Vegan Eats Dallas

Il Cane Rosso

2011-07-24T17:59:00.010-05:00

Soy cheese or no soy cheese? This is the age-old vegan question. But for my penchant for persistence, I would not have known to ask for soy cheese at Il Cane Rosso's Deep Ellum outpost.

When I called to make my standard vegan inquiries, the phone answerer was quick to say she could answer all of my dietary questions, but was like "Huh? Vegan?" She told me that the best option for me was the marinara pizza without any cheese. Wha?

I knew better. "Hold on," she replied. I recalled that ICR had participated in Steven Doyle's vegan bus tour with Dallas Vegan. So, I insisted that they MUST have something other than tomato-bread for me to eat.

She came back on the line and said "you know that you can get any of the veggie-based pies with soy cheese." Wow! Vegans eat vegetables AND they have soy cheese!

Maybe it wouldn't have been such a bad thing, though. I really enjoyed the melt-in-your-mouth, thin crusted, gooey, soy-topped, funghi pie. The crust was soft and pliable cooked to a perfect char-burnt doneness. Next time I think I will go for it without soy cheese, though.

I say let the double zero Italian flour and quality ingredients speak for themselves! Many vegans like soy cheese, me included. But, at ICR just say no to teese.

Il Cane Rosso
2612 Commerce
Dallas, Texas 75226

(when they're not tooling around with the mobile pizza oven)

CLOSED SUN AND MON

(To He@% w.) Torchy's Tacos

2010-08-06T15:58:00.000-05:00

I couldn't wait to post this one from the corporate office of Torchy's Tacos, an Austin offshoot that just landed in Dallas.

Torchy writes:

"Howdy, Drew!

Thank you kindly for your e-mail! Unfortunately, however, I must burst your bubble of hope regarding vegan items on our menu. You see, we offer many vegetarian options, but there are small instances which involve dairy encounters. For example, our happy veggie beans contain a pinch of parmesean, the grilled vegetables are most likely sauteed in butter, and the fried avocado (as you requested), is battered in milk and egg. I do truly apologize for the inability to meet your dietary restrictions. The devil made us do it.

Regardless, we hope to see you soon!

Taco Dreams,
Torchy's Tacos Headquarters"

Hate to bust your bubble, Torchy, but you won't be seeing me anytime soon!!! Taco dreams? Really?

Whole Foods Sneak Preview

2010-03-14T10:11:00.000-05:00

Whole Foods new Landmark store at Park Lane is set to launch tomorrow and we took a sneak peek:

A raw bar featuring raw vegan items, Kombucha taps, and more:

Design your own cupcake bar - yes, there will be vegan cupcakes!

Flavored olive oils and balsalmics on tap in the expanded bulk area:

An expanded selection of our favorite vegan products and new ones, including Upton's Naturals:

And, of course, the mysterious Cart-o-Lator to get all those groceries to your car:

Plus, much, much more!

8190 Park Lane, Suite 351
Dallas, TX 75231 USA

NEW WEBSITE!!!!

2009-12-18T13:57:00.000-06:00

Same great content! New web address...

WWW.VEGANEATSDALLAS.COM

Chanukah Potato Latkes

2009-12-13T12:28:00.000-06:00

I like mine crispy on the outside and just a little soft on the inside. How about you?

Here’s my recipe:

5 pounds potatoes, peeled and quartered
2 yellow onions, quartered
½ cup egg replacer
1 cup matzo meal (flour, bread crumbs, or panko bread crumbs can also be substituted)
1 tsp salt
½ tsp pepper
Oil for frying

Grate the potatoes and onions together in the food processor. Mix in the dry ingredients. Let the mixture stand for about 5 to 10 minutes. Heat a sauté pan with a thin layer of oil to medium high. You can use canola, vegetable, or even peanut oil. Form about a 2 tablespoon ball gently in your hands so it does not fall apart. Drop it into the pan and flatten lightly with the spatula. Allow the pancakes to fry for a few minutes before moving them or else they may fall apart. Flip them over and press gently to flatten. Cook until golden brown.

Feeds about 8-10 people.

Serve with your choice of Tofutti sour cream or applesauce.

Thanksgiving Menu

2009-11-24T07:36:00.003-06:00

I have a soft spot in my heart for Tofurky-so much, in fact, that I thought I would try making my own version this year! Bryanna Clark Groggan offers a well-tested recipe with extensive variations that looks pretty good to me. Generally, it's a combination of tofu and wheat gluten, to make a turkey that has some firmness, but is supposed to be more tender because of the addition of tofu.

Other items on my Thanksgiving '09 menu include: roasted brussels, butternut squash, parsnip, & carrot with pecans and maple glaze; mashed potatoes with crispy shallots; brown herb gravy; and cranberry chutney.

So, in case you want to give it a whirl yourself, here's an abbreviated version of her recipe that I'm gonna try...

Dry ingredients:
2 cups pure gluten powder (instant gluten flour; vital wheat gluten)
1/2 cups full-fat soy flour OR chickpea flour
1/2 cup nutritional yeast flakes
2 tsp. onion powder
1 tsp. garlic granules
1/4 tsp. white pepper

Wet ingredients:
12 oz. firm regular tofu
1 and 1/2 c. water
3 T. soy sauce
1 T. olive oil

Basting liquid:
2 cups hot water (hot water dissolves the broth powder)
1/3 cup chicken broth
2 T. olive oil
4 cloves garlic, crushed

Blend all the wet ingredients in a blender until very smooth. Mix all of the dry ingredients in the bowl of your electric mixer (or bread machine) with dough hook attachment. Add the wet ingredients and knead for about 10 minutes. Let rest for about 1 hour, covered. If you are like me, you can also knead by hand. Seitan dough is real tough and rubbery so I'm not looking forward to this step. Bryanna reccommends letting the seitan dough sit for a while to soak up the liquid more thoroughly before hand-kneading. The dough should be quite shiny and smooth.

