Canaletto

Canaletto at the Venetian Resort, Hotel, Casino
On the Strip in Las Vegas

It's rare that we dine on the strip, even rarer that we enjoy ourselves. But Canaletto is a restaurant that we have patronized a whopping 3 times since we moved here in 2006. And each time, we've been pleased with our experience.

Tonight, though, was the first time we've dined there since I have become a Vegan. The last time we were there, in February of 2007, I was a lacto-vegetarian. It's very very simple to be lacto-vegetarian at an Italian restaurant... so I was a little nervous about the vegan options. Would there be any? Like every other restaurant experience I've had since beginning this blog, I went into the night thinking like not only a vegan, but a critic.

Canaletto: let the show begin!

We began by downloading the lunch/dinner menu pdf provided on the Canaletto homepage. At first glance, there doesn't seem to be much, but once I started reading the actual descriptions of the dishes, my fears all but disappeared. There were plenty of vegetarian options & many which could also be "made" into vegan entrees. My husband called to make the reservation & asked specifically that a note be made that his "wife is a vegan". The host taking the call kept referring to it as a "milk allergy" and although my husband adamantly insisted that I not be treated like I had an allergy but someone with a specific lifestyle choice, even our waiter tonight mentioned my "milk allergy". Well, whatever. I'm out for a nice meal, not to spread the "word".

Actually, let's go back to that for a minute: our waiter (whose name was Vito, though I think the waitstaff is handed out names & coached on Italian accents upon hiring) was very helpful in answering my questions about certain entrees. He even said, "I know you cannot eat dairy, so we will be extra careful for you. It makes you sick?" Well, yeah, sure. I did appreciate the extra care he took to write "NO CHEESE" on my order.

What did I order? I had the Bruschetta Calda for an appetizer and Paccheri alla Melanzane e Scamorza.

BRUSCHETTA CALDA Grilled Il Fornaio ciabatta served with sauteed roma tomatoes, garlic, fresh basil and extra-virgin olive oil $7.95

PACCHERI ALLA MELANZANE E SCAMORZA Large pasta tubes tossed with smoked mozarella and tomato sauce topped with sliced eggplant $17.50

The Bruschetta was wonderful - the tomatoes roasted & just warmer than room temperature, the right amount of basil & a healthy dose of garlic. The Melanzane required me to ask for "no cheese" which the waiter was obviously very receptive to. But once it arrived, I had my doubts - something white & of odd texture was in my eggplant... My husband, instantly sensing that I was apprehensive about what was on my plate, reached over with his fork (clean!!) and tasted a bit for me. He raised his eyebrows, "I can't believe it! That's the eggplant!" And it was - this gooey texture was the eggplant, roasted to perfection. Wow. I'm going to have to readjust my eggplant expectations...

Everything was divine, the service was paced slower than most restaurants I've reviewed here, but tonight it worked: we had a baby sitter and all the time in the world to enjoy ourselves. For the two of us, we spent under $100 for appetizer, entrees, wine & espresso. Not a bad deal!

Canaletto is one of those places that the atmosphere is not better than the food, this is a place we love to take our guests and now that I know "going vegan" is easy there, we'll be going back!!

CANALETTO

hours: Sun-Thu 11:30am-11:00pm
Fri/Sat 11:30am-12:00am

Phone:
(702) 733-0070

The Venetian Resort Hotel Casino
3355 Las Vegas Blvd. South
Las Vegas, NV 89109


CANALETTO VEGETARIAN MEALS:
*Many of these can easily be made vegan by removing the cheese

Antipasti:
Bruschetta Calda
Caprese Calda
Formaggi dal Veneto
Crostini di Polenta (remove you sausage & salmon options)

Soup & Salad:
Minestrone (made with vegetable stock)
Insalata Balsamico
Insalata di Pere (pear salad)
Insalata di Bietole (beet salad)
Insalata Canaletto

Pizza:
Margherita
Pizza Fresca

Risotto:
Risotto Filante

Primi:
Vermicelli al Pomodoro
Paccheri alla Melanzane e Scamorza
Casonzei All'Ampezzana

Las Vegas Vacation Deals

Open Letter To The Food Network

To Whom It May Concern:

I have often been disappointed in the Food Network's lack of interest in Vegetarian Cuisine. Being a vegan, I have yet to see a show devoted to cooking veg*n meals. Sure some chefs feature a vegetarian dish once in a while, but a show chock full of ideas would be great. Believe it or not, veg*ns LOVE to cook, and I love to cook with things other than stereotypical veg*n ingredients (i.e. tofu, tempeh, seitan, etc.).

Recently on the Food Network, Dinner Impossible featured a vegetarian rodeo bbq. It was A HORRIBLE representation of vegetarian cooking. Chef Symon was cynical and cranky the entire show - complaining about everything. He made it look like vegetarian cooking was uninteresting, flavorless & frustrating. Veg*n cooking is NOTHING of the sort! But after that show, I can't imagine anyone would ever believe that it's a great way to eat.

Therefore, I am requesting a couple of things from the Food Network:

1) please read my blog The Vegas Vegan: http://thevegasvegan.blogspot.com/ There I review restaurants in Las Vegas. My mission is to find veg*n foods at the most unlikely places. When one veg*n gives the thumbs up to any establishment, more veg*ns are sure to follow. It's not about being afraid to go out to eat, it's about learning how to eat out.

2) please check out Colleen Patrick-Goudreau at Compassionate Cooks: http://www.compassionatecooks.com/ She teaches cooking classes in San Francisco and around the country. She has published a wonderful cookbook: The Joy of Vegan Baking. She would make a great addition to the Food Network line-up, offering veg*n choices not only for veg*ns, but for those interested in making healthy changes to their diets. Some omnivores are actually interested in adding vegetarian meals to their weekly menus, she would be a great person to help!!

3) I would like to see less grunting & groaning from the on-screen personalities when it comes to "having" to make a vegetarian meal. My impression is that they need to be enlightened on what veg*n cooking actually entails. It's not about bulking up with cheese & eggs for vegetarians or just eating tofu & seitan if you're a vegan. It's about discovering the wonderful rainbow of flavors available in the produce section of the grocery store. I rarely cook with tofu and have actually never used seitan. I've been vegetarian for 18 years... there is no need to portray veg*ns as ONLY eating those foods. Some research into the actual diets of veg*ns, and not just listening to chefs regurgitating stereotypes, would be helpful.

