Adventures in Raw Food

Category: Restaurant Reviews

  • A Return to Organic Orbit Eco Food Cafe – Raw Food in Boulder, Colorado

    We went back to the Organic Orbit Eco Food Cafe for dinner last night – that’s how impressed I was with it (the first time being just a few days ago) – and how happy I am to have found raw food in Boulder!

    Well, let me tell you, I was not disappointed. My dining companions, including my husband, were equally impressed.

    Again, I hasten to add that Organic Orbit is not a raw food restaurant – they are an “eco food cafe”, which means, as they explain it, that they are “entirely committed to organic food as a way of life to eliminate agribusiness chemicals and genetically engineered food from our world. Our food sources are always organic and we use local farmers as much as possible. All proteins are Free Range, Wild Caught or Organic. Cheeses are hormone free and made with veggie rennet.”

    (As a side note, they’ve also added a “Live Shakes” juice bar. I personally can’t wait to try the “Coconut Avocado” shake with coconut water, avocado, lime, date, flax seeds, and brazil nut – doesn’t that sound delicious?! Also the Hazelnut Shake, with date, hazelnut, brazil nut, flax seeds, vanilla, cinnamon, raw cacao, Dagoba chocolate.)

    Call it “eco food”, call it “culinary consciousness” – call it whatever you want. I call it “delicious” and just what I’ve been looking for – organic food with both raw and vegetarian options (and gluten free options for those of you who need that, as well!)

    We started with several appetizers – including their Mexicali pizza (which is not raw, but is vegetarian and organic), and their new cheese board, which featured five of the most wonderful cheeses that I’ve had in a long time – all vegetarian. Served with some delicious organic oat crackers, the cheese board was a huge hit (as was the pizza, which had refried citrus infused black beans, pico, cilantro, avocado, and pepitas).

    We also had their “New School Gluten Free Mac N Cheese”, which was surprisingly delicate, and very yummy. This dish is made with gluten free brown rice rotini, arugula, heirloom tomato, mouco camembert, some greens, and truffle oil.

    Sadly, I didn’t have the presence of mind to grab pictures of our appetizers, but they were every bit as beautiful as were our entrees and desserts, pictures of which I did get, and which are below.

    But this is a Raw Food site, so about the raw food: for dinner my husband had – enjoyed and raved about – the same raw ravioli that I’d had during my first visit to Organic Orbit. It is just amazing.

    The raw ravioli is made from golden beets, sliced paper thin as the wrappers of the ravioli. In all, it is made from golden beets filled with a cashew herb creme and plated with a blueberry marinara and chive oil. It is absolutely fantastic.

    I had the Deep Green Citrus Avo salad, which was just perfect. It consists of valencia orange, fresh lime, red leaf, massaged kale, avocado, and goji, and was very very good.

    We also had the Pesto Sunshine pizza, made with vine tomato, torn basil, haystack goat, and sunflower pesto. Both this pizza and the Mexicali were big hits – with a wonderful whole-grain thin crust, and perfect ingredients. While they are not raw pizzas, Organic Orbit does have a raw pizza on the menu, and I look forward to trying that soon.

    For dessert we had the Panna Cotta (delicious, served with a blueberry coulis) and the mango sorbet, which had a rich, fresh mango flavour. Yum!

    Again, I can’t highly enough recommend Organic Orbit – we’ll be going back often.

    And, the best little secret of all is – go for their Happy Hour, from 5:00pm to 6:00pm, when you can get much their amazing food – including the Mexicali Pizza and the Gluten Free Mac and Cheese – for just $5.00 a portion!

    Raw Ravioli

    Deep Green Citrus Avo Salad

    Sunshine Pizza

    Mango Sorbet

    Panna Cotta

  • Raw Ravioli to Die for at the Only Raw Food Restaurant in Boulder, Colorado

    As I mentioned earlier, I found a raw food restaurant in Boulder (Colorado), the Organic Orbit Eco Food Cafe, and was very excited.

    So as to not mislead you, Organic Orbit’s menu is not entirely raw, but that they have a section of their menu devoted to raw food is good enough for me, in a town that ought to boast several raw restaurants but, until the Organic Orbit Eco Food Cafe, had exactly zero.

    I decided that the first thing that I would try would be their raw Golden Beet Ravioli.

    Their menu describes it as: golden beets, cashew herb creme, blueberry marinara, and chive oil.

    I describe it as absolutely divine.