Line a large, greased ceramic baking dish with parchment paper. (Bryanna recommends soaking the clay kind in water before baking.) Flatten the dough out and form into a large loaf. Pour the basting broth over the roast, and cover. Place into a cold oven and turn on to 325 degrees. Bake for 3 and 1/2 hours (or longer until all broth is absorbed), turning the roast over once after 1 1/2 hours, and once again after 1 more hour.

She also suggests an option to add a "tofu skin," by wrapping the cooked tofurky with chinese beancurd sheets. Sounds interesting, huh? I picked up some fresh beancurd sheets at May Hua in Plano. Wrap the turkey on a new baking dish or pan, and brush lightly with olive oil. Bake again on 325 for about 1 hr or until crispy.

Happy Tofu Turkey Day, y'all!

Who wants to join a CSA?

2009-11-15T08:37:00.000-06:00

The concept has apparently been around for awhile, but with the recent locavore and organic food movements becoming more popular, CSA’s (Community Supported Agriculture) are gaining popularity once again.

Here’s the concept in a nutshell: a farmer offers a certain number of “shares” to the public. Purchasers make payments before the growing season and in return receive proportionate amounts of produce each week throughout the growing season.

EatGreenDFW reports that Jerry Tucker of Tucker Farms is offering shares right now! Depending on the growing season, he is planning on a 32 week growing season, but it may even last longer! By my calculation, that’s almost 8 months of farm fresh produce, weather permitting. You can expect 40 to 50 different varieties of vegetables, and herbs, upon request. Tucker will speak with you in advance, to ask you your likes and dislikes. He says that you can even customize your selection each week by email.

Both half and full shares are available with the half shares priced at $300 (or less than $9.50 a week) and the full shares at $500 (or about $16 a week). A full share is supposed to yield a half bushel (about 13"x13"x6" box) of seasonal vegetables, and can be paid off in installments of $125. More details are available here.

Here’s the catch: Tucker Farms is near Ennis, about 45 minutes south of Dallas on Rte. 75. If there’s anyone out there who wants to join the group or knows of any other good CSA’s, we’re trying to arrange a local pickup here in the DFW metroplex. Give me a shout at veganeatsdallas@gmail.com if you’re interested or leave us a comment.

Celebration Restaurant

2009-11-04T11:44:00.000-06:00

Although Celebration Restaurant has been a Dallas institution for almost 40 years, they made the news most recently as they were reportedly shut down by the City of Dallas for holding a neighborhood farmers’ market without the required permit.

I had not been to Celebration for many years, and at least since I’d turned vegan. I remembered the place as a meat-and-potatoes, homestyle-type, southern American restaurant where we would go for large gatherings. With all this hubbub about them holding a farmers’ market, I decided to do some investigation to see if there were any decent options for us vegans.

It appeared as if there might actually be some good vegan items, since according to the restaurant’s mission statement, Celebration is “striv[ing] to become a leader in the Dallas environmental movement by supporting local farmers and vendors by taking conscious measures to reduce our carbon footprint.” Among those measures, they claim to use local ingredients whenever possible.

Celebration is also holding a “Dinner with Dialogue” on the second Monday of each month. On November 9, for example, Pamela Walker, author of Growing Good Food to Eat in Texas is scheduled to speak about sustainable agricultural practices, and also Michael and Debbie Sams of Full Quiver Farms and Dairy.

Given the promise of potential vegan options, I made a reservation for 13 people, and we were fortunate enough to snag one of the private rooms that I remember so fondly. The place itself is a stone building and it’s got a very camp feel. The menu features mostly meat items with only 2 vegan options: spaghetti and a vegetable plate, which was a little disappointing.

The lack of selection in entrees is made up by the fact that they are served with your choice of soup or salad, and you can order free “seconds” (and thirds, and fourths, in our case). The Light Basil Vinaigrette with Garden Salad and Fresh Vegetable Soup are both vegan, and we ordered both:

The vegetable soup had a slight metallic taste, although it was chock full of veggies. The salad was a hit-even without the croutons, which we did not verify whether they were vegan.

For entrees, we chose the spaghetti and marinara, since we could order it with our choice of veggies, and, as you can see, it was nothing fancy:

The veggies available on our visit included spinach, broccoli, new potatoes, local acorn squash and okra. We were told that the vegetables are typically steamed with light seasoning and olive oil, but you should probably check for specifics upon your visit.

Since we ordered them steamed, they were very simple. You could probably request that they be sautéed, if you prefer.

Overall, I enjoyed the simplicity of our meal and the selection of veggies, including local ones. But, I didn’t feel like the restaurant has yet fully realized their goal of being a “leader in the local environmental movement.” Most on-menu items contained one of our typical plot spoilers, which here included some type of meat or dairy. Vegan options could have been more clearly delineated on the menu, which still proved to be a bit confusing for us and our server, despite my advance preparation. In my opinion, being a leader in the local environmental movement would necessarily include a greater focus on vegan options. I hope to see the menu here continue to evolve to meet this goal.

Celebration Restaurant, Catering, & Market
4503 W. Lovers Lane
Dallas, Texas 75206
214-351-5681

Sunergia Soyfoods - Are You Ready for Some Nufu?!

2009-08-26T20:35:00.000-05:00

Football season is upon us. Really, what would football season be without a big platter of buffalo-style tofu wings and blue cheese dressing?!! Soy bleu, that is.

