We here at the Ladies of Lunch enjoy satisfying our sweet (and salty) tooth when dining out. We love finding these little hidden restaurant gems that provide deliciously rich or savory dishes. However, all that richness can leave us feeling sluggish. Happily, with Kim's pick this month, we found a spot that offers options that feel like an indulgence but without all the guilt.
Kim greeted me with a hug and a smile and told me
about how she discovered this place.
"I was searching online for local restaurants that were healthy and tasty."
She was successful. "Veg" is a
family owned restaurant that was inspired by the chef's life spent in South
Africa. They specialize in healthy and fresh ingredients, using locally
sourced fruits and vegetables, and even bake their own bread. Their hefty
list of options is capable of satisfying vegetarian, gluten-free, and vegan
needs, without leaving us omnivores hungry.
After Rachel joined us we began looking over the menu. Much to my surprise, I was actually stuck between choices. I worried someone like me (an anti-cold food or salad eater) wouldn't find anything that looked appealing. By the time our waitress arrived, we had all made our decisions.
Kim ordered the matzoh ball soup for a starter and the Silly Philly sandwich as her main dish. Rachel selected the club sandwich, made with a beef-less burger patty, "bac-un", avocado, lettuce, tomato and aioli. I opted for a cup of the root vegetable soup and the veggie burger with fruit.
As we sipped our house-made iced teas, we noticed the array of publications and write-ups hung sporadically around the restaurant. It got us all even more excited for our orders.
Kim and my soup arrived first. I was slightly disappointed by the texture and sweetness of my root vegetable soup, hoping for a creamier consistency and velvety texture. Instead, I couldn't help but be reminded of baby food.
Kim's however was really delicious. The broth was savory but light and the "matzoh" balls were a little large but surprisingly dense and meaty.
When our sandwiches arrived, we all took a bite of our own and then began passing them around to each other.
Rachel was satisfied with her club, describing the bac-un as a little too soft but still having a pleasant smoky flavor.
My veggie burger had a nice toothsome texture, not overly dry or flavorless. I even opted out of the homemade aioli that comes with it, and it still tasted pretty moist.
However, Kim's Silly Philly was the winner in my book and hers. The thick cut portobella mushrooms and savory sauce made me forget all about the meat in a Philly cheese steak.
"I think I just had a food-gasm..," Kim said through her mouthful of sandwich.
She offered me a piece and I had to agree that I liked her sandwich even more than mine. But Rachel took a bite of my veggie burger and decided she liked mine best. So there we were, three non-vegetarians happily feasting on a meal of fresh veggie patties and fruits.
The only sour note we hit was the lack of enthusiasm we received from the waitress. Though not outwardly rude, we just all were hoping for a warmer and excited reception.
"It feels like she was just trying to get her work done," Rachel commented.
Since we had been so nice to our waistlines for our lunch, we thought we could be a little naughty for dessert. Kim ordered a small slice of key lime pie and Rachel and I shared their chocolate madness cake.
Kim, who is quickly becoming a connoisseur for key lime pie, noted that theirs was tasty but a little too tart.
The chocolate madness cake was definitely for someone with a serious chocolate craving.
"It's very rich- almost fudge-like." It was good but forgettable to me.
After the bill had come, we began tallying our points:
Final Comments:
Rachel- "The coleslaw was yummy, and I appreciate the freshness of all the vegetables. The bite I had of the root veggie soup left me craving more. The water was lemon-infused, which made it really refreshing. I liked Kim's 'Silly Philly' but Kristen's was my fave. It was a freshly made patty versus a frozen one. All in all, there was a nice selection of vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free options.
Kristen- "I found several things I wanted to try, and by far, the 'Silly Philly' was my favorite. I didn't even miss the meat. I love the hole-in-the-wall atmosphere and the love the chef has for the ingredients. You can tell he believes in what he does and he doesn't offer anything that he wouldn't please him."
Kim- "My soup was super yummy. The broth had such a nice depth of flavor. And my sandwich was delicious. The key lime pie was decent, but Duval's is still the best! But they did have a great gluten-free section. Although the waitresses were a little cold and stand-offish, I would definitely come back again."
Delivery? No
Carry-out? Yes
Outdoor seating? Yes (a little)
Pet-friendly? Yes
Refer a friend? Yes!
As we sipped our house-made iced teas, we noticed the array of publications and write-ups hung sporadically around the restaurant. It got us all even more excited for our orders.
Kim and my soup arrived first. I was slightly disappointed by the texture and sweetness of my root vegetable soup, hoping for a creamier consistency and velvety texture. Instead, I couldn't help but be reminded of baby food.
Kim's however was really delicious. The broth was savory but light and the "matzoh" balls were a little large but surprisingly dense and meaty.
When our sandwiches arrived, we all took a bite of our own and then began passing them around to each other.
Rachel was satisfied with her club, describing the bac-un as a little too soft but still having a pleasant smoky flavor.
My veggie burger had a nice toothsome texture, not overly dry or flavorless. I even opted out of the homemade aioli that comes with it, and it still tasted pretty moist.
However, Kim's Silly Philly was the winner in my book and hers. The thick cut portobella mushrooms and savory sauce made me forget all about the meat in a Philly cheese steak.
"I think I just had a food-gasm..," Kim said through her mouthful of sandwich.
She offered me a piece and I had to agree that I liked her sandwich even more than mine. But Rachel took a bite of my veggie burger and decided she liked mine best. So there we were, three non-vegetarians happily feasting on a meal of fresh veggie patties and fruits.
The only sour note we hit was the lack of enthusiasm we received from the waitress. Though not outwardly rude, we just all were hoping for a warmer and excited reception.
"It feels like she was just trying to get her work done," Rachel commented.
Since we had been so nice to our waistlines for our lunch, we thought we could be a little naughty for dessert. Kim ordered a small slice of key lime pie and Rachel and I shared their chocolate madness cake.
Kim, who is quickly becoming a connoisseur for key lime pie, noted that theirs was tasty but a little too tart.
The chocolate madness cake was definitely for someone with a serious chocolate craving.
"It's very rich- almost fudge-like." It was good but forgettable to me.
After the bill had come, we began tallying our points:
MENU
|
TASTE
|
LOCATION
|
PRESENTATION
|
CLEANLINESS
|
SERVICE
|
DÉCOR
|
Final Comments:
Rachel- "The coleslaw was yummy, and I appreciate the freshness of all the vegetables. The bite I had of the root veggie soup left me craving more. The water was lemon-infused, which made it really refreshing. I liked Kim's 'Silly Philly' but Kristen's was my fave. It was a freshly made patty versus a frozen one. All in all, there was a nice selection of vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free options.
Kristen- "I found several things I wanted to try, and by far, the 'Silly Philly' was my favorite. I didn't even miss the meat. I love the hole-in-the-wall atmosphere and the love the chef has for the ingredients. You can tell he believes in what he does and he doesn't offer anything that he wouldn't please him."
Kim- "My soup was super yummy. The broth had such a nice depth of flavor. And my sandwich was delicious. The key lime pie was decent, but Duval's is still the best! But they did have a great gluten-free section. Although the waitresses were a little cold and stand-offish, I would definitely come back again."
Delivery? No
Carry-out? Yes
Outdoor seating? Yes (a little)
Pet-friendly? Yes
Refer a friend? Yes!
