Hold the Cheese

[Guest guest]

http://sfreporter.com/stories/hold_the_cheese/4577/

Food with heart, and I'm not talking organ meat

 

By: Yuki Murata 04/14/2009

 

I have to admit I have a bias against vegan food on the sheer basis that I have

an unhealthy craving for all things dairy. That said, vegan food does exist and

it exists for honorable reasons. The Vegan Society, which first coined the term

" vegan " in 1944, according to its website, " remains as determined as ever to

promote vegan lifestyles—that is, ways of living that seek to exclude, as far as

is possible and practical, all forms of exploitation of animals for food,

clothing or any other purpose. "

 

When I look at it that way, I begin to seriously reconsider my fromage fetish.

With that in mind, I wandered into Vegan Santa Fe for lunch.

 

Serving in the breakfast room of the Casa del Toro Bed & Breakfast, Vegan Santa

Fe's Mariela Rodriguez offers both vegan and raw vegan cuisine. Her menu changes

weekly and is published online for previewing and for what seems to be a very

robust call-in/pickup business.

 

Sadly, McKenzie and the adjacent streets all have residential-only parking

restrictions, so dine-in service might benefit more those who live or work

within walking distance. Having only been open for three months, the restaurant

inevitably has kinks and quirks that, given time and focus, will easily work

themselves out. It's Rodriguez' sweet nature and sincere attention that will

smooth over any bumpy patches.

 

I began lunch with a cozy cup of Pigeon Peas Soup ($3) and a multigrain biscuit

($1), but at noon the biscuits were not yet done baking. Happily, the multigrain

chapati that came instead was divinely crispy and hearty so the biscuit went

forgotten.

 

The rest of the meal varied from Punjab eggplant with brown basmati rice ($8) to

a Mexican chipotle " sausage " wrap ($6)—a piquant, raw, veggie-filled bonanza

that both surprised and pleased with its rich spicy flavor and generous size.

Even though I have always been a self-described food authenticist and have

previously shunned anything that was deliberately trying to disguise itself as

something else, eg Tofurky, my prejudice was temporarily abolished by the

Mexican chipotle " sausage. " I would definitely eat that again and again because

it was just plain good—vegan, raw vegan or not.

 

Which brings me to my conclusion about Vegan Santa Fe: Because the food is

vegan, it is specific and intentional, but it is also clearly delivered with

tender care by its creators—Rodriguez and Mother Nature. The slight ingredient

variations (my order of Punjab eggplant contained mostly sweet potatoes instead

of eggplant) and the substitutions (I ordered banana sherbet but got a creamy

macadamia nut one instead) would perhaps be less objectionable if either the

menu were less descriptive or Rodriguez had the additional support and resources

to publish the menu daily to reflect changes.

 

But despite the deviations from the published menu, in the end, the items I

sampled were generally tasty to an open mind and receptive palate. Perhaps

another type of patron would find the replacements inadequate to sate their

expectations and cravings, but Vegan Santa Fe doesn't strike me as the type of

place those types of people go. If there is ever any just reason for

eavesdropping, it was simply to overhear Rodriguez kindly offer to make

something custom for another diner, who had strict dietary restrictions.

 

Beyond the ethical philosophy underlying whether creatures—we humans—have a

right to farm, collect, milk, kill, use or eat other creatures, there is also

the importance of personal and global health, environmental sustainability and

harmony between all living things. Any patron who considers the magnitude of

those subjects is also someone who is attracted to and appreciative of a

leisurely and spontaneously constructed meal at Rodriguez' devoted hands.

 

Vegan Santa Fe

Open for lunch 11 am-3 pm Monday-Friday

323 McKenzie St.

505-920-1270