Sacramento Vegan Chef Challenge 2015 -- Tower Bridge Bistro

My husband Phil and I had dinner last night at the lovely Tower Bridge Bistro. Chef Clay Purcell is a Sacramento Vegan Chef Challenge veteran, and his menu for this event always includes multiple appetizers, entrées, and desserts.


The appetizer choices this year are celery parsnip soup, eggplant caponata, or Brussel sprouts salad. I had a tough time deciding between the soup and the Brussel sprouts salad (Brussel sprouts, pears, walnuts, and red wine vinaigrette), but finally chose the soup. It was creamy and flavorful, made with celery root, parsnips, apples, vegetable stock, and almond milk.

Main course options included ratatouille, succotash, or portobello gratin, which is what I chose. This delicious dish consisted of a portobello mushroom smothered in mashed potatoes, then topped with rainbow Swiss chard and kale.

There are two desserts offered on this year's Sacramento Vegan Chef Challenge menu: mango mousse and mocha crème brulée. While I love crème brulée, I don't like coffee, so I skipped the mocha dessert in favor of the mango mousse. It was light and refreshing -- the perfect way to end this wonderful meal.

Tower Bridge Bistro is located at 100 Capitol Mall, inside the Embassy Suites Hotel, 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?fref=ts. The Sacramento Vegan Chef Challenge menu is offered 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.

Vegan on the Monterey Peninsula

I took a break from the Sacramento Vegan Chef Challenge this weekend so my husband Phil and I could spend a couple of days in beautiful Monterey. The weather was perfect, and we had a great time.


While I had a few "make-do" meals while I was there -- unbuttered sourdough toast with jam for breakfast, and pasta without the cheese for dinner -- I also had a few good vegan meals. In case you find yourself on the Monterey Peninsula any time soon, here are some suggestions.


One of my favorite sandwich chains is Ike's Love and Sandwiches. Their menu offers a whole vegetarian sandwich section, most of which can be made vegan. Alas, they don't have a Sacramento location, but they do have one in Monterey. I ordered the Sally Ride, made with vegan turkey, Daiya vegan cheese (provolone, I believe), avocado, and a vegan "dirty sauce." I had mine on a sourdough roll, and it was served warm. It was a great way to begin our weekend getaway! Ike's is located at 570 Munras Avenue, and their phone number is 831-643-0900. The restaurant is open daily from 11:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. Their vegetarian menu can be found at this link: http://www.beyondmenu.com/38559/monterey/ike-s-love-and-sandwiches-monterey-93940.aspx#group_1120445.

Another great find, just blocks away from Cannery Row, was Hula Island Grill, which also offers a vegetarian section on their menu. Most of these items can be made vegan, and the ones that are vegan without the need for modification are clearly marked on the menu. I ordered the macadamia nut encrusted tofu, which came with rice and mango-papaya sauce. Normally, it also comes with slaw, but since the slaw contains mayonnaise, I got fries instead. The tofu and mango-papaya sauce were excellent, and I will definitely visit this restaurant again the next time I'm in the area. Hula Island Grill is located at 622 Lighthouse Avenue, and their phone number is 831-655-4852. They also have locations in Santa Cruz and in Phoenix, Arizona. The restaurant is open Sunday from 4:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m., Monday from 4:00 p.m. to 9:30 p.m., Tuesday through Thursday from 11:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m., and Friday and Saturday from 11:30 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. Their vegetarian menu can be found at this link: http://www.hulastiki.com/#!mvegetarian/c18j7.

We also drove into lovely Carmel by the Sea for a few hours. We had decided to eat lunch at Basil Seasonal Dining because they had a vegan entrée on their menu, but they were temporarily closed due to plumbing difficulties. Just steps away, we found Carmel Belle, which offered an open-faced avocado sandwich, which was just as simple and elegant as it sounds. A slice of Il Fornaio sourdough bread was sprinkled with olive oil and salt, then I asked that a layer of tomato slices be added, and avocado slices topped it off. It was a reminder that good food can stand on its own, without a lot of fancy sauces or seasonings. Carmel Belle is located at Doud Craft Studios on San Carlos between Ocean and 7th, and their phone number is 831-624-1600. The restaurant is open Monday and Tuesday from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., and Wednesday through Sunday from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.

And now, back to checking out all the great Sacramento Vegan Chef Challenge items at our local restaurants!

Sacramento Vegan Chef Challenge 2015 -- 58 Degrees & Holding Co.

My friend Greta and I had dinner last night at 58 Degrees & Holding Co., where Chef F.J. Villalobos offers tasty and creative vegan menu items every year during the Sacramento Vegan Chef Challenge. This year is no exception!


We started with the Autumn Tartlette, a tiny tart filled with roasted eggplant caponata, tomato confit, preserved lemon, and herbs. The tart's crust was sweet, which really complemented the flavors of the filling.

Because the tart was so small, we ordered another starter from the regular menu -- the butternut squash, braised greens, and pecan bruschetta. I'm not usually a fan of cooked greens, but they were excellent in combination with the butternut squash and pecans.

For our entrée, we both ordered the excellent Griddle Cake & Caps, which consisted of polenta triangles, pesto, a ragout of smoked wild mushrooms, and almonds. It was a delicious and very satisfying dish.