    This is due primarily – if not entirely – to Organic Orbit’s new Chef, Daniel Asher. Asher, who arrived in Boulder from Chicago just six weeks ago, is quickly ensuring that his new hometown of Boulder is going to love him. With 16 years in the culinary field, and an extensive background in raw, vegan, and vegetarian food, Asher is exactly what Boulder has needed.

    But back to the raw ravioli.

    Incredible. Fantastic.

    This is my new favourite food, and Chef Daniel is my new best friend. If you are anywhere near Boulder, or passing through Boulder, you simply must check out the Organic Orbit Eco Food Cafe (they are at the corner of Broadway and Yarmouth, right next to Amante).

    And please, tell them that we sent you.

    Oh, here’s a picture of that ravioli – in my haste to try it, I didn’t remember to take the picture until I’d already eaten one – but I’m sure once you taste it, you’ll understand and forgive me.

    P.S. For dessert I had their raw avocado chocolate mousse – Chef Daniel puts raw cocao nibs in it, and drizzles a bit of honey on top, and it is ohmygawd good.

  • Found! Raw Food in Boulder, Colorado!

    We have always been amazed – shocked – dismayed, that in there was no raw food in Boulder, Colorado. I mean – Boulder – of all places – you would think would have lots of raw food restaurants.

    But nope, not a one.

    And that is why I was so very thrilled to discover the Organic Orbit Eco Food Cafe today!

    They have an entire raw food section on their menu!

    Their raw menu includes:

  • Raw Veggie Nut Burger
  • Raw Pesto Pizza
  • Raw Golden Beet Ravioli
  • Sea Salad
  • Deep Green Citrus Avo Salad

    • And, for dessert:

  • Avo Chocolate Mousse

    • I’m about to try the raw ravioli, and I will report about that next.

  • Bay Leaf Cafe, Palo Alto

    The BayLeaf Cafe in Palo Alto came highly recommended by Nora over at Country Sun Natural Food, also in Palo Alto. (Note that they spell it “BayLeaf Cafe”, rather than “Bay Leaf Cafe”.)

    So for about two weeks following that recommendation, we tried to get in to the BayLeaf Cafe for a meal. Any meal – dinner, lunch, midnight snack, mid-afternoon snack. It didn’t matter. It seemed that every time we went, the BayLeaf Cafe was closed.

    It turns out that they have a rather … interesting … schedule, particularly during the mid-week, but it’s worth accommodating their schedule and going when it’s open. Because the food is very, very good.

    According to their website, “The BayLeaf cafe was founded in Palo Alto downtown in November 2002. The goal of the cafe is to provide tasty and healthy food using organic ingredients, contribute its share in creating a sustainable earth for all.”

    The food at the BayLeaf cafe is entirely vegan, and predominantly organic, although it is not primarily raw.

    It is, however, extremely yummy. And the portions are generous. Particularly by trendy Palo Alto, California standards.

    Today I had the Avocado Sushi Roll appetizer (avocado, cucumber, black and white sesame, ande sushi rice rolled in roasted seaweed, and topped with some sort of yummy crunchy flakes), and the chick pea curry, which was fragrant, flavourful, and altogether lovely.

    I also got to taste their “Creamy Avocado” sandwich (avocados layered with tomatoes and soy cream cheese). The bread was fabulous and crusty although, again, obviously, not raw.

    If you are 100% raw, the pickings are slim, but it is entirely possible to eat 100% raw at the BayLeaf Cafe. Their salad, for example, consists of “assorted baby lettuce leaves, frisee, spinach, arugula, red chard, mizuna, radicchio, tat soi, mustard and tomatoes”, and is only $4.00! Ask for a side of avocado and such, and you have quite a decent meal.

    And their focus, raw or not, is far more in line with at least my philosophy of our role vis the earth and the animals with which we share it than most other restaurants.

    And then there are the desserts. Oooh la la, the desserts. The most yummy, decadant, entirely vegan ice cream sundaes I have ever seen!

    So despite the slim raw pickings, this all-vegan restaurant gets two thumbs up.

    And the waitress, Cory, is a sweetie.

    BayLeaf Cafe
    520 Ramona Street
    Palo Alto, California
    650-321-7466

    Here are their eclectic hours:

    Monday: Closed
    Tuesday: 11:30am-2:30pm; and 6:00pm to 9:00pm
    Wednesday: 11:30am-2:30pm; and 6:00pm to 9:00pm
    Thursday: 11:30am-9:00pm
    Friday: 11:30am-9:00pm
    Saturday: 11:30am-9:00pm
    Sunday: 11:30am-6:00pm

  • Cafe Gratitude, Berkeley

    Yesterday for dinner my family and I went to Cafe Gratitude, in Berkeley.

