Vegetarian or Vegan Restaurants?

[Dr Winston O Boogie jr]

Anyone know of any vegetarian or vegan restaurants in The Villages?

[lightworker888]

I think Sweet Tomato Comes the closest. It has egg salad I believe and some chicken soup but as a vegetarian you would have tons of other choices and the soups are amazing. Now I don't know how close to "from scratch" they cook so there will always be the additives, but it can always be part of the 20% off the path eating that makes life interesting.

LW888

[cathyw]

I think Sweet Tomato Comes the closest. It has egg salad I believe and some chicken soup but as a vegetarian you would have tons of other choices and the soups are amazing. Now I don't know how close to "from scratch" they cook so there will always be the additives, but it can always be part of the 20% off the path eating that makes life interesting.

LW888

Here's a link to the Sweet Tomato menu. Several items listed as vegan/vegetarian/gluten free.
Souplantation & Sweet Tomatoes : Locations & Menus (http://www.sweettomatoes.com/locations/restaurant.aspx?store_id=126&store_name=Lady_Lake)

[Villages PL]

I didn't see anything about low sodium or sugar etc.. Usually, if food can be spoiled, restaurants will find a way to spoil it.

Sunrise cafe once avertised soup made from scratch. So I called them to find out if the soup would be low in sodium. The woman who answered the phone seemed slightly anoyed by the call: "No, we can't make it to everyone's liking! The salt is added during cooking!" And most seniors like their soups salty.

Whatever happen to the idea of having a salt & pepper shaker on each table? The Golden Corral comes equiped with salt & pepper on each table but the soup is probably still salty if it comes from a can. I never tried their soup because nothing beats the soup I make from scratch at home.

[jimbo2012]

Most Thai and Indian places can accomadte you.

Outback, Ruby Tuesday.

All you need to do is ask.

[graciegirl]

Most Thai and Indian places can accomadte you.

Outback, Ruby Tuesday.

All you need to do is ask.

WELL............... I am just not sure of that.

I have a deadly shellfish allergy and I avoid restaurants that have a lot of staff whose English is their second language...simply because I really have to be sure they understand about the deadly part. I have had such responses as "Meesie, you try eet. you like eet." :lipsrsealed: This was in Puerto Rico where of course Spanish is spoken.

But back to the topic of staff being able to change ingredients or check ingredients, most restaurants use monosodium glutimate or other tenderisers on meat and poultry and/or it is the practice nowadays to have things come to them prepared to heat and serve already seasoned with salt etc..

[jimbo2012]

. I have had such responses as "Meesie, you try eet. you like eet." :lipsrsealed:

boy howdy!!!



And even when they do all speak clear English...most restaurants use monosodium glutimate or other tenderisers on meat and poultry

Not in veggies :rant-rave:


Seriously we never had any such problems, if we felt they didn't get it, we go elsewhere, simple.

We went to new (to us) great Indian restaurant last night, they were completely in tune with our request, food was great.

The other couple ordered fish, they were tasting our food and loved it, next time they are eating the vegan dishes not because they are on the diet, because it tasted good.

vegan food is very good when prepared correctly with seasonings and other ingredients.

[lightworker888]

My DH was checking out MSG and discovered a link to a list that I thought was worth sharing as it really is related to this. Unless you are the cook and are cooking from scratch and not using any boxed or bottled or processed anything, you cannot know what is actually in the food. Just because you have no reaction does not mean that the food is "clean". In fact most of us are just challenging our systems all the time to clean up the toxicities that we are introducing into the mix and as we get older, the system gets so overloaded from the lifetime of living that the symptoms show up more, as we have less capacity to handle the overload.

That being said, it is still important to enjoy life, so if I can go from "living to eat" to "eating to live" with a sense of joy, that will make my TV eating out occasions pleasurable.

I am sure the Sakura and Bamboo Bistro use sauces that have all kinds of additives, regardless of how "vegetarian" they are. But I still love eating there and am looking forward to Dim Sum at Bamboo Bistro, which I just heard they were serving. Very few meals beat Dim Sum for me, especially when the opportunity for accessing good Asian cooking is limited.


http://rense.com/general92/hidename.html


LW888 who is salivating just thinking about Dim Sum.

