Restaurant Review: Superfresh Organic Cafe

There's a new vegan restaurant in town.....well, not in my town, but close enough.....called Superfresh Organic Cafe. To be honest, they're not exactly new, but they were much smaller and in a different location before. So I'm going to pretend it's completely new! It is 100% vegan, though they do use some honey.

It has very nice decor inside.....albeit not a huge place. Tall ceilings, wood floors, nice calming colors. They didn't have a sign outside, so it's not obvious that it's there. I did see a hanger for a sign, so perhaps the sign is coming shortly! It's in a great location, right in downtown Brattleboro, VT, near the river, and next to the Food Co-Op.  There's a wonderful view of the big brook out the back windows. It's not a huge place and it only has 2 tables that seat more than 2 people, so plan accordingly.

We walked in and ordered at the counter. They had a limited menu for opening day, but online they've got a pretty extensive menu! To me, it looks like this place is about 80% raw. But they do have some cooked grains, beans, soups, etc. It looks like a super small kitchen there, but I think they've prepared some of the foods (nut cheeses, sauces, etc.) ahead of time, so there's not much to "cook".

I ordered a Green Goddess juice and it was awesome! Cucumber, celery, apple, kale, lemon, and ginger:

Then I got the raw pesto pizza made with a dehydrated crust, pesto, cashew cheeze, greens, tomato, fresh herbs, and brazil-nut parm:

SO GOOD!!!

S ordered a basic wrap in a brown rice tortilla, with a chipotle dipping sauce that was excellent:

My dad ordered the Butternut Squash Bisque, along with a bowl of brown rice, black beans, and veggies, also quite tasty:

My mom ordered a quesadilla, made with Daiya cheese. I think I'll get that next time!

So as you can see, it was all delicious. It's not cheap, but most raw places are not cheap. There were a few desserts on the counter, but I opted out this time. I'm waiting for some vegan and gluten free cupcakes!!

If you live anywhere near Brattleboro, VT, this is definitely worth the trip! I'll be going back, even though I live an hour from there (a great place to meet up with my parents!)

(entry/order area, overlooking the brook)

They also have a facebook page!

Eat smart,
T.

A Vegetarian Cafe in Easthampton

(Fall in Easthampton, MA)

We've been in Western Massachusetts for almost 1 1/2 years now. (wow, has it been that long?) We love it here....lots of delicious vegan food to be found, great local breweries, Fall colors, friendly people, and little traffic.

Recently, we started teaching at the Williston Northampton school in Easthampton, MA and we discovered a cute little place right in town. We drove by it every time we went there, so we finally stopped in to try it. It's called Christine's Bean Sprout Juice Bar and Cafe. The first time I went in, I was by myself and picked up a delicious juice: the Green Monsta!

 (the Specials Board)

Next time, I brought S with me. On the specials board they had the "Ecstatic Vegan", which is brown rice and sauteed greens, topped with grilled marinated tofu and housemade peanut sauce. It was absolutely amazing!! I thought they could have added some other vegetables like broccoli and carrots or something, but it was great as it was.  S had the Green Goddess Salad and that was really delicious too.

(The Ecstatic Vegan, the 2nd time I got it)

(the Green Goddess salad)

I think we've been there 2 more times since. I've gotten the exact same thing each time. I noticed that each subsequent time we went in, the amount of greens were fewer (though they added a little red cabbage). Last time, though still good, there weren't too many greens and there wasn't even a teaspoon of sauce on top of the whole thing. Now, I probably could have asked for more sauce and I bet they would have given it to me, so maybe it was my fault. The owners are super nice so I'm sure that would not have been a problem. On the other hand, I hope they pile on the greens again and add a bit more sauce for next time! Still delicious though :)

They had a new special last time and S got the Fake Philee Sandwich (which we split). It was very tasty. All vegan. There wasn't too much filling in the sandwich  (seitan, onions, peppers, cheese sauce), but it was quite tasty! The side of coleslaw was good too (no mayo, yay!).

(the Fake Philee sandwich)

They do specify what is Gluten Free and/or Vegan on the Specials board and on their menu. I think that's great! Some items, like the Fake Philee can be made vegan upon request. I still have yet to try one of the soups.

They seem to have a lot of baked goods behind the counter. Unfortunately, I don't think they are vegan, but they do specify that they are Gluten Free.

I'm glad to see that there are many people coming in and out of there. It's a relatively new business and the restaurant business is a risky one. I hope it's here to stay! We're definitely going to keep going for lunches every so often. Haven't tried their coffee yet...perhaps that's next.

Visit their Facebook page, as their home website seems to be empty still. You can see their regular menu there and they post their specials as well.

I give this place a 4 out of 5 stars....if you are near Easthampton, it's definitely worth a visit.

Do you have any favorite eateries in New England?

Eat smart,
T.

Restaurant Review: 3 Brothers Pizza

Yes, that's the door of 3 Brothers Pizza!

(you can see their whole vegan menu on their site)

Unfortunately, we had to drive to Long Island last week. Don't get me started about the toll for the George Washington Bridge ($13!!!!). Plus the Throg's Neck...both ways....sheesh.

Anyway, I did some research to see what kind of vegan food was nearby and I found this place in Rockville Centre, NY (near Baldwin). They have a whole vegan menu! Tons of appetizers, entrees, pasta dishes, and pizza. Wow! We got there right when it opened, so they weren't completely ready yet (chairs still on the tables, etc.). It was nice inside and the waitress was very pleasant. I immediately ordered a soy cappuccino. So good!

I was torn because I originally wanted pizza. But.....I make pizza at home and the only difference here was the Daiya cheese. So we all went for non-pizza dishes. But, since I'd probably never be there again and love trying vegan places, we ordered appetizers:

Mozzarella sticks (made with Daiya) I LOVED these:

Oyster Mushroom Calamari (not really my thing, but they liked them):

Buffalo Soy Drumsticks (not my thing either, but they were ok):

Tofu Crab Cakes (SO DELICIOUS!!):

And as if we weren't already stuffed, we ordered....

Penne alla Vodka (pretty darn good):

Marsala They didn't have the spinach (can't remember if it was seitan or tofu...didn't try it):

Tempeh Parmesan (very good, even though you can't really see the tempeh under the Daiya):

Seitan Cacciatore  They were out of polenta (not my thing...capers, ick...S loved it!):

Their desserts hadn't been delivered yet, so they put these things on our table, free of charge (they were hot and delicious!):

These photos were all from my phone, so I'm sorry for the blurriness... 

Overall, I'm really glad we went. We had a good time with friends, spent a couple of hours there....eating, drinking.....p.s. S had some vegan wine (I think it's actually called "The Vegan Wine"). 

If I were in the area (which to be honest, I hope I'm not)...I'll definitely stop in there again! Mozzarella sticks please!! 

For pasta dishes, you have the option of getting whole wheat or gluten free, for a small extra fee. And I believe you can do the same for the pizzas. They have vegan cheese options too: Daiya or Teese!

Thank you, 3 Brothers Pizza, for a great afternoon! (I think it has new owners now....the vegan brother has moved on...hopefully they keep the vegan menu)

You can find them on Facebook too. Do follow them there, as they give out discounts from time to time...we used it to our advantage :)

Eat smart,

T.