Meatless in January. Help!

[J.R.]

Ok, so I'm going meatless and boozless in Jan. and need any suggestions you fine folks may have. I'm fairly focused on ethinic as you can eat vegetarian with some actual flavor. I'm fairly familiar with most of the places mentioned here, but would love to hear about specific dishes that would fit the bill. Spice is Nice.

[pepper131]

Nam Hua has a lengthy vegetarian menu - which is vegan basically.
The Banh Xeo is made with tofu and mushrooms - it's the best one in town. They'll give you veg friendly nuc mam cham too.
Pho made with veg broth and fake meatballs.
If you can get together a few people - they have a veg friendly hot pot.

La Popular has veg friendly tamales - the bean and jalapeno as well as the veg.

Cosmic Cafe is good - I really like the stir fry.

I constantly crave the tofu Bahn Mi from Nammi - it's the best one. The jalapeno placement is perfection and the tofu is super good.

Ssahm has great their famous kimchi cheese fries - you can get with tofu. Plus tacos.

Pho is for Lovers has a veg friendly pho. Not quite as extensive and filled with goodies as the pho from Nam Hua, but good in a pinch. But pass on their banh mi...not so great.

[Hasteur]

I can think of 3 Veggie/Vegan places all in Richardson.

Suma Veggie cafe (Bowser and Arapaho) - Lunch buffet (~7) with various veggie and meat replacement food (Textured Veggie Protein). Vegan
Veggie Garden (Just beyond Custer and Arapaho) - Lunch buffet, same concept except without the vegan bent
International Buddhist Progress Society (1111 International Pkwy, Ste 300,Richardson, TX 75081) - Cash only Lunch Buffet that is quite delicious, but very quiet.

[DallasVegan]

These are also good options, but just a note - Veggie Garden *is* all vegan whereas Suma Veggie is not all vegan (their buffet is purportedly vegan, but their regular menu is not). Not sure if that matters to this conversation much, but wanted to point it out.

[Hasteur]

Ok, I guess I was thinking the combattive bent at Suma (Been lectured at multiple times about Supreme Master Ching Hai)

[J.R.]

ah, yes. my office is just around the corner.

[DallasVegan]

What area are you looking? Oh, and meatless shouldn't include seafood - if you're going to do it, might as well go all the way.

Kalachandji's is an all vegetarian Indian buffet that has some great options that change daily, plus a nice salad bar for fresh veggies.

VSPOT cafe on Henderson is an all vegan cafe that has many freshly prepared options without a lot of the "fake meat" stuff you might find at other places.

Of course Fadi's is a great option if you like Mediterranean. There are several locations, but I like the Belt Line and Preston the best. They have a huge buffet with many fresh meatless salads, hummus, freshly prepared pita bread, and cooked veggies.

Best Thai is a nice Thai option. They have a page of all vegan options (though the "meats" are heavy on the soy) - but they are all really good. The Crispy Soy Beef is very flavorful.

What other kinds of options are you looking for?

[J.R.]

Vegan,
Yes, no seafood either. 10 days and counting and not bad at all. Been going to Kalachandi's for a long time. Love that place. Fadi's is a staple as the one on Knox is close. I'l have to try VSPOT. How about Cosmic Cafe?

Thanks to everyone for their suggestion. I definately have plenty to live on for the next 3 weeks or so. I cook alot, so it's not hard to eat Veggie/Vegan when you know what goes in it. I find the the Chick Pea is definately my friend.

[twinwillow]

You can also try Spiral Diner (vegan) in Oak Cliff. Easy to get there over the Houston Street viaduct to Zang and then off Beckley. I really like their portobello quesadilla with soy based vegan cheese. You'd never know it wasn't real cheese!

[Barbara76137]

Are you doing this to lose weight, unclog arteries, detox, what? Many vegetarian dishes can still be loaded with fat.

[J.R.]

No, not to loose weight, although that wouldn't hurt. Just trying to get the body regulated a little bit. I'm trying to be vegetarian whilst eating health as those are not necessarily mutually exclusive.

