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Satyamuna Offers Mediterranean Vegetarian, Vegan Options Written by Andrea Milam Monday, 23 October 2006 Satyamuna owners Ofer Elyakim and Guiliana Cassataro cook up fresh vegetarian and vegan food daily. Vegetarians on St.

John are resting easy since the October 15 opening of the all-vegetarian, Mediterranean-style restaurant Satyamuna opened at The Marketplace. Newlyweds Giuliana Cassataro, who is Sicilian, and Ofer Elyakim, who is Israeli, immediately put their marriage to the test after coming to St. John in June for their honeymoon, when they decided to move to the island and open their own restaurant. “When we came to St. John on our honeymoon in June, we noticed that although many restaurants have vegetarian options, there was no vegetarian restaurant,” said Cassataro. “Ofer didn’t have much to eat because he’s vegetarian. So, we decided to do something here.” Elyakim moved down in August, followed by Cassataro, who moved down in September, and an opening date of October 15 was set. “Fell Into Place”“He did all the hard things, like finding the space for the restaurant, and finding a home and a car,” said

Cassataro. Elyakim was not aware that things often operate on “island time,” and credits that for being able to open on time. “Nobody told me that things are supposed to take a long time to get done here,” he said. “It just fell into place.”The restaurant opened in record time, and has had big success and lines out the door during its first few days in operation. “Everybody’s been really happy,” said Cassataro. “They’re telling us we have the best baklava they’ve ever had. We put a lot of love into the food.” While many meat-eaters scoff at vegetarian dishes, Satyamuna’s meals are filling and flavorful, said Cassataro. Demand for Vegetarian Fare“It’s not bland vegetarian food — it’s flavorful and nutritious,” she said. “You’re still getting your protein. It’s nice that we are all-vegetarian, because there is a demand for that here.” Satyamuna blends Cassataro’s

Sicilian background with Elyakim’s Israeli background into a wide range of vegetarian food, with some vegan options, and all at low prices. One of Cassataro’s specialties is caponata, an eggplant-based salad. “It’s a Sicilian salad that my mom used to make all the time,” she said. Satyamuna offers the Middle-Eastern staples of falafel, hummus and baba-ganoush, as well as salads and paninis for the less adventurous. Vegan Options“We have a mixture of some things we like to make specifically, and traditional Sicilian and Mediterranean dishes,” said Cassataro. Some traditional meat dishes are served as vegetarian dishes at Satyamuna. “We are not serving a dish that you aren’t familiar with,” said Elyakim. “We have a vegan version of veggie burgers, and other vegan options.” Satyamuna’s food is fresh and healthy, said Cassataro. “There’s a vegetarian twist to everything,” she said. “We’re health-oriented, and fresh.” Signature breakfast items include whole-grain waffles and hash browns made of shredded onions, sweet potatoes, white potatoes and thyme. Cassataro also makes homemade granola, which is served with fruit, milk and yogurt, for the breakfast crowd.East Indian foods, including vegetable pakora, aloo gobi and vegetable curry, are available for dinner. Combination of Spiritual NamesPerhaps the most unique aspect of this restaurant is its name. “Satyamuna is a combination of our spiritual names — Satyananda (Ofer) and Yamuna (Giuliana),” according to the restaurant’s Web site, www.satyamuna.com. “Satya (in Sanskrit, an ancient Indian language) means truth, and Yamuna is a name of a holy river in India.” Cassataro and Elyakim seem to have passed the test of moving, opening a

restaurant and working all hours of the day with flying colors. “We fell in love with St. John,” said Cassataro. “Everybody has been very generous and sweet. We’ve had a really nice reception.” The couple is still making adjustments at the restaurant based on customer feedback, said Cassataro. Customers Understanding“It still needs work, and we’ll refine things as we go on and see what works,” she said. “People have been very understanding. We are getting to know so many people, and we are grateful for that.” Cassataro and Elyakim are manning the restaurant with the help of just one employee, and they are interested in hiring more people. Satyamuna is located on the second floor of The Marketplace, and is open Monday through Saturday for breakfast from 7 to 11 a.m.; lunch from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.; and dinner from 5 to 9 p.m. The restaurant is open for Sunday brunch from 10

a.m. to 6 p.m.Peter H

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