Chilled Tomato Gazpacho from Metrofresh

Above is the Chilled Tomato Gazpacho from MetroFresh that I had as part of lunch yesterday. This is my first time eating Gazpacho. I have heard much about this category of chilled soups (wonder if that is a good definition of 'gazpacho?') but never ended up cooking one or ordering it either. Anyway, first impressions? Tastes like a liquified version of tomato salsa, and I don't mean that in an uncomplimentary way at all! It's just my layperson way of describing the taste. The tomatoes weren't too tart but they weren't sweet either. As tomatoes come back into season, I suppose the gazpacho would be far sweeter. Mild taste of onion and garlic, and there probably was some cilantro added but I couldn't see it. I liked the texture of the dish; how do you achieve a uniform texture with tomatoes and onions that still feels like soup?

P mentioned that it should have contained cucumbers as well. Not this one - I don't think it did.

Broadway Cafe

The ScoutMob coupon is allowing me to sample new places in and around the city. Last weekend, four of us trooped to Broadway Cafe. No fancy dining place this is but the food was fairly nice, I thought! I would probably go there a second time if it wasn't a tad far... :( Should mention that this is a Kosher restaurant (one of the few in the city?) - probably that explains the many Jewish families with little ones present that evening.

To start off, we ordered a plate of Potato Chips. These folks don't have a website; so I cannot verify the exact name of the dish. Anyhow, we got a huge plate of Sweet Potato home style fries. We asked them to get us a bowl of ketchup as a dip. Nice fries, and it was good that we had friends with us. It would have been impossible for P and I to finish them. I recall thinking that it would have been nice had they sliced the sweet potatoes thin and roasted them. Delicious and healthier(?). 

We also got a plate of roasted vegetables and hummus with pita bread wedges. Now that I look at the picture, the hummus looks more like cream cheese! Seriously trying to recall - what DID we get? In any case, it was fairly decent tasting. I do remember that the pita wedges were like LEATHER. So tough that it was difficult biting into them.

 

The above is a collage of all the dishes we ordered. Thai Stir-fry with Vegetables and Tofu (top left), Pad Thai (bottom left), Roasted Vegetable Pizza with Mushrooms and Feta, and Lasagna. S had ordered the Thai Stir-fry and he specifically asked our server if they used Tofu or gluten. Now this was a new topic for me. I learned that many places mention tofu but use gluten instead. I suppose, when they say gluten, they actually mean texturized soy protein, that is understood to be a far more processed substance than tofu (soy bean curd). S said that it was an ingredient that he always found challenging to digest. Anyway, his dish was far too liquid-y, he said. It was more a soup consistency, he thought. I didn't sneak a taste, so no comments.

P ordered the Pad Thai. It was fairly nice but unremarkable. The flavors were mild and the vegetables tasted fresh and crunchy. My husband ordered the pizza. It came on a flat bread base with sundried tomatoes, olives, mushrooms and a pesto spread. I liked it but he thought it was just okay. As for me, I ordered the Vegetable Lasagna. Very uncharacteristic for me because I am not a fan of this dish. It always seems as if the sourness of tomato dominates the flavors, and what remains is the stringy baked cheese that turns cold too soon, and then the doughy taste and texture of lasagna sheets. Let me just say, this was not the worst Vegetable Lasagna I have eaten. But I don't think I will order this for a while. It doesn't seem like a dish I will ever have a taste for. Unless may be I sample it in Italy?

Skipped dessert, went home and played Taboo... good fun with good friends. As for Broadway Cafe, I would go there again if I was in that part of town. Not sure if I'd make the drive for the kind of food we ate that night. Or maybe I would!

Broadway Cafe

2157 Briarcliff Rd

Atlanta, GA 30329

404-329-0888

Cafe Sunflower, Sandy Springs

I had written about Cafe Sunflower in the beginning days of this blog. That post was about the branch in Buckhead. This weekend, we visited the one in Sandy Springs. I recall going to this one and feeling like the place lacked energy. It felt dull, the decor lacked vibrance of any sort, and there were very few folks eating there. It must have been a couple of years ago.

All that has changed. I visited Cafe Sunflower in Sandy Springs with a friend two weeks back, and then again this weekend with P. Both times, the restaurant was bustling, most tables were occupied, the menu had changed (maybe) and there was a definite energetic vibe going on that caught my interest.

Above our table was a wooden cabinet that stored teapots and packets of herbal tea. The whole place is done up in earthy tones of brown, crimson, maroon, dull gold. The servers are cheerful, hip and friendly, and as expected, fully understanding of what it means to be vegetarian, issues linked with eating soy in excess (yes, I was eavesdropping on a conversation going on at a nearby table) and how to use the Scoutmob application too! This IPhone application gave me a 50% discount on eating at Cafe Sunflower - I guess that explains why we landed there on a rainy Saturday evening, first day of the year, to boot! But I really like this place too, didn't I say that already?

