Peking Garden - Chinese - Raleigh, NC

It's been a few months since we last ate at Peking Garden, but I had to write a post on this restaurant because I keep forgetting to and this restaurant should NOT be forgotten!

This is a beautiful restaurant inside, with many vegetarian options on the menu. They also have a sister restaurant in Downtown Raleigh called Cody's, which we have not tried.

By far the best dish we've tried at Peking Garden is the Tender Crispy Tofu. It's fried, but not overly greasy or heavy. All the food at Peking Garden is fresh and light like this.

They also have vegetable egg rolls, spring rolls and dumplings.

Defintely worht a vist if you haven't tried it already! There's even a movie theater in the same shopping center if you want to make it a "date night".

This is another restaurant that we wish was closer to Cary - definitely worth repeat visits.

http://www.pekinggardenraleigh.com/

Shanghai - Chinese - Durham, NC

Due to the unfortunate closing of Mama Wok in Cary, we have begun yet another search for a truly good Chinese restaurant. Shanghai is out of the way for takeout if you live in Cary, but if you are in the Durham area it is definitely worth the trip.

I have to admit I had low expectations since every other Chinese place we've tried with high hopes turned out to be disappointing or just average.

Shanghai is a real, sit-down Chinese restaurant, the kind that gives you hot tea free (not common in NC in my experience). It's very close to the Chinese restaurants I remember from the MD/DC area and not just a hole in the wall with pictures of food on the wall behind the register with 2 tables to sit at if you decide to eat there.

We only tried 2 dishes - the Szechuan Tofu and the Curry Tofu, but both were very good. We also had the vegetable egg rolls (not spring rolls, egg rolls - it's so hard to find veggie ones in restaurants so I was excited) and the vegetable dumplings. The dumplings were the only in NC that I've tried so far that were anywhere close to the ones I had in the DC area. The dough is fresh and you can tell the dumplings do not come frozen from a bag. Again, I was very excited.

We will definitely be back to Shanghai restaurant to try more vegetarian dishes. They have a good selection on the menu, and even some included in the daily specials.
They even have lettuce wraps with a tofu option, so now there is another option besides PF Chang's if you want to try it somewhere else.

I only wish they were closer to Cary so that they could become our new takeout place, because I know they would.

http://shanghai.ypguides.net/page/o4ce/Select_Vegetable_Tofu_Dishes.html

Eden's Vegetarian - Eclectic - Smithfield, NC

We saw this place on Happy Cow and thought we'd take a Sunday drive to check it out. The owner, Alex, who is originally from St. Lucia, and has been a vegetarian himself for about 30 years, is on a mission to create healty, vegetarian/vegan food that tastes great. Being located in Smithfield, his goals are admirable.

I highly reccomend a drive out to eat at this restaurant. It's not too far from the Triangle, it took us about 45 minutes from Cary. I suggest calling first, as his hours depend on the expected business that day, although he is open at the hours listed at the end of this post. He also does a Thanksgiving dinner for those who'd rather let someone else cook.

The restaurant is in a beautiful Victorian house and Alex and his wife were very friendly. It was a very intimate dining experience, as we were the only guests in there, but it gave us time to talk to Alex and learn more about his cooking and background. Before our meal was over, a large church group showed up - so he does not lack business, but being in Smithfield, I guess it's not the first place to eat on most people's minds.


My husband and I shared plates and tried some of everything. Alex featured 2 meals that day: Curry "chicken" and chickpeas with choice of sides or "BBQ ribs" with choice of sides. Sides were spinach brown rice, beans and rice, sweet potatoes, broccoli and carrots and collards and onions. Each person gets an entree, a rice, a vegetable and salad comes with the meal.

We also tried his vegetable soup as a starter and his homemade foccacia with garlic, sea salt and olives was delicious. He also made his own iced tea which had rosemary in it, which was also very good.

