tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-45560253142644000662024-02-07T21:50:59.762-06:00veg st. louisthe home of vegetarian reconclarkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04361976454357595218noreply@blogger.comBlogger120125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4556025314264400066.post-57548352151731588022012-05-15T15:56:00.000-05:002012-05-15T15:56:51.635-05:00This Blog Is No Longer Current<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">faithful readers and new folks, we've left the st. louis area and therefore won't be keeping this blog current any longer. it's been a great run, no doubt, but it's time to see what else we can find to eat in the rest of this big ol world.</span><br />
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</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">one final note: don't underestimate the vegetarian/vegan scene in st. louis. whether you're passing through or making a home here, you'll find plenty of veg-friendly food to make you happy. like, really happy. now go forth, explore, and be good to each other.</span>clarkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04361976454357595218noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4556025314264400066.post-50447939585543073492011-12-16T14:10:00.001-06:002011-12-16T14:11:49.703-06:00foundation grounds<style>
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<div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Helvetica;">we’ve liked foundation grounds for a long time. who wouldn’t, with their selection of fresh-baked goodies, with a number of them being vegan, and many of them featuring local, seasonal ingredients. the rest of their menu we remained (ignorant) of for too long. this is how we came to full-on crush on foundation grounds.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Helvetica;"><b>mission</b>:</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><a href="http://www.foundationgrounds.com/"><span style="font-family: Helvetica;">foundation grounds</span></a></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Helvetica;">maplewood </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Helvetica;"><b>terrain</b>:</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Helvetica;">from the outside, it’s immediately obvious that foundation grounds is a friendly, neighborhood gathering place. the potted plants, fenced seating area, and corner perch are almost mayberry cute. inside, it's even better: it's personal, warm, and completely disarming. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Helvetica;"><b>personnel</b>:</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Helvetica;">all the staff are good-natured and patient while we point and gawk at the bakery case and take what must seem like an eternity to decide what—and how many—to get. they’re helpful with suggestions and knowledgeable about ingredients and prep. unlike so many coffeeshops, the people who work here seem to enjoy being here, which makes the experience so much more positive.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Helvetica;"><b>rations</b>:</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Helvetica;">in a gluttonous effort to make up for lost time, we ordered three sandwiches, side salads and soup, and some desserts. the first thing we knew we wanted was the <span style="color: #009900;"><b>goddess sandwich</b><span style="color: black;">,</span></span> which comes with hummus, kalamatas, marinated red onions, spinach, and a sprinkling of feta. it’s not incredibly original, but what separates this one from the others is the hummus: you might think the olives would overpower it, but, incredibly, they balance each other nicely. and we couldn't get enough of the marinated red onions! all the bread is companion, by the way, and we were happy to hear it, because it toasts beautifully—just enough softness not to shred your mouth, but also enough sturdiness to hold it all together. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7ofWI02KF_bfqRxXauRfENAPk8DG57k40dNLDZkrqPfzKh-KSNTBHsm2yk1iYjTX4aaGFATosgyZG4EqIsQJFQmaGoGlsnry7wEy8aWIOmRx8cUfGXDzNaWEAe-W-jJhI38TA0MlSt9M/s1600/IMG_2348.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="494" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7ofWI02KF_bfqRxXauRfENAPk8DG57k40dNLDZkrqPfzKh-KSNTBHsm2yk1iYjTX4aaGFATosgyZG4EqIsQJFQmaGoGlsnry7wEy8aWIOmRx8cUfGXDzNaWEAe-W-jJhI38TA0MlSt9M/s640/IMG_2348.JPG" width="640" /></a><span style="font-family: Helvetica;">the <b><span style="color: #009900;">vegan tempeh salad sandwich</span></b> offers a bright blend of flavors, including dried cranberries, slivered almonds, onion, celery, and vegenaise. it's an updated, vegan twist on the chicken salad you might remember your mom making from chicken dinner leftovers. obviously fogro’s is not made from tempeh dinner scraps, but if it were, we’ve no doubt that the salad would outshine the original dish. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDF_-FjAT9dJrsa9rctEu9_uXqRCvms5_memHSgjxIQk_Dlx7Pauy-A6ROK7TLiNPRipmosMZvJv6wKSmON1L0cZaHl3zFJ9TSkvKASDKtS8BtMcYWpUKXZpMqJ4AunU-hxBmfQpRLW1s/s1600/IMG_2349.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="456" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDF_-FjAT9dJrsa9rctEu9_uXqRCvms5_memHSgjxIQk_Dlx7Pauy-A6ROK7TLiNPRipmosMZvJv6wKSmON1L0cZaHl3zFJ9TSkvKASDKtS8BtMcYWpUKXZpMqJ4AunU-hxBmfQpRLW1s/s640/IMG_2349.JPG" width="640" /></a><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><span style="font-family: Helvetica;">finally, to try something out of our norm, we opted for the <b><span style="color: #009900;">perfect pear</span></b>: sliced pear matched with red onion, lettuce, tomato, parmesan, and brie. usually we don’t much care for the texture or aroma of brie, but it turns into something magical when melted in a sandwich like this. pungent onions, sweet apples and pears, and creamy, mushroomy brie combine sublimely. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Helvetica;">foundation grounds makes us wish we worked in the area so we could pop by for lunch every day. the good news is that they’re open late enough for dinner, after-dinner coffee, or any occasion you can think of as a reason to get here. we’re thinking with holiday shopping in full swing, while you’re making your way through all the shops in maplewood, this will be the perfect respite. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDWwGypToywO3YV5AI2CziIfaNbdQnD_6cLIDYCryzRtnvK1SfSi7XVW9y82BmhL4hQh_T313O1SUIM8qT88kM8toWJ7aW-C-phWfjTdVyoAWk0629cqIs3tRPxw3o34SOR1mvGmr_vjM/s1600/IMG_2352.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="478" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDWwGypToywO3YV5AI2CziIfaNbdQnD_6cLIDYCryzRtnvK1SfSi7XVW9y82BmhL4hQh_T313O1SUIM8qT88kM8toWJ7aW-C-phWfjTdVyoAWk0629cqIs3tRPxw3o34SOR1mvGmr_vjM/s640/IMG_2352.JPG" width="640" /></a><span style="font-family: Helvetica;"><b>assessment</b>:</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Helvetica;">a-</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Helvetica;"><b>vegetarian-friendly score</b>:</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Helvetica;">a</span></div>loishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01265971583851859726noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4556025314264400066.post-24349904328503550892011-11-10T22:15:00.000-06:002011-11-10T22:15:13.501-06:00new things!we've added a table of contents for your browsing convenience. we know it's a little tough to navigate just by date, plus it provides a quick glance at everything we've covered.<br />
<br />
we've also updated the <a href="http://vegstlouis.blogspot.com/2011/09/survey-veggie-burger.html">veggie burger list</a>--a little while ago, we slipped in the veggie burger from bailey's range, and yesterday we added grace manor's two very deserving creations. so, read up, eat up...and then let us know what you think!loishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01265971583851859726noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4556025314264400066.post-1209642163861115512011-11-06T18:05:00.004-06:002011-11-07T17:38:46.508-06:00search and devour: everything at the cup<div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqwG8nctBPbwgeJ5Z9FSFOWDyVSrkw0ChKiXr3OhB6uQbD5trD7Zw0GrQyszh20ZFVCHZKXCPqKyuxKLZ48Y6QFZ0XgDxNFjnUG4TgEU7__qXamsMN5-fjr8lQKfG9CZQ10ScjQuY12lk/s1600/IMG_2290.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="382" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqwG8nctBPbwgeJ5Z9FSFOWDyVSrkw0ChKiXr3OhB6uQbD5trD7Zw0GrQyszh20ZFVCHZKXCPqKyuxKLZ48Y6QFZ0XgDxNFjnUG4TgEU7__qXamsMN5-fjr8lQKfG9CZQ10ScjQuY12lk/s640/IMG_2290.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>true, it has taken us entirely too long to give in to the temptation of <a href="http://www.cravethecup.com/"><b>the cup</b></a>. not only was the wait so, so worth it, but we also learned that the real sin here was depriving ourselves of this joy for so long.</div><div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
pictured here are two of our favorites: their classic <span style="color: #009900;">red velvet</span>, and a seasonal specialty, the <span style="color: #009900;">pumpkin harvest</span>. the red velvet is definitely decadent, but not sickeningly sweet--always a plus. the cake somehow manages to be pillowy, soft, perfectly moist (even a day later, no small feat!), and not at all oily. the cream cheese frosting is exactly what you'd expect, but better.</div><div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">the pumpkin harvest is really pretty special. the cake makes this one almost more like a muffin, in case you need to give yourself an excuse to eat it: muffins are breakfast food, so this is, like, almost good for you. the spice is maybe a tad overwhelming for the light pumpkin taste to show through as much as we would have liked, but the cinnamon buttercream frosting helps tame and balance the spice. playfully topped with a piece of chocolate pumpkin bark, this cupcake has enough happy in it to rally your holiday spirit, enough to brave those crowds of consumers already starting to descend upon the malls.<br />
<br />
now if only they'd make some vegan cupcakes... </div><br />
<a href="http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/28/334138/restaurant/St-Louis/Central-West-End/The-Cup-St-Louis"><img alt="The Cup on Urbanspoon" src="http://www.urbanspoon.com/b/logo/334138/minilogo.gif" style="border: medium none; height: 15px; width: 104px;" /></a>loishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01265971583851859726noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4556025314264400066.post-58370959642980492852011-10-19T10:06:00.004-05:002011-10-25T17:28:24.972-05:00blood and sand<style>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTTqYcagrs7j1zYUxQYQsB2HBhJr23HjAOp4PMuCC1ELsR0VMPfKWPAVLvgXfakXif2yqK-ERZPBTMfeiwbd78rrs8Y2O5kZ7FwZfyqSenSTbPpk5tiXPcaiLErxZnR31fQOoFOmcX3h4/s1600/IMG_2156.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTTqYcagrs7j1zYUxQYQsB2HBhJr23HjAOp4PMuCC1ELsR0VMPfKWPAVLvgXfakXif2yqK-ERZPBTMfeiwbd78rrs8Y2O5kZ7FwZfyqSenSTbPpk5tiXPcaiLErxZnR31fQOoFOmcX3h4/s320/IMG_2156.JPG" width="320" /></a>blood and sand is one of the newest and most innovative restaurants to open in st. louis this season. what you find here is totally fresh, from the concept to the menu. co-owners adam frager and tj vytlacil (whose cocktail handiwork you may have enjoyed at demun oyster bar) established their restaurant as a members-only endeavor in order to offer their customers a more customized, personal experience, and under their care and focus, blood and sand has been enjoying a lot of positive coverage. basically, blood and sand offers bespoke dining, and we love being catered to.</div><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> </span><br />
<br />
<b>mission</b>:<br />
<b><a href="http://bloodandsandstl.com/">blood and sand</a></b><br />
downtown<br />
<br />
<b>terr</b><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b>ain</b>:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">as is appropriate for a members-only spot, there's nothing outside to identify blood and sand by, unless you recognize their logo on the windows. once you're swung in through the revolving door, you're greeted by a sleek but comfortable interior. it's not gilded and draped in fur and tapestries, nor is it a shadowy, candlelit hideout. it's very unpretentious: cozy but modern, open yet somehow intimate. the exposed kitchen emits a warm glow and fills the space with the positive buzz of anticipation. in contrast, the light by the bar seems almost a shroud, the perfect place to unwind and enjoy a cocktail after a long day. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<b><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">pers</span>onnel</b>:<br />
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<div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Helvetica;">everyone we’ve interacted with has been very warm and helpful but never heavy-handed with recommendations. adam is very cordial and easy to talk to. he’s knowledgeable without making you feel like he’s talking down to you, but telling a story. that’s sort of the spirit of the place, after all: the cocktail “blood and sand” has a great story behind it, both in the origination of the drink, and how tj and adam were so inspired by it they built a restaurant around it.</span></div><br />
<br />
<b>rations</b>:<br />