Please contact me via email lsj521@gmail.com.

Thank you for your time,
Sincerely,
Lisa Smolen-Jenkins

http://thevegasvegan.blogspot.com

Mezzo Bistro Italiano: Visit #2

There are some restaurants that you have to visit again and again - maybe because you liked your meal so much you can't live without eating it again, maybe it's because you wish you were able to try another item off the menu, or maybe, like Mezzo, it's because the people there take such pride in their business that customers feel like welcome guests.

Since our first visit to Mezzo Bistro Italiano on our anniversary in July,
we have been dreaming of our next visit. We don't eat out as much as we used to, so when we go out nowadays, it has to be to somewhere special. And that "somewhere special" is definitely Mezzo Bistro Italiano.

Tonight, we were able to bring along my parents & my brother. My mother is half Roman half Sicilian, so our family knows Italian food. Will my mom like the food? She's not exactly a "foodie" but she knows Italian.

This time, Matt took Chef Marc's advice & called to make the reservation a day ahead - specifically mentioning that his wife is a vegan. Chef got right on it! And today, around 2pm, Matt received a call from Chef listing the ingredients of the Pasta Primavera "vegan special" they were going to make for me tonight. This is personal attention to the utmost degree: a specially prepared off-menu dish AND a phone call to confirm? Wow.

Upon arrival, again I was treated to a warm greeting and told that I was going to enjoy the Pasta Primavera: homemade orecchiette, cauliflower, red, yellow & green roasted peppers, green beans, spinach and carrots with olive oil & garlic, black pepper, sea salt and basil. I WISH I had taken a picture of this beautiful creation because it truly looked like a piece of art. So colorful. And the vegetables perfectly cooked, not mushy steamed pieces of grey matter. The garlic was not overpowering, and there was plenty of oil for dipping the fresh bread.

Everyone in our party tonight enjoyed their meal. To read the full menu, go to the Mezzo Bistro Italiano homepage and download the pdf file. My father & brother both had the Tuscan Pork Tenderloin, my mother had the Tuscan Country Dish (with wild boar ragu), Matt had Chicken Piccata. Obviously, no one else in my family is vegan... but Andrew, is what you would call a "semi-vegetarian". Or maybe lacto-pollo-vegetarian would be the more proper term since he eats dairy & chicken. I asked our waiter what there was for kids and he listed off quite a few choices including spaghetti & marinara sauce, chicken fingers, and intriguingly he said "we make a fantastic macaroni & cheese to order." Andrew perked right up: "I'll have that!!" He loved it! It was probably more of an Alfredo sauce, though I obviously didn't try it. Andrew couldn't get enough of it! He ate about half of it, the rest is in a box in our refrigerator.

As for the rest of us... we stopped stuffing our faces at about the point we would have begun licking the plates. We do have some standards of behavior.

Again, an amazing meal from one of the best kept secrets in Vegas. Thank you Chef, for another great night out. And thank you for placing my first babbling review on your website!!

Grazi.



MEZZO BISTRO ITALIANO:

Mezzo Bistro Italiano
4275 N. Rancho Rd.
Las Vegas NV
702.944.8880
Las Vegas Review Journal

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Grand Lux Cafe

Grand Lux Cafe at theVenetian was the location of my most recent dining out experience.

If you don't already know, I work at the Venetian. I say "work" but we musicians rarely call what we do "work". It truly is a gift to use your talents in such diverse ways. At the Venetian, I perform with The Phantom of the Opera, renamed for this production Phantom: The Las Vegas Spectacular. It's truly a once-in-a-lifetime experience to get to play for such a fantastic production. And the Venetian is one of the premiere destination spots for tourists & celebrities. You never know on any given night who is sitting in the audience!

One of my friends is a musician with Blue Man Group also performing at the Venetian. We often joke that since I started playing with Phantom 2 years ago, we still haven't met before/between/after our respective shows for coffee or snacks. So last month, he suggested we meet for coffee at the Grand Lux - just a hop, skip & a jump from the lobby of Phantom. I ordered my coffee and stood waiting for him to arrive. No luck. His sound check went long & he was unable to meet me. No big deal: I'd see him the next day in our yoga class so I could give him a hard time later.

But this excellent cup of coffee has stuck in my mind for the last 4 weeks. Nothing has compared - I LOVE coffee, though I don't usually wax poetic about it. But this iced latte was, how can I say it... heavenly. Starbucks, who?

Last night, I had plans to meet a friend for dinner before the 7pm Phantom show. She wanted to meet at the Venetian, so we decided to try the Grand Lux for food, not just coffee. I didn't realize that Grand Lux is part of the Cheesecake Factory franchise, but apparently it is.

I downloaded the pdf menu and scoured it for vegetarian & vegan choices (she is a lacto-vegetarian). There were 4 choices that jumped out at me immediately:
1) Wild Mushroom Burger
2) Pasta Fresca
3) Crispy Sesame Tofu, and
4) "Vegetables as a Meal" served with rice

Not wanting to take any chances in getting stuck at a restaurant where we wouldn't be happy, I called for more information on each meal:
1) Is the cheese in or on the mushroom burger?
2) Can I have the Pasta Fresca without the parmesan?
3) What about the orange sauce on the tofu?
4) How many veggies can I choose for my meal?

The man who answered the phone was helpful, answering each question patiently and politely. I felt armed & prepared for our meal, as did my friend, so we proceeded to meet at Grand Lux Cafe for our dinner at 5pm. We only waited 2 minutes for a table!

Our waitress took our orders - my friend ordered Manhattan Salad "Vegetarian" (chopped salad with Romaine Lettuce, Asparagus, Tomato, White Beans, Fresh Beets, Red Onions, Lentils and Assorted Vegetables all tossed in the house vinegrette). You can order this salad as Vegetarian, or with Tuna, Chicken, Shrimp or Turkey. When my friend said "vegetarian", the waitress asked "Do you eat cheese?" My friend answered yes, she would like cheese on her salad.

Then it was my turn to order. I wanted the Tofu but the waitress asked "Are you vegetarian? Because this dish is not vegetarian - the sauce is oyster based." Hmm.... this is an odd turn of events (the man on the phone did not tell me this tidbit). The waitress told me that she is vegetarian and was very upset to find out after eating the plate of tofu that there was oyster in the sauce. I changed my order to Pasta Fresca without cheese.

