VegLove

VegLove has moved!

2009-09-05T14:25:00.001-07:00

VegLove has moved to Buffalo, NY, where I am pursuing my Ph.D. in psychology. Buffalo is probably best known for its wings, but they actually have a fantastic variety of ethnic and local foods, which I have already begun exploring.
My only disappointment thus far is that the Indian food I've tried (and I've tried three different restaurants) has not lived up to the offerings in Texas. I'd heard it would be better here, so that was a bit of a blow. But don't fear, dear readers, I will keep trying to find a suitable Indian restaurant.
I've otherwise been very impressed with most of the food I've had since moving. I've had great Thai, pizza, Italian, and diner food.
I hope to begin updating with more details, soon!

Corazon

2009-05-07T12:50:00.000-07:00

Corazon is the new venture by the owners of the former Castle Hill Cafe and located in the same building. Based on Castle Hill's reputation, I had high expectations for this foray into Mexican cuisine. It would be an understatement to say my expectations were met. In my opinion, Corazon surpassed Castle Hill, which is extremely high praise.
To start, my family and I enjoyed their queso fundido, a mixture of melted Mexican white cheeses. Its smoking, creamy flavor humbled the standard "queso" served at most Tex-Mex restaurants.
Corazon only offers one vegetarian entree on their dinner menu, a potato-corn sope with wild mushrooms in verde sauce. In all sincerity, it was one of the best dishes I have ever tasted. A sope is a spongey patty made of corn and potatoes, similar to a gordita tortilla. Topping the sope were corn custard and a mixture of crimini and oyster mushrooms, which were the dish's signature note. Every bite was incredible, and after I cleaned my plate, I still wanted more.
For dessert, we shared the flan, bread pudding, and a coconut-banana cream torte. The bread pudding was the highlight. However, the flan was the only disappointment of the meal. It was tasty, but too rich in cream cheese, lacking the traditional flan flavor.
I envision Corazon becoming a new choice for my future special occasions.

Corazon
1101 W. 5th St.
Austin, TX 78703

Flour Power Cafe

2008-09-14T15:24:00.000-07:00

Ever since I first noticed Flour Power Cafe near my new neighborhood in San Antonio, I have thought it could either be very good or very disappointing. This weekend, my partner and I decided to take a gamble and try it. Although the sign is adorned with generic 60s-style "groovy" flowers, the decor inside is actually quite delightful. The walls are decorated with crisp, bright photos of various food items and the ceilings are festooned (yes, festooned) with brightly-colored hanging stars. Overall, the cafe has a casual, welcoming presence, despite the somewhat offensive flowers on the sign.
The ambiance is in keeping with the menu, which offers a variety of sandwiches, wraps, salads, and baked goods with ample options for vegetarians. I had the batata - a vegetable sandwich on subtly sweet whole wheat bread - along with pasta salad, and my partner had the portobello mushroom sandwich on warm, soft ciabatta. Both were incredibly tasty and perfect for a light lunch, as I imagine most of the other menu items would be.
We did not order desserts, which our waiter told us were Flour Power Cafe's signature feature, although they looked very tempting. You may see a future post on the signature desserts, as I am certain I will be back often.
Overall, I left feeling delighted and excited about discovering such a lovely restaurant.

11703 Huebner, Suite 200
San Antonio, TX

VegLove List Spectacular: Part 1, "The Usual"

2008-07-16T09:06:00.000-07:00

Alright, I don't actually have the kind of personality that would allow me to confidently order "The Usual" anywhere, even if it's a place I frequent weekly. But there are certain dishes that, despite my best efforts to diversify, exert a nearly unstoppable pull over me. In general, the restaurants on this list offer a wide selection of tempting choices, but I can't seem to stay away from these particular dishes. Seriously, I get them almost every time.
In no particular order:

1. Spicy African Peanut Soup, Austin Java Company
From the beginning of VegLove, I have sung the praises of Austin Java's Spicy African Peanut soup, and I continue to do so in real life at least once a month. No matter what I order, it must be accompanied by the Peanut Soup or else I leave unsatisfied.

