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Veg Out With KFOX Vegetarians Hema Mullur and Sandra Diaz
This blog is for any vegetarians, or those considering the lifestyle. We hope to share and receive tips and recipes, and be a resource for those in the area on how to maintain a healthy vegetarian or vegan regimen. We love anything and everything food, so please pass on your recipes, photos and ideas. You can leave us a comment below, or email us at vegout@kfoxtv.com. Thanks for stopping by, and we look forward to hearing from you!
Top Chef Goes Veg!
10/30/09
As you can tell from the blog, I consider myself a bit of a foodie, and therefore I love Bravo's Top Chef! Even though in the past six seasons I think I've seen maybe two vegetarian-friendly items ever, I still enjoy watching the chefs' technique and creativity. So great news! This week's episode featured the contestants cooking at a Las Vegas restaurant called Craftsteak. They were all brainstorming ideas for steak dishes, when the judges dropped the bomb...the chefs were cooking for actress Natalie Portman, who is vegetarian!It was exciting to see what the chefs would come up with, but I will admit I was disappointed. It seemed none of them were particularly creative about their dish, many coming up with what I would call just a side item. This was not very effective propaganda to change the idea that vegetarian dishes can't be hearty or satisfying.It's not the full episode, but you can watch a quick recap here
and tell me what you think!~HemaVegetarian Fine Dining
10/21/09
As you can gather from this blog, going out to eat is probably my favorite pastime. Everyone loves a quick, easy stop, but every now and then when you want to go somewhere really special, perhaps a date or celebration, vegetarians often run into a jam. Most "fine dining" restaurants cater to omnivores - steaks, fish, etc. You can generally ask for something vegetarian, or choose from some sides, but I always worry about doing this. One time, at a very upscale Dallas restaurant, I asked for a vegetarian plate and they gave me a beautiful dish of tamales, beans, etc. Later I find out the tamales were made with lard! Something most omnivores don't consider when preparing food for their vegetarian friends. So here's a few very nice El Paso restaurants I've found cater to our needs:2900
2900 is located in West El Paso at 2900 N. Mesa. The ambience here is lovely, as is their amazing wine selection. Upon walking in, you'll see a huge wine wall carrying what I can only imagine is just a sample of their extensive collection. The sommelier is always friendly and quick to make suggestions. Now, for the food! The head chef changes the menu periodically, but it makes me so happy that she always includes a vegetarian entree! In the past, I have had a ricotto and arugula stuffed ravioli with pine nut butter sauce, and a vegetarian risotto, which were both amazing. Right now they're offering a housemade pappardelle with ricotta, tomato, and garlic. They have a tapas menu, and 4 out of 7 items are veggie friendly. The lunch menu also includes a grilled vegetable sandwich.The Pot Au Feu
This new restaurant is located in Downtown El Paso at 307 E. Franklin. They are open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Vegetarian breakfast selections are not out of the ordinary - pancakes and waffles, omelettes if you eat eggs, oatmeal, and fruit. Lunch offers a grilled veggie sandwich on naan bread as well as salads. For dinner, try these items minus the non-vegetarian componenets: Puttanesca Pappardelle, with tomatoes, garlic, Kalamata olives, capers and oregano. Also the Angel Hair Pasta and Clams, minus the clams. This is a great place for date night!Cafe Central
This is El Paso's most illustrious fine dining restaurant. Located in Downtown El Paso at 109 N. Oregon, walking into Cafe Central is like walking into old Hollywood. It has a very dark, art deco feel accentuated by the decor. While there are no vegetarian items on the menu here outside some salads, and I must say the Caprese is delicious, they are very accomodating of our diet. When I made a reservation, they noted my request, and I was greeted by my waiter who was aware of my being vegetarian and came out with some options in mind. I chose a pasta with vegetables, and the waiter was even kind enough to come back and tell me the chef noticed he had some vegetarian ravioli, and asked whether I would like that instead. Needless to say, it was delicious. As an appetizer, they also offer the Grilled Portobello Mushroom Stuffed with Garlic Goat Cheese & Herbs. The service is everything you'd expect of a high class restaurant, and the desserts aren't to be missed!Ardovino's Desert Crossing
This is another highly lauded restaurant in the Borderland. You'll drive just a bit to get out there, but once you do you'll realize just how worth it it is! Ardovino's Desert Crossing is, in my opinion, best enjoyed on a Summer evening on their lovely outdoor patio. There's often live music, as well as a beautiful scenic view of the area, what many call the best in town. And their menu offers some lovely vegetarian entrees, including: wild mushrooms roasted with garlic, pinot grigio, and red chili; artichoke hearts stuffed with local goat cheese, lightly breaded and deep fried; and several vegetarian pizzas and pasta options. This great restaurant also hosts a farmer's market every Saturday in the summertime!The Garden