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<div class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhntTHbSBQgpEcTsAID7zZHC5xFz-j3tcQh5byPli4iCvtg2DZbmLnb_obqsIpiz3cSJDcmCSO2z-yfU9lcGhMNQnvaufizfcn9zGS-mX7-8re2UCJooYC3yfr4QQVLeGEnKJWGBiLVKOs/s1600/IMG_2146.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="149" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhntTHbSBQgpEcTsAID7zZHC5xFz-j3tcQh5byPli4iCvtg2DZbmLnb_obqsIpiz3cSJDcmCSO2z-yfU9lcGhMNQnvaufizfcn9zGS-mX7-8re2UCJooYC3yfr4QQVLeGEnKJWGBiLVKOs/s200/IMG_2146.JPG" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: Helvetica;">at the risk of sounding hyperbolic and inspiring some skepticism in our readers, we would like to confidently declare that this was the best meal we’ve had in st. louis to date. oh, and if you haven’t applied for a membership yet, <a href="http://bloodandsandstl.com/application/">you should</a>.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidAxx-bQnxk836GcUCx2OrYOt_sWhTn6dVTPeRhaYvPrDa05rNGi9di9CyBmyyXaMhhvSjCM3rSWKM3GNdSdKqy8BFPRRpnIxcG0Srkh80MZXolJBZvI6oAhZPlVnv4QRy9dttdKE6lU0/s1600/IMG_2148.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="149" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidAxx-bQnxk836GcUCx2OrYOt_sWhTn6dVTPeRhaYvPrDa05rNGi9di9CyBmyyXaMhhvSjCM3rSWKM3GNdSdKqy8BFPRRpnIxcG0Srkh80MZXolJBZvI6oAhZPlVnv4QRy9dttdKE6lU0/s200/IMG_2148.JPG" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: Helvetica;">we started off with an order of the <span style="color: #009900;">truffled tater tots</span> and the <span style="color: #009900;">hush puppies</span> (the fryer is vegetarian, at least for now). the tots are not what you remember from your school cafeteria days--delicious and addictive as those were--they’re actually better. with a mash-like consistency on the inside that’s so smooth it's almost creamy, and a delicate shell on the outside, they’re an elevated tribute to a classic kids’ favorite. and the truffle oil doesn't overwhelm, as often is the case with anything truffled. hush puppies are another really nostalgic treat for lois and clark, and chef chris bork’s are made with noticeable care. pickled red onions add a welcome hint of tart pungency to the mild sweetness of the pups. they strike the perfect balance of crunch with cake-like softness, sprinkled with just enough salt to get your tongue tingling. and it’s a good thing they’re so awesome on their own, because vegetarians should stay away from the chicken stock-based mole sauce. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjx9PjM8Xg2YepnPMGgQztGEOiywJmxMxXr2ro2TodCjdNtWj0CjcFx6G-U2lBaZZmeOKRZF1sElzlUdh72QlM_1fb4nDdiV2-rw7tvWOG1Gs__2hJ7g9GE4PABfXEi8c6n9cgD9yShWXE/s1600/IMG_2152.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjx9PjM8Xg2YepnPMGgQztGEOiywJmxMxXr2ro2TodCjdNtWj0CjcFx6G-U2lBaZZmeOKRZF1sElzlUdh72QlM_1fb4nDdiV2-rw7tvWOG1Gs__2hJ7g9GE4PABfXEi8c6n9cgD9yShWXE/s320/IMG_2152.JPG" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: Helvetica;">on special this night was the <span style="color: #009900;">spanish omelet</span>, generously drizzled with a vibrant red pepper sauce. we love the comfort-foodiness of the spanish omelet, and we love even more that they left the potato skins on to add a little rusticity. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Helvetica;">next we shared the <span style="color: #009900;">pecan agnolotti</span>. the pasta was hearty, delicate, more delicious than any we’ve had since we can remember: they were smooth with a subtle sweetness from the squash, and tender but with a satisfying thickness. the broccoli puree, pecan and goat cheese toppings were the perfect complement to add some decadence while retaining the “clean” feeling of the whole dish. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: Helvetica;">as a surprise addition to our table this evening, we also enjoyed a <span style="color: #009900;">verbena chickpea</span> dish that defies explanation. it can’t be found on the menu because of the limited availability of the hand-shucked, fresh chickpeas, but keep your eyes peeled, because you seriously don’t want to miss out on this when they can make it happen again. it was, quite simply, one of the best dishes we've ever had.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAj0zGMWALusKwceJpwi1I1ebFovz1P-D0t4gNfUwZ5V9U7ebHnLTmqU75T1ofsH1TRPIkoMaFQKpGnYvAGK4Off9zPWCTYM4aAWN2A5hkq-dVORrtpInJ6bkoB30urLY5l_F23E_RbiI/s1600/IMG_2150.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="478" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAj0zGMWALusKwceJpwi1I1ebFovz1P-D0t4gNfUwZ5V9U7ebHnLTmqU75T1ofsH1TRPIkoMaFQKpGnYvAGK4Off9zPWCTYM4aAWN2A5hkq-dVORrtpInJ6bkoB30urLY5l_F23E_RbiI/s640/IMG_2150.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br />
</div><br />
<b>assessment</b>:<br />
A<br />
<br />
<b>vegetarian-friendly score</b>:<br />
A<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/28/1621796/restaurant/St-Louis/Downtown/Blood-Sand-St-Louis"><img alt="Blood & Sand on Urbanspoon" src="http://www.urbanspoon.com/b/logo/1621796/minilogo.gif" style="border: none; height: 15px; width: 104px;" /></a>loishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01265971583851859726noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4556025314264400066.post-89281491589681302202011-10-16T15:55:00.004-05:002011-10-16T22:05:32.348-05:00search and devour: veggie burgers at bailey's range<div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">when david bailey gets involved with a new restaurant, we pay attention. pretty much everything this guy touches turns to gold, and each new restaurant garners even more accolades. so, when a couple of months ago we read about his newest project, we shot him an email to let us know if he'd make sure we were there for the "soft" opening. well, that opening was last night, and we were lucky enough to be in the neighborhood.</div><div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">what we found in <a href="http://www.baileysrange.com/"><i><b>bailey's range</b></i></a> was a massive space. we're not sure how many it can seat, but it must be in the hundreds. the biggest surprise, though, was the discovery of mikey warhover manning the kitchen. formerly head chef at terrene, warhover has serious skills, and it's his job at bailey's range to design the menu and make sure bailey's new restaurant is one to remember. </div><div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">the veggie patty at bailey's range is different than all the others in town, as it's made of pinto beans and hominy. warhover spent many moons perfecting the veggie burger at terrene, and he's using the exact same toppings on his bailey's range version: avocado mousse, jicama, and queso fresco. this new burger is quite good, but it becomes truly memorable when you add the chipotle ketchup to it. in any case, if these toppings don't appeal to you, bailey's range has countless others to sate you, from the exotic to straight up pickles and mustard.</span>clarkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04361976454357595218noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4556025314264400066.post-80255841263788361702011-10-16T15:24:00.001-05:002011-10-16T15:26:17.242-05:00search and devour: food for lovers' vegan queso<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjU1K-yW3ORnB0wkt-g_CMnFXMkl2rQ6F_1mF5HjkTh_HeEOhyiDAA3MuhnzDXWbMdgVcTaPpN25B8yAFzb_ahWQhUR409g74TZAkGU7uedtFGsrnffKKOhKpt68IeUrE8QGIsbQBLN2-I/s1600/Screen+shot+2011-10-16+at+3.10.02+PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjU1K-yW3ORnB0wkt-g_CMnFXMkl2rQ6F_1mF5HjkTh_HeEOhyiDAA3MuhnzDXWbMdgVcTaPpN25B8yAFzb_ahWQhUR409g74TZAkGU7uedtFGsrnffKKOhKpt68IeUrE8QGIsbQBLN2-I/s1600/Screen+shot+2011-10-16+at+3.10.02+PM.png" /></a></div><div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">many months ago, a friend of ours in "the business" passed along a tip about vegan queso coming to st. louis. this friend didn't know where or when we'd be able to get our hands on it, but we were told it would be worth the wait. well, it's here (whole foods - galleria, to be exact), and it's spectacular. a company called <b><a href="http://food-for-lovers.com/"><i>food for lovers</i></a></b> produces the queso in austin, texas, and from what we can tell, it's the <i>only</i> thing they make (!).</div><div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">the queso is entirely vegan and contains no soy, either. the primary ingredient is nutritional yeast, so the flavor is plenty cheesy enough. (and if you don't know about the magic of nutritional yeast, yet, get yerself over to the whole foods bulk section and buy about a pound of it. it makes almost everything taste better.) the best compliment we can pay this queso, though, is that it doesn't come up short in the spice department. each bite brings the heat, but there's never too much spice standing in the way of all the other flavors. </div><div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">tl;dr - this queso is daggone good. go buy some and eat it.</span>clarkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04361976454357595218noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4556025314264400066.post-19559920467364629732011-09-25T21:58:00.010-05:002011-11-08T19:26:18.655-06:00best of st. louis: the veggie burger<div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">we've been compiling notes for months on veggie burgers in the lou, in all their glory or unfortunate lack thereof. we've always been very thankful to be in a city that is so accommodating to vegetarians' needs, so we've been doing our best to take full advantage of it. it seems like almost everybody has a veggie burger, and some places have really surprised us. this may not be as harrowing or historical a survey as lewis and clark's, but we tried to document every discovery with just as much diligence. it's been hard work. <i>gruel</i>ing at times. but you know us: anything for science. </div><br />
<div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="color: orange;">the burgers are listed in alphabetical order</span>, in three categories: the one you can't live in st. louis without having eaten, the ones we think are pretty damn good, and the ones we've enjoyed even though we might change a thing or two. our aim is briefly to mention anything noteworthy while keeping the reading to a minimum. <br />
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</div><div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b>do not miss: </b></div><i><u><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">sweetart</span></u></i><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">: the most interesting housemade patty in the city. reine bayoc has crafted a burger with the most delightful texture and flavor, striking a delicate balance between smooth and sturdy, sweet and savory. the blend of lentils and carrots with a hint of cinnamon and a kiss of their secret sauce is something you'll crave every day you don't get to have one.</span><b> </b><br />
<br />
<b>highly recommended:</b><br />
<div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><u><i>bailey's range</i></u>: the basic veggie burger here is essentially the same as the one at the now-defunct terrene, with the chief exception being that the match meat is replaced by pinto beans and hominy. deee-licious.<br />
<i><u>fozzie's sandwich emporium</u></i>: both the veggie and the black bean burgers are delicious. while somewhat soft, the boldness and distinction between their flavors is pretty awesome. they even have a vegan menu you can ask to see.<br />
<u><i>grace manor</i></u>: chef debra grace boasts two of the most creative burgers in the area and we still have yet to see anyone else make mention of them. the black eyed pea burger, with its bell peppers, jalapeno, carrot, cilantro lime dressing, and sriracha mayo is the banh mi's burger reincarnate--a perfect hybrid sandwich when you can't decide if you want comfort food or ethnic. there's also the ozark forest mushroom burger, made of organic shiitake, oyster, and cremini mushrooms, with some onion, garlic, and rosemary to round out the intense earthiness of the fungi. amazingly, the patty is really sturdy and the awesome flavor and unique texture will put to shame anything out there masquerading a portobello steak as a burger...plus most other ones, too.<br />
<i><u>local harvest</u></i>: their pinto bean patty is smooth and subtle, and the hummus, red onions, pickles, and garlic aioli complement it harmoniously. a lovely brioche bun brings it all together.<br />
<i><u>lucas park grille</u></i>: a savory, earthy "match" patty accompanied by grilled tomato, rich parmesan aioli, and their delicious housemade mozz makes this healthful lunch only feel decadent. </div><div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><i><u>mokabe's</u></i>: we really love this throwback burger. a "match" patty is the only thing that makes this different from the burgers you ate as a kid. dressed old-school style with pickle, onion, ketchup, and mustard. the only thing missing is a plastic-wrapped promotional toy.<br />
<i><u>puravegan</u></i>: probably the most unconventional burger on here, this one is totally raw and boasts a uniquely smooth, almost creamy texture. we recommend it with their cheddar sauce.</div><div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><i><u>rooster</u></i>: we recommend going vegan and ordering yours on their housemade focaccia. dressed simply with tomato, greens, and guac, the patty is really allowed to shine. <br />
