The Wild Cow December 15, 2009

Lasagna

If you asked me to describe The Wild Cow’s grand opening in one word, I would say this: intense.  The line was out the door, people were crammed into the cozy space, and lots of people had to eat standing up.  So all in all, I guess it was a huge success!

I arrived at The Wild Cow around 7:00, and the place was already packed with a line out the door into the cold, cold night.  There was a little buffet line, but I missed out on some dishes (like the Hail Seitan) because they ran out.  I managed to load my plate up with vegan lasagna, marinated and grilled tofu and tempeh, a “chicken” salad sandwich, some carrot sticks, asparagus soup, and hummus with chips.  I also got a glass of hard cider.  I really wanted to take more pictures of the spread, but the place was so packed I only managed the photo of the lasagna pan, above.  My party and I were extremely lucky to grab the very last available table in the joint, and we didn’t see anyone leave a table while we were there–there was a lot of standing and eating going on.

My Plate

On to the food: it was good.  Overall, I wouldn’t call it fantastic, I would call it good–but I think that had more to do with the way I acquired it than the food itself.  What I mean is, by the time I got through the line, found a seat, and was able to eat, it was cold.  First, I really didn’t like the soup.  I think I might have liked it if it was hot, but it was room temperature by the time I took a bite and I thought it was gross.  I had two dining companions, and one felt the same way as me and the other absolutely loved it and ate every bite, so go figure.  Next, the lasagna: awesome, even if it was kind of cold.  I could eat that stuff every day and be happy.  It doesn’t seem to be on their regular menu.  Third, I didn’t really like the tofu/tempeh either.  I’m not a big tempeh fan, so it’s not The Wild Cow’s fault that I wasn’t feeling it, but I thought the tofu was weird.  This is hard to explain, but it seemed way too … dense.  I don’t know how to explain it, but it was, well, dense.  Also, too salty.  Moving on to the hummus: average.  It tasted like hummus.  There were tortilla chips and carrot sticks.  I’ve had better.  Finally, the “chicken” salad sandwich: a total winner!  It was really good, and I didn’t even like chicken salad back when I used to eat meat.  To sum: I would definitely have the lasagna and the “chicken” salad sandwich again.  I would get the hummus again if I was sharing it with other people.  I would pass on the marinated tofu/tempeh and the asparagus soup.  Also, the hard cider was pretty good, and I don’t usually like fruity alcohol.  They were also serving red and white wine–one of my dining companions had the white and it was intense.

Still, the best thing about this experience wasn’t the food, it was the people.  It was really amazing to see so much community support for an all-vegetarian, almost all-vegan eatery.  We have come such a long way from our only options while dining out being wilted iceberg lettuce salads.  Also, I got to meet The Traveling Vegetarian in the flesh for the first time, and she gave me a big hug, which was awesome.  Her take on the opening is available here; she also talks about her trip to Orlando, which is my hometown.  If you ever find yourself in Orlando (where I’ll be soon for the holidays), take it from both of us: go to Ethos!

My adventure at The Wild Cow’s grand opening did exactly what the owners hoped it would: it made me want to go back.  I’m really anxious to head down there and order off the menu, when the place isn’t crammed to the gills with people.  I suggest you do the same ASAP.

The Wild Cow

1896 Eastland Avenue

Nashville, TN 37206

615.262.2717

Website

The Wild Cow GRAND OPENING December 12, 2009

Tonight (December 12, 2009) is the grand opening of Nashville’s newest all-vegetarian restaurant: The Wild Cow.  I feel like I have been waiting for this day forever and I can’t believe it’s finally here!!  The Wild Cow is located in East Nashville, across from Rosepepper Cantina.  Tonight’s grand opening will feature all-you-can-eat samples of a lot of their menu items and a glass of wine or hard cider, for those of the legal age to imbibe.  A $10 cover charge gets you in for the festivities, with 75% of the proceeds going to support East C.A.N., an East Nashville non-profit that benefits humans and non-human animals.

The party starts at 6:30 and goes until 9:00.  I know I’ll be there–will you?

