Hawaiian veggie-style

Since going vegan, one thing that I've missed is Hawaiian food.  During the late 90's and early 00's, I was a frequent guest at Punahele Island Grill in San Francisco until they closed.  After that, I would settle for L&L for my Hawaiian fix, though L&L never really had the same variety and home-style food and atmosphere as Punahele. 

When I went vegetarian then vegan, I gave up kahlua pork, Island Chicken, lomi lomi salmon, poke, and loco moco.  There was some sadness.  Yet, having already committed myself to healthy eating and serious weight loss by the time I went veg, I had already cut down on my Hawaiian food fix, including mac salad w/real Best Food mayo, which I loved.

Fast forward to this week, my girlfriend and I were looking for a place to eat in downtown Santa Cruz, and we happened upon Pono Hawaiian Grill, a new restaurant a block off the main drag of Pacific Ave.  Typically, menu-surfing at Hawaiian restaurants leaves me frustrated as the dishes are often very meat-heavy.  However, I was surprised to see great big V's up and down the outside menu indicating a good selection of vegetarian options and healthy alternatives.  I was so impressed to see more than just a Garden Burger!

Along with the standard Garden Burger, there were 3 veggie appetizers, 3 salads, 2 veggie options (in their own category - thank you very much), 2 desserts, and - drum roll please - vegetarian poke!  Yes, veggie poke.  I had to do a double take because Pono doesn't have just one vegetarian poke option.  They have two -- one made with tofu, one with avocado. 

I was impressed that I had a selection of home-style, mouth-watering options as a vegan in a Hawaiian restaurant.  Not only did the healthy, vegan menu draw me in, but the restaurant itself had inviting island decor, lively music, and an warm aloha spirit.  It wasn't my old Punahele, but it definitely wasn't the corporate L&L. 

We ordered at the front counter.  As an appetizer, I chose the Japanese-style Seaweed Salad ($4.75); for an entree, Steamed Teriyaki Veggies ($6.95) with brown rice (for an extra .75) and garden salad instead of mac salad (for an additional .75); and a side of their Tofu Island Style Poke (5.95), which was the recommendation of the cashier, who was also the only wait-staff.  She would take orders from the people standing in line, and upon hearing the "ding", she would tell the ordering customers to wait while she brought the food to the tables.  "Gotta serve the food hot," she would say.  She was busy and there were times the line got long.  It was a busy place for a Monday night.

Though there is a large outdoor eating area with a bar, we found a table inside and enjoyed the murals on the wall, the paintings of Hawaiian faces and places, the large swordfish hanging from the ceiling, the signed surfboards, the little kitchen hut from which the food was prepped and served.  We turned our back to the huge projection TV showing the Olympic Track trials, and instead watched the beautiful Santa Cruz sky change outside as the sun faded and a cool breeze set in.

In spite a little wait, our main courses came; the the salad and poke side however did not.  I needed to remind the server about them.  I was impressed with the size of the portions for the price.  They were not huge but plentiful; they were beautiful arranged, but most important, they were tasty. 

My teriyaki veggies included broccoli, carrots, sweet onion, edamame, mushrooms, and a pineapple slice covered with a teriyaki glaze & sesame seeds sprinkled on top.  The veggies were cooked well, just soft, and fresh.  The teriyaki sauce was not overly sweet and had a nice gingery undertone which highlighted the nutty bite of the sesame seeds.

The green salad had a beautiful House Sesame Vinagrette.  It was not overly doused, and went well with the mandarin oranges, carrots, onions, and mixed greens.  The purple cabbage however had a bitter taste.

I've always loved Japanese Seaweed Salad.  And though this one was a little heavyhanded in being drenched with the dressing (more seaweed would have been nice), it was a good balance of flavor of the soy, sugar, sesame, and ginger.

In terms of the tofu poke, I have to admit I had higher expectations.  I used to love eating ahi tuna poke and had hopes that it would be similar, but no.  The texture of tofu does not even come close to tuna.  And though the flavoring of soy, garlic, garlic, tomato, onion, and green onion was wonderfully balanced, light and refreshing, it wasn't the same as the poke I remembered when I was a meat-eater.  However, this tofu marinated in a poke-flavored sauce is nice to have as a veggie option.  It's delicious; it's just not "poke".