He warned us not to eat too fast or fill up too much on tea and bread and we assured him we wouldn't - but he was right, by the time our meal came we were stuffed halfway through and couldn't finish. I felt bad because he had created such a lovely meal for us and we were't able to take it to go. Next time we'll have to pace ourselves better. The meal was reasonably priced for all that food and wasn't more than around $12-$15 for each of us.

Granted, it's not a trendy nightspot or a place for a quick bite, but for a catered event, lazy Sunday meal with good friends or a romantic dinner, this place is perfect. The fact that this place exists at all, let alone Smithfield, NC is amazing. Please support his efforts to promote vegetarian lifestyle.


Eden's Vegetarian Dining
709 S 3rd St, Smithfield, NC 27577 (at Holt, inside the Dupree House)
919-938-3880
Vegetarian, Vegan-friendly, Organic, International, Catering

Accept credit cards.
Open Tue-Fri lunch 11am-2pm
Sun 11am-7pm
Tue-Thur dinner 5:30-8:30pm by appointment only

http://www.edensvegetarian.com

Area Vegan Events - Thanksgiving - Triangle Vegetarian Society

For those new to the area, there is a local Triangle Vegetarian Society that hosts events, potlucks etc.

They also host the country's largest all vegan Thanksgiving Event, which is held at an upscale restaurant in Durham. Tickets are purchased ahead of time for a specified time slot. Food is served buffet style, but is both delicious and displayed elegantly. They also sell raffle tickets for an array of vegan goods.

We went this year for the first time and were very impressed. It was a nice experience to be surrounded by compassionate, like-minded people. We highly recommend going with your family, vegan or not, for a break from cooking and for some wonderful food.

http://www.trianglevegsociety.org/thanksgiving07/index.html

Penang - Malaysian & Thai - Chapel Hill

Good food in a clean and artistic atmosphere.

It clearly says on the menu that almost every dish can be made "vegetarian or vegan", which usually means substituting tofu.

http://www.penangnc.com/

We have tried the:

(Appetizer) Satay Tofu - Crispy fried tofu stuffed with cucumber and bean sprouts with peanut sauce.

Thai Lemongrass Chicken (Substituted Tofu) - Sauteed chicken with lemongrass, fresh pepper, tumeric, chili, lime juice and coconut milk.

Basil Eggplant - Eggplant with pepper chili in tasty Thai basil sauce.

By far the Thai Lemongrass Tofu (Not Chicken) was the best, but everything was very good.

Fiesta Mexicana - Multiple Locations

We ate at the one in Wakefield -

Here is the chain's website:
http://www.fiestamexicanarestaurante.com/raleigh.wake.forest.clayton/index.php?&MMN_position=1:1

Standard Raleigh area Mexican food, but we were impressed that when we clarified we didn't want cheese or dairy on anything, the waiter did make sure to inform us that they do use sour cream in the guacamole. So they win vegan points for that.

Rosetta's Kitchen - Asheville

We've had some road-trips lately, and had some terrific food in Asheville. Even though it is about 4 hours from Raleigh, we still wanted to mention some of the great vegetarian stuff for anyone headed out that way.

Our first stop (literally, our first stop right off the highway getting into Asheville) was at Rosetta's Kitchen. This place is fantastic! The dingy/artsy atmosphere and the pierced & tattooed workers all fit right into the Asheville cultural vibe, and the menu of vegan options was impressive. We had a smoky tofu sandwich that was delicious - highly recommended. We also tried the mock-chicken salad sandwich. It was OK, but didn't measure up to our favorite (the one Jeremy makes at the Cary Whole Foods). We also wanted to try the Tempeh-lo Wings, but they were sold out! The old people at the next table were eating the last of them. We SO wanted to steal a few, but managed to contain ourselves. Maybe next time. And there WILL be a next time, because there were so many other things on the menu that we still want to try.