2. Kashmiri Kofta Korma, The Clay Pit
It should be illegal for a meal to be this good. At best, I am certain the Kashmiri Kofta Korma makes Clay Pit's other dishes incredibly jealous.

3. Vegetarian Burrito Bol, Chipotle
If you know me at all, you should know that my devotion to Chipotle is eternal. And I always get the same thing - either because I am comforted by the predictability or because they put addictive substances in the guacamole.

4. Black Bean and Cheese Tamale Plate, Guero's Taco Bar
Tamales are among the foods that I love but are extremely difficult to find in vegetarian form. Guero's is one of the few places that offers vegetarian tamales - and they are delicious! They deliver the traditional cheesy, greasy Tex-Mex experience, minus the lard.

5. Avocado Smoothie with Pearls, Coco's Cafe
Okay, this isn't really a dish in the traditional sense, but it definitely fits the other criteria. After an initial period of adjustment, I grew to adore bubble tea - drinks with gummy tapioca balls at the bottom. Avocado bubble tea is particularly unusual and tasty. It's creamy and subtly sweet, but probably not ideal if you have a full stomach, because it's pretty filling.

6. Pad Thai, every Thai restaurant
I love Thai food, seriously, but somehow I end up ordering the most common, cliche Thai dish. And yet, I really don't mind. I love pad thai.

7. Eggplant with Fettuccine, Hyde Park Bar and Grill
This is a somewhat lighter, more inventive version of the classic eggplant parmesan. It includes breaded and fried eggplant patties topped with chipotle marinara, basil pesto, and thick shredded parmesan. My only qualm with this dish is the accompanying bed of almost completely unseasoned fettuccine. Once you run out of the eggplant's sauce, you're left with a useless pile of starch. But trust me, the eggplant compensates.

8. Kerbey Queso, Kerbey Lane
If you haven't deduced that I like the richest, unhealthiest food available to vegetarians, here's a clue: I love queso (or chili con queso to those of you outside of Texas). Kerbey's queso is among the best, whether plain or with guacamole and black beans.

9. The Shroom, Dry Creek (Houston)
I have described The Shroom sandwich in a previous post, so I won't bore you with the details again. The short version: portabellos, goat cheese, and basil mayo. Enough said.

10. Steam Bun, Veggie Heaven
In the past year or so, I managed to break free of Protein 2000's grip over me and have started ordering other main dishes off of Veggie Heaven's menu. However, I still have to get the steam bun as an appetizer every time. The steam bun is a doughy bun stuffed with mushrooms, tofu, and other veggies. I love to douse it with soy sauce and go to town.

VegLove Special: Cooking with VegLove

2008-07-11T12:31:00.000-07:00

With the prices of gas and food at record highs, going out to eat is becoming increasingly impractical. However, it's not the death knell for VegLove. Not only do I love eating other people's food, I love cooking my own, and this summer I have had the opportunity to experiment with a lot of different new foods. Here is a list of some of my favorites.

1. Quinoa
This grain is not only extremely versatile, it's a complete grain protein. Quinoa is similar to cous cous but has a firmer, chewier texture. Like cous cous, it can be used in savory dishes and tastes great with just a little olive oil and garlic salt. It can also be used in sweet dishes, like oatmeal, but I have yet to try it this way. Both the traditional white quinoa and the Inca red are delicious, and one package will last you a whole week.

2. Goya Sazon con Azafran
These tiny packages contain a saffron-based mixture of seasonings that make ordinary dishes remarkable. I especially like to add Sazon to black beans, which are a super cheap and satisfying staple of my diet. I recommend making black bean tacos flavored with Sazon and topped with queso fresco, avacados, and Hatch pepper salsa.

3. Nate's Crispy Taco with Artichokes and Cream Cheeses
You might be surprised to see frozen tacos on this list, and I was surprised to find a frozen product so tasty. The filling is immensely flavorful, and they make a yummy snack. They are microwavable, but if you actually want crispy tacos, use the oven. Nate's also makes really tasty vegetarian taquitos.

