There is however a whole category of Caribbean cooking which virtually assures adherence to a vegan eater’s strict guidelines. From the Rastafari culture we get the term Ital. Food prepared in accordance with Ital guidelines should not only be vegan but organic as well.

When reviewing a Caribbean menu simply look for those items than are served, or can be served Ital.

I recently had the opportunity to return to The Breadfruit Tree at the Paradise Point Marina complex north west of Stockton. I do not know how long it has been under current ownership and management but the location has been a Caribbean restaurant for many years and I had either there several times many years ago.

I checked the menu online and was please that there were three Ital entrées listed.

Ital Peleau

The seating at The Breadfruit Tree is quite limited but there is overflow outdoor seating and the evening of my visit was comfortable with gentle warm breezes blowing off the Delta. In fact it was a record high that day, feeling quite Caribbean.
The restaurant was very busy by the time we arrived around 6:30 p.m. One of the staff told us it would be a 20 minute wait before our order could be taken. That’s fine. It was l pleasant outside and everyone seemed to be enjoying the food and company. It was not long before another patron came outside to where we were seated and told us a table was becoming available inside. How thoughtful. While it was nice outside we accepted the table inside in the hopes that we might get served sooner. It wound up being 45 minutes before we our drink order was taken and another ten minutes before out food order was taken when the waitress came by with an unusually large white board with the night’s menu hand written on it. My dining partner and I had already decided what we would order from the online menu. She would have the Roti and I was going to get the Mespo, both served Ital, but neither of these appeared on the hand written menu. I told the waitress we were vegan and asked if the Peleau on the hand written menu was the only vegan item on the menu. She confirmed that it was so we ordered two orders of the Peleau. The Peleau was simple – stir fried rice with fresh mixed vegetables. It was quite good. The blend of spices was just right. I would give that particular dish a high rating. But considering the long wait, unavailability of menu items and the fact that our salads needed to be sent back because they were served with a non-vegan dressing and my dining partner’s drink was served with rum when it was supposed to be non-alcoholic. . . well, it was a bit disappointing overall.

The Breadfruit Tree is open Tuesday through Saturday, closed Sunday and Monday.

http://www.breadfruittree.com

8095 Rio Blanco Rd.
Stockton CA 95219

(209) 952-7361

Vegetable Tofu Scramble with a Blueberry Banana Shake

Northern California vegans I know truly appreciate the dining options available in the San Francisco Bay Area. Where to dine is always a top priority when planning a Bay visit.

This sometimes means deciding whether to eat in the City or the East Bay and choosing an eatery that will be conveniently located to other sites or activities. Sometimes however you just know what you want to eat, or you want an extensive menu with consistent offerings and quality food that will have something to satisfy everyone in the dining party. No place meets these criteria better than Herbivore.

Herbivore has three locations in the Bay Area; two in The City and one in the East Bay. While each location has its own distinctive atmosphere the menu is the same at all three, however only the Berkeley location has a full bar that serves cocktails. The all vegan menu is extensive and includes breakfast, lunch and dinner and dessert items consisting of appetizers, salads, soups, sandwiches, wraps, entrées and even pizza. Herbivore is also well known and respected for its juices, smoothies and shakes. I have tried number of offerings at Herbivore for breakfast lunch and dinner so it is not easy to focus a review of particular menu items but I have never been disappointed.

Grilled seitan, mushrooms and onions over rice

A good vegan breakfast can be hard to find but no-one does it better than Herbivore. My favorite is the Vegetable Tofu Scramble which comes with potatoes and toast. I have missed several opportunities to try other breakfast offerings at Herbivore because when you find something you really like you look forward to it and don’t wish to risk trying something that you may be less satisfied with.

Vegan Lasagna at Herbivore

One peculiar thing about the menu at Herbivore is that meat analogs are referred to as the ingredient that you would find in a more traditional recipe. So while some menu items list tofu or seitan as the protein component other will list “grilled beef’, “chicken chunks or strips”. I understand this approach is to provide a certain level of familiarity to meat eaters and to make traditionally non-vegan recipes recognizable and identifiable. While I know this is disturbing to some vegans if it brings in more omnivores and encourages people to eat vegan then I have no complaints. Rest assured everything at Herbivore is vegan.

