Sol’s Nieto Mexican Grill…*The* Vegan Tex-Mex Destination?

In this economy, it seems almost a weekly occurrence that a retail store or restaurant closes its doors. As a way of combating these tough times, many restaurants are looking for ways to help increase their customer base (and cash flow). One such restaurant, Sol’s Nieto Mexican Grill on Mockingbird Lane, found potential in making a simple tweak of the menu to attract a completely new crowd they'd never even thought of.

After receiving a sample of Daiya vegan cheese (via Mercy For Animals’ Vegetarian Dining Campaign), management at this well-established family-owned restaurant took a chance and added it to the menu shortly thereafter. As a result, they’ve already experienced increased traffic as new customers call/visit to confirm that the rumors of vegan-friendly Tex-Mex are true.

As it turns out, Sol’s already offered many vegetarian options that could be made vegan by omitting the cheese. All beans (refried and borracho) as well as the rice contain none of the “usual suspects” (chicken stock and lard) as in most other Tex-Mex establishments. By adding Daiya vegan cheese (one of the hottest new vegan cheeses to hit the market), Sol’s positioned itself to become the vegan destination for Tex-Mex in the D/FW area.

So, what does that mean to Dallas vegans? Many foods that were previously a distant memory are now all of a sudden “back on the menu”. Things like…

Cheese & Veggie Quesadillas…

and Cheese Enchiladas…

and my favorite, Cheese & Veggie Chimichangas…

Sitting down to a gooey, cheesy plate of nachos and a frozen margarita on a patio is truly a Texas tradition (if not a religion). So much so that many long-time vegetarians thought they'd never be able to ditch dairy. By adding vegan cheese to the the Dallas Tex-Mex dining scene, Sol's turns this into a "cruelty free" tradition available for everyone.

Sol's Nieto Mexican Grill
6434 East Mockingbird Lane
Dallas, TX
(214) 826-5564

Hibashi Teppan Grill & Sushi Bar

Stepping into Hibashi Teppan Grill & Sushi Bar, your first instinct is to turn around and wonder how you walked into Ghost Bar: Northwest Dallas. A sign near the entrance read “Sake bombs $3”, and the bright and futuristic “Sky Blue Wave” sculpture behind the bar is the first thing you see. Only the absence of techno and smoke machines (and a large sushi bar) convinced me I was in the right place.

Unfortunately, this was high-noon on a work day and cocktails were not on the agenda. After hearing sometime ago of Hibashi’s new lunch options, I figured it was worth a shot.

The lunch menu offered one veg option - “Teppenyaki Vegetable Bowl” ($8) with white rice and a salad. 7-8 vegetarian rolls were also available, ranging in price from $4 to $8. I ordered the bowl and a couple of rolls to get a good sample of what Hibashi had to offer.

The salad was nice and simple – lettuce, cabbage, and carrots with a ginger dressing that had lots of potential. The flavor was excellent - citrus based, slightly sweet, and just enough ginger. Unfortunately, there too much of the dressing. To compound this problem, separation caused minced ginger to lay on top of the lettuce, while the rest of the salad soaked in a large pool of liquid forming at the bottom (hint – ask for the dressing on the side).

About the time I was finishing my soup salad, the vegetarian rolls arrived. I ordered the Vegetable Tempura Roll ($6) and the Asparagus Roll ($4). The tempura rolls were supposedly sweet potato, zucchini, and yellow onion. In reality, I could hardly tell what I was eating – the cuts of vegetable were so small in proportion to the rest of the roll that it was difficult to tell. It was even more difficult to tell by taste or texture, as the breading, rice, and sauce transformed the roll into a bit of a mushy mess.

The Asparagus wasn’t bad, however, its presentation could have used some help. The roll wasn’t very well manufactured, i.e., the nori was falling apart before even picking one up. Not good for a restaurant where “world-class artistry of sushi” is claimed on the website.

Unfortunately, things only got worse with main entree. The Teppenyaki bowl came with an overcooked and under-flavored assortment of uninteresting vegetables – carrot, zucchini, broccoli, and a few mushrooms (maybe I should have ordered one…or three…of those sake bombs?).