This is one of El Paso's newest fine dining restaurants, said to draw a new crowd to the downtown Union Plaza district. The atmosphere is unlike any other place in El Paso - modern, classy, and young. You won't find a myriad of vegetarian selections here, though I found the chef was very accomodating. On the menu is an Herb Marinated Portobello Sandwich, with a toasted sesame glaze, grilled pineapple, and fresh spinach. They also offer a Grilled Veggie Salad, and several vegetarian side items. I was in the mood for pasta, and decided on a fettucine with garlic cream sauce, minus the beef tips it came with. To my delight, the chef learned I was vegetarian and tossed in all kinds of fresh vegetables, like broccoli, asparagus, sun-dried tomatoes, and corn. It made for a lovely dish, and the garlic cream sauce is not too heavy at all. I definitely plan on sampling some of the dessert selection on my next visit!Billy Crews
Billy Crews is located at 1200 Country Club Rd. in Santa Teresa, NM. To the eye, this looks just like your average steakhouse, where you'll be relegated to picking at a few sides of mashed potatoes. But, there are a few more options here. Several of the appetizers are vegetarian, and they also offer a Fettucine Primavera. Not the largest selection, but you won't be stuck if a group of friends wants to go out for a nice dinner here.I haven't made it to all the places out there, so I know this is a very basic list. Please let me know if you have any more suggestions I can add on!~HemaVeggie-FARE
9/16/09
Hello readers!You are cordially invited to the Vegetarian Society of El Paso's Veggie-FARE! Taken from the VSEP website:"This year's FARE will feature cooking demonstrations by local chefs, door prizes, vegetarian-related vendors with samples and information, book (and cookbook) sale, vegetarian/vegan delicacies, shopping, cake and critter walks, and gift basket drawings.The Veggie-FARE Café will be catered by Aida S Cuisine, offering a variety of veggie refreshments and lunch selections, each at a special price.When: Saturday, September 26, 2009
Time: 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Location: The Stewart Family Life Center, Western Hills United Methodist Church, 524 Thunderbird
Cost: $5 per person from age 10 to 110
Free Goodie Bags will be given at the door while supplies last with paid admission, which includes a ticket for the cake and critter walk and an entry for gift basket drawings."And as a special bonus, the Vegetarian Society of El Paso is giving Veg Out readers a chance to win a pair of tickets to the Veggie-FARE! We have two pair to give away, so e-mail us at vegout@kfoxtv.com. We'll put all the entries in a hat and pick two winners.Hope to see everyone there!
An Updated Menu
9/8/09
Hello all! This won't be a long entry, but I just wanted to inform everyone about a new vegetarian option at a local restaurant. Crave, located in the Cincinatti area, has gotten a lot of raves from many. I've been there for Sunday brunch, but always avoided it for lunch and dinner because there were no vegetarian options.So, I'm happy to report they now feature a Grilled Portobello Sandwich. It's described with "swiss cheese and smoked paprika aioli." I haven't tried it myself, but now I won't have to pick a different place the next time someone suggests Crave for dinner.If you haven't been yet, Crave is located at 300 Cincinatti, next to Westend Salon.~Hema
So close, yet so far. Panda Express.
8/10/09
Hello again, everyone! I hate to be a downer, but I really wanted to share this piece of information with everyone. There's nothing that excites me more than seeing a new restaurant popping up in town, especially one that seems veggie-friendly. That said, I was super excited about the opening of Panda Express in the new strip-mall near UTEP. Asian food is usually pretty easy for us, right? Wrong! I went on Panda Express's website, where it states:"While Panda Express offers vegetable based entrees, they are not certified vegetarian due to our cooking process and use of shared equipment."Living in El Paso, where it's not very easy to eat out vegetarian, I was prepared to overlook the shared equipment part, because honestly, I'm sure I've eaten things cooked in shared equipment millions of times. But the "cooking process" threw me off. Could they be more vague? So I emailed, and received this response:"Thank you for taking the time to contact us regarding Panda Express. Panda Express does not offer vegetarian entrees due to our cooking process. Most of our entrees contain a chicken base that is used as a flavor enhancer. We have reported your request for vegetarian entrees to our Operations and Marketing Departments."Chicken base?? Even in the vegetable entrees like Eggplant and Tofu?? Shame on you, Panda Express!*Sigh* Just another place for us veggies to pass on. I suggest everyone email them en masse demanding they change the ingredients. Perhaps we can make a difference!~Hema
Check back with us for updates, including some reviews on vegetarian dishes at local restaurants we've tried.But first, here's our challenge to you: leave us a comment below about some places you've tried around town that have great vegetarian food.