Though the taste of all our dishes were spot on, for me, the highlight is always the dessert.  In this case, it had nothing to do with Hawaiian food but was yum - vegan yum.  I thoroughly enjoyed the Mexican Mocha cookie ($2.25) by Kerri's Kreations, a local bakery, which provides wonderful organic vegan cookies to Pono.  The cookie was good size, and had a wonderful hit of cinnamon and spices giving the chocolate chips that Mexican hot chocolate flavor.  The espresso side of the cookie was not very pronounced, but I loved the moist chewy softness of the cookie which included whole grains for added texture.  It was not overly oily (which is always nice), and irregardless of the fact it was vegan and organic, it was still 5 star excellent.

Unfortunately they were out of the Chocolate Mac Nut Brownies this visit.  Thus, this non-vegan dessert for cacao-me will need to wait for the next trip when I sample as a starter, either the Hawaiian Style Fresh Spring Rolls or  B.T.'s "Da Mana Salad."  The Baked Tofu Stir Fry will be the entree, and of course, there is the other veggie poke to try - Mauka & Makal Poke - made of avocado.  We'll see if it is better than the tofu.

Overall assessment: 4.5 stars (out of 5)
Though the service was a little too laid back, overall, it was a wonderful veggie Hawaiian experience at Pono Hawaiian Grill.  There may not have been veggie options for kahlua pork or loco moco (at least not yet), but I'm glad that there is a place where you can embrace the island spirit, enjoy some beautiful Hawaiian flavors, and still uphold a commitment to healthy and compassionate eating as a vegan.

Chocolate: The Vegan Exception of Choice

A VEGAN restaurant that serves a NON-vegan chocolate cake. Who would have thought that such a place exists. Yet that is what Manzanita Restaurant in Emeryville offers, allowing vegan-me and cacao-me to unite. I could literally eat everything on the chalkboard menu and then some. And in this case, the "then some" was a piece of chocolate cake to go.



With a Saturday and Sunday lunch buffet, this organic macrobiotic vegan restaurant provides an all you can eat spread that is tasty, good for you, and good for the environment. It is such a relief for vegan-me to be able go to a restaurant and eat anything I want off the menu. No need to prepare beforehand, think about what's in a dish, ask questions about its preparation with the server, or compromise my vegan values. Instead, I can simply select, eat, and enjoy, allowing the beauty and flavors of the foods to nourish my body and spirit.

Did I mention it was an all you can eat buffet? I've begun to make it a Saturday destination, arriving at 11:30 when they open, leaving by 3:00 when they close, eating, studying, reading, and enjoying the food selections all the while. The turnip-carrot-miso soup, burdock-mushroom-carrot saute, leek-beet sauce, and apple corn cake during this last trip were absolutely excellent. I lost count but I think I filled 6, may be 5 plates, 4 soup bowls, and enjoyed 3 servings of dessert. (I did run 8.39 miles before starting my grub fest!)

When preparing to pay my $15.50 at the front counter, I noticed that there was a serving platter with 2 pieces of chocolate cake. There was a sign on top clearly stating that these $3.95 cake slices were NOT VEGAN.

A VEGAN restaurant that serves a NON-vegan chocolate cake = I had found a common ally in my vegan exception. I was no longer alone! Without hesitation, I asked for a slice to go.

When trying to place the first piece in the to-go box, the server accidentally dropped a chunk of the cake on the counter. I gasped in horror. She apologized, put the rest of the cake in the box, and then proceeded to place the second slice in a box for me to take. Though full from my luncheon feast, I was anxious to give this piece of cake a try. (There is always room for a sampling of chocolate cake!) And having no shame when it comes to chocolate, I asked if I could try the chunk that had fallen on the counter. It was about an inch in length, off the tip of the fallen cake, and simply called to me. The server said go ahead and try it, so I did.

It was not a bad bite, but I knew I would need time to analyze it, review it, and savor it more thoroughly at home. I was just so delighted that I could be in a vegan restaurant, enjoy a vegan lunch, have a NON-vegan chocolate cake, and eat it too! It was a divine moment. I was no longer alone in choosing chocolate as a vegan exception.

Based on appearance, it is clear that Manzanita's Chocolate Cake is homemade for it lacks that refined quality, that finished look, which one often finds in a restaurant cake made by a professionally trained pastry chef. The cake itself was crumbly and the frosting was uneven and a bit runny. But when it comes to chocolate cake, it's not about the look but the taste. I've sampled my share of cakes that were lovely to behold but lousy on the palate. This cake may have looked home baked, but from my counter-top taste test, I knew it was pretty good, even though it was not a slice of dark chocolate cake, my preference.

