Restaurant Roundup: Native Foods

November 3, 2014  •  Restaurants

native foods denver vegan watermelon avocado salad-1I don’t usually do restaurant reviews for chain restaurants, but every once in awhile something sticks with me. I’m solidly a meat eater – I have a standing freezer in my garage with half a hog, a full lamb, a share of bison, grass-fed beef, and free range chickens. I buy meat from local ranchers and farmers who I know and trust, and I know that I am very fortunate to be able to get such high quality meat. Many are not. Frankly, faced with the option of the less than optimal quality of many of the meats offered in a traditional grocery store, I’m not so sure I’d still be eating meat. But beyond that, we all need to be eating less meat and eating more vegetables, grains, and plant based sources of protein for health reasons.native foods denver vegan tofu rice bowl-1I usually cringe when I hear the word vegan – I find it so restrictive as a cook – but I was just tickled pink with the dishes I had when I visited the vegan semi fast food Native Foods restaurant near my house. On two different visits I had the Grilled Native Tempeh atop steamed kale, brown rice, creamy ginger sesame sauce, tangy sauerkraut and onions (it comes garnished with gomasio and green onion and served with crunchy cucumber seaweed salad on the side) and the
Marinated tofu, steamed seasonal vegetables, kale, brown rice, Thai red curry sauce with lemongrass, ginger and coconut curry. Both were outstanding, and honestly so many vegetables packed into the bowl that I couldn’t finish them. I didn’t miss the meat at all. I didn’t miss the other non-vegan items like eggs, cheese, or butter. I just might try to cook a little bit more like this at home, although don’t expect me to convert!

Native Foods
Locations across the US – check out their website

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