4. Falafel
Falafel in general is hardly new to me - it's one of my all-time favorites - but I have only recently dared to make it on my own. I have only used a package of falafel mix, so I won't claim to make it from scratch, but it has been a surprisingly successful experiment (although the first batch I fried up turned into mush). I can't get enough of the stuff, especially when paired with hummus, feta, and spinach.

5. Sabra Hummus
A package of hummus is always great to keep in the fridge as a quick snack with carrots or crackers. I was pretty satisfied with the different types of hummus I've found in the past - it's hard to go wrong here. However, I have recently found the holy grail of store-bought hummus: Sabra. I am particularly fond of their Greek Olive style hummus. Not only is Sabra hummus super creamy, all of the different flavors are topped with a generous helping of their featured ingredients (e.g., olives, pine nuts, jalapenos).

6. Woodchuck Cider
I hate beer. But there a lot of situations in which my beloved wine is simply not an option. Although I love Lindemans Framboise as a beer-alternative, it's usually quite a bit pricier. However, I recently discovered Woodchuck Cider, which looks like a beer, is sold at beer-selling establishments, but is actually something I enjoy drinking. It's perfect for summer - refreshing and light, and is my new fake beer of choice.

That's it for now. If you've been looking for ways to still have exciting, interesting food at home I recommend trying all of these products. You can still approximate a restaurant-quality meal without wasting gas.

Torchy's Tacos

2008-05-27T12:45:00.001-07:00

Because of the oppressive heat that lasts roughly from April to November and the widely dispersed clusters of shopping and food districts, Austin does not support the kind of pedestrian activity found in most large cities. Yet in spite of this relative lack of foot traffic, street food dispensed from portable trailers has seamlessly become a celebrated part of Austin's culture in recent years. Torchy's Tacos is emblematic of what Austin's street food scene has to offer. Despite the humble appearance of Torchy's 2 trailers and one permanent restaurant, Torchy's offers complex, interesting food that expands the definition of the word taco. On its regular menu, Torchy's offers build-your-own breakfast tacos and two vegetarian creations - fried avocado tacos and the dirty sanchez.
As its name suggests, the main attraction of the fried avocado taco is sliced avocado fried in a light batter, which renders it both buttery and airy. This taco also includes more traditional taco fixings such as vegetarian refried beans, pico de gallo, and cheese. Finally, the taco's contents are topped in a delicious poblano ranch sauce. The interplay of textures and tastes makes the taco a refreshing experience perfect for summertime.
Although ordering the dirty sanchez taco is somewhat embarrassing for the more inhibited among us, the taste is well worth any temporary embarrassment. This taco includes scrambled eggs, sliced carrots, cheese, guacamole, and fried poblano peppers, which resemble the taste and texture of the fried avocado (no complaints there).
I imagine any vegetarian would be amply satisfied with Torchy's regular menu offerings, but I was especially lucky that the special on my last visit was a mushroom taco. This taco may have actually surpassed the usual vegetarian fare - it included juicy sauteed portabellos, cilantro, queso fresco, sour cream, and a creamy chipotle sauce. If you visit Torchy's, demand that they add this taco to their regular menu; it is simply too good to be seasonal.

Torchy's Tacos
Trailers:
1207 South 1st Street
and
520 W. 6th Street
Restaurant:
2809 South 1st Street
Austin, TX