Pasta Fresca: pasta tossed with roasted eggplant, cherry tomatoes, asparagus, broccoli, peppers, sun-dried tomatoes, kalamata olives, garlic & olive oil.

The food arrived and we were astounded by the sheer size of the Manhattan salad! My friend couldn't finish it - she actually took half of it home with her. My pasta was fantastic, and even though I didn't finish either, I did not take the leftovers with me because I had to play the show right after & didn't really want to have to store food in the orchestra green room - not because it would spoil but because people would undoubtedly eat it! (Musicians are generally very hungry people)

Although our meals were delicious, and obviously we had the added bonus of having a vegetarian waitress, my mind keeps trying to wrap around the oyster base in the tofu dish. I have to ask the powers-that-be "who eats tofu?" The unilateral answer is usually vegetarians, right? Who goes to a restaurant like Grand Lux Cafe, where the menu includes a wide variety of foods (pasta, meats, pizza, salads) and orders tofu? Vegetarians. No? So, why, if you know vegetarians are going to gravitate to the tofu, would you serve it with a non-vegetarian sauce? That doesn't make sense to me. I've written a long comment to the restaurant in regard to this situation.

There were enough choices on the menu that were lacto-vegetarian & could easily be modified to be vegan. Of course, I am still swooning from the idea that my waitress was vegetarian and that she was so vocal and helpful with our ordering process.

GRAND LUX CAFE at THE VENETIAN HOTEL, RESORT CASINO:

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Rainforest Cafe

$170.09

That's A LOT of money for what can be a frustrating dining-experience.

Today was kindergarten "graduation" and as a treat, a group of us moms took our graduates out to lunch at the Rainforest Cafe: a grand total of 6 kids (ages 3 to 6 years old), one toddler, one 2-month old baby and 5 adult women = 12 paying diners.

As a vegan, I cringe when I know we are dining at an "American Food" establishment. American food, if anyone cares to try to quantify it into a single category, is nothing more than meat+starch+vegetable. Everyone eats the meat and the starch but skips over the veggies. Since the restaurant-powers-that-be already know this, most places skimp on the vegetable selection. This leaves most veg*heads s@#$ out of luck.

That is...unless you know how to be creative. Check that: confident enough to be creative.

I have learned in the last year that it's not that a chef/cook won't make you a vegetarian meal, it's just that they may not have the time in the kitchen to suddenly create a vegetarian dish when they're more interested in pumping out menu items in a timely fashion. Expecting someone to drop what they're doing to focus on one plate (especially in big restaurants here in Vegas) can be intimidating, but I've come to realize that sometimes the chef/cook likes to be pulled out of the doldrums of repetitive cooking.

I agreed to go to Rainforest Cafe at the MGM Grand because it is actually a very fun place to take kids. The prices are EXPENSIVE for how average the food is. But it is Vegas and if you're going to dine on The Strip, you should expect to overpay for everything.

The last time I was at the Rainforest Cafe, I was a lacto-vegetarian. There is a very good Bruschetta (please, pleEEEEEze pronounce it Broo-sketta) that does contain fresh mozarella. I pondered getting this today, asking politely that no cheese be added to my tomato mixture, but I began to realize that they probably "pre-mix" this and someone would just be standing over my plate picking out the cheese.
Not Acceptable.

So I pulled a new trick I've learned out my hat: building my own new & exciting meal from what's already offered on the menu. Before I go on, let me say there are 2 big reasons why I don't feel funny doing this beside the obvious reason that "The customer is always right":
1) I am an imaginative home cook. If I can think it up, then a "real" chef should be able to pull it off and 2) my husband is training to be a chef and has told me that making something off-menu is actually fun.

Ok then! My friends were amazed as I pulled together a pita (from the quesadillas appetizer) and the Napa Vegetables (which I saw listed as sides to several meat dishes) to create my own scrumptious, possibly qualifying as a gyro, lunch. Everyone was not only jealous of the fresh vegetables ("Oh! Your meal is so colorful!") but the tasty grilled pita bread ("I wish I'd've known, I would have had a pita sandwich too."). Yup, yup, the Vegan totally wins with this meal!

The vegetables that are in this Napa mixture weren't the most exciting or creative, but all together made for a tasty treat: carrots, red cabbage, orange & yellow peppers, cucumbers, raisins & red onion, all splashed with a bit of vinegar. Yum-a-rific!

MENU
Points taken for the fact that there are very few choices for vegetarians much less the vegan in the room, but you could remove the meat & cheese from Planet Earth Pasta. Like I've been trying to point out over the course of keeping this particular blog: it's all about creativity, confidence & cooperation.

Our server today was very kind, thoughtful & patient as I quizzed him about the Napa Veggies: Is there any cheese in it? Any dairy at all? Can you please write down no dairy? My biggest fear was that they would somehow sprinkle cheese all over the pita when they grilled it or hide the whole thing under a dollup of sour cream.

Although it's hard to admit that the Rainforest Cafe can be veg*friendly, I am going to give it a favorable rating of:

The price was not the greatest: $9.99 for each kid's meal (granted this did include their drink, but still...) and each adult paying approximately $15 for their plate, a 17% gratuity automatically added in, we split the bill between us all coming to about $40 per family. I didn't bawk at the 17% tip although our service was slow considering we had 6 kids with us & the waiter spilled an entire pint of ice water in my lap, because in the end the kitchen did respect my kooky food request.

Veg*ns don't be afraid to partake in the Rainforest Cafe! Just bring a full wallet.

Rainforest Cafe - MGM Casino & Hotel
3799 Las Vegas Blvd.
Las Vegas, NV 89109
(702) 891-8580

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Vegas Vegan Travels East

And there they go! The Vegas Vegan and child take to the skies on July 15th for a week long visit with family & friends on the east coast.

First stop: Albany, NY, to visit her one and only brother.

My brother was kind enough to purchase foods that I could eat: soy milk, Cheerios, fresh fruit, rice, broccoli, and even a trip to the store to indulge in some soy ice cream!

The problem came on Thursday morning when my brother suggested we go to the Saratoga County Fair. I didn't panic: before we left his house, I helped myself to a banana & a small bowl of cereal expecting that I would not find anything suitable to eat at the fair.

