Real Thai Fusion Delivers Big Flavor At Affordable Prices
Posted by Danielle Bussone on Sep 30, 2017 in FL, Highways, Hwy 98, Miramar Beach, Thai, Vegetarian/Vegan Friendly | 0 comments
by Danielle Bussone
One of the best-kept secrets on the Emerald Coast Parkway is Real Thai Fusion. Tucked into a boutique shopping center in Miramar Plaza, it is not difficult to overlook this sparkling gem of a restaurant. Decked out in Asian decor, Real Thai Fusion is small enough to enjoy an intimate meal for two but will accommodate larger groups as well. I enjoyed the layout which is clean and not over-crowded.
I have not hesitated to make the thirty-minute trek to Destin on three separate occasions during my visit to Fort Walton Beach. This is how much I like the food at Real Thai Fusion. It is some of the best Thai food I’ve had anywhere.
While there is usually a steady stream of customers dining in and numerous take-out orders being picked up, for a restaurant with meals of consistently high quality, I have been astonished at the number of empty tables available. I mentioned this to my waitress, who told me that this is a slow season for Thai food. When the weather begins to cool, the place will fill up with customers desiring to warm their bellies with spicy Thai cuisine. That makes sense. With ninety-plus temperatures outside during my stay in Florida in September, one would have to be a serious foodie to pile on more heat. Guilty as charged!
What sets Real Thai Fusion apart from the typical Thai restaurant is the freshness of the ingredients, the lovely presentation of the food, and the depth of flavor achieved by the chef. One can choose the level of spiciness of each dish. I adore spicy foods, but I also want to be able to taste the individual ingredients which are often masked by the overwhelming heat of chili peppers. I find at Real Thai Fusion that the perfect level of spice for me is medium, or number three. It is enough to leave a little bite at the back of one’s throat while allowing you to enjoy the full flavor of the dish. If you are very sensitive to heat, you may want to sneak up on it and order mild spice or no spice at all.
A lemon wedge is carved to look like a bug of some sort (perhaps a snail?) clinging to the edge of a water glass. No detail is overlooked in the charming presentation of each course.
At lunchtime, Mondays through Fridays, you may be served a pre-appetizer at no additional cost. This is a delicious thin soup with garlic and green onions served with a small spring roll with sweet and sour sauce on the side. The chef at Real Thai Fusion understands the needs of vegans and will steer you to plant-based choices or will remove offending ingredients to make a dish that adheres to your requirements.
On my first visit, I enjoyed the incredibly fresh Summer Rolls filled with crisp, fresh vegetables and vermicelli, served with a homemade Thai peanut and hoisin sauce.
On my second visit, I returned with my sister who ordered the fried spring rolls with sweet and sour sauce. I generally abstain from eating fried foods, but I have to admit I shared a couple of these crispy delights with her. OMG!
Pad Eggplant is eggplant sautéed with mild Thai spices, onion, bell pepper and a generous portion of Thai basil that yields an unbeatable flavor. This dish, prepared in a dark, savory-sweet hoisin sauce, is melt-in-your-mouth delicious! I chose tofu as my protein option, and it comes with a side of white rice. I didn’t realize at the time that one can order brown rice if one so chooses, which I will certainly do next time
Royal Pad Thai is a well-known Thai noodle dish. The rice noodles are stir-fried with bean sprouts, carrots, scallions, ground peanuts, and egg with homemade Pad Thai sauce. The chef removed the eggs for me and replaced them with tofu so I could enjoy this famous dish without guilt.
Real Thai Fusion is worth the 30-minute drive from Fort Walton Beach, and if you happen to be in Destin, you should not overlook this delightful oasis in the midst of an overwhelming array of fast food restaurants and shopping centers. With only two days left in Florida, I’m seriously considering making the trek back to Miramar Beach for another fix of excellent Thai food. Keep in mind that your dish is freshly made to order and preparing food from scratch takes a little extra time. Be patient; you’ll find it is time well spent.
Falafel Bistro & Wine Bar – A Mediterranean Experience In South Florida
Posted by Danielle Bussone on Jun 10, 2014 in Coral Springs, FL, Middle Eastern, Vegetarian/Vegan Friendly | 0 comments
Don’t let either the name or the location fool you; this South Florida suburban strip mall dining establishment is far from your average neighborhood fare. When I say far, I mean Falafel Bistro & Wine Bar (FB) takes your palate on a journey to remote destinations along the Mediterranean, brimming with exotic herbs, spices, flavors and textures. FB is conveniently located in Coral Springs, FLorida, just off the Sawgrass Expressway (869), at 5677 Coral Ridge Dr., in the Heron Lakes Plaza. Hungry patrons come from near and far to immerse themselves in this sophisticated, multi-sensory atmosphere created by chef/owner and culinary genius, Ilan Cohen. But be forewarned, once you sample his fare, you will undoubtedly become addicted!
Udipi Café Indian Vegetarian Restaurant of Sunrise, FL Offers Certified Kosher Fare!