I came across Sunergia Soyfoods a Virginia-based company selling all organic, Kosher, vegan, and wheat-free soy products. In particular, I was interested in trying their soy "blue cheese." Their products are not yet available locally, but can be ordered over the internet here. Jon was kind enough to send me a sampler pack representing their innovative product line with Soy Bleu , Soy Feta, peanut & ginger "nufu," and pesto flavored tofu.

I was totally impressed. Sunergia distinguishes themselves from other soy products manufacturers by using high-quality ingredients. All of their products are certified organic and kosher under strict supervision. The difference is definitely noticible in the taste. In addition, their products are fortified and are high in protein and fiber.

I crumbled the mediterranean-style Soy Feta directly from the package on top of sliced tomatoes and loved it! The biggest criticism from both the vegans and non-vegans alike was that it tasted *too* close to feta cheese.

The Soy Bleu also went over the top with field greens, green apple, walnut, and aged balsalmic. The flavor was eerily close to real blue cheese, but slightly less creamy and not quite as pungent. I was perplexed at how it could taste so similar! You've got to just try it for yourself to experience it. One of the ingredients on the label was chia seed. Yes, that's right...as in chia pet. I'm still waiting for those little green sprouts on my head!

Pesto "More than Tofu" on left, peanut and ginger "Nufu" on right

The biggest surprise to me was Sunergia's Nufu. What is Nufu you ask? Nufu is an amazing new product line for those of us who rely heavily on tofu and other soy products as our protein source. Nufu is essentially soy-free tofu made from peanuts instead of soy. Wow, I was floored! I seared some slices and served simply atop field greens with an asian dressing, some cilantro, shredded carrots, and crispy corn tortilla strips. Absolutely amaaazing!

The pesto flavored "more than tofu" was also good. It was a firm textured tofu marinated with a blend of basil, nuts and garlic, in a basil-garlic marinade. I followed the recommended preparation method and sauteed slices in olive oil. I could easily eat a whole package as a quick dinner preparation-with at least 7 other flavors that would cover the whole week. Serve with some veggies, and voila!

Make sure to request Sunergia products at your local Whole Foods Market. Or, until then, you can get you some on the internet at Pangea Vegan Store.

A Dallas Vegan in Miami

2009-08-09T08:48:00.000-05:00

Ok, so , I've been m.i.a. for awhile. Me and the significant other just got back from vacay in sunny Miami! Of course, Miami is a large city with a wide variety of international cuisine, including a very diverse array of Latin and Carribean foods. After a bit of digging and some great tips from Lauren Reskin over at Meatless Miami, we had no problem finding some great vegan and vegan-friendly options.

Our Dallas Vegan in Miami adventure begins at the European Corner for a special arepa breakfast. These little venezuelan sandwiches were made to order for us with plantains and black beans. Served, of course, with an obligatory colada chaser.

Om Garden was "om"mazing (sorry I couldn't resist). Open just over one year, we found this restaurant's unique mix of raw and cooked vegan items really hit the spot. I mean, sometimes you feel like a nut, sometimes you don't. Right?

Raw, chilled carrot coconut curry soup made with fresh carrot, ginger, cashew and coconut milk:

The Om Plate with your choice of 3, 4, or 5 raw appetizers. Pictured here are the Mystical Mushr-Oms, Seven Seas Seaweed Salad, and kale salad with orange peppers, carrot, and lemon dressing:

And, finally, the Rainbow Roll with carrot, beet, avocado, baby greens, cashew pate, mango, figs, and balsalmic syrup:

Next up, the United Kingdom's only Michelin-rated Chinese Restaurant -- Hakkasan by Adam Yau.

We ate at Yau's Miami outpost in the Fountainbleu hotel. Here are some highlights:

We started with dim sum appetizer (below), wild mushroom lettuce wraps, followed by hand-pulled noodles with wild mushrooms, tofu hot pot with luffa melon (below), stir-fried lotus root, lilly bud, and asparagus in black pepper sauce (below), and gai-lan with garlic sauce:

Unlike any other asian restaurant I have eaten at in my life, Jasmine rice is served a la carte (but I guess that should be expected from a Michelin-starred restaurant!).

Pita Spice was falafel perfection. Say no more. 1049 Washington AveMiami Beach, FL 33139.

Ready.....

just wait.....

Oh, ya!

That's what I'm talking 'bout! Pita spice has quite possibly the best falafel I've had in my life!

Next up, the Cafe at Books & Books on scenic Lincoln Road in Miami Beach:

Not a completely vegan restaurant, extremely vegan friendly, but how would you ever guess?

Yummy avocado salsa, also known as guacamole, but if you stick home made chips like this on it, you can call it whatever you want as far as I'm concerned...

For entrees, one vegan fajita wrap and one vegan platter...

Believe it or not, local Florida chain Pollo Tropical has some cheap vegan items like boiled yucca with garlic sauce, black beans and rice, and plantains! I could live on the stuff...

Lichi, the adorable "Plantain Girl"...

And, finally, I can't forget Jugo's, which has a huge selection of fresh squeezed juices, tropical fruits, and plantain chips fried on location:

5721 W Flagler StMiami, FL 33144 in South Miami.

We really needed another week to sample all of South Florida's delicious vegan fare, and to lay on the beach and chill. Next time, we plan to visit the renowned Sublime restaurant in Fort Lauderdale (which, according to its website, 100% of its profits go to organizations that promote animal welfare), and Lifefood Gourmet, for gourmet raw food.

