In late September I was delighted to receive an email from a representative of Araka in Clayton informing me that the chef had recently added a number of new vegetarian and vegan items to the menu and suggesting that I come in to give them a try so as to post a review here. I was about two seconds from leaving for vacation but I quickly hopped on over to the site to see what was on offer and replied that I would definitely make a reservation when we got back in town.
Fast forward to last week when my husband and I made good on my promise to visit in celebration of our anniversary on the 24th. I decided to put off the reservation until then because Araka is a little fancier/pricier than an average (non-occasion) dinner out for us. I checked the menu online that day just to be sure all the new items were still available and proceeded to get super excited about trying everything out!
When we sat down at our table, I opened the menu just to take one last glance and to my great dismay, found that two of the three items I had planned to order were nowhere to be found. When I questioned our server about the differing menus online and in the restaurant and the whereabouts of the “new” vegan items I’d heard so much about, I was told that the menu had been changed again just a day or two earlier and obviously, not yet updated on the site. Ok…
What I had planned to order was the crispy tempeh bites appetizer, simple green salad (which featured raspberries) and soy-mirin tofu as an entree. The one new item I was interested in that still appeared on the new, new menu was the crispy tempeh bites appetizer. The salad was still there, but had a completely different description that included gorgonzola cheese crumbles even though it was marked “v” (for vegan) on the menu (more on that later). I was told the soy-mirin tofu had morphed into a pasta dish now branded “Green Tea Noodles” and covered in a ginger-hoison sauce. Color me unhappy.
I went ahead and ordered the tempeh bites, new simple green salad sans cheese and the green tea noodles (despite the fact that I loathe ginger). I was told that the only vegetarian entree still on the menu, roasted acorn squash, could easily be made vegan, but as luck would have it, I hate squash even more than I hate ginger, so there you go.
My husband enjoyed the crispy tempeh bites, and they weren’t bad but I think there’s way too much tempeh, not enough crispy going on there. And the sauce was unpleasant. My entree was so-so. The tofu was a little too soft for my tastes and, of course, I could have done without the ginger. You’ll notice that I skipped over the salad. That would be because as mediocre as the rest of my meal at Araka was, the salad was dynamite!
I assume the ingredients on this change with the season. Right now it’s apple cider vinaigrette, red pear, gorgonzola (optional), croutons and toasted walnuts on a bed of baby greens. You all know I’m not big on salads, but this salad was SO good I was almost mad I had to share it with my husband! The dressing was uh-mazing. I’ve since tried to duplicate it at home, to no avail. I’m not giving up though! I enjoyed this so much that I obviously forgot to take a picture of it before I ate it all.
So, the salad and the fact that Tony LaRussa was seated a few tables away from us about mid-way through our meal, totally saved the Araka experience for me. Sans Tony sighting though, that’s pretty thin ice to be skating on for a meal that cost as much as it did.
Although I was ticked that the menu items I’d been asked to try weren’t still available just one month later, I’m told that frequently changing up the menu is pretty standard here, so I suppose that’s forgivable. What is not cool though, is not immediately updating the online menu anytime there is a change. If there is a menu available online (and there should be!), it should be the exact same menu that customers are handed in the dining room – no exceptions. This is especially important for diners with restricted diets, for health reasons or otherwise.
Also not cool, botching menu designations for items that are appropriate for special populations. In Araka’s case, that’s gluten-free, vegetarian and vegan. I certainly appreciate the effort and I see that this has since been fixed on the online menu (which has also since been updated). I”m also sure it was an innocent mistake, but it’s a problem for two reasons:
If I restrict my diet for health reasons, an allergy to dairy for example, I may be less careful about reading descriptions or asking questions on items that are marked dairy-free (vegan). If something is mistakenly marked and I eat it, it could be life threatening.