As previously mentioned Herbivore has three locations with the same menu except only the Berkeley Location has a bar and serves cocktail.

If you have never tried Herbivore and you are vegan you are truly missing out on some of the best vegan food to be had anywhere.

Herbivore is open Sunday thru Thursday from 9am to 10pm and until 11pm on Friday and Saturday night.

Breakfast is served until 2pm

Lunch and dinner menus are always available.

http://www.herbivorerestaurant.com

San Francisco:

531 Divisadero
(415) 885-7133

933 Valencia
(415) 826-5657

Berkeley:

2451 Shattuck
(510) 665-1675

I had not been to Shadow brook since the early 1980s, long before I was vegan and even before I became a vegetarian but I happened to be staying a few miles away and thought I would check out their menu. I was pleased to see a vegetarian section on their menu and even one entrée clearly marked as vegan. Since its inception in 1947 Shadowbrook has always indented to be, above all, a place for romantic dining and the ambience of the place is indeed undeniably romantic. It clings to the very steep west bank of Soquel Creek. Visitors can enter from street level by two methods, a series of steps though an impressive garden of tropical and exotic plants or via the picturesque Shadowbrook Railway – a small cable car added in 1958. I recommend arriving by the steps and departing via the railway. Few would argue that Shadowbrook is hands-down the most romantic dining venue in the Santa Cruz area.

While I’m pleased to see any eatery adding vegan options to their menu I would prefer to see as many vegan options as possible or at least variations on other popular dishes to make it vegan. With this in mind my dining party decided we would select the vegan labeled entrée – Grilled Tofu Soba and another vegetarian item that appeared to be a natural vegan conversion – Summer Garden Plate.

The wait service was attentive and I notified our waiter at the outset that we were vegan, which he seemed to appreciate and I continued to challenge the young man with questions about ingredients in the dishes which may be not be vegan.

Veganized Summer Garden Plate

There were few glitches. My date ordered a alcohol-free pina colada and we were surprised when it came with a large dollop of whipped cream on top. She said she was willing to simply scoop it off. When our waiter returned he offered to remove it for us but then paused in thought for a moment before notifying us that the drink mix contained cream and that it was premixed. He offered to return with another alcohol-free cocktail in its place so it was soon replaced with a strawberry daiquiri.

The Summer Garden Plate was described on the menu as, “sunchoke puree, pickled baby beets, roasted cippolini onion, quinoa stuffed summer squash”. I asked if there was anything in the dish would make it non-vegan. The waiter said that it was indeed vegan but later returned to let us know the main ingredient, the summer squash, was cooked in chicken broth (why?). Fried silken tofu was substituted for the squash which significantly changed the character of the dish.

Grilled Tofu Soba

The vegan Grilled Tofu Soba I ordered was good and a welcome sight on the menu but it seemed to be rather obligatory. Silken tofu was used, likely because of its long shelf life and was fried rather than grilled. I cannot help but feel that this was not the original intent as it is nearly impossible grill silken tofu. It was described on the menu as “marinated” but it was not evident that it was.

The highlight of the night was the appetizer of Roasted Wild Mushrooms which can also be order as a side in a much smaller portion. I love mushrooms and the mixture was roasted in olive oil with a savory blend of herbs and spices that did not overwhelm the delicate and distinct flavors and textures of the various mushrooms. This appetizer was executed perfectly. It should be noted that Shadowbrook strives to use non-gmo, organic local ingredients wherever possible. The mushrooms were local and very fresh.

Shadowbrook is, without a doubt, an extraordinary dining experience. It is beautiful, elegant and romantic. They don’t need to provide vegan options to increase or sustain their patronage. The place is always packed. It is good to see the trends toward increased veggie options but clearly there is work to be done.

The vegan dining public is the most powerful voice of change in vegan restaurant outreach. Every opportunity should be taken to alert restaurants to the potential for increased patronage and respected reputation that results from not just accommodating vegan diners but instead showcasing sophisticated vegan dishes that will appeal to vegans and non-vegans alike. Every time a vegan dines out there is an opportunity to educate wait staff as well. For this reason we should all considering straying a little beyond our comfort zone at times. Challenge chefs to take pride in their craft. Challenge wait staff to really know the menu, to be cognizant of vegan needs. Everyone benefits in the end.

