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Restaurant Reviews

December Nights with Surfin Safari and Peace Pies

May 1, 2011 by Raul Colon

It’s 4 o’clock on a Friday afternoon in December. While happy hour may be revving up in downtown’s Gaslamp Quarter, at Sunset Cliffs in Ocean Beach there is a steady stream of surfers arriving on this happy hour. On go the wet suits. Under their arms go the boards. They evaluate the waves from afar. Some remark about the cool wind. Then they make their way down the sandy cliff and sprint into the water, one by one.

Night fall is early this time of year. As the pink sun drops down and fades away, there are still plenty of surfers in the ocean. Others are half-naked outside their car or van in the 50 degree chilly evening, drying off. Their faces are flushed pink like the sun. This is not a scene from the Beach Boy’s Surfin Safari. They range in age from what looks like 18 to 48. One calls out to the other, “some people are shoveling snow today.” To which the response is, “I’ve never done that and never will.”

Southern California is a special place. The surfers are one snapshot of what makes San Diego matchless. Embracing natural and locally grown healthy food is just another way that California sets the table.

Just a ten-minute drive up the 25 mph narrow winding Sunset Cliffs Boulevard is People’s Co-Op. Recommended by a former San Diego resident as a “must go,” a Gaslamp Quarter front desk clerk agrees it’s his favorite place to eat. On the second floor balcony is a vegan dining area. In the refrigerator section is pad thai, thai slaw, cashew hummus, tofu strips, peanut pasta, quinoa pudding, pineapple and blueberry cobbler, and plenty of fruit and veggie drinks. The hot food deli offers dishes such as garlic lemon seitan, mushroom stroganoff and millet spinach casserole made with both tamari and tahini. Israeli Japanese: a perfect blend for California. The deli also has eggless whole grain bagels and agave sweetened blackberry muffins. Dinner shouldn’t set you back more than five or six bucks, unless you “Texas size” your selections.

About four blocks up the street is Peace Pies. This is an all vegan, all raw, all gluten free and sugar-free shop which specializes in, guess what? Pies. Pies to die for, like chocolate, apple crunch or persimmon cheesecake. Crusts are made with a date nut base and agave and fruit are the natural sweeteners. Beyond the exceptional creamy and sweet healthy dessert options are pizzas and tostadas and other traditional lunch and snack food, sans dairy, gluten or meat. Cheese is cleverly substituted with cauliflower crumbles on the tostada. The corn shell is replaced by a multi-grain alternative that is tasty, crunchy and healthy. Remember, no wheat, no butter, no cooking. If you can’t fathom how they make these treats without the staples, Peace Pies sells their own cookbooks with these and many other savory and sweet dishes included.

Not that you have to be a vegan to love animals, but watching the puffer fish and eels at The Birch Aquarium at Scripps may make people think twice before they bite into sushi. This world class aquarium was established in 1915, another indicator that this part of the country is fascinated with marine life and the Pacific Ocean. The Birch is ultra modern today, having been redesigned and opened in 1992. Strolling through the “Hall of Fishes” gives you the sense of what a deep sea scuba diver must feel to be surrounded by psychedelic colors and the constant ebb and flow emanating from the fish, anemones and live coral. There is even a “nursery” where you can see the newest residents. During this visit, the baby sea horses were Disney-esque.

Although there is an ample indoor educational interactive area as well as an outdoor petting zoo where children are allowed to touch the coral, the seaweed and the starfish that are in several tide pools, the Birch is not just for kids. Run by the University of California’s Scripps Institution of Oceanography, the aquarium also features an outstanding explanation of our environment and the effects of global warming. The Birch has an adequate café and gift shop, but something that sets it apart from most is its location. It’s set on a cliff with a spectacular view. There is also a breathtaking scenic route from Birch to La Jolla Village through the Scripps campus and residential neighborhoods. Ignore MapQuest. Ask a local.

The spirit of San Diego isn’t only visible in the food and water. Balboa Park has always been a magnet for locals and tourists. Many of the historic buildings and parks were built the same time that the original aquarium opened, in 1915 for a Panama-California exposition that coincided with the opening of the Panama Canal. Twenty years later it was the site of another international fair at which time the Old Globe Theatre was built here.

