Sacramento Vegan Chef Challenge 2013 -- The Porch Restaurant and Bar

I'm continuing to eat my way through the Sacramento Vegan Chef Challenge. Saturday night, my husband Phil and I had dinner at the Porch Restaurant and Bar, known for its Southern-style cooking.


The appetizer was fried beets, a concept I'd never even considered before. According to the menu, the beets are first dredged in flour, then deep-fried and coated with Cajun seasonings. They were served with a Vegenaise remoulade dipping sauce. I know we're still in the early stages of the challenge, but I can't imagine that I'll find another appetizer I like as much as these fried beets, which were outstanding. I'm not sure they're available every day, though. I noticed that on the first day of the challenge, the Porch was serving eggplant fries instead, which were prepared the same way. Sounds like that would be pretty good too.

The main course was a tasty black-eyed pea burger, served on a potato bun with a side of mango slaw. Very filling!

Dessert was banana pudding, topped with fresh strawberries and delicious coconut whipped "cream." It was a lovely way to end the meal.

The Porch Restaurant and Bar is located at 1815 K Street, and the phone number is 916-444-2433. Their website address is http://www.theporchsacramento.com/, and their Facebook page can be found at https://www.facebook.com/ThePorchRestaurant. The restaurant's vegan menu is available for dinner every night during the Sacramento Vegan Chef Challenge, which ends on October 20th.