Half of the six starters are vegetarian-friendly, and a fourth, the candied mini cabbages can be ordered without bacon. The Mideast chip and dip comes with soft pita bread triangles, hummus and baba ganoush. The roasted garlic hummus lacked authentic flavor and smoothness, but the baba ganoush was silky smooth with a pronounced smoke flavor. Other popular appetizers are the smoky green chile spinach dip, served with blue corn tortilla chips, and the sweet potato fries, served with a highly addictive cilantro ranch dressing.

Ripe has always gladly subbed a grilled portabello for the beef in any of its burgers, but now it’s added a black bean veggie burger. This may be one of the most expensive veggie burgers I’ve come across in or out of town, but it’s also one of the best I’ve had. Black beans, vegetables, oats, quinoa, nuts and cheese form a large, flavorful patty that’s firm and able to stand up to the bun. The spice of the patty, crunch and acidity of the marinated red onions and creaminess of the chipotle aioli are a perfect marriage of flavors and textures. I thought its only downfall was the brioche bun, which presented beautifully but was just too dense and heavy.

Unsurprisingly, vegetarians and vegans are well represented in the entree section. The portabello mushroom Rockefeller lives up to its name in both price and flavor. Two grilled portabello caps are stuffed with a creamy spinach-artichoke filling, topped with a hefty amount of cheese and served atop basil polenta cakes with a red pepper-almond pesto drizzle. This is a knife and fork experience where you carve through layers of melted cheese, meaty mushroom, and crispy then creamy polenta and end with a bright, earthy sauce. You can opt for something lighter and vegan by ordering the curried coconut veggie tagine with brown rice.

I ate only one of the decadent portabellos to save room for dessert, which is also made in house. Each month, Ripe creates a special drink, entrée and dessert and donates 15 percent of the proceeds from them to benefit a local charity. I was set on this month’s special dessert, Meyer lemon and rosemary cake. Unfortunately, I could hardly taste the rosemary and the lemon curd topping was too tart, but the berry compote helped tame it a bit.

Meyer Lemon & RosemaryCake

Blueberry ricotta pancake

Be sure to hit up Ripe’s weekend brunch for one of the most creative menus in town. Choose between various benedicts, veg hash scrambles, omelets and six kinds of made-from-scratch pancakes, among them blueberry ricotta. If you’re like me and can’t stand eggs, you can order a No. 3 Grilled Cheesy sandwich (asparagus, tomatoes, onions, smoked gouda, fresh mozz and cheddar on foccacia) or a Garden Veggie Panini (vegan without cheese).

Ripe doesn’t settle on subbing vegetables for meat, but creatively elevates them to complete and satisfying meals. Ripe is also one of the few restaurants that vegetarians will have to visit more than once to sample all the veg-friendly options. Don’t forget to check out their daily happy hour and food specials throughout the week.

• Hours: Monday-Friday 11 am-10 pm; Saturday 9 am-3 pm and 5-10 pm; Sunday 9 am-3 pm
• Cost: $$-$$$.
• On the web: ripeeatery.com, facebook, twitter

This review was originally published in the Tiempo Dining Out section of the El Paso Times on March 29, 2013 as part of a series of monthly reviews that feature vegetarian friendly restaurants in the El Paso region.

Las Cruces makes for a nice, quick getaway if you’ve run into a dining slump in El Paso. Our neighboring city also happens to have a larger variety of vegetarian-friendly restaurants than El Paso does. One such restaurant is De La Vega’s Pecan Grill and Brewery.

It’s hard not to compare De La Vega’s to the national chain BJ’s Restaurant and Brewhouse; the concept and look is strikingly similar. Like BJ’s, beer isn’t actually brewed on premises. It’s brewed at the Sierra Blanca Brewing Company in Moriarty, N.M., which formulates signature beers especially for them. The other difference is that De La Vega’s is family-owned and locally operated.

New Mexico’s food culture is celebrated with an infusion of Southwest flavors, green chile galore, and pecans in both food and beverage. Twelve house brews, more than 20 bottled beers (including a gluten-free beer), more than 50 specialty cocktails with house infused liquors, and an extensive wine list (New Mexico-grown selections included) are all contained in a separately bound menu.

Green Chile Ale and Pecan Amber Ale will immediately pique your interest. The two are fun and unsual to sample within a flight, but would be overkill as a full pint. My favorite brews were the wheat ale for its crisp, clean flavor, and the pale ale for its hoppiness. Local tributes such as the Las Cruces Lager and the Aggie Amber had a sticky, malty finish. If you’re not into beer, try one of five different house-infused liquors such as the Jolly Rancher vodka, vanilla-brown sugar-pineapple tequila, and black cherry-vanilla whiskey.

