vegan restaurants Archives - Epicurean Vegan

Vegan Vacation: Seattle

July 1, 2013 by epicureanvegan

I have been such a slacker! I finally got a chance to throw together this post about our vegan adventures in Seattle. I had made quite a list of restaurants to try to hit up while we were there, but it didn’t work out completely. Because we stayed downtown, we opted to hoof it everywhere, except for taking the city bus one day, which meant we couldn’t hit up a few vegan eateries that I was hoping to get to. All in all, it worked out just fine and we certainly didn’t starve!

Hook and Plow

Located right along the piers on Alaskan Way, Hook and Plow wasn’t the most obvious vegan choice, but a menu we had found online listed some vegan options. Once we got there, however, these items were awol. When we asked the waitress about this, she happily offered to speak with the chef about what he could make. He ended up coming to our table and was very willing to fix us something vegan and delicious. We each went with this incredible mushroom (oyster, shiitake and button) risotto.

It was probably one of best meals we had in Seattle. So flavorful and delicious! Diners at the other tables were intrigued and asked the waitress about it. We felt vegan-special. 🙂

Chutney’s Queen Anne

Located at 519 1st Ave., and is in walking distance to the Seattle Center (Space Needle, Chihuly Gardens, Pacific Center, etc.) The outside is very unassuming, but the inside is more upscale. If you like Indian food, you will love Chutney’s. They have a great selection of vegan items to choose from and are very reasonably priced. We started with the Onion Bhajiya, onion fritters fried in a seasoned chickpea batter.

We could have eaten ten more a piece; they were outstanding.

We went with the Vegetable Biryani with rice, nuts, spices, and raisins. The flavors were amazing.

And the Aaloo Gobi Punjabi (potatoes, cauliflower tossed with onions and tomato and seasoned with coriander and ginger garlic). Pure awesomeness.

Everything was delicious (including the rosemary and garlic naan!) and the service was outstanding. I highly recommend Chutney’s for a fine vegan Indian cuisine.

So, speaking of the Seattle Center, we were highly impressed with the amount of vegan options (thank, Bill Gates)! At the Armoey/Center House, you’ll have your choice of several restaurant options in a food court setting. 21 eateries to be exact! Once day, we grabbed a quick sub from Subway, but then we discovered more . . .

Plum Market

You can only imagine our excitement when we found this 100% vegan and organic eatery. It’s actually tucked back in a corner and we didn’t even see it at first (hence, the Subway).

I don’t know what it was called, but I got the last one. Thank goodness. It was a puff pastry with vegan mac and cheese and caramel onions on top. Yes, please.

I also went with the kale salad with tofu “feta.” Delicious!

The Husband went with this incredible tofu sandwich. I can’t remember what was all in it, but he really enjoyed it.

The Ninth Grader went with the vegetarian pot pie from Sweet and Savory Pie.

He thought it was great . . . just not big enough!

Gordon Biersch

Located at the Pacific Place Shopping Center downtown. For the typical American brewhouse, they actually have quite a few vegetarian items that can be made vegan. We were all drawn to the veggie tacos with lettuce, pico de gallo, and avocado. (Just ask for no cheese). Served with black beans and rice. They tasted fresh and the flavor was great.

Dragonfish Asian Cafe

Located at 722 Pine St. This was located just across the street from the hotel, so for Asian takeout, it was great. We weren’t necessarily starving, so we each ordered the vegetable spring rolls, the avocado rolls, and the tofu rolls.

I’m usually not big on veggie sushi rolls, but these were fantastic. They were also larger than the rolls we’ve had in other places. We enjoyed the food so much, we ended up ordering another night from them as well.

Rock Bottom Brewery

Located on 5th Ave., across from the 5th Ave Theater this was a great stop for a veggie burger. And a beer flight . . .

The house-made veggie burger was pretty darn good and it was nice to hear (from our waiter) that around 90% of the menu is made in house and from scratch. The patio is a great place to sit and relax (as long as it’s not raining).

Guaymas Cantina

Located near Pioneer Square at the Harbor Steps at 1303 1st Ave. Typically, it’s pretty easy to find plenty of vegan options at a Mexican restaurant and that was certainly the case here.