India Palace

2009-07-27T13:59:00.000-05:00

Indian restaurants can be a refuge for vegan diners or they can be a nightmare, because of latent ingredients such as whipping cream, butter (ghee), and yogurt.

For years, India Palace has been an institution for fine Indian dining in Dallas. According to its website, India Palace has been named "Best Indian Restaurant" by the Dallas Observer for the past 12 years, and has garnered top rankings by several sources, including D Magazine, the Dallas Morning News, and the Zagat Survey. India Palace has been in its current location in a shopping center in North Dallas since 1985.

In light of its renowned reputation, I set off once again to determine whether India Palace offers similar options for vegan diners. Pardeep Sharma is the man behind India Palace. He is also responsible for the fast, casual spinoff, the Roti Grill. On each of my many visits to India Palace, Mr. Sharma's presence looms large--that is, if you can catch him. Not only does he greet customers, answer phones, and work the dining room, but he was also seen expediting orders from the kitchen on a busy night. With Sharma constantly on the pulse of this restaurant, it's no surprise why India Palace continues to pack the house.

On my latest visit, I spoke with Mr. Sharma and he clarified that India Palace does not use ghee in any of its dishes, which can be the most lethal ingredient for vegan diners. "No, we don't use any of that stuff -- only oil," said Sharma. He listed off a dozen other items on the menu that were vegan. "There is also no dairy in the Roti bread," he proclaimed.

While deliberating the many menu choices, guests are welcomed with a complementary plate of (vegan-friendly) pappadum which is a type of cracker made from lentil flour, along with a tray of dipping sauces-- tamarind, mint, and red pepper.

These traditional appetizers, along with the elegant decor, linen napkins, and formal table service, begin to distinguish India Palace from its competition, and from its fast, casual counterpart.

One of the most exciting focal points in the restaurant is the tandoor cooking station, which is just visible behind a open-kitchen type window. The tandoor is a cylindrical clay oven which is commonly used for cooking skewered meats and baking fresh naan and roti bread. Unfortunately, there are not many vegan options from the tandoor.

On this visit, I tried two vegetable dishes: the Bhindi Do Pyaza, okra cooked with diced onions and spices, and the Saag Channa (my check said without cream-I don't know if it comes standard with cream or not), spinach cooked with chick peas. The dishes are inherently suited for sharing, and intended to be eaten with basmati rice or scooped with bread baked from the tandoor, such as the vegan-friendly Roti bread. Both dishes were each complex in their own regard. This is not surprising since India Palace uses a blend of different spices for each one of its curries. Sharma himself could hardly differentiate the mixtures for each dish.

Bhindi Do Pyaza

Saag Channa

On a previous visit, I had the Channa Balti, which is a less well known dish representative of northwestern India. Balti-style dishes are both cooked and served in a cast iron pot (called the "balti"). Again, this dish is flavored with different spices including onion, garlic, ginger, coriander, cumin, cinnamon, cloves, fennel and mustard seeds.

While India Palace may set the bar for Indian cuisine in Dallas, I think the bar could be raised slightly higher with regard to their vegan-friendliness. Whereas the variety of vegan-friendly dishes may be noteworthy, it is hard to discern whether there are any plot spoilers among them.

I mentioned to Sharma that it would be extremely helpful for vegans if they could clarify on their menu with something as simple as a little "v," since there were apparently so many items which would be suitable for vegan diners, that would otherwise go under the radar. He acknowledged this with a nod, before moving on to the next order of business.

India Palace

12817 Preston Road #105

Dallas, TX 75230

972-392-0190

Thai 2 Go

2009-07-15T10:20:00.000-05:00

Word on the street was that the new, fast casual restaurant, Thai 2 Go (aka "T2G"), is offering a vegetarian and vegan-friendly menu. Was this tip for real or was it 2G2BT? Eddie G. and I decided to investigate.

Although we opted for delivery, T2G has recently completed its new storefront in the medical district. The restaurant appears pristene on the inside which is always an important consideration for strict vegetarians who are skittish about cross contamination issues. There is also a nice sized dining room for those who wish to dine on premise.

We spoke with Siam, owner of T2G beforehand to go over the menu and determine if there were any vegan options available. There were indeed several on-menu options available that were vegan without any modifications such as the E8 mixed vegetable. And, most important for the vegans and vegetarians out there, T2G offers a soy duck or chicken option for $2 extra.
However, much to my dismay, a majority of the on-menu entree choices contained some sort of hidden fish sauce or meat product in them. For example, the premade curries all contained fish sauce.

We ended up going with the A2 Salad Roll and the S2 Papaya Salad (Som Tum) for starters. While there was nothing wrong with the salad rolls, they weren't our fave. They were wrapped individually, and we found them a bit dry, perhaps due to the fact we couldn't dip them in the non-vegan peanut sauce. The papaya salad, by contrast, was swimming in vegan sauce, and it was exceptional. Make sure to order this one without fish sauce or shrimp. Green papaya is not the mushy pink stuff that most think of when they think papaya. Green papaya is crispy and to the dry side. It was not premarinated in fish sauce or dry shrimp, which are two of the usual plot spoilers for vegans and this salad. Instead it was chock-filled with julienne green papaya, carrots, roasted peppers, bean sprouts, chili flakes, and topped with some chopped roasted peanuts. Easy and light, it was in our opinion a perfect summer salad.

S2 Papaya Salad (Som Tum) (above).