Previous Veg Out Blogs
Top Chef Goes Veg!
10/30/09
As you can tell from the blog, I consider myself a bit of a foodie, and therefore I love Bravo's Top Chef! Even though in the past six seasons I think I've seen maybe two vegetarian-friendly items ever, I still enjoy watching the chefs' technique and creativity. So great news! This week's episode featured the contestants cooking at a Las Vegas restaurant called Craftsteak. They were all brainstorming ideas for steak dishes, when the judges dropped the bomb...the chefs were cooking for actress Natalie Portman, who is vegetarian!It was exciting to see what the chefs would come up with, but I will admit I was disappointed. It seemed none of them were particularly creative about their dish, many coming up with what I would call just a side item. This was not very effective propaganda to change the idea that vegetarian dishes can't be hearty or satisfying.It's not the full episode, but you can watch a quick recap here
and tell me what you think!~HemaVegetarian Fine Dining
10/21/09
As you can gather from this blog, going out to eat is probably my favorite pastime. Everyone loves a quick, easy stop, but every now and then when you want to go somewhere really special, perhaps a date or celebration, vegetarians often run into a jam. Most "fine dining" restaurants cater to omnivores - steaks, fish, etc. You can generally ask for something vegetarian, or choose from some sides, but I always worry about doing this. One time, at a very upscale Dallas restaurant, I asked for a vegetarian plate and they gave me a beautiful dish of tamales, beans, etc. Later I find out the tamales were made with lard! Something most omnivores don't consider when preparing food for their vegetarian friends. So here's a few very nice El Paso restaurants I've found cater to our needs:2900
2900 is located in West El Paso at 2900 N. Mesa. The ambience here is lovely, as is their amazing wine selection. Upon walking in, you'll see a huge wine wall carrying what I can only imagine is just a sample of their extensive collection. The sommelier is always friendly and quick to make suggestions. Now, for the food! The head chef changes the menu periodically, but it makes me so happy that she always includes a vegetarian entree! In the past, I have had a ricotto and arugula stuffed ravioli with pine nut butter sauce, and a vegetarian risotto, which were both amazing. Right now they're offering a housemade pappardelle with ricotta, tomato, and garlic. They have a tapas menu, and 4 out of 7 items are veggie friendly. The lunch menu also includes a grilled vegetable sandwich.The Pot Au Feu
This new restaurant is located in Downtown El Paso at 307 E. Franklin. They are open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Vegetarian breakfast selections are not out of the ordinary - pancakes and waffles, omelettes if you eat eggs, oatmeal, and fruit. Lunch offers a grilled veggie sandwich on naan bread as well as salads. For dinner, try these items minus the non-vegetarian componenets: Puttanesca Pappardelle, with tomatoes, garlic, Kalamata olives, capers and oregano. Also the Angel Hair Pasta and Clams, minus the clams. This is a great place for date night!Cafe Central
This is El Paso's most illustrious fine dining restaurant. Located in Downtown El Paso at 109 N. Oregon, walking into Cafe Central is like walking into old Hollywood. It has a very dark, art deco feel accentuated by the decor. While there are no vegetarian items on the menu here outside some salads, and I must say the Caprese is delicious, they are very accomodating of our diet. When I made a reservation, they noted my request, and I was greeted by my waiter who was aware of my being vegetarian and came out with some options in mind. I chose a pasta with vegetables, and the waiter was even kind enough to come back and tell me the chef noticed he had some vegetarian ravioli, and asked whether I would like that instead. Needless to say, it was delicious. As an appetizer, they also offer the Grilled Portobello Mushroom Stuffed with Garlic Goat Cheese & Herbs. The service is everything you'd expect of a high class restaurant, and the desserts aren't to be missed!Ardovino's Desert Crossing
This is another highly lauded restaurant in the Borderland. You'll drive just a bit to get out there, but once you do you'll realize just how worth it it is! Ardovino's Desert Crossing is, in my opinion, best enjoyed on a Summer evening on their lovely outdoor patio. There's often live music, as well as a beautiful scenic view of the area, what many call the best in town. And their menu offers some lovely vegetarian entrees, including: wild mushrooms roasted with garlic, pinot grigio, and red chili; artichoke hearts stuffed with local goat cheese, lightly breaded and deep fried; and several vegetarian pizzas and pasta options. This great restaurant also hosts a farmer's market every Saturday in the summertime!The Garden