Their web site is here: http://rosettaskitchen.com/index.html

And the menu is here: http://www.blueridgetogo.com/vendors/43.pdf

Compassionate Living Festival - Durham

http://www.animalsandsociety.org/conference07.htm

October 5-7, 2007 Sheraton Imperial Hotel and Convention Center4700 Emperor Boulevard, Durham, North Carolina 27703

Please join us for the 22nd annual International Compassionate Living Festival, featuring esteemed authors, academics, activists and artists united for positive change on behalf of animals worldwide. The conference will feature leaders from many areas of animal activism, from grassroots to national campaigns, focusing on how everyone can “become the change” the world’s animals urgently need.

Support Local Farmers and Humane Treatment of Farm Animals

This weekend we went on the local Farm Tours. We went to the ones this past spring as well. Last time they were the Chapel Hill area and this time we went to Holly Springs and Louisburg.

http://www.carolinafarmstewards.org/

Buttons are sold at Whole Foods (and other places). For $30 the button gets you access to the farms for both days or you can pay $10 per farm.

It's a great way to buy fresh produce and support local farmers. If you eat eggs, it's a sure way of buying humane eggs.

Last spring we went to Fickle Creek Farm and this time the two that stood out were Amazing Acres and Mae Farm.

Amazing Acres is more of an educational farm geared toward children. They have potbellied pigs, turkeys, chickens, ducks and a goat. http://www.getoutsideandlearn.com/

Mae Farm is primarily a hog farm, but I have to respect the owner, Mike Jones for providing a true free-range home for his pigs. Their food is all natural, no pesticides and the animals appear happy. I know they still have a horrible fate, but if you had to pick the lesser of two evils, this would be it. Encourage meat-eating friends and family to purchase from farmers like this (while still encouraging vegetarian diet).

http://www.indyweek.com/gyrobase/Content?oid=oid%3A160706

http://www.maefarmmeats.com/index.shtml

At the end of the Mae Farm tour I was even able to hand a couple of vegetarian brochures to a man and his mother who were on the tour. I could tell by the questions he asked the farmer that he wanted to know more about factory farming. I gave him these privately after the tour (I don't recommend harassing the farmers).

All in all, these tours are informative and fun. It's always a joy to watch the piglets play and the chickens dust-bathe and also to remind myself why I don't eat meat.

Keep an eye out for the tour schedules every year and bring a group to go. It's a good way to get your foot in the door to introduce to your friends and family issues like factory farming, organic farming etc.

Taste of Thai - Raleigh (Falls of Neuse)

Tried this place over the weekend. Nice sit-down restaurant, friendly waitress, good presentation.

We ordered:
Appetizer - Vegetarian Fresh Rolls
PAD MAKUA - Sauteed fresh eggplant with sweet basil,carrot and bell pepper.
CHOO CHEE - Thick & strong flavorful curry with broccoli ,kaffir lime and coconut milk.

There is a separate menu with faux meats on it, but the appetizer we tried to order wasn't available, but the waitress did say that the other entrees with faux meats were available. Maybe if we go back will will try one.

http://www.tasteofthairestaurant.net/nc/index.php?&MMN_position=1:1

Greek Fiesta - Multiple Locations

Another great place for hummus etc. Be sure to sign up on the pad at the register with your e-mail and birthdate. They will e-mail you free coupons for food on holidays and your birthday. We just had a lunch feast over the weekend with our coupons. A vegetarian platter, drink and two extra plates of hummus and pita for only $7.99. It was way more that we should have eaten but we had a coupon!

http://www.greekfiesta.com/

Brixx Pizza - Brier Creek, Raleigh

Update: We've eaten the soy cheese pizzas here and they are very good.

We tried the Margherita Pizza and the Wild Mushroom Pizza and just substituted soy cheese for regular.

The Wild Mushroom Pizza comes with a full bed of arugula salad on the top of it, so I had to ask for a side of balsamic dressing on the side, otherwise it was too dry.

http://www.brixxpizza.com/dine-in-menu.pdf

----------------------------------------------------------------------

Brixx Pizza is now open! The staff assured me that they DO have soy cheese as an option for their pizzas! http://www.brixx.com/

From their site:

*** Veggie Pizza ***
Any pizza can be prepared with veggie cheese, a soy based cheese that is lactose free and has no animal fat. Best of all, it tastes great! No extra charge!
------------------------------------------------------------

So now we have 5 options that I know of in the Triangle... ZPizza, Brixx, Mellow Mushroom, Moonlight Pizza and Lilly's.