On to the mains, Siam set us up with veganized versions of the N1 Pad Thai Tofu, E7 Basil Stir Fried Chicken, and E9 Ginger Stir Fried Duck. Each arrived warm in nicely packaged in spillproof plastic containers. Portion sizes were moderate, not too large, not too small. Pad Thai was pretty basic, ordered without egg. It was mostly noodles and tofu, light on sprouts and scallions. The Basil Chicken and Ginger Duck were both loaded with flavor, if not a bit watery. The veggie mix was similar for both dishes with the addition of mushroom and celery for the duck. Strangely, each of these dishes on the regular menu would have contained some type of meat or seafood item in the standard house sauce. We found this whole situation a bit confusing since since T2G provides a wonderful vegan soy meat option, but very few on-menu vegan dishes to pair with the faux meat.

E9 Ginger Stir Fry with Soy Duck (above).

For dessert, Siam reccomended the Mango and Sticky Rice, which was a variation of the W1 Custard and Sticky Rice. I'm a fan of the sticky rice, and this dish is always a crowd pleaser. Sweet, slightly salty, sticky rice is topped with creamy coconut milk and, here it was served with fresh mango. But, then again, you can pretty much feed me anything with coconut cream and I'll probably like it!

Mango with Sticky Rice (above).

All in all, T2G is not "too good to be true," but it is a decent, vegetarian and vegan-friendly option for a meal on the fly, or delivered right to your doorstep.

Breaking News --

2009-07-15T09:13:00.000-05:00

As some of you might have read here, I am going to be joining forces with Eddie G and Jamey of Dallas Vegan.com!!!!!!!!

We are very excited about this new strategic alliance and also about Dallas Vegan's new relationship as content partner with PegasusNews!

Leave a comment here at the new site for your chance to win some hazelnut Chocoreale.

Winner to be announced on July 20.

P.S. Since some of you have been asking, as for the future of Vegan Eats Dallas, I will likely keep the site up for a while. You may see my pieces cross-posted from Dallas Vegan for awhile and then I may take the blog in a different direction. Stay tuned! And, by all means, let me know if you have any thoughts...

Dinner for 2 at Bliss: $97.....

2009-07-09T08:43:00.000-05:00

...Eternal life: priceless.

So, I finally made it to Bliss Raw Cafe & Elixir Bar. For those of you who haven't been living in a cave, it's Dallas' newest and to my knowledge, only, raw (and almost) vegan dining establishment. Raw food is an art. Most raw food is vegan. The process is time consuming and intricate. If you don't believe me, you should check out the book Raw, by celeb chef Charlie Trotter. Well, you should really check out his book anyway, since it's amaaazing. Is Dallas ready yet to embrace this concept? I really hope so, since the food is remarkable, and I am convinced of the benefits of raw vegan food in my diet!

That being said, it's kind of hard to avoid some pretty obvious flaws with the place that are best dealt with up front, so that you know what to expect going into it. The restaurant itself has minimal parking and minimal seating. Bliss suggests taking the DART rail or carpooling. Most of the dining area is on a covered deck outside the building, sandwiched in between the DART rail line (wooo! wooo!) and a drive-thru beer barn on Greenville Avenue with scantily clad cheerleeders waving at cars (honk! honk!). Finally, because of the laborious preparation and cost of ingredients, raw food restaurants are notorious for small portions. You'll need to order a few things if you have a "Texas-sized" appetite. We wished that the place had some nut spreads or other more affordable appetizers on the menu that could be offered at a lower cost for a starter, so we wouldn't have to blow the bank each time we visited.

Ok, now that you know what to expect, try to gain your focus and meditate....ommmmm. Breathe out the stress of your day, take a deep breath and inhale. Pretend that you are not sitting outside in 100 degree Texas heat. Maybe, think, Dallas Bikram yoga studio. Breath out again. Now you are ready to experience Bliss....

We began our beautiful late-afternoon meal with one horchata hemp smoothie and one rooibos tea with goji berries:

The tea was really quite nice and refreshing-bear in mind it has not been steeped in boiling water. Plump little goji berries were floating around which imparted a slightly tart, berry flavor and a little treat to eat when you finished the glass. The glass was surprisingly refilled, which was much appreciated since it was about $3. The hemp smoothie was to die for...it tasted like a decadent-cinamon-sweet-vanilla-soy-milkshake! I almost forgot it was raw. I think next time, I might actually have it for dessert.

We found it odd that one of the only non-vegan items on the menu happened to be some type of supplement that can be added to a smoothie, made from something crazy like "deer antler." If you're gonna do something that is not vegan - why deer antler?

Next up, the raw caesar salad. It was huuuuuge:

(oh, and, I almost forgot the pizza in the background..it was so small in comparison!) Couldn't resist the raw burger which was just so whimsical:

And, of course the Rawko Tacos which were really good, along with the side of shredded cabbage(?) something, which was good on it's own, but not so sure about why it was paired with the tacos:

Finally, perhaps the best part of our meal, raw dessert! We had a coconut cream pie and coconut lime cheesecake:

Yummmm!

Despite some of its flaws, I still give Bliss my full endorsement and hope you will check it out and continue to give them the support of the Dallas vegan community. Again, Bliss is an amazing restaurant, which I hope will continue to evolve and make its place in Dallas as the first (and only) raw restaurant in Dallas.

Bliss Raw Cafe & Elixir Bar

6855 Greenville Avenue (at Park Rd.)
Dallas, Texas 75231
(214) 987-0204

I Dream of Vegan, Part 2

2009-06-29T08:57:00.000-05:00

So, I finally made it to Dream Cafe in Addison for brunch this weekend...and what a delightful brunch it was! I recommend you head out to the Village on the Parkway without delay. Ironically, you'll have to go outside the loop, because the Dream Cafe Uptown location has not yet caught up with the times.