This is one of El Paso's newest fine dining restaurants, said to draw a new crowd to the downtown Union Plaza district. The atmosphere is unlike any other place in El Paso - modern, classy, and young. You won't find a myriad of vegetarian selections here, though I found the chef was very accomodating. On the menu is an Herb Marinated Portobello Sandwich, with a toasted sesame glaze, grilled pineapple, and fresh spinach. They also offer a Grilled Veggie Salad, and several vegetarian side items. I was in the mood for pasta, and decided on a fettucine with garlic cream sauce, minus the beef tips it came with. To my delight, the chef learned I was vegetarian and tossed in all kinds of fresh vegetables, like broccoli, asparagus, sun-dried tomatoes, and corn. It made for a lovely dish, and the garlic cream sauce is not too heavy at all. I definitely plan on sampling some of the dessert selection on my next visit!Billy Crews
Billy Crews is located at 1200 Country Club Rd. in Santa Teresa, NM. To the eye, this looks just like your average steakhouse, where you'll be relegated to picking at a few sides of mashed potatoes. But, there are a few more options here. Several of the appetizers are vegetarian, and they also offer a Fettucine Primavera. Not the largest selection, but you won't be stuck if a group of friends wants to go out for a nice dinner here.I haven't made it to all the places out there, so I know this is a very basic list. Please let me know if you have any more suggestions I can add on!~HemaVeggie-FARE
9/16/09
Hello readers!You are cordially invited to the Vegetarian Society of El Paso's Veggie-FARE! Taken from the VSEP website:"This year's FARE will feature cooking demonstrations by local chefs, door prizes, vegetarian-related vendors with samples and information, book (and cookbook) sale, vegetarian/vegan delicacies, shopping, cake and critter walks, and gift basket drawings.The Veggie-FARE Café will be catered by Aida S Cuisine, offering a variety of veggie refreshments and lunch selections, each at a special price.When: Saturday, September 26, 2009
Time: 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Location: The Stewart Family Life Center, Western Hills United Methodist Church, 524 Thunderbird
Cost: $5 per person from age 10 to 110
Free Goodie Bags will be given at the door while supplies last with paid admission, which includes a ticket for the cake and critter walk and an entry for gift basket drawings."And as a special bonus, the Vegetarian Society of El Paso is giving Veg Out readers a chance to win a pair of tickets to the Veggie-FARE! We have two pair to give away, so e-mail us at vegout@kfoxtv.com. We'll put all the entries in a hat and pick two winners.Hope to see everyone there!
An Updated Menu
9/8/09
Hello all! This won't be a long entry, but I just wanted to inform everyone about a new vegetarian option at a local restaurant. Crave, located in the Cincinatti area, has gotten a lot of raves from many. I've been there for Sunday brunch, but always avoided it for lunch and dinner because there were no vegetarian options.So, I'm happy to report they now feature a Grilled Portobello Sandwich. It's described with "swiss cheese and smoked paprika aioli." I haven't tried it myself, but now I won't have to pick a different place the next time someone suggests Crave for dinner.If you haven't been yet, Crave is located at 300 Cincinatti, next to Westend Salon.~Hema
So close, yet so far. Panda Express.
8/10/09
Hello again, everyone! I hate to be a downer, but I really wanted to share this piece of information with everyone. There's nothing that excites me more than seeing a new restaurant popping up in town, especially one that seems veggie-friendly. That said, I was super excited about the opening of Panda Express in the new strip-mall near UTEP. Asian food is usually pretty easy for us, right? Wrong! I went on Panda Express's website, where it states:"While Panda Express offers vegetable based entrees, they are not certified vegetarian due to our cooking process and use of shared equipment."Living in El Paso, where it's not very easy to eat out vegetarian, I was prepared to overlook the shared equipment part, because honestly, I'm sure I've eaten things cooked in shared equipment millions of times. But the "cooking process" threw me off. Could they be more vague? So I emailed, and received this response:"Thank you for taking the time to contact us regarding Panda Express. Panda Express does not offer vegetarian entrees due to our cooking process. Most of our entrees contain a chicken base that is used as a flavor enhancer. We have reported your request for vegetarian entrees to our Operations and Marketing Departments."Chicken base?? Even in the vegetable entrees like Eggplant and Tofu?? Shame on you, Panda Express!*Sigh* Just another place for us veggies to pass on. I suggest everyone email them en masse demanding they change the ingredients. Perhaps we can make a difference!~Hema
Check back with us for updates, including some reviews on vegetarian dishes at local restaurants we've tried.But first, here's our challenge to you: leave us a comment below about some places you've tried around town that have great vegetarian food.
Previous Veg Out Blogs
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