A recent trip to San Luis Obispo opened my eyes to a side of California new to me - that being a smaller "city" and sprawling surrounding area with a more laid-back coastal(ish) feel. Granted, I've been mainly exposed to the greater LA area, with a little San Diego and San Francisco thrown in - and I love each of these places for varying reasons -A recent trip to San Luis Obispo brought me to a part of California I'd never been to before, and what an introduction it was. What a beautiful area - the rocky, crisp and dune-lined Pacific coast with small beachy communities dotting the land nearby (like Avila Beach, where we stayed and Peter worked), the rolling green and farm-filled landscape leading inland to the heart of SLO (aptly named and abbreviated, given the laid-backness of the tea), and of course, SLO itself - a sweet, small city full of inviting shops and eateries of all kinds.A few of our stops along the way are what I'd consider must-dos/sees, so read on for recommendations:StayWe stayed in Avila Beach at the Avila Village Inn, since the class Peter taught was held practically next door. While picking a hotel directly in SLO would certainly have it's benefits (the biggest being walking proximity to what the city of SLO has to offer), Avila Beach is only a 10 minute drive away and this Inn had plenty of perks. It's a modern, Mission-style small hotel - beautiful, clean and inviting - and the staff were all very friendly and helpful. Every room has a gas fireplace and outdoor hottub on a deck... need I say more? And there's a health club right next door with workout facilities, fitness classes, outdoor tennis courts and two outdoor pools that you can use for free when staying at the Inn. Highly recommend! There are a number of other hotels/inns in the Avila Beach area with hot springs and/or hot tubs; it's a really quaint area to stay if you don't need to be directly in SLO.DO/SEESLO Farmer's Market. Not surprisingly, there are farmers markets to be found in the SLO area pretty much every day of the week. But the main event is held Thursday afternoons and evenings on Higuera (main street through the city), and it is well work a visit! Higuera becomes pedestrian-only, and completely lined with vendors ranging from farm stands selling gorgeous produce to crafts and clothes; local restaurants also have food tents, and every few blocks you'll encounter another live music or other kind of performance. It's a bustling event with too many good things to take in at once! We sampled fruit from a few vendors - there are many samples to be had as you make your way up and down the market - and had some Thai iced tea (a personal favorite) with coconut milk. Delicious.Hike! (and use hikespeak.com). Hikespeak.com is an awesome resource for hiking and outdoor exploration all over California. Route recommendations come with specific locations and directions, as well as fairly detailed play-by-plays of the hikes - including photos - so you really know what to expect. Even if you want to just explore without a set map, I think the info on this site is really helpful even for just starting places from which you can then take off any which way you choose. I found the site's page for the greater SLO area, and one recommended jaunt we checked out was the Dune Trail to Hazard Canyon Reef in Montana de Oro State Park. It's a quick mile that takes you through some hilly and sandy dunes (actually - the true trail is pretty level, I think - but we detoured and took a slightly longer route that had steeper climbs) and you end up right on the shoreline where there are beautiful rock formations and tide pools jutting out from the beach, with waves crashing all around. Pretty spectacular!Bob Jones city-to-sea trail. This is a well-paved, well-marked trail in Avila Beach (it actually runs right behind the Avila Village Inn, making for extremely convenient access if you stay there!) that leads from slightly inland to the beach. Run, walk, bike, roller skate - you'll find folks doing any of the above and then some on this nice, easy and pretty trail. More info can be found here.EAT/DRINKThe short version: there's an abundance of amazing things to eat and drink in SLO. There's an across-the-board emphasis on fresh, local ingredients, and many restaurants and cafes take advantage of the nice climate of SLO by offering outdoor seating - made comfortable year-round by many places even when temps are chilly with the addition of heatlamps.Linnaea's Cafe. A sweet little cafe in the heart of SLO, Linnaea's specializes in coffees and teas as well as baked treats and a few other food items. We parked ourselves there one morning for some breakfast, caffeine and a few hours of work on our laptops. The wifi is free, the coffee is strong and the food hits the spot. We modified a breakfast burrito that was on the menu to be vegan - omitted eggs, cheese, sour cream - and it was just right. I'm also a sucker for vegan bakery items - easily enticed at least, but not so much the easy critic. The lime blueberry muffin was pretty fantastic - hit the balance of light-yet-buttery; the gluten-free/vegan chocolate chip cookies were above average, but a bit on the dry side.Mama Ganache Artisan Chocolates. This SLO chocolate shop was hands down one of the best I've ever been to. Organic, fair trade, local and across-the-board decadant chocolates of all kinds. Not to mention the fact that a huge amount of their selection is vegan! Including caramels, which is not commonly found in vegan form. Best of all is the dark chocolate "SLOchew" - made with dark 70% chocolate, rich vegan caramel, crunchy rice crispies and organic cashews. Amazing. Their website includes an online store, so if you feel like indulging...Eureka! Burger. This lively restaurant and bar in SLO (with other locations in CA and elsewhere in pacific nw) has lots to offer - simply put, good, fresh food and massive beer AND whiskey selections. There was a short wait for a table the night we went, so we headed to the bar area to wait - had a really good beer (New Belgium's Lips of Faith Linday's S'more Porter). We had the tempura green lake green beans (enjoyable - the beans were really