The Wild Cow

1896 Eastland Avenue

Nashville, TN 37206

(615) 262-2717

Website

Super-Belated Thanksgiving Post December 10, 2009

Thanksgiving Dinner

Long time no see, my precious Nashvegans.  Even though Thanksgiving was a while ago, I still want to talk about it.  This was my first-ever Thanksgiving without my family, but I got to spend time with my friends and we prepared the delicious vegan Thanksgiving feast you see above.  Clockwise from left: Pillsbury crescent roll; stuffing; acorn squash stuffed with kale, carrots, and onions and topped with breadcrumbs and walnuts; mashed potatoes with gravy; sauteed kale with tomatoes; rice and lentils; baked butternut squash and apples; roasted balsamic vegetables (pictured: portabello cap, red onion, garlic clove); Tofurkey slices; and baked macaroni and cheese (made with Daiya).  There was also pumpkin pie later (not pictured, obviously).

I hope that you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving, spent with family and/or friends.  I know that I was thankful for the time I got to spend with my friends eating amazing food.  Also, I want to commend all of you who had meat-free Thanksgivings.  The animals that you didn’t eat are thankful for you, and they are thankful for the work you do every day on their behalf.  Finally, I’m thankful for all of you who read this, and who support the Nashville vegan community.  Together, we really can make a difference (cheesy, but whatever).

The Dog of Nashville November 17, 2009

Custom Dog with Tater Tots

I adore The Dog of Nashville.  They’re (surprisingly) super vegan-friendly and endlessly customizable.  You can dine al fresco and happy hour is every day from 5:00 PM – close.  Order the veggie dog on the sausage roll and top away to your heart’s content.  The dog above is topped with ketchup, spicy brown mustard, raw onions, relish, and sauteed mushrooms.  Now, the mushrooms (and other sauteed veggies) are not usually vegan–they’re prepared with butter.  If you’re there early in the day, around when the place first opens, if you ask nicely they will cook them in oil for you, but this is not always possible as they prep all vegetables in the first few hours the place is open.  I was lucky this time, but I have not managed to get butter-free mushrooms on any other visit.

Custom Dog with Fries

If I can’t get sauteed veggies, I like to get sauerkraut.  It doesn’t make for as nice a photo, since you can’t see anything underneath all that cabbage, but it makes for an excellent hot dog.  You may have noticed my arsenal of condiments at the top of the picture: they have a variety of freshly-made condiments every day.  Be sure to put some Dog Sauce on yours, it’s amazing and available in a pump near the soft drink dispenser.  They also have a beer mustard that they make, but it’s insanely hot and I don’t like it all that much.  Also, on this particular visit, they had a habanero-pineapple mustard.  Talk about amazing!!  I haven’t seen it since, but I’m sure it will be back again sometime.  Their fries are truly excellent, and tie with Beyond the Edge for my favorite fries in town.

I’ve never had a hot dog here I didn’t like.  I didn’t ask what brand they use, but they taste like LightLife Smart Dogs.  They’re pretty small so get a side of fries or tater tots for maximum full-ness.  And get creative with your toppings–in addition to what you see here, they have salsa, guacamole, pickle spears, jalapenos, refried beans (I don’t know their vegan status), diced tomatoes, shredded lettuce, sport peppers, and cucumbers.  The Dog is perfect for right before or right after your movie at the Belcourt, or on those days you feel like window shopping in Hillsboro Village.  Also, it’s a perfect place to take your omnivorous friends and relatives who are frightened of vegetables.  Go there–you won’t regret it.

The Dog of Nashville

2127 Belcourt Avenue

Nashville, TN 37212

615.292.2204

Website (it’s kind of hard to navigate)

Khan’s Mongolian BBQ November 10, 2009

Choose your choice!

At Khan’s, you decide EXACTLY what your dish will include.  That makes it paradise for vegans.  Khan’s Mongolian BBQ is on 4th Avenue, right next to the entrance to the Arcade.  When you walk in, it kind of looks like a buffet.  You can a choose a large or small bowl and then fill it up with whatever you want.  They have tofu and TONS of fresh vegetables: sprouts, green peppers, carrots, white and purple cabbage, water chestnuts, snow peas, broccoli, onions, zucchini, mushrooms, scallions, baby corn, and more.  Plus you get $1 off for getting a vegetarian bowl.  You should see the art of architecture that takes place here–people build elaborate towers of food, cramming as much food as possible into the bowls.  I have yet to master the art of making a bowl without anything falling out of it onto the counter or floor, but that’s okay because there’s always someone walking around refreshing the bins and cleaning up the messes made by people like me.

Even more choices!