I noticed two items on the menu that were marked vegan that had cheese listed in their descriptions. As a vegan, this makes me nervous that the chef doesn’t really understand what it means for a food to be vegan. I start wondering about what might be lurking in the other things I ordered.
So, overall not the most awesome experience. However, if you’re a vegan in St. Louis, your options for higher-end dining are a tad limited and you certainly have to appreciate that Araka is really trying. I would definitely consider this place for a special occasion, but just be sure to check the menu to verify that there will be appealing vegan items available before you go (and confirm that the online menu is up to date) and read descriptions carefully when you order.
I still can’t believe how long it took me to get to SweetArt. This adorable little bakery/cafe is nestled on a quiet stretch of S. 39th St. and is arguably the city’s best source of vegan baked goods and treats. Considering that, it seems rather ridiculous that I only just visited for the first time this past weekend!
Unfortunately, part of that is due to SweetArt’s limited hours. Since they close throughout the week (W-F) at six, our only option really is Saturday, when they’re now open from 9-5. We decided to stop in for lunch last weekend, and apparently, so did everyone else! Because they make everything to-order, it seems there is some significant lag time between placing orders and receiving your food. If you stop in during a particularly busy time, say lunch on a Saturday, that could mean you’ll be spending a little more time than your tummy would like waiting in line.
The good news is, it’s worth the wait! While everything at SweetArt is vegetarian, not all items are vegan. There are still plenty of outright vegan choices on the menu though, and there is a prominent note that mentions how anything on offer can be made vegan upon request. Cha-ching!
Andy ordered their classic Sweet Burger, which is the only constant on their ever-changing lineup. I myself had a vegan BLT, sans “magic,” which is some kind of vegan mayo concoction. Sandwiches can be ordered in half or full portions and most entrees come with a choice of fruit or Billy Goat Chips on the side. I ordered a half size sandwich (because there were treats to be had!) and it was still plenty big.
Both of our meals were yummy, though Andy was slightly disappointed that the Sweet Burger is more of a faux-meat burger rather than a “not trying to be beef” veggie burger. That’s just his personal tastes though. I like both styles. Really just depends on what I’m in the mood for.
We took our desserts to-go…but they didn’t last long! You know I didn’t miss the opportunity to sample at least two cupcake flavors, ordering a vegan red-velvet and vegan “harmony” (yellow-ish cake w/chocolate icing). Andy ordered himself a non-veg “hummingbird” cupcake which is an old-fashioned layer cake loaded with bananas, pineapples and toasted pecans with a cream cheese frosting.
I ate the harmony cupcake as soon as we got home and enjoyed it thoroughly. I had the red-velvet on Sunday (shortly after breakfast!) and it too was good. One thing to note: both cupcakes tasted quite a bit alike. Considering how different those two flavors are supposed to be, that’s a little weird – no complaints though!
Maybe the best thing about SweetArt is the atmosphere. It sort of doubles as an art studio for the couple who owns it (she’s the cook, he’s the artist). It’s clear that the entire place has been thoughtfully decorated by the two of them and all the small, personal touches are nice. It makes for a very casual and comfortable place to enjoy a meal. Or a treat. Or both!
Oh, one more thing! As you would expect from any bakery, SweetArt accepts custom orders for cakes, cookies and other goodies. So the next time you’ve got a celebration planned with a vegan guest of honor, this is the place to order up something delish for dessert! This is probably also your best bet for a lovely vegan wedding cake in St. Louis. Stop in or call for more info.
Once again, I didn’t remember to take a picture before I started eating. Awesome.
I have been wanting to stop in at Atomic Cowboy for ages! This past weekend, Andy and I finally got around to trying this place out. Overall, the food was pretty decent but I think the main attraction at Atomic Cowboy is the atmosphere and frequent live music guests.
We arrived pretty early because I know this place tends to turn into much more of a venue than a restaurant in the evenings and I was really primarily interested in the food. We ended up catching the tail end of the St. Louis “Slutwalkers” who congregated here at the end of their demonstration. Needless to say, there was some great people watching to be done over the course of our meal.