<i><u>the royale</u></i>: since terrene closed, the royale's "match" patties are the best in town. with an interesting toppings list and seasonal, local ingredients to choose from, you just can't go wrong here. </div><div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><i><u>sacred grounds</u></i>: this unassuming coffee shop offers up a great housemade burger, served up panini-style. try some of their other sandwiches, too, and wash 'em down with an artful, lovingly crafted latte. </div><div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><i><u>schlafly bottleworks</u></i>: these folks have been perfecting the black bean patty for a while. it's soft inside, crusty on the edges, and seasoned perfectly with chipotle. the toppings add well-balanced flavor, and finishing with the companion wheat bun leaves nothing to be desired. except more more more.</div><div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><i><u>square one</u></i>: we are huge fans of their build-a-burger menu tuesday nights. they grill up some "match" patties to add flavorful char, and there's a great variety of toppings and housemade aiolis to have fun dressing up your patty.<br />
<u><i>three kings</i></u>: this is yet another match meat patty, and it's a very good offering. the burger is definitely a generous portion, and the chipotle mayo is quite nice (though we'd prefer a little more kick). </div><b><br />
</b><br />
<b>recommended:</b><i><u> </u></i><br />
<i><u>atomic cowboy</u></i>: saucy, maybe too saucy, but the patty is homemade. soft but not crumbly, and the brioche bun adds a nice sweetness. but we need more heat in the chipotle mayo!<br />
<i><u>barrister's</u></i>: the "match" patty is a touch too dry. addition of sprouts and avocado is nice, though there needs to be more of the latter for it to really come through. the housemade hummus is a nice, needed flavor kick. <b><br />
</b></div><div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"></div><div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><i><u>the bleeding deacon</u></i>: a vegetarian boudin-style burger. very clever, but somehow slightly bland. we're rooting for improvements, as this is a well-loved place with a lot of veg options.</div><i><u>boogaloo</u></i>: awesome texture and veg accompaniments, but lacking in spices and too reliant on a dormant "volcano sauce." </div><i><u>cyrano's</u></i>: lettuce, onion, tomato, and remoulade make this a nice, uncomplicated burger. patty is also nice. but nice burgers don't really stand out, you know?<br />
<i><u>OR juice & smoothie</u></i>: technically not a burger since they crumbled their "meatballs," this one is actually more reminiscent of a banh mi. it features daikon, carrot, cilantro, and mayo on baguette. it's a tad dry, but a little drizzle of bragg's can fix that.<br />
<i><u>schlafly taproom</u></i>: the grilled veg and black bean patty is made in-house. topped with marinated jicama and sweet corn puree, it's a delightful blend of complementary flavors.<br />
<i><u>sub zero</u></i>: you can choose either the falafel patty (but be sure to request a pan-fry to avoid a shared fryer) or the black bean. with a gourmet list of ingredients, you can design a burger uniquely to your taste. we love ours with avocado, fried egg, jalapeno, and pepper jack.<br />
<i><u>vegadeli</u></i>: they've got two: the soy patty humburger, and the black bean patty. we've had the BBQ humburger and were disappointed by the lack of sauce and the bun straight from the bag. the bean burger is paired with a mango sauce that isn't for us, but overall, ain't bad.<br />
<br />
let us know if your favorite patty's not on here, or tell us what you thought of ours! </div>loishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01265971583851859726noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4556025314264400066.post-59163320231863083522011-09-07T20:45:00.017-05:002011-09-07T21:37:43.675-05:00city review: northampton, ma<div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">if you're lucky enough to have reason to be in the pioneer valley, or if you find yourself in boston with time for a daytrip, make a visit to northampton. it's the quintessential college town with five schools in the area; amherst and south hadley are worth seeing, too, but northampton's the best destination for hungry foodies and anyone in the mood to go thrifting, antiquing, and museuming. be sure to see smith college's art collection and the mortimer rare book room. </div><div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.greenbeannorthampton.com/">the green bean</a>: </div><div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">a favorite breakfast/lunch spot, the green bean serves up wholesome, local, organic eats. they even make their own tempeh, and it's totally unlike anyone else's... which is to say, effing delicious. the vblat--vegan blt--is a divine blend of avocado, vegenaise, their special marinated tempeh, and fresh greens on perfectly toasted local artisan bread. absolutely stunning in its simplicity.</div><div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
<a href="http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/205/1415026/restaurant/Massachusetts/The-Green-Bean-Northampton"><img alt="The Green Bean on Urbanspoon" src="http://www.urbanspoon.com/b/logo/1415026/minilogo.gif" style="border:none;width:104px;height:15px" /></a><br />
<br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.paulandelizabeths.com/">paul & elizabeth's</a>: </div><div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">a family business and northampton mainstay, they've been dishing out inspired, all natural, health-conscious food for over three decades. the sea vegetable salad is excellent and, to our experience, unique. all the salads are hearty and incredibly diverse in flavor and texture. the broccoli seitan is outstanding and made a confirmed vegetarian out of lois after her first dinner with clark (which happened to be at p&e's). the standout item, however, is the veggie burger: served on housemade foccacia and accompanied by their always-perfect sweet potato fries, it is the best veggie burger on the east coast. once you've had it, you'll truly understand what "crave-worthy" means. </div><div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
<a href="http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/205/1050097/restaurant/Massachusetts/Paul-Elizabeths-Northampton"><img alt="Paul & Elizabeth's on Urbanspoon" src="http://www.urbanspoon.com/b/logo/1050097/minilogo.gif" style="border:none;width:104px;height:15px" /></a><br />
<br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.haymarketcafe.com/main.html">haymarket cafe</a>: </div><div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">this cafe is the sistine chapel of indie coffeehouses. fresh smoothies and juice cocktails concocted on the spot; an all-vegetarian breakfast/lunch menu; fair trade, house-roasted coffee beans; a selection of baked decadences that cater even to vegan and gluten-free diets--this is a holy place for anyone needing a respite. may we suggest the grilled cheese, featuring gruyere, avocado, tomato, dijon, and basil mayo. wash it down with a captain crunch cocktail (pineapple, mint, banana, apple, spirulina). is your mouth watering? it's because your tastebuds are crying with happiness. </div><div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
<a href="http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/205/1050065/restaurant/Massachusetts/Haymarket-Juice-Bar-and-Cafe-Northampton"><img alt="Haymarket Juice Bar and Café on Urbanspoon" src="http://www.urbanspoon.com/b/logo/1050065/minilogo.gif" style="border:none;width:104px;height:15px" /></a><br />
<br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.herrells.com/">herrell's</a>: </div><div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">award-winning iced cream by a trailblazer in the industry. they always have vegan options available: usually there are a couple sorbets and a non-dairy iced cream choice, too. with a flavor list of over 200, it's no wonder they keep a phone list to alert customers when their favorites are back. but even if yours isn't currently on, you'll find at least three new faves each time you go. you might even run into ben and jerry here while they stop by to pay homage to the man who inspired them. </div><div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
<a href="http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/205/1050066/restaurant/Massachusetts/Herrells-Ice-Cream-Corporation-Northampton"><img alt="Herrell's Ice Cream Corporation on Urbanspoon" src="http://www.urbanspoon.com/b/logo/1050066/minilogo.gif" style="border:none;width:104px;height:15px" /></a><br />
<br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.buenoysano.com/">bueno y sano</a>: </div><div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">a local chain, this fast food mexican joint offers seitan and tofu as protein alternatives. obviously, it's not fast food like your parents are used to, but once you introduce them, they'll be converted. it's cooked right in front of you, and the sauces and all the fix-ins are made fresh daily. good and healthy, just as advertised, though they forgot to mention how delicioso, tambien.</div><div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
<a href="http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/205/1050040/restaurant/Massachusetts/Bueno-Y-Sano-Northampton"><img alt="Bueno Y Sano on Urbanspoon" src="http://www.urbanspoon.com/b/logo/1050040/minilogo.gif" style="border:none;width:104px;height:15px" /></a><br />
<br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.indiahousenorthampton.com/">india house</a>: </div><div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">when we crave indian, this is the first place we think of. it's an intimately run family operation, and all of them are super-friendly, warm personalities. the menu features the most sumptuous and enticing vegetarian dishes we've seen, not to mention the most numerous! written with an almost poetic flair, you'll have a tough time choosing just a couple dishes. let us help: makai palak malai is a must. check out this description: "an affectionate pairing of sweet corn and tender spinach seduced in a creamy coconut milk and a slight aroma of cardamom." swoon.</div><div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
<a href="http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/205/1050070/restaurant/Massachusetts/India-House-Northampton"><img alt="India House on Urbanspoon" src="http://www.urbanspoon.com/b/logo/1050070/minilogo.gif" style="border:none;width:104px;height:15px" /></a><br />
<br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.hungryghostbread.com/">hungry ghost</a>: </div><div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">without exaggeration, this local, organic artisan bread is the best ever. everything we've had before and since pales in comparison. certainly nothing in st. louis even comes close. they were just nominated by the james beard foundation, if that gives you an idea of the quality this tiny operation produces. they're just now expanding, and we can't wait to see what they do in the future. if you're lucky enough to be in the area, go here first, as they tend to run out. our favorites are the rosemary loaf and the olive fougasse. we've had more than one "bread dinner" just to savor these without distraction. </div><br style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;" /><br />
<a href="http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/205/1050068/restaurant/Massachusetts/Hungry-Ghost-Bread-Northampton"><img alt="Hungry Ghost Bread on Urbanspoon" src="http://www.urbanspoon.com/b/logo/1050068/minilogo.gif" style="border:none;width:104px;height:15px" /></a>loishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01265971583851859726noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4556025314264400066.post-88682364924429411912011-09-06T20:56:00.002-05:002011-09-07T20:43:30.652-05:00chava's<div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiHxJXk8MYH6yElx5qDtdXKaUWzj0jYhrze3iuoxZtS45H0roWA4UA146lP1aCb25v3an5GTsBg6S8SBhDFM_epbDqwWJQmWgLRIgPViz87SENcBEfCkJMxNgdMcd8tqW9b5PokeP7990/s1600/IMG_2043.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiHxJXk8MYH6yElx5qDtdXKaUWzj0jYhrze3iuoxZtS45H0roWA4UA146lP1aCb25v3an5GTsBg6S8SBhDFM_epbDqwWJQmWgLRIgPViz87SENcBEfCkJMxNgdMcd8tqW9b5PokeP7990/s320/IMG_2043.JPG" width="320" /></a><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: large;">even though it's our favorite mexican in town, we've somehow not yet written about chava's. they've got the freshest, most delicious homemade salsa, the guacamole can't be beat (those of you chanting "nachomama's" might as well be asking "what's guac?"), and how can you go wrong with a selection of fresh fruit margaritas? you can't. duh.</span> <br />
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<div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>mission</b>: </span></div><div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.chavasmexican.com/">chava's</a></span></div><div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">soulard</span></div><div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>terrain</b>: </span></div><div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">the rustic ceiling tiles, bri</span><span style="font-size: large;">ght glass mosaic lamps, swiveling twin fans, and terracotta tiles really make this place feel authentic without trying too hard. you may think sombreros and faux greenery are borderline hokey, but they've really struck a comfortable balance here: it's just festive enough without being cheesy. the building itself is quite beautiful and inviting from the outside, and its proximity to other soulard attractions like the market really make it a prime location. sitting outside really makes you feel like part of the neighborhood, and they even welcome your canine amigos, too.</span></div><div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><style>