Balboa is right in the middle of the city, stretching across more than a thousand acres. This is the site of the ever popular San Diego Zoo and a diverse offering of museums like the Museum of Man, Mingei International Museum for folk art and the Museum of Photographic Art. Crossing over the park is the Skyfari™ aerial tram. For those that may have a fear of hanging on a wire in a bucket, on the other side of the park is a magnificent walkway that crosses over the highway with beautiful views of the city on both sides.

For two nights every year, it seems as if the entire city of San Diego pours into the park for December Nights. This is a free festival where all the museums stay open, with no admission charge, until 10 p.m. This year, there were several free performances of the Nutcracker at the Casa del Prado Theater, and if ballet isn’t your favorite, or if you’re with strollers or dogs, you can enjoy dance or musical performances from one of the many stages set up throughout the park. Of course there are plenty of food and beverage stands and arts and craft kiosks throughout.

This year, there were an estimated 325,000 guests between the two nights. No pushing. No shoving. No shouting. No over-imbibing. Just people wanting to take advantage of the free entertainment and museums, enjoy the park, soak up some culture, and enjoy the company of friends and family. There was a spirit of laid back enjoyment throughout. Even amongst those that had to search for more than an hour for a parking spot. As one visitor from Los Angeles commented, “it would never be like this in Los Angeles. And look at the people – they are dressed normal here.” Well, maybe not normal for a snowbird. On this cool but comfortable evening in San Diego many locals were wearing their winter jackets, and a few even sported gloves. This may be a part of the spirit of San Diego. Nothing’s going to stop the fun.


Photo credit by cliff1066™

Filed Under: Lifestyle, Vegetarian Tagged With: Lifestyle, Restaurant Reviews

@jetblue Vegetarian and Vegan Friendly Airline

April 15, 2011 by Raul Colon

As many of you know I am a huge fan of @jetblue for many reasons but being vegetarian creates another reason why I love the Airline so Much. During my trip to Los Angeles a little more than a week ago I made it a task to make sure I got to eat more than three meals on my long day of Travel.

I left San Juan at about 10 am EST And got to LA About 11pm est. so in between I had a flight from San Juan to JFK and from JFK to LAX.

I started my trip with my first vegetarian friendly meal of the day as part of the Eat Up Tasty Boxed Meals Menu @jetblue offers in the air which offers the following vegetarian friendly options.

Wake Up

Bauli® Classic Croissant
Bonne Maman® Gourmet Strawberry Jam
Justin’s® All-Natural Almond Butter
Cheez-It® Crackers
Dole® Fruit Cup
Horizon™ Chocolate Milk

 

Shape Up

Wild Garden™ Sun-Dried Tomato Hummus
New York Style® Pita Chips
Sheffa Zesty Snack Mix
Emerald® Natural Almonds
Sun-Maid® Raisins
Brothers All Natural Asian Pear Fruit Crisps

 

Cheer Up

Trio Of Premium Cheeses: Swiss, Smoked Cheddar And Hot Pepper
Dried Apples And Cranberries
Crackers

(images of Jetblue Snacks are from Jetblue’s Website)

I choose the Shape Up which actually served as my large snack in between breakfast and lunch that including a few of the free snack options filled me up pretty good especially the PopCorners Popcorn Chips which where amazing I wonder if I could get a hold of these in Puerto Rico.

When I landed in New York’s JFK also better known to @jetblue fans like me as T5. The modern look of the terminal makes you want every airport to have a modern terminal like this one. I walked towards my favorite restaurant Deep Blue where the options are at a very decent price (especially at an airport) and the menu options are not only presented in a very attractive way they are also very tasty.

 

I started my meal with an avocado roll with some hot tea.

As an entree I choose the Grilled Vegetables which where served as kabobs and those japanese mushrooms where well worth the plate’s price.

I ended having dessert which was a lemon sorbet (although I could have lived without the whipped cream) it was very refreshing to get ready for my next flight.