There are several vegan options on the menu at Atomic Cowboy and even more when you consider that the kitchen is willing and able to veganize anything else they possibly can. I had the “vegan version” of the grilled portobello mushroom sandwich with mexican rice instead of chips and salsa (only because we had ordered chips and salsa with guac as an appetizer). Though this wasn’t really anything I couldn’t easily duplicate at home, it was a perfectly tasty meal.
Given the atmosphere, don’t expect to be able to carry on much of a conversation when you dine here, as the music is just a smidge too loud to talk over comfortably. I also highly recommend avoiding the bathrooms, if possible. Aside from those two caveats, I’d say this place is definitely worth a trip if you’ve never been. The service was very, very friendly and the prices super affordable. I’m not sure how it’s possible that I didn’t sample an order of the Gaucho fries while I was there, so I’m certain we’ll stop in again at some point to rectify that glaring oversight.
Well, here she is, the last option for non-DIY vegan pizza in St. Louis (as far as I know/for the time being!), PW Pizza.
PW opened just a few months ago in the first floor of the Centennial Malt House on Chouteau, also home to Moulin, Malt House Cellar, Vin de Set and Grand Petite Market. Named for the first initials of its creators, PW offers up gourmet pies, salads, soups and desserts, plus a grand selection of craft beer and wine.
The idea is that ingredients here are fresh, seasonal and (as much as possible) local. Of particular interest to you and I, in addition to the pizza basics, PW also has options for veggie, vegan and gluten-free diners. Woot!
This is where Andy and I had dinner on my birthday last month (yeah, I’m that serious about pizza you guys) and it was mmm, mmm good! The ingredients do indeed taste super fresh and the selection of toppings is so large that it made it fairly difficult to choose – good problem to have. I believe I eventually settled on caramelized onions, artichoke hearts and wild mushrooms. Like Whole Foods and Pi, the vegan cheese option at PW is Daiya.
As far as the crust here, I’m torn. Negative: it’s thin. Positive: it is still fairly soft and chewy. Overall, the taste is good though, and that’s what really matters. The original crust at PW is vegan but the gluten-free is not. Unfortunately, the Honey Wheat crust is a no-go for obvious reasons, which I was bummed about (I sort of despise eating refined grains, they feel like a waste of calories).
I actually can’t recall if PW allows half and half splits, but it doesn’t really matter because the pizzas here only come in one size (12′) and it’s too small to share (for us anyway!). Unfortunately, that means you’ll spend a little more than you might expect for pizza, but on an occasional basis, it’s acceptable.
Overall, I really enjoyed PW and I’m sure we’ll be stopping in from time to time. Always great to have yet another option for vegan pizza in St. Louis!
Karyn’s Cooked is one of two vegan restaurants in Chicago owned by Karyn Calabrese, a well-known holistic health guru. The menu here is entirely vegan and chock-full of tried and true comfort foods.
Unlike Handlebar, Karyn’s cooked is well within walking distance from the main tourist area in Chicago but not so much that you’re likely to have to wait too long for a table, if at all. Andy and I hoofed it over to N. Wells on Saturday evening for dinner and we were both very impressed with the overall experience.
First of all, I’d almost forgotten what it felt like to peruse a menu without wondering about ingredients or peppering the server with questions about what might be vegan. It felt like such a luxury to be able to order absolutely anything I wanted! Second, the size and variety of the menu at Karyn’s is exceptional. It almost made me angry to think about how near I used to live to where this place now sits.
Anyway, I ordered a meatball sandwich with a side of mac and cheese. The sandwiches all come with two potato wedges and coleslaw, which unfortunately, cannot be substituted for anything else, so yet again, I ended up with too much food. Andy opted for the green enchiladas – also a ton of food.
