Monday, October 13, 2014

Sacramento Vegan Chef Challenge 2014 -- Tower Bridge Bistro

My husband, son, and I had a wonderful dinner Saturday night at Tower Bridge Bistro. Chef Clay Purcell has participated in the Sacramento Vegan Chef Challenge ever since it began, and his vegan creations never disappoint. What makes it even better is that he offers so many vegan options during the Challenge. This year, his menu includes three appetizers, three main courses, and two desserts.


For the first course, both the Watermelon Gazpacho and the Quinoa Tabbouleh sounded good, but the Roasted Beet Bruschetta was the dish I decided I couldn't live without. It was a beautifully presented plate of crostini topped with hummus, roasted beets, and basil. Some of the dishes I've enjoyed the most during this year's Challenge have involved beets, and this dish just got added to my list of favorites too.




The entrée selections were Vegan Cassoulet, Sweet and Spicy Cous Cous, and Vegetable Bibimbap. Tough choice, but I finally decided on the cassoulet, a flavorful mixture of white beans, chickpeas, kale, and spinach cooked in a vegetable broth and topped with bread crumbs. It was an excellent dish for a fall night.




Dessert was a choice between the Chocolate Shake, made with chocolate, sweet potato, and almond milk, and the Panna Cotta, a vanilla-flavored custard made from soy milk and topped with a fresh strawberry compote. I picked the Panna Cotta, which turned out to be just enough dessert to top off a fabulous meal.




Tower Bridge Bistro is located inside the Embassy Suites Hotel at 100 Capitol Mall, and their phone number is 916-326-5050. Their website address is http://www.towerbridgebistro.com/, and their Facebook page can be found at https://www.facebook.com/towerbridgebistro. The Sacramento Vegan Chef Challenge menu is available only during dinner, which is served Sunday through Thursday from 5:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m., and Friday and Saturday from 5:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m.
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4 comments:

  1. MadelineOctober 15, 2014 at 9:07 AM

    Thank you so much for your information! I wonder if there´s a quick way to know which restaurants might offer any of the Vegan Challenge items a la carte. I´m on a budget, but would love to treat myself or offer a non-vegan friend a delicious sample.

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  2. PamOctober 15, 2014 at 9:24 AM

    You can see most of the menus at http://sacveganchallenge.com/vegan-chef-challenge-2014/menus-2014/, Madeline. The only restaurants I know of that don't offer the items a la carte are Tower Bridge Bistro, Hook & Ladder, and Capital Dime. I haven't seen menus for Abyssinia or El Papagayo, so I don't know whether their items are available a la carte or not.

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  3. MadelineOctober 15, 2014 at 10:14 AM

    Thank you. That really helps (and makes me hungry)!

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  4. PamOctober 15, 2014 at 10:17 AM

    You're welcome! Makes me hungry too, although I'm eating so much food this month that I may just have to go on a juice fast next month to get rid of all the extra pounds!

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