While the center of this semisweet cake was soft and moist, the edges however were a bit dry and hard, reflecting uneven cooking. The smooth light brown colored frosting did help soften the edges, and with its kahluha and cognac infusions, it also highlighted the subtle chocolate flavor of the cake. The alcohol in the frosting along with the sprinkling of cocoa on top added a nice depth of character to a fairly ordinary chocolate cake.

Overall assessment: 3 cacao beans (out of 5) for the cake. 5 out of 5 for the restaurant as it is the perfect place for vegan-me and cacao-me to unite. And besides, they have an excellent weekend buffet. Though the cake was average, the frosting did bump up its overall taste quality creating a nice non-vegan cake at this vegan restaurant. Though I would love Manzanita to eventually serve a vegan chocolate cake, until they do, I am glad that they like me have made chocolate their vegan exception.

(review date: 2009_11-21)

A Chocolate World: Bittersweet Drinking Chocolate

"Whoa! Now that's bittersweet." A rather appropriate first reaction to my first sip of bittersweet drinking chocolate during my first trip to Bittersweet Cafe in Oakland.

I had heard about Bittersweet Cafe and their drinking chocolate when I returned from Italy this summer, and was looking forward to my first visit to this chocolate destination. Though my first Bittersweet sampling was different than what I had previously enjoyed in LaVerna and at Ghirardelli, I was not disappointed.

My experience with drinking chocolate up to that moment had been in the "classical" tradition, which is sweet and creamy and made with milk. Bittersweet drinking chocolate is made in the French and Belgian tradition, with the darkest chocolates, and finished with water, rather than dairy making it vegan! Thus, the liquidity of this European-style chocolate drink is similar to coffee - not as smooth and creamy as the classical style - and while more watery in texture, it is far from watery in taste.

Though this warmed chocolate delight was served without a spoon, I asked for one so to slowly savor each sip. As I gently joined the light brown froth, which filled the cup to the brim, with its rich dark contents below, the intense smell of fresh ground chocolate filled the air. When the chocolate brew first enlightened my palate, the initial bittersweet bite was unexpectedly expected. I knew that this would not be a sweetened chocolate drink, but I was surprised by the deep earthy flavor, which I had previously enjoyed only in a good chocolate bar.

I asked the chocolate baristas the percentage of cacao in their Bittersweet drinking chocolate. They did not know but guessed it was about 72%, with four types of dark chocolate used. The classical drinking chocolates I was familiar with had only 53-58% cacao.

Cacao percentages refer to the total cacao content in a chocolate, which is everything derived from the cocoa bean. The three cocoa components are: (1) chocolate liquor = the unsweetened chocolate, which contains no alcohol and is a smooth liquid made of the ground up center (nib) of the cocoa bean; (2) cocoa butter = the fat of the cocoa bean which is not a dairy product, making all dark chocolate vegan; and (3) cocoa powder - the cocoa solids resulting from pressing cocoa butter out of chocolate liquor.

72% cacao in Bittersweet drinking chocolate means that the remaining 28% is made up of sugar, vanilla, and other ingredients. Since higher cacao content indicates that the chocolate is less sweet with a more intense chocolate flavor, knowing the cacao percentage helps the chocolate connoisseur select a chocolate to satisfy their cravings - milk, sweet, semi-sweet, bittersweet. Though research on the health benefits of chocolate and higher cacao content continues, it is still best, I believe, to consume chocolate, like everything else, in moderation.

After gracefully sipping my first spoonful of Bittersweet drinking chocolate, I wanted to slurp the rest of it down. It was so good, so addicting. I decided however to slow it down, enjoy the experience, and savor each spoonful as I sat by the cafe window, read for my thesis, and relished the intense chocolate flavor of my afternoon treat. It took me an hour to get to the bottom, and because I believe it is a crime to waste good chocolate, I licked the bottom of the cup clean! (I have no shame when chocolate is at stake.)

While the Oakland location on College Ave near the Rockridge BART station is not too far from school, I plan to check out the San Francisco and Danville locations and to try their other drinks, which include Spicy drinking chocolate, which comes with a kick of pepper and a hint of cinnamon and rose, as well as "The Classic." Bars, pastries, and t-shirts are also featured in the store as well as online.

With an ambiance conducive for studying and quiet conversation, Bittersweet Cafe is a great place to spend an afternoon. At $3.95 plus tax for an excellent cup of an intense chocolate delight, the price is also reasonable.