Demo's Greek Food

2008-05-22T08:49:00.001-07:00

Two of the things I generally love most about Greek restaurants are their variety and their low prices. Typically, one can pick and choose from a large number of classic Greek delicacies - hummus, baba ganouj, spanakopita, dolmas, etc. - to build a custom plate of delicious and varied food for little money.
Unfortunately, Demo's disappointed on both counts. Although they offer two vegetarian sandwiches - a falafel sandwich and a salad sandwich - I chose the meze plate, which was as close as I could get to the type of plates I have grown accustomed to at other Greek restaurants. The meze plate included spanakopita, tiropita (filo stuffed with feta), dolmas, and kalamata olives. In terms of composition, the plate included too much grease and crunch that was not offset by anything creamy (like hummus or tzatziki sauce, which cost $2.00 extra), so eating it was something of a greasy chore. Moreover, I watched the server get the spanakopita and tiropita out of the freezer after I placed my order. I could reheat frozen spanakopita from the grocery store for less money and an equivalent experience. The food was lackluster and unappealing, and I did not finish my plate (a very rare occurrence for me).
For $8.25 I expect more variety and better flavors than Demo's offered, and it's unlikely that I will return.

Demo's Greek Food
2501 N. St. Mary's St
San Antonio, Texas

Quick Hit: Hometown Vegetarian Cafe

2008-03-24T07:36:00.000-07:00

Hometown Cafe is Houston's answer to Austin's Veggie Heaven, although with better ambiance and service. (Although Hometown Cafe loses points for not having Protein 2000). They serve a number of revamped traditional Chinese dishes, such as sweet and sour veggie pork and eggless eggrolls. My partner was adventurous and tried the veggie fried eel, which was incredibly tasty and, from what I'm told, approximated the taste of the real thing. Because I am only occasionally in Houston, I will not be able to sample everything from the menu as quickly as I would like. However, on future trips to Houston I plan to make Hometown Cafe a staple of my Houston dining experience.

Hometown Vegetarian Cafe
9888 Bellaire Blvd # 106
Houston, TX 77036

Quick Hit: India Palace San Antonio

2008-03-24T07:29:00.000-07:00

The first time I went to India Palace in San Antonio, I was really turned off because the dining room smelled like sewage. I was convinced to try it again by a friend who said the food is great and the restaurant isn't usually so pungent. On the second visit, the dining room smelled just fine and the food was quite decent. It was not the best Indian buffet I've ever tried, but it is worthy to be placed in my regular rotation of Indian restaurants.

India Palace San Antonio
8440 Fredericksburg Rd.
San Antonio, Texas

Green

2008-03-20T08:29:00.000-07:00

Green is San Antonio's only all-vegetarian restaurant. It's a little surprising that I waited so long to go.
The menu offers an impressive array of classic dishes cleverly remodeled into veggie-friendly meals. I chose to try a dish that I always loved when I ate meat, the Sesame Chickin. Although it wasn't exactly like its sweet, sticky estranged parent, this rebel child was no less delicious. It consisted of fried wheat protein strips topped with a savory sesame mushroom sauce. It was a creative reinterpretation, and now I can perhaps forget about the original Chinese buffet fare. Green allows a choice of sides with the meals, and I chose the sweet potato fries and a waldorf salad, which was the vegetable of the day. The available sides can be somewhat incongruous with the dishes on the menu, but when onion rings and sweet potato fries are involved, I am loathe to complain.
After a grueling decision-making process in which he pitted the sweet potato gnocchi (which appears to have been removed from the online menu) against the popcorn tofu po'boy, my partner chose the po'boy (perhaps a provident choice?). The size of the po'boy, a hoagie stuffed with popcorn tofu, spinach, tomato, and bell pepper, was somewhat unmanageable. However, as it often does in my world, the taste compensated, although Travis indicated that he would have liked to try the meal as a salad instead of a sandwich. The popcorn tofu and the chipotle mayo were the highlights of the dish.
I am looking forward to visiting Green again. I am intrigued by their many uses of tofu and wheat protein, and looking forward to trying again the dishes from my past, like their reuben and buffalo tofu fingers.

