Vegan Dining at the Chicago Diner (Part 2)

[Guest guest]

Chicago vegans, my wife and I are extremely lucky in that our hometown does not

share with most American cities a paucity of meat-free eateries. In the greater

Chicagoland area, there are dozens of vegetarian and vegan-friendly cafés and

restuarants.

 

Currently, the Chicago Diner is our #1 choice for vegan dining. If we dine out

at all, there is a good chance we will eat there: the food is top notch; the

serving staff are kind and enthusiastic, and they bring the food to the table

quickly (almost too quickly for those of us who eat out to enjoy the company of

friends). How? Dairy, eggs, and meat take much longer to prepare than

vegetables. Chicago Diner neatly avoids the problem of slow table turnover by

not serving any eggs or dairy or meat! Brilliant!

 

On Wednesday, we returned to the Chicago Diner for an evening with our friend

Jeremy. The three of us thoroughly savored our repast; reproachfully, I sampled

a degustation from the plates of my tablemates. (I had to… for the article!) We

ordered the appetizers and entrees that I mentioned in Part 1 of this review.

From said review, I left out my thoughts on my meal -- the Enchiladas -- which

follow.

 

The Diner's cheeze Enchiladas could have been folded in New Mexico as easily as

Chicago's North Side, excepting the two locations' vast distance. The piquant

guajillo pepper sauce establishes a lasting perimeter in one's mouth;

subsequently, the light tortilla infantry bears a welcome onslaught of cheeze,

onion, potatoes, tomatoes, and seitan chorizo, supported by a vanguard of

avocado and sour cream. The Enchiladas' finely diced elements rally in harmony,

and each ingredient might puzzle the palette of even a seasoned veteran

gourmand. Discovering each flavor and texture in the Enchiladas made for an

exciting adventure that I hope to soon repeat.

 

Regardless of what dish one orders, one should request a Vegan Shake to go with

it. The shake options include Cookie Dough, Strawberry, French Vanilla, Peanut

Butter, Chai, or Chocolate. The Cookie Dough Peanut Butter chocolate shake is

rich and creamy – and dairy-free! To quote my generation's favorite fictional

Chicagoan, " It is so choice. "