[cathyw]

WELL............... I am just not sure of that.

I have a deadly shellfish allergy and I avoid restaurants that have a lot of staff whose English is their second language...simply because I really have to be sure they understand about the deadly part. I have had such responses as "Meesie, you try eet. you like eet." :lipsrsealed:

And even when they do all speak clear English...most restaurants use monosodium glutimate or other tenderisers on meat and poultry and/or it is the practice nowadays to have things come to them prepared to heat and serve already seasoned with salt etc..

I am not sure that they really can change much in seasoning in many foods. The only person who really knows what is in the food is the person who buys it and cooks it. And then...maybe not. I wonder how anyone can know whether foods haven't been exposed to insecticides and other chemicals.

AND Villages Pl. Please give us the recipe for your soup,sir.

Gracie,
Deadly shellfish allergy, that's dangerous, to say the least.
I have a suggestion for you.
Go to the translation link below. Type a few sentences about your allergy and translate it into Chinese, Japanese and any other language you choose. You only have to type your statement once and I think they allow 300 characters.
Print out the translations and keep them in your wallet. Then you can hand the translation to your waiter and he can read it in his language. You still have to be careful, but this helps with a language barrier.

Full Text Translator, Language Translation | Free Translations from Dictionary.com (http://translate.reference.com/?__utma=1.1913351271.1346536289.1346536289.1346536 289.1&__utmb=1.6.10.1346536289&__utmc=1&__utmx=-&__utmz=1.1346536289.1.1.utmcsr=(direct)|utmccn=(di rect)|utmcmd=(none)&__utmv=-&__utmk=168956449)

[jimbo2012]

How about this place to eat?

http://blog.pe.com/retail/files/2012/09/extreme-pita-001-380x213.jpg


or

http://blog.pe.com/retail/files/2012/09/extreme-pita-002-380x213.jpg

[cathyw]

How about this place to eat?

http://blog.pe.com/retail/files/2012/09/extreme-pita-001-380x213.jpg


or

http://blog.pe.com/retail/files/2012/09/extreme-pita-002-380x213.jpg

Where is this ?

[uujudy]

Thai Ruby in Lake Sumter Landing has quite a few vegetarian entrees and they also have a macrobiotic section in the menu. I'll try to post a link to their menu: Thai Ruby Menu (http://www.urbanspoon.com/cities/244-ocala/restaurants/1556713-thai-ruby/menu)

They're one of my favorite restaurants! :mmmm:

[asianthree]

if you are vegan eating in a resturant that serves meat or dairy and cooks on the same grill is defeating the purpose...

[Joaniesmom]

I think Gracie was phonetically trying to duplicate what the restaurant employee said. Let's try to be a little less sensitive.

[jimbo2012]

if you are vegan eating in a resturant that serves meat or dairy and cooks on the same grill is defeating the purpose...

We make sure of that, and have always been accommodated, in one place they steamed the grill with water for us.

Not a big issue

[graciegirl]

How insensitive and demeaning to service folks in typically Asian restaurants. ( "Meesie,you try eet. You like eet" )!

Actually. It was in Puerto Rico at a sales meeting that I was asking the service staff the contents of one of the dishes served. Because I was not able to speak Spanish and the dear person who could speak my language but not well, answered with "Missy, you try it, you will like it.."

You would have to know me to believe that I did not mean to tell my anecdotal experience in such a way as to demean anyone. I honor all people who speak my language when I cannot speak theirs.

In my case, since my reaction to ingesting any food with shellfish as an ingredient can lead to anaphylactic shock and unless treated immediately a deadly drop in blood pressure and closing off of airways and death, I HAVE to know what I am eating.

I just didn't eat anything at those meals in Puerto Rico because I was aware that we were not communicating. The server did not understand that it was more than just a preference.

It was not at an Asian restaurant. It was in another country where they made me feel most welcome and spoke my language, just in this case not fluently.

And Jimalto,Welcome to the forum.

[graciegirl]

I think Gracie was phonetically trying to duplicate what the restaurant employee said. Let's try to be a little less sensitive.

I was. To me it is like the Bahston folks who Pahk their cahs.

We ALL have accents.