Please buy from them to show our support for vegan pizza!

Dalat - Vietnamese/Chinese - Raleigh

We ate here tonight with some friends. The reviews out there that the restaurant is filthy and waiters are rude are untrue. I saw no ants or roaches and everyone was really helpful. Our waiter seemed a bit confused, but he promptly got the owner to be our waitress. She was very helpful in helping us choose vegan dishes. She was very friendly, upbeat and quite frankly, hilarious. She was the highlight of our evening. She also let us know that the "tofu crepes" on the menu are made with rice flour, and that the only thing eggy about them was the egg color. So they are vegan. We did not try them though.

We all shared the dalat rolls with tofu, Tofu with Lemongrass on Vermicelli, Tofu with Chili and Lemongrass, Grilled tofu with vermicelli and the famous tofu sub. I think we got the grilled tofu sub when what we should have gotten was the marinated tofu sub, but it was still very good, and had a chicken-like consistency as did the grilled tofu with vermicelli. Overall, the concensus was that the Tofu with Chili and Lemongrass was the best dish. I would definitely go back to try more entrees.

NOTE: They are closed Sundays

http://dalatrestaurant.com/

Certified Humane Eggs

For those vegetarians who eat eggs, Whole Foods carries "Certified Humane" eggs. Only "Certified Humane" eggs are truly cage free.

Humane Society has a description of what the egg carton labeling means.

http://www.hsus.org/farm/resources/pubs/animal_welfare_claims_on_egg_cartons.html

For the most cage free eggs Weaver Street Market in Carrboro carries eggs from Fickle Creek Farm. We saw these chickens on a farm tour and they are definitely allowed to dust bathe, run free and have access to shelter with nests when they want it. Weaver Street Market usually stocks these on Thursdays, and they go very fast!

http://home.mebtel.net/~ficklecreek/fcfproducts07.htm

India Mahal (Raleigh)

We tried out their lunch buffet this weekend. Not bad! It was a little disturbing to see the sign "Daily Special - Goat Meat (Every day)", but I guess that comes with the territory.

Their buffet wasn't huge, but it had some good stuff on it, and was clearly marked "Veg" on one side and "Meet" on the other. Yeah, "Meet".

The naan was a little greasier than I would have liked, but still delicious. There were probably 6 or 7 vegetarian options - the usual suspects like Saag Paneer, Curry Vegetables, and that Chickpea/tomato thing.

It's over on Hillsborough Street in Raleigh (3212 Hillsborough St)

Toreros - Cary & other locations

We haven't been too thrilled with the Mexican food in this area. So much of it seems heavy, salty, and not-so-fresh. Most of the time it is buried in so much cheese that you forget what you ordered.

Toreros isn't perfect either, but it is better than El Dorado or Tres Magueyes at least. They have a decent Mexi-Vegi selection , and their chips & salsa are pretty good. I got the Fajitas de Vegetables and really liked it. The veggies were nicely cooked and served piping hot, and there was plenty of guacamole (my favorite). The cheese, sour cream, etc. were all off to the side, so I could avoid the stuff I didn't want. It came with beans and rice, but I filled up on the fajitas and never got to them!

Toreros has locations around the triangle. We recently ate at the Cary location on Harrison. The Atlantic Ave. location in Raleigh was a good experience too. If you know of a particularly good Mexican restaurants for veg*n stuff, post a comment!

http://www.torerosmexicanfood.com/dinner_menu_mexican_food.php

Panzanella - Vegan Breakfast - Carrboro/Chapel Hill Area

Panzanella is technically an Italian restaurant, but for brunch they offer tofu scramble:

Tofu Scramble: Tofu, Sweet Onion, Roasted Tomatoes, Potatoes and Portabella Mushrooms with Gimme-Lean Breakfast Patties (V)
$8.50

I have never been there, but this is the only restaurant that I know of in the area that serves tofu scramble as a breakfast option.

