Contrary to a popular stereotype, vegetarians are not all champions of self-denial, pathetically munching a sprout on the sidelines while watching the omnivores have all the culinary fun. Instead, the vegetarians we know love good food and know where to get it. They aren't about to settle for a bland meal, either at home or at a restaurant.
Thursday, February 26, 2009
Eclipse di Luna
Another restaurant we visited on the trip to Atlanta was Eclipse di Luna, a tapas bar also in the Buckhead neighborhood. Despite the fact that we were there on a Wednesday night, the place was packed. This was even more surprising because of the fact that the restaurant is tucked away at the end of a quiet road lined with interior-design businesses, so that you’d never know it was there if you didn’t already know it was there.
The lighting inside was, well, next to nonexistent, so that a flashlight came in handy in order to read the menu. The decor was a bit hodge-podge, with the requisite Spanish influence—rather as if we’d all crowded into somebody’s casa in Barcelona.
Judging by the crowd, we expect a fairly long wait for our orders, but they came with surprising speed; clearly, the kitchen is used to cranking out the food. And what food it was! The quickness in receiving it definitely did not compromise its quality.
A salad may not be something you’d expect raves over, but the Ensalada de Pera (a frisee, fennel and pear salad with a creamy almond dressing—I got mine without the bleu cheese) was so fabulous, I almost wanted to roll around in it in glee. Each ingredient was fresh and flavorful, and the dressing tied everything together perfectly. I still have yearnings for that salad.
Then there was the vegetarian empanada, filled with broccoli, shiitake mushrooms and sacanova cheese, and topped with a smoked paprika alioli. It was every bit as good as the salad, and I couldn’t decide which was my favorite. Even a carnivorous friend who hates mushrooms pronounced it excellent.
The third dish I ordered was the grilled asparagus, topped with a thin, crispy coating of manchego cheese. It was also delicious, though perhaps paling a bit next to my other dishes in its simplicity. Julie was very fond of the deep-fried green beans with sea salt, and our carnivorous companions were delighted with their dishes, as well. There were quite a few other vegetarian options we didn’t try, including a vegetarian paella that required 30 minutes to prepare. I would love to go back to try them all, though it would be hard to pass up getting that salad and empanada….
By Cassandra Sherrill at 06:31 PM
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Thursday, February 19, 2009
Cafe Sunflower
Julie and I, along with a couple of friends, recently trekked to Atlanta to view the King Tut and Terracotta Warriors exhibits (highly recommended). Much good food was had while we were there. We rather rued the fact that we were there for only three days, as we simply couldn’t fit in all the restaurants we wanted to visit.
Of particular interest—and happily, deliciousness—was Cafe Sunflower, a completely vegetarian restaurant on Peachtree (of course) Street in the Buckhead neighborhood. The menu was stacked with dishes I desperately wanted to try, and I dithered between fabulous-sounding entrees. Should I try the peppercorn-crusted temph? The orzo eggplant lasagna? The stuffed butternut squash special? I finally decided on the Spring Quinoa, which turned out to be my favorite of the dishes I tasted from my and other plates. It was beautifully presented, with a circular bed of quinoa topped with eggplant ratatouille and a big slice of almond-crusted tofu (it was more like almonds sprinkled on top than truly crusted).
Other dishes the table ordered were: the pan-fried dumpling appetizer, the soup of the day (butternut squash), the Southern Polenta Napoleon, the Sesame “Chicken” and a walnut-crusted-tofu-cutlet special. Each was deemed a success. Even our hardcore carnivore, never-met-a-vegetable-he-liked-that-wasn’t-a-potato-or-corn friend was very satisfied with his meal.
The cafe offers a yummy range of vegan cakes for dessert, and though we desperately wanted to try several of them, our full stomaches would allow us to share only one slice. You’d never know the chocolate raspberry mouse cake was vegan. Alas, our waiter couldn’t share the recipe for the creamy, tofu-based mousse with us. As he said, if he knew how to make it, he’d be out selling the cakes and not working as a waiter!
The restaurant itself is lovely but relaxed, and the food is artfully presented. “Best of” certificates from various local restaurant awards line the hallway to the restrooms. Check out the cafe’s Web site here.
Quinoa with ratatouille:
Southern polenta Napoleon:
Walnut-crusted tofu cutlet special:
Vegan chocolate raspberry mousse cake:
By Cassandra Sherrill at 06:53 PM
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Tuesday, February 03, 2009
A notable new restaurant
Mooney’s Mediterranean Cafe just opened last week in downtown Winston-Salem, and after one delicious lunch there I’m eager to go back.
Mooney’s menu spans the globe, starting with Middle Eastern treats. This section of the menu is called “The Old Country” and includes such items as grilled vegetables and hummus served in a pita, and moujudara, described as “Middle Eastern Hoppin’ John—a rice and lentil dish topped with fried onions, garnished with pickles & slaw.”
The menu then moves on to American favorites—the “Old Glory” section of burgers and wings—with a nod to Pizza and Stromboli along the way.
But the section that interests me most is named simply “Sides & Salads & Soups.”
Dishes in this section cost $2.95 for a small serving or $4.95 for a large; or you can get a sampler plate of four for $6.95. So you can try whatever strikes your fancy.
And there’s a lot to strike the fancy: fettoosh and tabouli salads; hummus and musabaha, “a Palestinian twist on Hummus, whole chickpeas mixed in”; stuffed grape leaves; baba ghanouj … and more.
My favorite of the dishes I tried was the baba ghanouj, the dip of fire-roasted eggplant, tahini (sesame butter), garlic and oil. The smoky flavor was delicious. Mousaka, not the casserole but a stew of eggplant, tomato, onions and chickpeas, was nicely spiced. In the moujudara, the rice and lentils were sparked by the lively cabbage slaw, which had a lemony dressing.
When he heard I was vegetarian, the friendly owner did mention that deep-fried items such as falafel are prepared in the same fryer as such meat items as chicken wings. While I wish that were not the case, I appreciated his thoughtfulness in mentioning it. And it is a good sign that he realized this could be an issue for vegetarians.
Mooney’s is at 101 W. Fourth St., where Bon Appetit restaurant was until recently. It has been nicely renovated to have a sleeker look, but it is still a comfortably casual place where you order at the counter. It is open for breakfast and lunch, from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. weekdays.
By Julie Harris at 06:26 PM
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