Take the Shadowbrook Railway cable car to complete your dining experience.

Shadowbrook is located at 1750 Wharf Road in Capitola. Reservations are strongly recommended and do arrive early as parking is challenging and times and you may need to park a few blocks away as the parking lots do fill up.

Shadowbrook Restaurant
1750 Wharf Road
Capitola-by-the-Sea, California 95010
(831) 475-1511

http://www.shadowbrook-capitola.com

Buddha Salad Rolls

I am always on the lookout for new vegan eateries and it was just the other day, while waiting to get a haircut, I was flipping through a Sacramento magazine and came upon a large add for Star Ginger. What caught my eye were the little green “V” icons next to many of the menu items. Now we vegans know the uncertainty that come with a server’s response of, “let me check on that” when asked if a menu item is vegan so the visual aids made me take instant notice.

I could not wait to try the vegan offerings at Star Ginger so I took the first opportunity to visit for lunch, bringing with me two additional vegan diners to justify sampling multiple choices from the menu.

Having last visited the venue when it was a popular sandwich chain I was impressed with the modern yet distinctly Asian decor. There is no table-side service but then I’m okay with that and the menu over the counter is comprised of dual bright large digital displays. An adjacent HD video screen cycles peaceful images of tasty looking fresh food to help whet your appetite should you need to wait in line to order.

The menu is mostly Vietnamese. I could not tell you if it is traditional or fusion but it is definitely fresh and appealing. My dining party ordered as much as we could reasonably be expected to eat and then added an appetizer of course.

Grilled Vegetable Banh Mi

We started off with some Buddha Salad Rolls with seared mushrooms, tofu, leafy greens, mint, bean sprouts and cucumber, wrapped in rice paper and served with a traditional hoisin-peanut sauce. As an added surprise it came with some savory buckwheat noodles topped with basil that were really good.

The Grilled Vegetable Banh Mi (toasted sandwich) had shiitake mushrooms, shredded carrot, shredded radish, thinly sliced cucumber, roasted red bell pepper, cilantro and thinly sliced jalape̱o pepper. It was wonderfully fresh on a crunchy roll but tender-tongues beware Рthe jalape̱os placed it a bit on the spicy side so you may want to hold off on the Sriracha sauce until you taste it.

Jungle Curry

I ordered the Jungle Curry – a Thai-inspired yellow curry with tofu, sweet potatoes, broccoli, zucchini, chick peas, green peas and tomato. It was mild enough to not offend those with an aversion to the hotter things. That’s how it should be when Sriracha-philes like me are craving the spicy red rooster sauce. Any of the rice dishes can be served with a choice of premium white jasmine or brown rice.

Ginger Sesame Tofu Salad

The majority of the salads are vegan so we opted to try the Ginger Sesame Tofu Salad with seared tofu, greens, cabbage, cilantro, roasted peanuts, crispy noodles, scallions and a ginger-sesame dressing. Seriously, this was a salad that a 13 year old boy was reluctant to share.

Chef Mai Pham, owner of the well-known and highly acclaimed Lemon Grass Restaurant is the culinary force behind Star Ginger. Star Ginger is conveniently located in Mid-town Sacramento and within easy access of the Capital City Freeway.

Star Ginger is at 3101 Folsom Boulevard in Sacramento
(916) 231-8888

http://www.starginger.com/

The I-5 with fresh beets and pineapple

However, there is a new sushi restaurant in Chico that takes vegan sushi very seriously and the Chico vegan community is a singing the praises of Aonami Sustainable Sushi. At Aonami vegan sushi is not just a happy accident or afterthought. While the menu is not entirely vegan, vegan sushi is certainly a priority. Vegan offerings are the first thing you see on the menu, grouped into its own category and throughout the menu vegan items are clearly identified. But don’t look for the Inari or Kappa Maki because you have stepped in to the realm of what could rightfully be labeled as artisan vegan sushi.