Both of us thoroughly enjoyed our meals and even though we were too stuffed to consider dessert, we couldn’t resist a ginormous chocolate chip cookie to-go. I can report that it too was delish.
The quality and inventiveness of the food at Karyn’s is top-notch. Definitely worth a stop the next time you’re in Chicago. I really wished we’d have had enough room to try one of their pizzas (ya’ll know how I feel about pizza), so I’m sure we’ll be back again sometime to give it a go!
This past weekend, Andy and I decided to take off on a little getaway to Chicago. We lived there for several years when we were each studying for our Master’s and it’s always nice to go back and spend some time seeing old friends and getting reacquainted with the city.
Unfortunately, I was not vegan when we lived in Chicago (most of the time we were there, I wasn’t even vegetarian yet!), so I really missed out on all the perks of being vegan in a major city. Color me bummed. However, that doesn’t mean that I can’t take full advantage of easily accessible, delicious vegan fare when we visit – and that’s just what we did!
I planned to stop in at three fantastic vegan spots during our stay, but our breakfast at the famed Chicago Diner was foiled by the gay pride parade on Sunday morning, so I’ve only got two places to highlight this time. Don’t you worry though. I shall return and bring home more tales of delicious vegan eats from the Windy City.
First up is where we ate our last meal before we had to head back down 55, Handlebar. This was the most low-key and least-hyped vegan place I planned to visit on our trip and it ended up being the best meal we had all weekend. We stopped in for brunch on Monday morning and ended up eating ourselves silly.
Handlebar is a mostly vegetarian establishment (fish appears on the menu a few times) with numerous vegan options. Everything vegan is clearly marked on the menu, so there’s no confusion about what’s what – something I always appreciate. I ordered the vegan breakfast burrito and one piece of vegan french toast (I couldn’t resist!) which was WAY too much food, but I was on vacation!
The burrito went a little something like this: seitan chorizo, potato, avocado, cilantro and spinach with sides of beans and salsa. The chorizo tasted a lot more like traditional crumbled breakfast sausage than chorizo, but it was absolutely to die for. I could not stop thinking about how awesome it would be on pizza. I also have to mention that the potatoes were the bomb! Perfectly crispy and seasoned. So, so good. Basically, that was the theme of our experience at Handlebar. Though the ingredients were all fairly run of the mill, each of them was exceptionally good. This place is definitely a step above the rest in that regard.
Same goes for the french toast. Pretty much indistinguishable from traditional french toast, as I would expect, but the addition of the candied pecans and pure maple syrup kicked things up a notch.
In addition to high-quality food, the service and atmosphere at Handlebar are very friendly and laid-back. It’s a little off the beaten path for tourists, but that’s sort of part of the appeal. It’s definitely worth hopping on the blue line or cabbing it out to Wicker Park. All in all, it’s a pretty great little place.
Even though I want to experience as much vegan food as Chicago has to offer, I’m fairly certain we’ll be stopping back in at Handlebar next time we’re in town. On a related note: it’s now my mission in life to recreate that seitan chorizo. I’ll keep you posted on my progress.
Red Robin is a favorite amongst my crew at work. Despite the emphasis on cow at this place, that works out a-ok for me because you can sub in a vegan Boca patty for any burger on their menu. I always do my own thing, opting for lettuce, tomato, onion and A.1. steak sauce – which is vegan!
Interesting sidenote: A.1. actually played a big role in helping me to go vegetarian way back in the day. I never ate a steak without it and it turned out just the taste of the sauce was enough to fool my taste buds into thinking I was eating real beef. Additionally, the strong flavor of A.1. (which I happen to love) goes a long way towards enhancing the taste of somewhat less savory foods, so I continue to use it liberally on burgers and the like.
Back to the matter at hand though, as usual, I opted for fries with my burger. There are lots more (healthier) vegan choices like steamed veggies and melon wedges to choose from if that’s how you roll but I’m a fool for french fries. Always have been.
