-State/City | Veggin' Out And About

EVO of Worcester, MA Voted Best Vegetarian & Vegan Restaurant Five Years Running!

Posted by Danielle Bussone on Sep 10, 2013 in American, I-290, Worcester, MA | 0 comments

by Pegge Bochynski

Situated approximately 45 miles southwest of Boston just off the Mass Pike, Worcester, Massachusetts, is both a crossroads and destination city. It’s a convenient connecting point between Boston to the north and Hartford and New York City to the south. Students from around the country and the world attend its many colleges and universities, including Clark University and the College of the Holy Cross College. The Worcester Art Museum is a must-see and Mechanics Hall, one of the top four concert and arts venues in North America, hosts musical events year round. Worcester is also home to a number of fabulous restaurants, including EVO Dining, an award-winning eatery with an eclectic menu that features tasty vegan and vegetarian fare, as well as gluten-free and meat-based dishes.

Founded in 2008 by Albert Maykel III and his sister Celeste Maykel-Zack, EVO is adjacent to Living Earth, a grocery store, specializing in healthy, organic products, which was established by the parents of the Maykel siblings more than 35 years ago. Albert is well-known in the area as a master chef and was honored as Worcester’s Best Chef and Iron Chef Champion in 2013. The restaurant was voted the best overall restaurant in 2012 and 2013 and the best vegetarian and organic restaurant for five years straight.

EVO’s interior is spacious and the décor contemporary. Two large brightly lit, bubbling water panels behind the bar mesmerize patrons, and the open kitchen is full of hustle and bustle as the cooks serve up a wide variety of dishes. We were assured by our waitress that vegan and vegetarian offerings are prepared in a separate area from the meat dishes. Upon request, most menu items that contain meat can be prepared as vegan or vegetarian entrées. She also mentioned that the wait staff is specially trained so they can knowledgeably answer questions concerning EVO’s various vegan, gluten-free, and vegetarian options. Finally, she noted that much of the produce the restaurant serves comes from local farms, including one owned and operated by the Maykel family.

Because there were two of us for lunch, we sampled only a few dishes. We started our meal with the Golden Vegetable Egg Rolls ($9), which consisted of crispy fried wonton skins filled with carrots, cabbage, onions, celery, and spices, and accompanied by a citrus-infused ponzu dipping sauce. Each crunchy bite was worth the price.

Golden Vegetable Egg Rolls

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Cam Ranh Bay in Banner Elk

Posted by Danielle Bussone on Aug 21, 2013 in Asian, Banner Elk, NC, Fusion, Vietnamese | 0 comments

by Danielle Bussone

One of the most delightful eateries you’ll find in the High Country is a Vietnamese/Japanese restaurant in Banner Elk, NC. Vietnamese native, Nancy Nguyen, moved to the mountains eleven years ago and now considers Banner Elk home. Since immigrating to the US after the Vietnam War, Nancy has worked in both Vietnamese and Japanese restaurants and knows both cuisines well.

Until recently, Cam Ranh Bay was known as Tokyo Express. Nancy changed it’s name to reflect her origins, having grown up in the town of Cam Ranh Bay, Viet Nam.

Vietnamese Sweet & Sour Soup

I first became acquainted with Cam Ranh Bay when I attended a dinner for Nancy created for our vegan group, VegBoone, of 49 attendees. The food was amazing and the service flawless. To illustrate how much the community embraces Nancy, several Banner Elk residents showed up to work as voluntary servers for the event! We recently held another event at her restaurant and it was even better than the first, if that’s possible.

Vegan Sushi Rolls

Nancy also has a great deal of experience working with plant-based clientele. She worked at a Vietnamese restaurant in Boston where all employees were required to be vegan. She is fully versed in the concerns of the plant-based diner. (more…)

Canyons Is Now Veg-Friendly!

Posted by Danielle Bussone on Aug 14, 2013 in American, Blowing Rock, NC | 0 comments

by Danielle Bussone

Canyons is located in Blowing Rock, NC. When I say it is right off Highway 321, I mean it is right off 321. Continue past the road into Blowing Rock until the highway curves to the left. Steer slightly to the right and you’ll find yourself in Canyon’s parking lot.