The sides sauces that came with the lunch couldn’t even save the meal. Somehow they managed to make two very strong flavors – ginger and mustard – bland. After requesting a hot chili sauce and trying (in vain) to come up with a good combination of flavors, I decided I had enough.

A return trip many weeks later offered better presentation on the avocado rolls I ordered – but they were tiny and flavorless. Little else had changed with the food, but they did turn off the lighting around the bar and other parts of the restaurant – I suppose to make it look more like a lunch spot than an empty disco. Worst of all, they didn’t even have the sake-bomb special anymore (I had planned on trying a few this time – just in case the food hadn’t improved).

Clearly, Hibashi’s strength is in evening dining, which might make it a nice place to try with some cocktails, live hibachi grills, and the sights and sounds of the bar - but for lunch, it’s a no.

Hibashi Teppan Grill Sushi Bar
13465 Inwood Rd
Dallas, TX

Whole Foods: Vegan Cheese Pizza

I like to shop at my neighborhood Whole Foods Market for vegan staples. No, their prices aren’t always the most competitive, but they always have my favorite vegan cheese and faux meat products in stock. 

Still—it never occurred to me that I could order a phony pepperoni and vegan cheese pizza to-go from their wood burning oven.

Duh.

On a recent trip to Austin, my buddy Andy edified me on the art of making this happen. The exchange was quite comical.

Andy: Can you guys make me a vegan cheese pizza?

Pizza Guy: Um—we can make a vegan pizza, but not with cheese.

Andy: But you guys sell vegan cheese here, right?

Pizza Guy: Yeah...

Andy: Um—so put some on it.

Pizza Guy: Okay.

It was that simple.

So I decided to try my new trick at the Whole Foods in Lakewood. Here’s how it works in Dallas:

Pick out your favorite faux meat toppings and vegan cheese from the cold case. Take your selections to the pizzeria (by the prepped foods area). Order away. We asked our pizza specialista to get creative with our pie, so she loaded it up with phony pepperoni, FYH Vegan Gourmet, and all sorts of veggies.

Pizzas bake in about 15-20 minutes—just enough time to get your shopping done. Once you pick up your cheesy concoction, you’ll be handed the empty faux meat and cheese packages to pay for separately. Grab yourself a bottle of wine, and check out as usual.

Dinner is done.

The pizza was awesome - but in the future, I might ask our pizza maker to dice the cheese a little finer for more even melting.

 

Thai 2 Go

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.

*UPDATE*:

Since this post, we received a message from Siam who has AMAZINGLY offered to change some of his recipes and accomodate his vegetarian and vegan customers. He writes:

"We have changed some of our recipes after you left to accomdate vegans. Our peanut sauce is now made without fish sauce. We also have a couple of dishes that are now available without any special orders. The following are normally made without fish sauce: salad rolls, peanut curry, praram long song, mango and sticky rice, cantelope pearl pudding. The others can be made without fish sauce upon request. Thank you for writing about us and please let everyone know of our recent changes.
Siam"

THANKS, SIAM!!

Idle Rich Goes Veg for the Holiday

What could be better than an ice-cold beer on a hot summer day? Not a whole lot, if you ask me. So when Jamey suggested we celebrate Independence Day over a few pints at Idle Rich Pub, I was totally game!

And after seeing this ad on their website, I was even more stoked! 

Veggie dogs?! Sweet action!!

But I still had to wonder: Are the veggie dogs vegan?

So after a few sips of my crazy beer cocktail (not the best choice, by the way), I interrogated our nice bartender, Alan, about the dogs. Turns out they are vegan…even the bun (yeah, we checked the ingredients)!

Though veggie dogs are not a staple on the menu, they are available at every major celebration. And considering this city likes to party, I’m willing to bet that'll be sooner than later!

Let’s keep these guys on our radar.

Idle Rich Pub

2614 McKinney Avenue

(214) 953-0599

Spiral Gang Does Best Thai

Andy, JayRay, Sarah, Eddie G, Nicolas, Erin

The best part about dining with my Spiral Diner buddies, aside from getting the chance to chat about the latest vegan happenings in the city, is having the opportunity to feast at any of our favorite veg-friendly establishments to share meals we wouldn’t typically order for ourselves.