So where is a vegan going to find actual vegan food at a county fair? Just follow the big sign that says "Vegetarian Gyros" to a trailer with a guy making....gyros... After a quick ingredient check with the cook behind the grill, he proceeded to show me that the flat top grill was only used for bread & vegetables, the open flame was for the meats. (I'm not sure I 100% believed him, but I did not get sick after this meal, so I'm guessing he was telling the truth) He built me a beautiful gyro with green & yellow zucchini, broccoli & cauliflower, tomatoes, peppers & onions, cooked with olive oil & wine, served in a soft-grilled pita. He held the masterpiece in his hand before asking me: "The sauce has yogurt in it, do you want that or extra oil?" Be still my heart... I'll take the oil please.

Mediterranean carnival food:

After NY, we rented a car & drove to Williamstown, MA, to spend 3 days with my in-laws. The main even would be my husband's cousin's wedding. This had me the worried: would I find anything to eat??? Turns out, I had nothing to worry about!

Hors d'oeuvres were served, and I stood away from the food. Chicken satay, spring rolls, and various other animal related finger foods were circulating among the guests. One waitress walked up carrying a tray of corn cakes. "Do you know what's in these? I'm vegan and I'm just worried about eating something that isn't appro...-"

"Don't worry! I'll ask the chef what we have for you!" And off she trotted to the kitchen tent to confer with the chef. From this point on, I kid you not, I had my own personal server. She would make a line straight from the kitchen to me with the corn cakes (which turned out to be completely vegan - no eggs, either!) and samosas. Yumm-O! As we were finding our seats, she approached me with a plate. It had a pile of tomato/watermelon salad. "The chef wanted me to send this to you because the one that everyone else will be served will have feta cheese."

The buffet was vegan friendly! Sauteed vegetables and couscous were yummy and satisfying! The wedding was catered by Mezze, so if you're ever in the Berkshires looking for great food, check them out!

Mezze catering:
Read the entire account here!

Mezzo Bistro Italiano

It was our 11th anniversary yesterday. It started quietly like most anniversaries I can remember in the recent past: Matt waking in the early hours of dawn to go to work, waking me up with a kiss and a "Happy Anniversary" whispered in the dark. Usually I try not to say it back too loudly because I haven't brushed my teeth yet, but he doesn't seem to care. He left for a morning of cooking at Le Cordon Bleu Culinary College in a traditional Hawaiian Luau cooking class. I heard a rumor that my banana smoothie was better than the tuna sushi he had for breakfast.

He returned home around 2pm asking if I wanted to try this new Italian restaurant he'd heard a review of on our local public radio station a few weeks ago. I was game for anything! But of course, being Italian & cooking "vegan" Italian is very different from going out for Italian where things are either covered in cheese or cooked w/a meat bone at the bottom of the pot.

He assured me he'd call ahead & talk to the manager about options. It wasn't the manager that got on the phone, it was the Chef himself: Chef Marcus Sgrizzzi! Matt told him that he was taking his vegan wife out for dinner and he was concerned that there wouldn't be anything for her to eat that wasn't appropriate. Chef assured Matt that there was a wonderful beet salad that he could make without the goat's cheese & that the kitchen would whip up anything I could think of - on or off menu. Whoa! Matt quickly made reservations for 5:30pm.

When we arrived at Mezzo, the host said to me, "Oh! You're our vegan tonight! Don't worry, you're going to have a great meal." Excitedly, we sat in our seats near the open kitchen and awaited our server. The waiter read off the specials to Matt then turned to me & said, "The chef has recommended that we start you with the beet salad, then he wanted to make you Linguini Aglio with oil, garlic & spices or a marinara sauce." I thought long & hard... I had just made homemade sauce last Sunday, let's go for the aglio - something I wouldn't make at home because I just don't have access to quality olive oils to make this dish. Eventually, I settled on the aglio, but would the chef add some porcini mushrooms to the mix? Of course!

Beet salad arrived - beets served w/frisee lettuce, balsamic vinegrette reduction & lots of cracked pepper. Simple ingredients, simple presentation, rustic Italian foods just the way I would make them at home. The bread was warm, soft, crusty & served with a dish of olive oil & lemon. After the appetizers (Matt had a bowl of Pasta Fagioli) arrived, the Chef appeared at our tableside.

"You're our vegan! I'm Marc," he introduced himself & shook hands with both of us. He apologized that there wasn't much to offer tonight, but hoped I would like the aglio his cooks were preparing for me. "It's not much, but the next time you come in, call the day before & let me know you're coming. I'll make you something spectacular!"

Ooooh.... two great things here: 1) he wants to make something extra special for me and 2) he's confident enough in his skills tonight to know I'll come back a 2nd time. Yay. I already like this guy.

The Aglio arrived with plenty of chopped garlic, porcini mushrooms and fresh pasta (traditional "pasta" from Italy cannot use anything other than semolina flour & water, salt & oil, to be classified as "pasta" - did you know this?) cooked perfectly al dente!

We did not stick around for dessert - we had big plans for gourmet chocolate at Caesar's Palace.

Mezzo is located just a few miles from our home so we are certain to patronize them again! The prices were spectacular: entrees were $12 each, appetizers under $10. We walked out of there for $54, but left a hefty tip to show our appreciation to our attentive waiter, host & chef.

If you're coming to Vegas, please rent a car & take a trip up to Mezzo Bistro Italiano. And of course, let me know you're coming so I can go with you!!!!

MEZZO BISTRO ITALIANO:

Mezzo Bistro Italiano
4275 N. Rancho Rd.
Las Vegas NV
702.944.8880
Las Vegas Review Journal

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Paymon's Mediterranean Cafe

Here it is folks: the restaurant by which all others in Vegas are measured: Paymon's Mediterranean Cafe!

It's hard to find anything negative to say about a restaurant that claims on it's menu to have close to 30 vegetarian dishes. Wow! That's impressive, but is it true? Yup. Just count the items on the menu and you'll find 28 not including desserts. A favorite meal for us is: a large hummus & pita, tabouli salad, vegetarian dolmas and for Matt, the Lentil soupl. Tonight, I ordered the vegetable kabobs - one of my favorites at Paymon's - which come with a side of hummus & pita. It's hard to make a visit to Paymon's without partaking in their wonderfully smooth & creamy hummus and homemade pita. Often, we order the Combination Plate, hold the bourrani & add extra falafel or dolmas.