    The original Cafe Gratitude is in San Francisco (now with two San Francisco locations), and the Berkeley Cafe Gratitude is their new third location.

    For those not familiar with Cafe Gratitude, it was founded by Matthew and Terces Engelhart. Cafe Gratitude and its founders can seem a bit over the top, even for the most open-minded of souls – raw food enthusiast or not. Their “about us” page on their website opens with “Matthew Engelhart started training in the being of abundance in 1984 and today he is skillful at being able to keep his attention on all there is to be grateful for.”

    Terces Engelhart’s presence, we are told, “is the gift of being present and listening for our most genuine Self to emerge. She grants acceptance and love to whomever she encounters as her commitment to living in Oneness.”

    Their menu (the same at all three location) reflects this attention, abundance and Oneness. Every single thing on the menu is named “I am [something]”, such as “I Am Bountiful” (their bruschetta appetizer), or “I Am Insightful” (samosas) or, my favourite, “I Am Magical” (stuffed mushrooms).

    Their waitstaff are all trained to say these menu choice names as though they were complimenting you… “You are bountiful” (I know, but I’ve been trying to lose weight), or “You are magical.”

    BUT, and this is a big but – even if you think that this might put you off – or that you might not appreciate the communal dining (their tables all seat about eight, so if you have a smaller party you will be sat with others, or have others sat with you) – even if all of that might otherwise put you off… THE FOOD IS AMAZING!!!

    Every single bit of it is live or raw, or live and raw, and it is simply phenomenal. If you didn’t know better, you would never guess that the food was raw, you would just think that you were eating a slightly different but fantastic rendering of whatever it was that you’d ordered.

    Every dish is so vibrant, so alive (no pun intended). The flavours were incredible, and the presentation just beautiful.

    We started out with the bruschetta (“I am Bountiful”), the magical mushrooms, and guacamole (“I am Generous”).

    By way of example, the bruschetta was “Four slices of our live toast topped with fresh tomatoes, basil, garlic, stone ground olive oil and brazil nut parmesan.”

    I don’t know how they made their “toast”, but this was no cardboard flax cracker (and even their flax crackers were fantastic).

    For dinner my husband had the “I am Abundant”, which was a sample platter featuring “live nachos, kale-sea veggie salad, stuffed mushroom, olive tapenade, live hummus, and a mini Thai coconut soup. Served with assorted live crackers and almond toast.”

    I had the special enchilada of the day, which always changes but is always a live soft veggie tortilla filled with the special filling of the day and topped with a spicy salsa verde, and is always called “I am Elated”. And I was! It was so delicious, and the filling – which I think was their chipotle and sunflower seed “refried beansâ€? – was exquisite.

    Despite being utterly and wonderfully replete (“I am Full”), we just had to try dessert. I had the cobbler of the day, and our son had one of their sundaes made with their homemade softserve “ice creams”, made from nut milk (“I am Lovely” and “I am Deserving”, respectively).

    They were both fabulous – and in fact my ‘cobbler’ was incredible. Fresh, sweet, perfect strawberries, blueberries and apricots topped with a melange of chopped nuts and cinnamon.

    All in all it was an incredible meal – enhanced by or despite the ultra gratitudinous atmosphere – depending on how you look at it.

    We will definitely be going back.

    Cafe Gratitude, Berkeley is at:

    1730 Shattuck Avenue, Corner of Virginia
    Berkeley, California

    Their San Francisco locations are at:

    1. 2400 Harrison Street
    2. 1336 9th Avenue
    San Francisco, California

    The Cafe Gratitude menu is here.

  • Cafe La Vie, Santa Cruz, California

    Yesterday, for Father’s Day, we went to Cafe La Vie, in Santa Cruz.

    Cafe La Vie isn’t entirely raw, but it’s about 80-90% raw, and entirely vegetarian, with lots of vegan options. And even the things which aren’t 100% raw are pretty close – mostly it’s just that the dish is served hot to cater to those who want something, well, hot.

    In any event, it was, in a word, fantastic!

    There were so many choices, and between three of us we tried a lot of them!

    Soups sampled included the Thai coconut soup (served hot), the sweet and spicy (more…)