Restaurant Blog - Chowbaby.com

by Karen Hofreiter

VEGGIE PLANET - Vegetarian and Vegan
47 Palmer Street, Harvard Square, Cambridge, MA
(617) 661-1513
These folks have arguably created a little utopian planet in Harvard Square, offering food and music to nourish the soul. The inventive vegetarian pizzas and rice dishes are created with mostly organic and locally-produced ingredients and lots of love, while the organic bread (the dough purchased from a nonprofit bakery) is fresh baked in a special “ecological” oven. In the evenings, the restaurant becomes Club Passim, a well-known folk music venue that attracts local and national talent. And as if all this weren’t enough to warm the heart, Veggie Planet donates a percentage of its profits to organizations promoting social and environmental change.

by: Jill O’Farrell

ONE WORLD CAFÉ (vegan, vegetarian)
41 S. 300 East
Salt Lake City, Utah 84103
(801) 519-2002

The motto of the One World Café is, “Everybody Eats.” At One World Café there is no set menu and no set prices. No matter your situation you can get a great meal at One World Café. Patrons are encouraged to donate as much as they see fit after they have eaten their fill. And you will have no problem finding something to love at One World Café, as their food is as gourmet as the café is unpretentious. Often the menu features delicious soups, salads, quinoa, and quiche, as well as meat entrees for those so inclined. This nonprofit restaurant is truly one of a kind, and will make you feel great about dining out.

by Joanna O’Leary

No Name Restaurant
15 Fish Pier Street West (Cross Street Seaport Boulevard)
Boston, MA 022130
617-338-7539

No typo in the title, it’s actually the (no) name. This classic “hidden gem” of Boston seafood restaurants is the place only residents know about. Red-and-white checked table clothes, a worn wooden interior, and salty water views complement the no-frills but tasty seafood right out of the harbor. Start with a bowl of thick seafood “chowdah” studded with crisp oyster crackers before diving into plates of lobster, shrimp, clams, and oysters. Fish is baked, friend, boiled, or grilled to your taste. Bottled beer and simple sides like coleslaw, French fries, and baked potatoes complete the Cape Cod picnic feel.

by Jim Phillips

SUSHI KING
118 Central Ave. NE, Albuquerque, NM 87102
(505) 842-5099

Sushi King may be one of the newer sushi bars in Albuquerque, but it’s location in central downtown make it one of the hipper and more convenient as well.  But, in the end, it’s all about the quality of the sushi.  And Sushi King’s raw, cooked and vegetarian dishes are among the freshest and most beautifully prepared in the city.  Along with a wide variety of Japanese soups and noodle dishes as well as teriyaki chicken, everyone will find something to delight them at Sushi King.

by Brooke Foster

EVEREST CAFÉ (Vegan and Vegetarian available)
1916 Washington Ave.
St. Louis, MO 63103
(314) 621-2021
When it comes to I-know-a-little-place gems, St. Louis is tough to beat. Everest Café, a delightful Nepalese restaurant that’s a fair hike from the city’s downtown corridor, is hardly a secret anymore – or, if it is, it’s everyone’s secret. And that’s OK, because Nepalese food is meant to be shared among friends. Vegetarians and vegans will find plenty to choose from on the menu, from savory, tender greens to vegetable mo-mos (handmade dumplings brimming with sweet-sour ingredients). Nepalese food takes cues from both China and India – not surprising, given the tiny country’s geographic location – and the result is elegantly spiced dishes with gradual, satisfying heat. Order off of the very reasonably priced dinner menu, or stop by during the weekday lunch buffet to snag a sampling of many different dishes. You’ll want to try the stir-fried spinach (as flavor-packed as soul-food greens), the cauliflower fritters, the lentil soup, the veggie samosas dipped in zesty, relish-like achar…this truly is a paradise for hungry vegetarians who know an incredible dish when they taste it. And keep your eye on Everest; soon, the café is relocating to larger digs in the city’s up-and-coming Grove neighborhood.

Cuisine type: Nepalese

by Darcie Vance

Kahuna Grill�
13701 S John Young Parkway
Orlando, FL 32837-5866 �
Phone: (407) 858-0445�
Kahuna Grill has unique Polynesian style dishes that both the taste buds and the wallet can enjoy. Diners will feel they have gone to the islands based on the food and decor. Items like Kahuna Pork, Mahi- mahi, slow cooked ribs, and Pepper Crust Tuna are just some of the specialties on the menu. They also have salads, sandwiches, and burgers if you are in the mood for something less exotic.  They have a number of homemade desserts that include Pina Coloda Cheesecake, Chocolate Volcano Cake, and Island Fondue. This restaurant offers a great price and great island atmosphere.

by: Jenny Bengen

The Crown Room at Hotel Del Coronado
1500 Orange Ave.
Coronado, CA 92118
Locals call it “The Del,” and the elaborate Sunday brunches once served in the Prince of Wales restaurant are now being served in the beautiful Crown Room towards the front of the hotel. At over 13,000 square feet, The Crown Room manages to fill to capacity its impressive space every Sunday between 9 and 2 for hot buffet brunch. Tasty temptations include eggs Benedict, fresh sea food, quiche Lorraine and various types of pasta.  Sushi, Mexican entrees, salads and grilled salmon are available as well, so plan to come with a stomach that’s bigger than your eyes, for once. A polite and friendly wait staff will quickly attend to your every need, including refills of Mimosas.

Cuisine Type: Californian, New American

by Karen Hofreiter

AL DENTE 109 Salem St., Boston, MA 617-523-0990

Bostonians know that to find hidden gems in the North End you have to wander off the main drag—Hanover Street—onto the side streets, where you’ll discover the true heart of this famous Italian neighborhood. Here you’ll find the small and cozy Al Dente, where simplicity rules over the atmosphere and the menu of good ole’ Italian home-cooking. Start your meal with the lobster ravioli and continue with the shrimp scampi over Fusilli pasta or veal marsala, while sipping a glass of wine from the well-chosen selection.

by Scott Kessman

ABE CONKLIN’S
(631) 385-1955
54 New St
Huntington, NY 11743

Huntington at times seems overwhelmed with an abundance of good restaurants, so it can be easy to miss one or two. If you’re in the area, you’ll want to pay a visit to Abel Conklin’s perhaps best known for prime aged steaks and fresh seafood, as well as upscale English pub food serving with a Victorian grace. The décor is at once charming and warming, with old-world traditional wood paneling. Don’t let the initial though of pub food fool you. This is English food at its finest and tastiest. You’ll even find Welsh rabbit gracing the menu, along with Garlic-Herb Infused Chopped Steak, Sauteed Calf’s Liver, and Maryland Backfin Crab Cake. The restaurant lies within the old walls of the Abel Conklin house, built in 1841, and when dining here, you’ll feel as though you’ve been transported to another era. Regulars insist that the porterhouse steak is the best on Long Island.

by Jill O’ Farrell

KOKO KITCHEN
702 S. 300 East
Salt Lake City, UT 84111
(801)-364-4888

Understated and simple, KoKo Kitchen is for the sushi connoisseur on a budget. While you are still able to sample delicious, fresh sushi, you can happily expect to pay reasonable prices. If you are dining with friends who are not so into sushi, KoKo Kitchen offers a variety of traditional Japanese favorites, so everyone leaves satisfied. KoKo Kitchen also boasts a wide assortment of vegan and vegetarian dishes. Be sure to check out the daily specials to find a wide variety of tempting combinations, and the knowledgeable staff can also point you in the right direction.