On our latest excursion, we hit up Best Thai in Addison. The restaurant is known to offer a wide selection of vegetarian dishes, many of which are (or can easily be made) vegan. But as Drew mentioned on his review of the place, Best Thai also provides a completely separate vegan menu with some unique faux meat creations.

So at our table full of seasoned vegan palates, we slapped on our bibs and went to town on some awesome vegan eats!

Veggie Dumplings: These delicious little snacks were gone in seconds! Each dumpling was filled with a vegetable paté and served with a sweet soy glaze.

Best Thai Fresh Salad Roll: Your basic summer roll (lettuce, carrots, etc.) served with a house peanut sauce. The rolls were fine, but I wasn’t crazy about the sauce. I generally prefer a heartier peanut sauce to accompany this particular appetizer, but everyone else seemed pleased with its consistency.

Spicy Eggplant with Soy Duck: Okay—few of us are duck experts. I apprehensively ate real duck once in Germany (out of respect to the family I was staying with), but I vowed to never eat the stuff again. That said, the dish was not bad. I did find the eggplant to be a little overdone, but we all thought the flavors came together quite nicely.

Soy Salmon in Panang Curry: The favorite of nearly everyone at the table. I, on the other hand, loathed the dish! I grew up on the coast, so something about fake seafood just freaks me out. But if you're into faux fish, make sure to order this curry without fish sauce.

Peanut Special Soy Duck: This sweet and savory dish is made with fresh vegetables, choice of protein, house peanut sauce, and topped with crunchy peanuts. While I found the sauce too light for dipping, I felt it was right on the money in this stir-fry. The gang didn’t seem to love this dish as much as I did, so I snagged the last little bit of it and let them battle for the salmon.

Crispy Spicy Soy Beef: Pan seared soy beef with a sweet and spicy soy glaze. We ordered one serving at level 3 heat, and another at level 5 (the highest). I favored the spicier one—and I’m sure Jamey would’ve inquired about a level 10 had he been there.

Pineapple Fried Rice with Soy Ham: A large serving of rice with pineapple cuts, tomatoes, scallions, soy ham, and topped with carrot shavings. The ham was a little Spam-ish in texture, but the taste was dead-on.

All this food for just $15 a head (generous tip included)—what a deal!

I suggest you guys check out Best Thai this Sunday. Since both Spiral Diners will be closed for their annual family vacation (scoops on that later), I can’t think of a better place to stuff your face with so many fabulous vegan dishes!

Best Thai

4135 Beltline Rd., Suite 112

(972) 386-3353

Manow

On a busy block during lunch rush, it was baffling to find Manow Asian Brasserie, a chic little spot with high marks on Urban Spoon, completely empty.

“Maybe rush starts later around here,” I thought. But no—every other place looked slammed.

“Is it possible there are 7-foot tall drag queens by the wig shop next door scaring people off?” Nope. No drag queens in sight. Plus, peeps around these parts know they’re harmless anyway…mostly.

So I braced myself for a potentially awful meal—and I’m happy to report I was wrong again.

The menu at Manow was overwhelming. Going down the extensive sushi list alone was a challenge—tuna this, salmon that…not too much for us in this department. So I settled on the Avocado Roll—an elegant sushi roll filled with fresh, feathered avocado. Though presentation was beautiful, I did find the roll to be a bit boring—a simple coating of sesame seeds might have been enough to add complexity.

Each entrée is served with steamed rice and a delicate miso soup. My lunch selection was the Basil Eggplant—a stir fry of tofu, eggplant, onion, button mushrooms, red and green bells, and loads of basil. Larger cuts of the eggplant were a bit spongy, but the overall dish was fantastic.

My follow up visit to Manow was during dinner rush. Again—empty!

While I waited for my dining companion to arrive, I scanned the specialty drink menu. The cocktails had catchy (if not campy) names like Dirty Sanchez, Bad Kitty Cosmo, Love Me Long Time Iced Tea, and Sloe Screw. Fun—and totally appropriate for the neighborhood.

I started dinner with a seaweed salad that didn’t make my brain sad. The salad was bright, flavorful, and served in a cute martini glass. Main course was the Japanese Curry—a fragrant and well-balanced curry with tofu, onion, sweet potato, and carrot. Delicious!

All vegetable entrées can be ordered without fish sauce or egg, and range between $9 - $11.

