Business Travels

I leave tomorrow at noon until next Wednesday on a business trip to Indianapolis......posting to come if I can.....

Restaurants - Christchurch, Canterbury (New Zealand)

Welcome Chinese Vegetarian Food was a great place to have a meal, just outside the city. Located at 2 Wharenui Road, the place looks small, but the taste of their food made it worth it....

a review to come soon.....

Compassion for the Poor....

I was at the gas station yesterday and a homeless man approached me. He asked for some change and I gave him a few quarters. He then proceeded to ask me for a cigarette. To which I said "no" and then told him I felt it was odd that someone who had no money for food would be smoking, since cigarettes are SOOO expensive. He replied "shut up, you have NO compassion for the homeless!" and walked away.

I took great offense to that since I have had a long history with trying to HELP the homeless. I have always felt that I was one of the few people out there who would argue that the homeless are NOT there by choice and that this country NEEDS compassion for them. This entire country has a bad image of the homeless and for this guy to say that TO ME made we really wonder whether or not most people are right.

more to come soon....

Eating Out....

Well, Andy asks a good question about eating out. It is true that pretty much ANYWHERE in the world a vegetarian can get a meal at an Indian, Thai, Vietnamese, Tibetan, Nepalese, or Japanese restaurant. In the case of Indian, they do not use many animal products, but they do use Butter and other Dairy based sauces; so vegans need to be sure to ask for NO cream sauce or butter in their meals. Thai food is pretty heavy on the Fish Sauce or Oyster Sauce as they give the sauces (apparently) a good sodium jolt. If you go to a Thai place you HAVE to ask for NO fish or oyster sauce. Some places I have found know what vegetarian means and will automatically leave those products out. (Especially Asian places; if you say you are Buddhist, Jain, or Hindu they know to leave out all animal products) So, when I travel I tend to not say vegetarian, but Buddhist and all the places know what that means; even if they do not speak English. Vietnamese places also tend to have Chicken Stock as bases for their sauces and soups, so if eating at a Vietnamese place, be sure to ask if the sauce is vegetarian (which there are some). (Also be sure to ask them about fish sauce) Tibetan and Nepalese tend to fall alongside with Indian since they are both steeped in religions that accept vegetarianism.

It is generally a good idea to forgo American, French, German, or Latin cuisine. Whereas there are some places in these genres that have SOME veggie cuisine, they are all based on meat; even sauces. The only thing on an "American" menu that is good would be a veggie burger, but beware where it is cooked.

The exception to that rule would be Mexican. Most Mexican places know about lard and if you ask, most places have beans that have not been cooked in lard. Even in Mexico it was not hard to get a bean and rice burrito, or veggie fajitas, or a veggie quesadilla.

Italian Cuisine is relatively vegetarian friendly. Most chains like Olive Garden use Vegetable Stock for their Minestrone, but beware of Chicken Stock in soups elsewhere, including Minestrone (which is mildly humerous since Minestrone soup is known as a vegetarian soup; some people do not count the Stock as part of the soup....so ASK before eating). Also beware of Chicken Stock in their sauces; always ask if the sauce is vegetarian.

Recipes - Tofu and Sweet Potato Masala

my own take on an Indian dish....

Restaurants - Atlanta, GA.....number 4

Cafe Sunflower is another wonderful veggie meal if you are in the ATL. This one is more on the north side, located at 5975 Roswell Rd. It is a fully vegetarian restaurant and MOST of their stuff can be made vegan. It is a little hard to find, but is in a strip mall behind a BP Station; the Hammond Springs Shopping Center. Their menu is fresh and innovative, with most of the traditional favorites. Their "Starters" include Spaghetti Squash Cakes, Sandy Spring Rolls, Basil Rolls, Dumplings, Potstickers, Stuffed Mushrooms, and Hummus; among others. Their "Salads" are varied, but the best one is called "Garden Steak Salad" which includes homemade Soy Pepper Steak. The menu also lists which items are Dairy Free and which are Wheat free. In the "Entrees" section they have some of the favorites; Spicy Pad Thai Noodles, Sweet and SOur Soy Chicken, Black Bean Burrito, Soy Burger, Chili, and a Quesadilla. Their Entrees also include Stuffed Mushrooms, Jamaican Black Bean Cakes, Baked Samosas, Lasagne, Fettuccine, Stuffed Acorn Squash, and several Stir Fries. For dessert they have several cakes; some of which are vegan and they have Soy Ice Cream. This place was not as good as Soul Vegetarian, Harmony, or Green Sprout, but it still makes for a good meal if you are in the area. 404-256-1675 www.cafesunflower.com

Restaurants - Atlanta, GA....take 3

Harmony Vegetarian Chinese Restaurant is another great place in the ATL. It is located in what is known as the "Orient Center", 4897 Buford Hwy Suite 109; technically in the city of Chamblee (on the North side of ATL). It is an interesting amalgam of Asian Shops, Grocery Stores, and Restaurants; including a few veggie places, but I only tried Harmony. This place's menu is HUGE and I cannot begin to explain how many items are on it. They have ALL the traditional vegetarian Chinese items like Kung Pao Chicken, General Tso's Chicekn, Beef with Broccoli, and Sweet and Sour Tofu. In their Appetizer section are all the mainstays (Spring Roll, Fried Tofu, Dumplings, etc..), but with some noteable new items such as Fried Stuffed Eggplant, Chinese Pizza, Curry Pockets, and Fried Chicken (I got that and it was soooo good). They break their menu into the type of soy-based meat you want; Beef, Chicken, Soup, Seafood, Pork, Lo mein, Hot Pot, Fried Rice, Noodles, and "Chinese Vegetarian Specialties". I would highly recommend the Chicken with Cashew Nuts; it was very tasty and the mock meat was different than any I had tasted. The vegetables were cooked just right, which is to say, NOT for very long. The sauce was light enough to not be overly heavy, but had enough taste to satisfy me. I think everyone should check out the Orient Center for sheer intrigue, but also for some great food. 770-457-7288