Towards the end of the line are a wide variety of sauces and seasonings to make your creation complete.  There are recommended recipes taped to the sneeze guard, but I usually just add a little bit of everything.  A little goes a long way with all the sauces–if you add too much, your food will come out too liquid-y.  It has taken me several visits to find the appropriate sauce-to-bowl ratio.  Also, let me tell you, it is awkward to take photos of the food line in Khan’s.  People must have thought I was insane.  Once your bowl is complete, you approach the cash register and hand it over so they can cook it up for you.  You get your choice of rice or noodles, but get the rice because the noodles are made with egg.  The key feature of a Mongolian BBQ restaurant is the large metal cooking area; I read that it’s supposed to be reminiscent of Mongols cooking food on their big metal shields.  If you ask nicely, the proprietors will cook your food in a pan in the back instead of on the big cooking circle thing, to avoid having your food cooked where meat was just prepared mere moments before.  That’s what I always do.

Look, it's all steamy.

You get a little paper number and wait for your food to come out, and when it does, you are in for a serious treat.  Rice, veggies, tofu, sauce, all made exactly to your specifications.  And it doesn’t end there.  Khan’s has an arsenal of delicious condiments you can use to top your dish.  There’s soy sauce, duck sauce, sriracha, tabasco, hot sauce, and something delicious and brown next to the register in little cups.  You can choose chopsticks or traditional utensils.  I have to tell you, I’ve never had anything at Khan’s that wasn’t delicious, but the plate you see here was the best I’ve ever had while eating there.  I think I finally got the sauce-to-bowl ratio right.  Just writing this entry is making my mouth water.

Khan’s is a seriously popular downtown lunch spot.  If you show up just after 12:00, you’ll have to wait a while and there probably won’t be any tables left.  If you can, try to head there a bit before 12:00 or a bit after 12:30.  I’m glad to see that so many people love this place.  I am absolutely certain that I will be back, just as I have been there many times before.  The best thing about Khan’s?  Every meal is different.

Khan’s Mongolian BBQ

237 4th Avenue N.

Nashville, TN 37219

615.726.2340

Khan’s doesn’t have a website, but here is a blurb from the Nashville Scene.

Frist Center Cafe November 5, 2009

Portobello Sandwich

Who doesn’t love the Frist Center?  I certainly love checking out the art, especially when my student ID will get me free admittance (every Thursday and Friday from 5:00 – 9:00 PM).  What I did not know until relatively recently is that the Frist Cafe is a happening lunch spot.  The dining area is really inviting–loving the fresh flowers on the tables–and there’s a great patio if you’re in the mood for al fresco.  Also, their menu, while not a smorgasboard of vegan delights, is surprisingly veg-friendly.

The Portobello Mushroom Sandwich is supposed to be served with basil pesto and fontina cheese.  Omit these two ingredients and you have yourself a vegan sandwich, consisting of a portobello mushroom cap, sliced tomato, and red onion, served on focaccia.  I specifically had the cashier check on the vegan status of the bread and the mushroom cap.  I asked for balsamic vinaigrette on the side so the sandwich wouldn’t be too dry, and was kind of disappointed when it came in a pouch, but at least I could read the ingredients list for myself.  I really loved this sandwich, even though putting salad dressing on it made a huge mess everywhere.  The mushroom cap was really tasty and filling.  If I was having it again, I would probably add some lettuce.

I had a fruit cup as my side, and it really hit the spot.  It complemented the sandwich quite nicely.  One of my dining companions had the potato chips, for which the Frist is apparently famous, which are made fresh on-site.  I had a couple and they were quite delicious, but I’m still glad I got the fruit.

I liked the Frist Cafe.  I’ll probably be back.  They have some salads that could probably be veganized and they occasionally have vegan soups.  Plus, I love the Frist.

Frist Center Cafe

919 Broadway

Nashville, TN 37203

615.244.3340

Website

Bound’ry November 3, 2009

I love Bound’ry, even though this was only my second-ever full meal there.  I hang out at the bar every now and then, and they can always scrounge up some kind of vegan appetizer for me.  Plus, the bar has this awesome chilled section that you can set your drink on so it will never get warm.  I like to leave my handprint in the frost, but I digress.  I love the creativity of the menu, the willingness of the kitchen staff to make me special food that’s not even on the menu, the kindness of the servers and bartenders, and the awesome decor.  I’ve never had a bad experience at Bound’ry.

