Taste of Tandoor Marries Indian Spices With Old World Elegance in Woodbridge, VA
Posted by Danielle Bussone on Dec 31, 2013 in I-95, Indian, Vegetarian/Vegan Friendly, Woodbridge | 0 comments
by Lisa Harris
The Taste of Tandoor located at 13836 Smoketown Road, in Woodbridge, Virginia is a wonderfully pleasant and relaxing place to dine for lunch or dinner. Although not a completely vegan restaurant the owner Dave has worked very hard to meet the needs of his vegan patrons by having nine main vegan dishes permanently on the menu such as Chana Masala, Aloo Masala, and Aloo Ghobi Masala.
Chana Masala
Vegan Flatbread
Bismatti Rice
They also have two appetizers and several vegan breads. The appetizer vegetable samosa is a delicious vegetable turnover stuffed with potatoes, green peas, cumin seeds and spices. It come with two types of dipping sauces but a word of advice, the green dip is not vegan so be sure to avoid it. Besides your everyday salads Taste of Tandoor serves kachumbar which is a delicious cucumber and onion salad with lemon herbs. (more…)
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!
Udipi Café Mission Statement
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.
Udipi Kosher Menu
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.
Madhuri Masala Dosai
Manchurian Cauliflower
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?
Udipi Café Tawa Ghotala with Yellow Dal
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!
Mango Lassi
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
Spicing It Up At Bombay Bazar and Restaurant, Charleston, SC
Posted by Danielle Bussone on Dec 9, 2013 in Charleston, I-26, Indian | 0 comments
You can feel fairly confident that a restaurant is worth visiting when it keeps popping up on vegan meet-up group websites. We first learned of Bombay Bazar from the consistent posts of the Charleston Veggie Meetup group. They seem to like it so well we had to make it part of our tour of restaurants when we visited Charleston, SC.
We love eating at Indian restaurants. Because of the long tradition of vegetarianism in the Indian culture, the food is a natural fit for vegan diners. There are many dishes to choose from, some vegan, some vegetarian, so you do have to pay attention if you are strictly vegan. Bombay Bazar and Restaurant was our first stop on this tour of Charleston’s eclectic cuisines.
Bombay Bazar Exterior
We are happy to report Bombay Bazar did not disappoint. Rich and I arrived in the late afternoon when we practically had the place to ourselves. As you walk in you’ll see the entrance to the restaurant on the left and the entrance to the Bazar, or market, on the right. (We’ll address the market in a separate post.)
The restaurant is divided into three rooms. The first section has booths hugging the wall with a divider and more booths on the opposite wall. The second room is where you’ll find tables bedecked with white tablecloths, napkins and place settings.
Bombay Bazar Vegetable Jalfrezi
Rich ordered the Vegetable Jalfrezi, a mix of vegetables and herbs in a delightful curry sauce. The vegetables consisted of tomatoes, green beans, potatoes, onions, green peppers and cilantro.($9.95).
Bombay Bazar Baingan Ka Bharta
CO, A Vietnamese Gem in the Middle of Charleston, SC, Offers a Vegan Menu!
Posted by Danielle Bussone on Nov 17, 2013 in Asian, Charleston, I-26, Vietnamese | 0 comments
It is the second Sunday of the month, meaning King Street has been cordoned off for the day. Restaurants spill onto the curbs with tables and bright umbrellas in an air of camaraderie and joie de vivre. Waiters carry fragrant platters of myriad foodstuffs and drink to cheerful tourists. Dog walkers and young mothers pushing baby strollers maneuver around them and the city becomes alive with students, street musicians, Citadel cadets and sundry on-lookers, the young and wizened alike.
The first leg of our vegan trek through the historic city of Charleston, SC, takes us to CO, a charming Vietnamese restaurant located on King Street. It is nestled amid the lovely sunbathed pastel architecture indicative of Charleston, right in the heart of its busy shopping district near the intersection of George Street.
CO Exterior
Upstairs
We order our usual water with no ice and I ask Sam, our waitress, to point out the vegan items on the menu. She exchanges the menu in my hand with a vegan and gluten-free menu and the issue is immediately resolved. The name “CO” means “Feast” in Vietnamese, which certainly is appropriate for this restaurant which offers a wide range of choices. We spoke at length with Josh, the general manager. He explains the produce used in preparing CO’s food is locally sourced, though no great attention has been paid to the presence of GMO’s. After suffering, with patience and grace, through my lecture on the subject perhaps in the future that will change. One restaurant at a time is my policy! (He’ll be quizzed on the subject on our next visit.) 🙂
Lamb’s Bread Vegan Café in Columbia, SC, Serves Non-GMO, Organic Soul Food!
Posted by Danielle Bussone on Nov 16, 2013 in Columbia, I-26, Lamb's Bread Vegan Café, Organic and/or Non-GMO, Soul, Vegan | 0 comments
While en-route to Charleston, SC, to celebrate the 26th anniversary of our first date (Nov 11th), Rich and I found ourselves on I-26 absolutely famished and still nearly two hours from our destination. We stopped at Columbia, SC, and were lucky to discover Lamb’s Bread Vegan Café, an animal free, organic, NON-GMO restaurant right off I-26 on Main Street! You’ll know you are at the right place when you see their street sign with the name of their restaurant followed by “Love is the Key.” What a perfect preamble to enjoying a healthy meal!
Love is the Key!
Lamb Bread Café Exterior
Angkor Bistro Shares Recipe For Cambodian Vegan Stir Fry
Posted by Danielle on Nov 16, 2013 in Asian, Cambodian, Fusion, Johnson City, TN, Thai | 0 comments
Ingredients:
2 tablespoons vegetarian oyster sauce
1 tablespoon sugar
1/4 cup green onions
1 1/2 cups mixed vegetables
3/4 cups fried tofu
1 teaspoon minced garlic
chili pepper to taste
Method:
Blanch vegetables in boiling water for 10-15 seconds.
In a hot wok or skillet add oil. When the oil is hot add garlic and stir. Add vegetables and tofu. Stir. Add the the sauce, green onions and chili peppers. Continue to stir until heated through. The vegetables will deepen in color. Transfer to a bowl and serve with brown or white rice.
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