Skool

Other restaurants could learn a thing or two at Skool!  This omni, fish-focused, eatery is not only adorable and welcoming and making some killer cocktails, but they also have separate veg and gluten-free menus.  Bless you, Skool, for welcoming everyone to the table and serving us all some tasty grub... like this Autumn Harvest Salad:

Perfectly dressed, these fresh organic greens are matched with sweet persimmon and raisins.  The addition of crunchy toasted almonds brings everything together to create a simply delicious start to the meal.  I wish I had another one right now, in fact.  It was so yummy!  As was my Vegan Flatbread:

Topped with a bounty of veggies (love those purple broccoli peeking through) and arugula, this flatbread keeps it simple with just some olive oil, salt, and pepper, proving yet again that you don't need to mess with good ingredients.  Oh, and my husband had the Hoisin Tofu and loved it.  No picture, and I didn't taste it, but just sayin'.

I will totally go back to Skool, and I'll bring my omni friends so we can all enjoy the lovely atmosphere and good food together.  Well done, Skool!   Up next, my new favorite salad in SF.  Stay tuned...

Awesome Burger

There are a ton of good vegan burgers in SF (lucky us), and perhaps this is why I'd never tried the one that Source serves up.  There are MANY more options outside of the burgers at Source, as I've mentioned, but I was in the mood for one when I was there the other day, so here's what I got:

That right there is the ginormous "Awesome" burger.  The "Awesome" is just their regular burger, simply dressed with lettuce and tomato.  It comes with the fries (I LOVE skin-on fries) and I made it "deluxe" by adding a side salad.  Can't live without my greens!

So, in general, I really liked this burger.  It had good texture and flavor and was certainly substantial BUT the pita sort of kills it for me.  I wish this bad boy was served up on a bun like a normal burger.  I know that the pita is homemade and fresh and really tasty, but this burger just screams for a big soft bun.  That being said, I think I'll save my burger cravings for The Plant or ROAM in the future and order any of the other hundred or so delicious items on the menu at Source in the future.

I know I promised you new places, and I'm headed to one tonight....stay tuned for the full report soon!

Enjoy Veggie

I know I am late to the game on this one, y'all.  I'm even late to the "new" location of this restaurant, but I finally get what all the hype is about.  Enjoy Veggie has ruined me for all other soy (or wheat or yam) meat Asian restaurants.  Here's why:

Two words.  Fried Pumpkin.  I mean, hell, fried anything is good, but the pumpkin lover in me was thrilled with this dish.  I suggest topping these golden nuggets with some of the addictive chili sauce on the table.  Yum!

My husband had the Mongolian Beef and devoured it.  He claims the texture was very realistic.  That always creeps me out, so I'm glad I didn't get it.  BUT, just look at all the veggies!  That, dear readers, is the reason I adore Enjoy Veggie.  No rice and "meat" here - every dish comes loaded with super fresh veggies.   Even my Kung Pao Tofu:

Tofu and broccoli and peanuts, oh my!   It was delish.   I will definitely be back to EV in the future, but meanwhile, I'm headed to some places I've wanted to try for a while....  up next:  An omni restaurant with a separate menu for veggies and gluten-free folk.  Stay tuned!

I'm BACK!!!!

Ok, so yeah, it's been like 4 months or so.  Lots happened, lots still happening, but I'm back.  I've been eating (duh) and I have a little more time for blogging now, but my real encouragement for getting back into it was a chance meeting at Anthropologie a few weeks ago.  A lovely lass named Rachel helped me into my dressing room and then politely told me that she recognized me from my blog and thanked me profusely for writing it, as it helped her find many vegan eats when she moved to SF.  It was a very cool moment (THANKS RACHEL!), and so here I am with more vegan eats for you, from SF and beyond.....

First meal up is definitely from the "beyond" category.  I was recently in Philly and finally got to try the renowned vegan restaurant, Vedge.  Check out my sweet potato pate:

This pureed sweet potato gets all sorts of seasoned (with magic methinks), formed into a perfect pate, and served up with crostini, a smattering of bright arugula, and some whole grain mustard.  Food genius, right off the bat.   But it gets better!

I saw pierogies on the menu and knew I had to try them, but these, filled with butternut squash and served with roasted veggies and a light garlic broth were perfection.  It's like Vedge consulted my exact palate before making these dishes, I swear... and this was certainly the case when it came to dessert.

This "chocolate uber chunk" combines a dark chocolate and peanut/pretzel crust with malt custard and stout ice cream.  Go ahead, read that again and make sure you got it all.  Right!?!  Right.  Amazeballs.  Sweet, salty, rich, and decadent - I could happily eat this dessert after every meal for all eternity.

So yeah, Vedge totally lived up to the hype.  I can't wait to go back when I'm in Philly next month and try even more yummies.   And, speaking of places exceeding expectations, next up is a restaurant in San Francisco that I've been meaning to try forever and finally hit up last weekend.  Stay tuned....

The Vegan Bake Sale is Coming!!!!

