Cielito Lindo Mexican Gastronomy

I've found that it pays to recheck restaurant menus from time to time, just to see if any vegan options have been added. Case in point: since Cielito Lindo Mexican Gastronomy has participated in the Sacramento Vegan Chef Challenge in the past, I knew they were capable of preparing awesome vegan dishes, but the only vegan options I've seen on their online menu in the past were guacamole and chips and a fruit salad. Over the weekend, I decided to take another look, and I found four vegetarian dishes, all of which appeared to be vegan or capable of being made vegan. So my husband Phil and I headed over there for dinner last night.


The two dishes that interested me the most were the vegetarian enchiladas and the Azteca budin, described on the menu as Mexican lasagna. After talking it over with the staff, I opted for the vegetarian enchiladas with mole sauce. The enchiladas were filled with a mixture of chayote squash, corn, zucchini, and spinach, and topped with a rich, dark mole, then served with a side of rice. It was a creative and delicious combination of flavors.

The other two vegetarian main courses -- chayote squash stuffed with green zucchini and corn, and mushroom salpicon tostadas -- appear from the menu description to be vegan if the cheese and sour cream are omitted.


Cielito Lindo Mexican Gastronomy is located at 3672 J Street, and their phone number is 916-736-2506. Their website address is http://cielitolindo.us/, and their Facebook page can be found at https://www.facebook.com/CielitoLindoMexicanGastronomy/?fref=ts. The restaurant is open Monday through Thursday from 11:30 a.m. to 9:00 p.m., and Friday and Saturday from 11:30 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. They are generally closed on Sundays, although they were open yesterday for Mother's Day.