On my flight from JFK to LAX I went ahead and asked for more of those unlimited snacks served on the @jetblue flight and a Cheer Up to bring up the energy of arriving in LA.

I guess I always have @jetblue as my first option to Travel and given how easy they make it for my as a vegetarian they will keep on staying on the top of your list.

As a vegetarian what other options do you look for when you are traveling? Any other travel tips on where to find vegetarian foods in airports or airlines?

Filed Under: Lifestyle, Vegetarian Tagged With: Restaurant Reviews, Restaurants, Vegetarian

New Vegetarian Friendly Indian Restaurant South Puerto Rico

March 20, 2011 by Raul Colon

Update: April 17, 2016

The Restaurant Bangkok & Bombay has moved and is now situated in Santurce, Ave. Fernandez Juncos. For directions on how to get there click here. 

Original Post

Being vegetarian and living in the Southern Part of Puerto Rico, it is never easy finding a vegetarian friendly restaurant.

Even more difficult is finding one that serves authentic Thai and Indian food. The only restaurant on the Island that I really enjoyed eating their Indian Food was Bangkok & Bombay which use to be in Condado.

We had seen that they had put up a sign for one in Coamo, the town where I use to live and is right next to Santa Isabel where I live right now. In less than 10 minutes I get some of my favorite Indian dishes without having to drive for more than an hour  and deal with traffic.

We arrived with a good friend more like family to tryout the  food and were surprised to find out that the one in Condado no longer exists. I sat down and identified that the menu was the same.

After ordering some pakoras and samosas, I found the dishes to taste even better than when I tried them at Condado. We ordered some Malai Kofta Curry and another entree Mater Paneer. We were very happy with the authentic flavors of Indian Cuisine while providing us a great experience.

Malai Kofta Curry
Mater Paneer

So for all of you that want to try out Indian Cuisine, tasteful vegetarian dishes, and in the southern part of the Island feel free to visit the new Bangkok Bombay.

I have to say that the decorations where unique and made it comforting for you to stay and want to return.

bangkokbombay.com



 

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Filed Under: Vegetarian Tagged With: Puerto Rico, Restaurant Reviews, Restaurants, Vegetarian

Vegetarian Options for Brunch at Café Pierre @doubletreesju

March 7, 2011 by Lucymfel

Yesterday we were invited to a complimentary brunch buffet at Café Pierre located within the Double Tree Hilton San Juan (@doubletreesju) along with other invited individuals and their families. The buffet brunch includes options for breakfast and lunch.

They are open for brunch from 9:00 a.m. till 2:00 p.m. The vegetarian options we found at the buffet included, pancakes, French toast, assorted fruit, wheat germ, granola mix, yogurt, mixed fruit salad, crepes, cold and hot cereal for children and adults. Their scrambled eggs with chives were delicious and firm.

If you wanted to have fruit such as bananas, blueberries, grapes, and oranges, you could find them scattered about the tables. If you are a bread lover, the assortment included croissants, bagels, English muffins, wheat, and white toast.

I have to say that my favorite breakfast item was the pancakes. They are a good size for children and adults. There were all sorts of toppings that you could include. And if you wanted a customized pancake with dried fruit, nuts, seeds, dried cranberries, or raisins mixed in, all you have to do is ask the waiter and chef for your personalized pancake. You can top the pancakes with maple syrup, raspberry, blueberry, and regular syrup toppings. They even have agave and every chocolate lovers dream Nutella.

They do have a salad station with an assortment of toppings that could be used for the pasta station such as artichoke hearts, olives, assorted shredded cheeses, carrots, and olives. The pasta was served plain and a little bland but that is what toppings such as sun dried tomatoes, marinara, or Alfredo sauce are for. With the ability to customize your pasta, I could have asked for some pesto or other vegetable with the pasta for the lunch option. Mind you I also had to feed my little one while trying to choose from the buffet.

 

Besides the food being good, the service from the staff was great. Our waiter was named Vicente and he introduced himself to us. He stated that if there was anything we needed to let him know. At one point he brought out some ice cream for the children that were there; this special attention is something that caught my eye because it is rare to see this at restaurants. I noticed other staff members engaging with the older children by offering them crayons and coloring activities.

