Sacramento Vegan Chef Challenge 2015 -- The Rind

One of my favorite things about the annual Sacramento Vegan Chef Challenge is that it gives me a chance to check out restaurants I wouldn't otherwise visit, since they don't usually offer vegan options. One restaurant that's participating in this year's challenge, the Rind, has been open for more than two years, but I'd never visited before today since, as you may have guessed from the name, their menu revolves mostly around cheese.

I stopped in for lunch at the Rind this afternoon and asked for their challenge menu. As it turns out, they're offering only one item for the Sacramento Vegan Chef Challenge. That one item, though, was completely worth the visit. It's a sliced zucchini sandwich served on a baguette and spread with a house-made olive tapenade and Miyoko's Classic Double Cream Chive vegan cheese. It was a perfect blending of flavors, and I ate every bite. It was served with a side salad of mixed greens, dressed with oil and vinegar. I'm glad I had this sandwich early in the month, because now I can go back and have it a few more times before the challenge ends.

The Rind is located at 1801 L Street, and their phone number is 916-441-7463. Their website address is http://www.therindsacramento.com/, and their Facebook page can be found at https://www.facebook.com/TheRindCheeseBar. The restaurant is open daily beginning at 11:00 a.m., and closing at 10:00 p.m. weeknights and midnight Thursday, Friday, and Saturday.