[twinwillow]

The best of luck, J.R. I know it isn't an easy thing to do.

[pepper131]

My fave veg burger is at Elevation - the #2 vegan burger (it's better than the #1 vegetarian).

[twinwillow]

Meatless AND boozless for a whole month? "You're a bigger man than me, Gunga Din"

[J.R.]

Didn't say I'd make it...but what the heck. Most of my friends have set the over/under at 15 days. We'll see.

[LewisvilleHounder]

Meatless does that include seafood?

Indian:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gujarati_cuisine
There are several Indial restaurants that have Gujarati specials. Look for those as they are completely vegetarian.

Choley Batura - Curried Garbanzos with Fried Naan

Dal Makni - Black Lentils in a tomato suace

Idli and Sambar - Sour Spicy Vegetable Soup with Steam Lentil Pancakes

Bhindi

Veggie Samosas - Either filled with curried peas and carrots or curried potatoes

Pakora - any vegetable you can think of battered in lentil flour and fried

Gobi

Channa masala - curried grabanzos

Palak Paneer - Spinach and Cheese

Paneer Butter Masala - Light tomatoe cream gravy with cheese

Baingan Bartha - Eggplant in tomato and spices

Korean

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Banchan

Banchan/Panchan this includes the following:

Kimchi - Napa cabbage with red pepper and salt...Korean sauerkraut or other versions depending on season

Namul

Jorim

Japchae

I will send some more

[J.R.]

wow, what a start. yes, it includes a little bit of fish and some cheese. Good Veggie Burger spot and Falalfel Sanwich wih garlic sauce and hot sauce, maybee?

[LewisvilleHounder]

Vietnamese:

Sicne you also included fish....

Banh Hoi (Tau Hu Ky) Chao Tom (Shrimp Paste on Sugar Cane with Fine Rice Vermicelli)
Banh Beo Xot (Rice Flour Mini Pancakes with Ground Dried Shrimp)
Banh Xeo (You will have to tell them to nix the grilled pork)
Cho Gio Chay (Fried Vegetarian Spring Rolls)
Bun Tau Chay (Vegetarian Mung Bean Thread Noodles)
There is a number of Seafood dishes....too many to list

Mexican:

Best bet is to hit up Mesa on Jefferson or Seafood Shack on Webb Chapel and Forest

Go for seafood tostadas on Mondays at Seafood Shack....they are awesome
Mesa - enmoladas or the enfrijoladas (corn torillas smothered in either mole or refried black beans)
Ceviche
Cileatole Verde con Bolitas - Vegetables and Hoja Santa soup with masa dumplings
Any of the seafood dishes are great....the Chilpachole de Jaiba y Camaron is going to be more work to extract the meat out of the crab.

Peruvian
http://www.incas-cafe.com/carta2.pdf
I really like the ceviche at Inca's on Josey and 190 in Carrollton - all of them are good but my wife swears by the seabass
Pescaso Sudado - Fish fillet in a spicy yellow pepper (aji amarillo) sauce
Chupe de Camarones - Creamy Shrimp soup
Escabeche de Pescado - Yellow Pepper and Vinegar sauce over fish with mixed sauteed vegetables

Chinese
You can get plenty of dishes with vegetables
Sauteed Water Spinach with Garlic
Chinese Broccoli and Chinese Mushrooms
Special Fried Tofu (First Chinese BBQ
)Ma Po Tofu (vegetarian - all sichuan places....make sure to say vegetarian or they will put pork)
Stir Fried Egglant With Garlic (North China....I believe there are two versions)
Royal Sichuan and North China both have a small plates appetizers that you could eat singularly for a meal....try out the bean thread noodles or the Edammame and greens
I won't even get into the seafood dishes

Salvadoran
http://www.elsalvadorrestaurant.com/m...
Papusas de loroco, frijoles negros, or queso
Get a side of fried plantains
The fried salvadoran tamale is a corn tamale (tamale de elote) with no meat
There are several Salvadoran restaurants scattered throughout the metroplex....most tend to be in Irving, Carrollton/FB, and Garland