Dream Cafe Addison's menu has recently been updated to include the heart healthy "You're So Vegan" plate which is described as scrambled tofu with red chili corn strips, salsa and soy cheese, served with whole wheat tortillas, organic black beans and brown rice, served with a scoop of guacamole.

The Knox Street Hash can apparently also be made vegan with the substitution of tofu and soy cheese, instead of the eggs, and perhaps something else instead of the popover.

In fact, you can substitute scrambled tofu for virtually any of the egg dishes. Next time, I think I'm going to try the spinach and mushroom omelette with scrambled tofu and soy cheese. Hmmmmm.

Dream Cafe Addison

Village on the Parkway

5100 Belt Line Rd # 208

Dallas, TX 75254-7572

(972) 503-7326

The Farmers' Market is Hoppin!

2009-06-20T10:03:00.000-05:00

Now is the time to hit up the Dallas Farmers' Market while the gettin's good. I was there last week to get me some of old man Lemley's first crop of tomatoes. Many say he's got the best in town:

Look at these adorable (and delicious) baby plums:

Peaches, peaches, peaches:

Make sure you ask the vendors and keep a close eye for under the counter specials, seconds, and other goodies that you can take home and cook up immediately like these amaaazing squashes and sweet peppers:

This bucket of okra is going to last me a month. It literally fills up a grocery bag!

Purple hull peas and fresh pinto beans galore (I can't ever remember eating fresh pinto beans):

I also picked up some amaaazing turnip greens, beets, baby onions, zucchini, and blueberries right off the bush!

Saturday is definitely the day to go. If you want Texas produce, Shed No. 1 is dedicated solely to local farmers. Keep a look out for the "verified local" signs on the vendor's tables. Otherwise, buyer beware! I mean....I'm no farmer, but last time I checked, it isn't pineapple season in Texas right now, if you know what I mean ;)

China Town Part 1 - Jeng Chi

2009-06-06T10:51:00.000-05:00

Chinatown in Dallas? Who knew. Right? I get the impression that the Richardson China Town center is not the booming area that it used to be. But, in my opinion, it's still vibrant with tons of vegan options. Among those choices are Canton, Maxim's, Genroku, and my personal favorite: Jeng Chi.

Can you say dumplings, dumplings, dumplings. About $5 for 12 boiled ones. Make sure you mix the soy and vinegar with a little chili sauce for dipping. Yum. They also have steamed ones served in bamboo trays.

Green onion pancakes and leek turnovers are some other popular appetizers if you eat the fried stuff. Our server told us the pancakes are made without any dairy.

Next up, spicy cold noodle. Also, about $5. The noodles were awesome. Garnished simply with carrot, cucumber, and green onion. Dressed with a spicy chile oil.

I think this was an off the menu seasonal special - I asked for the sauteed snow pea leaves. But, they were out. Instead, I substituted this chinese water spinach.

Finally, I never go without ordering this dish - and it is slightly different each time - but, always the highlight of my meal - spicy tofu hot pot with szechuan chiles about $9.

Did I mention BYOB? Oh, yah.

Jeng Chi

400 N. Greenville Ave (at Beltline Rd.)

Richardson, TX 75081

(972) 669-0069

Best Thai?

2009-05-20T21:04:00.000-05:00

Best Thai Addison offers a nice change from the same old standard Thai fare. Best Thai Addison is part of the Best Thai empire. The Addison location bills itself as "Best Thai - Thai and Vegetarian Cuisine" and offers a vegan menu!

This time, we started with a simple Thai Salad from the regular menu made with crisp iceberg and some Tom Kha with veggies and tofu. The Tom Kha was filled with tofu and fresh vegetables. Make sure you ask for it with no fish sauce, as we were told it does come with fish sauce, normally.

Next up, we had the vegan Grilled Soy Salmon Plate (served with mango salsa and steamed veggies):

And, finally, the Spicy Eggplant and Soy Duck:

Other vegan options include Soy Salmon Curry (served in a red curry sauce), Stir-fried Bok Choy with Soy Chicken, Crispy Spicy Soy Beef, Garlic & Chili Soy Shrimp (So testy!, says the menu, I have yet to try), and many more.

Best of all -- they have a vegetarian buffet the first Sunday of every month, where you can sample a wide variety of their vegan delicacies.

Best Thai Addison

4135 Beltline Road

Addison, Texas 75001

(972) 386-3353

Kereje

2009-05-18T11:39:00.000-05:00

Ok, so I told you in my review of Dallul that I was addicted to Berbere. It's true. I sought more of the good stuff last nite at Kereje. Here's my quick impression:

Suffice it to say I thought the food tasted pretty good, but the portion sizes were minescule, and I left kind of hungry. This is my plate:

Also, one last note: there was some difficulty communicating about which items may have contained butter. Although I was finally told that the combo was dairy free, there were some communication issues, initially.

Kereje Ethiopian Restaurant
7015 Greenville Avenue (at Park)
Dallas, TX 75231

(214) 691-0033

Avocado Margaritas

2009-05-10T19:28:00.000-05:00

Wait! I know what you're thinking! They're actually really good! I got a tip on these unexpected margaritas by Vegan Eats' friend Steph. Initially, I was like, "nahhhh." Then, I gave it a shot. The avocado adds the perfect element of creaminess to the cocktail. Think, frozen Key Lime Pie.

Here's my recipe:

1 cup blend of fresh key lime and conventional lime juices

1 cup water

1 cup simple syrup*

1 cup silver tequila

1/2 avocado

3 sprigs cilantro, stems removed

*[equal parts sugar and water, boiled, then cooled]

Blend all of the ingredients in a blender for about 1 or 2 minutes (until you cannot see any of the cilantro pieces). Fill the blender near to the top with ice and blend again until all the ice is crushed.

