The Subtle Vegetarian

Yeah, fast food is sometimes in demand. And Mexican is often veggie friendly. Combine them and you get Taco Bell – Yum! Brands’ “Mexican” chain. It’s not actually good (or all that Mexican), but it’s something to eat in a pinch…

As I mentioned the other day, Taco Bell’s web site doesn’t include the word, “vegetarian”, but parent company Yum does have some information. Here’s the deal: The rice is vegetarian (specifically), as are the (refried) beans. The pizza sauce contains “natural flavorings” which is sometimes code for meat, and the stores use the same fryer for the potato bits and meaty stuff.

Now what do I like to eat there? Best is a modified Mexican Pizza – no meat, add sour cream. Costs a lot, but actually tasty! Also, the bean burritos (I get them without the nasty red sauce) and new special bean and rice burrito aren’t bad.

Not a destination. But lunch.

Another highly-recommended restaurant in Philadelphia was D’Angelo’s Ristorante Italiano on 20th street. A traditional Italian restaurant in an updated town house near Rittenhouse Square, D’Angelo’s food was excellent but the staff and environment left something to be desired.

Typically for an Italian place, there were quite a few vegetarian options to be had, including capellini and linguine, ravioli and tortellini, but I had to go for the gnocchi. I always get gnocchi if it’s offered – it’s one of those dishes that is very easy to screw up and very hard to get right!

We started off with an unusual bruschetta that had been baked with the tomatoes on it, yielding a tasty but not hand-held appetizer. The bleu cheese salad was just OK – they used a strong vinaigrette that overwhelmed the piles of cheese bits.

Although the only sauce options were marinara or “tomato” (a sweeter, calmer marinara), the gnocchi were excellent! Extremely tender, not at all pasty or mealy. And the subtle marinara was a good match, though I would have liked something with a little more variety…

The traditional interior (on three levels) was brightly lit but not very fancy. And the brusque ladies waiting on the tables did not set a new standard for welcoming… But the place filled up before our eyes, so Philadelphians must love it!

D’Angelo’s Ristorante Italiano, 256 S 20th St., Philadelphia, PA (http://www.dangeloristorante.com)

While on business in Philadelphia last week, I happened to visit a few restaurants. Although I didn’t get out to Govinda’s or Horizons (too far, maybe next time), I did get to a few other decent spots.

Kicking things off, let’s talk dinner at Alma de Cuba on Walnut Street. This is a “Starr Restaurant“, meaning it’s owned by Stephen Starr, and came highly recommended.

Cuban cuisine isn’t normally too heavy on the vegetarian options, but there are often a few gourmet surprises that make the visit worthwhile. Alma de Cuba was no exception. Happily, the friendly staff was well trained, and immediately responded with a list of vegetarian options.

My choice was a vegetarian pastelon which, although not on the regular menu, was apparently a regular offering. It was delicious – layers of plantains, potato, black beans, and other tasty bits with a sweet sauce. Served with those delicious bread balls filled with cheese, I was in happy tasty town.

Of course, I had to try a mojito – this time a “suave” made with Bacardi Limon, which was truly subtle and (yes) suave. Also suave was the plantation-esque decor and clever projected photos on the wall. I did spot a beautiful pressed tin ceiling remaining from a previous occupant, too. The lighting was beyond dim, so it’s a good thing I trusted the staff or I would have had no idea what I was eating!

All in all, a very enjoyable (if expensive) dinner.

Alma de Cuba, 1623 Walnut Street, Philadelphia, PA (http://www.almadecubarestaurant.com)

How do you feel about appetizers? I’m conflicted, personally. On one hand, appetizers are the most solid source of vegetarian food at many restaurants. If it wasn’t for baked potatoes (hold the bacon), salad, and such I would have gone hungry many times.

At the same time, ordering all appetizers opens you up to the obvious questions, turning a nice dinner into an inquisition. It’s hard to disguise your diet when ordering a half-dozen sides instead of a fillet mignon!

For this reason, I put appetizer-only restaurants into a separate category, even if they do offer veggie food.

But consider the Cracker Barrel. They have an on-menu appetizer plate! How the heck do you categorize that? Well, I guess if you’re eating at the Barrel, you’re probably with family, so no one cares. Besides, I love fried okra!

In my endless quest to locate veggie-friendly options, I’ve searched the web sites of many restaurants to find out what they have to say on the subject. Unfortunately, the following restaurants have nothing at all to say on the subject – the word, “vegetarian”, simply does not appear on their web site!

• Applebee’s (no surprise)
• Taco Bell (really!)
• Burger King (Mickey-D’s does…)
• Wendy’s (too bad!)
• Ruby Tuesday (yeah, whatever)
• Bertucci’s (a Massachusetts chain!)
• Starbucks (seriously!)

I guess I’ll eat somewhere else, then…

As mentioned yesterday, McDonald’s is a rare restaurant to address the issue of vegetarian entrees. KFC, of all places, also has a FAQ for vegetarians, pointing out a number of foods that are acceptable and even showing some sensitivity to the issue of shared frying oil.

Since the FAQ is down the page, here’s the summary. Corn on the cob, cole slaw, garden salad, three bean salad, and seasond rice contain no meat, eggs, or dairy. Mashed potatoes (without gravy) and biscuits contain dairy, while pasta and potato salad contain eggs. The potato wedges are fried in the same oil as the chicken.

Too bad they overcook all their veggies (Southern style, I’m told) or it would make a nice veggie side dish plate.

I got a laugh out of this one. Unlike most restaurants, which don’t even mention the word, “vegetarian” on their menus, McDonald’s actually has a special FAQ for vegetarians on their site! It basically says “you’re on your own.” But at least they address the issue, and at least they’re honest…

Quiznos has swapped out the old tasty guacamole-laden Veggie Sub for a new “Italian Caprese” option. But you can still get the old one!

If the Sub Technician you’re ordering from doesn’t remember (or know) what it was, here’s the content:

Guacamole, black olives, lettuce, tomato, red onion, mushrooms, mozzarella, cheddar, and red wine vinaigrette dressing

Special thanks to Quiznos for still offering a veggie option on the menu, and extra subtle vegetarian points are awarded for naming it something other than “veggie”!

Why is it that kids’ menus are so much more veggie-friendly than adult menus? Is it because they’re so picky?

My kids love grilled cheese and macaroni and cheese, so they’re set just about everywhere. Even notoriously meaty places like Applebee’s and Outback Steakhouse offer grilled cheese or mac-n-cheez to the kids, but they won’t serve it to an adult!

What’s the harm? Friendly’s has had grilled cheese on the adult menu for ever, and I hope it stays. Even though it’s evolved (to sourdough instead of white bread), and been pushed to the “and we also serve” part, it’s nice to have a veggie option at a family favorite place like that.

I’m just glad I’m not vegan, or I’d be in real trouble! If beef is the American dinner staple, cheese is the indispensable alternative!

Yesterday I told you about the off-menu “just eggs” option at McDonalds, and now I’m going to spill the beans on a similar option at Dunkin’ Donuts.

It’s not on the menu or in the register, but Dunkies will sell you the big round egg without the bagel for even less than Mickey-D’s buck eggs. They ring it up as “extra egg” and serve it in the white tray it’s cooked in.

Watch out, though. Dunkies has no forks. And I’ve had them pile three eggs on a bagel with cream cheese (yuck), so make sure the order taker communicates with the kitchen!