The lunch menu is available until 5 p.m., but if you get there from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. you can enjoy the salad bar with its house-made dressings and soups, as an entree or add-on to an entrée. Vegetarians can choose between Portabella, Eggplant Parmesan, or Margerita sandwiches. I chose the Eggplant Parmesan with a side of green chile mac ‘n’ cheese. Other side options include regular and sweet potato fries, potato salad, coleslaw or fresh fruit. The sandwich had thinly sliced and breaded eggplant topped with a flavorful yet scanty amount of marinara and mozzarella on ciabatta bread from El Paso’s Belle Sucre Bakery. The eggplant had a good texture, but the breading was soggy and eggy-tasting. The mac ‘n’ cheese had small elbow macaroni pasta enveloped in a rich, creamy cheddar sauce with plenty of green chile and a hint of what tasted like chili powder seasoning.

I immediately regretted not ordering the Vegetable Lasagna, which is also available at dinner. The lasagna has eggplant, zucchini, roasted tomatoes, basil, and ricotta and mascarpone cheese. Other lunch options include a Portabella Quesadilla and a house-made black bean Veggie Burger topped with green chile, white cheddar and avocado.

The best part of De La Vega’s menu is its appetizer selection. During lunch, you can get Green Chile Hummus served with an artichoke and red bell pepper salad and grilled pita slices. Smoky green chile, cumin, and cilantro shine through the smooth chickpea dip with a gradual heat. The pita slices are a soft flatbread with a subtle rosemary flavor. The accompanying salad isn’t seasoned, but texturally complements the hummus.

Also available during lunch, dinner and happy hour are the popular Stuffed Hatch Green Chiles with ranch dressing. Three green chiles are stuffed with white cheddar, pecan-breaded and deep-fried. The result is a deliciously crunchy, cheese-oozing roasted chile. Another popular dinner starter is the fondue pot of a fontina-swiss-green chile blend served with garlic bread.

During dinner, burgers and sandwiches are replaced with Stuffed Eggplant and Green Chile Manicotti and Green Chile Ravioli.

Green chile lovers will be overcome with indecision and bask in De La Vega’s food and beverage offerings. Vegetarian options are plentiful and marked with a symbol, but vegan options are slim. All salad dressings are gluten-free, and pasta and bread options are available. De La Vega’s has a rotating dessert menu (ask your server) that usually includes a selection featuring pecans. Don’t forget to partake in their daily happy hour (drink & food specials) available in the bar and their spacious, relaxing patio areas.

Patio

• Hours: Sundays-Thursdays 11 am-9 pm; Fridays & Saturdays 11 am-10 pm. Dinner starts at 5 pm
• Cost: $$-$$$
• Site: pecangrill.com and facebook.com/pecangrill

I celebrated Record Store Day 2013 with records & tacos!

This review was originally published in What’s Up Weekly on August 29, 2012, and can be found here.

Two years ago, Jessie Pena pioneered the gourmet food truck craze that has hit El Paso. The Tacoholics team found success serving their signature brand of tacos and sandwiches late at night. That success has brought them to an unlikely brick and mortar location inside an Eastside gas station.

The new location also has a new ordering format. Options are endless when you can choose combinations of proteins, tortillas, styles and salsas. Tacos can be purchased individually or in groups of four corn or two flour. Choose between chicken, pork, sirloin or tofu in four styles topped with a choice of four salsas that are made fresh daily.

Plain style, which isn’t plain at all, is seared and seasoned with southwest flavors. A South Texan contains grilled onions and queso fresco, while Campechanos style is topped with homemade chorizo. The most popular style is influenced by a taco that has taken the country by storm thanks to L.A.’s popular Kogi Korean BBQ food truck. Tacoholics is the only place in El Paso where you can enjoy this style of taco. Meat is glazed with a Korean BBQ sauce and topped with cabbage, sriracha and sesame seeds.
If you’re in the mood for something heartier, order the Mexican Philly or La Torta 915 – creatively constructed sandwiches inspired by our region.

All ingredients are fresh and locally sourced, including the tortillas and bread. Anyone fortunate to be within 3 miles of the gas station can have their meal delivered for a minimal fee. On occasion, the food truck can still be found during the late hours of the night.

Food truck: various locations and times, static location inside the Exxon gas station at 7450 Gateway East.
Hours: Tuesday-Saturday, 11 a.m.-10 p.m. (or until sold out) Price range: $1.50-$6.
Vegetarian friendly (corn tortilla tacos and tortas; flour tortilla contains lard). For info visit www.tacoholics.com, facebook.com/tacoholics or twitter.com/tacoholics.

Additional Veg Snob notes:
This is the only place in town you can get tofu tacos, and they are amazing! When I first tried them over a year ago (you can read about it here), I thought the tofu was too soft, but they have since changed this and the texture is perfect now. All of the salsas are very good, so I’m not sure which is my favorite. You might want to get plain tacos so that you can try them all, but be sure to get at least one Korean BBQ.

