NC | Veggin' Out And About

2013 Charlotte VegFest

Posted by Danielle Bussone on May 12, 2013 in Charlotte, NC, Charlotte, NC, Features, Veg Fests | 0 comments

Today, May 11th, Charlotte VegFest celebrates it’s second annual gathering of health and animal rights enthusiasts. It is held from 12pm to 5pm off Commonwealth Avenue in Plaza Midwood in Charlotte, NC. Rich and I made the rainy 3 hour trek to Charlotte with high hopes but low expectations. After all, it’s only Charlotte’s 2nd VegFest. We were delighted to discover at 12:30 the place was already packed with vegans, vegetarians and the veg-curious sampling the wares of venders offering raw cookies, juice bars and vegan salads and pastas. We visited organic spice purveyors, yoga instructors, macrobiotic chefs, raw and vegan chefs and numerous animal adoption and rescue agencies. There were also recycling and green energy agencies represented. The turnout was fantastic! Every hour or so there were speakers discussing issues concerning health, fitness, and what we as individuals can do to reduce global warming. Shabaka Amen (Fitness & Nutrition), Dr. Michael Smith (Naturopathy Physician), Leilani Munter, race car driver, and Gene Baur (co-founder and President of Farm Sanctuary) were on the program. We connected with numerous establishments which cater to the plant-based diner and have plans to return in the near future to do restaurant and chef reviews as well as cooking videos. Even the weather cooperated! Just as we tooled into Charlotte and found a good parking place, the skies cleared and we enjoyed a sunny day made perfect by a light breeze. On the way out we stopped and had a fantastic vegan lunch at Fern. Just the ticket after a long drive and a few hours perusing the tents at the Charlotte VegFest. We are already looking forward to next year’s festivities!

Coyote Kitchen

Posted by Danielle Bussone on Oct 28, 2012 in Boone, NC, Caribbean, Southwestern US | 0 comments

by Danielle Bussone

Coyote Kitchen is located in Boone, NC in a shopping center next to Walmart. It has been a hangout of ours since it was first created by Mike and Nova Nelson, owners of Hob Nob Farm Cafe (see post). It is a fusion of Caribbean and Southwestern cuisines, what they refer to as Southwest Caribbean Soulfood.

The new owner has carried on the fine example set by the Nelsons serving farm fresh produce and free range chickens. Most of the dishes can be made vegan. I’ve experimented with a variety over the past couple years. I don’t much care for soy products so I have them replace them with Jamaican lima beans or some other vegetable. My favorites are the boats. (more…)

Mint Cuisine of India’s Aloo Baigan

Posted by Danielle Bussone on Aug 30, 2012 in Boone, NC, Indian | 0 comments

by Danielle Bussone

Enjoy this video for Aloo Baigan, a vegan eggplant & potato dish contributed to us by Mint Cuisine of India Restaurant in Boone NC.

I absolutely LOVE this dish. If you follow these directions carefully, you will create a delicious, truly authentic Indian dish sure to please. Don’t let the number of spices and steps intimidate you. Many of the spices are just repeated in the various steps. It’s really quite easy. You can make this entire dish in 30 minutes. If you can’t find garam masala (many grocers carry it) or dried fenugreek leaves (methi) at your local markets, you can find them at an Indian grocer. You may also leave out the fenugreek, though it adds a lovely subtle finish to the dish.

Ingredients: (more…)

Mint Cuisine of India, Boone, NC

Posted by Danielle Bussone on Aug 11, 2012 in Boone, NC, Indian | 0 comments

by Danielle Bussone

Mint Exterior

Thank you, Goldie Nabatoff, for introducing our vegan meet-up group, VegBoone, to this fantastic restaurant. Mint has only been opened a couple of months as of August 10th and it is already jam-packed with customers for lunch and for dinner. Don’t despair, there is plenty of seating. The food is outstanding!!! We first sampled the cuisine when we attended a party there with VegBoone. There were nearly fifty of us and we all ate until we could eat no more.

Rich and I returned a few days later to do a video of the chef, Kanubhai Rabari, preparing a dish called Aloo Baigan, a fantastic stew of eggplant and potatoes. All I can say is OHMYGOD! It is SO delicious. The thing that sets Mint Cuisine of India apart from other Indian restaurants we have visited is the obvious freshness of the food and the care in which it is prepared.

Aloo Baigan

We spoke in depth with the manager, Yogi Rabari. He explained to us that when the chef prepares vegan food, great care is taken so that no part of the vegan dish comes in contact with anything that is non-vegan. He takes his vegan customers seriously and diligently oversees the preparation of their food personally. The homemade tomato sauce and homemade onion sauce, which are the bases of most of their dishes, are made fresh daily. What is not used in a day is discarded.

Vegetable Biryani

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Hob Nob Farm Cafe

Posted by Danielle Bussone on Jul 30, 2012 in American, Asian, Boone, NC, Caribbean, Indian, Middle Eastern, Southwestern US | 4 comments

Hob Nob’s Interior

by Danielle Bussone

A very interesting couple owns this cafe. Nova and Mike Nelson, whom I believe is the chef, seem to love creating new restaurants which combine marvelous fusions of cultures and flavors with very healthy eating, always with vegetarian and vegan options.

Hob Nob’s Outdoor Dining

The first of their restaurants, at least that we’ve experienced, was called Angelica’s. You could fine Asian-style nori rolls, Cajun red beans and rice and wonderful Italian pastas. Once this restaurant became a huge success, they sold it and moved to another location across town where they founded The Coyote Kitchen. I’ll talk about this restaurant in depth later as it still exists under new management. Coyote Kitchen quickly became our favorite restaurant in Boone with its creative fusions of Caribbean and Southwestern cuisines. Once this was up and running full tilt, they again sold their restaurant and opened a Thai restaurant in yet another area of town. (I did not make it to this restaurant and can not reliably comment on it.) The next thing we knew, they were back at the Angelica’s location with still another restaurant which they call the Hob Nob Farm Cafe. It is marvelous! I’ve never had a bad meal there.

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Suwana’s Thai Orchid, Asheville, NC

Posted by Danielle Bussone on Jul 8, 2012 in Asheville, NC, Asian, I-240, I-26 | 2 comments

by Danielle Bussone

Asheville, North Carolina was recently voted the best small city in which to find vegetarian restaurants. Somehow, Suwana’s Thai Orchid was overlooked in several of the on-line vegetarian search engines. We are so tired of the standard vegan fare, meatless meals made to look like meat, tofu out the wazoo. What we want are delicious fresh vegetables presented in healthy, tasty sauces. Suwana’s Thai Orchid certainly accomplishes that.