Green
1017 North Flores
San Antonio, Texas

Zuzu

2008-01-28T18:27:00.000-08:00

Zuzu's claim to fame is that its traditional Mexican offerings are made fresh and by hand each day, without lard or chicken stock. Accordingly, the food is delicious, although their purportedly healthy dishes tasted anything but. Granted, my choice of their queso-smothered rice, bean, and cheese chimichanga probably wasn't the dish they were referring to when they said they served healthy Mexican food. I managed to push visions of my arteries aside and enjoyed this amazingly decadent meal. I tried to exercise restraint in my choice of sides and ordered the simple and tasty green salad and their corn relish, which tasted too much like canned corn for me to enjoy. My partner had the sunrise breakfast burrito, filled with eggs, black beans, mozzarella, and grilled vegetables. His burrito certainly rivaled my chimichanga, in addition to the perfect combination of breakfast burrito elements, the dish had a vague curry taste which made it especially interesting. Zuzu claims to have the best flan in Austin, which we were unable to try after our huge lunches. But after our great experience, we will certainly be back to test this claim.

Zuzu
5770 N. Mopac
Austin, Texas

6317 Bee Cave
Austin, Texas

Galaxy Cafe and Zocalo Cafe

2008-01-14T16:28:00.000-08:00

I should have really included these sister restaurants on my list of Austin favorites. I visit each quite a bit and they never disappoint. They are locally owned, conveniently located (for me, anyway), and offer a large array of vegetarian entrees and sides.

Let's start with Galaxy.
Galaxy Cafe serves a variety of casual dining fare, including sandwiches, wraps, and salads. Everything I have eaten there is remarkably tasty, especially the hot veggie wrap and the fresh mozzarella sandwich, to which I always add avocado. Each dish is served with your choice of side, and I am particularly fond of their pesto pasta salad and macaroni and cheese, which, with its creamy melted American cheese and gooey strands of cheddar, is truly the best mac and cheese I have had.

In a town of plentiful Tex Mex, Zocalo Cafe's fresh, light Mexican food stands out as a unique and appealing alternative. Zocalo offers a a number of vegetarian options at such low prices that it makes their queso mixta and tres leches cake difficult to pass up. The last time I went, I ordered the tostada salad, a bed of green leaf lettuce resting above a tostada and refried black beans, topped with avocado, queso fresco, and cilantro. The chipotle lime dressing infuses the salad with a delightful hint of lime. I also particularly enjoy the vegetarian torta, a sandwich filled with black beans, avocado, and queso fresco. Zocalo is housed in the former location of both West Lynn Cafe and Cosmic Cafe, two doomed former favorites of mine that never seemed to have any other customers. Zocalo, however, does not seem destined to the same fate.

Galaxy Cafe
1000 West Lynn
Austin, Texas

9911 Brodie Lane
Austin, Texas

Zocalo Cafe
1110 West Lynn
Austin, Texas

Houston VegLove Special

2008-01-14T15:49:00.000-08:00

My partner's family lives in Houston, so I typically spend a good deal of time there during breaks from school. One of the things I look forward to the most about visiting Houston is revisiting some of its awesome restaurants and discovering new favorites. During this visit, I did a little of both.

Here's the rundown:

1. Dry Creek
I insisted my partner take me here on my first night in Houston for one reason: The Shroom, Dry Creek's portabello sandwich. A grilled portabello cap topped with goat cheese, roasted red pepper and arugula housed in delicious foccacia spread with basil mayonnaise. Although the portabello is ostensibly the Shroom's main feature, the goat cheese elevates it to an out of this world taste. I typically substitute onion rings for the fries, you know, for health reasons. I can't think of many meals more delicious. If you are a stickler for excellent service, Dry Creek may disappoint. The waitstaff is friendly but not exactly timely. However, if you are willing to wait for it, Dry Creek will whip you up a damn good meal.

2. Madras Pavillion
Madras Pavillion is actually a chain with locations in both Austin and San Antonio, neither of which I have been able to find. So whenever I'm in Houston, I hit up this South Indian restaurant. For lunch, they serve a buffet that differs somewhat from the typical Indian buffet fare (which generally features North Indian food), but also includes familiar dishes such as saag paneer. They also bring out dosas with the buffet - large crepes filled with vegetables, their specialty. You can also get a wide variety of dosas for dinner, along with some North and South Indian favorites. Madras Pavillion is also all-vegetarian, making it all the more appealing.