Let me know what you guys think!

Mr. Shabu Shabu

2009-05-06T20:37:00.000-05:00

So, what is shabu shabu, anyway?

Some of you may remember the scene in the movie "Lost in Translation" where Scarlett Johansson and Bill Murray's characters eat lunch at a shabu shabu restaurant in Tokyo called Shabuzen. Murray comments, "What kind of restaurant makes you cook your own food?"

Shabu Shabu literally translates as "swish swish." I like to think of it as the japanese version of fondue. The dish is prepared by submerging vegetables, tofu, noodles and assorted fare into a pot of boiling water or dashi broth. After cooking, the individual items are dipped into an accompanying sauce and eaten, followed by the flavorful broth.

Mr. Shabu Shabu is a chinese restaurant in Plano specializing in shabu shabu. (How can you not fall in love with a restaurant called "Mr. Shabu Shabu?") The restaurant is situated in a shopping center next door to the May Hua supermarket.

If the name didnt give it away, upon entering Mr. Shabu Shabu, their specialty is made even clearer. Three rows of tables and a curved bar have individual, built-in stoves for heating the hot pots as seen here:

Options include a variety of meat versions, as well as the $10.95 vegetarian version. The vegetarian plate does include egg and seafood items, but it can certainly be made vegan upon request.

I was so excited about my dinner that I forgot to take an actual photo, but picture a sushi-type boat filled with many vegetables. The vegetable selection may vary upon what is in the kitchen, but generally includes a some napa cabbage, leafy green vegetable, taro root, shitake mushrooms, tomato wedges, corn on the cob, silken tofu, and glass noodles. You can order more of anything or additional items, for a nominal charge.

Vegans will need to make sure to request the boiling water, which is supplemented here with dried kombu for flavor, instead of the customary dashi broth which contains dried bonito flakes. A ponzu dipping sauce is also supplied, full of grated radish and green onion. I like to add a bit to my soup bowl and drink it all down. But, everyone seems to have their own technique.

After visiting Mr. Shabu Shabu for the "shabu shabu experience," make sure to return for the cooked dishes, as well. There are many vegan options. Some exciting appetizers include boiled peanuts with anise ($1.50), cold wheat gluten with bamboo fungus ($1.50), fried tofu with teriaki sauce, and noodles with peanut sauce. As far as entrees, choices included the sweet and sour cabbage, stir-fried bok choy, chinese broccoli, home style tofu, eggplant with basil, spicy tofu and many more. Make sure to confirm that all of these dishes will be prepared vegan, as some may typically be made with meat.

On my multiple visits, I have found that the waiters and waitresses speak little english. This is not a problem, though. It just requires a little patience and persistence. The owner does, however, and she is always there working behind the counter. She had some great suggestions and helped us navigate through Mr. Shabu Shabu's facinating menu. Finally, note that Mr. Shabu Shabu accepts CASH ONLY, so don't forget some or you'll be washing the pot!

Mr. Shabu Shabu
2220 Coit Road (at Park Boulevard)

Plano, Texas

469-229-9168

Closed Tuesday!

Hully & Mo

2009-05-04T09:59:00.000-05:00

I am very curious to knoow the scoop on Brett Hull (Hully) and Mike Modano (Mo)'s new joint, Hully & Mo, which is now open in the old Riccardi spot in the Quadrangle.

They have a "decent enough" looking veggie sandwich listed on their menu, and I thought, maybe, just maybe, since I am such a super, duper Stars fan I would actually be able to eat there!

So, I wrote to Gabriel Parra, their Restaurant Manager, and said:

"I am very excited to try your new restaurant, which I have been reading a lot about in the news! Go Stars! Besides being a stars fan, I am a strict vegan, and I was wondering if there was anything on your menu that you might suggest for me and my friends? I also have a food blog, so I was also interested to letting everyone know about the options on your menu. Thanks in advance for your consideration!"

Gabe responded:

"I have a pasta primavera dish or we can also put together a grilled veggie plate or even a pizza.

Sincerely,

Gabriel Parra
Restaurant Manager"

Hmmmm. Sounds alright, but not fantastic. I guess I can't eat that sandwich there after all, but I don't have confirmation one way or the other. And, without actually going there to try the place out, I would venture to give them just one or two stars on vegan friendliness, so far. I guess I was just shooting for the stars with this one. (Hahah, I crack myself up.) Has anyone else had a good or bad vegan experience there yet????

Oh, and go Stars!!!!

NHG First Sunday Farmers' Market

2009-05-03T14:53:00.000-05:00

The first Sunday of each month through the Summer, North Haven Gardens is hosting a farmers' market. They say they are bringing in the best of local produce, meats, coffee and other edibles. Northaven Gardens has a rich history in Dallas, so I was curious to check out what they had to offer. Here's what I found:

As for the Farmers' Market event, it was kind of small, as I sort of expected. There was only one produce vendor, a spice stand, fresh sorbet maker, and a few other booths offering their wares. NHG advises customers to check in often for a list of what will be featured at the next market. The produce guy was from Whitewright, TX, which is northeast of McKinney and he had picked his produce fresh that morning. In fact, you could still see the mud all over it.

Here's a pic of the beautiful red onions I picked up:

He also had white onions. And, some lovely "white" turnips (he had white and red, but claimed that the white variety was his favorite):

There was also fresh picked beets and sugar snap peas, turnip greens, and fresh picked spinach.