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</style><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></div><div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>personnel</b>: </span></div><div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">we've had some great servers here, and although a large staff can sometimes mean that tables get overlooked in the chaos, chava's staff are very friendly, observant, and efficient. it's not unusual to have three different people bring us our food. we've found that besides signifying a less personal experience, it just means that when we're out of chips and salsa, they're on it. we may not feel lavished by anyone's attention, but we're there for the food, after all. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>rations</b>: </span></div><div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">we have usuals when we come here. we almost always get an order of the </span><span style="color: #009900; font-size: large;">guacamole</span><span style="font-size: large;"> to start, because the housemade chips (cooked in a veg-friendly fryer, hooray!) and salsa are delicious, but without their guac, it's a little like having apple pie without the a la mode.</span></div><div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7aHh0s3t9dG61psPbm0MGso1k2ZEA_nrKWOXhl3bXFxYMg9ktTeq82RbYh0OqVnLHsNAupe5T-xrZGG94xBqgpvssuyZ4Un6-7rGmVJxiPy8umvOcqKfMIVredWEO0kZdwPqe1j_W0zo/s1600/IMG_2044.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7aHh0s3t9dG61psPbm0MGso1k2ZEA_nrKWOXhl3bXFxYMg9ktTeq82RbYh0OqVnLHsNAupe5T-xrZGG94xBqgpvssuyZ4Un6-7rGmVJxiPy8umvOcqKfMIVredWEO0kZdwPqe1j_W0zo/s400/IMG_2044.JPG" width="400" /></a>then, we order a </span><span style="color: #009900; font-size: large;">vegetarian quesadilla</span><span style="font-size: large;"> for clark and the </span><span style="color: #009900; font-size: large;">vegetarian fajitas</span><span style="font-size: large;"> for lois. the quesadilla is unique in its vegetable quotient, including not-often- seen ingredients like squash, zucchini, baby carrots, and baby corn. we were skeptical the first time, but it only took a couple bites for it to change how we looked at everyone else's vegetarian quesadillas. we actually feel satisfied and relatively guiltless after eating here--no small thing, as we usually just see bell peppers and handfuls of cheese at other mexican joints. and don't get us wrong, you'll get handfuls of cheese here, too, but chava's just makes sure that there's some actual substance in these quesadillas for the cheese to melt over. who would have thought you could have all the gobs of cheese you crave and feel pretty healthy at the same time?</span></div><div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">the serving size of the fajitas is pretty generous, so be prepared to take some home. the vegetables are seasoned lightly enough to be just that much more tasty without overpowering the natural flavors there, and we've never seen them overcooked. the tortillas served on the side are soft and warm, but lois usually finds that the veg medley, guac, and cheese on this happy platter don't require actually being made into fajitas to be satisfying. maybe that's just her impatience--who could wait two more minutes to assemble the food when it's just as good as it is? however you like your fajitas, your tastebuds and your belly will be completely satisfecho.</span></div><div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">we do also recommend building your own burrito (the guajillo salsa is great with the veg medley). while these are pretty much the only vegetarian options here, we don't find ourselves missing anything else. with the historic soulard market just a half mile away, this is the perfect spot to fill up for lunch after you've whetted your appetite browsing produce and spices. </span></div><div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><style>
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<div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>assessment</b>: </span></div><div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">b</span></div><div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>vegetarian-friendly score</b>:</span></div><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: large;">b (because the rice and beans aren't </span><span style="font-size: large;"><i style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">always</i></span><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; font-size: large;"> vegetarian--we've heard conflicting things from different staff, so we just avoid them)</span><br />
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<a href="http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/28/320376/restaurant/St-Louis/Soulard-Benton-Park/Chavas-St-Louis"><img alt="Chava's on Urbanspoon" src="http://www.urbanspoon.com/b/logo/320376/minilogo.gif" style="border: medium none; height: 15px; width: 104px;" /></a>loishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01265971583851859726noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4556025314264400066.post-11421153474902830732011-08-24T21:26:00.000-05:002011-08-24T21:26:05.436-05:00reopened: nosh<div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">as many of you know, nosh has reopened. their new location is on south big bend, and we'll be visiting very soon. peep our original review <a href="http://vegstlouis.blogspot.com/2011/01/nosh.html">here</a>. </div><div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">update on the new location coming soon...</div><div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
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clarkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04361976454357595218noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4556025314264400066.post-76053753829824294932011-08-17T21:38:00.003-05:002011-08-17T21:55:37.978-05:00kakao<div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">there has been a dire lack of sweets reviews on here. lois is a dessert-hound and she's slowly but surely converting clark; still, the reason for the lack is probably just because we so rarely have room for sweets after stuffing ourselves at dinner. lois has made a solemn resolution to right this sin. (and you can flog her with delicious ropes of gelatin-free sour straws if she lets you down.)</div><div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWxCnln5e9tqO6rtAJ03ScItEBIlh9yyJ6yngGIjL2IXBd7yY00G6UslByuomvjg7uvDjPGm0xBo0KSkJC6PmvDqsHUIW-zV8Zt3qIDhg_QkwRPJ8zgBjFkqHpBTLmWS-zhSpuTw9GTQI/s1600/IMG_0731.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWxCnln5e9tqO6rtAJ03ScItEBIlh9yyJ6yngGIjL2IXBd7yY00G6UslByuomvjg7uvDjPGm0xBo0KSkJC6PmvDqsHUIW-zV8Zt3qIDhg_QkwRPJ8zgBjFkqHpBTLmWS-zhSpuTw9GTQI/s320/IMG_0731.jpg" width="239" /></a><b>mission</b>:</div><div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b><a href="http://www.kakaochocolate.com/">kakao</a></b></div><div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">maplewood</div><div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b>terrain</b>:</div><div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">the walls feature bright and playful cacao trees. it's a large, open space with well-loved wood floors, and lots of shiny stainless equipment. the work area is totally open to viewing, which makes it feel like a really intimate, welcoming operation. in front of the register is a long rustic table and benches, the perfect spot to savor your truffles, which you may choose from the case right in front of your seat. other goodie stations are set up on tables nearby, baskets overflowing with delectables so difficult to choose from you'll find yourself walking in circles until you're dizzy. we hear chocolate cures that, though.</div><div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b>personnel</b>:</div><div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">we can't say enough good things about the staff here! they're always so friendly and excited to tell you more. we always feel like they're excited <i>for us</i>. we get the impression that they love their jobs. no shady wonka business going on here.</div><div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b>rations</b>:</div><div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">we started with the <span style="color: #009900;">pink peppercorn lemon thyme truffle</span>. read that a couple times. let it sink in. yummm. the brightness of the thyme paired with the zesty lemon obviously complement each other beautifully, and the mild peppercorn with the dark chocolate add a lovely balancing base. the <span style="color: #009900;">elderflower truffle</span>, with its delicate little flourish on top was too enticing to pass up. we love edible flowers, and we love floral scents in our chocolate. this one is delicate but not shy, and light yet rich all at once. one of lois's favorite childhood treats were molasses puffs, which kakao calls their "<span style="color: #009900;">cinder toffee</span>." rich, sweet, crunchy, but with the melt-in-your-mouth magic of cotton candy. perfection.<br />
kakao did some cheese and chocolate pairings a little while back, and we were able to get our hands on a <span style="color: #009900;">gouda truffle</span>. while the texture was, at first, slightly curious, we let our tastebuds guide us and there are no doubts that that was one of the most fascinating things we've eaten this year. who knew? lastly, we had the <span style="color: #009900;">smoke truffle</span>. the woman who helped us said that a co-worker likened the taste to "a burning house." the drama is totally appropriate because this little guy really packs a punch. its smoldery flavor comes from lapsang souchong tea, which is made by smoke-drying tea leaves over pinewood fires. you've really never had a chocolate quite like this before; if you see them, buy a dozen.<br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">it's not just that there are interesting and complex flavors at work here. the smoothness and consistency of the chocolate is divine, and the freshness and quality of the ingredients really comes through. if you're not convinced yet, just sample some of the plain dark chocolate bark, maybe with a little sea salt--you can't hide anything there.<br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"></div><div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">we're really proud to have kakao in our city. it's not every place where you can say you have one of the best chocolatiers around, and oh, by the way, he's just a guy who tired of his corporate job and decided to follow his passion. we've heard lots of chefs and restaurateurs say that one of the best things about st. louis is that you can have an ambition here and just go for it, and there's a community of interested people who will support you just for doing what you love and doing it well. we think brian pelletier is one of the best examples of this. </div><div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">also check out their <a href="http://chocolating.wordpress.com/">blog</a>! they have lots of fun recipes and news about how they're giving back to the community. even if you do nothing more than stop by for some truffles, just make sure that you become familiar with kakao... really, they'd be doing <i>you</i> a favor.</div><div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b>assessment</b>:</div><div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">a</div><div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b><br />
</b></div><div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b>vegetarian-friendly score</b>:</div><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">a (anything but the marshmallows and perhaps a thing or two with bacon are safe... vegans, just be sure to ask)</span><br />
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<a href="http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/28/1448919/restaurant/St-Louis/Cherokee/Kakao-Chocolate-St-Louis"><img alt="Kakao Chocolate on Urbanspoon" src="http://www.urbanspoon.com/b/logo/1448919/minilogo.gif" style="border:none;width:104px;height:15px" /></a>loishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01265971583851859726noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4556025314264400066.post-67111237829617981432011-08-16T11:55:00.001-05:002011-08-18T12:57:19.015-05:00city review: san francisco<div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">though lois has yet to make the trek to san francisco, it's one of clark's favorite cities. you can get vegetarian food on virtually every block and in every neighborhood, from chinatown to mission to fort mason. as soon as we can, we're heading to san francisco for a vegan tour. it may not match l.a., but i think we'll manage just fine with restaurants like these.</div><div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b><a href="http://www.millenniumrestaurant.com/index.html">millenneum</a></b>:</div><div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">having won numerous awards, receiving multiple nominations for best veg restaurant in the united states, millenneum stands tall as the beacon of vegetarian fine dining. make sure you bring a friend or two so you can sample as many dishes as possible. and don't make the mistake of missing out on dessert.</div><div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