In some ways my looming unemployment is a blessing. It will definitely limit my drinking chocolate consumption this semester for everything is best in moderation, including chocolate.

A Chocolate World: Ghirardelli Drinking Chocolate

Friends who've known me for years find it odd that I now have such a chocolate obsession. The reality is I never liked chocolate until I began losing weight about 5 years ago. One day the chocolate lust hit and it hasn’t yet gone away.

Thus, I traveled half way around the world to experience my first cup of drinking chocolate only to find that a luscious cup was always available in my own backyard of San Francisco. I just never knew it.

A few weeks back our summer staff at camp wanted me to take them on a San Francisco tourist outing. Cable cars, Chinatown, Pier 39, Fisherman's Wharf, and of course, Ghirardelli Square were on the agenda.

Ghirardelli Square is known the world over as THE San Francisco chocolate destination and is the company's flagship retail location. Ghirardelli Chocolate Company is the second-oldest chocolate company in the US, founded in 1852 by Italian chocolatier, Domingo Ghirardelli. [1] In 1893, the company was expanding and relocated its operation to what is now Ghirardelli Square. San Francisco declared the site an official city landmark in 1965. In 1967, the company moved its production facilities to San Leandro, and turned the buildings and original chocolate making equipment into a popular tourist destination.

Because Ghirardelli's ice cream is exclusively made from cow's milk, I wasn't sure what I would have during our tourist visit. I was thinking a brownie (as chocolate baked goods are my vegan exception), but when I saw "Decadent Drinking Chocolate" on the menu, I immediately knew what I wanted. And after a cold windy day along the bay, I knew a cup of warm chocolate would definitely hit the spot. And it did.

Though I was the first to order, my afternoon dessert was the last to arrive but I knew the wait would be worth it.

I was surprised that I could taste the difference between the LaVerna drinking chocolate and the one from Ghirardelli. Though LaVerna's drink was darker in color and had a rich textured consistency, it was slightly sweeter than the cup I enjoyed at Ghirardelli, which was more milky with a subtle bitter bite. The different amount of cacao percentage is the reason for this taste difference. LaVerna's dark chocolate has 53% cacaoa as opposed to Ghirardelli's 58%.

Both of these drinking chocolates are made in the classic way, with a semi-sweet chocolate and blended with milk, as opposed to the traditional French and Belgian style which uses a 60% bittersweet or 70% extra bittersweet cacao and is finished with water. This more traditional European way is thus, non-dairy, and better corresponds to my vegan values, making my vegan-life much happier. I plan to share my bittersweet chocolate drinking experience in an upcoming blog.

Though the LaVerna drinking chocolate was sweeter, I preferred the dark rich dense texture, over the lighter more liquidy version at Ghirardelli. There was a depth in the overall flavor and experience to the cup at LaVerna that I truly enjoyed and savored. While I did appreciate the bitter chocolate edge at Ghirardelli, it was however more milky, smooth, and monotone in flavor. Even though I took my time sipping it, the brew was gone way too fast, and without swishing it around in my mouth, hard to fully enjoy. LaVerna's drinking chocolate, however, served with a small spoon, lasted for a while, and was definitely more dessert than drink. Ghirardelli's on the other hand was more drink than dessert.

Overall I did enjoy my cup of drinking chocolate at Ghirardelli, and it did live up to its menu description providing an "intense chocolate flavor in every rich velvety sip." At $4.95, it may be more expensive than my 2 euro cup at LaVerna, but at least I don't have to fly to Italy to indulge.

Footnote:
[1] Baker's Chocolate is the oldest chocolate company in America, founded in 1780.

Also note, the 14th annual Ghirardelli Chocolate Festival will be held on September 12-13, 2009. I'm planning to take in the experience on Saturday the 12th. Email me if you are interested. $20 gets you 15 tastings. A real deal, if you ask me!

Restaurant review: CAFÉ GRATITUDE

"There's something wonderful about going to a restaurant and being able to order anything from the menu."
Those were the words of delight from my cousin the other day as I treated her out for a much belated birthday meal at Café Gratitude, a raw vegan restaurant. This was my first time at Café Gratitude, and her first time at the original location just blocks from her and her husband's new home in the Mission.