3. Brasil
Brasil is both a coffee shop and a cafe, lending it a chill atmosphere. In spite of its name, their menu is not Brazilian, although some dishes are perhaps Brazilian-inspired. I usually order the heart of palm sandwich on ciabatta. - hearts of palm and swiss cheese smothered in a tangy sauce. I have always been a fan of heart of palm, but rarely find it in restaurants. On my last visit, I tried the seasoned goat cheese in olive oil as an appetizer. The olive oil was still sizzling when we were served, which was an exciting addition to a delicious dish.

4. Fadi's
Fadi's is a family favorite of my partner, and we enjoyed a great meal with his parents during my visit. It is a Middle Eastern/Mediterranean cafeteria style restaurant that offers both a vegetarian sampler, in which they pile your plate high with a variety of veggies, and vegetarian side dish plates that allow you to choose your sides. I had the latter and chose baba ganouj, eggplant, mixed sauteed vegetables, and falafel. Each dish was amazingly flavorful in its own right, and they combined very well. Be prepared to get a lot of food when you visit Fadi's - I had to relinquish part of mine to my partner and his brother because it was too much for me.

5. Mission Burrito
Although I like Freebird's, I have long believed that Chipotle was the single best burrito chain. I recently discovered a rival to Chipotle's claim - Mission Burrito. Mission Burrito only has two locations, both in Houston, so it's not exactly a chain, but it's set up in the same style as Freebird's and Chipotle - offering customized burritos. Not only are their burritos as delicious as Chipotle's, Mission Burrito offers a wider variety of toppings than does Chipotle. For example, I filled my burrito with mushrooms, spinach, fresh corn, and cilantro ranch sauce in addition to the usual rice, black beans, cheese, and pico de gallo. My biggest complaint about Mission Burrito is that they do not have locations in Austin or San Antonio, so I will have to wait awhile before I can go again.

6. Rita's Cafe
Rita's Cafe is a hole-in-the-wall Lebanese restaurant that we visited based on its distinction of being voted as the Best Middle Eastern Restaurant in Houston by the Houston Press. They definitely lived up to their reputation. Particular standout dishes included their olive hummus and tahini tabouli.

Indian Palace

2007-11-25T17:58:00.000-08:00

As discussed in a previous post, Indian Palace is in good company as a nondescript strip center Indian buffet. Indian Palace rises far above its generic name and location and quickly became my favorite Indian buffet a few years ago.
The buffet offerings are always hot and fresh, hardly resembling typical buffet fare. They hit home runs with all of the standards, including their light, flaky samosas, heavenly saag paneer, and crispy vegetable pakoras. They also offer a rotating set of delicious vegetarian dishes, such as malai kofta and cauliflower in cream sauce. I am particularly fond of their bite-sized fried potato and cheese balls, which are always present in the buffet.
Just writing this review makes me wish I was enjoying Indian Palace's amazing food for a second time this weekend.
Considering how delicious Indian Palace's buffet is, their dining room is always nearly deserted, which is very unfortunate. I strongly encourage any Indian food lover (and even the uninitiated!) to seek out Indian Palace.

Indian Palace
3616 Far West Blvd.
Austin, TX

Cipollina

2007-11-25T17:41:00.000-08:00

Not only was Cipollina recommended to me by a good friend, I also discovered while investigating this Italian Bistro that it is owned by the owner of Jeffrey's, an institution of Austin gourmet dining. It also happens to neighbor two of my favorite Austin cafes, Galaxy Cafe and Zocalo. All of these pieces of information provided a pretty compelling case for trying Cipollina, and, fortunately for my friend, I was not disappointed.
Cipollina has a casual atmosphere and simple yet sophisticated food. I was disappointed that their menu did not offer any vegetarian pasta dishes, but I chose the delicious Seasonal Vegetable Sandwich with a side of their Hand-Cut Fries. The veggies on the sandwich included thick, juicy zucchini, grilled red peppers, and caramelized onions. They were accented by pesto and mozzarella cheese. Overall, the sandwich was delicious, albeit messy. The remarkably good hand-cut fries had a light topping of thickly-shredded Parmesan and were served with homemade catsup.
My partner ordered the Spinach and Artichoke pizza, which was also topped with goat cheese and mozzarella. Their pizzas are on astonishingly thin and crispy crust, which is not my preference, and I thought that the pizza could have used some kind of sauce to add moisture. There is just something about a layer of congealed melted Parmesan that is very off-putting on its own. However, the goat cheese was ample, which almost made up for it, and my partner enjoyed it.
Despite the somewhat disappointing pizza, I still recommend Cipollina for its inexpensive fare and delicious sandwiches and fries.

