This vegan fine-dining mecca's annual Southern Comfort night is a must. For one night a year, roulades and soufflés take a back seat to burger bars, deep-fried pickles, and ice cream sundaes.
Nothing beats their tasting menu, which has included vegan nachos, house-made ravioli, Asian dumplings, Seitan Chimichurri, Seitan Piccata, grilled potato cakes, and, the grande finale, vegan cannoli.
Must-gets: the Santa Fe Crispy Chickin’ Sandwich (battered chickin’ with lettuce, tomato, avocado, and spicy mayo), All Hail Kale salad, and Sweetheart Fries.
Our multi-course menu featured such gastronomies as a trio of chilled soups (spicy cucumber, tomato consomme, and grape-almond gazpacho), a charcuterie plate, seared potato gnocchi, and more. Wow.
An old-fashioned sundae glass was filled with cake batter soft-serve, chocolate peanut butter ice cream, hot fudge, pecan pralines, and coconut whipped cream—these are the things dreams are made of.
Oh, mango almond curry (complete with fresh mango and fried plantains) and stuffed flatbreads, will you marry me?
The Sunrise cocktail (a combination of fresh-squeezed orange and beet juice), crispy beignets, and French Toast Napoleon are showstopping.
My top picks: the Vegan Kibbeh (mushrooms, tomatoes, and onion in a wheat shell with a saffron sauce), and the Zahara (wild mushrooms, heirloom carrots, artichokes, and fennel over a farina cake).
For about $6, you can order a towering plate of vegetables and rice that can easily last two meals, but spice-lovers beware: as a strict Buddhist-run establishment, they use no onions or garlic.
I always go for the Indian Kitcheree soup, a yellow lentil dal with fresh spices, with a large scoop of brown rice, a huge organic vegetable salad, and a side of Dharma’s Lemon Tahini Dressing.
For about $5, I enjoyed a piping hot, freshly made masala dosa (lentil crêpe filled with a spicy potato mixture), hot sambar soup, and a dollop of coconut chutney.