So why is this place so dead during the busiest dining hours? And why is the KFC down the block always packed? Sad, really.

I encourage everyone to check out Manow. The service is great, drinks are stiff, and the food is excellent!

Manow Asian Brasserie

4315 Lemmon Ave.

(214) 520-8868

A Dallas Vegan in Austin

Last weekend, I attended my first biker rally in Austin (more on that later). Having not been on an extended stay to Austin since becoming vegan (or vegetarian for that matter), I was excited about the trip. I was curious to see, as a Dallas vegan, what life was like in a notoriously vegan-friendly city. Even though the rally was on the outskirts of town, I figured I could make my way to a few veggie restaurants.

The first spot we hit was Guero’s Taco Bar, which is a great tex-mex place near downtown that’s non-veg, but has many vegetarian options. When I found an item that I thought might be vegan, I began to ask my round of questions - “Does this have any ch…” – and before I could say cheese, the waitress interrupted to say “It’s vegan”. Wow…that’s awesome!

Here in Dallas it seems that '”vegan” is still a relatively foreign term to a lot of restaurant workers – but in Austin, it’s second nature for them to know what on their menus are or can be made vegan. This was at least the case at all of the 3 non-veg restaurants I visited.

Speaking of the other non-veg restaurants - they all had a separate vegetarian section to their menu. They weren’t necessarily vegan, but they all made an attempt to provide some kind of option on the menu for going meatless – another something you won’t find at most restaurants in Dallas.

The next day I was also able to stop by the Daily Juice Cafe, a raw/vegan restaurant with a new location just near the UT campus. Their raw “Texicali Tacos” were great and the “Manic Organic” smoothie (banana, chocolate chips, Texas pecans) was even better. Eating there makes me even more thankful that Bliss, Dallas’ own fabulous raw cafe, is now open – so we don’t have to travel 200 miles for awesome raw food.

My last visit was to Mother’s Cafe & Garden, an all-vegetarian institution in Austin (thanks for the tip, Eddie G!). Not only did this restaurant have great food, but it had a long-haired dude playing harp. Can’t get that in Dallas (then again, is that a bad thing?). I had a fabulous tomato-artichoke bisque to start. It was such a treat to get a vegan bisque – this one was rich and creamy with just a hint of artichoke so as to not overpower the smoky tomato flavor.

For an entree, I had the (vegan) Veggie Burger, voted “best in Austin.” This made me think…do we even have enough places in Dallas that offer a vegan veggie burger (let alone a homemade one) to necessitate a “best in Dallas” competition? I can’t think of many, which is a shame. I think there are so many great restaurants in Dallas that could produce some great burgers if they only gave it a shot.

I can see how Mother’s veggie burger could win a competition – crispy on the outside, moist but firm on the inside, with a slightly sweet taste and nutty texture that went great with the fresh fixins’ & sesame seed bun.

Overall, I have to say that Austin definitely lives up to its reputation as a very veggie-friendly town, but I am still proud of where Dallas is and where it is heading. With a few more of us speaking up and a few more restaurants listening, I think we have the potential of making Dallas a notoriously veggie-friendly city as well.

The rally itself – well, not everything in Austin is vegan friendly. Needless to say, the food here was your typical meat-on-sticks type fare – which, I suppose, is what I expected. I did meet one guy out of the bunch walking around with a PETA no-fur sign – so there was at least one other vegan in attendance. But this weekend was much more about motorcycles, drinking beer, and various other extracurricular activities that take place when 40,000 bikers get together in a fairground in 95+ temps (this a PG-rated post, so I won’t get into details). Luckily, I was able to eat great vegan food, enjoy the rally, and make it back to Dallas unharmed and well fed.

Whole Foods: Firecracker Coleslaw

If you don’t know already, I am drawn to all things with incendiary food claims. Especially when I see these claims attached to foods you may not normally associate with heat. So, when I saw the sign for “Firecracker Coleslaw” at Whole Foods Lakewood, I immediately took notice. I love coleslaw, and I love spice, so this was potentially a match made in heaven.

The slaw began initially with a somewhat traditional flavor. Crunchy cabbage mixed with a light mustard vinaigrette. This was followed quickly by a noticeable kick, courtesy of fresh jalapenos and jalapeno juices. The subtle blend of sweet and spicy made for a great side dish to accompany the grandest of holiday picnics.