After Mother's Day dinner with my parents this weekend, when my selections at the very nice Italian restaurant were extremely slim, my cousin's words ring especially true. I thoroughly enjoyed the total splurge at Café Gratitude with drinks, appetizer, main entrée, and dessert. And though the $50 I spent felt steep, it was definitely worth it in comparison to the $75 I spent on Mother's Day, for a salad and soup, which left my taste buds longing for something more.

I am grateful for places like Café Gratitude, which I am discovering. Actually, on my first visit, I was not only "grateful" but I was also "insightful" (with spring rolls), "graceful" (with Indian Bahraini), "youthful" (with fresh almond milk) and "adoring" (with tiramisu). My cousin found herself "insightful" and "adoring" also, but in addition she was "accepting" (with a sushi bowl) and "effervescent" (with house ginger ale).

Just reflecting on our meal after my Mother's Day dinner "rations", I am reliving the taste bud sensations. Aha... It was a divinely delightful experience. There is little to critique, other than I wish there was a location near my place and that the meals weren't so expensive. Yet, I recognize the fresh tastes, the organic ingredients, and care given to ensure quality, especially during challenging economic times, so I understand the prices. I just wish my employer would understand that too when it comes to my paycheck!

While the food feeds the body, the café is also intended to feed the soul. Each item on the menu is named "I am ____", followed by a positive attribute to reflect the philosophy and lifestyle which gave rise to this "movement", now in four locations -- San Francisco in the Mission and Sunset, Berkeley, and the newest location, San Rafael.

Based on their life journeys, Matthew & Terces Engelhart developed the Abounding River board game in 2002 to share their experiences with others. The purpose of the game is to help people transform from a place of scarcity to a place of abundance. It's about "being abundance", training people in a day to day practice as well as discovering a spiritual foundation that opens up to a whole new way of looking at money and resources. The Engelharts want people to experience themselves as being the source of unlimited supply.

After leading workshops based on the game around the country, the couple felt that the next step was opening a gaming parlor that served food - a raw food gaming parlor. Café Gratitude was born, with original recipes developed by Terces, vegetarian and raw with no wheat, dairy, or sugar.

As the website, which features the beautiful artwork of the board game, states: "Café Gratitude is our expression of a world of plenty. Our food and people are a celebration of our aliveness. We select the finest organic ingredients to honor the earth and ourselves, as we are one and the same. We support local farmers, sustainable agriculture and environmentally friendly products. Our food is prepared with love."

You can literally taste the love while there, as well as play the game. While my cousin and I really didn't know about the gaming parlor aspects while there for nearly 2 hours, we did feel the love as we enjoyed good food, encouraging conversation, and friendly wait staff who answered questions, and even let me look at a recipe book to see ingredients in the desserts! It was sweet, and I am "thankful" as I eagerly awaiting the next opportunity to get there again, to not just enjoy the food, but to play the game and to be "abundance" as well.

Restaurant review: BOK CHOY GARDEN

The Lunar New Year began this past week, and to honor my Chinese heritage, I went out to dinner with my parents and grandmother to celebrate. Because my folks are considerate of my vegan diet when we go out, when I suggested a vegetarian Chinese restaurant near my grandmother's apartment, they were open to giving it a try.

To be honest, I was surprised that my parents were so willing to take my suggestion. This would be their first vegetarian dining experience, but I had every confidence that Bok Choy Garden on Clemet St, near 19th Avenue in San Francisco would not disappoint. And it did not.


Bok Choy Garden is definitely my choice when it comes to vegan Chinese restaurants in the City, if not the Bay Area. I first brought my veg cousins and grandmother there early last year. They liked it. My cousins in turn brought their mom (my aunt) and the rest of their family, along with my grandmother, numerous times since.

Ken, the "shaved head" owner since 2006, along with the wait staff are personable and helpful, answering my questions in English, but also answering my grandmother's questions in Chinese. (If you ask, they have a Chinese-English menu.) While Ken has adapted some of the dishes from the previous owners, he has created some new specialties, with sauces that are vegan, delicious, and familiar in Chinese flavors. (He hopes to bottle them but needs a manufacturer.)

Though parking in this Richmond neighborhood is tough after 6 pm, we pulled up at 5:15 to a parking space right in front of the restaurant. (The wonders of eating early!) We also had no problem getting a table, as the place is small, with limited seating. The restaurant was full by the time we left.