tasty, though the light batter didn't have a ton of flavor), san joaquin veggie burger (really tasty, and the zucchini pickles add a nice touch; there is egg in the burger patty, but no dairy) and watermelon salad (also delicious). In lieu of dessert, we opted for a whiskey tasting - yes they offer flights of whiskey! - which was fun in its novelty, and for the chance to sample several different whiskeys. Our server sent over another staff member who purportedly knew a decent amount about whiskey - but that didn't really turn out to be the case, based on descriptions given and what we actually then tasted. One or two were decent, but nothing was particularly striking. For proper recommendations or guidance, I'd recommend walking over to the bar and seeing if the actual bartender may be able to help more effectively.Novo. Went to this charming restaurant at the recommendation of good friends, and had a wonderful experience. Thanks to numerous heat lamps, there's outdoor creekside seating on a pretty large deck-like area behind the restaurant - it was a crisp night when we went, but the warmth from the heaters more than dissipated the chill in the air. And we tend to take advance of eating outside whenever possible and convenient. The tofu lettuce cups were a particularly memorable dish well worth getting!Bliss Cafe. This all-vegan cafe is open for lunch and dinner, and we sat outside amidst falling leaves for a delicious lunch. We shared a sandwich with tempeh, avocado and other veggies as well as chili dogs - which really were vegan hot dogs covered in a sort of warm black bean salsa - not exactly what I'd call "chili", but really tasty regardless. They have a great and varied menu, including raw items (desserts too) and juices and smoothies. I wish every town had a place like this.Luna Red. Broad, fresh tapas menu with a great beer list and plentiful outdoor seating (with strong heatlamps - and also an outdoor seating area around a sort of gas fire pit as well as an outdoor bar).Shell Beach Brewhouse. We checked out this very recently opened tap house and restaurant at the recommendation of a local; it's a pretty snazzy joint, especially for a tiny slip of a beach community in between Avila and Pismo. We waited almost an hour in the crowded bar for a table, fortunately having the good luck and position of being able to snag two barstools. There are . Once seated, we were excited to soon discover that the food exceeded expectations. Had the house-made ono kettle chips, garlic and truffle style (an addictive pile of garlicky and truffley heaven), the aloha ahi poke with butter leaf lettuce cups (if you like tuna, this should be ordered), and a modified brewhouse standard burger (sub in black bean burger - which I think had egg in it - and nixed the cheese, bacon and sauce) which was decently good. This place certainly has above average, modern pub fare and a quality beer selection. While it's a little off the beaten path, being that it isn't in SLO or another more commonly known town or city, it's worth a drink/meal - especially if you're staying in nearby Avila or Pismo Beach.SLO Brewing Company. It isn't always a guarantee that a city's eponymous brewery will deliver on the promise of great beer - but this one truly does. Especially if you love IPAs... one is on nitro, which mellows some of the typical IPA bitterness and makes for a more velvety beer. Equally as good, though for different reasons, as the regular IPA. The oatmeal stout was also quite memorable. We sat at the bar, and had a very friendly bartender who was extremely generous with sample pours - always a huge bonus when at a brewery with so many good things to try! I can see why this place seems to be across-the-board highly reviewed.
Loving Lovin' Spoonfuls Vegan Restaurant in Tucson, AZ
Found more deliciousness in Tucson last weekend at the cozy & casual Lovin' Spoonfuls!
This restaurant focuses on making the comfort food you love, except healthier and 100% vegan.When we stumble upon restaurants like this, we tend to over-order - and why not, right? We started out with the "beer battered brat bites" and also had a bottle of the Pircas Negras Malbec (organic Chilean) wine... at $18, it was kind of hard to resist and was a pretty decent bottle at that. The service was great, and another bonus was the small green salad that came with the entrees we ordered - atypical of an order-at-the-counter restaurant. The salad was simple and good, with a very delicious homemade sesame-dijon dressing.
We had the "('beef') stroganoff supreme" and the "old country lasagne," both of which were fantastic. I asked about the "ricotta" in the lasagne - turns out it's made in-house with a firm tofu base. Could have fooled me! I need to try and make that myself.
Stuffed as we were by meal's end, the dessert options were too enticing to overlook - so... naturally... we got a piece of the chocolate fudge cake and the chocolate chip cake to go which shockingly lasted us 2 days. Both were so good... I am really hoping to get my hands on the recipes!
{Mini-Soapbox Moment: Honestly... the more vegan things I try, like cakes for example (using that as an example since vegan baking seems to get a harsher rap than cooking) - be it from a proper bakery/restaurant, my kitchen, or an adept friend - the more I am completely convinced that eggs/dairy milk/butter are so nonessential to making creations that are absolutely incredible (as good as if not better than a non-vegan counterpart) both in the flavor and texture departments. So why not, right?? Even for us predominantly but not quite 100% plant-based eaters, when there are easy ways to replace typically-used animal products - and at no sacrifice to flavor or texture - it feels like a no-brainer to do it!}Even if you're not in the Tucson area, I recommend taking a look through Lovin' Spoonfuls' website - at the menu (perhaps for inspiration in your own kitchen!), at the "My Story" section (owner Peg Raisglid details her interesting journey from chemist to restaurateur, omnivore to vegan), and at the "Veggie Info" section (here you'll find well-researched/sourced information on the nutritional quality of a plant-based diet).