<a href="http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/6/87687/restaurant/Nob-Hill/Millennium-San-Francisco"><img alt="Millennium on Urbanspoon" src="http://www.urbanspoon.com/b/logo/87687/minilogo.gif" style="border: none; height: 15px; width: 104px;" /></a><br />
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</div><div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.greensrestaurant.com/"><b>greens</b></a>:</div><div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">as good as millenneum is, clark actually prefers going to greens. much of it has to do with the location of greens, which is nestled up against the marina. if you get the right table, you might even be able to see golden gate! the food is no slouch, either. as is the case with millenneum, everything on the menu at greens must be sampled. you can order simple or complex dishes, and the food here lacks some of the pretense you find at millenneum. clark recommends going to greens for brunch.</div><div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
<a href="http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/6/84518/restaurant/Marina/Greens-San-Francisco"><img alt="Greens on Urbanspoon" src="http://www.urbanspoon.com/b/logo/84518/minilogo.gif" style="border: none; height: 15px; width: 104px;" /></a><br />
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</div><div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.cafegratitude.com/"><b>cafe gratitude</b></a> (mission district location):</div><div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">this is the first place clark visited in san francisco, and he'll forever be loyal to it. no, the food isn't exceptional or even particularly polished, but there's much to like about no-nonsense food delivered in unpretentious surroundings. the people at cafe gratitude--like most of the people in the mission district--seem genuinely good, and they're committed to providing customers with quality ingredients and friendly service. it's not clear to us why their ratings are so mediocre, but we're not deterred. this is the first place we'll visit when we get back to san fran.</div><div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
<a href="http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/6/352972/restaurant/Mission/Cafe-Gratitude-San-Francisco"><img alt="Cafe Gratitude on Urbanspoon" src="http://www.urbanspoon.com/b/logo/352972/minilogo.gif" style="border: none; height: 15px; width: 104px;" /></a><br />
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</div><div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.goldeneravegan.com/"><b>golden era</b></a>:</div><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">this is another place with no frills food and big flavors. and it's all vegan! try the spring rolls first. then go with anything from the claypot/sizzling category. you won't be disappointed.</span><br />
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<a href="http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/6/84337/restaurant/Civic-Center/Golden-Era-San-Francisco"><img alt="Golden Era on Urbanspoon" src="http://www.urbanspoon.com/b/logo/84337/minilogo.gif" style="border: none; height: 15px; width: 104px;" /></a>loishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01265971583851859726noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4556025314264400066.post-83797215200733754562011-08-11T11:21:00.002-05:002011-08-11T11:22:58.801-05:00search and devour: drunken noodles at drunken noodles<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7OORmI0OAdaMeEJsMA12Ui6GIEMmtjlyZRjY9OMDOFlkruNLmPvtGV6CYcnZnxoP0eIb45APcMu0wf8f7vE45m0DdWr-a4c5C2q-W0oFKsDy_EWKp_kHX9YoA37wyHIvpXP01_5kSKbc/s1600/IMG_2024.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="478" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7OORmI0OAdaMeEJsMA12Ui6GIEMmtjlyZRjY9OMDOFlkruNLmPvtGV6CYcnZnxoP0eIb45APcMu0wf8f7vE45m0DdWr-a4c5C2q-W0oFKsDy_EWKp_kHX9YoA37wyHIvpXP01_5kSKbc/s640/IMG_2024.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">when we first visited drunken noodles taste of thai back in june, we were stunned by the quality of food and service, and we vowed to return as soon as possible. turns out two months later was as soon as we could get back, and boy did we miss it. this time we tried two new dishes: cashew curry and drunken noodles. the former exhibited some of the inconsistencies we noticed in </span><b style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><a href="http://vegstlouis.blogspot.com/2011/06/drunken-noodles-taste-of-thai.html">our first visit</a></b><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">, but the latter was spot on. there's not a whole lot of veg in this dish, but that's what we want from drunken noodles. in other words, carrots and green peppers, stay the hell outta the way! we want noodles upon noodles, and we want them to be savory, plump, and covered in spicy goodness. few things comfort as well as thai food, and drunken noodles's drunken noodles made us want to immediately settle in for another plate. (just be sure you insist that the dish be made vegetarian, and they'll do everything they can to accommodate.</span>)<br />
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<a href="http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/28/1570513/restaurant/St-Louis/South-St-Louis-County/Drunken-Noodles-Taste-of-Thai-St-Louis"><img alt="Drunken Noodles Taste of Thai on Urbanspoon" src="http://www.urbanspoon.com/b/logo/1570513/minilogo.gif" style="border:none;width:104px;height:15px" /></a>loishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01265971583851859726noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4556025314264400066.post-4094213574117623502011-08-08T21:08:00.000-05:002011-08-08T21:08:14.113-05:00future projects: pi's new chef<div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">wow. this came out of nowhere. as first reported in <a href="http://www.stlmag.com/Blogs/Relish/August-2011/Marc-Baltes-Leaves-Pi-Steven-Caravelli-Joins-Pi/">st. louis magazine</a> and then <a href="http://www.saucemagazine.com/blog/?p=12217">sauce</a>, steven caravelli is taking over executive chef duties at all pi restaurants (including d.c. and the food trucks). caravelli is known for his contributions to some of the finest restaurants in town, so his move to the world of pizza is a bit... curious. still, everything pi has touched has turned to gold, so we're not too concerned. </div><div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">there are two things here that particularly piqued our interest: </div><div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">1) a few months ago we asked departing chef marc baltes if he'd sit down for a rap session, and he enthusiastically agreed (once the d.c. pi opened up). looks like we aint gettin that interview, and baltes aint keepin his job (turns out baltes split for san francisco).</div><div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">2) caravelli speaks of moving pi closer to the green/sustainable movement. that's awesome, but it concerns us that he's talking about multiple pig farmers rather than multiple kale farmers.</div><div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">in any case, pi is hoping caravelli will keep them ahead of the cuisine-trend curve, and we're anxious to see just how significantly he alters the menu.</span>loishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01265971583851859726noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4556025314264400066.post-11511812698790190412011-08-07T15:54:00.001-05:002011-08-07T16:05:33.993-05:00city review: columbus, ohio<div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">this is probably the most underrated food city in the midwest, if not the whole country. literally, we have packed up our car and driven to columbus just so we could eat veggie burgers at northstar cafe. that's 14 total hours for veggie burgers. extra incentive, of course, came from the promise of jeni's ice cream for dessert. point is, if you get a chance to visit columbus, don't turn it down. you will not be disappointed by the veggie options, and chances are that your life will be changed once you sit down for northstar's veggie burger.</div><div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.thenorthstarcafe.com/"><b>northstar cafe</b></a>:</div><div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">the menu at northstar is not extensive, and it's clear that this is intentional so that they can focus on perfecting the few dishes they do offer. the veggie burrito is exceptional, the vegetarian options at breakfast/brunch are sublime, but nothing comes close to matching northstar's veggie burger. we've eaten veggie burgers in virtually every major city in the country, and northstar's is unequivocally the best. and every time we go back--every time--we're struck dumb by the veggie burger's flavor. after each bite, we have to sit back, eyes closed, smiles plastered to our dumbass faces, audible gibberish pouring forth from our dumbass brains through our dumbass vocal folds. after the meal, we talk incessantly about the burger for hours: "remember that veggie burger we ate this afternoon?" "oh, totally, it was derp derp derp!" yeah, i know, derpy derp the derpiest!" seriously, folks, you have to put a visit to northstar on your vegetarian bucket lists. right after shojin in los angeles.</div><div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
<a href="http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/33/371728/restaurant/Short-North/Northstar-Cafe-Short-North-Columbus"><img alt="Northstar Cafe (Short North) on Urbanspoon" src="http://www.urbanspoon.com/b/logo/371728/minilogo.gif" style="border:none;width:104px;height:15px" /></a><br />
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</div><div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><a href="http://neo-vevents.com/"><b>dragonfly neo v</b></a>:</div><div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">a few years back, vegnews ranked dragonfly as one of the best vegetarian restaurants in the united states, and there's no doubt that it offers one of the truly unique dining experiences you'll find in the middle america. we often have to ask for help interpreting the menu, as the chef utilizes some of the rarest ingredients available, and the food is as refined as you'll find outside of san francisco's <a href="http://www.millenniumrestaurant.com/">millennium</a> or new york's <a href="http://www.candle79.com/">candle 79</a>.</div><div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
<a href="http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/33/370820/restaurant/University-District/Dragonfly-Neo-V-Columbus"><img alt="Dragonfly Neo V on Urbanspoon" src="http://www.urbanspoon.com/b/logo/370820/minilogo.gif" style="border:none;width:104px;height:15px" /></a><br />
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</div><div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.wholeworldnaturalrestaurant.com/"><b>whole world natural restaraunt</b></a>:</div><div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">at whole world, vegetarian cuisine can be found for much less coin than dragonfly, but you're still sure to find quality food with interesting ingredients. columbus's oldest vegetarian restaurant, whole world specializes in sandwiches and homemade bread, and we recommend you start with "debs on black" and the "broccoli burger." a plus: virtually everything can be made vegan by substituting vegan cheese.</div><br />
<a href="http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/33/372613/restaurant/Clintonville/Whole-World-Natural-Restaurant-Bakery-Columbus"><img alt="Whole World Natural Restaurant & Bakery on Urbanspoon" src="http://www.urbanspoon.com/b/logo/372613/minilogo.gif" style="border:none;width:104px;height:15px" /></a>loishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01265971583851859726noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4556025314264400066.post-49993891715022636562011-08-07T12:26:00.001-05:002011-08-07T16:07:58.420-05:00search and devour: tempeh bites at araka<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisDMoDoqpJTHEdZuRzJyo983Rvux-8KU73jEmm2RXfjhchHpBllZ73_QEZ0koq0ppE7FaB9TcypK1WzkU14uexalY_BgDPGClx-y4T_8IHEtehLhrTrx5r-5swkyRlxhsuxuSLdz3e0A0/s1600/IMG_1993.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="478" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisDMoDoqpJTHEdZuRzJyo983Rvux-8KU73jEmm2RXfjhchHpBllZ73_QEZ0koq0ppE7FaB9TcypK1WzkU14uexalY_BgDPGClx-y4T_8IHEtehLhrTrx5r-5swkyRlxhsuxuSLdz3e0A0/s640/IMG_1993.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">there's a new chef taking the reins at araka. michael burnau is now in charge of clayton's chicest restaurant, and he's doing his best to represent for the vegetarians (at least for the vegetarians with disposable income). the new menu features multiple veggie options, and you can substitute tofu for most of the proteins in the meatier entrees. the highlight, though, of our first visit to araka was the tempeh bites. the tempeh doesn't taste sour at all, leaning instead on its best attribute: nuttiness. the breading isn't heavy, either, and for a fried item, it's surprisingly light, impressively delicate. we can't necessarily recommend dining at araka for a full dinner, but we have no reservations sending you there for this lovely tempeh and a cocktail.</span><br />