We all had the “Guaymas” Wet Burrito (minus the cheese).

Another winner. Really delicious.

The atmosphere is nice and they also offer a complimentary salsa bar. The service was also great.

Yard House

Located at 1501 4th Ave. We were thrilled to come across Yard House since they have lots of vegetarian and vegan options, including a large menu of Gardein products.

Plus, any of their burgers can be made with a Gardein patty. I ordered the Gardein Orange Peel Chicken with baby corns, bok choy with an orange glaze. Yum!

The Husband went with one of their Gardein burgers, as did the Ninth Grader. Obviously, I was too hungry and didn’t get pictures! They enjoyed them, however.

Museum of Flight’s Wings Cafe

Located inside the Museum of Flight 9404 Marginal Way S.

We were delighted to see the Vegan Asian Rice Noodle Salad, so we each ordered that.

Although we highly appreciated the effort to accommodate vegans, it left a lot to be desired. Even with the sesame dressing, we found the salad (tofu, bell peppers, edamame, noodles, and cabbage) incredibly bland; there was just no flavor. At least it was healthy!

P.F. Chang’s

Located downtown at the Westlake Center (400 Pine St). This is always a great options for vegans and instead of trying to find another dinner place for our last night, we decided to wait the 30 minutes for a table. Having eaten at P.F.Chang’s several times before, we knew it’d be a good option.

Veggie chow mein

Buddha’s Feast

Coconut Vegetable Curry

This post isn’t complete without showing you the original Starbucks located at Pikes Market!

Yes, the coffee tasted the same, but it’s all about the experience, right?

Vegan Vacation: Victoria, British Columbia

June 20, 2013 by epicureanvegan

Hey there! We had a fun-filled two-week vacation, but it’s good to be back. I’ve got a lot going on, so I’m going to try to make this brief! First, we had the most amazing weather in Victoria and Seattle—totally lucked out. We definitely want to move to Victoria, but I know that the cloudless weather we had is certainly not the norm. Either way, Victoria is high on our list of vacation spots. This is the view from our room. Instead of putting you through our vacation photos, I’ll skip to the food! I was pleasantly surprised at how vegan-friendly Victoria is; we had no trouble finding places to eat and stuff ourselves silly. For us, most everything was in walking distance, too. Our hotel had a small kitchen so we were able to at least prepare some meals ourselves. We started each morning with a short walk to a great coffee shop:

Moka House Coffee

Excellent coffee and service and even had veggie burritos and veggie rolls—The Husband’s favorite.

Rebar

50 Bastion Square, Victoria

Definitely a favorite!

Kale Salad: $9 (vegan)

Potsticker Bowl $13 (vegetarian)

Rebar Poutine $12 (vegetarian)

Vegan brownie (can’t remember the price. Don’t care. It was awesome)

Rebar is very popular and fills up, so you may have to wait for a table, but it’s worth it. If you can’t make it, don’t worry—they have a cookbook!

Green Cuisine Vegetarian Restaurant

#5 560 Johnson Street, Victoria

Vegan Mac n’ Cheese. That’s all you need to know. Okay, they have more than that, but be sure to try it, because it is fantastic. Green Cuisine is buffet style and prices are based on plate weight. There were so many items to choose from, that this was such an ideal way to try a bit of everything! Plus, it was all delicious. The menu changes often, so check their website for the menu.

On a side note, I was really bummed that Sarah’s Place, a vegan shop above the restaurant, closed just one day before we arrived. Luckily, you can still order online! I want to wish Sarah a speedy recovery, as she is having to undergo chemo for breast cancer. Keep her in your thoughts and send her a friendly note if you can!

Lotus Pond Vegetarian Restaurant

617 Johnson Street, Victoria

We went with the lunch buffet (also priced by plate weight), or you can order from the menu. The place is pretty small, but seemed to be a local favorite. We really enjoyed it.

I will probably never forget this meal or this restaurant, because we ate here shortly after I about lost my shit out in the ocean in a kayak. We kayak a lot, but of course, being in Colorado, we’re confined to lakes and rivers. I’ve never been a big fan of being in the ocean, but I thought, hell, I could do this. After getting out a little too far, where the bay opened up and the waters got a bit choppy, I freaked. I was in the back of a 2-man kayak with The Husband and suddenly I panicked, thinking we were going to get eaten by a whale, a shark, or an orca . . . or all three. This was moments before I started hyperventilating:

Anyway, I digress . . . If go, see Joanna at Victoria Kayak ~ Tours & Rental. She’s the best! (Us, after being safely back on deck)!

The Joint Pizzeria

1219 Wharf Street, Victoria, BC

Another great local favorite. Pretty small inside, but we were able to score a table. The Joint offers vegan and gluten-free pizzas, which you can have made on the spot, or take a slice or two to-go. They make their vegan pizzas with Daiya cheese (even though the menu says, “our own vegan cheese”). Whatever, I was happy with the Daiya.

The Ninth Grader went with the nachos with veggie meat.

Blue Poppy Restaurant—Butchart Gardens

We hopped the bus one day and went up to The Butchart Gardens (a must-see if you visit). They have two restaurants and we opted for the cafeteria-style, Blue Poppy. We all went with the $8 salad that was ok—it sufficed. There weren’t many vegetarian options otherwise, although I believe they had a vegetarian Indian dish. It looks like the menu changes often, so you may want to call ahead to find out what veg-friendly options they’ll have that day.

Is that it? I guess so. I will end it by featuring a British Columbia wine that was outstanding (especially while being enjoyed on the balcony, overlooking the bay):

Red Rooster Winery

I’ll be bringing you our vegan Seattle finds soon!

Vegan Vacation: Santa Fe, Taos and Montrose & Ouray, CO

August 13, 2012 by epicureanvegan

Rio Grand Gorge outside Taos

Wow, where to start?! It’s good to be back, but it sure felt great to get away for nearly two weeks. I will try to keep this brief, but I have LOTS of wonderful food to bring you. Santa Fe and Taos are full of spectacular restaurants, so it wasn’t hard to find places to eat, even for vegans and vegetarians. I will say, when eating out in Santa Fe and Taos, be prepared to spend some dough. The average cost for the three of us (including wine or margaritas) for any meal, was $40-$45. The portion sizes, however seemed large, so splitting meals, or taking half your meal home with you (if possible) is a great idea. So first up . . .

SANTA FE

BLUE CORN CAFE

133 Water Street

Located just off the plaza in Santa Fe, this is a pretty decent option for vegans and vegetarians. We started with some chips and salsa (which are not complimentary). The salsa is delicious. We opted for the most vegan item: the Marinated Portobello Fajitas ($14.95) that came with onions and bell peppers, not to mention all the fixins’. (I worked around the sour cream and cheese).

This is a good-sized portion that two people could have easily split—I wish we had; it was a lot of food, but really tasty.

THE AZTEC CAFE

317 Aztec Street

LOVE, LOVE, LOVE this place! If fact, we ate here three different times. This is such a cool little cafe that offers a wide range of organic and natural whole foods. They have a great covered patio…

Our first visit was for breakfast. The Husband and I went with the Vegan Burrito and the Eight Grader went with the vegetarian one. The vegan one was filled with potatoes, black beans, and other great stuff (sorry, I forgot to write the ingredients down…)

We came back for breakfast again, and the guys went with their vegetarian quiche, and I had their homemade, raw muesli with fresh fruit. OUTSTANDING! And it came with almond milk. Even better. This kept me full all day long—a great choice before a long day of hiking.

Almond milk latte!

We then hit up the cafe for lunch and the kid went with a bagel with jam while The Husband got the portobello sandwich:

I decided the kale salad with cashew dressing was up my alley. So delicious!

This is a must-stop-at-destination if you’re visiting Santa Fe. Great service, reasonable prices, and excellent food.

ATOMIC GRILL

103 East Water Street

This was a great option for a quick lunch. It was a pretty popular place and had a great outdoor patio. Not to mention a really extensive beer and wine list. We started with some chips, salsa, and guacamole. (Awesome, freshly-made guac)!

The guys ordered cheese pizza (yeah, I know…the guys will cheat and eat cheese when sometimes eating out. At least they’re vegetarian!) I wasn’t starving, so I went with the spinach and strawberry salad (minus the feta cheese).

Fresh and fabulous. It was perfect after having chips and guac, too.

CAFE PASQUAL’S

121 Don Gaspar

This is actually located next door to The Atomic Grill. If you’re willing to splurge a bit, this is a must! Excellent! They serve breakfast, lunch and dinner and it’s important to have reservations for dinner; it fills up. We tried to hit it up the first night, but it was full until 8:30, so we made a reservation for the following night (a Friday). The only space available was at the community table that seats about 10 people. I have to say, that was the way to go. We had a great time chatting with the rest of the diners at the table—it was a really fun experience. The restaurant has tons of gluten-free, vegan, and vegetarian options; it was pretty hard to decide. I went with the organic Tofu Mole Enchiladas:

It came with a jicama salad, cilantro rice, and corn bread (not vegan–so they subbed in their signature grilled banana). I’m not a real big banana fan to begin with, so I wasn’t lovin’ the grilled version. But that’s ok, the rest of the meal was outstanding. The sauce definitely has a bite to it, but not overly spicy.

The Eighth Grader went a la carte by having a vegan chile relleno and vegan tamale with green chile:

The Husband opted for the Plato Supremo: a vegan chile relleno, vegan tamale, and a tofu mole enchilada.

The food was probably the best we’d had in Santa Fe . . . and the priciest. For the three of us (plus a bottle of wine) was about $140. But the service and atmosphere is also incredible—it was well worth it.

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THE TEAHOUSE

821 Canyon Road

The Teahouse is located at the top of Canyon Road. It has its own parking lot, so keep that in mind—it’ll save you from trying to find parking on Canyon.

They have an outdoor patio, but the seating is somewhat limited. The area is large, but there aren’t a ton of tables. We were fortunate to snag one…

The kid went with a green tea…which he loved…

…and a scone and a bowl of fruit.

The Husband and I had their veggie sandwich (GF bread is an option, btw), with hummus, cucumber, sprouts, and bell pepper.

It was good, but it didn’t blow us away. It was a bit dry, actually. Some Vegenaise would have been great.

TAOS

BENT STREET DELI

120-M Bent Street

This is located just off the plaza in Taos. It offers breakfast and lunch only. The place we were staying recommended it for vegan and vegetarian options. I’d say it definitely has plenty of vegetarian options, but not as many vegan ones. But of course, it’s not difficult to make them vegan. The kid ordered the SW Spud, a potato smothered with beans, cheese, salsa, sour cream, and veggie green chile. He wasn’t impressed; said it didn’t have much flavor. Luckily, my Taos Hum was plenty big enough to share with him.

I forgot to ask for no feta, so I spent a little time picking it out…oh well. It was delicious! (Hummus, tomato, red onion, sprouts, cucumber, and salsa). The Husband had the Pita the Greek with black olives, feta, sprouts, onion, tomato, and cucumbers. He really liked it.

We stopped here again for breakfast. While the kid had the vegetarian tamale (a special), the husband went with a croissant sandwich with egg. There aren’t many vegan breakfast options, so I went with an English muffin and potatoes…

I also got a soy latte!

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MICHAEL’S KITCHEN

304 C N Pueblo Road

This place is a local favorite, especially if you like diner-like food. There isn’t much for vegans, but there are some vegetarian options. The Hubby went with a vegetarian burrito:

And the kid had the French toast:

I had the granola pancakes. They were really good, but way too much! Four pancakes was a lot, so I recommend either splitting an order, or seeing if you can have half an order.

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ANTONIO’S: A Taste of Mexico

122 Dona Luz

This was certainly one of our favorite places to eat. Great food. It was raining, so we couldn’t enjoy the beautiful patio . . .

but that’s ok…it was the food we really cared about. This restaurant certainly seemed to be a hotspot. Maybe it just seemed that way since the patio was closed, but the place was packed—and it was a Tuesday night! We started with drinks (of course). The Husband ordered a margarita ($7.50) and was really disappointed. He said it was “severely weak” and decided not pay for another one that was sure to be watered down. I went with wine. I was hoping for a decent-sized glass because the wines-by-the-glass start at $8-9, but it was pretty skimpy. Oh, well, it’s probably a good thing anyway. So for booze, you may not get your money’s worth.

Antonio’s is known for their guacamole that they make right there at table. For $9 a bowl, you too could have some. We decided not to. But what a cool idea.

The guys started out with the Tacos de Papa a la Creama. They’re mashed potato stuffed taquitos with a cotija cheese on top. I tried a bite sans cheese and holy cow! It was delicious. They loved these.

For dinner, The Husband and I both ordered the veggie tacos. I ordered mine with no cheese, but asked for a side of guac. I was surprised that even though I didn’t get cheese, they still charged me $2.50 for the tiny cup of guacamole. It was yummy though. The Husband’s were pretty spicy, but mine weren’t—the heat is going to vary depending on the pico de gallo. We both thought these were great.

The kid went with the nachos, which was 6 really large tortilla chips, each topped with cheese, sour cream, lettuce, and pico de gallo. He wasn’t thrilled. It’s an appetizer, but the server said it was big enough for a meal. He was expecting your typical pile of chips with all the fixings, and it was disappointing to him. Overall, this was a great place for really delicious Mexican food—I recommend it.

DRAGONFLY CAFE & BAKERY

402 Paseo del Pueblo Norte

This is a great option for vegans and vegetarians! When I looked at their menu online, they had me at Kale and Quinoa Salad! They serve a brunch on Sundays from 9-3, and are open 11-9 Monday-Saturday. We stopped in on Monday for lunch. I had a soy latte in addition to the salad.

The salad was amazing! (Kale, quinoa, onion, cucumber, mint, carrots, almonds, dried apricots, and a lemon vinaigrette).

The guys both ordered the Dragonfly Enchiladas with organic spinach, mushrooms, and white beans, topped with tomatillo salsa, goat cheese and tomatoes.

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STELLA’S ITALIAN RESTAURANT

112 Camino de la Placita

Yes, Italian food in New Mexico. After several days of Mexican food, we were ready for a little change and man, did we luck out. Stella’s is a gem of a restaurant located just off the plaza. The prices are incredibly reasonable and included in the meal are trips to the olive bar with a variety of olives and garlic.

The liquor is also reasonably priced as well. We each got a glass of prosecco for $5 per glass. The service is also exceptional. We started with the Italian Truffle Fries for $4. SO GOOD!!

I then ordered the eggplant Parmesan, served with pesto garlic toast. (The Parm was easy to brush off) I love that it wasn’t drenched in sauce like what most restaurants do. It was delicious!

The Husband ordered the Mushroom Ravioli. These had ricotta inside (which is not listed on the menu description, so be sure to ask first). I couldn’t resist a bite…yum.

Oh, and all the entrees are served with a side of vegetables. Love that! The Eighth Grader ordered the vegetarian lasagna. We highly recommend Stella’s, especially if you’re wanting a change from Mexican food.

On our last day in Taos, we had a little picnic along the Red River. We had stopped at Trader Joe’s while in Santa Fe, so we picked up some goodies.

We picked up a Daiya Cheese Wedge (absolute best vegan cheese—ever! plus, my newest food obsession) and some apples at Cid’s Health Food Market (Taos’ answer to Whole Foods) and had a great snack while reading the latest issue of VegNews.

MONTROSE/OURAY

I didn’t get pictures of the food, but I will recommend El Jimador in Montrose, CO for Mexican food. I had the veggie burrito. The margaritas were also quite good!

In Ouray (probably the most beautiful town in Colorado!) we went to the Ouray Brewery. Check out these great bar chairs!

This is definitely a local (and tourist) favorite. Even at 3:00, it was packed. They have great rooftop dining, as well as two more floors of dining room. They offer six of their own brews and quite a variety of pub food. I had the portobello wrap–outstanding! And The Husband had their vegan burger. He said it was THE BEST vegan burger he has ever had. Sorry for the lack of pics, but trust me, this is a must-stop if you’re in Ouray.