Cafe Desta: Ethiopian Restaurant in Tucson, AZ
We are in Tucson, and it's my first time here (for that matter, it's my first time anywhere south of Phoenix in AZ). I spent some time researching local food before we arrived, and one place I stellar review after stellar review about was Cafe Desta, an Ethiopian restaurant. We went there tonight, and it was phenomenal. SO good that I couldn't wait to write about it (and real-time-ish posts are a rarity around here!).It's a simple but cute little place (check out an interior photo on their website) in what doesn't seem to be a tremendous a neighborhood (though it was dark when we arrived and since I don't know this city, it isn't really fair of me to judge... so take it as an observation with a grain of salt!).
That's the plate we shared. There's a menu option to share 5 of the vegan dishes, so we had misr, kik, kosta, azifa and one other that is not currently listed on their online menu - and it also happened to be the most exceptional of the 5, though all were so delicious. An incredible combination of various lentils, peas, spinach, and aromatic herbs and spices on fresh, light and spongy injera to soak up every bit... yum. Apparently there's something in/about that particular dish - the one I can't remember the name for - that has what sounds like an Ethiopian-equivalent of "umami" - some indescribable yet delectable flavor that elevates it to another level and makes you crave it the more you eat it.Even the salad was superb - it had lemon, salt and pepper on it (and maybe a whisper of vinegar or oil?) - and was just so crisp, fresh and refreshing. You know a restaurant is doing something right when chopped lettuce and tomato even has a "wow" factor!I should have taken an "after" photo - there were a few scraps of injera left on the plate and that was it.The food was such a great balance between simple and complex. The ingredients are clearly all very fresh and expertly prepared with care; you can really taste every ingredient - be it lentil, pea, spinach, or a spice; there is a wonderful depth and uniqueness of flavor in each dish; yet, talk about simple ingredients and preparation - beans/veggies and spices (not to diminish from the unique blends used in Ethiopian cooking) is what it comes down to, and so much flavor is coaxed out in each dish.
The restaurant also makes, jars and sells "Awaze" - a fermented chili paste blended with an array of spices - that is a base in many of their dishes. We were cautioned against its heat, and told it's especially good with breakfast food, particularly hash browns. At $4.99 for 7 oz, we couldn't resist buying a jar! Can't wait to try cooking with it.Everyone we encountered working there - I think 2 of whom were owners - were lovely and genuine. I can't recommend this place enough for anyone and everyone! We may just have to make a return trip ourselves before leaving town...
More from Minneapolis
It's easy see the appeal of living in the Minneapolis/St. Paul area. There's a great mix of urban, suburban and rural living, all in relatively close proximity, so you can get the best of all 3 worlds. There are beautiful parks and places to hike and run, the city area is very walkable, and there are tons of great food and shopping options everywhere you turn. The perfectly quintessential fall weather was the icing on the cake of being there last week/weekend, making it an ideal time to explore and be introduced to that part of the country!Here are some of our highlights:
- Farmers markets pop up in the city and surrounding areas frequently and are well worth checking out (read more here).
- The Minneapolis Sculpture Garden is a wonderful (and free!) way to spend some time in a beautiful part of the city. It is a park-like oasis amidst an otherwise urban area, great for perusing or sitting on a bench with a good book (I did both). You can't miss the Spoonbridge and Cherry sculpture:
- I couldn't recommend Jerusalem's more. It's one of those restaurants that you happen upon when traveling and wish you had in your hometown as well. It's a cozy, homey, Middle Eastern place that is family owned and has been around for about 25 years. The owner was actually cooking the night we had dinner there - always a plus! The food was superb - lots of veggie options, fresh, simple, clean and delicious - all that good stuff. We shared a few things: stuffed grape leaves, a mixed veg plate and a veggie pita pizza (topped with falafel, tomato, olives and spinach). Which we both felt was one of the best pizzas we've ever had. And we couldn't resist sharing some baklava for dessert. Everything was completely homemade, and it tasted that way in the best way possible. And to top it off, the bill came to $24. A really great deal for a lot of wonderful food and fantastic service. The baklava was less than $2! Granted it was a relatively small piece (which is just fine for such decadence), but most restaurants would probably charge at least $5 for the same thing even if its of lesser quality. Some photos:
- We had lunch one day at Lotus Restaurant - another winner. Quick service, great vegetarian and vegan options, tasty food, and very reasonably priced - can't go wrong with any of that! Some photos:
- I'd read about French Meadow Bakery & Cafe, and a glance at the description and menu made it clearly worth a visit. It has been open since 1985, with a few outposts having opened more recently, and it clearly has not faltered in its mission to deliver delicious, organic, slow/whole foods. I love places like that - very fresh and farm-to-table, emphasizing good clean food, with plenty of vegetarian and vegan-friendly options. And with a cozy, casual atmosphere to boot. And who are we kidding... I'm clearly a sucker for vegan baked things, so that's really all I needed to hear! I stopped in the restaurant to get a coffee and pick up a few sweets to try out. I was envious of the diners in there though - all of the food looked amazing. I had a cafe miel - espresso with steamed coconut (!) milk, honey and cinnamon - and bought a few all vegan treats to taste later on and bring to our friends' house too. The short of it: the carrot cake was decent, though a little dry and had even too much frosting for me; the banana chocolate chip muffins were very dense but tasted good, though they could have done without the icing drizzle on top; the mini chocolate cupcakes were fantastic - very chocolatey, not overly sweet, and the frosting was crazy good (and there was a lot of it, but it was so good that it was a plus! Of course that's the one thing I neglected to photograph). Swear I did not eat all of that myself! :) Some photos:
On our way home from Minneapolis, we came across the French Meadow in the airport and picked up vegan ruben sandwiches to go for dinner - which were REALLY good - made of marinated tempeh on rye with a tofu spread and sauerkraut, and a pickle and particularly good salad greens on the side. French Meadow has something for everyone - they do prepare food with and without meat and dairy - but also have plenty of wonderful veg options that would appeal to vegans, vegetarians and omnivores alike. - We also had dinner at Fuji Ya (the Minneapolis location) one night with a friend who lives locally, and it was easily some of the best sushi I've ever had. Not what you'd expect being so far from a coast! The fish was all incredible - the uni in particular - as was the sake. The three of us shared an incredible array of sushi, as well as some edamame and a dish of mixed pickled vegetables to start - that was something I haven't had at a sushi restaurant before, and it tasted as good as it looked! Love how colorful the dish was:
- Another night, Peter and I met a cousin of mine for dinner at King and I Thai. It lived up to its positive reputation; we loved everything we ordered. It was a wonderful evening of catching up with family I hadn't seen in years over great food!
Blanco Taco & Tequila
If you're traveling through the Phoenix Airport, find yourself in Terminal 2 and are hungry - check out Blanco Tacos & Tequila, which opened about 8 weeks ago in the Gate A wing. There's a counter for faster to-go ordering, or a sit-in restaurant if you have more time to kill - and as far as airport dining goes, we were extremely impressed with Blanco. The minimalist, modern decor made for a nice atmosphere (again, especially for an airport!), the beer (love Pacifico on tap!) and food selection were great and the servers were fantastic.
We had a bit of time before our flight, so we sat at a proper table in the restaurant. Too often when explaining to a server that we want to order something meat and dairy-free, they either provide recommendations that still include animal-based items, or they and/or the kitchen don't pay attention to our request and we still find butter or cheese* on our plate. Not this time though - everyone working at Blanco that we encountered was extremely friendly and helpful - exceptionally so, really - in us finding some great things to eat. Unfortunately Blanco's guacamole has sour cream in it (which I realize isn't terribly uncommon in restaurants, but I still don't understand it - avocados are so creamy as is, who needs the sour cream added?! I assume it has to do with either preservation or cost, but even so..), so we were steered away from that and toward their REALLY good freshly made chips and some spicy salsa:
I ordered the mushroom tacos, which are dairy-free as is, and our waitress suggested a veggie burrito to Peter that the kitchen often makes for customers wishing to eat something vegetarian and substantial. As burritos typically come in a flour tortilla though, our waitress and the kitchen staff went out of their way enough to find out the ingredients of the flour tortillas - which happened to include dairy - and let us know before our meals came, so that we could both opt for the soft corn tacos instead. My mushroom tacos with shredded cabbage and beans were delicious, as was Peter's deconstructed veggie burrito (corn shells were wrapped in the paper on the side). Mushrooms, squash, peppers and more, and seasoned black beans, abound on both plates:
Contrary to what I've found many people to believe, Mexican cuisine is actually great for vegetarian and vegan eating. Not everything has to be smothered in cheese or gobs of sour cream (something I used to be guilty of doing!) - and particularly when good, fresh ingredients are used, you can better appreciate the vegetables, beans, spices, etc. when you don't have to dig them out from under a mountain of cheese. It's hard to go wrong with a plate or taco full of good veggies, beans and some rice, though we didn't have rice at Blanco. Clean eating when traveling is particularly helpful in keeping your body - energy, immunity, GI system, and all - feeling good, and airport food can make that tricky at times. Not so with Blanco!We almost always fly US Airways, we were both really enthused to discover this great eatery in our home airport (PHX) terminal - it's great to have a clean, tasty food option that will be convenient for future travels, either when we're rushed and need to grab something to go or have the time to sit in the restaurant (and take advantage of the great service at Blanco!).A very positive airport dining experience to start off our journey to New Zealand!*(Yes I do once in a while still eat cheese - I just choose not to for health reasons 98% of the time - but when I do have it, I want it to be really worth it... more on that in upcoming NZ food posts!)