Cipollina
1213 West Lynn
Austin, TX

Cool Cafe

2007-11-14T21:19:00.000-08:00

Perhaps the only disadvantage of a restaurant having a wide selection of vegetarian options is the dramatic increase in the difficulty of choosing a meal. Not only does Cool Cafe have a large selections of vegetarian dishes, they have dishes representing a wide variety of genres, compounding this problem further. Their menu offers pasta dishes, rice dishes, both savory and sweet crepes, Mediterranean dishes, and all-day breakfast. Overwhelming, yes, but totally worth the mental effort involved in ordering.
I had the portabello pasta - penne pasta and portabello mushrooms with a sun dried-tomato cream sauce. The mushrooms were moist and flavorful, and the cream sauce was delicious but not overly rich. I also tried my boyfriend's crepe, which was stuffed with portabellos and artichokes and smothered in sauce. It made me question my choice in entree, but only until I dove back into my delicious pasta. It did affirm, however, that you can order just about anything off of the menu and be thoroughly satisfied.
It will take me a very long time to get through tasting everything on their menu, which will keep me coming back for more. Next time, I hope to try their Greek omelet or one of their crepes.

Cool Cafe
12651 Vance Jackson Rd.
San Antonio, TX 78230

Simi's India Cuisine

2007-11-11T21:08:00.000-08:00

If you are put off by the idea of an Indian restaurant in a shopping center, then you probably haven't been to very many Indian restaurants. Very few Indian restaurants that I know of are housed in stand-alone buildings (in fact, I can only think of one off of the top of my head), and indeed, some of the best are nestled in nondescript strip malls.

Simi's India Cuisine is housed in such a location, and like many of its fellows, Simi's is a great find.
We opted for the daily lunch buffet, because when I am craving Indian food, which I almost always am, I am usually craving A LOT of Indian food. Simi's buffet had a bunch of great vegetarian dishes, which is par for the course for Indian buffets, one of the many reasons why I love them. Their samosas were decent, but not great, the pastry was a little too doughy. The naan, on the other hand, was exceptionally good. Instead of the usual plain naan, Simi's offered hot garlic and herb naan, which was quite a treat. They offered the requisite saag paneer, which was good but the paneer was not very noticeable. The standout dish in the buffet was a pureed eggplant, potato, and onion dish, which I have not seen at other Indian restaurants. The eggplant dish was very flavorful, savory, and delicious. Simi's also offered a melt-in-your-mouth zucchini dish with perfectly-cooked slices of zucchini.

I will definitely be returning to Simi's for the lunch buffet and to explore their dinner offerings.

Simi's India Cuisine
4535 Fredericksburg Rd.
San Antonio, TX 78201

The Good List

2007-11-11T16:52:00.000-08:00

For my first review post, I'm going to start by giving a brief yet effusive rundown of some of my favorite restaurants around Austin. Eventually, I intend to post full reviews of most of them, but I want to give y'all a taste of what I like and you know, my tastes.

1. The Clay Pit
The Clay Pit is the restaurant I usually choose for my family birthday dinner - my default "special occasion" restaurant. The food is just amazing. Clay Pit brings Indian cuisine to a whole new level of sophistication and elegance. I usually start with the vegetable samosas, savory turnovers filled with potatoes, peas, nuts, and raisins, and one of their fun cocktails (like the mango pina colada). Although they have a wide array of delicious vegetarian dishes, I almost always return to the Kashmiri Kofta Korma, potato and paneer balls covered in a rich cashew and almond cream sauce. I can pretty much forget about having room left for dessert after such a meal, yet I always leave feeling satisfied.