My birthday was a couple of weeks ago and I decided to have my birthday dinner at Bound’ry, partially because that’s where I had it last year (while still lacto/ovo) and partially due to The Traveling Vegetarian’s encouraging post about how vegan-friendly they can be. I made my reservation a week in advance and indicating that I was vegan. They assured me I could be accommodated, and boy was I ever accommodated.

Bound'ry Salad

My server, who had celiac’s, and whose business partner was vegan, was awesome.  He offered to whip me up a vegan appetizer but I declined since my dining companions were not getting any.  I did take him up on ordering a salad, seen above.  The Bound’ry Salad consists of Romaine lettuce, cherry tomatoes, crispy black eyed peas, and usually ham–remove the ham and it’s vegan.  I chose balsamic vinaigrette as my dressing.  This salad was great for being so simple.  The dressing was just right (not too thick but not too runny/oily), and the crispy black eyed peas were an awesome addition.  There was also an elaborate bread arrangement that I forgot to photograph, all of which was vegan.  It was served with several different butters, but my server brought me out a dish of olive oil for dipping.

My Tofu Entree

My entree was not on the menu.  In fact, there was nothing with tofu on the menu.  When my server took my order for the entree, I told him I thought I would be having the Bound’ry Falafel since it was the only vegan thing on the menu.  He stopped me and told me I could have basically whatever I wanted.  This was too much choice for me, and while I stared at him dumbstruck, he asked if I would like something with tofu.  I told him that would be perfect and off he went.  I had absolutely no idea what would come out, and one of my dining companions expressed worry based on his experiences with chefs who do not know how to work with tofu properly.  Was he ever proven wrong!

This dish was AMAZING.  Seriously.  It blew me away.  I’m not really sure what it was served with, beyond being able to identify the tofu (obviously), black eyed peas (not crispy this time), carrots, and what I think were summer squash and zucchini.  I have no idea what that orange sauce was but it was delicious.  Everything was incredibly flavorful, and that orange sauce really tied it all together.  The tofu was the perfect texture–nice and firm on the outside and slightly softer on the inside.  This dish was so filling that I could not even eat it all, which is saying something, because I can eat a lot.  It also reheated well a few days later.

Bound'ry Falafel

One of my dining companions ordered the Bound’ry Falafel, so I had him snap a photo.  It’s totally vegan and served with hummus, tabouli, naan, cherry tomatoes, and yummy roasted baby eggplant.  This is your vegan standby on the Bound’ry menu and the most affordable entree.  I didn’t eat any of this (too full from my own food) but I’ve had the hummus at the bar several times and can testify to its awesomeness.  Honestly, I’ve never had any food at Bound’ry that was less than stellar and I’m sure this was no exception, and my friend who was eating it said it was great.

Dessert

Unfortunately, I was not able to snap a stellar photo of the dessert, but it was my birthday, get off my back.  Bound’ry does not typically offer vegan dessert.  I made my reservation a week in advance and spoke with Natalie, a manager, who told me she would discuss my vegan dessert request with the pastry chef and get back to me.  She called me back a couple of days later saying they could accommodate me and asking if I liked pumpkin.  I responded in the affirmative and that was it.

My dessert came out with candles.  I don’t really know what it was, but it was some kind of pumpkin custard-like substance.  It tasted a lot like pumpkin pie filling, and it had nuts (pecans?) in it.  There were also these little scone-like biscuit things, and fresh strawberries, and little chocolate sticks.  I was so excited to have a vegan dessert, because this is the first real vegan dessert I’ve had in this city (I don’t count cookies as dessert–cookies are not a dessert, they are a snack).

In sum, I love Bound’ry.  They have an awesome beer selection and cocktail menu, the food is phenomenal, and the service is impeccable.  It’s pricey, but totally worth it for that special occasion.  They definitely made my birthday memorable.  And I bet I’ll be back next year!

Bound’ry

911 20th Avenue South

Nashville, TN 37212

615.321.3043

Website

FiddleCakes October 30, 2009

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookie & Chewy Oatmeal, Fruit and Nut Bar

When I read that someone in Nashville went and opened up a vegan-friendly bakery, I almost peed myself with excitement.  I went that very same day to see what they had.  Dreams of fluffy vegan cupcakes danced in my head.  Imagine my disappointment when there were no vegan cupcakes to be found.  There were only two vegan baked goods in the case, and I bought both of them, but more on them in a minute.