They also mark their menu with a V on vegan menu items. There are 3 options on the Dinner Menu and 1 vegan salad on the Lunch Menu.

They are in the same building as the Weaver Street Market, on the back side of the building. Parking lot parking. Closed for Dinner on Mondays. Accepts reservations.

Their Website is:

http://www.panzanella.com/about.php

Moonlight Pizza - Downtown Raleigh

Offer a pizza called "Greenhouse Effect" that can be ordered with no cheese. Other vegetarian (not vegan) options on the menu as well.

Menu:

http://www.zspotlight.com/~libraries/popuppages/Cients%20K-O/ml_menu.pdf

Website:

http://www.zspotlight.com/establishment.asp?EstID=8309&EstSub=profile

Moe's - Burritos - Multiple Locations

Moes' menu allows you to substitute tofu for any meat in a burrtito. Leave off cheese and sour cream to make them vegan.

One of the best spots in the area for burritos, chips and salsa - even better than most sit-down restaurants (in my opinion).

http://www.moes.com/menu.pdf

Sage Cafe - Eclectic Menu - Chapel Hill

In the same shopping center as Margaret's Cantina. All vegetarian menu. Very small restaurant, but a cute and cozy place.

http://triangle.citysearch.com/profile/41719355

Margaret's Cantina - Southwestern - Chapel Hill

Offers tempeh and tofu in some of it's Mexican style dishes.

http://www.margaretscantina.com/

CLOSEd: Hard Times Cafe - Chili, Burgers etc. - Downtown Raleigh

Hard Times Cafe has a veggie chili with veggie "meat" in it on the menu. I like to get it over spaghetti.

They also offer a veggie burger but it is not vegan.

Their website is:

http://www.hardtimes.com/

Substituting at Restaurants - Don't be Afraid to Ask!

I've found over the years of being vegetarian that most restaurants will leave off non-vegan items such as cheese and meat etc. if you ask with no problem.

This seems like common sense, but many people feel shy about asking their server. Don't be afraid to ask, it lets the restaurant know that there is a vegetarian population out there that demands more than a menu with chicken in every salad and a piece of meat or cheese in every sandwich. Their menus might change if enough requests are made.

I've found that it makes lunch meetings/holiday events at work and dinners out with non-vegetarians less stressful. I can eat almost anywhere by doing this.

Even establishments that don't have ANYTHING vegetarian on the menu have been willing to make me something special if I ask, even if it's something as simple as a salad or a vegetarian pasta.

Places I have done this (among many) around here are:

-Stonewood Grille in Cary
-Bonefish Grill

The Loop Pizza Grill - American - Multiple Locations

Varied menu of standard American favorites. Vegetarian items on the menu, include:

Pizza, Spicy Black Bean Burger, Veggie Melt Foccacia, Portabello Mushroom Sandwich, Grilled Vegetable Sandwich and Salads.

http://www.looppizzagrill.com/menu/documents/PrintableMenuFeb2006.pdf

Thai Lanna - Thai Restaurant - Durham

Good selection of vegetarian dishes. Most entrees can be subsituted with tofu or extra vegetables.

Good menu items tried include:

Summer Rolls, Tofu Tod appetizers

Kaeng Matsaman Entree (Spicy) -
Matsaman curry cooked with coconut milk, potatoes, onions and peanuts made with extra tofu and vegetables

Pad Khing Tour (Ginger Peanut)
Special homemade ginger dressing tossed with broccoli, onions and carrots.

Pad Kra Prao Makua (Basil Eggplant)
Stir fried with eggplants, bell pepper, onions, green beans, basil leaves, in light garlic sauce.


http://www.thailannarestaurant.com/