The vegan rolls are named after roads and highways local to the area making Chico vegans feel the pride of having these wonderfully creative and tasty rolls developed in their hometown. Aonami has even put a twist on a traditional appetizer. While you can get plain old boiled and salted edamame I recommend the Spicy Garlic Edamame. Try the white miso. It’s simple, delicious and entire vegan too.

A new twist on an old favorite – Spicy Garlic Edamame

Aonami Sustainable Sushi is not only a great destination for dining parties that are entirely vegan but also a sure bet to satisfy all sushi connoisseurs, vegan or not, and no one will feel that they have compromised.

Aonami Sustainable Sushi is at 1008 W Sacramento Ave Ste. H in Chico.

(530) 924-3168

Vegan at Divino

Divino was much anticipated even before it open in the location on University Avenue in Berkeley, California that previously had been Fellini. I’ve been trying to make it to Divino but my planning has been a little haphazard. A friend and I had planned on dining there on the night they opened but we were a little too early – by one day. The next time I was passing through Berkeley on my way to the City I thought I would try it for lunch but they were only opened for dinner. Well I finally managed to make it there for dinner this evening which also just happened to be the first day they have opened for brunch.

Divino’s menu is unmistakably Italian but a fair number of items are, or can be prepared, vegan. All of their pizzas can be prepared vegan and a few other entrées as well.

My party of two decided to get Pizza Salsiccia – fresh vegan sausage and caramelized onions with vegan mozzarella. The pizza was simple but perfect in its simplicity. Onions were deliciously sweet and they have chosen a vegan sausage that would likely please omnivores and vegans alike.

The highlight however was my chosen entrée – Smoked Portobello Mushroom with a creamy polenta and rainbow chard. Presentation was beautiful. I sometimes forget how pleasing and sophisticated a good polenta could be but this was polenta at its finest. It was creamy yet had a coarser textured within and fresh corn taste. The polenta is not overly “seasoned” with salt but rather well complimented by a drizzle of balsamic vinegar and accompanying a grilled and sliced smoked Portobello cap. The mushroom was treated as one might treat a tastefully seasoned fine cut of meat in other culinary disciplines. It delivered the message perfectly that meat is unnecessary. With the Portobello and polenta, rainbow chard was chosen as the accompanying vegetable. I am admittedly a chard fan and this chard did not fail to please. Chefs and restaurants often tend to overcook leafy greens but here the chard was tender yet still retaining some crunch and a bit of the unmistakable chard bitterness – just a bit of the flavor that I like in chard. Again the saltiness was just enough to enhance and I’m not certain of the other seasonings used but I think I detected a hint of horseradish. It was delicious.

I spoke with Marco, the owner of Divino and discovered that he shares a philosophy with me, a practice I strive to employ in my own cooking which is to trend toward less salty and less sweet for the added flavoring as the diner can always add saltiness or sweetness to suit their own taste by adding condiments. You can always add these flavors to the food but you cannot remove them.  He even explained that his lemonade, made fresh in house, trended toward tart rather than sweet. I found it to be perfect just as it was. Another trend that Marco employs is to use fewer processed ingredients and to optimize the recipes to effectively use fewer but tactfully proportioned ingredients.

Divino is now serving brunch on Sundays and the menu is evolving so check their website for the latest. They may even expand the brunch to other days in the future.

East Bay vegan diners are fortunate to have a variety of vegan dining options and Divino is now on my list of favorites.

Divino is at 1401 University Avenue in Berkeley California.

http://www.divinoberkeley.com/

Your order is ready

Cinnaholic in Berkeley is a Northern California institution that, while not a vegan dinner destination, is often included in one’s East Bay vegan dining plans.
With nearly 30 frosting flavors and even more different toppings the number of possible combinations is mind blowing. Some of these options that come together especially well make up the menu of named specialty rolls.

This is the place where vegans go the take care of their sweet tooth and where they bring their omnivorous friends and family to prove that vegan food does not have to be either boring or healthy. Still, with the omission of all animal products, you can satisfy your vice in a healthier and cruelty-free way. A visit is a perfect way to celebrate you birthday too. Show them your ID on you birthday and your Cinnamon roll is free.

They are still warm!