Eating in Prescott: Bill's Pizza
You already know my thoughts on Bill's Grill. Now I must rave for a moment about Bill's Pizza (and yes, both places are owned by the same person).Everyone has their own specifications as to what constitutes a great pizza, but even with something as seemingly basic and common as pizza - we can all probably agree that we've encountered some lousy versions. It's not so hard to mess it up - soggy dough, overly sweet or acidic sauce, poor quality of toppings, etc. Bill's Pizza couldn't be farther from that though - everything is fresh, and prepared and cooked to perfection. The pizza is REALLY fantastic. Really really. And not just for here - for anywhere.We tend to order a large when we go, knowing it will last the two of us for two meals, with the "add 7 toppings" menu option, and the restaurant is kind enough to add an 8th topping since we get the pizza without cheese (which I swear you don't even notice is missing with so many great vegetables on top). They also have a gluten-free crust option, but not in the large pizza size.Here was yesterday's: a thin, crunchy crust (my favorite kind) that held up well beneath mushrooms, zucchini, artichoke hearts, jalapenos, kalamata olives, green olives, green chilies and plenty of fresh spinach (and bonus points for it being added raw to the otherwise cooked pizza):
Easily the best pizza around - I have yet to encounter another place nearby that can rival the freshness and quality of the ingredients and finished pizzas here. Plus it's locally owned, and we all need to support local businesses - wherever you live!
Eating in Prescott: Bill's Grill
There are a few solid places to get a good burger in Prescott, but fewer worthy veggie burgers at the local restaurants. PBC has had my favorite version, but the still relatively new Bill's Grill is giving it a run for its money! We've been frequenting Bill's Grill since it opened; it has quickly become a local go-to for us.Top five favorite things about Bill's Grill, in no particular order:
- There are THREE veggie burger options! Only one (the Boca burger) is vegan, but the black bean chipotle patty is dairy-free (not vegan because of a small amount of egg present) and delicious. I tend to go for that one; it is very flavorful and the texture is perfect.
- Aside from pre-selected burger concoctions you can order, the menu features a "build your own" system which has tons of toppings to choose from for your burger. Onion straws, crimini mushrooms, avocado and pepperocini/banana peppers get my vote! And, the barbeque and buffalo sauces are great. Those toppings, a black bean burger and a multigrain bun are my standard order:
- Three words: sweet potato fries. Enough said.
- If you're opting for meat, Bill's Grill offers locally raised beef - a great, clean option!
- The selection of craft beers on draght is fantastic. I especially recommend the Breckenridge Vanilla Porter, a brew from Colorado. It's easily one of my absolute favorite beers.
I have yet to try a beef burger there, but hear only great things. Bill's Grill also has seafood options (seared Ahi tuna, and recently salmon as well) and bakes their own buns (including a multigrain and a recently added gluten free bun) - bonus points for that.They also have daily/weekly specials - including red meat, chicken, seafood and/or veggie-centric options - and deserve creative props for thinking outside of the box. On a recent lunch date there with friends, one decided to go for the special at the time - the "Luther Vandross" - which included bacon, cheese and doughnuts in place of a regular bun. I did not try it, but E. who ordered it did enjoy it!:
I really admire and appreciate what Bill's Grill is putting out there. They're all about good food made with fresh ingredients, offer tremendous variety to keep customers interested, and aren't overly expensive. I like the fact that they have plenty of healthier offerings as well as some off-the-wall indulgences - there's something for everyone!
Restaurant Review: Olde World Bagels
Bagels and New York City are kind of synonymous, but that is not to say that delicious bagels can't be found elsewhere. I tend to go for whole grain bagels, but in terms of seasoning "everything" is by far my favorite. Once in a while you'll find a place that has the enigmatic whole-wheat-everything variety, but that is hard to come by!After a walk through the farmer's market last Saturday morning (which was not in full force as usual due to crazy winds, so we didn't find any immediately edible options), we were famished and decided to head over to Olde World Bagel near downtown Prescott. I hadn't yet been there and Peter hadn't been in ages, though it's next door to a place we often go for lunch (and I've smelled the delicious freshly baked bagel smell wafting over).We both somewhat begrudgingly decided to forgo cream cheese this time, but the smoked salmon bagel sound too good to pass up entirely - so we had everything bagels with a little Earth Balance, lox, tomato, red onion, capers and cornichon on the side:
YUM. It was the little things that made this so so good - very lightly toasted bagel, extremely fresh and tasty smoked salmon (not fishy at all!), the unexpected cornichon on the side (an easy way to a pickle-lover's heart) and the red onion was sliced verrry thinly - the only way to do it, I think. And look how well-seasoned the bagels were (and that was the underside, which is often neglected) - bonus points for that!Whatever bagel your heart desires, Olde World will probably have it - they have a great selection to pick from:
Olde World Bagels also has an espresso bar and an impressive tea selection:
We had a soy cappuccino and a "dirty" (aka added a shot of espresso) soy chai latte - both were great, especially the chai - one of the best in Prescott!
What it comes down to is that I am REALLY glad to have such a great place nearby to more than satisfy a bagel craving when the mood strikes!!