ONE WEEK PEOPLE.   The  SF Vegan Bakesale is always awesome, but this time it is benefitting one of my favorite organizations, PAWS SF, to boot.  

I can not even tell you how sad I am that I can't be there.  Please, please, please make me happy and go in my honor.  Gorge yourself on delicious treats and support PAWS SF and feel sick and awesome all at the same time.  It will be glorious! 

Sonoma Eats

This post will be as brief as I can make it, since I'm leaving tomorrow for a week in Mexico!  Figured I'd let you know about some tasty grub we had THREE WEEKS ago (yeah, I'm behind) before we take off and dine south of the border.  Coincidentally enough, one of our favorite Sonoma places is a Mexican restaurant, Maya.  The guacamole is always sublime, and the salsas fresh and flavorful, but the main dishes don't disappoint either.

The house salad with baby greens, mango, and jicama gets some kick from spiced pumpkin seeds and is a refreshing way to wake up the palate.

The grilled vegetable plate is served up with beans, plantains and tortillas and is made from some fresh and tasty vegetables charred to perfection.  Seriously the perfect thing to stuff your face with after wine tasting.  Filling, healthy, and delicious.  The atmosphere at Maya is also great.  Dark wood, accented with festive color, and a very laid back and welcoming vibe.  Highly recommended.

We also hit up the Meritage Martini Oyster Bar & Grill on our trip, only because when I was scouring menus online, I saw that they did a 5 course vegan tasting menu.  Yes, at a place known for seafood and martinis.  Above you see our first course - white beans and fennel with a balsamic reduction.  It was really tasty and the contrast in textures was nice.  Good opener, so we were ready for more.

Second course was a lip-smackingly good portobello mushroom salad.  Just simply grilled with salt and pepper to bring out their inherent savoryness, I would say these were some of the best prepared 'bellos I've ever had.  Yum.

The eggplant wasn't my favorite course but it was still tasty.  Maybe too much char for my liking?  I don't know - something was just off about it.

Can't go wrong with risotto in my books, and this peppery concoction was no exception.  It was a hearty main course and filled with earthy veggie goodness.  Winner.

Aaaaannndd, then there was sorbet.  Welp, you can't win 'em all.  It's an oyster bar, after all... and they really gave it their all with what they had.  Go Meritage!

Ok, that's it for now.  I'll be back with more when we return from Mexico.  Adios!

Parents in Canada

As I've said, my parents are traveling fools lately.  On a recent road trip, they found a real gem.  So much did they love it, they went multiple times.  Here's their wrap up:

          Having just seen the sights at Niagara Falls, we fired up the trusty Happy Cow app and found our lunch destination. Rise Above began as a vegan bakery and has grown into the area's only totally vegan lunch and dinner spot.  Located in St. Catharines, Ontario, about 25 minutes northwest of the falls, Rise Above is a narrow storefront, exposed brick, high metal ceiling....very modern, clean look. There's a lunch menu and a dinner menu, one on either side of a single sheet of paper. It's not a vast menu but everything we tried was excellent. Fresh, hearty, simple and, most of all, delicious! St. Catharines itself is pretty cool with kind of a funky vibe of its own....not quite New Hope but totally Red Bank if you know what I mean (Sky says: And you probably do if you're from NJ or thereabouts).

           In the interest of full disclosure, Rise Above still does some amazing vegan baking and that's actually what first drew our attention. No cupcakes but great brownies, turnovers and filled doughnuts as well as peanut butter cups and chocolate coconut haystacks. We got two doughnuts and two candies to go and ate them later back at the hotel. Yes, they rocked!       

         Went back to Rise Above for dinner; all other options seemed pale by comparison. We shared a soup and a salad and then I had chipotle seitan with cornbread, savoy slaw and potato salad:

Mom had the pizza of the day: olives, red pepper and onion with Daiya cheese. 

Again, everything was wonderful! Fresh, flavorful...really perfect.

          

          Then came dessert. We ordered one dessert, their signature specialty....cheesecake for one served in a small Mason-type jar complete with screw-on lid! I've never seen anything like it! It's available in blueberry, strawberry and my personal choice (and recommendation) cookies and cream.  This thing is CRAZY GOOD!! It's like a giant, overstuffed Oreo exploded in a jar! I ordered it for myself but needed help from Joan to finish it; it was that rich. For me to share a dessert is unheard of but to need help to finish one...unprecedented!

          On yet another occasion we enjoyed even more flavorful menu items like this unique potato, broccoli, and Daiya burger with root veggie fries.

And this Greek salad with almond feta was yummy too!

There was also a delicious and hearty chickpea curry on the menu.

Speaking of hearty, how about some chili with sour "cream" and cilantro.  Amazing!

          If you haven't gotten the idea yet, we really love Rise Above and hope they continue to do well so we can visit next time we're in the Great White North.  Anyone who lives nearby is lucky and should check them out!

There you have it folks, another installment from my wacky vegan folks out and about in the big bad omnivorous world.  Makes you want to go to Canada, no?  Next time, a post I wrote myself!  About a place in SF!  Crazy, right?   :)