Café Pierre is definitely vegetarian and family friendly. If you are in the Condado area, on a Sunday, and getting ready to site see for the day, definitely fill up on the brunch. You can visit their site for information about pricing and parking.

Disclosure: We where invited by the Doubletree on a Complimentary Brunch. Even though our brunch was an invitation by the Cafe Pierre and the Doubletree we don’t feel that this influenced the writing of this post in any way.

Filed Under: Vegetarian Tagged With: Puerto Rican, Restaurant Reviews, Vegetarians

I Found the Fountain of Youth!

March 1, 2011 by Raul Colon

Talking about Veglatino with a possible client of My Company I was directed towards a Vegetarian Restaurant at La Ponce De Leon Avenue, in Santurce, Puerto Rico. Little did I know that I was going to find the possible Fountain of Youth.

After ordering my Hummus (homemade) on Pita, Avocado, Organic Greens, and Cheece (doesn’t that sound delicious) I was greeted by Nora who offered a shot of a in house made juice fill with nutrients, vitamin c, and cayenne pepper to boost the system. A different experience that what I usually get when I visit a restaurant. Once I say I am vegetarian I get a funny look. Entering Veggie Fruity was such a unique experience that automatically it made me stay longer and I did not want to leave.

I approached Nora so she could give us a bit of her insight on the reasons why she created Veggie Fruity and she quickly shared the following: I conducted the interview in a very informal way since I saw much value in spreading the word around about this great place.

Nora became part of the Ann Wigmore institute to improve her style of life. The Ann Wigmore Institute is located in Aguada Puerto Rico and focuses on helping vegetarians and people that want a change to achieve better quality of  life.

Based on Nora’s explanations they create awareness and concentrate everything on making sure that you can improve your health by making key changes in your lifestyle. Teaching you the importance of proper chewing, detox cleansing, and exfoliating can make a positive difference. The importance of reducing your need for meat which are full of hormones.

Nora took a course at the AW institute for one month and felt like she had found  how to stop the clock of aging. Her main reason was because just like me and many other fellow vegans and vegetarians would agree your body was not created to eat meat.

Veggie Fruity is open on Weekdays from 8am to 4pm serving breakfast and lunch. Menu options range from daily specials, entrees, variety of soups and the Veggie Deluxe Burger which I tried and highly recommend (below).

Nora recommends trying also her “Pastelon de Yuca” and during the holidays her vegetarian pasteles made with fresh ground spices. Nora is a a fan of using fresh spices such as cilantro, garlic, basil, and many others that can be easily found.

I had the opportunity to try many of the frozen smoothies and raw juices she creates once ordered. While I was waiting to pay for my food a customer ordered a drink containing ginger and the whole place was filled with its delicious smell. Acai is a brazilian grape with great nutritional value which she also includes in her drinks.

Nora also highlights that her shop is vegetarian with various vegan options. Even when she prepares the Quiche which is not vegan she only uses egg whites trying to maximize the nutritional value.  She recommend the use of romaine lettuce and other nutritional leaves over Iceberg Lettuce.

Norah started her business with the purpose of providing better options for a public in need of good nutrition. By creating quality food and drink options at Veggie Fruity she is creating awareness of a better style of living. Nora is giving everyone in Santurce or willing to visit her a better option into eating.

So in Nora’s words

The fountain youth.. on Ponce de Leon Avenue.. Through fruits, vegetable, and better eating, stop the aging process it’s never to late.

It would be great if you can share the great experiences of Vegetarian restaurants owned by Latinos.

Feel free to name a few in the comments sections.

Veggie Fruity

1558 Ave. Ponce de León
Near Francisco Arriví Theater
San Juan, Puerto Rico 00909
(787) 531-2502

Foursquare

[venue id=http://foursquare.com/venue/6991540]

 

Filed Under: Vegetarian Tagged With: Puerto Rican, Puerto Rico, Restaurant Reviews, Restaurants

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