Wheatgrass, Smoothies, Beer & Onion Rings in Scottsdale
Does this:
and this:
cancel out this??:
I'll answer that myself with a begrudging "no" :) But that's okay! I believe when you eat a clean diet of whole foods - especially plant-based - at least 90% of the time, it gives you a little wiggle room to indulge in some things that offer no health benefit whatsoever. Though maybe that's not entirely true... they aren't called "comfort" foods for nothing! And as long as that concept of a "comfort" food isn't abused, I believe there is truth in it. I also think that as your body becomes more and more used to eating clean, whole foods, you crave the bad stuff much less if at all.But - a little indulgence of something that just tastes good is good for the spirit once in a while too!To be fair though, I guess I can't exactly call this a "little" indulgence... maybe "little" on the scheme of things (and it was meat and dairy-free), but as evidenced in the photo this was a pretty large plate of huge onion rings! Too big to fully finish, unfortunately (or fortunately?).Let me backtrack for a second though to give some context. Peter and I are in the Phoenix area for the weekend, and conveniently there is a nice outdoor shopping center with a couple of decent food options across the street from our hotel in Scottsdale.The first two photos above were from Jamba Juice, which is always a welcome sight when traveling. As long as you stay away from the added-sugar-laden smoothies, you have many good options to choose from. We stopped in for a late lunch of sorts, starting with shots of wheatgrass - a wonderful detoxifier - and then shared two smoothies. We went for an Apples & Greens (now a new favorite) and an Acai Super-Antioxidant (minus the sherbert), both with an extra boost of soy protein. Refreshing and anti-oxidant-boosting on a warm and sunny Arizona afternoon!For dinner last night, we went to Nimbus Bistro & Brewery, which is conveniently right across the street from our hotel. We enjoyed decent veggie burgers, but started with a pint of the Old Monkeyshine Ale and Oatmeal Stout and the onion rings. Our mutual criticism is that a few of them were too heavily battered - to the point of doughiness - but they were all around pretty tasty. They inspired me to start thinking of how I could make a "lesser of two evils" - maybe even borderline "healthy" (or at least not unhealthy) version at home... so stay tuned for that in the next couple of weeks!
San Francisco Eating: The Plant
At the recommendation of good friend whose taste buds I trust, we decided to check out The Plant - known for its use of local and organic produce/ingredients - at Embarcadero in San Francisco for lunch one day. We arrived at a slightly odd hour between lunch and dinnertime, and were bummed to discover that the actual restaurant was closed - but luckily the related cafe right next door was open. This sample cafe menu is more robust than what we saw, but it didn't matter. It was a good place to catch up over good food with good friends!
We shared the BBQ tempeh panini (tempeh with chipotle barbeque sauce, roasted red onion and vegan aioli), which was served with a fresh side salad and deliciously vinegary pickled cucumber slices that you can tell are made in-house:
And the Plant burger, which is a veggie burger made from lentils, mushrooms, beets, cashews and bulgar. Served on foccacia with roasted onion, lettuce, tomato and vegan aioli and plated along side a salad, herb-roasted fingerling potatoes and more pickled cucumber slices, it was a unique and very tasty veggie burger:
And, The Plant serves Blue Bottle coffee! Soy cappuccino with a foamy flower flourish = yum:
Vegetarian Chinese & Vietnamese Food in San Francisco
Asian cuisine in San Francisco is plentiful and impressive, both in its variety and quality. We lucked out with two great lunches that were vegan, inexpensive but generously portioned, authentic and mouth-wateringly tasty:Steamed vegetables, pan-seared veggie dumplings, steamed rice, veggie roll and wontons (huge plate all for $8.95!) - and good tea of course - at Lucky Creation in Chinatown:
Lucky Creation is a 100% vegetarian Chinese restaurant, and one I highly recommend. In addition to the straight up vegetable-based options I opted to order, they also have menu items that sound more typical of your average Chinese restaurant - but everything is bean curd or wheat gluten-based. Vegetable and rice noodle pho with bean sprouts, jalapeno and lemon on the side from Pho Vietnam in Nob Hill:
Restaurant Review: Park Plaza Liquor & Deli
Today's lunch at the Park Plaza Liquor & Deli: a filling and delicious avocado sandwich (avocado, sprouts, tomato, cucumber and a splash or red wine vinaigrette on a great wheatberry bread), with one of my (guilty-ish) favorites - crispy sweet potato fries. And, of course, a pickle. Minus the mystery white dressing on the side (I'm guessing it was ranch, but I did not partake), this was a very enjoyable meal. I love finding new vegetarian and vegan lunch options at restaurants that are repeat-worthy, and this one definitely fits the bill.It was my first time at PPLD - it's a large, high-ceilinged space with restaurant tables up front, an artisan cheese counter, and plenty of well-stocked shelves of wine/liquor/beer making up the bulk of the retail space. With solid food, a good booze selection (including some decent sale prices), cheap happy hour beers (under $3 a pint, for the most part) and occassional tastings, this is a place I look forward to revisiting!
Restaurant Review: Pita Jungle
Restaurants like [insert any of the following: TGIFridays, Chilis, Applebees, etc.] on the surface are very well-intended - casual family-friendly restaurants that don't kill your wallet - but at the cost of waist-expanding/insulin-raising, artery-clogging, mass-produced food, it's hard to really applaud this restaurant model, or at least it's execution. Most if not all of them have started offering calorie-conscious menu options in the last couple of years, but I've never been impressed with the vegetables I've had at these places and generally don't expect to be served a particularly nutritious or wholesome meal there. And it's really a shame, because if only the offerings at such restaurants were healthier and cleaner all around, it would be a tough deal to beat.