Unless we are from Ohio.:evil6:

[asianthree]

Actually. It was in Peurto Rico at a sales meeting that I was asking the service staff the contents of one of the dishes served. Because I was not able to speak Spanish and the dear person who could speak my language but not well, answered with "Missy, you try it, you will like it.."

You would have to know me to believe that I did not mean to tell my anecdotal experience in such a way as to demean anyone. I honor all people who speak my language when I cannot speak theirs.

In my case, since my reaction to ingesting any food with shellfish as an ingredient can lead to anaphylactic shock and unless treated immediately a deadly drop in blood pressure and closing off of airways and death, I HAVE to know what I am eating.

I just didn't eat anything at those meals in Peurto Rico because I was aware that we were not communicating. The server did not understand that it was more than just a preference.

It was not at an Asian restaurant. It was in another country where they made me feel most welcome and spoke my language, just in this case not fluently.

And Jimalto,Welcome to the forum.

i was not offended

[Moderator]

Let's get back on topic of Veg/Vegan Restaurants.

If you have a question about admin/moderator actions, address it via PM to the Admin, not on an open thread.

Thank you.

[KathieI]

I agree with Gracie... my allergy to shellfish is not as deadly,,, although since I haven't eaten any in 30+ years, it could be but I'm not testing it!!

I get very nervous when a restaurant serves a lot of shellfish with everything and they think its such a treat (yes, for some, but not Gracie & I). When Sakura first opened, they were servicing a few shrimp on the top of their side salad that came with the meal. When it arrived, the new staff who did not speak much English, were shocked that I had to turn it away and also request that they had to start from scratch and couldn't just take the shrimp off and give me the salad. Communicating was very scary because most people would ohh & ahhh at the treat instead of being flabergasted. I've notice since then they do not do this any longer, but I still mention it when I'm ordering.

Another thing I have a problem with is Strawberries, and it scares me to death that they will just remove them from the fruit cup and not realize it had been touching the other fruit. I have to go to great lengths to make them understand all this.

We had a restaurant in LA called Follow your Heart, a wonderful place with the most incredible food. I'm sorry to say to those looking for vegan or vegetarian restaurants here, you'll be out of luck. Remember, this is the South, we are here and I've even learned to like grits... LOL.

[jimbo2012]

I'm sorry to say to those looking for vegan or vegetarian restaurants here, you'll be out of luck.

While we won't find exclusive vegan or vegetarian restaurants, we already have ear marked several choices for our visit later this month, we're not concerned about those choices, we won't starve.

:icon_hungry::icon_hungry:

[RVRoadie]

Here is a new Vegan (http://vitalitybistro.com/) place in Mt Dora. Heard about it on the Villages Gourmet Club (http://thevillagesgourmetclub.com/) site. No reviews yet, and we have not tried it yet. Menu looks pretty good.

[graciegirl]

Here is a new Vegan (http://vitalitybistro.com/) place in Mt Dora. Heard about it on the Villages Gourmet Club (http://thevillagesgourmetclub.com/) site. No reviews yet, and we have not tried it yet. Menu looks pretty good.

It isn't cooked. It is WARMED to 118 degrees. Interesting.

[jimbo2012]

Yes, interesting find.
My wife was familiar with this type of cooking, it's considered live food, meaning the nutrients, vitamins and minerals aren't cooked out.

Our question is if they use oil in their cooking, it is closer to a raw food perhaps.

Not sure where Mt Dora is, but we would give it try probably.

[jimbo2012]

We emailed the restaurant about their cooking.

"We use almost no oil in our foods. A few items, mostly some desserts, have a small amount of organic raw coconut oil, but not much. We do not “cook”. Nothing is heated above 118°. Our food is organic, vegan, live and gluten free and no GMO’s!
Regards, Chef T"


It's about 25 miles.

.

[thedahmans]

While we won't find exclusive vegan or vegetarian restaurants, we already have ear marked several choices for our visit later this month, we're not concerned about those choices, we won't starve.

:icon_hungry::icon_hungry:

Hey Jimbo... what places are you planning on visiting? I can usually find something almost anywhere I go and don't worry to much about it but would love to know of the places you've found!

[jimbo2012]

We tried Thai Ruby & Koyame so far both good.