-=IMPORTANT=- we discovered that the Lentil soup is not vegetarian: it is made with chicken broth. As far as our server knew, all of the soups on the menu are made with a "meat" broth.

What I find the most exciting about dining at Paymon's is the waitstaff's ability to recognize dietary needs. It is one of the only places I've dined where they don't question requests to remove ingredients (like dairy) or give an opinion like "that won't taste very good without the cheese" like at some other places. Order some Athens Fries and hold the "dipping sauce" - they're divine! Even Andrew, the pickiest eater on the planet, loves them.

Read the menu very closely & you'll find some very sensitive & heartening lines such as:
Certified Angus Beef ® always in bold to avoid surprises.

Please ask for a Supervisor for all allergy related questions. Don't bother! Your waiter is probably going to be knowledgeable enough to accommodate your needs.

Our Vermicelli Pilaf contains toasted Pine nuts

*All sauteed and fried items are cooked in Canola Oil and/or Olive Oil (0 Trans Fats)

We also offer upon request, White Balsamic Vinaigrette as an alternative to any of our dressings. Eliminates the need for vegans to feel trapped into dry salad as an alternative to creamy dressings. Yeah, that's happened to me before...


It's not just a pleasure to dine somewhere with so many options, but where the servers & staff are so sensitive & knowledgeable when it comes to dietary needs. This restaurant is truly the standard by which all others are measured.

Visit Paymon's at their two locations for dine-in, take-out, late-night and children's dining :

4147 S. Maryland Pkwy
Las Vegas, NV 89119
(702) 731-6030

8380 W. Sahara
Las Vegas, NV 89117
(702) 731-6030

PAYMON'S MEDITERRANEAN CAFE

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Disneyland

The "Happiest Place on Earth" is not such a treat for Vegans. Perhaps vegetarians (lacto- ovo-) and semi-vegetarians (pesce-, pollo-) would find Disneyland a much more friendly place, but Vegans beware! There is nothing for us in the "land of a million dreams." Unless you count the "million hallucinations" you will have in your hunger-induced stupor.

We were at Disneyland for the Music in the Parks competition festival with my husband's high school concert band. I went along as a chaperone & of course we brought our 6 1/2 year old son! For the price we paid (about $100 for the 3 of us) it was a great deal. Our day would begin at 4am on Saturday April 19th and end at 3:30am on Sunday April 20th. That's a long day for grown-ups, that's a long day for high school age kids, and that's a mighty long day for a lone kindergartener.

On Friday morning, while grocery shopping, I had a "moment". I paused by the Odwalla shelf and remembered back to how convenient those bars had been at the San Diego Zoo last month. I grabbed 4 bars (strawberry pomegranate and chocolate chip peanut) and hoped that I wasn't going to need them.

Unfortunately, I ended up eating 3 1/2 of those bars while I watched everyone else eating whatever suited their fancy. Thankfully, I only had to worry about one meal in the park because breakfast was eaten on the bus (1 strawberry pomegranate bar for me) and lunch was found at a stop in the town Placentia, CA, where the competition was held. Thankfully, there was a Starbucks so I was able to purchase a citrus fruit salad to eat along side my chocolate chip peanut bar. I was feeling pretty proud of myself at this point - 2 meals down and so far on track with what I'd normally eat calorie-wise on a regular day.

Once in the park, we treated our son to some cotton candy but we refrained from spending too much money on ourselves for snacks. My husband & I started to get the munchies around 2pm, so we split another Odwalla (1 strawberry pomegranate). But when dinner rolled around... the sidewalk menus at the various restaurants in Disney were chock full of meat sandwiches, meat soups, meat gumbo, meat salads, meat on a stick, meat in a piece of foil, meat on the bone, meat meat meat meat meat! There was one sandwich shop that had "vegetarian po' boys" but one look told me I did not want to eat this. First, the guys making the sandwiches were wearing latex gloves to handle the food but they did not change their gloves between orders or really even wipe off the counter they were making them on. All I could picture was meat juice on my "vegetarian" sandwich thus negating any vegetarianistic qualities my sandwich may have been clinging desperately to in the first place. We left. There was another soup counter that served "vegetarian gumbo" but again... are crayfish vegetarian? I don't know if that was what was in it, but I don't trust any "vegetarian" meal at Disney especially given that the "cast members" don't seem to be trained in open-minded free thinking.

My husband was actually disgusted watching a little kid near us gnawing on a turkey leg. He said between watching that kid and then watching those guys make all those sandwiches with the same gloves, he wasn't in the mood to eat any meat anyway. He left my son & I sitting on a bench (Andrew eating a peanut butter & jelly sandwich I had packed for him & I finished off the last Odwalla bar) while he scoped out the food situation. He found a small window, out of the way, that served "baked goods" like bagels, croissants & fritters. He bought himself a croissant & I ran over to get myself a bagel.

So... Are bagels made with eggs? No. At least they're not supposed to be made with eggs. Milk? Nope. Should be flour, yeast, water, sugar, salt. What makes various breads so different is the ratio of yeast & flour and of course the way you cook the bread. I decided I was so hungry, & so tired of Odwalla bars that I would go for the bagel & strawberry preserves. It felt so good to chew something other than a protein bar... and the preserves were just the sugar hit I needed.

Our score:
Vegan: 1 point for finding a bagel
semi-vegetarian husband: 1 point for the croissant
lacto-vegetarian son: 1 point for cotton candy and 1 point for grabbing the last quarter of my bagel & stuffing it in his mouth before I could stop him
turkey-leg-eating-little-boy: 10 points for grossing us all out

DISNEYLAND:

Starbucks Coffee

Yes, I am going to review Starbucks. Can you believe it? I can't help it... This review is long overdue.

Coffee. Totally vegan. Little beans dried & roasted to yummy perfection. Ground up, pulverized, seeping into the water to make a drink fit for the gods. I admit that I love coffee and can't seem to live without a cup a day. Now, I only drink decaf, so it's not the caffeine hit that draws me to my French press every morning: it's the FLAVOR.

Starbucks is not my favorite coffee house to visit, I prefer to brew my own coffee at home & carry it in my spiffy pink thermal coffee mug, but it's always comforting when in a new town or traveling to see the green emblem. It only means one thing: coffee!! For my money, though, Starbucks coffee served in the cafe almost has a burnt taste to it, very different from the stuff you buy in the bags at your local grocery store. But, it's awfully nice to have someone make you a special cup of coffee - you know, something other than "coffeemaker-supreme-with-cream&sugar". Plus, I think holding a Starbucks cup makes you look hip.