In preparing to order, my grandmother knew exactly what she wanted - crispy taro roll appetizers, wrapped in soy, cut into rolls and fried, served with a light sweet and sour sauce. (We let her enjoy two of the six.) Because my grandmother should not live on appetizers alone, we also ordered for her a cabbage tofu clay pot which was full of other exotic Chinese sea veggies which are familiar, but unnamable to me, yet still enjoyable.

My mom loves eggplant, so we ordered for her braised eggplant in the house special sauce. (My preference however is the spicier version on the menu). At other restaurants, the eggplant swims in oil, but at Bok Choy Garden, the eggplant breathes life, and is gently stir fried, not mushy, in a mild sauce with a subtle kick.

My dad who says, "I'll eat anything", originally wanted to try one of the fake meat beef dishes. But when he discovered that they were all spicy, he settled back into the "whatever". We thus decided to order the crispy veggies with walnuts, a healthy vegan twist to walnut prawns. Though the walnuts looked plain, they were addictive, lightly sweetened and served with a wonderful array of veggies that included snow peas, carrots, water chestnuts, celery, and a mysterious sweet root vegetable. We had our suspicions, and knew it was not turnip so we asked. While my grandma and the wait staff came up with the Chinese name, Ken made the final call in English to confirm that yes, it was jicama, as my mom suspected.

The one dish I really wanted to try was the portobello mushroom and soft tofu, which turned out to be the table favorite. With a huge mushroom perfectly cooked, covering a generous portion of broccoli and tofu, it was not only delicious, but as my mom said, beautifully arranged on the platter.

For the four of us, the four entries plus appetizer, plus an order of white rice and an order of brown rice, was more than enough with leftovers to take home. Though the meal ended with the check, the check came with a delightful complementary dessert, a wonderful surprise, which I won't give away, but many customers afterwards purchase a box of them to go. They are that good.

Other dishes that have gotten a thumbs up:
- One of my cousins really likes the taro casserole with coconut milk.
- The tofu and broccoli with curry sauce over spinach is excellent.
- Before I ran the SF Marathon in July, I carb loaded with a satisfying platter of pan-fried noodles with lohan veggies (chopped rather than shredded).

My grandmother appreciates Bok Choy Garden because unlike traditional Chinese restaurants where my other relatives take her, there is no MSG, and minimal oil in the preparations. My mom was impressed with the variety of selections. It took us a long time to decide what to eat, and through the evening as other tables ordered, the wait staff was often making suggestions. My dad liked the prices and was impressed with the portions, though he as a meat eater racks it up to "it's because there's no meat which is why it's so cheap." (I disagree but that's a topic for another blog.)

For me, I like Bok Choy Garden because they serve brown rice for no additional charge! (It's the little things that make vegan-me happy.)

A shortened version of this review may be found at HappyCow net.

Happy cow. Happy vegan.

In these past months, I really have enjoyed my vegan journey. It has not been as difficult as I thought it might have been, though eating out (especially with meat-eaters) has been my biggest challenge. I am learning, however, to navigate those dining experiences as I discover resources on-line, which are making it easier for vegan-me to find food anywhere. One important resource I recently discovered: HappyCow.net

HappyCow's Vegetarian Guide offers an international, searchable directory of vegetarian and vegan restaurants and natural health food stores, and includes recipes, cookbooks, and information on vegan and vegetarian issues related to nutrition, health, diet, and travel.

With reviews, ratings, and a brief description of the menu, the restaurant search has become the most valuable resource on the site for me. I used it to find Bean Sprouts, a Chinese vegetarian restaurant in Arcadia, when visiting a friend in Southern California last month. I used it to find Udupi, a vegan-friendly Indian restaurant in Berkeley, when friends from London were in town. And most recently, I used it on Thursday.

In a last minute decision, the camp where I live and work needed me to drive 2 people to Oakland airport through rush hour traffic. They offered to reimburse my gas expenses and dinner before I head back up the mountain. With a free dinner at a restaurant of my choosing, how could I refuse? I immediately logged onto HappyCow, and discovered Central Vegetarian Cuisine in Alameda. They had no link to a website or menu, but from the airport, I could get there via surface streets and avoid freeway traffic. With "vegan-friendly, Chinese, Thai" as the description, it seemed like it would be the right place for me. And it was.

A grand re-opening sign was still up on the front of the Park Avenue entrance, near Lincoln. Street parking around the corner was easy. Though the restaurant is a single store front and small, the décor was clean, contemporary, airy, and inviting. With only a few customers, I snagged a table with a view of the street and proceeded to enjoy my solo dinner down from the mountain, courtesy of the camp.