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<a href="http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/28/334148/restaurant/St-Louis/Araka-Clayton"><img alt="Araka on Urbanspoon" src="http://www.urbanspoon.com/b/logo/334148/minilogo.gif" style="border:none;width:104px;height:15px" /></a>loishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01265971583851859726noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4556025314264400066.post-68006093651199963642011-07-31T17:37:00.001-05:002011-10-25T10:07:59.809-05:00city review: chicago<div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">the left and right coasts get all the media love regarding vegetarian cuisine, but chicago can hang with the best of veg-friendly cities. combine great food with less pretense and you've got a recipe for a truly exceptional city. in short: we frickin love chicago!</div><div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b><a href="http://www.veggiediner.com/wp/">chicago diner</a></b>:</div><div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">this place is legendary. the one absolute "must" vegetarian restaurant to visit in chicago. eat the veggie reuben. you won't find a better one anywhere.</div><div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
<a href="http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/2/11382/restaurant/Lake-View/Chicago-Diner-Chicago"><img alt="Chicago Diner on Urbanspoon" src="http://www.urbanspoon.com/b/logo/11382/minilogo.gif" style="border: none; height: 15px; width: 104px;" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://nativefoods.com/"><b>native foods</b></a>:<br />
one of our top-five places in the country. we could eat here every day for a month and never get the same thing. and it would be delicious every time. completely vegan, completely divine. and don't forget to order the lavender lemonade!<br />
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<a href="http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/2/1608476/restaurant/Bucktown-Wicker-Park/Native-Foods-Cafe-Chicago"><img alt="Native Foods Cafe on Urbanspoon" src="http://www.urbanspoon.com/b/logo/1608476/minilogo.gif" style="border: none; height: 15px; width: 104px;" /></a><br />
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</div><div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.karynraw.com/"><b>karyn's cooked, karyn's on green, karyn's fresh corner</b></a>:</div><div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">karyn was recently featured in vegnews, so you know this restaurateur is legit. if you can't find something you like at one of these karyn's locations, you probably need to see a doctor. if forced to choose, we'd probably opt for karyn's cooked simply because of price point, but we've been awfully impressed with everything we've tried at all locations. we're particularly fond of the lightly dusted and fried veggie baskets.</div><div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
<a href="http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/2/13727/restaurant/River-North/Karyns-Cooked-Chicago"><img alt="Karyn's Cooked on Urbanspoon" src="http://www.urbanspoon.com/b/logo/13727/minilogo.gif" style="border: none; height: 15px; width: 104px;" /></a><br />
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</div><div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.greenzebrachicago.com/"><b>green zebra</b></a>:</div><div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">yeah, this place is a far cry from chicago diner in terms of aesthetics, but their commitment to local, seasonal veg food will make you comfortable enough to look past the pretense. and, anyway, dealing with pretense is hardly an annoyance when you get to sample ingredients as unique as those found at green zebra. this is truly elevated vegetarian cuisine, and you're always going to find something surprising.</div><div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
<a href="http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/2/12964/restaurant/West-Town/Green-Zebra-Chicago"><img alt="Green Zebra on Urbanspoon" src="http://www.urbanspoon.com/b/logo/12964/minilogo.gif" style="border: none; height: 15px; width: 104px;" /></a><br />
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</div><div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.charlietrotters.com/restaurant/cuisine/menu.asp?menuID=53"><b>charlie trotters</b></a>:</div><div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">yes, we know this is an institution of meatiness, but trotter's flagship is one of the best restaurants in the world, and his kitchen takes pride in using the finest local produce available. they offer a vegetarian tasting menu for about 150 bucks a person, but it's sure to be the singular dining experience of your life. or at least it better be.</div><div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><i><b>coming soon</b></i>: <a href="http://www.nativefoods.com/locations/"><b>native foods</b></a></div><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">chicagoans are in for a real treat when california's best vegan chain comes to town this year. native foods serves up incredible food, huge portions, and the freshest ingredients, and everything is priced reasonably. we can't wait to see what they serve up in chicago!</span>clarkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04361976454357595218noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4556025314264400066.post-46893805244068945272011-07-30T13:40:00.000-05:002011-07-30T13:40:14.311-05:00city review: new york<div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">many publications rank nyc near the top of "<a href="http://www.peta.org/b/thepetafiles/archive/2010/07/14/The-Most-VegFriendly-Cities-in-North-America.aspx">best veg-friendly city</a>" lists (another list <a href="http://www.vegnews.com/web/articles/page.do?pageId=2408&catId=6">here</a>), and there are certainly plenty of vegetarian options on nearly every corner of manhattan and brooklyn, but none of our favorite meals have occurred during a nyc visit. this is not to say that you can't find good food; chances are, though, that you won't be overwhelmed. (full disclosure: we're hardly authorities on food in nyc, as we're often more likely to choose a slice of pie than we are to sit down in a restaurant.)</div><div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.zenpalate.com/"><b>zen palate</b></a>:</div><div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">we had a nice lunch here, for sure, but everything seemed just a bit too tame. we'd have liked more spice on everything. still, the space is tranquil and the food is healthful. combine that with some delicious tea, and you have yourself a nice retreat from the manhattan streets.</div><div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/3/43512/restaurant/Hells-Kitchen/Zen-Palate-New-York"><img alt="Zen Palate on Urbanspoon" src="http://www.urbanspoon.com/b/logo/43512/minilogo.gif" style="border: none; height: 15px; width: 104px;" /></a></div><div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.candlecafe.com/index.html"><b>candle 79</b></a>:</div><div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">prices are fairly reasonable for an upscale manhattan restaurant, and the all-vegan menu is as diverse as you'll find in this area. it's awesome that all of their ingredients are local and organic. we recommend the grilled seitan burger.</div><div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/3/23744/restaurant/Upper-East-Side/Candle-79-New-York"><img alt="Candle 79 on Urbanspoon" src="http://www.urbanspoon.com/b/logo/23744/minilogo.gif" style="border: none; height: 15px; width: 104px;" /></a></div>clarkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04361976454357595218noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4556025314264400066.post-66239023655605340322011-07-30T10:58:00.002-05:002011-07-31T13:59:58.507-05:00city review: san diego<div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">a lot of people talk about the great vegetarian food in southern california, and though we certainly had some good food, we found san diego a bit underwhelming. still, there are some highlights...</div><div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2JINGdGFxz_D0W63ZOeaiLmP0X5SO14aXWILfAd3Hwkfvn4AiaSyymk2WOkY-pujDSFX7MvN_CRKsHxdX9iNNEkFRAHyCG9tOmF7VUQio1rhy-0y5ZUJBcFaWiUfEY1LwvHg8RCCynKo/s1600/IMG_1773.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="478" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2JINGdGFxz_D0W63ZOeaiLmP0X5SO14aXWILfAd3Hwkfvn4AiaSyymk2WOkY-pujDSFX7MvN_CRKsHxdX9iNNEkFRAHyCG9tOmF7VUQio1rhy-0y5ZUJBcFaWiUfEY1LwvHg8RCCynKo/s640/IMG_1773.JPG" width="640" /></a><a href="http://www.stoneworldbistro.com/"><b>stone brewing company and world bistro</b></a>:</div><div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">technically, this isn't in san diego, but it's close enough (escondido) and daggone good enough to easily justify the drive north. we had one of the finest tempeh burgers we've ever had. and although we love schlafly for all the ingredients they source locally, not even they can match stone's commitment seasonal and local produce. it's difficult to exaggerate how impressed we were with everything stone showed us. oh, and by the way, their beer is off the charts!</div><div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
<a href="http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/27/314770/restaurant/San-Diego/Stone-Brewing-World-Bistro-Gardens-Escondido"><img alt="Stone Brewing World Bistro & Gardens on Urbanspoon" src="http://www.urbanspoon.com/b/logo/314770/minilogo.gif" style="border:none;width:104px;height:15px" /></a><br />
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</div><div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.jyotibihanga.com/"><b>jyoti-bihanga</b></a>:</div><div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">this place is hardcore. pretty much anyone you talk to about vegetarian food recommendations in san diego will tell you to go here. of the veg shops in san diego, it's been around the longest, and it's the most philosophically <strike>radical</strike>committed. whether you're interested in the teachings of <a href="http://www.srichinmoy.org/">sri chinmoy</a> or just want a wicked good vegetarian meatloaf, jyoti-bihanga is the place for you.</div><div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
<a href="http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/27/312530/restaurant/Normal-Heights/Jyoti-Bihanga-San-Diego"><img alt="Jyoti Bihanga on Urbanspoon" src="http://www.urbanspoon.com/b/logo/312530/minilogo.gif" style="border:none;width:104px;height:15px" /></a><br />
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</div><div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><a href="http://vegnout.com/"><b>veg-n-out</b></a>:</div><div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">this is the first place clark ate when he visited san diego for the first time as an adult, and it's always on his list of places to visit. the owners have been the same from day one, and they're in the cafe every single day serving local, fresh produce. the food isn't extraordinary, but it's always comforting to know that every aspect of the food preparation is centered on healthful food. try any of the "specialty burgers."</div><div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
<a href="http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/27/315289/restaurant/North-Park/Veg-n-Out-San-Diego"><img alt="Veg n Out on Urbanspoon" src="http://www.urbanspoon.com/b/logo/315289/minilogo.gif" style="border:none;width:104px;height:15px" /></a><br />