After taking this to a barbecue function this past weekend, I found that it’s fun to plant this amongst unsuspecting omnivores and see their reaction as they bite in to this seemingly innocent dish. Just wait to tell them it’s spicy after they take the first bite…okay, I did feel a little bad, but not too much so.

The Firecracker Slaw went splendidly with my barbecue seitan skewers (homemade seitan, courtesy of Eddie G). What better way to spend Memorial Day?

Speaking of holidays, act soon if you too want to enjoy the Firecracker Slaw – I was told by the man behind the counter that this was a limited time offering, likely to conclude around the time when *real* firecrackers would be going off (July 4th…get it…???).

Bengal Coast

I can't tell you how excited I am to introduce Jamey as the newest part of Dallas Vegan! If you've read any of Jamey's comments on other food blogs, you'll know he is a true foodie. After several e-mails and Facebook messages regarding blogging, Jamey and I decided to meet over dinner to discuss his plans to start a new vegan dining blog. Little did he know I was on secret mission to recruit him to share my platform on Dallas Vegan. Sneaky? Sure. But can you blame me? The guy is smart, funny, and loves good vegan food! So without further ado, here is Jamey's review of our first dining experience at Bengal Coast.

-Eddie G

My first trip to Bengal Coast also happened to be my first time meeting Eddie G (the founder of Dallas Vegan) to talk about starting my own blog. It felt a little like I was going on an interview, which as it turns out, was the truth. Eddie is apparently quite sneaky! Luckily, this is something I had been thinking about for a quite a while now, so I’d been rehearsing in my mind and never knew it. That’s probably why we had a lot to talk about right from the start.

It turns out we had some very similar ideas about the Dallas vegan restaurant scene, so it seemed rather than start another blog, why not join forces? After a few words of advice with pad and pen (and a delicious Lychee Basil Mojito) in hand, all of a sudden I was on the job.

Looking at the menu, Bengal Coast gets immediate bonus points for noting “vegan modifications available.” 

That being said, available appetizers were few. The Whole Wheat Roti was ok, but reminded me of a plain tortilla – not much excitement there. However, the Mixed Vegetables were a hit – lightly breaded and slightly seasoned bite-sized veggies (spinach, bok-choy, mushrooms, among others). Be sure and order both of these without their normal accompanying sauces – as they are not vegan. Instead, ask for the hot sriracha and chutney.

From here, the entree menu opens up a bit, with at least five items that can be ordered “veganized.” The menu is split between “spicy styles” and “mild but flavorful.” You can pair these with a variety of starches, including rice (white, brown, or even vegan-fried) or noodles.

I opted for the double-spicy “Bangkok Fire” – which, as someone who enjoys the spice, I was excited about. Given the fact that a foreboding two spicy-fire icons prefixed this dish, I was bracing myself for an inflammatory treat. Unfortunately, the spice wasn’t there – although the flavor was good. Maybe next time I will ask the chef not to pull in any punches in the heat department.

The Pad Thai, however, did not disappoint in any department. After we got through the initial puzzlement of the mystery substance that turned out to be tofu (helpful note: tofu is not on the menu, but it is put into the Pad Thai and can be added to any dish), we were able to enjoy the amazing flavors of this dish. Flavors, which among many others, included piloncillo – as noted by Eddie (who apparently is well versed in these things).

As sparse as the available appetizers were, the desserts were even more sparse – like no options whatsoever. (Did I mention the Mojito yet?…I would suggest having another for dessert.)

But with a decor much more expensive looking than the $14 priced entrees, Bengal Coast was no doubt a value (even though the wine list could have used a boost). Add to it the fact that there are multiple dishes to explore, and a decent specialty drink list (which were also a value at $8 a piece), I can definitely see a return trip to Bengal Coast…only next time it won’t be as a vegan...it will be as a vegan blogger. Thanks, Eddie!

Bengal Coast

3102 Oak Law Avenue

(214) 521-8600

Veracruz

Vegan Veggie Tamales! Need I say more?