The other item offered for the Sacramento Vegan Chef Challenge is a roasted vegetable consomme, made with butternut and spaghetti squash, daikon, longbean, and vegan fish sauce. Sadly, 58 Degrees isn't offering a vegan dessert this year, which is a big disappointment after the beautiful desserts Chef F.J. has created in the past.

58 Degrees & Holding Co. is located at 1217 18th Street, and their phone number is 916-442-5858. Their website address is http://www.58degrees.com/main and their Facebook page can be found at https://www.facebook.com/58-Degrees-Holding-Co-361925419790/timeline/. The Sacramento Vegan Chef Challenge menu items are available for dinner only, which is served nightly beginning at 5:00.

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.

Sacramento Vegan Chef Challenge 2015 -- The Porch

The Porch is always one of my favorite restaurants to visit during the Sacramento Vegan Chef Challenge. The menu changes frequently during the challenge, so you never know what exciting vegan masterpieces you might encounter.


My husband Phil and I went to the Porch for dinner Saturday night, and there were lots of choices on the challenge menu. Since the vegan desserts at the Porch are always spectacular, I didn't want to fill up too quickly, so instead of getting an appetizer, I ordered the special cocktail on the vegan menu -- the Farm to Smash. It was a tasty mix of vodka, lemon, grapefruit, and muddled red bell pepper, served up in a Mason jar.

For my entree, I got the soyrizo and rice tamales, served with green tomato-tomatillo salsa and vegan sour cream, and with a side of cole slaw. The tamales were really, really good. In fact, I wish they were available on the Porch's regular menu. Other dishes on the challenge menu Saturday night were the green veggie bisque, Porch pickle jar, crispy fried hominy (why didn't I try that?!), sauteed seasonal veggies, shaved broccoli salad, and Frito pie.

Two vegan desserts were on the menu: banana mocha cake and a chocolate-whiskey poached pear. I opted for the poached pear, and I was so glad I did. Look at this gorgeous dessert -- a perfect pear poached in whiskey and vanilla bean, then dipped in dark chocolate and served with vanilla bean-coconut creme and pecan pralines. If it's still on the menu when you go to the Porch, I highly recommend it!

The Porch is located at 1815 K Street, and their phone number is 916-444-2423. Their website address is http://www.theporchsacramento.com/, and their Facebook page can be found at https://www.facebook.com/ThePorchRestaurant?fref=ts. Lunch is served Tuesday through Friday from 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Dinner is served Monday through Thursday from 5:00 p.m. to 9:30 p.m., Friday from 5:00 p.m. to 10:30 p.m., Saturday from 4:00 p.m. to 10:30 p.m., and Sunday from 4:00 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.

Sacramento Vegan Chef Challenge 2015 -- Capitol Garage

The moment I saw pumpkin pancakes listed on their Sacramento Vegan Chef Challenge menu, I knew a trip to Capitol Garage was in my immediate future.


Even though it was lunchtime when I arrived today, I ordered breakfast, which is served until 3:00 p.m. A plate with three huge pumpkin pancakes appeared in front of me, along with vegan butter and cranberry syrup. The pancakes were so good, and really filling. I only ate about half, and the rest will be my breakfast tomorrow.

Other items on Capitol Garage's Sacramento Vegan Chef Challenge menu are beer-battered shishito peppers, a veggie burger and fries, and strawberry shortcake. Guess I'll have to go back for lunch or dinner soon!

Capitol Garage's address is 1500 K Street, and their phone number is 916-444-3633. Their website address is http://www.capitolgarage.com/, and their Facebook page can be found at https://www.facebook.com/capGarage. The restaurant is open Monday through Thursday from 6:00 a.m. to midnight, Friday from 6:00 a.m. to 1:00 a.m., and Saturday and Sunday from 8:00 a.m. to 1:00 a.m.

Sacramento Vegan Chef Challenge 2015 -- Thai Basil

It's Day One of the fifth annual Sacramento Vegan Chef Challenge, so I had lunch with my friend Cathy at a restaurant that's new to the challenge -- the always vegan-friendly Thai Basil. There seemed to be a little confusion about whether the challenge items were available at lunchtime or just for dinner, but they decided to go ahead and let me order from the challenge menu for lunch.


Everything looked good, but I couldn't possibly order all of it, so I skipped the winter curry (for now) and feasted on smaller items.


First to come out of the kitchen was a delicious plate of spicy fried okra and pumpkin, breaded in a gluten-free flour and, according to the menu, "sprinkled with heirloom garlic infused sea salt." Sorry for the blurry photo!

Next, I had a cup of pumpkin coconut soup, consisting of a wonderful coconut broth filled with cubes of pumpkin, a few different types of mushrooms, and a variety of herbs and spices. It was excellent!

The third dish was a beautifully-presented miang kum, individual endive leaves filled with a surprising mix of ingredients so that every bite was different. Bits of lime, ginger, garlic, shallots, coconut, tofu, and I don't even remember what else created an amazing flavor explosion.

Even though I was stuffed, I couldn't leave without ordering dessert -- a fabulous plate of mango sweet rice. The sticky rice, served with coconut syrup, and the mango provided a refreshing ending to a lovely meal.

Thai Basil is located at 2431 J Street, and their phone number is 916-442-7690. Their website address is http://www.thaibasilrestaurant.com/, and their Facebook page can be found at https://www.facebook.com/thaibasilrestaurant?fref=ts. The restaurant is open Sunday through Thursday from 11:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m., and Friday and Saturday from 11:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m.