Enter Pita Jungle, which appears to be a restaurant model that others should take a few cues from. We went to the newest Phoenix location at Norterra, and I was pretty impressed. It's a casual, family-friendly eatery with a modern and minimalistic decor/layout. It also includes a full bar with a decent beer selection. The menu offers a wide variety of fantastic choices - pretty much all of which are healthy, so you can feel pretty good about whatever you order - and based on what we ate (and glances at neighboring tables), everything looks and tastes as good as it sounds. Also impressive are the prices!We ordered dinner just before the cut-off for the restaurant's happy hour tapas special, so we were able to take advantage and opted for mixed marinated olives, vegetarian dolmades (particularly delicious), and tzatziki (which I could tell was made with low- or non-fat yogurt) for $2 each:
The veggie wrap was full of greatness: mixed whole beans, brown rice, broccoli, zucchini, cauliflower, eggplant, tomatoes, and carrots, and seasoned with ginger, basil and garlic. It was served hot and was extremely flavorful - a testament to the freshness of the vegetables. It was a huge portion and cost $7.99. I'd be tempted to get this for dinner on the go on a regular basis if it was closer by!
The falafel platter was part of the starter menu, and was also a huge portion - more than enough to be a main dish. The falafel texture was right on - just crispy enough on the outside, light and moist inside - and 5 were served over a salad of lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers, onions and pickles with a drizzle of tahini. For $7.59, this was yet another great value.
It wasn't all perfect, but my criticisms are pretty inconsequential. The tinfoil on my veggie wrap was folded too thoroughly and tightly around the actual food, so to prevent myself from eating the foil I had to open the wrap up, remove the foil and eat everything with a fork and knife (like I said, not that big of a deal at all - but easily preventable, as I don't think they intended that to happen). I also think there should be a choice of whole grain pita bread and wraps (or just have that be the standard, vs the white they serve).For a quick, inexpensive, healthy and tasty meal at a sit-down restaurant, Pita Jungle is a really fantastic option to have available. As far as chains go, this is one that should go national if they can do so without compromising their impressive qualities!
Breakfast from NYC to AZ
December was a wonderful month and also tends to be pretty synonymous with good food - and 2011 was no exception. In particular were a series of delicious breakfasts, and I wish I'd captured more of them on camera - but here are the ones for which I do have photo evidence, in chronological order:
NYC: Huevos al horno (baked eggs, garbanzo stew, mustard greens, hazelnut romesco) at Tertulia. This was the first time I had garbanzos, one of my absolute favorite foods, in an egg dish - leaving me to wonder what took me so long?!
NYC: "The Farmstand" (poached eggs, pesto, grape tomatoes, brussel sprouts, peas, breadcrumbs, arugula, toast) at Tipsy Parson. Farm-fresh veggies with perfectly poached eggs - this was a simple yet extremely flavorful plate that immediately became a top all-time favorite. Need to recreate at home!
AZ: Homemade whole wheat (and dairy-free) pancakes (I stand by my belief that homemade anything is always the best - especially when it's made for you while you're working from home!). With real maple syrup and a cup of hot vanilla-fennel tea on the side, what better way could there be to start the day!
AZ: And finally, homemade whole wheat raspberry muffins (see next post for recipe!)
A Fantastic Farewell Lunch at Grey Dog
Yesterday, I had a belated "goodbye" lunch with my awesome colleagues from the job I recently left. They are a wonderful group of extremely smart and hilarious, fun women that I am lucky to have worked with and hope to in some capacity again in the future.And, on to the food (of course) - we went to The Grey Dog, a great little cafe in Chelsea that's perfect for lunch (check out their menu). I've walked by this place a million times, but never went in - and am very happy to have finally been introduced to it (awesome recommendation, Dre!).Among the 6 of us, we ordered:
Seared Tuna & Avocado Taco (x2)
BLT
Veggie Press (spinach, roasted artichokes, roasted peppers and herbed goat cheese) (x2) - I had mine on olive bread, which was delicious
Root Vegetable Soup (that clearly included beets - look at that color!
