Lazeez Asian Cuisine July 27, 2007

13919 SW 66 Street
Miami, FL
(305) 388-2428

Veg Friendly: *** (out of five)
Food: **** (out of five)
Atmosphere: * (out of five)
Will I be back?  Definitely

I went to Lazeez last night. It’s a bare-bone little place of Pakistani cuisine with a one page laminated menu, but the food is rather good.  And inexpensive. 

They have a vegetable section with 13 or so dishes, such as saag, vegetable curry, okra, daal, vegetable biryani and so on.  All are $6.99 each.  That’s quite a few dollars off Imlee, though of course you can’t take a first date to this place.  The meny said that these dishes are made in advance (30-45 minutes ahead of arrival) so call ahead.  I looked up at the owner – I have to wait 30 minutes for my food?  But the kind man assured me that it won’t be.  Sure enough, the dishes came out very quickly.

The vegetable specialties were all listed without translation.  I have eaten enough Indian food to know that aloo is potato, daal is the lentil bean thing, saag is the spanish dish and saag paneer with cheese added.  The owner was really nice and answered my myrad of questions patiently.  Overall the service is very courteous as in most family style restaurants.  (I mean, not that “Hi I am Steve I am your server tonight how is your day” type of Disneyish cheerfulness.)  I was considering of ordering a third dish, thinking that at $6.99 it would be small.  The owner assured me that it would large enough so I shouldn’t order more.

As it is a small place, everything was cooked to order.  We could hear the chopping noise in the kitchen after we placed our order, and after the dishes arrived, the sound of water and scrubbing. 

They also have naan and paratha, meat samosa, and meat dishes like chicken tikka, seikh kabob, qorma (usually seem as Korma), as well as desserts such as kheer and gulab jamun.  These entrees are also around $6.99 or so.   And yeah, cheeseburger with fries too should your company feels like it.  

Nice to have found this hidden gem.

Soup Man July 25, 2007

20475 Biscayne Blvd
Aventura, FL 33180
(305) 466-9033

Veg Friendly: **** (out of five)
Food: **** (out of five)
Atmosphere: *** (out of five)
Will I be back?  Definitely

When I heard that the Soup Nazi had opened a store in Miami, I had been wanting to visit.  Not that I am particularly a Seinfeld fan, but I just love soup. 

The place has about 50 varieties of soups, though usually about 12 or so is made each day.  They have vegetairan, meat & poultry, seafood and chilled varieties.  Vegetarian includes such choices as 5 beans, corn chowder, butternut squash, minestrone and tomato basil.  I had the eggplant parmesan which was flavorful though a bit heavy on salt.

A standard order of cup or bowl includes bread, fruit and chocolate.  On my visit it is a very delicious chunk of multigrain bread, a banana and a Lindor.  Just about right for me.  Or you can pay $3 more for a combo, which includes a half sandwich or side salad and a drink.  They have interesting flavors of cold tea in cups on the cooler shelf.

We were lucky as we went there in the evening.  As they were closing up, they gave me some extra bread.  yummm!!

Seasons 52 July 20, 2007

2428 E. Sunrise Blvd., The Galleria Mall
Ft. Lauderdale, FL 33304
(954) 537-1052

Veg Friendly: ** (out of five)
Food: ** (out of five)
Atmosphere: *** (out of five)
Will I be back?  Likely Not

Honestly I had high hopes for this place.  This is what they claimed on their homepage: “Celebrating Living Well Through Seasonally Inspired Healthy Dining”.

We felt pretty good upon arrival.  Service seems good, the place is tastefully furnished, though a bit noisy.  However, on opening the menu, I was rather disappointed with the lack of vegetarian entrees.  I somehow expected to see more, but of the 17 items, the singular vegetarian entree is Chef’s Rustic Roasted Vegetable Plate with grilled tofu, tabbouleh and summer corn salad.   As I had set my mind of the aragula salad, it would seem weird to order another salad-like dish for entree.   Looking over at the appertizers, there is a similar lack of vegetarian dishes. 

I liked my aragula sald enough, though my husband’s tabbouleh salad was definitely one of the worse ones in memory.  It was mushy and lacked the minty, fresh taste that makes tabbouleh a favorite of mine.

I was equally dissatisfied with goat cheese ravioli I ordered. It came in a light tomato broth with sweet summer basil, but I couldn’t detect the burst of fresh tomato and basil.  That lovely combination of juicy tomato and fragrant basil is one of the loveliest sensation that makes even a humble pasta dish shines, if done right.   The tomato was just bland.  They couldn’t be using seasonally fresh tomato!  I know they taste much better than that.  Maybe Seasons 52 being a chain explains it.  Instead of buying local fresh products they just get run-of-the-mill stuff.   The seasoning was a bit bland too and the little bottle of black pepper sitting on the table didn’t help.  I would have excepted some freshly grated black pepper.  Hey, even Olive Garden does that!  