Though it wouldn’t usually be my first choice for a meal out, it’s still good to know there are vegan options at Red Robin. As I said, it’s often the lunch choice du jour at my office so it’s great to be able to tag along with the carnivores without having to eat like them!
All-you-can-eat vegan brunch with proceeds benefiting Gateway Pet Guardians? Now that’s an idea I can get behind!
If you read my review of Black Bear Bakery this week and were thinking about trying it out for yourself, this Sunday would be a uniquely perfect time to do so. As it happens, 25% of the proceeds from this Sunday’s vegan brunch buffet will benefit Gateway Pet Guardians, a local pet rescue organization that arranges foster families for stray dogs and cats in and around the metro area.
All you have to do is show up, fork over $10 (the normal price) and stack your plate high with yummy vegan fare. Pretty easy (and delicious!) way to do your good deed for the day. Extra points if you bring friends!
I promised another Local Vegan Eats post was on the way and here she is!
Black Bear Bakery has been on my list of places to check out for-ev-er. They actually ran a Groupon a while back and I super-enthusiastically bought it only to hang on to it until it was almost expired. That turned out to be a good thing though because it was the impetus for getting us there for brunch a few weeks ago.
Aside from the huge variety of vegan items on their (ever-changing, totally vegetarian) menu, the coolest thing about Black Bear is that they are 100% worker owned and operated. You can really feel that collective, community vibe there and it’s really nice. They also make a huge effort at being sustainable, supporting their neighborhood and using quality, local and organic ingredients in their goods. Love it!
As I said, we visited for brunch a few Saturday’s ago. We got there around 12:30 or so and though we each had plenty to eat, there was really nothing left to choose from but the brunch buffet. It seems the bakery shelves are picked bare pretty early so if you want to catch some of that action, get there early! Also unbeknownst to us, Sunday is the day for vegan brunch, as the buffet then is entirely vegan. There was still plenty of vegan grub to choose from in the Saturday morning lineup, but I’m interested to stop in and check out the Sunday offerings now too.
On my plate were vegan buckwheat pancakes (which were SO yum), home fries and a follow-up serving of homemade guacamole and chips. Good stuff.
Fun tibdit: there was a really great violin and guitar duo there playing some sweet acoustic music. They did a kick-a$$ rendition of Sweet Child O Mine while we were there. It made for a pretty cool breakfast soundtrack.
Anywho, the brunch buffet at Black Bear is $10, all-you-can-eat. Though there was nothing left to sample from the bakery, prices on those items look to be pretty reasonable too. You can also place custom orders for a variety of items including cakes (take note stl veggie brides!).
The atmosphere at Black Bear Bakery equals the quality of the food. I definitely recommend it as a place for a nice, casual brunch and/or a sweet vegan treat. I will be back for a vegan lemon bar. Oh yes, I will.
Black Bear Bakery
2639 Cherokee St.
St. Louis, MO 63118
(314) 771-2236
Hours:
Tuesday – Saturday, 8am-5pm
Neighborhood Brunch
Saturdays and Sundays, 10am-2pm
Yes, yes, I know Chipotle and Qdoba have significant differences. However, their menus are strikingly similar and I order the exact same thing no matter which one I’m at, so it seemed silly to do two separate posts for each.
The great thing about these kind of places is the “have-it-your-way” set-up. You stand within view of your food as it is prepared and decide what does and doesn’t make it into your order – which means virtually anything on the menu at Chipotle or Qdoba (except maybe quesadillas) can be veganized with ease.
My go-to order at each establishment is a vegetarian burrito. The options are many and varied, but I go with rice, black beans, pico, lettuce and guacamole. The tortilla itself is vegan at either place, as are the taco shells. That may sound a little sparse, but considering the sheer size of these things, it’s a more than satisfying meal.
Massive burritos are easily the fast/easy/cheap dinner of choice for my husband and I. Always a good option for a casual meal out with a vegan in tow.