The food was all-around solid. I love the bread choices for sandwiches - olive is a favorite of mine and while I see it at bakeries quite often, it isn't as common as an option in an eatery. The only thing I'd do differently next time is ask if I could have one of their "cute salads" (Grey Dog's words, not mine) on the side of a sandwich vs. chips - I didn't realize that's what came on the side, and could have done without.Great lunch, great group, great way to start off the week yesterday! Thanks so much again Dre/Steph/Lora/Liz/Jodie :)
Red Farm
Last month, I had a fabulous dinner with two former managerscolleagues who are extremely special to me. Even though we haven’t worked together for some time now, we developed a unique connection and friendship, and every couple of months we get together for a catch-up over a great meal. Not surprisingly in the least, food is one of our shared passions that we always bond over.A., who I swear knows about new and noteworthy restaurants even before the Times restaurant critic, the writers at Grub Street, or anyone else for that matter, recommended we try the recently opened Red Farm for our last get together.Let me digress quickly by noting that I love love love Asian cuisine, but while I enjoy Chinese food I wouldn’t classify it as my favorite (I’d put Thai, Japanese, Vietnamese and Korean ahead of it). I realize this may be in large part due to the Americanization of Chinese food… while there are certain dishes I think are fantastic (hello dumplings and moo shu!), in general I’ve had too many overly oily meals, and more often than not it ends up being the kind of experience that you know going in you aren’t going to feel great after. Not so desirable.Red Farm, however, offers a simplistic, fresh and modern twist on Chinese cuisine. We opted to share some dim sum and one main dish. The main – grilled and sauteed short ribs with broccoli and cauliflower – was very good, though not particularly wowing. Everything else, however, was.First, “pac man” shrimp dumplings:
I'm not usually that impressed with gimmicky foods, particularly regarding presentation. It seems that more often than not, when too much emphasis is put on entertaining plating, it’s often done at least partially at the expense of flavor or quality – but the taste and texture of these dumplings was fantastic, so I can’t criticize! Alongside the dumplings was some kind of fritter (the "pac man") - maybe sweet potato, though I unfortunately can't recall - over a mash of I think peas. This side component was as good as the dumplings themselves.Then, there were the vegetable and chive dumplings:
Very clean and simple, as I think is also apparent just by looking at the dish – you really could taste each component, and the freshness of the vegetable was apparent. Delicious.And then came the two more indulgent dishes – both of which were SO worth it.Spicy crispy beef:
Katz’s pastrami ggroll:
Yes, pastrami from Katz’s Deli in an eggroll with cabbage and a mustard dipping sauce. It might sound a little out there, but don't let that deter you... it was one of the best comfort-food-type dishes I've had.I purposefully don't eat much animal protein in general(more on that in another post), and save the occasions I do for when it's really great quality meat that is truly worth it. Such was the case at Red Farm!We finished the meal with a shared piece of key lime cheesecake that was surprisingly light and more tart than sweet (unfortunately, I didn’t capture a picture). As I mentioned before, Chinese food has a habit of making me feel a little ill or off after eating, but even having tried a few more indulgent dishes at Red Farm, such was not the case this time whatsoever (and happily so!).I really dug the décor too; very minimalistic, with light wood furniture and white walls. There is a large communal table in the center of the (fairly small) restaurant – a medium-sized table by the front window, and smaller tables for 2 (I think) around the perimeter. All of the chairs are wooden and mismatched, giving the place a nice touch of character. There is a lot more on the menu that looks extremely appealing, so I really want to go back to try more - and recommend you do the same!
Malee's Thai Bistro
I love good Thai food. What I love even more is great Thai food. In Manhattan, there are quite a few decent-to-good Thai restaurants, though the only one in the five boroughs I've been to that I'd qualify as "great" was Ayada in Queens.Aside from Ayada, the most memorable Thai I’ve had so far that easily falls under the "great" category is at Malee’s in Scottsdale, AZ. Granted I haven’t tried even a fraction of the menu, but one of the dishes is hands down one of my top 10 favorite meals – so that has to count for something, right?!Peter has been going to Malee’s for several years and vouched for it's deliciousness, so we’ve made a habit of going together for dinner before my flights back east from Phoenix. We tend to share an appetizer and two entrees, but even though so many things on the menu sound and look amazing, I can't help but order the coco chili fish as one of our entrees each time (it's the favorite I referred to above) - it's THAT good.Last weekend, we split the light and fresh rice paper vegetable roll (smoked tofu, rice noodles, mint, cucumbers, carrots and cabbage – with peanut hoisin and sriracha sauces), the spicy-sweet coco chili fish and a unique stir fry of shrimp and calamari with green peppercorns:Coco Chili Fish (flash-fried fish filet with coconut chili reduction)
Spicy Green Peppercorn Shrimp & Calamari Stir Fry (ground thai chilies and garlic sautéed with green peppercorn strands, shrimp, calamari, onion, Chinese broccoli and krachai)
With a light and crisp bottle of Gruner to go with and their usual great service, this was yet another fabulous meal at Malee's - maybe the best so far - and I'm already looking forward to our next return visit.
Best Veggie Sandwich in Town?
My office provides free lunch everyday, which is a tremendous money-saving perk. Usually it's healthy and at least fairly good, but there are the inevitable days (e.g., pizza Fridays and occasionally less-than-desirable options on Wednesdays, which changes from week to week) when buying something separate becomes warranted. Given the fact that I'm not paying for lunch the vast majority of the time, it's a little easier to justify indulging in a perhaps slightly overpriced - but so worth it - sandwich or salad from one of the great local spots near the office once in a while.Friedman's Lunch in Chelsea Market right across the street is consistently solid - the food is fresh, healthy (mostly) and really tasty. The downside is the price. But, once every couple of weeks I'll get something from there, and my most recent go-to is the Garden Vegetable sandwich: grilled sourdough with hummus, avocado, sprouts, cucumber, tomato, carrots and lettuce. The freshness of the ingredients, char on the bread and quality of the hummus makes for a fantastic combination of flavors and textures. I would happily eat it every day if I could!
As a more wallet-friendly alternative though, I think I need to attempt recreating this at home.
In the Meantime...
As I work through fully implementing site updates, here are some of my favorite recipes from past posts to check out: