Vegan items on Louisville restaurant menus

Where can a vegan eat out in Louisville? The Courier-Journal rounds up growing demand in this story

http://www.courier-journal.com/story/li ... /72969800/

Do you see more requests for whole food, plant-based dishes? How are menus changing to reflect shift?

[Robin Garr]

Welcome to the forum, Jere! Thanks for posting.

I've noticed some response by the restaurant community thanks to a combination of aging Boomers seeking the stave off mortality through healthier eating, and younger Millennials (and all generations, really), becoming more invested in food justice and pushing back against Big Agra. As a food writer/critic, I've been trying to quietly recognize that by including both plant-based and omnivorous options, where possible, in all the places I review, and by following this trend in the food community locally and nationwide.

As I said on Facebook, I'm not ready to declare it a trend. I think there's definitely been a change in that a lot of restaurants, especially newer restaurants, particularly in hip neighborhoods like NuLu, are more likely to feature at least one - sometimes several - creative, unusual meat-free dishes. A lot more, though, will leave veggivores mostly corralled among the starters and salads, or with at most an old-school, boring option like a fancied-up portobello or fettuccine alfredo as the only plant-based choice. And some places, of course, are simply clueless. Given the location and the creativity of the chef, for instance, I was surprised to see that the buzzy new Fontleroy's had only a Mac N Cheez (albeit a tasty one) among its almost-entree options.

So, yeah, things are changing, but I'm not sure that meat-free has taken its place among poultry, pork, beef and seafood-fish among the standard categories at most local eateries.

I am far from vegan/vegetarian but I love to try new healthier options and since checking out the meat free dishes on the menus I have discovered some of my new favorite dishes to eat when dining out...The first one that comes to mind is the Baby Eggplant with tofu in claypot at NamNam I would eat that any time and never ever miss meat. There is anything I have tried at Roots/Heart and Soy never had a bad dish. Also, when eating at Funmi's I choose vegetarian, you can't go wrong with anything she cooks.

Mayan Gypsy should definitely be on this list.

[Robin Garr]

Mayan Gypsy should definitely be on this list.

Not to mention all the Indian places.

I think the Forks over Knives-style diet of low-fat vegan food is growing in popularity. I have begun eating that way and attended a seminar at Baptist East about it a few months ago. There were probably 200 people in attendance. There's a doctor in town who's a big proponent of it. I haven't seen too many restaurants around town with dishes that fit into that diet, so it's either a baked potato topped with steamed vegetables at McCalister's or steamed vegetables from Hunan Wok for me. I'd be happy to find something other than those to try.

I bet vegetarian dining has a bigger following then some would believe. Judging by some harsh statements from many of my friends when I opted for the Forks Over Knives diet I bet many don't mention their preference. Carnivores, for some reason, get their panties in a real twist when someone simply says, " sorry, I don't eat meat." I have no idea why.

Carnivores, for some reason, get their panties in a real twist when someone simply says, " sorry, I don't eat meat." I have no idea why.

It's a learned response that has nothing to do with you. They are just bracing themselves for the moral indignation that they are sure will follow.

It's a learned response that has nothing to do with you. They are just bracing themselves for the moral indignation that they are sure will follow.

Love proving those folks wrong. However, I agree that some local restaurants, including new ones popping up, could step it up a bit in the vegetarian options dept. It's not that hard to offer one or two creative vegetarian options. Bonus points if it's not a pasta dish or a mushroom/black bean burger....

[Robin Garr]

Bonus points if it's not a pasta dish or a mushroom/black bean burger....

Or a frickin' grilled portobello painted with crema and balsamic and presented as if it was the most creative idea ever.

Bonus points if it's not a pasta dish or a mushroom/black bean burger....

Or a frickin' grilled portobello painted with crema and balsamic and presented as if it was the most creative idea ever.

Grilled portobellos are awesome.... on a hamburger with swiss.

Carnivores, for some reason, get their panties in a real twist when someone simply says, " sorry, I don't eat meat." I have no idea why.

It's a learned response that has nothing to do with you. They are just bracing themselves for the moral indignation that they are sure will follow.

Aaaaaaaand my point is proven! Thanks!

[Robin Garr]

Continuing to fill out Jere's request, White Castle veggie burgers are vegetarian, and if you (wisely) shun the optional ranch sauce, they're vegan. It's Dr. Praeger's brand, which is a good quality veggie-burg and asserts its vegan status here:
http://www.drpraegers.com/Vegan-Burgers

(FYI, WC says the veggie burgers are done on a separate grill from the meat burgers, and that it's cleaned before veggie use; but they can't promise the hard-core vegan that the grill has NEVER known the kiss of animal flesh.)

[Robin Garr]

Carnivores, for some reason, get their panties in a real twist when someone simply says, " sorry, I don't eat meat." I have no idea why.

From observation, I wouldn't say that all carnivores do this. My armchair psychoanalysis is that it tends to come with folks who've known some hardship in their own lives and feel threatened by the idea of giving more concern to "mere" animals than they feel that they get. A control issue of sorts. I try to feel compassion for them, although irritation and compassion tend to come in conflict.

Not to mention all the Indian places.

I love Indian food, but most of it is off limits for the Forks over Knives followers. It tends to be pretty high in fat.