Overall, I am glad to have stumbled in to their garden center for this event. They have a very abundant selection of veggie plants, fruit trees, and herbs galore to browse if you want to get your garden started right. They also had a nice looking selection of organic gardening products, flowers, etc. I will definitely be going back there soon, not only to check out what's fresh in the neighborhood, but also to inevitably start my own organic garden.

Lazare: Not Super Vegan

2009-04-30T13:06:00.000-05:00

So, what's the over/under on Lazare lasting in the West Vil? Its the newest incarnation from Russell Hayward of Tom Tom fame. The spot was previously occupied by Ferre, then a short stint by Lombardi's Pescabar.

I asked Hayward about vegetarian/vegan options on the menu. He responded, "[t]he Flatbreads have proven to be very popular, as has the Artichoke Ravioli, the vegetables are all farm fresh so they taste amazing."

When I clarified to ask if there was anything vegan on the actual menu, his response: "There is a vegetable plate ‘Side’ – no dairy or egg. The flatbreads have a small amount of Dairy. Not super vegan at Lazare, the chef is always happy to do something for you."

Dallul

2009-04-26T22:37:00.000-05:00

If you haven't tried the food from Ethiopia and Eritrea, you don't know what you've been missing. When I mention it, sometimes people turn their noses and scoff at it. I even remember a time when I was not too interested. But, now, I must confess -- I am addicted. I think it's the berbere.

Berbere is the quintessential spice mixture common to the spicy stews of East Africa. It frequently contains such ingredients as cumin, clove, cardamom, peppercorns, coriander, chilis, garlic, allspice, cinamon, and paprika. (The Kurry King has a nice blend that I recently procured while at the Dallas Farmers' Market).

Anyway, I digress. Dallul is a gem of a little vegan spot off the beaten path. It's a very casual and inexpensive place in a West Dallas strip mall. While not entirely animal free, vegan food plays a significant role in Eritrean and Ethiopian cuisine where you can usually find a great variety of vegan options. When Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox Eritreans fast for Lent, they maintain a vegan diet (except for some Roman Catholics who eat seafood). The most observant Eastern Orthodox also maintain a vegan diet at various times throughout the year. Although the climate is arid, crops have been grown for thousands of years.
Meals are served with "injera," which is a bread made out of teff, wheat or sorghum, and which resembles a spongy, slightly sour pancake. Doesn't sound too glamorous, but again, addictive. Just think sourdough-pita bread. Diners generally share food from a large tray placed in the center of the dining table (I usually get my own tray since I am such a pig), using pieces of injera and using your fingers to scoop up the goodness. Common vegan stews include leafy grean vegetables, beans, legumes and pulses.

Not only is Dallul a great place to sample authentic East African food, but it seems to serve as a sort of community gathering place. On a recent evening visit, a back room was filled with guests visiting and playing billiards. On a lunch visit, there were many regulars were watching Eritrean television on the large screen in the dining room. Nonetheless, service was warm and friendly. I recommend the Vegetarian combo. It is a nice little sampling of most of their vegetarian dishes -- and it was way under $10. Be careful because there is one vegetarian dish that says it's made with butter. The waitress was kind enough to substitute that one off the platter.

And, did I mention it's BYOB? Beer is also said to have originated from Africa, so, for me -- beer and injera -- its a match made in heaven.

Dallul is located at:
2515 Inwood Rd # 117
Dallas, TX 75235(214) 353-0805

I Dream of Vegan

2009-04-25T11:48:00.000-05:00

I have lived in Dallas for years and I have been eating at The Dream Cafe since I was a little kid. In fact, I remember having some great meals there when I was much younger and, well...much less vegan. I thought to myself, this is such a great restaurant, it would be really easy for them to offer some heart healthy, vegan items to their menu. So, when I learned about the new menu items at their Addison location, I was in heaven! In particular, the "You're so Vegan" option, consists of scrambled tofu with red chili corn strips, salsa and soy cheese, served with whole wheat tortillas, organic black beans and brown rice. I will be going to try it out very soon!

I also learned from their General Manager, Chris Stanford, that there are other vegetarian menu items available:

> Please be aware that a nuber of our items can be prepared vegetarian
> for you even though they are not presented that way on the menu. We
> also have some new menu items at our Addison location - "Hollywood"
> and "Knox Street Hash" come to mind - that you may not have tried.
> Just ask your server for some creative options next time your in
> and the will be glad to help.

I am guessing the "Hollywood" could also be made vegan, but I plan to double-check upon arrival. It consists of scrambled tofu with spinach and mushrooms, hash browns, vegetarian sausage and wheat toast. And the "Knox Street Hash," which sounds like a mess of hash browns and steamed veggies topped with cheese. This all sounds great. But, why isn't the original Uptown location as vegan friendly???

Stanford reports that Uptown will have the same menu at "some point." But that they are trying some new options on the Addison clientele. So, in the meantime, I plan to try out the new items at Dream Cafe - Addison! As of this post, however, the Dream Cafe - Uptown location does not have any of the aforementioned vegan/veg-friendly options.

2009-04-25T10:24:00.000-05:00

WELCOME to VEGAN EATS DALLAS! So, you may ask, what is this Vegan Eats Dallas blog all about anyway? Well, the word "VEGAN" in capital letters probably clued you in to the fact that it is something about vegan eating. In addition to bringing you reviews and happenings, we at Vegan Eats Dallas hope to increase the awareness of merchants and restaurant owners in Dallas to the demand for this modern style of healthy, tasty, and enjoyable eating. Dallas prides itself as being an international city; yet, in our opinion, local restaurants are behind the curve and just now starting to notice the demand for vegan dining options. Please give us a shout and let us know how we're doing, or if you have any thoughts about how we can help to better serve the Dallas vegan community.