So there you have it. I hope you enjoyed my culinary cruise through Santa Fe, Taos, Montrose, and Ouray. We certainly had fun eating our way through these great towns!

Vegan Vacation: Boulder, CO II

June 27, 2011 by epicureanvegan

Is it Monday already? Geesh, the weekend went fast! It was The Husband’s birthday on Friday so I planned a weekend trip to Boulder for us. After an online search, I found two restaurants that we hadn’t eaten at before and quickly made reservations.

Black Cat

Black Cat is an all-organic, farm-to-table bistro that offers a vegetarian/vegan 5 or 7 course tasting menu. They had me at vegan. I immediately booked the reservation on Open Table and specified that we were interested in the 5-course vegan tasting. Black Cat is located at 1964 13th St., just off of Pearl St.—a great location. We had no idea what to expect, but judging from various online recommendations, it promised to be a great dining experience.

The cozy restaurant also features a bar and you have a full-view of the kitchen as well. Unlike many restaurant kitchens, it didn’t emit loud noises from the chefs yelling at one another, or dishes and pots clanging together—the kitchen staff seemed to have everything down to a science. It was enjoyable to watch. We were then greeted by our server (and fellow-vegan) who (thanks to our vegan-note on Open Table) requested to be our server for the night. Her name is Zina, (Warrior Vegan Princess, as I think of her) and whether you are vegan or not, make sure you request this lovely, engaging and delightful server who showed such a genuine interest in us and our experience in the restaurant. Of course, the rest of the staff were just as friendly–you can’t go wrong! We learned from Zina that 80% of the food comes from Black Cat’s organic farm in Niwot, CO—just a few miles from Boulder. The owner and chef, Eric Skokan, even offers tours of the farm, something I’d love to take advantage of. He also was a vegetarian/vegan chef for about 6 years prior to opening Black Cat, so we were in good hands. Zina said that everything that comes out of the kitchen is made with such care and tastes as if they made it just for you. She was right. With that in mind, we also had no idea what to expect, as the menu is constantly changing. So as planned, we ordered the 5-course (plus dessert) vegan tasting. The Husband and I figured we’d spend the dinner chatting about life while lovingly staring into one another’s eyes (which we did a couple of times), but instead, we could only talk about the food!

Carrot soup made with coconut milk, spices, and topped with green onion.

I could have eaten this soup the entire night and been happy. It was absolutely delicious; like vegetable velvet. I’ve never made carrot soup before, let alone eaten it before, and I certainly plan on trying my best to replicate this soup.

Arugula-fennel salad with grapefruit, pickled beets and pistachios

This salad literally tasted as if it had just come off the farm truck, washed and arranged on the plate. The freshness of it was unlike any salad I’ve ever had before.

Tempura mushrooms (I believe shiitake) in a kombu broth with green onions

Absolutely outstanding. I’ve never had anything remotely resembling this dish before and was instantly smitten. Full of flavor!

Roasted cauliflower with carrot puree, asparagus puree, and radish flowers

The Husband swooned when he saw this dish; he loves cauliflower. If you’re wondering what a radish flower is, it’s those long green spear things—the shoots of the radish. They have that spicy radish taste and ideal for salads. The purees were the perfect accompaniment to the cauliflower.

Risotto in a tomato-based sauce with arugula, English peas, flowers and fresh herbs

This was one of my favorites. I love risotto and like the previous dishes, this tasted incredibly fresh and full of flavor. I had to refrain from licking the bowl.

The palate cleanser: Passion fruit-pineapple with coconut sorbet

Awesome.

Strawberries and kiwis with a strawberry-rhubarb puree over a lemon sorbet, topped with fresh mint

For the final dish of the night, we received this amazing dessert. Those little tiny strawberries on top came from the farm that day. It was the perfect end to a perfect dinner. In fact, we both agreed that in all honesty, this was the best dining experience we’ve ever had. Between the food, service and atmosphere, it is our favorite restaurant to date. It was hugs all around with Zina with an invite to come visit us for vegan eats up here in Fort Collins. You can visit Zina, a yoga goddess, at Zina Diva Yoga.

