would have been better if fresh; the scone was excellent; and the chai was bland and flat. I'll definitely visit again, just to see how much better they get, but for the moment, they're off to a good start.
Sunflower offers a pleasing array of options, from standard Asian dishes to more unusual fusion-style pan-Asian entrees and appetizers. Our Japanese-style BBQ kabobs were excellent and well-presented. For the main course, I found our Sunflower Forest to be an intriguing and tasty Asian version of a taco. Sunflower Satisfaction (soy protein with veggies in an orange-chili sauce) was also tempered well and not too spicy or too sweet. It also had a colorful range of vegetables. Service was friendly and prompt. Recommended.
Teaism could be a great competitor to the preponderance of Panera's and other generic chains in downtown office areas. The atmosphere is similar but the food is much better and definitely more vegan-friendly.
I came here a few times as it was near my hotel. I found their curry lentil soup ($6) to be tasty, but watery, without any actual pieces of lentil. Make sure to ask for it vegan (they will leave out the dollop of yogurt they put in it). The cilantro tofu scramble ($6) was bland---it was just a big hunk of silken tofu broken up and lightly stir-fryed with cilantro and no other spices. I thought their seitan curry ($9.25), however, was delicious, with a light orange-soy sauce and chunks of vegetables with sesame brown rice. Prices are on the higher side when one considers the small portion sizes.
They have good tea options but a cup is super-expensive at $4 and, at least in the cafe portion of the place, they don't brew the tea properly, completely defeating the purpose of a high grade tea. They also serve the tea in a gigantic ceramic cup that's difficult to hold and maneuver. Tea is about subtlety and their preparation and presentation of it definitely ain't.
This joint gets packed quickly during the peak of lunch hours though there's quick turnaround on tables. You place your order at the counter and then wait to pick up your food and find a seat. I found the wait for the food to be longer than I would have expected for a downtown establishment catering to in-a-hurry hotshots. If you're in a rush don't eat here.
My biggest gripes about Teaism: the menu doesn't label what's vegan and you have to ask them to veganize many dishes, otherwise you'll get cheese on your vegan burger and yogurt in your vegan soup by default. Also, you can't change your mind on orders; once they push the button on their screen, the order is sent, even before you actually pay. This could be a problem if you change your mind often, which is easy to do, given the large menu.
This Teaism branch was close to my conference so I had lunch here one day. It is housed in a gorgeous old two-story rowhouse and the interior feels like an old-world European bakery/restaurant. The atmosphere is definitely excellent.
As with the other Teaism branch I visited, I felt the food preparation here was a bit slow (especially considering the busy nature of the joint with people standing around in a small space) and the prices are a bit high. That said, my tempeh curry was quite tasty ($9).
This location has highly limited seating, with space for 7-8 downstairs and maybe 10-12 upstairs. At lunch hours it gets packed quickly.
I found the service and atmosphere to be fabulous. Vegetate has a good drink menu and great atmosphere for dates. It's urban-chic in a neighborhood that needs some business. The food was also good, though perhaps not worth the high prices (which range from $10-17 per dish). The grilled seitan was a bit chewy, but tasty on a whole. I thought their desserts were distinctive and understated, with unusual tastes (chocolate ganache with balsamic vinegar) that you don't expect.
This place is a solid entry for the Dulles Airport area of Virginia and offers good options in a place devoid of vegan food. It's almost impossible to get to if you don't have a car, as it's located in a huge strip-mall in an suburban office park area. For reference's sake, it's next to a Lowe's.
The inside is clean and inviting and the service is friendly. My friend and I liked our two dishes (General Tso's Surprise and Chicken with Broccoli). We loved the Japanese Yam cake we had for dessert, which was unusual and exotic, exactly the type of thing I love to see, but don't see often enough, in most Asian restaurants.
The portion sizes are small considering the prices ($9-10) per dish, which could get you plenty of leftovers at a place like Evergreen in Minneapolis, but gets you just one adequately-filling meal here. It's more like a lunch-special portion size here.
The menu is highly similar to the Sunflower restaurants in Virginia, but slightly less extensive. I do appreciate that they offer interesting vegetables such as jicama and burdock (the latter I had to look up in a dictionary but it sounds delicious).
Ultimately this is a good Asian vegetarian restaurant with vegan items (the bulk of the menu) clearly marked. They also have some interesting-sounding American burgers and sandwiches. That said, I don't think it's quite up to par with its competitors such as Sunflower (2 locations in Virginia) or Yuan Fu and The Vegetable Garden (both in Rockville, Maryland). However, any veg*n restaurant is a good sign and this place fills a needed gap in a remote area. It's also fairly new so I'm sure they'll improve with time. They're off to a good start.
This is an old-school 1980s Chinese diner with red vinyl booths and golden pagodas hanging on the walls.
There aren't that many mockmeat dishes, with the exception of a few mock chicken offerings, and one mock beef dish. The rest seem to be either tofu or mushroom dishes.
I had a "spicy chicken stir fry" ($9) which was tasty, but the portion size was woefully small, to a point where I think they only gave me half the dish by accident. It literally consisted of three pieces of broccoli, two pieces of cauliflower, six bell pepper slices, and five pieces of mock chicken. I was finished in five minutes.
They offer brown rice, which is nice, but it costs $2 more and is just standard quality.
My friend had an almond pudding ($4), which was more like cream of wheat, but more liquid.
The service was a little slow and inattentive. I probably wouldn't come back here, though it's one of few vegetarian places near downtown Seattle.
Pike Place Market is very touristy and mostly vegan UN-friendly, though Cinnamon Works had a good variety of vegan baked goods, from cookies to scones to muffins.
I enjoyed my vegan chocolate chip cookie ($3.50) which was huge and came loaded with walnuts. It had a great, soft texture and was the perfect food in the middle of the afternoon on Seattle's waterfront.
Flying Apron is a cute, cozy coffeeshop/bakery. I had a Russian tea cookie ($3) which was decent, but a bit dry. I should have gotten a cookie instead. I also had a good cup of loose-leaf oolong tea, and I appreciate any cafe that serves loose-leaf over bagged stuff.
There's limited seating in Flying Apron, as all the tables are large. We shared ours with someone else. If you're coming with a laptop and tons of papers, don't expect to have much room to spread out.
I appreciate the cool vibe at Hillside Quickies, and the large selection of comfort foods, but I found the food to be underwhelming.
My friend and I were the only customers in the place and while the service was friendly, it took a long time for the food to arrive. My friend seemed to enjoy her chili cheese fries (~$4), but I thought my seitan sandwich (~$8) was mediocre, at best. The seitan wasn't tasty, the bread was oily, they put mayo on the sandwich even though I asked them not to, and they also added potato salad on the sandwich, which was weird and didn't improve the taste.
I might give this place (or one of it's other locations) another chance if I'm ever back in Seattle, but I was not impressed my first time around.
I haven't had Thai food in a long time, almost entirely because it's hard to find Thai places that can modify their dishes to exclude fish sauce or shrimp/anchovy paste. As such, Jhanjay Thai was a wonderful find, as the food here is authentic and wholly vegetarian/vegan.
The service was extremely friendly and prompt and my water glass was never got under half empty. The atmosphere is classy and cozy and I could see this place being a regular go-to spot for so many locals.
My friend and I split a few dishes. We started out with a tom kha soup ($5.50) which tasted like the real deal and had a goodly amount of lemongrass. Next we shared a basil-chili stir-fry with veggie meat ($10) and a yellow curry with tofu ($9). Both the main dishes were tasty and filling and well-executed. My only gripe is that they really skimped on the amount of tofu and veggie meat they give you; the basil dish had maybe five pieces of veggie meat (which was like chicken) and the curry came with only four small pieces of tofu.
Jhanjay is good to offer brown rice (and very high-quality brown rice, at that), though I didn't realize until I got the bill that they charge an extra $2 per person for brown rice. That's a bit steep, though this rice was high-grade stuff and not ordinary.
In conclusion, Jhanjay serves great vegetarian Thai food and is definitely recommended.
Mighty-O is basically just a bare-bones coffee shop whose main selling point is vegan donuts, though their selection is limited and they tend to sell out of stuff very early. I went there with my friend around 10:30 a.m. one day, and they'd already sold out of their cream-filled donuts and more exotic varieties.
That said, I enjoyed all the flavors I tried, particularly the "french toast" donut and the strawberry glaze.
Their tea selection is limited to mainstream bagged varieties, which was a let-down (why not loose-leaf?). Also, dairy milk jugs are prominently displayed in the cooler behind the cash register, which was a bit of a turn-off.
In the end, if you get there early, Mighty-O will probably have some fresh vegan donuts. If you go later in the day, you'll be stuck with whatever is left.
Pizza Pi is owned by the same couple that owns Wayward Cafe, another Seattle vegan joint.
Pizza Pi lacks ambience, but the food here is very good. I had an "ex-meat lovers" 9-inch pizza with home-made cashew ricotta ($10) which was savory and had an excellent crust and sauce. I'd also never had vegan Canadian bacon before, which was a treat.
My friend's olive-lovers pizza was pretty good, though a bit too salty for me.
I especially like that Pizza Pi lets you choose between Teese, Vegan Rella or their home-made cashew cheese, as many people I know don't like soy/rice cheeses.
In terms of overall taste, I'm not sure I'd put Pizza Pi in the same quality category as Pizza Luce or Galactic Pizza (both in Minneapolis), but Pizza Pi is wholly vegan, whereas the others are not.
Next time I'm around I'll try a calzone and their garlic bread!
Sidecar is a small place, but has a good selection of all-vegan items from packaged goods to accessories to cosmetics to mockmeats and fake cheeses (they even carry every flavor of Scotland's "Sheese" hard cheeses).
I also liked that they have fresh-baked cupcakes. This is a good store to visit for selection (and for its philosophy) and it has reasonable prices as well.
Sutra puts itself in the "gourmet vegetarian/vegan" category occupied by places such as Millennium, Horizons, Candle 79, Dragonfly Neo and Sublime. I think it definitely matches the ambience and sophistication of those places, but adds two intriguing elements: limited set-seatings; and ever-changing menus.
The restaurant is technically vegetarian, but I think tends to serve mostly vegan food. Make sure to ask questions when you make your reservation. I made reservations for the 9 p.m. seating on a Saturday. As it turned out, my friend and I were the only ones at the restaurant that night, so we received special treatment. Normally though, everyone eats each course simultaneously. Each new course is introduced with a gong and an explanation of the dish.
Our prix-fixe meal ($33 per person for four courses) started with sesame-toasted sunchokes with hazelnut sauce. This was probably the highlight of the meal for me as I loved the savory sauce and the crispy sunchokes (they look kind of like fish fillets); also, there was an array of textures and flavors. The next course, a mixed and foraged greens salad with avocado was okay, but the flavors didn't seem great to me. By this point in the meal I was already starting to feel full, especially with the beer I ordered, so make sure to pace yourself and avoid alcohol, potentially. The third and main course, a hearty lasagna with foraged mushrooms and pecan "cheese" that looked and tasted like ricotta, was wonderful. It was filling, delicious and probably one of the best vegan lasagnas I've ever had. Finally, for dessert, we were served a chocolate truffle with lemongrass and crystallized ginger. The chocolate came from a nearby Seattle company, Theo, which is the only organic, fair-trade chocolate maker in the US. I thought it was wonderfully dense and rich, and tasted even better thanks to the unusual lemongrass and ginger flavors.
Overall, Sutra is a great restaurant and offers an unusual experience. This is the perfect place to take a date or for special occasions. Personally, I think Sutra would do well to eliminate the second course and maybe drop the price of the meal to $25 or so, but this is otherwise a nice place and stands apart from other upscale vegetarian restaurants in the US.
I came to Wayward Cafe twice during my trip to Seattle, though it warranted more trips than even that.
First, this is the perfect brunch/lunch spot in a quiet residential area. I've had lots of vegan brunches, but this place serves the best I've had. The first time I went I greatly enjoyed my tofu scramble with spicy seitan and the wonderful herb-covered toast that came with it ($7.50). My half-order of biscuits and gravy ($4) was good, but not as well-executed as the scramble.
The second time I went I had a side of spicy Mexican tofu scramble ($4) (there are probably six or seven different types of scrambles here) which tasted like amazing Mexican street food. The fake chorizo was the perfect touch to it. I also had an awesome sausage breakfast biscuit ($6.50) which consisted of "cheezy" tofu scramble on top of a home-made sausage patty, in between a flaky, soft, herb muffin. Truly amazing stuff. Finally, I had a chocolate chip-blueberry pancake ($3) which was also delicious, and I'm not usually a fan of pancakes.
Wayward looks like it would be the type of place where you'd get surly service in a grungy atmosphere, but instead it's extremely friendly and the food shows so many unusual touches of quality and attention to detail. This is not your ordinary vegan breakfast hole-in-the-wall. Also, surprisingly, they accept credit cards, which is a huge plus. Wayward Cafe is highly recommended.
Who would have guessed that in a town where Evangelical churches outnumber people, anti-abortion signs jostle for space alongside Indian casino ads downtown, and offices still apparently use typewriters for official business, that you'd find a modern, cool, vegetarian tea shop?
If there is a god, Infinitea is a godsend. I was in hour 5 of the 6+ hour drive from Chicago to Minneapolis and needed a cup of tea. I didn't expect to find much in Eau Claire other than a Lipton bag, but by some amazing act, I randomly parked in front of the only tea shop in the whole city without even realizing it.
Infinitea has a large selection of teas and you can even sniff them from numbered test tubes at a long counter. I thought this was a cool idea but the test tubes don't allow you to smell much, unfortunately.
Infinitea also offers three different vegetarian (and maybe vegan) salads which were unusual and featured ingredients like spicy peanut dressings and dried cranberries. Now if only they'd get vegan baked goods....
Best of all, Infinitea uses only compostable to-go cups and containers, which shows they got eco-creds.
This is a great place to check out and I will be visiting Infinitea again on some future Minneapolis-Chicago trip.
This is a small, quaint little local goods shop. The produce section is all in wicker baskets which I thought was pretty cool. They also have bulk items such as brown rice and quinoa, flour, etc. The prices seemed pretty high on bulk goods, but a lot of these items are hard to come by in Eau Claire.
There's a lot of meat in the freezer section which was a huge turn-off.
Also, there's very little by way of dedicated vegan products. They have one type of vegan cookie from some baker in Duluth, but that's about it. Come here if you want spices, produce or bulk goods, but don't bother coming here for staples like soy/rice milk or tofu/tempeh/seitan.
This is the only Thai restaurant in Eau Claire and I was psyched to get a stir-fry on my way to Chicago.
Unfortunately, none of the curries or stir-frys or noodle dishes can be made vegan or vegetarian here (though the menu does use the word "vegetarian"). Every dish, except for the soups, contains fish sauce and cannot be modified.
At least the staff was upfront and open about this. The chef even came out and also confirmed that I wanted to avoid chicken stock; it's good to know that they understand what true vegetarianism/veganism means, even if they don't cater to it well.
I reluctantly stayed and had a veganized tom kha soup with tofu ($6). It came with a side of white rice (no brown rice is available).
The soup was decent but it didn't hit the spot. The coconut milk base was a bit too watery, though the ingredients were fairly authentic: straw mushrooms; cubes of fresh tofu; cilantro; and shards of lemongrass.
It's a shame that the only Thai place in Eau Claire doesn't cater to vegans or vegetarians. That said, the soup was okay, and maybe they'll find a way to modify their preparations in the future.
Shanghai Bistro is a somewhat chic Chinese joint surrounded by gas stations and seedy motels. It's close to campus but a bit far from downtown Eau Claire. That said, it seems to draw a crowd, and gets busy after 5 p.m.
I had an avocado roll ($4 regular, $3 on happy hour before 5 p.m.) which was pretty basic being just rice, nori and avocado, but tasty enough. I also had a house-style tofu ($8) but had to get the dish modified, as the normal sauce may or may not contain oyster sauce (I never got a clear answer from the waitress, who didn't seem to know, but said she'd make sure my dish was totally vegan). As such, make sure to ask questions about ingredients, as the vegetable and tofu dishes might be a bit fishy.
The dish was passable; I found it bland and skimpy on the vegetables. Also, there was no option for brown rice, which makes me weep at every instance.
The service was decent though not terribly friendly or attentive. If you're in Eau Claire and looking for unusual cocktails or a fun night at a bar, this is a good spot, as it has both interesting drinks and lots of people. If you're looking for good Chinese food, you probably should drive 90 miles west to Minneapolis.
Jules' Coffee House is a great, atmospheric cafe in downtown La Crosse. Located inside a turn-of-the-century building, the cafe retains a sense of history and studied decorum. I dug the quiet, old-school vibe in there.
Jules' also has a decent selection of teas from Republic of Tea, though no loose-leaf options. Their vegetarian chili is vegan and I was told it's quite hearty and popular. Unfortunately, Jules' doesn't have any vegan baked goods.
Jules' is worth a stop for its cool interior (and it also has a nice patio set-up outside).
I ate here a long time ago but was impressed by the peanut curry I had and the friendly service. The waiter was knowledgeable about what was vegan or what could be made vegan.
The atmosphere is pretty nice here, too and the restaurant could serve as a good date spot.
Bunky's has friendly service and unusual ambience: part of the restaurant looks like a deli while the other part looks like a Victorian living room.
I liked that they offered many local beers and do a decent job with labeling what's vegan and gluten-free. Our waitress also was knowledgeable about what's vegan and what's not.
Our falafel appetizer was quite tasty and well-done ($7.95). The creamy lentil soup that came with my main dish was wonderful---perfectly spiced, thick and delicious with fresh herbs. However, the Mediterranean Eggplant main course was pretty bland; it was basically eggplant, onions and bell peppers in a marinara sauce, served with couscous on the side. It was also slightly expensive at $13.95. My friend, however, enjoyed his vegetarian lasagna (which is not vegan).
They didn't have any vegan desserts on the day I visited but they do usually have at least one vegan home-made dessert of some type.
This restaurant has a few dishes which are vegan or can be made vegan. It has an emphasis on comfort-food type dishes, such as lentil stews with injera (a fluffy type of bread, similar to a soft Indian dosa). I would go here if you're looking for something totally different from the usual South and East Asian vegan options in Madison.
The food here is good and fresh, but it's not totally different from its next door neighbor (and sister restaurant), Himal Chuli. Chautara seems to be of an upscale version, which accepts credit cards, and is a good place to take a date. Prices are on the higher side, but Himal Chuli has become more expensive as of late, so either one is a good bet if you're looking for Nepalese-Tibetan food.
I love any ice cream shop that has soy ice cream and other vegan options available. This place has hip furniture, friendly service and really low prices ($3 for a LARGE scoop).
When I went, they had two soy flavors (mint chocolate and "blue something" which has the taste of fruit loops) and four or five sorbet/Italian ice options.
They have two vegan ice cream cones and also a vegan waffle cone, which was a great and pleasant surprise.
This place is highly recommend for its variety of vegan options, dirt cheap prices, and great central location on State Street.
And so I finally bagged the elusive white whale of the vegetarian world in Madison. I had attempted to eat at Dandelion Food Cart on at least five or six separate occasions over the last year or two, but I was always either too late, or had come on a day that it's not open (it's only open Tuesday-Thursday).
The owner graciously prepared a potato-tofu wrap for me, even though he'd technically already closed for the day (as usual, I was barely late). He also gave me a peanut butter chocolate cup on the house.
The wrap ($6.25) was excellent: super-fresh, filling and flavorful. It was full of tofu, spinach (or was it kale?), a creamy dressing, potatoes, black eyed beans and other vegetables. It also came with a side of tortilla chips. The wrap/burrito was spicy without being overpowering, and felt like comfort food. I can't wait to try another dish from Dandelion.
The chocolate peanut butter cup was also amazing. It had a rich chocolate flavor and the peanut butter inside was some of the creamiest I've ever tasted.
My only gripe is that this being a food cart, you're forced to eat outside (unless you have an office or apartment to go to, which I don't, as I'm always just passing through Madison). There's no shortage of benches and open space where you can sit and eat in downtown Madison, but be prepared to be bothered by a constant stream of buses and more than a few panhandlers.
Dobra is a quaint, cool joint in the heart of State Street. I love the location. Dobra fills the "quiet tea house" niche that had been unfilled in downtown Madison.
The decor is exotic and I liked the elevated platforms where you and your friends can sit, cross-legged, and sip fine teas from around the world. There aren't enough places like this in the US.
This place does have a few issues, though. First, the teas are a much pricier than I've seen in other loose-leaf teashops. The selection is large, but it tended to skew toward Chinese teas, and I think could have used a few more Japanese, Indian, Sri Lankan and East African offerings. A cup of tea (which affords 3-5 steeps) will cost roughly $5, which is quite expensive.
The service was a bit slow; the first time I went, I ordered a three-cup tasting ($5.28 with tax) and it took over 10 minutes to actually get the order. I wasn't terribly impressed with any of the three: the "yellow" tea smelled of corn and was a bit too weak (normally they give a variety of green tea, but they had run out); the black tea was over-brewed and bitter; and the puer-eh was interesting, but not my cup of tea, to use a bad pun.
Dobra does, however, have some interesting smoked Japanese green teas and a decent selection of Chinese oolongs as well.
The cups and teapots needed a deep scrub as they were stained from previous brews. This isn't a huge issue, but it detracted from the elegant ambience and level of sophistication that Dobra is aiming for.
I also had a baba ganouj snack ($7), which was delicious---well-seasoned roasted eggplant, soft and fresh whole-gran pita bread, all with olive oil. Once again, it's a pricey dish, but the quality was high.
If Dobra Tea offered some vegan desserts, a more diverse tea selection, and sped up their service a bit, this place would be a gem. As it stands, it falls a little short of its full potential, but is still a worthwhile stop if you're strolling down State Street and looking for something different than a normal coffee shop.
Electric Earth is just barely on the West side of Madison which doesn't have as many vegan options as the East side of town. So I'm glad that they're around and that they offer a couple of vegan sandwiches and some vegan baked goods.
That said this place is, at the end of the day, your standard generic independent coffee shop: brightly painted walls, random retro furniture, free wi-fi and nothing in particular that you couldn't get at any other coffee joint in any other college or major town in the country.
I had a "tofu you" sandwich ($7.25) and a cup of loose-leaf Darjeeling tea ($2). Kudos to them for having loose-leaf tea, even though they commit the cardinal sin of offering Oregon-brand as their only chai. Too many independent coffee shops refuse to go the extra step of making their own chai; instead they rely on those awful tetrapak cartons of Oregon chai, which is disgusting and not worth the oil it took to package and ship it.
The sandwich was okay; it consisted of baked tofu slabs with tomato, lettuce, olives and a thick, spicy tomato-garlic sauce, but was poorly constructed and not hot (temperature wise) enough. Also, the bread wasn't toasted, which seemed like a major oversight. It wasn't a good value on a whole.
I passed on the vegan cookies which looked old and stale. Maybe I came on an off-day.
In any case, Electric Earth has lots of room for improvement, namely by making their own chai and by improving their sandwiches and vegan baked good freshness. I wouldn't go out of my way to come here, but if nothing else downtown were open, this is a decent enough spot.
Gotham Bagels offers a good, quick, cheap lunch or snack in downtown Madison. The bagels here are fairly high quality and you can mix and match and make interesting bagel sandwiches with a variety of vegetable spreads and also tofutti-based spreads.
I had a "V" sandwich on a toasted garlic bagel ($4.28 with tax) which consisted of arugula, tofutti-scallion spread, tomatoes, avocado, and roasted poblano peppers. It was pretty tasty and quite filling and cheap; however, the sandwich is totally overloaded and quite messy to handle, which forced me to use at least a few napkins (better to eat these sandwiches sitting down at a table, not on-the-go or in the car).
The location in downtown Madison is good, though the place closes too early (3 p.m.).
Himal Chuli is one of the flagship veg-friendly restaurants in Madison. It's a super-small and friendly place, which can get filled up pretty quickly during peak hours, so keep that in mind. Also keep in mind that this place isn't great for groups larger than two or three, given the limited space.
I noticed that they've increased their prices, and the more sophisticated dishes (such as the ones with seitan) are $15, while their 'tarkari' (vegetarian) combo selections are around $7-9, and served with a small herbal-bean soup, a main dish, and either rice or roti (note: the roti doesn't appear to be vegan).
These are steep prices, considering the place is CASH or CHECK-ONLY, so make sure to carry at least $40 or more, if you plan to splurge on dishes.
The food is wonderful. It's fresh, light and simple. They have rotating 'tarkari' selections; the last time I went I had a combo meal with a butternut squash curry and also a spinach-blackeyed peas-potato dish.
I wish Himal Chuli were 100% vegetarian, because Madison desperately needs an all-vegetarian restaurant, but as it stands, Himal Chuli is as good as it gets.
Kabul is a nice joint when you're looking for Middle Eastern food. They usually have two or three dishes which can be made vegan with simple fixes. One of their dishes is a wonderful mixture of herbs, spices, chickpeas and spinach. Portion sizes are good and prices are reasonable, in the $9-12 range. They also have excellent hummus and pita bread. If they had more vegan options, I'd give them a higher rating.
Lazy Jane's is a cool, two-story house in Madison's hip Williamson Street area. It serves an eclectic crowd and offers American breakfast and lunch standards, from hash to veggie melts. When your order is ready the line cook theatrically yells out your name.
There aren't many vegan options, and they rarely have vegan baked goods, but what they do offer for vegans is pretty tasty.
I had the seitan hash ($6.50) which normally comes with eggs, but they left it off for me. Oddly enough, Lazy Jane's doesn't seem to offer a tofu scramble. How can you have seitan but not tofu?
The dish consists of a HUGE amount of skillet potatoes, roasted red peppers, mini pieces of broccoli, and chunks of seitan. The portion size was easily enough for two very filling meals.
I thought the flavors were great, and the toasted sourdough-rye bread on the side was fresh and delicious (Lazy Jane's has two vegan bread options which they helpfully pointed out to me). In general, I think the dish was good, and of much higher quality than similar brunch-style dishes you'd find at Monty's Blue Plate Diner down the road. That said, Monty's has many more vegan offerings than Lazy Jane's, so what you trade in quality you get back in variety.
I'd return to Lazy Jane's to try their limited vegan lunch options, but I just wish they'd expand their offerings to make them THE place to go for vegan brunch and lunch.
I liked the 1950s-diner ambience of this joint. It was crowded and bustling when we went, though we didn't have to wait for a table, unlike people in larger groups. It seems to be a popular weekend brunch spot.
The service was friendly and prompt and our waiter picked up that I was vegan (without me telling him) and helpfully told us that some things (such as the rolls) weren't dairy-free. He substituted toast and English muffins for us.
I found my vegan tofu scramble with potato hash to be decent, but nothing spectacular. My friend thought the same of his "Sloppy Faux" sandwich which came with waffle fries. The prices are reasonable at around $7-10 a dish and the portion sizes are good. They do offer at least eight or nine vegan-friendly dishes from scrambles to burgers to meatloaf.
Madison needs a place like this which offers vegan brunch foods so I appreciate Blue Plate is around. The vibe is good and they have parking. But the quality of the food could stand to improve a bit.
Mother Fool's has a cool, edgy, artistic vibe and is also quite cozy. Maybe it's a little bit too cozy, as the place is small and single people tend to sprawl out with laptops, hunker-down for hours and take up tables designed for two or more people.
As such, my friend and I had a hard time finding a place to sit down even though the place wasn't busy by any means.
We eventually found a table tucked in a back nook, separated from the main room. The lighting needs improvement back there, as each table has a tiny desk lamp with a mega-high-wattage CFL bulb, which are blinding in tight, confined spaces like that. Kudos for using CFLs, but we had to put our lamp on the floor because it was too bright at eye-level, but shutting it off would have put us in the dark.
I liked that they had loose-leaf teas. Their baked goods are all vegan and we tried their gingerbread cookie and also a cranberry scone. The cookie was decent, but nothing spectacular. The scone was oily, soft and completely under-baked, but still tasted okay, oddly enough. What I liked best were the prices: the baked goods maxed out at $2 each, with most hovering around $1.50-$1.90. That's cheap.
Nice atmosphere and nice prices at Mother Fool's. It just needs more space and better lighting. The baked goods could use a quality upgrade, but at least they're inexpensive.
Sunroom is a quaint, cozy place on the second floor of a building on State Street. It's a great place to get a cup of tea and a light snack and the place certainly does get a lot of natural light.
I liked their chai, which tasted fresh and unusual. I don't remember having any food there, but they do serve sandwiches and hummus-type dips with chips.
This is a great, full-size co-op with a wide variety of vegan staples. But when I evaluate a co-op, I look more at the fresh, daily vegan offerings they have and William Street didn't let me down.
They have at least four or five different vegan baked goods daily, all of which attracted numerous people (at least when I was there). Some options included brownies, cakes and cookies. I had a "grasshopper brownie" ($1.45 for a decent-sized chunk) which was moist and rich, though with a slight metallic aftertaste from the mint frosting. I'd still get another, though, as I love the chocolate-mint combination.
The juice bar has OatsCreme softserve, malts, shakes and smoothies, and offers a variety of unusual tea- and coffee-based drinks with the option for soy, rice, almond or hemp milk. I had a 12 oz. apple chai with almond milk ($3.50) that was flavorful, though it could have used more milk for some extra creaminess.
The deli section has some simple tofu sandwich options, including cajun baked tofu, or fried tofu; there were also some cold curry-style tofu and tempeh dishes available by the pound.
Lastly, I just liked the vibe of this place. It was full of hippies, ex-hippies, families, and smart consumers. If I lived in Madison, Williamson Street Co-op would definitely be a major part of my life.
This is an excellent, small co-op. It has a quaint feel and the prices on produce and packaged vegan goods (such as Field Roast sausages, tofurkey, soy milk, etc.) were quite low and comparable to what you'd find at a bigger co-op in the Twin Cities. Best of all, the selection wasn't limited and you can find pretty much anything you need here.
They also have a large dry and bulk goods selection. And they even carry a ton of local beers in the fridge!
I give The Raw Deal an extra star for being gutsy enough to serve raw vegan food in an area known for cheese curds and bratwurst. Indeed, as the person working there told me, The Raw Deal's food has "challenged" many locals.
The cafe itself is enormous---probably 6,000 square feet of vast, open space with a small balcony area, too. When I went an old man was reading a newspaper at the counter and a young guy had fallen asleep on a 1970s floral-pattern sofa. It was otherwise empty with Norah Jones' tinny voice barely carrying in the expanse.
The desolation and eerie silence of The Raw Deal was a bit off-putting. I felt like every time I chewed my tasty, well-made "green burrito" ($5.95) the noise echoed around the empty, gigantic space. They might do well to get some more furniture and decorations and maybe add some steady programming.
The food is made elsewhere and varies from day to day but is all raw and all vegan. It's on par with the quality of Ecopolitan (for those of you from Minneapolis) and there's a wide variety of dessert options. I tried two flavors of "Lil Cups of Heaven" bon-bons, both of which were good, but only consisted of two bites and cost $2.25 a piece. A slice of choco-pie was also delicious and super-filling (it could have been a meal in itself) and cost a more reasonable $4.95, which is about right, considering the size of it. They don't have soy milk as an option for drinks, but they do have almond milk, which was a pleasant surprise.
The service is friendly and the location is quaint in old Menomonie. The place is entirely family-run and apparently gramps even hand-grinds the coffee himself. If you're from the Twin Cities and headed toward Madison/Milwaukee/Chicago, it's a convenient pit stop as it's located only two miles off of I-94. It'd be a nice place to take a day trip, too, as there are lakes and trails within walking distance of the cafe.
The Cheese Factory, despite its name, is super vegan-friendly with an available, separate vegan menu full of all sorts of appetizers, sandwiches, salads and main course options. Gluten-free items are also labeled.
I started off with a "Rattlesnake tofu" ($6.95) which was quite tasty---it was char-grilled tofu with a hint of lemon, served along with a decent BBQ sauce and also a small side of black beans.
For my main dish I had the chimichanga ($10.95), which was big and filling. The outer flour shell was lightly fried and covered in a delicious orange-colored sauce (some kind of tomato mixture?); inside, the chimichanga was filled with rice, onions, bell peppers and tofu. I think it could have used more tofu, and instead of white rice, I wish they'd used brown, but this was otherwise a solid choice. The salad that came with it seemed like a mish-mash of random leafy greens and could have been presented better, though. I think I would have preferred fresh pico de gallo or maybe a side of chips with this dish instead of the salad.
The only vegan dessert they have (aside from some sorbet smoothies/shakes) was a maple walnut cookie ($2.50), which was excellent: soft and chewy with the wonderful, subtle flavor of maple. I hope they'll add a vegan cheesecake at some point in the future.
The service here was impeccable. Everyone was super-friendly, eager, and happy. I felt good to eat there and felt welcomed by genuinely caring people who like what they do and care about the food they make.
The decor is great, too. It's like an old-time soda fountain shop and servers wear bowties.
The Cheese Factory is an asset to Wisconsin Dells. It's also a great stopping point for people traveling between Minneapolis and Madison/Milwaukee/Chicago, as it's right off I-94 (and as I discovered, it's exactly 3.5 hours from Chicago and 3.5 hours from Minneapolis, so it's the perfect middle-point in that long drive).
Mar 5
I am a chocolate fan and TerraSource's wonderful, all-vegan chocolates are a treat.
For one thing, they use fair-trade, lush dark chocolate that breaks and snaps in perfect geometric patterns when you take a bite.
Also, their flavors are unusual: masala chai; rhubarb; Jasmine green tea; orange ginger; coconut; and more. As such, TerraSource combines my love of chocolate with my love of tea and unusual fruit fillings (with fruit grown in Wisconsin!).
The fillings are soft and subtle and mix perfectly with the oh-so-slightly-bittersweet dark chocolate. My favorites were the masala chai and the coconut dream. The only flavor I didn't like a lot was the Hi-C Seaberry, which had too-strong a taste of seaberry; that said, it was still more than edible.
Finally, I loved their packaging. The "Native Prairie Seed Favor Box" is a cute little package that biodegrades and is made of Midwestern seeds; when you put it in dirt and water it, it will germinate. How cool is that?
If you're looking for eco-friendly, vegan and delicious little chocolates for yourself or as a gift, TerraSource is a great choice.