My husband ordered a halibut which was overcooked.

As for dessert, well, I have to admit that I like the idea of serving them in little shot glasses at $1.95 each.  That is the perfect size, for me, to finish a meal, while others may have the whole rack of 10 or so flavors to enjoy.  Much better than a huge chunk that over stuffs your stomach.  The chocolaty Rocky Road was quite tasty.

OneBurger February 21, 2007

367 Alhambra Circle
Coral Gables
305-529-5555

Veg Friendly: **** (out of five)
Food: **** (out of five)
Atmosphere: *** (out of five)

This is a clean, minimalistic little store on Alhambra Circle. They have almost 30 types of burgers, plus wraps, soup and salad. The burgers can be order plain, or comboed with french fries, salad or soup and soda.

The first time we went there, I spotte two veggie burgers on the menu: one Organic Veggie, and one Grilled Portobello Mushroom with Walnut Crusted Goat Cheese. I tried the first one at $5.95, with made-from-scratch patty of organic zucchini, yellow squash, mushroom, tomato, carrot, chick peas, black beans and oats. It’s delicious, though a little too mushy for my liking. My husband meanwhile totally enjoyed his Kobe Burger at $9.25.

The next time we visited, I checked with the cashier and know that I can order any burger and subsitute with a veggie patty, a flexibility which greatly increased my choices. I ended up with The Black, Black & Blue, which is a blackened patty topped with a roasted black bean spread and blue cheese, garnished with tomato and lettuce.

Overall, the quality of food is pretty good. The portion is also reasonable, not overly huge. Which probably means smallish by American standard. If I want a burger, this is the place to go!

Graceful Vegetarian February 21, 2007

Shoppers of the Parkway
670 Highway 7 East, Unit 8
Richmond Hill, Ontario
905-886-8816Market Village Shopping Center
7131 Kennedy Road, Unit 8
Markham, Ontario
905-479-8381
www.gveg.caVeg Friendly: ***** (out of five)
Food: *** (out of five)
Atmosphere: **** (out of five)This Chinese vegetarian restaurant has a very extensive menu. Order a simple dish of vegetables, or be adventurous (or, depending how you look at it, stay on a familiar turf) and order many of the dishes you’ve seen at a regular Chinese restaurants, only that here they make them with vegetarian meat. The veggie meat are mostly made of soy protein, TVP or wheat gluten. Some excellently resembles the original in look and texture. So you have Sweet & Sour Pork, Eel in BBQ Sauce, Chicken & Black Bean in Hot Pot.They also serve vegetarian dim sums during lunch hours.

Note: These mock meats are not invented by monks missing their favorite dishes. In a monastry, dishes are usually prepared simply with vegetables. As some Chinese have a culture of eating no meat on certain holidays and special ocassions, these mock meats are developed so they do not feel deprived. Honestly, these monk meats are artificial.  Creativity certainly is abound for making soy, wheat gluten and konjaku into something that looks like shrimp, salmon or beef, but a dash of coloring and seasoning certainly helps a lot. It’s useful to convert any dish into vegetarian in a snap, but do enjoy the sweet bounty of the Earth as they are grown!

Richtree Market February 21, 2007

BCE Place

Heritage Square

42 Yonge Street
Toronto

416.366.8986
www.richtree.ca

Veg Friendly: **** (out of five)
Food: **** (out of five)
Atmosphere: **** (out of five)

This place used to go by a much more romantic name of Movenpick. I don’t quite know what kind of marketing decision it is to rename the restaurant, but my Torontan friend never switched to using the new name.

The look of the place is like a buffet, or what they call “an authntic Mediterranean open-market,” with arrays of ingredients on display at thirteen food stations: pasta, pizza, salad, bakery, crepe & waffle, seafood, fresh juice, Asian stir fry and so on. However, beware: each item you order is recorded onto a card issued at the entrance and your purchase totalled at the exit. The tab can certainly add up to become an unpleasant surprise.

It is a great place to bring a diversified group, as everyone is sure to find something they delight in. The harder choice seems to be what to order; as, unlike a buffet, you can’t pick a little bit of everything. You walked around the place, engrossed in the colorful, bountiful display, smelling food freshly prepared, and you feel like wanting everything.

The salad bar is well stocked though not extensive. As most items at the restaurant are made to order, special requests are easily accomodated.

The deco is quite lovely. Dining rooms are decorated in different themes. In one, you will feel like dining in a posh Parisian cafe. In another, you are breaking bread with your family in
Tuscany.

Pollo Tropical? January 10, 2007

Numerous locations in
MiamiVeg Friendly: * (out of five)
Food: ** (out of five)
Atmosphere: *** (out of five)

Okay, my DH loves this place. Which I don’t particularly becuase their vegetarian platter is not that great. The rice is usually too mushy, which is topped with mushy black beans and then some corn, tomato and lettuce. It sure will fill your stomach up but just not very satisfying.

