Monday, May 25, 2015

Revolution Wines

My friend Cathy and I had lunch at Revolution Wines last week. I go there from time to time, and I can usually veganize something, but mostly I just eat some of the smaller appetizers, like the mixed nuts.


This time, though, they actually had a couple of substantial menu items that were vegan or easily made vegan, so I had quite a feast. For starters, I ordered the olives, which are citrus-marinated Castelvetrano olives. They're served warm, and they're absolutely addicting.




I couldn't pass up the roasted cauliflower, since that's one of my favorite vegetables. It was described on the menu as being served with caper-piquillo pepper-golden raisin relish. I couldn't even begin to imagine how that would work with the cauliflower, but it was excellent. I'd go back again for that dish alone.




Finally, I had the veggie banh mi, without the cilantro aioli. It consisted of ginger-soy marinated tofu, pickled vegetables, cilantro, and jalapeno slices, served on a delicious crusty baguette. All in all, it was a very satisfying lunch.




Revolution Wines is located at 2831 S Street, and their phone number is 916-444-7711. Their website address is http://rwwinery.com/, and their Facebook page can be found at https://www.facebook.com/revolutionwines/timeline. The restaurant is open Tuesday through Thursday from 11:30 a.m. to 9:00 p.m., Friday and Saturday from 11:30 a.m. to 10:00 p.m., and Sunday from 11:30 a.m. to 9:00 p.m.

Monday, May 18, 2015

Road Trip! The Dancing Fox Winery in Lodi

A few weeks ago, my husband Phil and I took a drive down to Lodi to see the Seward Johnson sculptures that will be on display there until mid-July. They include sculptures of iconic American images, such as Marilyn Monroe with her white dress blowing up in the breeze, and sculptures of every-day people, like a woman reading on a bench. If you haven't seen them yet, they're definitely worth the trip.






We stopped in at the charming Dancing Fox Winery for lunch. They had a few items on the menu that were vegan or looked like they could easily be made vegan. I started with the Mediterranean Hummus plate, a very flavorful, slightly spicy hummus served with tomatoes, cucumbers, celery, and crackers. Loved it!




I also ordered the cranberry walnut salad without the feta cheese. It consisted of mixed greens and Romaine lettuce, dried cranberries, and candied walnuts, tossed with a cranberry vinaigrette. It was very good!




Other items I'd like to try during future visits to the Dancing Fox Winery include the Tofu Scramble they serve for breakfast, the house-made Veggie Burger (without the aioli), and the Tempeh Tacos offered on their dinner menu.


The Dancing Fox Winery is located at 203 South School Street in Lodi, and their phone number is 209-366-2634. The website address is http://www.dancingfoxwinery.com/, and their Facebook page can be found at https://www.facebook.com/dancingfoxwinery/timeline. The restaurant is open Tuesday through Saturday from 7:30 a.m. to 9:00 p.m., and Sunday from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.


Monday, May 4, 2015

Esquire Grill

My husband Phil and I had dinner at the Esquire Grill on K Street last night. I used to check their menu periodically to see if there were any vegan items, and it didn't seem as though there ever were. A recent look at Esquire Grill's website, though, turned up two vegan options.


I started with the Wood-Fired Castroville Artichoke Hearts appetizer, a delicious dish with an interesting combination of tastes. The artichoke hearts are garnished with toasted Marcona almonds and charred navel oranges, then served with a black olive vinaigrette. I'd tried this dish on a previous visit to the restaurant, and I liked it just as much the second time.




Next, I had the other vegan item on the menu, the Farro & Arugula Salad, which includes asparagus, red onion, walnuts, pea shoots, lemon, and olive oil, in addition to the farro and arugula. It's listed on the menu as a "small salad," but as far as I was concerned, this hearty dish was big enough for an entrée.




One other dish I've had previously at the Esquire Grill, was the tasty Roasted Beet Salad, with Cara Cara oranges, avocado, and pickled beets. I veganized it by having the chef leave off the creme fraiche. Sorry, I guess I didn't take a photo of it.


Esquire Grill is located at 1213 K Street, and their phone number is 916-448-8900. The website address is http://www.paragarys.com/sacramento-restaurants/esquire-grill/, and their Facebook page can be found at https://www.facebook.com/EsquireGrill?fref=ts. The restaurant is open for lunch Monday through Friday from 11:00 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., and for dinner Monday through Thursday from 4:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. and Friday and Saturday from 4:30 p.m. to 10:00 p.m.