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</div><div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhnP1EIUA8_AlHX3VwAn_ZXSuZsDkG3KbK3ofEuxnh-2cw4pCJkBPOGEubvzTtoanbQo3ZD_r_pkG2R9EJvid3Focmt6p0e8CUEx-zsLQMn-KmFSt4cKBT46MiLvoA12GoaVXc0ZblmFM/s1600/3997180226_3af9ce78e8.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhnP1EIUA8_AlHX3VwAn_ZXSuZsDkG3KbK3ofEuxnh-2cw4pCJkBPOGEubvzTtoanbQo3ZD_r_pkG2R9EJvid3Focmt6p0e8CUEx-zsLQMn-KmFSt4cKBT46MiLvoA12GoaVXc0ZblmFM/s640/3997180226_3af9ce78e8.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><i><b>other possible options:</b></i></div><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">a lot of folks swear by </span><a href="http://www.pokezsd.com/" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">pokez</a><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">, but we weren't impressed at all. besides, it's not 100% vegetarian, and the care put into the food seems negligible. at </span><a href="http://ranchoscocinanorthpark.com/" style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">ranchos</a><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">, there seems to be a more attentive chef/kitchen, but the food is just so-so. again, the it's not at all 100% vegetarian, but you can find some decent options here.</span>clarkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04361976454357595218noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4556025314264400066.post-14990243387332227332011-07-29T21:00:00.001-05:002011-07-29T21:25:40.135-05:00ginger bistro<div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSYexR87FPvQZEdMihY8hBE66s-kDpH_0Pr9G1WbH78dTGL8R0ogLaYOdzL3YLmJwUtRKRULjmQXUKXwSRMksMnsOIEth0RQ43v_trviUNO-5WfqT3N_QIp6RrmngUdCgF4wDBpY7Qykw/s1600/IMG_1522.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSYexR87FPvQZEdMihY8hBE66s-kDpH_0Pr9G1WbH78dTGL8R0ogLaYOdzL3YLmJwUtRKRULjmQXUKXwSRMksMnsOIEth0RQ43v_trviUNO-5WfqT3N_QIp6RrmngUdCgF4wDBpY7Qykw/s320/IMG_1522.JPG" width="320" /></a><span style="font-size: large;"><b>mission</b>:</span></div><div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b><a href="http://www.gingerintheloop.com/"><span style="font-size: large;">ginger bistro</span></a></b></div><div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">u city </span></div><div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>terrain</b>:</span></div><div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">it's a terribly confusing restaurant, for sure. garlands, tall vases of plastic granny smiths, landscapes hung seven feet up, geometric "modern" art in the group seating area... trying to make sense of it all, we sort of <strike>winced</strike>stared from our booth, seated at a darkly varnished and "lacquered" table like you'd find in a chinese buffet. despite our head-scratching, we actually found it kind of kitschy. darnit, they tried. </span></div><div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>personnel</b>:</span></div><div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">the hostess was very friendly and warm, and our server was endlessly attentive and careful--almost personally concerned. even the sushi chef was chatting up customers and keeping everyone good company in the front end. the most striking part to us was that none of the staff's behavior seemed forced or insincere at all. we started to feel a little bad about judging their flower baskets dressed in prim bows. </span></div><div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>rations</b>:</span></div><div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdUY080czx_iQGn8dnxaj9NkVN_mRNUEQ1idLXF40B5woIU7wOyQwvVvkDeOiUMzzzDjKgkZ1Hk5kxi9C4zbN_2s3CPcNEC1VHV3sNkyLTAC2COxcPYrpcZUPQ70ocuTg6w0fGoUddZUw/s1600/IMG_1523.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="149" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdUY080czx_iQGn8dnxaj9NkVN_mRNUEQ1idLXF40B5woIU7wOyQwvVvkDeOiUMzzzDjKgkZ1Hk5kxi9C4zbN_2s3CPcNEC1VHV3sNkyLTAC2COxcPYrpcZUPQ70ocuTg6w0fGoUddZUw/s200/IMG_1523.JPG" width="200" /></a>as is our m.o., we had a certificate to spend so we went to town on ginger bistro. for sanakuu (starters... get it? :] ), we ordered the </span><span style="color: #6aa84f; font-size: large;">spring rolls</span><span style="font-size: large;">, which were filled with deliciously crunchy lettuce, carrots, and piquant mint sprigs, folded in a tender but sturdy rice wrapper. the dipping sauce, while not as spicy as we'd hoped, was also quite nice--we even used the rest of it on a later dish. </span></div><div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhizae9sCIaCQDKHqwnh6qts8QoO8jXlU6pTyjug6eXGA904quaVhyphenhyphenYXNqmFLnRf3omhAO5X7nF8Yni4Hfbf7EJTHOtfksUntUgFzCvhb1KJTKi11w0KY5-9crAdf6daGf08mUnDsvwYOk/s1600/IMG_1524.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="236" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhizae9sCIaCQDKHqwnh6qts8QoO8jXlU6pTyjug6eXGA904quaVhyphenhyphenYXNqmFLnRf3omhAO5X7nF8Yni4Hfbf7EJTHOtfksUntUgFzCvhb1KJTKi11w0KY5-9crAdf6daGf08mUnDsvwYOk/s320/IMG_1524.JPG" width="320" /></a><span style="font-size: large;">for entrees, we shared the </span><span style="color: #6aa84f; font-size: large;">curry noodles</span><span style="font-size: large;"> and the </span><span style="color: #6aa84f; font-size: large;">house fried rice</span><span style="font-size: large;">. we were a little disappointed by the noodles. "curry" promises fragrance, warmth, and complexity, but we found this dish to be pretty flat. not only were there very few actual vegetables in there, but the noodles just didn't seem coated enough and the curry flavor wasn't fully developed. we're not sure what it is, but we've noticed a similar problem at other establishments in the city--that curry powder isn't being cooked or paired with other spices properly to really maximize its full flavor potential. we had much the same complaint with the fried rice: too few veg, unevenly seasoned rice, and a little light on flavor (what they call "delicately seasoned" is somewhat of an understatement). we did opt to add some fried tofu (which our diligent server assured was prepared vegetarian-friendlily), which made a big improvement to the rice. otherwise, the texture would have been too one-note: all a little soft, no chewiness, no crunch. but the tofu had a nice sponginess and crisp outer layer--just enough variation to save the dish, along with the hot sauce from the rolls. somehow, despite our pleading to kitchens across the city to make us sweat, the food still never comes out quite as hot as we'd like. </span></div><div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"></span></div><div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWMMMqxRPNyezpYAxT73slqA49E1nWrsv7LG-d7UjU81xh3E3c3ULHiWlvYcDxWkWAIwvJxbt9cy54PAs5NGVRcrZ0vvwJGhoReJ62cBK8rlR_x17N5nE8C06LdY1K5uVmRzXVjseig_c/s1600/IMG_1525.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="149" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWMMMqxRPNyezpYAxT73slqA49E1nWrsv7LG-d7UjU81xh3E3c3ULHiWlvYcDxWkWAIwvJxbt9cy54PAs5NGVRcrZ0vvwJGhoReJ62cBK8rlR_x17N5nE8C06LdY1K5uVmRzXVjseig_c/s200/IMG_1525.JPG" width="200" /></a></span><span style="font-size: large;">finally, just to taste, we ordered a side of </span><span style="color: #6aa84f; font-size: large;">szechwan green beans</span><span style="font-size: large;"> and a </span><span style="color: #6aa84f; font-size: large;">banh mi with tofu</span><span style="font-size: large;">. the portion of the beans was quite generous, and we actually ate all of them smothered over our noodles and rice. perhaps a little salty and coated with that sort of off-putting gelatinous sauce, they definitely weren't flawless, but the beans themselves were fresh and crunchy and actually packed a little heat. the banh mi, on the other hand, was the blandest offering of the night--fried tofu on a loaf with a few greens (albeit fresh and yummy in their own right) just don't offer a whole lot of flavor or texture variety. more hot sauce and mayo should help, though.</span></div><div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYw-HE4h0B_qWb-p-w_ezOzeLbZdF2dYeYnTnfPABc4KRKUJXaK0407vEqQXWRrKM5ZVvdOFB8fs6kmF-s8V5Z0YZCpZb1oyWUgca_wAOY1yfHvrMdqtI1tSn85Pz6jzkSHga3qHMyITM/s1600/IMG_1526.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYw-HE4h0B_qWb-p-w_ezOzeLbZdF2dYeYnTnfPABc4KRKUJXaK0407vEqQXWRrKM5ZVvdOFB8fs6kmF-s8V5Z0YZCpZb1oyWUgca_wAOY1yfHvrMdqtI1tSn85Pz6jzkSHga3qHMyITM/s200/IMG_1526.JPG" width="175" /></a></span><span style="font-size: large;">we really didn't know what awaited us at ginger bistro before we went; overall, though, we were more satisfied than we expected to be. their menu is crazy extensive and the kitchen seems willing and able to improvise for the needs of vegetarians if you only just ask. if you're looking for great service, some bang for your buck, and a plate of fried rice in the loop... then this is your place. </span></div><div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">assessment:</span></div><div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">b- </span></div><div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">vegetarian-friendly score:</span></div><div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">b-</span></div>loishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01265971583851859726noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4556025314264400066.post-61874634380742528872011-07-28T14:55:00.008-05:002011-08-07T12:30:21.207-05:00city review: bloomington, indiana<div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">clark's hometown and lois's adopted town for grad school, bloomington holds a special place in our hearts. it's one of the only towns in indiana that's worth visiting, and thanks to the diversity at the university, there are a surprising number of vegetarian-friendly restaurants to be found.</div><div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.thelaughingplanetcafe.com/"><b>the laughing planet</b></a>:</div><br />
<div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0Jeay0aCyPpgBKYL-nkFZgtPQ0HnVnm0TETBPjwfFTT9Z6aMVPJu3XCXvNEkS8j83yei6IB7fLftgk-V71HmNgXVVbhJra2ZXqdykkIn8nFFHuZoIqYv2-nZ_WCCncc7ugd40vGvxwo4/s1600/IMG_0303.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0Jeay0aCyPpgBKYL-nkFZgtPQ0HnVnm0TETBPjwfFTT9Z6aMVPJu3XCXvNEkS8j83yei6IB7fLftgk-V71HmNgXVVbhJra2ZXqdykkIn8nFFHuZoIqYv2-nZ_WCCncc7ugd40vGvxwo4/s320/IMG_0303.jpg" width="287" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilLR8ScYmXGUT8kcfsW8OEG9Giv2dijUzMLc6AS6XcAGKF9F-nDOXpkO2K9f1TplBy92tWRfP9fpBea3jAPk3fwybylbd11wvN2wlnpzvwxpTx9RSCm5hI0Uip5XK2GrEsO3v0rP4iN4E/s1600/IMG_0301.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="238" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilLR8ScYmXGUT8kcfsW8OEG9Giv2dijUzMLc6AS6XcAGKF9F-nDOXpkO2K9f1TplBy92tWRfP9fpBea3jAPk3fwybylbd11wvN2wlnpzvwxpTx9RSCm5hI0Uip5XK2GrEsO3v0rP4iN4E/s320/IMG_0301.JPG" width="320" /></a>clark has been eating here since the early '90s, and it's still one of his favorite places on earth. (note: this is the place that spawned all the laughing planets in portland.) sure, over the years they've become inconsistent, but they do so many things right that it's almost always worth your time. the zapatista is our favorite salad on the planet, just make sure you add seitan and guacamole to it. the burritos, of course, are the stars at laughing planet, and there are just as many opinions about the best concoctions as there are bloomington residents. here's ours: light black beans, spinach, kale, seitan, extra cheese, and no salsa fresca. it's not that the fresca is bad, but if you leave it in you're likely to have a burrito "blow out," which'll leave you forking up the remains. anyway, eat here if you eat nowhere else in bloomington.</div><div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/94/823227/restaurant/Laughing-Planet-Cafe-Bloomington"><img alt="Laughing Planet Cafe on Urbanspoon" src="http://www.urbanspoon.com/b/logo/823227/minilogo.gif" style="border: medium none; height: 15px; width: 104px;" /></a></div><div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.esanthairestaurant.com/"><b>esan thai</b></a>:</div><div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">known by some as the dragon lady, the owner of esan thai is one tough customer, but boy does she know how to do thai food right. the place is as no frills as it gets, but it's not about ambience at esan thai; it's about the illest khao pad in the country. seriously. we order khao pad pretty much wherever we find thai food, and nothing has come close to esan thai's version. order it "thai hot" with tofu, and prepare for thai bliss.</div><div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhosFOq4i8Ggb19oz2iXszv3B7cJQgqelnM4MBA6haTf12EM9Js8HoS85L-DNhJqbDbP86FteWPnRlSjLbRSz0QDKQfaL1p3-pQUb9I2fGjM20d6h2LuM7A9JVQIwQuietJ03upxh1u9n4/s1600/khaopad" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhosFOq4i8Ggb19oz2iXszv3B7cJQgqelnM4MBA6haTf12EM9Js8HoS85L-DNhJqbDbP86FteWPnRlSjLbRSz0QDKQfaL1p3-pQUb9I2fGjM20d6h2LuM7A9JVQIwQuietJ03upxh1u9n4/s640/khaopad" width="640" /></a> </div><a href="http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/94/823186/restaurant/Esan-Thai-Restaurant-Bloomington"><img alt="Esan Thai Restaurant on Urbanspoon" src="http://www.urbanspoon.com/b/logo/823186/minilogo.gif" style="border: medium none; height: 15px; width: 104px;" /></a><br />
<div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b><a href="http://www.theowleryrestaurant.com/index.html">the owlery</a></b>:</div><div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">bloomington's newest vegetarian addition, the owlery is 100% vegetarian, even going so far as to ensure that all of their cheeses are made without animal rennet. it's just one of the reasons we love them; the others include the classic poutine and the b.l.t.</div><div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEht12vaDgDvm9qylzauP7JRESJo46yWA776PDQkrKYFcXArBPkosqZQdDeWOptDVBRQi_XRIapBkO0jr_oCFTqrd6GrQAtHplEQQWcCNe9x5fgQno2jKIVLMUJqYZYr1kOjhdhMfX1ov90/s1600/poutine" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEht12vaDgDvm9qylzauP7JRESJo46yWA776PDQkrKYFcXArBPkosqZQdDeWOptDVBRQi_XRIapBkO0jr_oCFTqrd6GrQAtHplEQQWcCNe9x5fgQno2jKIVLMUJqYZYr1kOjhdhMfX1ov90/s640/poutine" width="640" /></a><a href="http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/94/1580608/restaurant/The-Owlery-Bloomington"><img alt="The Owlery on Urbanspoon" src="http://www.urbanspoon.com/b/logo/1580608/minilogo.gif" style="border: medium none; height: 15px; width: 104px;" /></a></div><div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.allmenus.com/in/bloomington/19101-roots/menu/"><b>roots</b></a>:</div><div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> the first time clark took lois to roots, she cried. in the middle of eating her sandwich. one problem is that roots is inconsistent; the other problem is that they decided to start serving fish. when roots started out, they were 100% vegetarian, and the food was consistently good. when the new owners took over, roots benefited from the addition of thai dishes, but they made a grave mistake by losing their purely vegetarian designation. still, we almost always find time to visit roots while in bloomington, and we think you oughta find the time, too. just be sure to suggest that they stop serving fish.</div><div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuAJjVR7HbeTJNlEuZTxUtG3Jqtb9QCtXcq445XkwpkUzOAI1QM7aa2510vmKel-OaNi6CERzi7uR76p2sgEFAlt3i-URH-ZA_TO5TP_U7lyTcnawlSZDJ2ydNEv3VgHREdekV6DWXbm4/s1600/roots" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuAJjVR7HbeTJNlEuZTxUtG3Jqtb9QCtXcq445XkwpkUzOAI1QM7aa2510vmKel-OaNi6CERzi7uR76p2sgEFAlt3i-URH-ZA_TO5TP_U7lyTcnawlSZDJ2ydNEv3VgHREdekV6DWXbm4/s640/roots" width="640" /></a> </div><a href="http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/94/823319/restaurant/Roots-on-the-Square-Bloomington"><img alt="Roots on the Square on Urbanspoon" src="http://www.urbanspoon.com/b/logo/823319/minilogo.gif" style="border: medium none; height: 15px; width: 104px;" /></a><br />