Ok, maybe not so much.

Going Vegan at Starbucks is one of the easiest things to do. My usual drink is a decaf mocha latte, soy, no whip. During the holidays I go all out & add a shot of peppermint. During the summer months, I get the peppermint mocha variation iced. Mmm...

Today, I met some friends for coffee at 9am to sit in the cushy chairs & chat about life for a while. Not quite an image out of Friends considering there were 2 toddlers running amok throwing trail mix everywhere, but it was a relaxing way to start the morning. I wasn't in the mood for a fancy chocolate flavored coffee and I wasn't in the mood to spend a lot of money. I ordered a tall decaf w/soy. Yup, that's it. Thinking I have the $1.75 to pay for this, I reach into my wallet to discover that I still have money on my Starbucks gift card given to me by one of my music students. Woo hoo! Free coffee! I should have splurged...

Want to fancy up your plain old coffee? Head over to their little cream & sugar station & mix yourself a spiced coffee at a fraction of the price they charge you at the counter for the same drink mixed by a barista! In a ratio of 2:1 sprinkle some cinnamon & nutmeg into your coffee. Add a dash or two of chocolate, couple shakes of the vanilla, dump in 1-3 Sugar in the Raw packets, stir, taste, adjust and Voila!: Mocha Spiced Coffee!!

My favorite part about ordering at Starbucks is that no one gives you a funny look when you ask for Soy Milk. In fact, I appreciate that at the Starbucks closest to me they take special care to verbally announce to the barista to use Soy instead of just relying on the little "S" on the paper cup.

Unfortunately, Starbucks uses Silk soy milk, which if you don't know is part of White Wave Foods a subsidiary of Dean Foods. This is a topic for another day, or perhaps a trip & comment over at Compassionate Cooks will reward you with better information than I can provide!!

STARBUCKS earns itself:

Grand China

One of the easiest cuisines to enjoy if you're a vegan or vegetarian is Chinese! Because the food rarely includes dairy in the ingredients list, it's easy to find plenty of food to enjoy. For ovo-vegetarians, there's a whole world out there to discover but vegans need to ask a few extra questions.

One of our favorite restaurants (for take out & dine in) is Grand China. With 7 locations in Las Vegas, there's probably one close to you. The best part about this restaurant is that the staff is very knowledgeable about the ingredients in the sauces & soups, so I never feel funny asking very specific questions.

We begin with Appetizers. There are only 2 app's that vegetarians can enjoy (only one for vegans): Fried Wonton & Vegetable Spring Rolls. The fried wonton (which I had eaten while previously lacto-vegetarian) have green onion & cream cheese inside. Yes, they are mighty delicious, but obviously not for a vegan. I have been assured that all food is cooked in vegetable oil. My only worry is what else has been cooked in the vegetable oil other than vegetables? Sometimes I choose not to think about it...

Soups are another story. There are NO Veg*n friendly soups on the menu. Don't be seduced by Bean Curd & Vegetable Soup. It sounds vegetarian, but it is not: it's chicken broth. I thought about saying something to the chef about this on our next visit, but I'm not sure how obnoxious or pretentious I actually need to be in this lifetime...

Skip ahead to the Moo-Shu and you'll see Vegetable Moo-Shu. Hoisin sauce is vegetarian by nature, but I do wonder about the crepes - are they egg or dairy based? I haven't ordered these so I cannot tell you for sure. Ask your server.

What I have ordered is the Vegetable Fried Rice and requested that no egg be added. Again, not an eyelash batted by our server at this request. The fried rice is filled with broccoli, carrots, peas, green onions, zucchini... a meal all on its own!

We arrive at the best section in the menu: Vegetables. Check this out:
+ Vegetable Deluxe: stir-fried broccoli, snow peas, carrots, napa cabbage, mushrooms, zucchini & water chestnuts
+ Sauteed Broccoli: in a light wine sauce
+ Ma-Po Tofu: Szechuan style bean curd with mushrooms, carrots, ginger & peas
+ Braised Bean Curd with Brown Sauce: with snow peas, carrots, napa cabbage & straw mushrooms
Sweet & Sour Eggplant: with green bell peppers, pineapples, carrots & onions
Eggplant Szechuan Style: with water chestnuts, bamboo shoots, mushrooms, zucchini & carrots
String Bean Szechuan Style: with white onion
Sauteed Chinese Green (Shanghai Bok Choy): in light wine sauce
Snow Pea with Water Chestnuts: in a light wine sauce

+ Taste-tested & approved by The Vegas Vegan!!


I highly recommend finding a Grand China for all your Veg*n needs & desires.

GRAND CHINA:


7 Locations in Las Vegas:

4444 W. Craig Rd., #126
N. Las Vegas, NV 89032

8450 Farm Rd., #150
Las Vegas, NV 89131

7045 W. Ann Rd., #110
Las Vegas, NV 89130

3000 W. Ann Rd., #109
N. Las Vegas, NV 89031
(702) 839-3688
(702) 839-4408

7250 S. Durango Rd., #160
Las Vegas, NV 89113

75 E. Horizon Ridge Pkwy, #120
Henderson, NV 89015

7320 S. Rainbow Blv. #107
Las Vegas, NV 89139

Las Vegas Vacation Deals

The Vegas Vegan Does San Diego

Traveling & eating at the same time can be a scary prospect for a vegan. At home, you know your favorite restaurants, or if you're trying some place new, at least you know you're guaranteed your next meal will be more well-rounded because you'll be cooking it for yourself. But what if you're taking a 3-day trip to a strange new land? I've had trouble in the past with eating a well balanced diet while on vacation (once I almost passed out from lack of nutrition after a 5-day trip to Washington DC) and I wasn't about to let it happen this time.

We planned a 3-day trip to San Diego to visit the zoo & wild animal park. And in all the excitement of making hotel reservations, travel plans and eventually a "soft" itinerary, I realized that the meal planning had fallen by the wayside. What will this vegan eat while on vacation? Paying for 3 meals each day at restaurants is totally out of our budget. So the solution was simple: PACK YOUR OWN FOOD!!

