511917 Tue Apr 22 12:20:42 -0700 2008 5 1 San Francisco Bay Area 0 3619376 Tonight a group of friends is heading over to quiz night at the Edinburgh Castle. Because of scheduling constraints, we're not able to grab dinner first. Usually this wouldn't be a problem because Edinburgh has a fish and chips delivery service, but the star guest is a vegetarian and probably wants more to eat than fries. I'm happy to dash out during the game and pick something up for her, but I don't know what to get. Within a 1-2 block radius, are there any restaurants from which I could take out a veggie-friendly dinner? EC is on Geary between Larkin and Polk. Thanks! Tue Apr 22 12:20:42 -0700 2008 19097 pane 1 3619571 A La Turca's pretty vegetarian-friendly: http://www.alaturcasf.com/Paper%20Menu.htm Tue Apr 22 13:03:38 -0700 2008 3619376 11369 Robert Lauriston 2 3620272 Thanks, Robert. That looks like just the ticket. Any dishes in particular you recommend? Tue Apr 22 16:10:49 -0700 2008 3619571 19097 pane 1 3620528 La Mexicana Taqueria @ 969 sutter has good vegetarian burritos. Tue Apr 22 17:33:38 -0700 2008 3619376 158356 porky pine 1 3621320 The veg and I ended up being the only two people available earlier, so we went to Cafe Zitouna and had a quick dinner there and then met the others for fish and chips at EC. I'd been twice before, in the previous incarnation as Cafe Ya-Bon, once after a cab driver recommended it and once with Dave MP. This was before a hood was installed and they expanded the menu with freshly made hot dishes like couscous and tajines. The Zitouna menu isn't ideal for vegetarians, but they have a few interesting options, like: Harira (Moroccan lentil soup) $3.75 Lablaby (Tunisian garbanzo soup) $3.75 Moroccan Zaalook (salad of eggplant, tomatoes, garlic, parsley, cumin) $4.95 Super Falafel Sandwich $5.25 Traditional Vegetarian Couscous $7.25 We decided to split breek (Tunisian crepe), the Michwiya salad, harira, and basboussa (semolina cake). The breek was awesome. We read the menu quickly and didn't notice that it included tuna, so unfortunately I had to eat it all myself. Described as a "tissue thin malsouka" it was a thin knot of dough stuffed with potatoes, egg, onion and tuna, then fried. The fresh egg was tossed in right before frying and hadn't cooked through, which gave a great texture and a lovely color as I broke through the fried dough with my fork and punctured the yolk. Delicious. Do not share. Michwiya is a salad of roasted peppers, jalapeno, capers, boiled eggs, moroccan olives and tuna; we had the tuna to the slide. This was good, but didn't warp space and time. This was the same feeling Dave MP and I had when we tried the Zaalook salad several months ago. The lentil soup is deeply flavored and filling. I'd enjoy this as a nice light lunch. Basboussa, the semolina cake soaked in orange blossom water, was a nice end to the meal. My friend said she didn't expect to like it, but did. When I return, sans vegetarians, I'd want to try one of the many interesting looking lamb dishes, like the tajine jilbana (lamb stew with green peas and artichoke hearts, $8.95), or the homemade merguez (in several dishes). Total bill, plus a pot of very good (and very sweet) mint tea, was $20. Also of note: "The Famous Tunisian Baklawa" on the menu is great, and made by the wife of the owner. Try it. The crowd is interesting: lots of people from the mosque a half block away. Also I've seen Francophones on each of my three visits. If I lived in the neighborhood, this would be one of my top choices for casual, solo dining--there is a little counter at which you can eat and read or work. Menu is hilarious. "To the best of my knowledge and with GOD as my witness, everything in this menu is halal," "We look forward to serving you a memorable casse-croute," and "Credit accepted, cash is better!" being my favorites. Wed Apr 23 00:09:44 -0700 2008 3619376 19097 pane 1 3621322 link Wed Apr 23 00:10:16 -0700 2008 3619376 19097 pane