FiddleCakes is in the middle of that awesome part of 8th Ave. that’s home to thrift and vintage stores and my beloved Grimey’s.  I was worried I was going to miss it while driving there, but they have a huge pistachio-colored sign.  The interior of this place is simply adorable.  There’s a ton of SPACE for sitting and chatting with your friends over coffee, or working towards a deadline with vegan cookies their free WiFi.  The bakery case is front and center, and there’s also a cooler full of sandwiches.  This is their soft opening, and they’ll be having a grand opening sometime in November–don’t worry, I’ll let you know when.

On my visit to FiddleCakes, I was the only one in the place, but the proprietress informed me that the place is quite busy around lunch time.  The vegan soup of the day was Mushroom Barley, but I did not partake–I was there for baked goods.  I also scoped the sandwich selection and saw a Curried Tofu sandwich that would probably be delish.  As mentioned above, I grabbed the two vegan treats available that day: a chewy bar and a soft cookie.  The bar was chewy as promised, and flavorful.  But the cookie completely blew me away!  It was awesome!  And just in time for Halloween!  Look how many exclamation points I’m using!

Bottom line: head down to FiddleCakes.  Do it now.  Right this second.  Get a cookie.  I’m serious.

 

FiddleCakes

2206 8th Avenue South

Nashville, TN 37204

615.457.2127

Website

Justice For All October 28, 2009

I want to let all you Nashvegans out there know about this really cool opportunity to check out a great speaker.   Vanderbilt Law School’s Animal Law Society is bringing Jonathan Lovvorn, Vice President & Chief Counsel for Animal Protection Litigation and Research, from the Humane Society of the United States, to speak on campus on Thursday, October 29 (that’s tomorrow!).  This event is free and open to the public.  The event will take place at noon in the law school building, in Flynn Auditorium, and should last about an hour.

A nationally recognized expert in the field of animal law, Mr. Lovvorn has litigated extensively on behalf of animals, and manages the nation’s largest animal protection litigation program, with dozens of attorneys prosecuting more than 40 cases in state and federal courts around the country. He also oversees the Research & Analysis group at the Humane Society, which conducts major research projects in furtherance of the organization’s key campaigns and programs.  He gave a keynote presentation at the Animal Law Conference in Portland, OR, that I attended a few weeks ago, and I can tell you that he is a dynamic and fascinating speaker.

If you’re in the area and can make it to the talk, I highly recommend that you go.  Bring a friend.  I know I’ll be there.

Justice For All: An Introduction to Animal Law with Jonathan Lovvorn

Vanderbilt Law School, Flynn Auditorium, 12:00 – 1:00 PM

131 21st Avenue South

Nashville, TN 37203

Hungry Tiger Too October 27, 2009

Macaroni & Cheese with Caesar Salad

This is my second and last Portland post.  I didn’t have as many opportunities to eat in restaurants as I would have liked because I was so busy at the conference.  But the two restaurant meals I did get to enjoy were amazing–my trip to Hungry Tiger Too was no exception.  Hungry Tiger Too has a bar area and a dining area, but my host and I sat at the bar.  They have two separate menus: one vegan menu and one “classic” menu.

Since Hungry Tiger is known for its mac & cheese, I knew that was what I would be having.  It comes in small and large, and if I had gotten the large I think I might have fainted, since I couldn’t even finish the small.  The cheese sauce kind of tasted like chicken stock, which was weird, and while I’ve made better vegan cheese sauce in my own kitchen, it was awesome to order this in a restaurant.  The noodles were a little softer than I would have liked, and the cheese sauce a little thinner.  It was topped with delicious breadcrumbs.  The real standout of this meal was the salad: this Caesar was really reminiscent of the Caesar salads I used to eat growing up, when that was the only type of salad I found palatable (wow, that was a long time ago).  The dressing was absolutely fantastic.

I hope I get the opportunity to return to Hungry Tiger.  They have vegan corn dogs, and I would love to try one of those.  Our bartender/server was fantastic and helped to make menu and beer recommendations.  If it wasn’t for her, I don’t think I would have had the Caesar, which I loved so much.  The place has an awesome neighborhood vibe and great beer specials.  Oh man, I hope I get to go back soon!

Hungry Tiger Too

207 SE 12th Ave

Portland, OR 97214

503.238.4321

Hungry Tiger doesn’t have a wesbite, but it does have a MySpace