For myself, I brought Odwalla Bars for breakfasts & lunches. For Andrew & Matt I packed cereal bars, a jar of peanut butter, 6 banansa and a loaf of whole wheat bread. Problem solved: 2 meals per day for all 3 people were provided by ourselves. I think I did ok with the Odwalla + banana combination: I was satisfied & fueled. Probably not the best decision in the world, but it seemed to work.

We decided that we would eat out every evening for supper, though, and here's where the Vegas Vegan both shined & failed in her task. You can be the judges...

Day 1: We stayed in a Motel 6 in Escondido, CA, just north of San Diego. Our first evening we walked across the street from our motel to "Panda Express."

-=Edit=- This portion of the blog entry has been recanted thanks to an email from a fellow vegan in Vegas who pointed out that Panda does not offer any vegetarian choices. At this moment, even a couple of months later, I am feeling betrayed & unclean knowing that I ate a stir fry that was chicken base. I am disgusted at myself for not being as informed as I should have been. Now I am questioning all food I have eaten out in public. What else have I consumed and not known it?? Thanks to MS for bringing this to my attention. For better or for worse, I learn something new every day about Vegan choices. In the words of GI Joe: "Knowing is half the battle."

PANDA EXPRESS gets ZERO SPROUTS. End of story.


Day 2: Tuesday evening supper. Matt decided he wanted to go some place "nice" on our vacation. Unfortunately, he'd picked out a Sushi place via the internet before we arrived in Escondido, and after arrival realized just how far we'd have to drive to get there. We had to change our plans, so we asked the people at the front desk for some suggestions. They said there was a great little American Grill not far called Jag's. There's a menu online which says they have "tomato & basil over pasta" and that was enough for me to give the thumb's up. Sure, I'll go American if there's at least one thing for me. And what the heck, pasta is always a good thing to bulk up on when you're doing as much walking as we were. So we hopped in the car & drove from Escondido to Valley Center, about 20 minutes away.

Upon arrival, it was a bit frightening - where the hell were we?! Um, pretty much the middle of no where. But, the website is pretty hip, so it must be ok. Walking in, it was a 50's style restaurant themed toward the local high school's sports teams. "Jag's" being the home team's mascot: A Jaguar. We took a booth near the front end of a Jaguar (car) sticking out from the wall & opened the menu. Um... no tomato/basil/pasta. I politely asked the waitress where it was! She said the online menu is old - they haven't served that dish in at least 2 years. (I refrained from commenting on how they should update their website more than once a decade) She asked if I'd like spaghetti with butter, which I wouldn't have accepted as an "alternative" even if I did eat dairy! Who goes out for that crap? I settled on the fried vegetable appetizer. (don't say it... I'm getting to that part...)

Now, I haven't really had "fried" food in ages. I mean, as a vegan, when does one really deep fry anything? Not often. But man does grease taste good sometimes. I devoured a bunch of fried green beans and some mushrooms, zuchinni & sweet corn. Matt snitched a sweet corn nublet & said, "mm, that tastes kinda buttery." [screeeeeeeeech]

"Really? Do you think there's butter in it?" I put down my fork, and my face must have turned pasty white.

Matt quickly regrouped by saying, "I'm sure it's just the corn itself that tastes sweet. Don't worry honey, it's ok."

I'm sure he was right because there's no way the batter would have stuck to the corn if it had been buttered....

The batter? "Honey, what's in this batter?" It was his turn to go white.

"Well, flour, bread crumbs, and probably some eggs...." Well, crapola. There goes my appetite. Was I really that stupid to forget that there's probably egg in batter? I know there's egg in tempura batter which is why I avoid it at Asian restaurants, so why would I overlook this one detail at this place? I decided that I wouldn't beat myself up over it. It was a mistake, an oversight, I wasn't going to let it ruin my evening. But it did ruin my appetite. I was done. Matt finished the rest of my plate.

The creepiest part, I learned, about this restaurant was that it used to be a turkey farm/slaughterhouse. Yikes. It said on the menu the farmer that owned the land during WWII raised his own turkeys to feed his workers. They slaughtered the turkeys right there - and fascinating enough the brackets on the ceiling (now used as decoration) used to hold the line that carried the birds to slaughter. The original building had been knocked down to make way for the place we were now sitting in, and though we were assured there were no turkey ghosts, there were turkey tracks that mysteriously appeared in the freshly poured cement in the kitchen. Right there & then I decided that this was no place for a vegan. The beedy eyes of all those slaughtered turkeys were upon me & there little turkey voices were whispering, "hypocrite....." to me all evening. I have never breathed so deep as when we walked out of that place to reach the car.

JAG'S :

Day 3: After a long day at the Wild Animal Park, it was time to head home. We planned to stop at a place that was featured on the Food Network: The Mad Greek in Baker, CA. Mediterranean seems to be one of the easiest ways to eat vegan these days. Hummus is always an easy, high protein, fix. And this was sure to deliver.

And there ya go! Hummus & pita in hand, I was filling a belly that was mildly rumbling after the failed meal the night before. I don't know about you, but one bad supper leaves me hungry for days afterward. But that hummus filled me up right! The usual ingredients in hummus are: chick peas, olive oil, lemon, garlic & tahini. Not very difficult. BUT beware, some places actually put yogurt into their hummus, so be sure to ask first before diving in. I did ask to confirm the ingredients before ordering.

I don't know what to say about the Mad Greek except that the hummus was worth the trip to Baker! The atmosphere was more like a fast-food hamburger joint - ordering at the counter & taking your number back to your vinyl booth. It was clean, efficient and friendly. But most importantly, they had great hummus topped w/paprika, olive oil & calamata olives. Their pita was warm & soft (pita is made w/flour, yeast, sugar, salt, olive oil & water, not an egg bread) and filled my belly up right!

Unfortunately, the hummus & pita was the only item available for vegans. It may be possible to find a few other options as a lacto-ovo-vegetarian, but I was not specifically looking for those items...

So if you're on Rt. 15 traveling through southern Californina between LA & LV, be sure to stop at The Mad Greek!! Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives

THE MAD GREEK:


In all, traveling as a vegan wasn't too difficult, but it was more stressful than I'd anticipated. Mostly, that was my fault. I learned a few things: like ask what ingredients are in everything and assume nothing, because no one else cares what you put in your body. Only you care what you eat.

Happy Travels!

IHOP

You read that right! International House of Pancakes... not exactly Mecca for Vegans, I agree. But doable in a pinch, especially if the party you're with has already made up their mind that this chain of fatty breakfast food is where they want to eat.