Then the other day I notice that I can order a side order sampler for around $3.50. I can pick three sides. Which I like immediately because now I DO have a choice. I ended up with a yellow rice with vegetables, balsamic tomato and cesar salad. Which, admittedly are still very mediocre salad and tomato, but immensely more satisfying and marginally healthier than the platter.

Myung Ga Tofu & BBQ Restaurant October 30, 2006

1944 Weston Rd
Weston, Florida

954-349-7337

Veg Friendly: * (out of five)
Food: *** (out of five)
Atmosphere: **** (out of five)

Warning: If you are vegetarian, this is not the Korean place to go!! Totally not!

While Korean cuisine isn’t typically veg-friendly, most of the time you can enjoy a meal of rice, with a simple fare of assorted pickled vegetable side dishes (as long as you can stand some spiciness), or a heartier order of Jap Chae (clear noodles with vegetables) or bibim bab (rice topped with assorted vegetables.)

However, in this place, landmines are everything. Slivers of oyster are hiding among kimchi cabbage. Other pickled side dishes are equally likely to sneakishly harbour some animal parts. I was totally surprised when I bite into it. This is honestly the first time I’ve found oyster in kimchi, and I certainly haven’t seen a recipe like that either!

Their bibim bab comes topped with beef, and even after I asked them to take it out, making it clear I want it vegetarian, they sent it with shreds of imitation crabmeat.

Some of my friends think that this place serves tastier dishes than Kyung Ju, the Korean place down in
Miami. The interior is definitely a noch classier, cleaner and more elegant. I like the little Korean dolls, and the hanging TV broadcasting Korean programs was certainly some entertainment. However, if you are serious 100% vegetarian, STEER CLEAR!

ETA: Their Doral location opened in March 2007 and we went for a few visits since then.  Admitted delicious food, I and my friends consider it Miami’s best Korean, but still as un-veg-friendly.  Curiously, they appear to try making the menu veg friendly by denoting some items with a vegetarian notation.  But it seems more likely to mean that the dish has some vegetables thrown in, so carnivores beware! How else could an item shouting BEEF has that little veg mark?  It’s not even a matter of sneakish bones or meat in a booth or sauce!

They have zucchini pancake, tofu and mushroom casserole, and other dishes to feed you well. And again, be warned about the kimchi.    

Woodlands September 21, 2006

4816 N. University Drive, Sunrise

Veg Friendly: ***** (out of five)
Food: **** (out of five)
Atmosphere: *** (out of five)

When my husband and I first discovered this place, we were impressed. Unlike most Indian places we have been to which are small and dimly lit, Woodlands is spacious and bright as day.

We sat down and browse the menu. There are few South Indian restaurants in
Miami, so the menu looked very foreign to us, even though we profess that we love Indian food. Dosai and uthappam dominated the menu. Dosai is a thin, slightly crunchy crepe that wraps around potato, chuntey and other vegetables. Uthappam is a pancake that has vegetables and other goodies mixed in the batter. Both the dosai and uthappam are as huge as your plate.

All dishes are vegetarian. Price is suprisingly affordable. They have lunch buffet too, but only for weekdays. Whereas Udipi, just down the street, offers buffet for weekends as well.

Kyung Ju September 11, 2006

NE 167 Street, N. Miami Beach

Veg Friendly: ** (out of five)
Food: ***** (out of five)
Atmosphere: ** (out of five)

Most vegetarians would prefer to stay away from Korean cuisine, as the majority of the dishes are heavily meat based.  In fact, the heavy smell of grilled meat may even make one sick.

My husband and I have, however, found a happy medium at Kyung Ju. For their lunch menu, of the 15 items, they have a sautéed clear noodle with vegetables, which I always ordered (as it is the one and only veg lunch special). The portion is very generous. Pearly rice, three pickled sides of kimchee, bean sprout, tofu and the like, and a mountain of clear noodles sautéed with zucchini, carrot, wood ear, scallion, cabbage and much more. While my husband loves his grilled beef, he always asked to sample from my bento box.

For dinner, I enjoy ordering bibimbab, steam rice with a nice array of mixed vegetables. Usually I will pay the $2 extra to get the dish in a heated stone pot. The charred rice at the bottom is considered by many a delicacy. The vegetables are arranged in a rainbow ray covering the rice, topped with an egg. You can add the slightly spicy red bean paste to the pot, stir it up real good, and enjoy a hearty, healthy meal. Excellent for winter. It’s not a hard dish to make, and I enjoy concocting my own version with whatever is available in my kitchen – spinach, mushroom, bean sprout, zucchini, jicama, bamboo shoot, seaweed, daikon, cucumber, wood ear and so forth.

I have been to Korean restaurants where I found oyster and other meat mixed in their kimchee and pickles, or bibimba served with beef or other meat, even when I requested the meat to be taken out. But at Kyung Ju, I do not have such problems. True, choices are limited, but at least they are delicious choices.