The restaurant stretches precariously on the precipice of John River’s Gorge with a sheer drop of nearly 2,000 feet. The view extends 12 miles across five mountain ranges including the view sought after by most tourists to this region, Grandfather Mountain.

The last time I dined at Canyons, I was not a vegan. The food was quite good though I don’t remember a plant-based option. The fare was gourmet sandwiches and classic burgers and fries.

Many years have passed since then and times have changed. Canyons now offers a delicious plant-based menu with daily specials which can be tailored to be vegan at prices which are more than reasonable. The requisite salads and soup of the day are always offered, however, we went straight to the heart of the menu. (more…)

We are sorry to report that Uncanny Kitchen is now closed for business. Uncanny Kitchen – Southwest Virginia’s Most Socially Responsible Restaurant!

Posted by Danielle Bussone on Aug 10, 2013 in Abingdon, VA, American, Features, I-81, Living Plant-Strong! Profiles & Articles | 5 comments

by Danielle Bussone

Not the tiniest detail was overlooked in creating Uncanny Kitchen, hands-down the most socially responsible restaurant in the region. It just doesn’t get much better than this!

The secret to the appeal of Uncanny Kitchen is in the partnership between owner David Basinger and his girlfriend of three years, Lisa Sykes. If David is the chef and the creative culinary mind behind Uncanny Kitchen, Lisa is its social conscience and marketing force. Aside from their talents, experience and market savvy, these two are a couple of seriously nice people!

David with freshly baked bread

David, a graduate of Le Cordon Bleu Western Culinary of Portland, OR, has had opportunities to work in large restaurants and run the kitchens of high-dollar establishments in other areas of the country. He preferred, however, to bring his talents home to serve the community he grew up in, offering wholesome, delicious food at affordable prices.

It is important to David to connect with the farmers in the area. When he was at culinary school, one of the things he liked best was the opportunity to join the co-op. He was instrumental in the development of the Farm To Table program in Portland. He often volunteered at Sauvie Island, where the school had some land. He peeled potatoes or turned compost on his off time. He’d pick berries and volunteer with Sauvie Organics who gave him plants to grow at the school. He came to see the value of working within a community of agricultural entrepreneurs and he liked this model of doing business. (more…)

We are sorry to report that Uncanny Kitchen is now closed for business. Uncanny Kitchen

Posted by Danielle on Aug 2, 2013 in Abingdon, VA, American, I-81 | 0 comments

by Danielle Bussone

When Uncanny Kitchen of Abingdon, VA first opened in early summer they set the bar for being the only vegetarian, mostly vegan, restaurant in the area using quality organic, locally grown produce. Uncanny Kitchen goes the extra mile in serving only GMO Free edibles! This restaurant is a new and very welcome addition to the casual dining scene in Abingdon, VA. The name refers to the concept that everything is made from scratch. Nothing owner David Basinger makes comes from a can.

Cornbread Salad

Uncanny Kitchen is the only restaurant in Abingdon Rich and I frequent because it is the only restaurant in town where we can be assured of a healthy, plant-based meal. The restaurant is small and the dining room is tiny, with only four tables. It was originally envisioned as more a take-out kind of restaurant and the number of clientele who have opted to eat in came as a bit of a surprise to the owner. Still, even considering the steady stream of traffic in and out of the restaurant, I’ve never had to wait for a table. (more…)

Chai Pani, Decatur, GA

Posted by FullDISHclosure on Jul 31, 2013 in Decatur, GA, I-285, Indian | 0 comments

Chai Pani Indian Street Food Lights Up Decatur, GA

by Amanda Trevelino

If your local farmer recommends a restaurant for vegetarian fare, there probably is no need to look further. Even if the Huffington Post tells you it’s one of the “Top 10 Cheap Eats in the US,” or if The Atlanta Journal Constitution calls the place “one of the hottest restaurants around.” A farmer knows best.

So when Farmer Joe took his team for a lunch break at Chai Pani near Atlanta’s eclectic Decatur Square, we knew we could believe it’s claims of sourcing seasonal, organic produce from nearby growers. Except, that is, for the special items that husband/wife, chef/owners Meherwan & Molly Irani import from India or the spice blends and chutneys they make in house. “There’s no artificial ingredients in anything – ever,” they claim on the menu. (more…)