I actually walked in to IHOP this morning with my feathers up and a small container of Tofutti Cream Cheese hidden in my purse. I
was prepared to settle for white toast considering the sickeningly decadent menu that IHOP is famous for.

Credit has to be given immediately to our server: I ordered decaf coffee and then asked if they offered non-dairy creamer. She pointed out that all the creamer on the table was non-dairy but actually said, "you should still read the label, though, because I don't think it's 100% dairy free." I nearly fainted! Can I tell you how many Baristos/as at Starbucks actually tsk when I ask for soy? 10 points to our server right off the bat! Sure enough, the creamer offered was Coffeemate, not 100% dairy free (there is sodium caseinate in it) but in my Vegan World, I will use it when there is no Silk Creamer available.

Between the pancakes, french toast, waffles, crepes, hash and egg variations there was absolutely nothing for vegans (lacto/ovo-vegetarians obviously would be free to eat just about anything they wanted) in plain sight on the menu. There was a small fruit cup listed on the last page. For $2.99 I could eat myself silly through grapes & cantelope. I did ask the server if there were any bagels or English muffins available. She said they had English muffins. I ordered one & again, she was right on top of it: "do you want me to tell them not to put any butter on it?" Of course! I could have hugged her - though she didn't look like she would have appreciated it.

Everyone else at the table (3 of my girlfriends) all ordered hash & eggs, pancakes & eggs, stuffed French toast & eggs...then conversation again turned to my eating "habits." One woman was convinced that I have a food allergy & kept telling me I should just take Lactaid before going out to eat. I explained, as politely as I could without showing my exasperation that being Vegan is an Ethical Choice, not a food allergy. Even if Lactaid theoretically worked, believe me, IHOP is not the place I want to test that theory (and that's even if I felt like putting cow secretions or chicken crap in my body).

My muffin & fruit arrived and out came my soy cream cheese. Everyone was totally fascinated by it and of course needed a taste. Someone remarked that it tasted better than fat-free Philly (to which I agreed) and that it was sweeter than "regular" cream cheese. I think it tastes better, but what do I know? I'm an alien from another planet.

I will never again accept an invitation to IHOP for breakfast in the future. I will continue to feel a bit trapped, though, when it comes to not having any options for breakfast. Then again, it's so rare that I go out to breakfast that I'm not going to lose any sleep over it.

EDIT: 1/11/12

Somewhere in the comment section, people criticized me for using the Coffeemate despite the fact that it has casein. I can only point out that in 2008, when this entry was written, I was only vegan for less than a year & still a little loosey-goosey with the casein. I no longer eat anything containing any dairy, nor do I eat any processed foods unless there is no other option - and even then, only if I can recognize (and pronounce) all ingredients on the label. I am completely animal product free and on a whole foods diet at this time, 4 years later. It's been an incredible journey, and YES, I do have all the followers and readers of the blog to thank for their encouragement, support and information!

Las Vegas Vacation Deals

Buca di Beppo

The Vegas Vegan is now galavanting around town searching for great Vegan cuisine right here in Las Vegas - home of the $4.99 Prime Rib buffet. Every where you look there are billboards with giant slabs of meat: come eat here. Yummy greasy meat under heat lamps just for you. What's a Vegan to do? Well, there are alternatives and I'm finding them! Dining out for a Vegan isn't scary in Vegas. In fact, it can be quite fun!

To begin this blog, I am starting off with what on the surface appears to be one of the most difficult dining experiences to crack: Family Style Italian Dining. I don't order salads when I go out to eat, and I don't consider eating a salad a "vegan alternative" so I refuse to be told when I go out to eat that the only option is a salad! When that happens, the chef can count on never seeing me again.

We begin with last night's dining experience at "Buca di Beppo". It is a family style restaurant, which means LARGE portions that everyone can share. We dined with college friends who have recently given up red meat & pork, so this made the experience much friendlier. When my friend called to make our reservation she told the manager that there were vegetarians and vegans in the party of 4 adults & 3 kids and he quickly rattled off several items that would be appropriate. As usual, there's always less vegan food than vegetarian, but it's not like I'm a slob & need to eat 5 different things at dinner to feel satisfied. Give me one good choice & I'm happy!

So we came armed with the knowledge that we would find at least 2 items to eat last night. Our friends started off my by ordering Bruschetta for the table. After a quick check in with the waitress to reassure me that there was no cheese in the Brushetta topping, we devoured the pizza sized portion. Mmm.... Very tasty. Not to garlicky. Not too onion-y.

Time to order meals. Our friends ordered a cheese pizza and spaghetti. Matt & I ordered: "PENNE CAMPOFIORE A fresh vegetarian pasta featuring zucchini, artichoke hearts, sun-dried tomatoes, escarole, garlic and Romano cheese in a light vegetable broth."

It was quite tasty, but a little heavy on the garlic. Thankfully the waitress & subsequently the chef listened to our request for no cheese. For my taste, there were too many sun-dried tomatoes & not enough artichoke or escarole. A little heavy on the garlic and broth & too light on the veggies! But it was good. We packed up the leftovers to bring home.

Andrew ordered the Pan Fried Fresh Mozzarella. I have to admit this was always my favorite appetizer at any Italian restaurant. But last night, looking at those greasy cheese cakes just turned my stomach. Matt kept saying, "I wish I could have had one," but for the first time it looked unappealing. I haven't eaten anything that greasy in ages and just the thought of it had me regretting leaving the rolaids at home.

In all, dining at Buca wasn't difficult. It wasn't as easy as some other places we have been, though. We were limited to one appetizer & one entree, although it would have been possible to just get a plate of spaghetti w/o meatballs. To which I say "If I can make it at home then there's no reason for me to spend money at a restaurant for it!"

Buca will be pretty low on our list of frequented restaurants but at least we know we can do it. There is another great little Italian cafe right around the corner from our house which has many more options & a smaller kitchen. They have whipped me up some tasty treats in the past a la carte!



Buca di Beppo has 2 locations in Las Vegas:

Buca di Beppo Las Vegas — Paradise
412 East Flamingo Road
Las Vegas, NV 89169
702.866.2867

Buca di Beppo Summerlin
7690 West Lake Mead Boulevard
Las Vegas, NV 89128
702.363.6524

Las Vegas Vacation Deals