<div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><i><b>mostly meaty but noteworthy</b></i>:</div><div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.restauranttallent.com/"><b>restaurant tallent</b></a> is probably the best restaurant in indiana, and chef dave tallent consisently gets nominated by the beard foundation. if you've got the dough, and if you let them know ahead of time, they're sure to whip you up some extraordinary veg food. if nothing else, stop by for some wine and top-notch desserts.<br />
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<b><a href="http://uplandbeer.com/">upland brewery</a></b> is a bloomington staple, and it produces some of the finest brews in southcentral indiana. you'll be pleasantly surprised with the vegetarian options, too, and they even have a 100% vegetarian fryer. we <i>enthusiastically</i> recommend the seitan gyros.</div>clarkhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04361976454357595218noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4556025314264400066.post-12353933717018314322011-07-28T11:35:00.008-05:002011-07-29T20:40:49.840-05:00city review: los angeles<div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">so. much. good. food. we actually prefer los angeles to new york, particularly if we're talking about vegan restaurants, and we're already planning our next vegan vacation to l.a.</div><div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.theshojin.com/"><b>shojin</b></a>:</div><div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">easily one of the top five meals we've ever had. it's rare enough to find decent vegetarian sushi, but to find transcendent <i>vegan</i> sushi is simply unheard of. if you eat nowhere else in los angeles, make this place your priority; if you eat only one thing, make it the dynamite roll. oishii!</div><div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEii1I5vsAHYydxzQngbc0EKe36xj4ulE5cgY_m_W33-_6gHpgWUEvTo9T5OCflTBZvgETM2m6vcf37z0Fbt3lEX1GryK3_AwMQwoe10erSpqAIyKp3pC6KlGV2BXk5BaUGjdHnVlQJi10o/s1600/IMG_1814.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="478" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEii1I5vsAHYydxzQngbc0EKe36xj4ulE5cgY_m_W33-_6gHpgWUEvTo9T5OCflTBZvgETM2m6vcf37z0Fbt3lEX1GryK3_AwMQwoe10erSpqAIyKp3pC6KlGV2BXk5BaUGjdHnVlQJi10o/s640/IMG_1814.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><a href="http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/5/662426/restaurant/Downtown/Shojin-Organic-Natural-LA"><img alt="Shojin Organic & Natural on Urbanspoon" src="http://www.urbanspoon.com/b/logo/662426/minilogo.gif" style="border: medium none; height: 15px; width: 104px;" /></a><br />
<div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><a href="http://veggiegrill.com/"><b>veggie grill</b></a>:</div><div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">if you're looking for really good vegan grub for a reasonable price, head to veggie grill. we hear that lots of celebs pop in to veggie grill, but you won't be disappointed even if the place is empty. they use gardein as the meat substitutes, and though we're ordinarily not fond of gardein (give us <a href="http://matchmeats.com/">match</a> meat, instead), veggie grill works some serious magic with the stuff. the star: the bayou chicken. the blackening of the gardein transforms it into something totally crave-worthy.</div><div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMPsx2P1_H6l1rQ0CTeK77lLz6nA4voCL5LhIf6UQuqFX1ceCyF5zWRNwf8kXyQOBg5SdCH9pLzcohdBPO4cuedvGYFp8Rg-vY53ubgjyIB-lJoU1P17mt249djcCcM7LWCRk6LOG2mGk/s1600/IMG_1889.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="478" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMPsx2P1_H6l1rQ0CTeK77lLz6nA4voCL5LhIf6UQuqFX1ceCyF5zWRNwf8kXyQOBg5SdCH9pLzcohdBPO4cuedvGYFp8Rg-vY53ubgjyIB-lJoU1P17mt249djcCcM7LWCRk6LOG2mGk/s640/IMG_1889.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><a href="http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/5/1598231/restaurant/Mid-City-West/Veggie-Grill-LA"><img alt="Veggie Grill on Urbanspoon" src="http://www.urbanspoon.com/b/logo/1598231/minilogo.gif" style="border: medium none; height: 15px; width: 104px;" /></a><br />
<div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><a href="http://florevegan.com/"><b>flore vegan</b></a>:</div><div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">man, do we love this place. it's crazy tiny, so seating is at a premium, but don't be scared away by the wait. the food is definitely worth your time, and the prices are very reasonable. take a bite of the club sandwich, sit back, smile, thank the gods for badass vegan food. repeat.</div><div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSoxtwI1IuTTNCIDSYVdt1VlyubUYFdiXP1Z7SRAAqq6w3pk7VMrku_4601JXI2d8mQWxLHk2oUOm6kC8pEyfr8WQ4gzeLVK2dIe7OzxRLBulsSg_nDLYlGUoJOkUFTWoOC-cgf7evnOA/s1600/IMG_1773.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="478" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSoxtwI1IuTTNCIDSYVdt1VlyubUYFdiXP1Z7SRAAqq6w3pk7VMrku_4601JXI2d8mQWxLHk2oUOm6kC8pEyfr8WQ4gzeLVK2dIe7OzxRLBulsSg_nDLYlGUoJOkUFTWoOC-cgf7evnOA/s640/IMG_1773.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><a href="http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/5/334675/restaurant/Silver-Lake/Flore-Vegan-Cuisine-LA"><img alt="Flore Vegan Cuisine on Urbanspoon" src="http://www.urbanspoon.com/b/logo/334675/minilogo.gif" style="border: medium none; height: 15px; width: 104px;" /></a><br />
<div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.stuffieat.com/home.html"><b>stuff i eat</b></a>:</div><div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">we're so happy that this place exists. tucked away in inglewood, this unassuming little cafe delivers the good for real. how many places are you gonna find vegan soul food? make sure to order kilamanjaro quesadilla. this dish is epic, y'all. you will need a minimum of two people to finish this thing off, but you'll enjoy every last gut-busting bite.</div><div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjE8i1pe4qx-YTiVwA2rp66iq5kyLa73tZuqcnznVRziDJoCWRSqId2pIQFAXLQO5RMc9KF3FAwiV7y_V38-G8K8CegqlAJq_Wo5ze7E_zKC9SofYf5dIlY4rP3IUvIVHm1zOf7bS6neU/s1600/IMG_1871.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="478" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjE8i1pe4qx-YTiVwA2rp66iq5kyLa73tZuqcnznVRziDJoCWRSqId2pIQFAXLQO5RMc9KF3FAwiV7y_V38-G8K8CegqlAJq_Wo5ze7E_zKC9SofYf5dIlY4rP3IUvIVHm1zOf7bS6neU/s640/IMG_1871.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><a href="http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/5/772826/restaurant/LA/Stuff-I-Eat-Inglewood"><img alt="Stuff I Eat on Urbanspoon" src="http://www.urbanspoon.com/b/logo/772826/minilogo.gif" style="border: medium none; height: 15px; width: 104px;" /></a><br />
<div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.nativefoods.com/"><b>native foods</b></a>:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: center;"></div><div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">all vegan, all the time. not a single thing we've had at native foods has been less than exceptional. you must try the scorpion burger and the nachos. if you have room--though we doubt you will, considering how generous the portions are--try the saigon roll.</div><div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYprqw6H6s_caAOHpw4v2iPoryK6tSLzJsTSssfVTWZmZkeYhJroq10ldFE6zQFhbm2-QNwo2wG0teGxjrMkiKFx0fvITfL9178MunAH4JMhyphenhyphenw_uSbg9ySwrPGD1J1GR13eSrOcuayL6g/s1600/IMG_1728.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJ6uKNwiWmf8Cc7kOZ3lZCrPLofqXx78sxgQKuLuOCLMqjBZskk-2W0-HW6t0OyLw0ELmdL4dKrFGRXuYet2vLUGUlpXESbODWkcqKTYwMuS26zUaa49MPQrQpGTZnYKRHt2pNWGEMCHA/s1600/IMG_1863.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWnq9L2tod722T_tZ7tVkMKKmDMEfEM-heI0N4r2FOTw0AoOMVP4BKJUPJM86X1mixeQcetIzw2zmdQYlNEDmasB5jGCc5MjTablIlYYmkHQk3LmhA2x80a353q-NDkRMIB1KO3g7k6R8/s1600/IMG_1727.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="478" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWnq9L2tod722T_tZ7tVkMKKmDMEfEM-heI0N4r2FOTw0AoOMVP4BKJUPJM86X1mixeQcetIzw2zmdQYlNEDmasB5jGCc5MjTablIlYYmkHQk3LmhA2x80a353q-NDkRMIB1KO3g7k6R8/s640/IMG_1727.JPG" width="640" /></a><img border="0" height="478" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJ6uKNwiWmf8Cc7kOZ3lZCrPLofqXx78sxgQKuLuOCLMqjBZskk-2W0-HW6t0OyLw0ELmdL4dKrFGRXuYet2vLUGUlpXESbODWkcqKTYwMuS26zUaa49MPQrQpGTZnYKRHt2pNWGEMCHA/s640/IMG_1863.JPG" width="640" /><img border="0" height="478" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYprqw6H6s_caAOHpw4v2iPoryK6tSLzJsTSssfVTWZmZkeYhJroq10ldFE6zQFhbm2-QNwo2wG0teGxjrMkiKFx0fvITfL9178MunAH4JMhyphenhyphenw_uSbg9ySwrPGD1J1GR13eSrOcuayL6g/s640/IMG_1728.JPG" width="640" /><a href="http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/5/1608662/restaurant/LA/Native-Foods-Culver-City"><img alt="Native Foods on Urbanspoon" src="http://www.urbanspoon.com/b/logo/1608662/minilogo.gif" style="border: medium none; height: 15px; width: 104px;" /></a><br />
obviously, there are countless other vegan and vegetarian restaurants in l.a. these are just the ones we think you oughta try first, and they all happen to be 100% vegan. viva vegans!</div>loishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01265971583851859726noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4556025314264400066.post-64719058112813933242011-07-28T10:21:00.004-05:002011-07-28T22:42:41.210-05:00search and devour: sweetart cupcakes<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3mlRGCac4Ec1Csf0JZfr9rYbnyjJU1pfjMe4unTQ-57UWD6oAwz9yuBi8SrZ3IH6Njy0_JOfeN3bh0KZPCIjRluBS-b2PkhOozz39JvBuKoMUhqCZxGueZNMIHCfEJJMiA_eWF00HXps/s1600/IMG_0349.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="476" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3mlRGCac4Ec1Csf0JZfr9rYbnyjJU1pfjMe4unTQ-57UWD6oAwz9yuBi8SrZ3IH6Njy0_JOfeN3bh0KZPCIjRluBS-b2PkhOozz39JvBuKoMUhqCZxGueZNMIHCfEJJMiA_eWF00HXps/s640/IMG_0349.JPG" width="640" /></a><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">yeah, we know, <a href="http://www.sweetartstl.com/index2.php"><b>sweetart</b></a> has received plenty of <a href="http://i.imgur.com/lTvOg.jpg"><b>press</b></a> about their cupcakes, but we want you all to know that the hype is real. reine bayoc whips these things up from scratch with all natural ingredients, and there's a flavor to tempt anyone's palate. can't decide which one to devour? go with the gluten-free, vegan chocolate-red velvet. it's not as airy as the ones with gluten, but we dig the denser cake, and it loses none of the moisture. we seriously don't understand how reine accomplishes such a delicate yet substantial cake, and her icings are even more baffling. that woman is a magician. now get over there and support those fine folks. and eat a banh mi while you're at it!</span>loishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01265971583851859726noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4556025314264400066.post-74775451516137668962011-07-26T10:13:00.003-05:002011-07-26T15:37:33.519-05:00search and devour: everything at puravegan<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbWHgWa_6P__SfgZ7li7XrowSY2ajc96y3-AwNhfVIGyOS4WiFvSpP_pNlCcA-yruFTBVaLJcZyRasVLK00257ossBMt0vlQS9JT1i9XeTANCVZRteFXto44x0timA5zLyPJW7HcpMVvE/s1600/IMG_1724.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="478" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbWHgWa_6P__SfgZ7li7XrowSY2ajc96y3-AwNhfVIGyOS4WiFvSpP_pNlCcA-yruFTBVaLJcZyRasVLK00257ossBMt0vlQS9JT1i9XeTANCVZRteFXto44x0timA5zLyPJW7HcpMVvE/s640/IMG_1724.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><span style="font-family: "Helvetica Neue",Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">no need for a long review here, folks. <a href="http://puravegan.com/">puravegan</a>'s food is all raw, all vegan, and all gluten-free. almost anyone can eat there without guilt or concern. yes, it'll cost you a pretty penny to get filled up (much like the owners' hummer...), but we're pretty confident that you'll have a helluva good time doing it. if your order nothing else, be sure to get the tacos. outside of chicago, you won't have anything else like them in the midwest. and that veggie burger (pictured above) is mighty tasty, too, but we're even more in love with the housemade kale chips!</span><br />
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<a href="http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/28/1595164/restaurant/St-Louis/Central-West-End/PuraVegan-St-Louis"><img alt="PuraVegan on Urbanspoon" src="http://www.urbanspoon.com/b/logo/1595164/minilogo.gif" style="border: medium none; height: 15px; width: 104px;" /></a>loishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01265971583851859726noreply@blogger.com0