Bun Mee

Today's post is about yet another place I've been meaning to get to for some time, and I will soon go back, as all the food was so good!  I am quite a lucky gal since these tasty dishes live not many blocks from my house, at Bun Mee.  It's a play on the Vietnamese sandwich banh mi, get it?  Anyway, peep the eats:

First up, fresh spring rolls.  Packed with tofu and noodles and herbs and veggies, these are some of the best in town.  Peanut dipping sauce also stellar.  Sriracha on every table? Perfection.  Just beyond the rolls you can see the also delicious mango sesame salad.  It's tart and bright thanks to the lime juice and ginger and is a great palate cleanser before moving on to the main deal, this Saigon Peanut Rice Bowl with Tofu:

So pretty, right?  The tofu and peanut sauce alone would have been divine but the addition of pickled papaya (say that three times fast) and jalapeno really makes this dish sing.  A lovely blend of textures and flavors that covers all the bases.  The husband tried their vegan banh mi sandwich and loved it, and there are some other vegan options on the menu too, so another trip is definitely in order.

That's is for now but I'll be back soon with some vegan eats from Vegas, baby.  I'm headed there for a vegan friend's bachelorette party, so you know there'll be some yums.  Have a great week, everyone!

Off the Grid

I have no idea why it took me so long to get to Off the Grid at Fort Mason.  It's near my house, has great music being dj'ed, a good vibe, and is full of reasonably priced vegan offerings.  Talk about missing out!  Luckily, it's still going strong and I finally made my way to this weekly meet up of dozens of food trucks, carts, and stands last night, and I'm already looking forward to the next one.  Look at some of the yums:

The husband and I shared this plethora of goodies.  Top left is the "deconstructed samosa" from Curry Up Now.  Smashed samosa on top of turmeric rice with diced raw tomato and onion and mint chutney drizzle.  Flavor-packed and filling.  Next door at twelve o'clock are fresh tofu spring rolls from Little Green Cyclo.  Not the best I've ever had, but decent.  However, they do make the best ever on planet Earth sweet potato tator tots (3 o'clock).  Those bad boys are addictive as all get out and I want more right now.  So good.  Up front is the "donburri" plate from Onigilly.  This rice dish comes with edamame, a side salad (some of the only fresh greens to be found in all the trucks!), and your choice of toppings.  I got all three vegan options - the shiitake mushrooms, hijiki seaweed and umeboshi plums.  All were good, maybe a bit salty, but I like salt.  :)

Fact:  From here on out, Off the Grid is where you'll find me on any given Friday night with good weather.  Hope to see you there, something vegan in your hands!

Tarla Grill, Napa

I love me a gorgeous day in wine country, and this past Wednesday was one of the most lovely I've ever experienced.  Not a cloud in the sky, warm breezes, delectable wines, and a stop at a new-to-me spot for lunch that really wowed both the vegans and omnis in the group, Tarla Grill in downtown Napa.

We started by splitting a Mezes Plate, giving the stuffed mussels and yogurt sauce to the omnis while the vegans devoured scrumptious dolmas and hummus.  Olives for everyone.  :)

Then came this awesome veggie sandwich, ordered without cheese and with the Greek potatoes cooked in olive oil instead of butter.  Piled high with veggies on a chewy ciabatta roll slathered with whole grain mustard, this was the perfect thing to eat between wine tastings.  Flavorful, filling, and fantastic!

Other vegan options at Tarla include salads, including a barley salad with pickled onions, olives, and pistachios, that my mom loved, and a stuffed eggplant that was raved about by a friend.  Next time I'm in wine country and in need of some fuel, I'll definitely hit up Tarla Grill again, and suggest you do that same.

Next up, stay tuned for some more SF eats...

501 on Main, Park City

Happy Monday, everyone!  From last Wednesday until yesterday, I was in Park City, UT, getting some fresh air and staying with friends in one of their family's homes.  It was lovely.  We cooked together and ate all but one of our (very veg-centric) meals in, but when we went out, we made it count.  Picking 501 on Main was an easy choice because of its very well-marked menu (v=vegetarian, v2=vegan, gf=gluten-free), but turns out it is extremely darn tasty as well.  Here's what the vegans among us had:  

The biggest mistake of the evening was the salad, but only because the dressing they put on the side was not vegan (duh).  This was quickly rectified, however, and soon we were devouring this delish pile of greens, roasted beets, dried fruits, and pumpkin seeds.  Winner.

What omni restaurant has vegan chicken bites on its menu???  501 on Main, baby!  These addictive poppers were a hit among the whole table.  Fried and glazed wheat meat, y'all.  Gotta love it.  And I did.

I almost can't even handle this entree.  I mean, it's incredible risotto, chock-full-o veggies, served in a "bowl" made of fried potatoes.  YES.  I don't think I need to say any more.  And yet, it still wasn't my favorite of the night.  Meet the vegan curry:

More of those wheat meat bites get matched up with veggies galore, cooked in a savory and deeply-flavored curry, and served atop fluffy rice... all on another fried potato basket!  Good lord I loved this dish.  From concept to execution, perfection.

Bummer that this place had no vegan desserts (I know, right?) but next time I'm in Park City, I know where I'm going, and if you should ever find yourself there, I definitely suggest a stop at 501 on Main.  Sundance, anyone?

Up next, a bunch of my family is coming to SF, so that means lots of dining out around the whole Bay Area.  Stay tuned!