Guest guest Posted November 28, 2005 Report Share Posted November 28, 2005 Vegan feast is tempting alternative Check, pleaseTotal damage: $8.08 Details: Native Foods, 1775 E. Palm Canyon Drive, Palm Springs, 416-0070. Your VoiceHave something to say about it? Join the conversation in Talk of the Day Related news from the WebLatest headlines by topic:• Dieting • Life • Dining • Food Powered by Topix.net Richard GuzmánThe Desert Sun November 28, 2005 November 28, 2005 I got a call last week from a local doctor who said that after reading my Cheap Eats columns, she was worried about my cholesterol level. She said I eat too much junk food and I should have myself checked out. Well, I'm not quite ready to dial 911 just yet, but I am ready to give some healthy food a try. So with her over-the-phone diagnosis in mind, I decided to go to the healthiest sounding place I know of, Native Foods. The vegan restaurant has a mission statement of moving the world in "a positive direction for the future of our children, animals, planet, health and consciousness," through a healthy vegetarian diet. OK, I'm all for the future, animals and children, but I can't concentrate on world peace and eternal harmony unless my belly is full. As a proud carnivore, I was a little doubtful that a bunch of vegetables could ever replace the juicy and fulfilling taste of meat, especially after I read the alternative "meats" used at Native Foods. The restaurant uses tempeh, an Indonesian soybean, grain and rice combo; soy protein made from defatted soy flour; and seitan, which Native Foods advertises as "Wheat Meat!" Wow, I thought, wheat meat; yeah, that's so worth an exclamation point. But nevertheless, I was committed to try a healthy alternative. I was surprised at how much the menu reads like a regular carnivore's restaurant. It includes the Bali Surf burger made from tempeh for $7, the BBQ Love burger with seitan for $7.50 and the Portobello and Sausage burger made from seitan for $9.50. I decided to try the Tijuana tacos for $7.50. Since I've actually had Tijuana tacos from street vendors in Tijuana, the Native Foods tacos had a lot to live up to. I must admit that I was very pleasantly surprised with my meal. The soy meat actually had some flavor, and coupled with some hot sauce, it made for and almost authentic taco experience. Although to be honest, they tasted nothing like the greasy, spicy, probably extremely unhealthy Tijuana street tacos I love. So did Native Foods convince me to change my meat-loving ways? Well, I do want to save the planet, children, my health, and I do love animals, especially the ones that taste good. So I will still be eating meat, but I also recommend and will go back to Native Foods, at least to keep that doctor happy.Peter H Model Search - Could you be the next catwalk superstar? Check out the competition now Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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