2. Austin Java Company
I get a variety of entrees at Austin Java Company, but I never go without a cup of their Spicy African Peanut Soup. It is tomato and cream based, topped with chopped peanuts, and has just enough of a spicy kick. I've never had a soup quite like it, and I have never been able to successfully reproduce it in my own kitchen, which keeps me coming back. Austin Java also has a variety of tasty vegetarian pastas and sandwiches. Their Veggie Sandwich is simple yet so delicious with swiss cheese, avocado, greens, and sprouts on barbari bread. Weirdly enough, I go to Austin Java mostly for their food, but their frozen, blended Javaccino is super yummy.

3. East Side Cafe
Another of my "special occasion" restaurants, East Side Cafe is particularly cool because they grow many of their own vegetables in an on-site garden. Their Baked Brie with Apple Chutney is a divine starter for my meal, which usually consists of either their Artichoke Manicotti or their Wild Mushroom Crepes. They offer half-portions, which I usually choose so I can taste as many of their rich dishes as possible.

4. Veggie Heaven
The ambiance is certainly lacking sophistication, but it lends an endearing quality to this all-vegetarian pan-Asian hotspot. I recommend the amusingly-named Protein 2000, crispy protein nuggets and broccoli topped with brown sauce, to Veggie Heaven novices. I have expanded beyond the Protein 2000 to their other dishes, such as the Basil Tofu, although I often return to good old Protein 2000. The steam bun, filled with mushrooms and soy protein, is also worth trying as an appetizer, although the food usually comes out all at once.

5. Chipotle
You probably haven't heard of this little burrito joint; it's mostly for those of us in-the-know. Kidding aside, you may be put off by my inclusion of a chain in this short list. However, the truth is I eat at Chipotle more often than just about anywhere else. The food is cheap, tasty, and fresh, and I just have to get behind a national chain that uses and promotes natural, locally-grown produce and meat. You can get a filling meal for less than $6 (even less if you are willing to settle for just rice and beans), which is always a plus for a student.

6. Hyde Park Grill
I can't tell you how happy I was when they opened a second Hyde Park Grill down south in the Wesgate shopping center. Their menu represents a lot of different genres, including American-style, Thai, and Italian, to name a few. I usually get the Eggplant with Fettuccine, crispy breaded eggplant patties topped with spicy chipotle marinara and pesto on a bed of fettuccine. Unlike eggplant parmigana, which is usually smothered in mozzarella, their eggplant is lightly sprinkled with shredded parmesan, which allows you to really appreciate the eggplant and sauces.

That's all for now. This list is ongoing, so stay tuned for more of my favorites.

Background

2007-11-11T15:02:00.000-08:00

No one is paying me to do this. No one has even asked me to do this. I have no qualifications to write a food blog. My knowledge of culinary terminology is noticeably lacking.

But!

I love food. I really. love. food. On my bad days, eating a great meal is often the best part of my day. On my good days, I still take particular relish in my meals.

I am a grad student whose life is pretty damn occupied by work and school (which explains my "On my bad days..." comment), so writing about something I love seems like an excellent choice for a hobby.
I go out to eat every weekend in restaurants around San Antonio (where I currently live) and Austin (my hometown). As a vegetarian, I am always on the lookout for restaurants with excellent and expansive vegetarian options. Even if a restaurant just has one particularly delightful vegetarian dish, I will probably end up a repeat customer.

So yes, this is a vegetarian food blog. However, other than the no-meat restriction, I will try just about anything. I won't limit my reviews to vegetarian-only restaurants or any particular genre of restaurants. I have certain biases and preferences (Indian food - yes! Steakhouses - no!), which will become apparent, but my tastes are pretty broad.

Enjoy. And feel free to educate me about terminology, undiscovered veggie havens, etc.