In my constant search for good vegan Mexican food in Dallas, I stumbled upon this gem at Veracruz in Oak Cliff. Made with a simple combination of masa, water, and vegetable oil, the super-tender tamales are filled with diced carrot, corn, broccoli, and topped with salsa. Delicious and HUGE! Make sure to order the dish with no cheese and no rice (it contains chicken broth). Veracruz also offers an interesting salad called Cactus Salad of the Desert. It's made with baby greens, nopales, corn, tomato, and mango. I didn't try the salad (I just couldn't pass up vegan tamales), but my friend Marc (whose taste I totally trust) swears it's amazing! 

Veracruz

408 North Bishop, Suite 107

(214) 948-4746

BuzzBrews Kitchen

UPDATE BELOW:

OK--it's no Kerbey Lane. 

So you're not going to find a complete Vegan Breakfast Platter on the menu at BuzzBrews. What you will find, however, are a few tasty vegan eats, great coffee, and free Wi-Fi...24 hours a day! 

Here's a list of some of our options:

Chips and Salsa

Black Beans

Garlic Marbles

Veggie Sausage 

Build-Your-Own Veggie Tacos (not on the menu) with the following fillers:

Anaheim Pepper

Artichoke Hearts

Avocado

Button Mushrooms

Garlic 

Jalapeño

Nopales

Portobello

Red Onion

Bell Pepper

Shiitake

Spinach

Sun-dried Tomato

Tomato

Unfortunately, their Veggie Burger is not (and cannot be made) vegan. But with the B-Y-O Taco option, who needs a veggie burger anyway?

BuzzBrews Kitchen

4154 North Central Expressway

(214) 826-7167

4334 Lemmon Avenue

(214) 521-4334

Update: 11/11/09

Veggie Sausage contains egg.

Thai Lotus Kitchen

Admit it--the place looks sketchy.

So imagine the look on my face when my friends suggested dinner at this hole in the wall.

Umm...no, thanks. 

But after checking out Thai Lotus Kitchen's menu and seeing their consistently high marks on the City of Dallas Food Inspection page, I decided to give the place a shot. And I'm so glad I did...a few too many times last week!

Once you get past the less-than-beautiful exterior, Thai Lotus Kitchen is a rather pleasant place. Service is fast, friendly, and the food is wonderful! Every dish is made with super fresh veggies, served with two heaping scoops of steamed rice, and almost everything can be made vegan upon request.

My faves:

Spicy Basil Tofu

Made with baby corn, bamboo shoots, red bells, carrots, mushrooms, and fresh basil. The dish is mildly spicy and a bit salty, but the rice helps cut the salt factor.

Red Curry Tofu

Perfectly seasoned red curry with green beans, red bells, carrots, zucchini, bamboo shoots, and fresh basil. 

Sticky Rice 

Sweet sticky rice laced with fresh mango slices. Yes--we get dessert, too! 

Have any of you been brave enough to try Thai Lotus Kitchen? 

Let us know your faves!

Thai Lotus Kitchen

3851 Cedar Springs

(214) 520-9385

Whole Foods: Mock Chicken Salad

Whole Foods launched their new Summer Salads this week. In addition to their original Vegan Chicken Salad made with baked tofu ($5.99/lb), they are also offering the Mock Chicken Salad made with soy nuggets ($9.99/lb) this season! As I mentioned in a previous post, the soy nuggets have the taste an texture of real chicken. This salad has a smoky flavor--quite different from the original Vegan Chicken Salad--and totally worth the extra 4 bucks!

Cyclone Anaya's

What can I say? I do love a good margarita. 

And Cyclone Anaya's has a killer one!

So I was willing to settle with the typical chips and salsa and forego a decent meal just to visit with my friends Nicholas and Lynsy at Cyclone Anaya's this past weekend. But to my surprise, my lunch at Cyclone turned out to be more than decent!

In addition to my (far too many) chips and salsa, I ordered sides of accidentally-vegan refried black beans, corn tortillas, and roasted jalapeños. The sides were all pretty fantastic! I chopped my jalapeños, mixed them into the black beans, spread the mix onto each tortilla, and doused them in salsa. Sloppy, delicious mess, I must say! 

I was sad to learn that the guacamole is not vegan, but the waiter suggested ordering a side of avocado wedges. Maybe I will next time and make my own guac!

Cyclone Anaya's

3211 Oak Lawn 

(214) 420-0030