Last year I had an upper respiratory infection and this year I’ve got a lower respiratory infection. And like every year, I try to battle it the hippie way with natural remedies only to end up at the wellness center or urgent care to get a prescription for antibiotics and  medications. Here I am still trying to get over this nasty cough, but lucky for you (and me) this year’s natural remedy included pho!

In case you’re not sure what pho (pronounced “fuh”) is, it’s basically a big bowl of Vietnamese comfort food in the form of soup with rice noodles, beef (or other proteins) and lots of garnishes. I haven’t really tried any pho in El Paso, but everyone’s favorites seem to be Pho Tre Bien on the eastside and Saigon Taste on the westside. Eastside newcomer, Pho So 1 has had mixed reviews. What’s your favorite place for pho? I’ve been to Pho 79 in Denver, but that was way too long ago for me to remember.

InstaPho

The following recipe is adapted from a Vegetarian Times recipe which I cut in half, but then added more water to cut the sodium. All of these ingredients are fairly easy to get a hold of with the exception of the vegetarian beef broth. I was able to find it at Sprouts, but you can just use veggie broth if you can’t find it. I found dried shitake mushrooms for less than $3 at Albertsons.

Vegetarian Pho Broth

2 cups vegetarian “beef” broth or vegetable broth
6 cups water
1 large shallot, sliced
¼ cup dried shiitake mushrooms
5 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed
1½ tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
6 ¼-inch-thick coins fresh ginger
½ tablespoon brown sugar
½ tablespoon rice wine vinegar
1 teaspoon (or half if you don’t want it so peppery) ground black pepper
1 cinnamon stick
1 star anise

Place all of the ingredients in a medium pot and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer covered for an hour. While the broth is cooking, take the time to prep all of the other ingredients, like soaking the rice noodles. Package directions say they’ll need to soak in hot water for 50-60 minutes, but I soaked mine for about 30 minutes.  After the broth has simmered for an hour, strain it, discard the solids and return the broth to the pot.

Garnish options (which I had none of at the time. I just used cilantro, lime and julienned zucchini & carrots): tofu, scallions, onions, cabbage, sliced chile peppers, lime wedges, bean sprouts, herbs (basil, cilantro, etc.), sriracha, hoisin…whatever you want!

To serve, place the soaked noodles in bowls, ladle hot broth over the noodles and top with garnishes. Slurp away!

Thursday, April 25, 2013

Dining Out For Life, a national annual fundraising event, returns to El Paso on Thursday, April 25, after a brief hiatus. Houston and El Paso are the only Texas cities participating this year. Throughout the day, more than 20 local restaurants will donate 25-50% of their proceeds to El Paso’s International AIDS Empowerment organization.
This nonprofit’s mission is to improve the quality of life for people living with HIV/AIDS and to reduce the incidence of new infections through education, outreach and testing. For more info and how you can help, visit internationalaids.org.

In honor of this charitable event, What’s Up has asked me to profile 3 participating restaurants. You can read it here. Don’t forget to follow me on Instagram(@bettyfemme), Twitter(@epvegsnob) or Facebook (elpasovegsnob), where I’ve been posting pics of dishes from participating restaurants.

Visit diningoutforlife.com to find out if your city is participating.

Dine during these mealtimes at the restaurants listed below on April 25. Pretty much all of them are vegan/vegetarian friendly. The most veg friendly places are Eloise, Magic Bistro, Opus World Bistro, Ripe Eatery and Sam’s Chinese Restaurant. All restaurants are donating 25% except for Red Mountain Bistro. They are graciously donating 50%! Eloise and Magic Bistro normally serve food only during lunch hours, but both will be extending their lunch menus into the dinner hours for this night.

• Andre’s Pizza (915) 833-0255 Dinner (V)
• Ardovino’s Desert Crossing (575) 589-0653 Dinner (V)
• Bella Napoli Ristorante Italiano (915) 584-3321 Dinner (V)
• Dominic’s Italian (915) 778-0011 Lunch, Dinner, Late Night (V)
• Eloise (915) 581-2441 Lunch, Dinner, Late Night (V)
• Emilia’s on the Plaza (Las Cruces) (575) 652-3007 Lunch, Dinner (?)
• Italians (915) 400-4550 Lunch, Dinner (V)
• Japanese Crepe House (915) 760-8977 Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner (V) Read my blog review here>>
• Magic Bistro (915) 833-2121 Lunch, Dinner (V) Read my review in What’s Up here>>
• Opus World Bistro (915) 585-2221 Lunch, Dinner (V) Read my blog review here>>
• Pacifica Seafood & Bar (915) 581-1336 Dinner (?)
• Paco Wong’s Chinese Restaurant (915) 581-7111 Lunch, Dinner (V)
• El Parque Restaurant (915) 633-1717 Dinner (not very veg friendly. appetizers & potato flautas are only options; beans have lard) Read my review in What’s Up here>>
• Pot au feu (915) 503-8158 Dinner (V) Read my review in What’s Up here>>
• Red Mountain Bistro (915) 585-6940 Lunch, Dinner (V) Read my review in What’s Up here>>
• Ripe Eatery (915) 584-7473 Lunch, Dinner (V)
• Ruli’s International Kitchen (915) 541-9990 Dinner, Late Night (V)
• Sam’s Chinese Restaurant (915) 577-0961 Lunch, Dinner (V)
• Sparrows Spirits & Pies (915) 855-7437 Lunch (V) Read my review in What’s Up here>>
• Star City Kitchen & Bar (915) 307-4496 Dinner (V)
• Sunny’s Sushi West (915) 842-9508 Lunch, Dinner (V) (ask for the agedasi tofu w/out fish powder. It’s so good!) Read my review in What’s Up here>>
• Sushi Express (915) 581-3841 Lunch (V)
• Tabla (915) 533-8935 Lunch, Dinner (V)

Where will you be dining tomorrow?

This review was originally published in the Tiempo Dining Out section of the El Paso Times on February 15, 2013 as part of a series of monthly reviews that feature vegetarian friendly restaurants in the El Paso region.

Most restaurants shy away from adding vegan dishes to their menus because most people shun the label. Chef Michael Ross of Opus World Bistro waves away any negative notions by creatively accommodating this underserved community. After receiving many requests for vegetarian dishes and developing a relationship with the Vegetarian Society of El Paso, he has created an eclectic vegan menu that plays on textures and flavor combinations.

Opus has lunch and dinner menus Tuesdays through Saturdays and a Sunday brunch with endless mimosas and sangria— all vegan friendly. As the restaurant’s name implies, these menus take you around the world. Much of the influence is from Asia and the Mediterranean. All vegan menu items are clearly indicated with a leaf symbol, in which you’ll notice that there are a lot of leaf symbols on the menu. You’ll also notice that they aren’t your typical, boring salad and roasted vegetable plate options. They are well-thought-out entrees with much knowledge behind them.

At lunch, you can choose among small plate appetizers, salads, soup, sandwiches and pasta dishes. The most creative lunch item is the eggplant “bacon” sandwich, which is an interpretation of a BLT. Thin slices of eggplant are seasoned with what tastes like smoked paprika and baked at a low degree for hours; a method commonly used in place of a food dehydrator. The outcome has a smoky crunch with a hint of sweetness that offers a pleasant alternative to its high-cholesterol converse. The sandwich is served on a bolillo roll or whole-wheat sandwich bread with lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers and a tahini-based spread in place of mayo. All sandwiches come with a choice of soup or salad.

Small-plate appetizers during lunch and dinner include spiced lentil samosas, kimchi and shiitake pancakes, and vegetable spring rolls. Samosas seem to be popular, because they had run out on two separate occasions. The vegetable spring rolls are fried and have a delicate, crisp texture that isn’t greasy and doesn’t fall apart. Six spring rolls stuffed with cabbage and carrots come with a sweet orange chile dipping sauce. The silver-dollar sized Korean pancakes come with a soy dipping sauce that has the taste and consistency of molasses. The pancakes are soft and have an earthiness from the mushrooms and a fresh scallion flavor. I couldn’t really taste the kimchi, but the orangey hue of the pancakes indicated its presence.

During dinner, a basket of lavash (thin, crispy Middle Eastern bread) and mini cornbread muffins along with cream cheese and cottage cheese dip is brought to your table. Specify vegan, and you’ll get a basket of spicy papads (an even thinner crispy flatbread from India, also known as papadums) and creamy non-dairy-based jalapeño dip.

The current vegan dinner menu boldly offers mimics of classic seafood dishes such as paella and “crab cakes.” The faux crab cakes consist of a blend of tofu, bulgur wheat (the grain commonly found in tabouleh salad), seaweed and spices. The texture and flavor is so dead on, you’ll never know you’re eating tofu. The dish is topped with a corn basil relish and avocado.

Another entree presents a fusion of Asian flavors, a lentil mixture stuffed into garlic tofu pockets and served with sautéed bok choy over a yellow curry sauce. The lentil filling lacked flavor, seeming to solely serve the purpose of texture and protein, but was redeemed when combined with the garlicky tofu skins, ginger topping and thick, creamy sauce that tasted like Madras curry powder.

Vegan options don’t end at dessert. During my visit, chocolate ganache cake and apple tart would have been available if they hadn’t run out. I opted for the Italian wedding cake, which would’ve been great if it didn’t taste like it had been sitting in the fridge past its prime. Pecans and coconut are speckled throughout layers of white cake and a thick cream-cheese icing. Creme anglaise (a custard sauce) and a couple of blackberries are served alongside the cake.

Opus also hosts non-vegan and vegan wine dinners on Thursdays. Chef Ross makes sure to pair the four courses with vegan-friendly wines, as the majority of wineries use animal-derived fining agents such as casein, gelatin or isinglass during the winemaking process. Suitable alternatives can include carbon, limestone or plant casein.

Both blessing and curse is the seasonality of the Opus menus. If a past favorite is gone or all of these choices can’t satiate your palate, Chef Ross is happy to prepare something off the menu with available ingredients. He will also accommodate anyone with other dietary restrictions such as gluten sensitivities. At Opus, it’s haute to go vegan regardless of your eating habits.

Amazing vegan wine dinner from October 26, 2012:

• Hours: Tuesday-Thursday 11am-9pm; Friday 11am-10pm; Saturday 5-10pm; Sunday 11am-3pm. Monday closed.
• Cost: $$-$$$.
• opusworldbistro.com
  

I posted this dinner yesterday on Instagram from my phone.

If you don’t have these ingredients on hand,change them out with what you do have or want. This recipe is limited to your imagination and your pantry. No Muir Glen Adobo tomotoes? Use any can of tomatoes, and if you want to make the effort add some chipotle or chile powder, smoked paprika or liquid smoke, garlic powder, onion powder, and oregano. No bulgur? It provides a nice meaty texture, but any grain or pasta will work, just adjust the cooking time. No beer? I guess omit it, but why don’t you have beer in your fridge right now? My chili came out a bit drier than I would’ve liked because I used a little over a half cup of bulgur and didn’t add more liquid during the cooking process, but I ended up liking it that way.

Lazy Drunken Chili

Makes about 4 servings

1 can Muir Glen Diced Adobo Fire Roasted Tomatoes
½ cup any beer*
1 cup any broth or water**
½ cup bulgur wheat***
1 can black beans (or any other beans), drained and rinsed
1 tablespoon cornmeal (optional)

1. Puree the tomatoes if you want, then heat a bit of oil in a medium saucepan. Add the tomatoes, bringing them to a simmer.
2. Add the broth, beer, and bulgur. Bring the mixture back to a simmer.
3. Cover and cook for about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally adding more water if necessary.
4. Add beans and sprinkle the cornmeal in, cooking for another 5 minutes, or until bulgur is tender and beans are heated through.
5. Season with salt and pepper if necessary.
6. Top with your favorite garnishes. I topped mine with cheese, sour cream, and chopped up pickled jalapenos.

*I happened to have Budweiser’s Black Crown on hand, but I usually like to use porters or stouts.
**I actually used ¼ of a Not Chikck’n bouillon cube to lessen the amount of sodium.
***I usually get bulgur at Sprouts in the bulk bins, but you can find them at most stores.

This simple dish pops when you add your favorite garnishes. This is just missing cilantro.

Established in 1994, Singapore Cafe has become an Asian and vegetarian staple in El Paso. Singapore’s large menu has something for everyone, including a children’s menu. You won’t find many Singaporean dishes on the menu, but you will find a variety of Thai, Vietnamese, Korean and Malaysian influences.

The graphically rich menu is divided into sections of beef, chicken, seafood, noodle/rice and vegetarian dishes. It’s rare for an El Paso restaurant to have a section solely dedicated to vegetarian dishes, and even rarer for that section to contain more than 10 veg-friendly items.

Vegetarian spring rolls (fresh, not fried) are popular, but the most loved appetizer is a thin Korean pancake called Bu Chin Gae. It contains thinly sliced scallions and carrots and comes with a sweet soy sesame dipping sauce. The savory pancake is cut into triangles and has a satisfyingly toothsome, dense texture. The dipping sauce pairs perfectly with the subtle onion flavor, but has a watery consistency. I would have liked it to be thicker so that more sauce could cling to the pancake. Other starters that can double as main dishes are vegetarian versions of the Clear Noodle Soup and Bun Ga. Bun Ga is a large Vietnamese salad filled with fresh veggies and herbs, tofu, and rice noodles.

Entrees come in generous portions, and come with your choice of white or brown steamed rice unless it’s a noodle-based dish. Singapore Cafe is known for its Pad Thai, and fortunately, vegetarians won’t have to miss out on their signature dish. Pad thai is traditionally a dish of chicken, shrimp, tofu, egg, bean sprouts and rice noodles cooked in a sauce of tamarind, fish sauce, and other ingredients, garnished with crushed peanuts, cilantro and lime wedges. The veggie version is all of this sans the chicken and shrimp, but with more tofu (you have to specify no eggs and fish sauce if you don’t want them in the dish).

Phad Prik King is another Thai dish described on the menu as a ginger curry with green beans and onions. The dish is traditionally made with a dry red curry paste, but Singapore Cafe serves up a saucy, mild yellow curry sauce. The entrée came with plenty of tofu and fresh green beans, but the sauce lacked flavor and any hint of ginger; I had to add chile oil and sriracha. Skip this dish and opt for more flavorful dishes that are not to be missed like the Ginger Tofu or Yu Sang Broccoli. Ginger lovers will delight in a dish of tofu, mushrooms, snow peas, onions and crushed peanuts. Yu Sang Broccoli with tofu is a safer bet for those who enjoy Chinese fare with some spice.

For dessert, you can try a Banana Turon, a Filipino specialty of bananas rolled in a spring roll wrapper and fried. Ice cream is also offered.

Vegetarians and vegans will feel more than welcome at Singapore and will enjoy a variety of dishes not common to El Paso’s Asian restaurants. Some dishes don’t quite adhere to their traditional namesakes, but contain plenty of fresh vegetables and perfectly cooked tofu. If you dine in, be prepared to relax and enjoy the meal, because service can be slow. Don’t forget to specify veggie when ordering vegetarian and indicate if you would like the dish prepared without fish and eggs. Wine and beer is BYOB

• Where: 4120 N. Mesa.
• Hours: 11 a.m.-9 p.m. Monday-Saturday. Closed Sundays.
• Cost: $$.
• Information: 533-2889 or thesingaporecafe.com

I took these photos at the Vegetarian Society’s board meeting. They meet once a month on the second to last Monday. Social time is at 6 pm and meeting begins at 7 pm in the back room. Everyone is welcome to attend.

This is one of my go-to recipes when I’m in a rut, don’t know what to make, and haven’t gone grocery shopping. It’s a versatile sauce that’s great on veggies, pasta, rice, etc. If you don’t have Cajun seasoning in your pantry, go and buy it now! It’s basically paprika, cayenne pepper, garlic powder, and other spices. You could easily make your own and you probably should due to the high salt content, but it’s of course more convenient to have the ready-made one on hand. There are many brands out there, so I’m not sure which to recommend; I’ve only tried the Louisiana Fish Fry Products brand and Tony Chachere’s. Let me know if you have a favorite brand or recipe.

Recipe #2 (vegan version) over brown rice, kidney beans, & steamed broccoli

I give you not one, but three versions of Creamy Cajun Sauce. I don’t really measure for this sauce, so please excuse some of the approximations (~). The recipes make about 2 cups of sauce.

Recipe #1 (roux base)

1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon flour
1 cup milk or half & half
~1 cup canned tomatoes, pureed
1 teaspoon Cajun seasoning
~1 teaspoon dill
Optional: freshly ground black pepper and smoked paprika

Heat butter in a saucepan until melted and bubbling. Add flour and cook 1-2 minutes or until fragrant, whisking frequently. Slowly pour milk or half & half while whisking. Cook until thickened, about 10 minutes. Add seasonings and tomatoes (more or less until desired consistency is reached). Cook until heated through.

Recipe #2 (vegan version)
Same as above, but with cashew cream.

½-1 cup cashew cream (recipe follows)
1 tablespoon Earth Balance butter (optional)
~1 cup canned tomatoes, pureed
1 teaspoon Cajun seasoning
~1 teaspoon dill
Optional: freshly ground black pepper and smoked paprika

For the cashew cream, soak 1/2 cup of raw cashews in enough cold water to cover them; refrigerate for 30 minutes. Drain the cashews and rinse. Cover the cashews in water again and puree until smooth. Add enough water to get a thick, yet slightly runny consistency. Set aside.

Heat  butter in a saucepan until melted and bubbling. Add Cajun seasoning and dill, stirring and cooking for about a minute or until fragrant. Add more or less tomatoes and cashew cream until desired consistency is reached. Cook until heated through.

Version #3 (quickest version) 
Same as above, but with sour cream.

~½ cup sour cream
~1 cup canned tomatoes, pureed
1 teaspoon Cajun seasoning
~1 teaspoon dill
Optional: freshly ground black pepper and smoked paprika

Combine all ingredients (more or less sour cream & tomatoes until desired consistency is reached) in a saucepan. You may need to add a bit of water if you want a thinner consistency. Cook until heated through.

Recipe #3 (quickest version) with whole wheat penne, steamed broccoli, & mozzarella 

Disclaimer: My year in EP food review covers all foods including items that aren’t vegetarian.

Top: Tofu wings & veggie burger at the Hoppy Monk. Middle: Pita bread basket & falafel sandwich at Nour Mediterranean Cafe. Bottom: Veggie meatballs at Oliver’s & Pizza at Tosca.

Trends

The EP trend of 2012 was…burgers! More specifically, it was burgers topped with a fried egg. Hoppy Monk was the most decadent, offering a donut burger as one of its daily specials. Homemade veggie burgers made their debuts at Hoppy Monk, Ripe, and Crave.  The much anticipated Square Cow Burgers, Beer, & Wine opened and promptly closed. Create Gourmet Eats food truck continued to shine, and helped start Foodville Food Truck Park downtown.

The appetizer of the year was fried pickles. A year ago no one had them except for Hooters and Buffalo Wild Wings. This year, you could find them at Bikini Joe’s (now Cabo Joe’s), Wing Daddy’s, Square Cow, Fiesta Lanes Bowling Alley, Toro, Smashburger, and Texas Roadhouse.

Already trending is hummus sans the chickpea. Eloise serves up red hummus that is made with beets, and Tom’s version is lima bean based.

I predict that mac & cheese will be the ingredient of 2013. Mac & cheese will step out of its role as side dish to fill other parts like appetizer, burger topping, pizza topping, and filling.

Top: Star City Kitchen and Belle Sucre Bakery. Middle: Portobella Mushroom Lasagna sandwich at Red Mountain Bistro and vegan “crab” cake at Opus World Bistro. Bottom: Pizza w/vegan cheese at The Pizza Joint and Pea tortellini first course at Opus.

Hurry Up and Wait

• Square Cow Burgers, Beer, & Wine took forever to open, and then closed before the year even ended. I had been there three times, and received poor service each time. The food wasn’t good either, not even for my meat-eating friends. This is really unfortunate because it had a great atmosphere, beer selection, and concept.
• A group announced plans of opening a nonprofit restaurant that operates on a pay-what-you-can basis. A large press release was issued earlier in the year, but the group has been quiet since. Check out their website: The Mustard Seed Cafe
• The Green Ingredient was supposed to open in the fall. It is still not open. The restaurant’s concept is healthy food with an emphasis on vegetarian and vegan options. It will be located downtown in the Chase Tower at 210 E. Main St.
•  Kinley Pon of Kinley’s House of Coffee and Teas and GECU announced a unique partnership; they plan on opening a tea house that will also have a virtual teller/ATM.  Construction behind Kinley’s coffee shop began late summer with a projected opening date of late December and early spring. No word on the progress.
• The Magic Pan’s Cincinnati location in Kern closed to make way for Agave Kitchen and Bar which is yet to open.
• Valentine’s Kitchen decided to head downtown. The Mexican eatery was located at 4012 N. Mesa next to Hope and Anchor. Its new location will be at 504 W. San Antonio.
• Cafe Italia, a westside eatery also announced plans of opening a second location downtown.
• Hello Day Cafe was supposed to open next to Tricky Falls/Bowie Feathers, also located downtown. Jim Ward, one of the owners said the cafe will serve coffee, have top notch veg options, and offer downtown lunch delivery. No word on its progress.

Top: Tofu tacos at Tacoholics and Mediterranean sandwich at D’Lox. Middle: Tembloroso house coffee beans (Picacho Roasters) and Reuben at Eloise. Bottom: Cabo Joe’s west and Quinoa salad at Red & White Wine Bar.

Hello, Goodbye

• The biggest, saddest news this year was the closure of iconic El Paso staples Jaxon’s and Capetto’s. Capetto’s had been in operation for 56 years, while Jaxon’s had operated for nearly four decades.
• Star City Kitchen opened in Nofish’s previous location. It’s open 24 hours, 6 days a week. Cool decor and atmosphere with a fun, creative menu. They have a mashed potato of the day, which can contain funky ingredient combos like peanut butter and sriracha. Unfortunately their creativity falls flat when it comes to their veg options.
• The university area got another worthwhile Mediterranean restaurant called Nour’s. They start you off with a complimentary basket of pita bread and an amazing creamy dip that happens to be vegan.
• The Montana Steakhouse which had taken over the original Jaxon’s location closed down. Caruso’s Italian Ristorante opened in its place and closed down about a month ago.
• The owner of The Greenery opened a new restaurant called Crust in the former location of the Maria Chuchena Mexican restaurant. Crust features pizzas and Italian dishes. I have not tried it yet, but it seems overpriced and I’ve heard mixed reviews.
• The Greenery closed its market during the summer and announced plans to open Big Juli’s Burgers, Brats & Brews. Come fall, Big Juli’s was canned and the market reopened with slight renovations including a sit down area. They also unveiled a Greenbacks rewards program.
• The shopping center that Ripe is located at received new tenants, Japanese Crepe House and Sunny’s Sushi. Sunny’s eastside location is still in operation.
• Big Bun closed in July after 50 years of service and then reopened in a new location at 209 E. Mills, the former location of Alberto’s Mexican Restaurant. They have kept some of Alberto’s dishes alongside Big Bun standards at a reduced price.
• Fort Bliss’s Freedoms Crossing Shopping Center had a couple of new additions this year: Chi-Town BBQ & Italians.
• Italians also opened a pizzeria at Sunset’s former location at 5380 N. Mesa.
• Sunset Pizzeria may have closed, but staff and recipes have been resurrected into Tosca Stone Oven Pizzeria down the street at 4017 N. Mesa. The Sunset menu has been revamped and is much larger.
• The New City Grille not only has new owners but also has moved to a new location at 101 N. Kansas at San Antonio. It was originally located at South Mesa and Third Street.
• Tacoholics Food Truck opened up a brick-and-mortar location inside the Exxon at 7450 Gateway East, near Hunter. Don’t let the gas station setting deter you. Their tacos, tortas, and freshly made salsas are so good! Try the tofu tacos!
• Red & White Wine Bar decided to close shop on the eastside and move into Toro’s former location at Kern.
• Crave opened Shelby Shack inside the Casa Ford service station at 5815 Montana. They serve breakfast, burgers, sandwiches, and Crave’s signature green chile mac & cheese. Crave is also operating a food truck downtown at Foodville.
• Newcomer Red Mountain Bistro made Texas Monthly‘s 2012 list of best new restaurants.
• More food trucks: Sweet Addiction, Moshibox, El Paso’s Wurst, Pappa’s, The Reef, & BFF (still not operating yet).
• Basico Bistro & Cafe is a new restaurant located inside of the Coronado Tower at 6006 N. Mesa. They serve pizzas, sandwiches, burgers, and bistro classics.
• Pastry Chef Jonathan Bowden was extra busy this year making and selling bread and pastries at the farmers’ market and other events, and supplying bread to several local restaurants. He then opened Belle Sucre Bakery at 7500 N. Mesa where you can get macarons, eclairs, authentic New York rye bread, and more six days a week!
• Bikini Joe’s had to change its name to Cabo Joe’s, and opened a second location at the former location of Ernie G.’s, which was previously Andre’s Pizza.
• My favorite newcomer of 2012 had to be Eloise. Here’s a laundry list why: Wes Anderson theme, French press coffee, almond & soy milk options (I’m really digging soy Cortados), craft beers, Lone Star on tap (which I’ve decided to boycott for personal reasons), house infused liquors (cool , but not my thang), and now a lunch menu with delicious vegan/vegetarian paninis.

El Paso Vegges Out

El Paso became very vegetarian friendly this year. Mercado Mayapan offered a full vegetarian and vegan menu during the month of August. Opus World Bistro began adding creative vegan options to its menu, as well as hosting vegan wine dinners. We also thought The Green Ingredient was going to be El Paso’s only vegetarian restaurant, but it turns out they’re going to serve meat, and they still haven’t opened yet. Oh well, at least there’ll be plenty of veg options.

Restaurants that don’t offer a vegetarian option or are currently offering a salad, mushroom burger, or pre-fab veggie burger, need to step it up— this is no longer acceptable. Opus has vegan crab cakes and eggplant mimicking bacon. The Hoppy Monk and Ripe are making exceptional veggie burgers. Eloise has a vegan Reuben that is so good, you won’t miss the meat and cheese.

Actually, El Paso restaurants need to do better with their meat options as well.

Our local businesses took a hard hit this past year. We saw local staples and newcomers bite the dust that none of us saw coming. 2012′s mantra was go local. But El Pasoans can’t carry all the blame; after all, how many times have you heard someone say such and such place is pretty good— for El Paso. So, step it up and make something that’s good by all standards.

With that said…

…miscellaneous thoughts for local businesses: 

• Train and communicate with your staff. And treat them well— they deal with difficult people and they’re representing your brand.
• Be consistent.
• Don’t overcharge if your food isn’t up to par.
• If you have a website or social media presence, update it frequently and respond to inquiries and comments! Also, don’t use Facebook or other social media to rant about customers or drama. I won’t name names, but a local business currently does this. It’s unprofessional, annoying, and tacky.
• Enough with high end frou-frou restaurants. How about a casual, affordable and fun restaurant (that serves beer of course)? Or a diner? We don’t have many diners in El Paso. I’ve never been to this place, but wouldn’t it be awesome if someone opened up something similar to Spiral Diner?

So much happened in 2012 that this became lengthy. Did I leave something out or post any wrong info? Let me know by leaving a comment. Also, tell me what your favorite restaurant or food memory of 2012 was. 

You can also check out my 2010 and 2011 year in review posts.