Dushanbe Tea House

We always make time to stop at this popular local favorite. It’s usually pretty darn busy, so be prepared to wait, but it’ well-worth it. The Dushanbe Tea House offers breakfast, lunch and dinner, but we have only ever eaten breakfast there. In fact, it’s just a great way to start the morning, particularly because of their vast tea menu. It’s located at 13th and Canyon, just down the street from Black Cat. We ate from the brunch menu which states that not all available ingredients are listed on the menu, so ask your server for specific ingredients, like tofu. There are a few vegan and vegetarian options so I went with the Szechuan Tofu Scramble with red onion, peppers, broccoli, Szechuan sauce served with rice. I forgot to ask for no won-tons, as they most likely contain egg, but I just pushed them to the side.

This was so delicious! The Husband went vegetarian with the Indian Masala Dosa, a cumin and fennel crepe filled with curried potatoes, cauliflower, onions, tomato, peas and dahl with raisin chutney, cucumber yoghurt and an onion fritter.

The tea house is such a visual treat as well with it’s hand-carved and hand-painted ceilings. If anything, drop in for some tea and enjoy the views.

We spent the day walking Pearl Street, browsing the shops and people watching. We didn’t want to fill up too much before dinner, so we stopped at Paradise Bakery and Cafe where we split the Paradise Vegetarian, a sandwich loaded with roasted red peppers, lettuce, tomato, cucumber and guacamole. I took the cheese off my portion. It was quite good and hit the spot.

Leaf

For dinner the next night, I had made a reservation for Leaf Vegetarian Restaurant.

Much of the menu is also vegan. In fact, one night a week (I think it was Tuesday . . . can’t remember) is vegan pizza night. Soooo many of the menu items sounded incredible, including the vegan enchiladas.

The quaint restaurant has a fresh and airy atmosphere—loved it. I had my eye on those vegan enchiladas until our server tempted us with their Summer Solstice Menu. It happened to be the last night they were offering this 3-course menu and it looked to good too pass up. First up, they served us some homemade vegan foccacia bread. It was soft and delicious.

For the first course, I went with the Three Leaf Farm Salad with field greens, radishes, green apples, pecans, and a raspberry vinaigrette.

The Husband went with the other salad choice of grilled white Asparagus and vegetables, served with creme fraiche. He loved the asparagus.

For the main entree, I went with the Pistachio Tempeh with fingerling potatoes, broccolini in a red pepper saffron sauce with crispy apples. Outstanding! The tempeh had a horseradish-mustard flavor that was incredible. Paired with the potatoes, it was the best tempeh dish I’ve ever had.

The Husband went with the vegetarian option again with the Mushroom Strudel: wild mushrooms, risotto, leeks, greens wrapped in filo dough. It came with marinated tomatoes and a truffle garlic oil. Again, he loved it.

For dessert, I went with the grilled fruit served with soy pound cake croutons. I couldn’t have asked for a better dessert!

The Husband had the other dessert option: a vegan Almond Panacotta with almond extract and a basil strawberry coulis–another winner.

From start to finish, this meal was outstanding. I highly recommend Leaf Vegetarian Restaurant. As you can see, the presentation was amazing. The other dishes coming out of the kitchen were nothing short works of art. You could tell a lot of care and pride went into the meals.

For our final day, we stopped at Whole Foods and spent a small fortune on food for a lakeside picnic. We decided to hit up Boulder Reservoir, a place we’ve never been.

It actually didn’t have a lot of grassy/tree areas for a picnic, but we managed to find a great spot along the shore under a tree. We packed our handy-dandy picnic basket . . .

. . . with lots of vegan goodies: crackers, seaweed crackers, and tortilla chips . . .

. . .and hummus, salsa, fruit, vegan cheddar spread, a wheat berry and quinoa waldorf salad, an edamame-orzo salad, and an edamame succotash.

So good!

Thanks for hanging in there with me for my vegan Boulder vacation!