Posted by Danielle Bussone on Dec 29, 2013 in I-95, Indian, Sunrise, FL, Vegetarian/Vegan Friendly | 0 comments
If you are lucky enough to find yourself in South Florida this time of year then you must not miss out on Udipi Café where, upon first bite, you are transported to the Southern region of India known for exotic vegetarian cuisine. Udipi Café is located 11 minutes northwest of Fort Lauderdale via I-95 and Hwy 518 or just 8 minutes south of Coral Springs via University Drive. It is the only certified Kosher Indian restaurant in Florida and just about everything can be made vegan!
For my running partner and I, we often delight in such spicy Indian fare as a reward for enduring our scheduled long runs in the grueling heat. More heat, you ask? Why of course, it’s what we crave!!! The hotter the better! We sweat when we train and likewise there’s nothing like breaking out in a cold sweat and grabbing your jacket during a meal! For those spices contain anti-inflammatory properties not to mention they taste so darn good!!! If you don’t fancy your meals burning hot, chef/owner Santhosh Shetty is more than happy to accommodate your preferences without compromising flavor.
Mr. Shetty was happy to start our dinner off with his famous Chinese style Manchurian Cauliflower ($10.95)! While it isn’t exactly low calorie, if you work out like we do, we would rather indulge in this rich starter than any ordinary fried finger food. Or dessert, for that matter! An absolute must for us for every Indian meal is Dosai. At Udipi, the delicate rice crepe the size of a cornucopia, filled with potatoes, onions and an array of spices known as Madhuri Masala Dosai ($7.50) never disappoints. It is very light, airy and savory, like an elevated version of the classic deli-style potato knish! We always say we will never finish it but not even a crumb can ever be found.
Our meals included Yellow Dal ($9.95), made up of protein-rich lentils (to heal those tired muscles) with a savory stew-like consistency, along with Diwani Handi (Tawa Ghotala) ($11.95) made up of fresh, juicy (and healthy) mushroom shreds combined with mixed veggies and Indian spices…so creamy without the cream! How do they do that?
Each entrée is accompanied by fragrant white basmati rice for a hearty meal but should you feel guilty about white carbs after the cauliflower and the dosai, the dishes hold up on their own. Of course, if your plan is to run or work out even harder the next day, then by all means, load up on those carbs! It might just be what you need as a binder to offset the potential for a little delayed gastro action!
Dessert is not really our style with our overabundance of saltier taste buds (lost from sweat) so as a rule, we avoid the sweets. However, Mr. Shetty delighted us with his mango puree smoothies (Mango Lassi $3.50) to accompany our meal. I believe they contain yogurt. My running partner isn’t vegan and was happy to drink both as he knows I prefer to eat, rather than drink my calories anyway!
Offering authentic Indian cuisine in the same location for 11 years, Udipi Café is here to stay!
Well, I gotta run! Until next time…
Andrea “VeGAL” Medalie
Tampa Bay’s 4th Annual VegFest, 2013, Beats the Heat and Packs In the Crowds!
Posted by Danielle Bussone on Nov 14, 2013 in I-275, I-4, I-75, Tampa Bay, FL, Tampa, FL, Veg Fests, Vegetarian/Vegan Friendly | 0 comments
By Stacy Perry
Tampa Bay’s Fourth Annual VegFest, 2013, was held in Tampa’s Cotanchobee Fort Brooke Park. It was organized by Florida Voices for Animals, a non-profit formed to “raise awareness about animal cruelty issues” and to give the public ways to help. This was my first year to attend and it was pleasantly busy, conveniently happening on the same day as a nearby breast cancer walk was finishing. Hungry participants of the walk floated over to check out what was happening in the park — ahhhh, serendipity. Well-behaved dogs on leashes were invited to the event too.
There were several food booths on one end of the venue, selling Vietnamese, Indian, Ethiopian, Mexican, specialty popsicles, frozen banana ‘ice cream’, and baked goods. If there was something non-vegan at this festival, I didn’t see it.
Garden of Vegan in Delray Beach, FL, Offers Vegan, Gluten Free Fare With NO GMO’s!!! Unfortunately this Restaurant Has Closed.
Posted by Danielle Bussone on Oct 22, 2013 in American, Delray Beach, Garden of Vegan, I-95, Organic and/or Non-GMO, Vegan | 2 comments
So my running partner (non-vegan) and I had just finished a grueling 10-mile race in Wellington, FL on Sunday when suddenly we were ravenous! We needed to refuel and fast! Not typically a breakfast person, my hunger made me want to sink my teeth into a hearty, healthy rib-sticking morning meal as my sweet reward! Since we weren’t from the area, a quick internet search yielded not just a vegan-friendly place but a vegan-dedicated little gem called The Garden of Vegan, just a few blocks away from bustling Atlantic Ave. in trendy downtown Delray Beach, FL.
Open 7 days a week from 9 am to 9 pm, breakfast from 9-11 weekdays, 9-12 on weekends, the Garden of Vegan promises no GMO, no dairy, no wheat, no soy and no gluten!! Many raw items are available too. Score! They have basically taken all the guesswork out for us vegans who struggle to find suitable plant-based nutrition. However, they do use cashews and walnuts in a few dishes, so heads up to those with tree nut allergies.
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