I ordered a pot of the peach tea. I wish it was peach-ginger but it was plain peach. On a day as rainy as that, I would have gone for anything-ginger but they didn't have any such combination. P, on the other hand, ordered a bottle of the Outrageous Ginger Ale! Both of us are avid ginger fans, obviously. That ginger ale was a fantastic combination of spicy and sweet. I do wish it had less sugar... :( Even our other favorite ginger ale, Reed's contains a little more sugar than I am comfortable with. It is an occasional indulgence, end of story.

For the entrees, P ordered the Spicy Pad Thai Noodles. I asked for the Tuscan Sandwich. The dinner entrees come with house salad and dinner rolls. P asked for the soy sesame dressing and I went with the creamy Italian (after confirming with our sweet server that it was vegetarian/vegan).

Yum! I think the salad contains greens, shredded carrots, white beans, bulgur wheat. Generally, I find Italian dressing a little too tart for my taste but this was rather mild. P's soy sesame was nice too, not too oily or heavily sweet. I wish I could recall what other ingredients the salad contained. I am not a salad fiend, meaning I am not going to be ecstatic if you give me a plate of lightly sauteed kale for lunch. But I am a fairly dispassionate person and so I will be satisfied (!). Anyway, I really liked this salad. The greens and the bulgur together provided a nice leafy-nutty flavor combination plus both dressings were very good too!

The dinner rolls... I thought I'd get full eating them, sigh. They were made of whole wheat and came with a tiny bowl of buttered jam (or jelly, as is called in the US). Raspberry flavored, I think. I always love dinner rolls, I wish I had taken them home or something. I only ate half a roll but they were wonderful.

 

The entrees were fantastic. P is what I would call a Pad Thai afficianado; he really likes the dish. Hmmm, I wonder why we haven't tried making it at home.

Rice noodles, oyster mushrooms, chopped red peppers, baby corn, roasted (or sauteed?) tofu, kale, all swimming in a gloriously flavored coconut peanut sauce. Honestly, the picture on the left cannot do justice to this dish. It was not overwhelmingly garlicky or spicy neither was it over-the-top peanutty. It was perfection in that lovely burnished bowl. I must mention, my friend and I shared this dish when I visited earlier, and loved it that time as well. The kale is a definite healthy touch to the dish but it is very crisp and lightly cooked, hence does not ruin the taste at all.

My Tuscan Sandwich was wonderful too. It is a generously portioned dish, split into two halves. Oh, it came with a side of baked sweet potato fries and coleslaw. The fries could have been crisper. They were too soft, I thought. The coleslaw was nice but I didn't eat much of it due to the briny dressing (didn't want to risk pitta aggravation). 

The filling?

Deliciously oozy basil goat cheese, giant chunks of portabello mushrooms, caramelized onions, juicy tomatoes and sauteed spinach. Oh, the bread is rosemary focaccia. I couldn't eat both halves, ended up taking one home for lunch the next day. Can you believe, it tasted as delicious?

Dessert was a flourless chocolate ganache with a nut crust. I don't recall if it was vegan (most probably, it was) but it was certainly gluten-free and DELICIOUS. Again, I had gotten this dessert on my last visit as well. Oh, it tastes so silky and chocolate-y without being too sugary or cloying. It is dark chocolate but not too bitter. I think it's a dessert best shared.

Cafe Sunflower is certainly no cheap joint but I have no hesitation in recommending it to anyone, vegetarian or not. This is not your vegetarian restaurant that has fake meat dishes on the menu. Instead it is all about fresh ingredients, full flavors and innovative preparations.

If you think I gushed too much in this post, you should just go check the place out.

Cafe Sunflower

5975 Roswell Road

Atlanta GA 30328

404-256-1675

www.cafesunflower.com

Loving Hut

Before you think that I have started eating meat... :) Last night, we visited Loving Hut for dinner. There's something so charming about this place. The servers are wonderful - our server even asked us if we wanted to avoid onions! - the menu selection is plentiful, it has a cheerful ambience... I have to say - I felt that this place was full of sattva.

We went with J & J and ordered an assortment of items. The Fabulous Pho soup was wonderful! It had rice noodles, vegan ham, green onions, lots of basil, mushrooms... MMM. I have to admit, I am squeamish around the fake meat and avoided those huge floating soy chunks. The soup was wonderfully flavored and it filled me up in a really warm and satisfying way. P ordered the Wonton Soup and he adored it. Cilantro, sesame, rice wontons, shredded carrots... wonderful! J ordered the daily special - Rainbow Soup. She has a very sensitive palate meaning not much stuff makes it past her attention when it comes to food, preparation, spices, etc. And she loved the soup!

The BBQ sticks were nice too with a generous garnish of sesame seeds. Again, it took me a while to get past the sight but once the sticks made their way to my mouth, I was fine.

I hardly ever turn down dessert - we got the Chocolate Mousse. It was sweet without being cloying, light and heavenly! Who'd think it's vegan???!!!

Loving Hut's philosophy permeates everything - the ambience, the servers, and the food. Living gently on this earth, consuming what's needed, respecting life in all its forms... how can I not love a place like this one?