Located just a few steps away from the UC Berkeley Campus and within walking distance of many shops and restaurants, Cinnaholic is perfectly situated to serve the multitude of students, diners, shoppers and business people who make up the pedestrian and bicycle traffic of downtown Berkeley. And Cinnaholic is truly accessible to everyone in the greater bay area without the need to drive the often clogged roadways as they are literally just one block east of the BART station.

Cinnaholic makes a very important statement with their service: If such mouth-watering, decadent sweet baked goods like this can be created vegan why would anyone want to do it non-vegan?

Cinnaholic is at 2132 Oxford Street in Berkeley. They are open from 10am to 7pm Tuesday thru Sunday and closed Mondays.

Phone: (510) 647-8684‎

FREE FOOD!

http://www.facebook.com/downtowns.kitchen

I am impressed and appreciative of a restaurant who offers to make a special vegan dishes at the discretion of the chef because it changes what would otherwise be just dining out into an experience of appreciating the chef’s art.

Crostini with roasted red bell pepper; artichoke; and olive tapenade spreads.

I presented this ultimate chef challenge to Grange Restaurant and Bar inside the historical Citizen Hotel at 10^th and J streets in Sacramento, CA. With just a few hours advance notice I called for reservations and spoke directly with the restaurant’s hostess. I asked if any of the entrées on the menu were vegan. She assured me that, while there were no vegan items on the menu the chefs were happy to accommodate any special dietary needs. Okay, I made my reservations. My party of two vegans was greeted warmly and promptly seated at a comfortable candle lit table for two. Our server acknowledged immediately that we were vegan, saving us the sometimes awkward process of categorizing ourselves. We expressed an interest in some red wine and were presented the bottles so we could determine ourselves the compatibility of with our dietary requirements.  We were asked if we would like to speak with the chef regarding what he might have in store to satiate our picky, I mean discerning, pallets. Chef John Longacre came to our table and described in some detail the ingredients and possible preparation scenarios. While he was understandably busy he did not seem rushed and really took the time to make sure we would be informed and comfortable with our anticipated meal. While we waited for our appetizer we enjoyed some sliced sourdough and rye with olive oil and balsamic vinegar.

The appetizer was crunchy crostini with three spreads: olive tapenade, artichoke and roasted red bell pepper – all delicious with distinctly different flavors. Our entrée was beautifully presented personally by the chef. I’m not sure of all the ingredients here but it contained diced winter squash, potatoes, young broccoli, onion and marinated and sautéed wild mushrooms. The main ingredients were arranged contiguously yet unmixed, allowing the diner to sample each independently or customize each bite on the fork. Flanking all this were refreshing bites of a citrusy julienned zucchini salad.

Chef’s Special at Grange in Sacramento

It should be noted that plant based fried ingredients are cooked in a fryer used exclusively for non-animal products. This is very important for vegans and shows great diligence and conscientiousness on the part of the chef.

The food at Grange was extraordinary. They did everything right. They set the example of what the vegan dining public should expect from a higher end restaurant. Expect to pay premium prices for service and food quality at this level but if you choose to dine at the finer restaurants which may not seem to meet your vegan dining requirement, please talk to the staff, the manager or the chef. Many of the best chef’s enjoy such a challenge because it allows them to work their craft and showcase their talents. Be sure to let them know how appreciated it is.

Doors open at 3:30
Dinner at 4
A Free Event (contributions much appreciated)

Enjoy a new tradition of kindness this holiday season! Bring your friends and family to our annual, cruelty-free Thanksgiving day vegan potluck and celebration! This is always one of our biggest events of the year and we look forward to sharing the warmth and joy of the season with the wonderful people who always turn out. Come find out how delicious a compassionate holiday feast can be! If you can lend a hand to help get the party up and running, please let us know.

Remember, you don’t have to be vegan or vegetarian to attend. Just bring a vegan dish to share for the holiday dinner. Vegan simply means no animal products – no meat, dairy, eggs or honey. If you can, please also bring your own plate, cup, fork and spoon.As a reminder, please don’t wear any perfumes or strong smelling deodorants or aftershaves. Some of our members are sensitive to artificial fragrances and have requested this be a “scent-free” event.