Ice Cream Happy Hour

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Ice cream time is pretty much year round in El Paso, but it’s really starting to heat up here. I bought a Cuisinart ice cream maker a month ago at Costco for a really good price, and have had fun creating weird flavors with it. At first I kept it vegan, but last week I broke out the milk and heavy cream. I made an almond-coconut milk with roasted cinnamon ice cream that tasted like horchata. Then, I made a coconut chocolate chip ginger ice cream, which was a little funky and more on the sorbet side. Last week, I made this bourbon ice cream without egg yolks.

It took me two days to make it. Day one went into making the “custard” and chilling it in the fridge overnight. Day two was churning it in the ice cream maker and letting it set in the freezer overnight. I knew that it wouldn’t completely set since it had so much alcohol and was missing the yolks, but it was the consistency of a runny milkshake after a go in the maker. After all the worry it ended up setting quite well. It was so rich and creamy, and didn’t even melt right away. You can REALLY taste the bourbon, so if you don’t like bourbon, you won’t like it. One of my friends who doesn’t mind bourbon thought it was too strong, and that I should have cooked some of the alcohol out. I don’t care, I loved this decadent ice cream and would never waste alcohol.

I know I’ve posted about a dairy-based ice cream, but did you know that most ice cream cones, including the ones pictured below are vegan?

Bourbon Ice Cream

1 ½ cups 2% or whole milk
2 cups heavy whipping cream
¼ cup brown sugar
2 tablespoons corn starch
½ teaspoon sea salt
2 tablespoons vanilla extract
½ cup bourbon

Combine the cream, milk, sugar, and salt in a large saucepan and cook, stirring frequently, over medium heat. When the cream mixture is starting to steam and tiny bubbles have formed along the edge, whisk in the corn starch. Stirring constantly, cook over low heat roughly 5 minutes, or until the cream mixture has thickened enough to coat the back of a wooden spoon. Turn off heat and stir in the bourbon and vanilla extract.

Pour into a large bowl, cover, and chill for 5 hours or overnight (for the best chill, place the bowl of “custard” over a bowl of ice water.). Process according to your ice cream maker’s instructions, noting that the ice cream could be quite runny after 20-30 minutes of churning. Spoon ice cream out of ice cream maker and freeze for as long as you can, preferably overnight for a well-cured scoop.

What’s your favorite flavor of ice cream?

May Updates

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If you’re off this Saturday (May 12), you should make it a day of going local! Start your morning off by visiting the Downtown Art Market (begins @ 8am), grab a coffee or other beverage to go at Kinley’s House, take your drink to the Vegan Bake Sale at Ruli’s (begins @ 10:30am), have breakfast/brunch/lunch at one of the local restaurants in the area, and then have another baked good at the Vegan Bake Sale before everything runs out or 2 pm (whichever comes first). Don’t forget to visit your library, too! ;)

Here’s a roundup of upcoming events and foodie news:

Events:

    • May 12 @ Ruli’s from 10:30am-2pm: The Vegetarian Society is having another Vegan Bake Sale in celebration of Worldwide Vegan Bake Sale weekend. Proceeds will support Ben’s Pet Pantry, a new organization that helps struggling pet parents with feed and care. We’re trying out a new location at Ruli’s International Kitchen, near UTEP. You can help by donating vegan baked goods, staffing the table (must be knowledgeable in vegetarianism), or buying delicious goodies. I’ll be baking cupcakes, but I haven’t decided on the flavor.
    • May 16 @ Airport Holiday Inn from 5:30pm-9pm (cost:$10): What’s Up is having their annual Best of the Best Dig where El Pasoans (age 21+) can vote for their local favorites in 90+ categories. Nominees were submitted by readers a couple of months ago. I am super stoked and honored that my blog has been nominated in the Best Local Blogger category! In order to vote, you must be present at the Dig. For $10, you get to see live bands, local artist showcase, bartender Warflair competition, and food (hope some of it’s vegetarian)! Some of the nominees are not local, so I hope you’ll ignore the chains and vote for local establishments…and me of course! :) Details can be found here.
    • May 19 @ Ruli’s International Kitchen @ 6 pm: The Vegetarian Society’s monthly Restuarant Hoppers meets and eats. VSEP is all about Ruli’s this month! Be sure to make your reservation by 5 pm on Thursday, May 17. Email laura0711@aol.com. Please refer to VSEP’s Restaurant Hoppers guidelines here.
    • May 19 @ Dorris Van Doren Library @ 2 pm: The Cook the Book Club will have their third discussion and potluck! This month’s featured cookbook is Everyday Food: Fresh Flavor Fast. You’ll need to visit the library to sign up by May 14. We already have about 8 people signed up, and so far most have chosen vegetarian dishes, and it’s not even a vegetarian group! Maybe last month’s vegan pick inspired everyone. You can read about last month’s meeting here.

News:

  • The El Paso Convention & Visitor’s Bureau hosted a twitter chat all about local food last month! You can read the transcript here.
  • I tried The Hoppy Monk’s Veggie Monk burger, and I must admit that I was impressed. The Veggie Monk is a house made pumpkin and black bean patty with provolone cheese, arugula aioli, and arugula served on a kaiser roll. It was very tasty and had a nice kick. I’ll post a review soon.
  • Square Cow does have a veggie burger, called the “DL (vegan friendly).” It is not vegan friendly, as it comes with mayonnaise. It was really odd tasting. I couldn’t pick out the flavors except for lentils and chickpeas. None of the staff could tell me what was in it, and they weren’t knowledgeable about their beers. Fortunately, I know my beer and I had my smartphone handy. I was ecstatic to find that they serve beers from Denver’s Del Norte Brewing Co.! They have Manana, Cinco, and Orale on tap. They are all great tasting Mexican-style lagers.
  • I finally got to check out Hope & Anchor’s Sunday Bloody Sunday special. You can order a vegetarian Bloody Mary and choose some fancy add-ons, like jalapeno stuffed olives, blue cheese stuffed olives, pickled okra, Sriracha, horseradish, and more! You even get a free grilled cheese.
  • Congratulations to Bell Sucre! They signed their lease and will begin construction on their bakery, which will be located at 7500 N. Mesa. In the meantime, you can look forward to sampling their breads and sweets at the Ardovino’s farmers market.
  • Speaking of farmers’ markets, the Ardovino’s Dessert Crossing Farmers Market will begin Saturday, May 26 at 7:30 am and continue until mid October.
  • Italians has opened a second location at Sunset Pizzeria’s former location and is now open. Let me know if you’ve tried either one. You can read a review over at the “It All Started with an Easy Bake Oven” blog. Lisa is another local blogger who writes good local and regional food reviews. Go check her blog out! BTW, I’m totally jealous of her blog’s name.

Let me know if you have any corrections or additions. Don’t forget to follow me on Twitter or like me on Facebook!

Review: Japanese Crepe House

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One usually does not equate crepes to Japanese culture, but if you stroll the streets of Tokyo’s Harajuku fashion and shopping district, you’ll see crepe stands everywhere. Kiyo and Sharon decided to create something special and bring a bit of Japanese culture to El Paso in a hip, yet family friendly place. Japanese Crepe House is located on the westside at 910 E. Redd Rd. near Resler. They offer both savory and sweet crepes, sushi, ice cream, boba tea, Calpico, and coffee.

Back in March, owners Kiyo and Sharon, invited me to a press party to sample their menu offerings. I love that they took the time and effort to engage with the local media and bloggers. They also have a strong presence on Facebook and Yelp, so make sure to like them and review them. I was more then thrilled and honored to be invited to this event, and was able to attend during my lunch hour (I work nearby).

Upon arriving, Kiyo and Sharon greeted me and immediately made me feel welcome and at ease (believe it or not, I was nervous). Japanese Crepe House has very clean and modern decor, and a children’s play area in the back with really cool toys.

Press party samples & photography!

The press party began with a sampling of boba tea and Calpico. Boba tea, also known as bubble tea, is a  sweet and milky tea beverage with tapioca pearls that originated in Taiwan during the ’80s. I’ve never tried boba tea before because I’ve always been scared the tapioca pearls would gross me out. I actually enjoyed it, even though I don’t like sweetened drinks and the tapioca pearls were soft and chewy in a good way. They also offer almond, coconut, and vanilla flavored boba teas. Calpico is a Japanese soft drink that is milky and seems slightly carbonated, although it is not carbonated. I’ve bought concentrated Calpico before, and I must not have mixed it correctly because it reminded me of watered down Mylanta. Kiyo and Sharon obviously know how to make it, as it tasted much better.

Boba Tea

Japanese Crepe House offers five savory crepes which include Ham & Cheese, Tuna, Reuben, Teriyaki Chicken, and Zen Garden (vegetarian). The Zen Garden has spring mix greens, mandarin oranges, blueberries, strawberries, and Asian sauce. While all the flavors went well together, it was a little too much on the sweet side for me, but I typically don’t like fruit in savory dishes. I think it could have used less fruit and more substance, like avocado or tofu.

Zen Garden Crepe sample

During lunch, vegetarian sushi with avocado and cucumber is sold in a convenient to go box, complete with wasabi and soy sauce. It’s fresh and light, and I like that it’s an inside out roll. They’re so much easier to eat that way, and I love the sesame seeds on the outside.

In honesty, I’m not a complete fan of crepes because they taste eggy to me and I hate eggs. I don’t mind sweet crepes because the combination of fillings seem to mask the egg taste. Japanese Crepe House has five different sweet crepes with various fillings of nutella, cream, berries, and ice cream. The Tokyo Banana was my favorite with its combination of banana, whipped cream, and nutella creating the perfect balance of sweet, creamy richness.

Tokyo Banana & Ichigo Crepe samples

Everything was delicious, but my favorite sampling was the azuki (red bean) ice cream. It was so good and had a familiar taste that I couldn’t pinpoint. I’m not sure what to compare it to. It’s one of those foods you have to try and decide for yourself.

Green Tea & Red Bean Ice Cream imported from Japan. They also serve other flavors from Blue Bell Ice Cream.

Japanese Crepe House is definitely worth the trek for eastsiders or anyone else not in the immediate area, with its casual environment and affordable prices (crepes cost $4-$5.75). You’ll want to visit during one of their fun, unique events. The grand opening featured a cosplay party and photo booth. They also recently had a bilingual storytime, where The Very Hungry Caterpillar was read in Japanese!

Visit these links:

Japanese Crepe House on Urbanspoon

April Updates

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I say this every month, but March was busy and went by so fast, and now April is going just as fast. I’ve taken on quite a few new projects both professionally and personally, so I haven’t had time to post anything.

I want to quickly share some EP foodie news and a couple of veg friendly events that are coming up. I never thought I would be saying this, but I think veggie burgers are trending in El Paso.

Events:

  • Spring Dinner w/guest speaker Robert Cohen at the Sunland Park Holiday Inn on Saturday, April 14 @ 6 pm. You won’t want to miss the Vegetarian Society’s annual spring dinner, so hurry and make your reservation and payment by tomorrow (Tuesday, April 10). It’s $20 for nonmembers and $15 for members and students. To pay, visit vsep.org, click on the “Donate” button at the top, fill in the required fields, and pay with a credit card. I attended last year’s dinner and was blown away by the speaker, but slightly disappointed by the lackluster food. This year’s menu sounds more promising and features a vegan southwest theme of salad, enchilada casserole, avocado tacos, zucchini and corn, almond green beans, and peach cobbler. I am really looking forward to hearing the speaker and eating the food of course. Hope to see you there!
  • Cook the Book Club @ the Dorris Van Doren Library on Saturday, April 21 @ 2 pm. This is a fun, new monthly cookbook club at the public library that meets for a potluck and discussion. This month’s featured cookbook is The Vegan Slow Cooker by Kathy Hester. The flier and details are at the end of this post. Don’t forget to sign up by Monday, April 16! If you’re not sure what to expect, visit the library’s blog to read about the outcome of their first meeting.

News:

  • Chipotle opened to much fanfare and controversy in March. Every time the media posted something about Chipotle, there were tons of both negative and positive comments. So much debate occurred, that the Times held an online poll and then had their reporters conduct burrito research. You can read about the outcome of the Burrito Wars here. As much as I love supporting local businesses, I must admit that I am Team Chipotle mainly for vegetarian reasons. FYI, I don’t order the burrito anymore; I usually get the vegetarian bowl or salad.
  • Japanese Crepe House is now open on the westside. They invited me to their press party, which was very exciting and delicious! I’ll be blogging about it soon. In the meantime, go like their page and check them out. They have vegetarian crepes, sushi, and dessert items.
  • The Hoppy Monk added the Veggie Monk burger to their menu. I’ll be trying it and reviewing it soon.
  • Crave now has a veggie patty option. I tried it during their $5 burger night on Tuesday. It tasted like falafel, and I love falafel, so I of course enjoyed it. Sorry, I didn’t take any pics. Next time!
  • And even more veggie burger news…Ripe is now serving housemade veggie burgers. Can’t wait to try it!
  • The Square Cow Burgers, Beer, Wine is now open. Anyone know if they have a veggie burger?
  • Tosca Pizzeria officially opens this month. Visit their Facebook page for updates.
  • Primo’s is now selling home brewing supplies. They even held a workshop a couple of weeks ago.
  • The Pitch closed down, which is sad because they were local and very vegetarian friendly.
  • The westside isn’t getting a Super Target yet, but the Target at Sunland Park is getting an upgrade. They’ll be expanding their marketplace area and adding a pharmacy. This is exciting because their marketplace carries Gardein and other vegetarian brands, organic items, hard to find foodie items, and environmentally friendly household products at good prices.

Let me know if you have any news or corrections.

Click on the fliers to enlarge them.

Rustic Roasted Pasta

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Sheesh, it’s been nonstop celebrating birthdays and what not. It’s so difficult to get back into the swing of things. Back to blogging at least! 
 

The consensus seems to be that everyone is fond of eggplant parmesan, but no one actually likes eggplant. As one of the more absorbent vegetables (they’re actually fruits), it’s easy to cook them into an unpalatable texture (guilty!). For that reason, I rarely buy eggplant, but once in awhile they lure me into a purchase. I can’t resist them when they’re on sale, unblemished, voluptuous, and the sultriest shade of…well, aubergine.

I’ve found a surefire way to cook eggplant quickly, easily, and without the fuss off using salt to draw the moisture out. You might not want to make this pasta during the summer months, as the oven is used. I changed the title to this blog post three times. When you don’t know what to call something and the outcome isn’t very aesthetic, you call it rustic.

Roasted Eggplant & Grape Tomato Pasta

Simple and delicious as is, or the perfect canvas to add/omit your favorite vegetables, herbs, pasta, and/or cheeses. I sometimes like to add lentils or white beans for extra protein and fiber.

1 unpeeled large eggplant (1 1/2 to 1 3/4 pounds), cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1 red bell pepper or any other color, cut into 1/2-inch squares (optional)
1 pint/package of grape tomatoes (halved lengthwise if desired)
1-2 garlic cloves,
Extra virgin olive oil
about 8 oz dried pasta (whole wheat linguine is pictured, but penne is my favorite)
kosher salt
freshly ground black pepper

Preheat oven to 425°F. Place the eggplant, tomatoes, peppers, & garlic in a large rimmed baking sheet. Drizzle vegetables with oil and sprinkle a generous amount of salt and pepper; toss until evenly coated. Roast vegetables until tender, stirring halfway through, about 15-30 minutes in total.
Toss with cooked pasta and drizzle more olive oil & season if desired.

Before

After

Where Can I Get a Good ‘Rita?

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presenting the simple, the fun, & the good via my Instagram profile.

I’ve been meaning to write a post about my favorite Margarita recipe, but kept putting it off because I can never write a quick and simple post. Finding out that today is National Margarita Day has pushed me to finally finish this post!

As Mexico’s immediate neighbor, you can imagine the ubiquity of Mexican restaurants in El Paso. Mexican food usually equals Margaritas or Mexican beer or both. Margaritas are a highly contentious subject in El Paso. Carlos & Mickey’s is usually voted the best by locals, followed by Julio’s Cafe Corona, and Forti’s. Carlos & Mickey’s is known for its gigantic Margaritas, in which a one-per-person limit is now enforced. Peppe’s Restaurant & Cantina in Canutillo claims to be the “home of the Juan and only Margarita.” I’ve never tried it, but ya gotta love the catchphrase even if it’s not good.

I won’t say who has the best Margarita in El Paso for two reasons: I’ve never liked them, and the ones that I did like, were from chains. I also HATE to admit that I have enjoyed the Skinnygirl Margarita (you can find it cheapest at The Side Door Liquor Store next to The State Line and Spec’s). I love citrus, but I can’t stand overly sweet things, and that’s what most Margaritas are to me. I think most bad Margaritas suffer from using pre-made sweet and sour mix, rather than utilizing fresh ingredients. In my defense, the Margaritas that I most enjoyed at chains are probably temporary, featured items capitalizing on the agave nectar craze. My favorites are the Organic Agave Margarita from P.F. Chang’s, and the Platinum Presidente Margarita from Chili’s (pictured above. Let me know if you can’t see the recipe on the shaker).

I’ve always wanted to try a Dosarita, which is a Margarita with a mini upside down Dos Equis submerged in it. I heard that Bikini Joe’s offers a Margarita with an upside down Coronita submerged in it, so I naturally had to try it even if their food is subpar and limited in veg offerings. At first, the taste was odd and a bit tart, but as more Corona poured into the drink it got better, giving it a light effervescence.

I would have to honestly say that my partner makes the best Margaritas, but she won’t let me divulge her secret recipe. Instead, I’ll share this recipe that I got from a show on The Cooking Channel. I add a secret ingredient, which you can see hidden in the picture above. Can you guess what it is?

Margarita, courtesy of Drink Up

2 ounces or 1/4 cup blanco tequila
1 ounce or 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
2 tablespoons agave nectar* (I use less, but it’s up to you)

In a shaker, combine the tequila, lime juice, agave syrup, and ice. Shake to combine the ingredients. Strain the mixture into a glass, garnish with lime and enjoy.
*agave nectar can be found at most stores in El Paso (Sprouts and Costco for sure carry it).

Taco Tuesday: Korean BBQ Tofu

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Even though I’m a bit under the weather today, I’m gonna share an extra special Taco Tuesday post with you. All the meds, hot tea, hot water, steams, and bad television have given me the strength to blog! This post is special in that I haven’t shared a Taco Tuesday post since Vegan Mofo, and this recipe is really delicious and fancy-looking.

The Korean BBQ taco craze has of course not hit El Paso, but we do have the Tacoholics food truck, which serves up both beef and tofu. I’m happy to report that the tofu is so popular, they usually run out. The only problem is that the truck isn’t very consistent on its excursions, but if they are out, they can usually be found at Black Market from about 10:30 pm until they run out. The planets aligned and I was able to try the tofu tacos several months ago.  They were really tasty, but I thought the tofu’s texture was too soft.

Korean BBQ Tofu tacos from Tacoholics (cellphone pic)

I had been craving these tacos, so I thought I would try making my own since I’m not sure when I’ll be hitting up the taco truck again. I wanted the tofu to have more texture, so I froze it. Freezing and thawing tofu draws out moisture, giving it a chewier texture. If you’ve never frozen tofu before, you’ll just need to drain the tofu first, place it in a freezer bag or other container, and freeze it solid. Eliza (commenter below) says you don’t have to drain it. She just puts the whole package in the freezer. She also reminded me that this works best with extra firm tofu. When you’re ready to use it, just thaw it and squeeze out the excess water. Don’t freak out when the tofu turns a yellowish color, it’s normal. The tofu will keep in the freezer for up to 5 months.

I hate pressing tofu and I’ll probably never buy one of those TofuXpress presses. I was happy to find an easy, lazy method that’s Korean approved. I found this method while browsing through Debbie Lee’s new cookbook, Seoultown Kitchen. She recommends setting the tofu on top of a few paper towels and draining for about 10 minutes, then repeating on the other side. The book is fun and colorful, featuring a Korean take on pub food, including several vegetarian recipes. El Pasoans can request the book at the library here.

1st attempt (dredged in corn starch)

2nd attempt (without cornstarch. I forgot to add it.)

Bulgogi Marinade from Gourmet

(I got this recipe from here. Read the article & check out the other recipes for kimchi fried rice & slaw)

1 lb. extra firm tofu, drained & sliced or cubed to your shape/size preference
2 tablespoons soy sauce
¼ cup sugar
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger (my addition)
2 teaspoons Asian sesame oil
2 teaspoons mirin
2 teaspoons water

Combine all of the marinade ingredients. You can optionally sprinkle cornstarch over the tofu. Pour the marinade over the tofu and toss until coated. Heat oil in a pan over medium-high heat. Add tofu and cook for 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Heat corn tortillas on a skillet or over an open flame. Serve with avocado, shredded red cabbage or Napa cabbage, cilantro, sesame seeds, and Sriracha sour cream.

Sriracha Sour Cream

¼ cup sour cream
2 teaspoons (or more) Sriracha
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
½ teaspoon soy sauce

Combine until well blended.

Green Crack

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I realize that by naming this post Green Crack, I’ll be receiving a lot of visitors who are searching for info on narcotics rather than another pesto recipe (yawn), but I couldn’t resist.
Below, you’ll find the recipe for the pesto that I topped my roasted carrot soup with. 

 

Back in the fall, I had a chili potluck at my house to help me decide which of the two chilis I should enter in the Lone Star Vegetarian Chili Cook-off. Someone offered to bring cilantro pesto, and I must admit I was a bit confused. Why would someone bring pesto to a chili potluck? I didn’t realize that it would double as a delicious dip and be super addicting. This pesto is thicker than the usual pesto (which of course can be changed by adding more oil or liquid), raw, vegan, and good for you. Sounds disgusting, but it actually has a bright, flavorful taste that goes well with pretty much everything. Instead of salt, soy sauce is used, elevating this pesto to umami heaven.

I rarely share recipes that I haven’t created on my own or altered, but this recipe has to be shared completely unaltered. There are a few changes that you can make if you need too though, such as omitting the olive oil and nutritional yeast flakes. The most annoying, time consuming part for me, is to clean and pick the cilantro leaves, but I suppose you could roughly chop the bunches, stems and all. I don’t like to include too many stems, because I feel it makes it bitter.

Bonus: This recipe was adapted from Dr. David G. Williams’ recipe. Cilantro is said to help flush toxic metals, such as lead, aluminum, and mercury out of your body. This is particularly helpful to those who still partake in fish, or those who eat certain Mexican candies or still use some cooking vessels from Mexico. Dr. Williams recommends eating 2 teaspoons a day for 3 weeks for flushing out heavy metals. Use this pesto as a spread, dip, salad dressing, pasta sauce, addition to guacamole and salsas, etc. The pesto can also be frozen.

Thank you Maria & Larry for bringing this pesto, and thank you Sukie for sending me the recipe!

Shirley’s Cilantro Pesto

2 garlic cloves, chopped
¼ cup raw almonds or cashews
2-3 cups packed fresh cilantro (about 2-3 bunches)
2 tablespoons fresh lime or lemon juice
1 tablespoon Tamari or soy sauce or Bragg’s Liquid Aminos
1 tablespoon nutritional yeast (optional)
1/8 teaspoon cayenne, optional
1/3 cup olive oil

Blend all ingredients together in a blender or food processor until smooth.

Tweet Treat: Roasted Carrot Soup

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A raw carrot is my least favorite vegetable, but a cooked carrot is a whole different story. I had been craving a creamy curried vegan carrot soup that I used to make a lot, but I couldn’t find the recipe. VSEP used to publish a full-on newsletter, complete with articles and recipes, including a delicious curried carrot soup. When I couldn’t find it, I decided to make a simple roasted carrot soup, sans the curry.

It seems to be carrot soup season, as Fairy Healthy Life posted a delicious sounding carrot and apple soup, and Earth Balance posted a creamy vegan carrot soup complete with oats. Here’s a carrot soup I came up with when a couple of purchases and cravings came together:

Roasted Carrot Soup

1 lb. carrots, peeled & sliced into ½″ slices
1 shallot, peeled & thinly sliced (you can also use onions or garlic)
2-4 cups vegetable broth
olive oil, salt, and pepper

  • Preheat oven to 400°.
  • Place carrots and shallots in a roasting pan. Drizzle olive oil and sprinkle salt and pepper over them. Combine until all vegetables are completely coated.
  • Bake in oven for about 30 minutes, or until cooked through and browned.
  • Puree carrots with 1 cup of vegetable stock. Add more stock until soup reaches desired consistency.
  • Season with salt and pepper if necessary.
  • You can also add milk, pureed silken soft tofu, or cashew cream to make it a creamy soup.

The recipe for the cilantro pesto can be found here.

Year in Review: 2011

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Last year, I was inspired to write a “Foodie Forecast” of the food trends in El Paso. This year I’m going to change it up a bit by providing an overview of El Paso’s restaurant scene, as well as personal highlights of 2011.

In 2011, El Paso saw more movement than usual in the restaurant scene, or at least that’s how it seemed. Let me know if I’ve left anything out, and tell me about your favorite food memories of 2011, whether they be in a restaurant or in your kitchen, vegetarian or not.

The EP food trend of 2011 was…sweets! Yogurt shops popped up all over El Paso, and cupcake/dessert bakeries infiltrated my Groupon/Living Social deals inbox. Sweet Corner opened up downtown and received a bit of publicity from local media.

Clockwise from left: Tabla, Roasted Cauliflower @ Tabla, Veggie Burger @ Tom's, Vergi-e Pizza @ The Pizza Joint, Veggie Nachos @ The Pitch, Salsas @ Bikini Joe's

So much happened in 2011. This is in no particular order.

  • Commonwealth closed down, making way for newcomer Tabla. The owners of Ripe brought Spanish tapas to the Union Plaza district downtown. I attended their grand opening and got to try a couple of dishes for free. There aren’t too many options for vegetarians, but the dishes that are veg friendly are tasty and the vegetables are perfectly cooked. Unfortunately, the white bean dip contains bacon. Chef and staff are very friendly and accommodating, so they might be able to make dietary modifications.
  • The Ripe family was busy in 2011 when The Drifter food truck decided to stop drifting & set up permanent shop at Tom’s Restaurant on Boston St. in the Kern area. I tried the veggie burger (Boca patty) topped with Manchego & Romesco sauce. Loved the Romesco sauce!
  • John Geske, owner of Geske’s Firegrill & The Garden, took a risk investing in Bikini Joe’s at the former Casa Verde location near Bassett Place (Center). This place has a fun atmosphere and that’s about it. No veg options except for side dishes and a sad salad that was supposed to have greens, but only had iceberg lettuce. Pros: free self serve chips and salsas bar, Corona Ritas. Geske has hopes of turning this restaurant into a chain. Good luck?
  • 2900 closed down, but The Pitch opened a few doors down. This sports bar is veg friendly! The veggie nachos are amazing, but can be really salty  at times. Other veg options include portobello burgers, veggie tacos, veggie nachos, veggie quesadillas, & grilled cheese. I heard that these are the same owners of Coach’s Grill, which unfortunately closed down as well this past year.
  • The Pizza Joint also opened in the same shopping center as The Pitch. Order veggie pizza by the slice or as a whole pie in a fun, eclectic setting with beer on tap. Open until 3 am on Fridays & Saturdays! Kind of reminds me of Two Fisted Mario’s in Denver, but not nearly as delicious & cheap (sorry). Vegan sauce is available upon request (?).
  • The original Jaxon’s at Mesa closed down, and Montana Steakhouse quickly took its place. The steakhouse had 4 locations in Juarez for almost 30 years before coming to El Paso.
  • A couple of new chains came to El Paso in which none resonated well with me. Potbelly offered poor customer service and scanty servings. Baja Fresh also offered poor customer service and poor food quality. The manager couldn’t tell me whether or not their bean offerings were veg friendly. In better news, their rival (?) Chipotle will be opening up their first EP location in the 2900 shopping center (this place is a buzzing!)!!! Schlotzsky’s returned to the westside with a Cinnabon. I used to be a huge fan of this place, but I forgot how expensive it is!
  • Spec’s opened up in the Sunland Park area. This was probably the best news of the year. This Texas chain has a wide variety of beer, wine, liquor, cigars, & fine foods at mostly reasonable prices. Their deli serves an awesome veggie sandwich, as well as a veggie burger (haven’t tried it yet).
  • A new Mediteranean place opened up on the westside called Zino’s. Veg options include falafel, vegetarian platter, & pasta dishes. My mom loved this place, & I really liked their falafel & fries (they had garlic, spices, & cheese), but their hummus was a weird orange color.
  • Everyday Gyro opened on Cincinnati. Food was subaverage & a bit salty. I think I’d rather grab falafel at Sinbad, Zino’s, or Al-Zaituna. Their fries were really good (had fresh garlic) & the hummus was pretty good, with an earthy taste.
  • The eastside finally saw the return of an Indian restaurant in the area. Indian Curry Leaf opened up in the Sun Pointe Shopping Center on Lee Trevino. Everyone has raved about this place, but I wasn’t impressed when I tried their lunch buffet. Either way, I’d give them a second chance because I love Indian food & they’ve begun offering weekday lunch specials in lieu of their buffet.
  • The Drifter may have closed shop, but Create Gourmet Eats food truck began its operations in 2011. They offer the usual veg option of a portabella sandwich, but the bread & toppings make this sandwich pop. Create has hopes of making it onto the Eat St. show on the Cooking Channel, so be sure & vote for them before Jan. 31. I guess they’re all about mainstream media because they completely ignored my review of them (I sent a link) & chose to only promote certain reviews. Otherwise, they are super nice & friendly.
  • I found Jonathan of Belle Sucre at Ardovino’s Farmers Market, and was blown away by the bread (type of baguette?) that I bought. They also specialize in candies, cookies, cakes, pies, & pastries. They have plans of opening a retail location on the westside, and I am all too excited.
  • Hoppy Monk finally opened up their kitchen a couple of months ago. I was underwhelmed by the lack of veg options & the greasy, bland appetizer that I ordered (Trappist mushrooms). I also didn’t appreciate being charged for an extra aioli when I only received two (menu said it came with 3). They’re still working out the kinks, so hopefully everything will be improved upon.
  • Primo’s Craft Beer has opened & I have not been there yet! It’s located in the UTEP area, and boasts a wide beer selection.
  • Steak houses and seafood restaurants popped up all over town, but I’m not going to list them for obvious reasons. Let me know if one offers a good veg option (I have a steak lover at home).
  • Someone on Facebook reminded me to mention Valentine’s Kitchen, next to Hope and Anchor, which supposedly serves up some really good food. Doesn’t sound very veg friendly though. Check out this review from the UTEP Prospector.

Clockwise from left: Buffet @ Indian Curry Leaf, Portabella Burger @ Create Food Truck, Vegetarian @ Potbelly,Veggie Delight @ Spec's

2012 Brings Good & Bad News

  • Sunset Pizza is closing down on Jan 21. This breaks my heart immensely. I’ve always thought that they served the best pizza in town, and this place holds significant memories. Fortunately, their menu & passion will carry on under a new name & location at Tosca Pizzeria, 4017 N. Mesa (where San Francisco Oven used to be) in March 2012.
  • El Paso is finally getting a Chipotle!!! It will be located near UTEP in the shopping center at 2900 N. Mesa. Some people are disappointed by another burrito place opening in our predominantly Hispanic town, but haters gonna hate. I LOVE this place. It’s delicious and veg friendly.
  • We’re still awaiting the opening of Square Cow Burgers, Beer, & Wine. I sure hope they have a veggie burger.
  • VSEP will offer an Indian cooking class, as well as continue to host bake sales and dinners.
  • Fire (inside the DoubleTree Hotel) stopped serving the DoubleTree Hugger sandwich. It turns out that Kipp’s Cheesesteak’s veggie sandwich is cooked in beef stock.

Personal Highlights

I saved my personal highlights for last in case you didn’t want to read them. 2011 was a great year for me foodwise. I fully devoted myself to this blog, and my pictures improved dramatically when I invested in a fancy camera.

  • VSEP events: The Vegetarian Society hosted some fun and educational events. My favorites were the Arirang Tour & a cooking class held at Singapore Cafe.
  • I won a Big Green Egg Grill from Harmony Valley Foods for my Chili Chile Cheeseburger recipe!
  • The El Paso Times interviewed me & wrote up a nice big article in the Living section, which in turn, drove a lot of traffic to this blog.
  • Finally attended La Vina’s Wine festival. Read about it here.
  • Picked my own veggies in La Union, NM from The Maze’s garden.
  • VSEP sponsored my participation in the 23rd Annual Lone Star Vegetarian Chili-Cook Off. Alas, I did not place.
  • I participated in Vegan MOFO. This really helped me find focus and inspiration. It also accelerated the amount of posts I wrote during that month. Most importantly, the sense of community was amazing.
  • Found out that Hot Dog on a Stick serves veggie dogs on a stick. $3 is what you pay for nostalgia, convenience, & greasy goodness.
  • Lean Cuisine started offering Veggie Cuisine entrees featuring Gardein products. You can find them at Walmart.
  • I also invested in an iPhone and I hate to admit it, but I love it. I’ve posted less restaurant reviews due to the Foodspotting app. Other apps I frequently use are Instagram, Epicurious, and Urbanspoon.

Clockwise from left: Arirang Market, My winning burger entry, La Vina Winery, Lean Cuisine & Gardein joined forces, Chickpea Soup recipe forVegan Mofo, La Union garden

Thanks for taking the time to read my blog and comment in 2011!