Though "fake meat" selections were listed throughout the menu (I don't do "fake meat" when I have the choice), there were plenty of other options. A note on the bottom of the menu ("Majority of our dishes can be made Vegan") made me smile. No worries about what I would eat here, even though the grand re-opening menu was more Vietnamese than Thai in its selections.

Since it was just vegan-me, it took a while to decide what one dish to order. I toggled between a few as there were many I wanted to try. I selected the Sesame eggplant tofu with brown rice on the side, and within minutes, it came out on a good size platter. The Japanese eggplant tasted fresh and was not mushily overcooked. The tofu was firm, lightly pan-fried and pleasantly seasoned. Though the sauce was a bit heavy in garlic, overall, it was a very nice entree. With good food and pleasant environment, I'll definitely go back to Central Veg in Alameda.

The best highlight of the evening, however (and another reason why I'll return), is the unexpected dessert on this ethnic food menu - Vegan mocha chocolate cake.** Seeing it, vegan-me was happy. Enjoying it with a glass of cold soy milk, vegan-me was VERY happy. Knowing the camp would reimburse me for it, priceless!


**THE CHOCOLATE CAKE REVIEW:
Though the vegan mocha chocolate cake at Central Vegetarian was dark and moist, it was on the lighter side and lacked the dense texture and rich taste I appreciate and prefer. It was not overly sweet, which was nice, but it did lack the subtle bitter chocolate bite that I associate with superior cake quality. It was a nice cake, but the cake needed the mocha and chocolate frosting to give it a full chocolate depth. My grade: B.

Restaurant review: GARDEN FRESH

One would think a restaurant named "Garden Fresh" would feature a salad bar, whole fruits and vegetables, and even a raw foods menu. Fortunately, for me and my friends this weekend, we went to this Mountain View hole-in-the-wall, knowing we would be eating at a popular Chinese vegetarian/vegan restaurant. With veggies covered in typical Chinese sauces, spices, and stir-fry, we simply trust that the vegetables served were really "garden fresh".

If you are looking for a place that serves dishes that taste and look like a "traditional" Chinese restaurant (yet without meat), this is the place for you. For me and my dining companions (3 meat eaters, 1 vegetarian, and vegan-me), this was the perfect place. Though we enjoyed a tasty, reasonably priced, Chinese vegetarian meal with good service, personally, I am not into "mock meat" meals and deep-fried dishes.

Our dinner began with appetizers. For the price ($2.50 for 4), the Taro Spring Rolls were nothing to write home about. Filled with cabbage, they were small and too oily for my taste. However, the Scallion Pancakes were delicious with a light drizzling of sweet and sour sauce and carrots on the side. They were also not as greasy as similar pancakes in other places. It makes sense why one of our friends says, "These pancakes are what this place is known for."

Along with the 2 appetizers, we ordered 4 family-style dinner entrées for the 5 of us. The dishes were good size, and there was plenty to eat with brown rice served as the "default" rice.

According to the meat-eating fiancé of the vegetarian who frequents this place, one dish we had to order was the Vegetarian Curry Chicken. So we did. "The first time I had this," she said, "I wouldn't have guessed it wasn't chicken." After trying it, one of the other meat-eaters agreed. After my first bite, however, I knew those chunks weren't chicken, but soy bean gluten, and definitely not to my liking. While the curry sauce was mild, but tasty, I definitely did not care for the dish, which really did not need the "chicken". More vegetables or some tofu chunks in the sauce would have been just fine for me.

While the "chicken" in the curry did not measure up in my estimation as a "meat substitute", the soy bean gluten vegi-pork did. The deep frying of the "meat chunks" probably helped, but the sauce was very balanced, not too sweet, all served on a generous portion of broccoli. It was the first platter that was cleaned.

The two dishes I especially enjoyed were the dishes that were not trying to be something else. The Tofu Delight was delightful, with tofu and vegetables in black bean sauce. And the Kun Pao Eggplant was a "wow", with a nice hot and spicy kick, which complemented the Japanese eggplant, tofu, bell peppers, and water chestnuts. (This was my entrée choice and I think it was the winner!)

Overall it was a good dinner, and I will definitely go back to the place. There are lots of dishes I want to try, like the Stuffed Chinese Cabbage Deluxe or the 100 Layer Tofu, but you can be sure the Roasted Vegetarian Chicken will not be one of them.