"Sensi" at the Bellagio

NEW REVIEW: We can't seem to stop eating at this place! To spread the blog-traffic-wealth around, I have posted the latest review of Sensi at the sister blog: The Valley Vegan Go check it out, leave a comment here and there, and let's get this place recognized by the greater vegan community as a premiere vegan destination in Vegas. I think they deserve it, and I am more than happy to shout their praises from the mountaintops!

EXCITING UPDATE DIRECTLY FROM GENERAL MANAGER JASON REIPLINGER:

Lisa,

I wanted to thank you again for your wonderful article featuring Sensi! Since that time we have had several requests for the now famed “vegan risotto” and this week we officially made it a menu item. I thought I would let you know how much we appreciate your kind words and take your input seriously. Many vegetarian and vegan guests have another wonderful option thanks to you and I believe in giving credit where it is due. I hope the next time you are in town you will come and enjoy the dish so we may be sure we are making it as well as you remember.

We sincerely appreciate your patronage.

Jason Reiplinger

General Manager

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

It has been months since I moved from Vegas to LA, but the simple fact is that while my parents still live in Las Vegas, I will continue to visit Las Vegas on a regular basis. Therefore, I will maintain this blog for those times I eat an extraordinary meal in Vegas!! And this week... this was a visit to remember!!

Friand and I spent a wonderful week at The Bellagio. We went into this visit with expectations of eating elsewhere, but once we settled into the hyper-decadent fantasy world that is the Bellagio, we found ourselves loathe to leave. So we checked out the dining options the best way we knew how: walking through the casino and reading the posted menus. We were not thrilled with the options (Noodles, Jasmine, Le Cirque, Yellowtail, Olives) .... I know, I know! Most people would DIE for these places, but we just felt kind of "meh".

Being the chocolate fiend that I am, I told Friand that I wanted to show him (*cough*me*cough*) the

chocolate fountain at Jean-Phillipe. We stood at the chocolate fountain devising plans for breaking into the glass & lying under the pouring chocolate... marveled at the pastries and gorgeous chocolate creations in the cases. We left Jean-Phillipe & wondered what was beyond the bend in the hall. Any shopping? Any more restaurants? We have all the time in the world, let's go find out!!

And what did we find? This stone and water and glass creation that is Sensi. We were instantly drawn in by the design of the place, read the menu posted at the door & decided on the spot we would go in. There was one vegetarian item on the menu (Vegetable Pad Thai) but this place looked so fancy that I wasn't going to be afraid to ask for something special or off menu. This was a place I *knew* would deliver!

But... it was only 4:30pm. The restaurant didn't open until 5! So we left our name at the front desk & took a seat at the bar for appetizers & martinis. Again, only one vegetarian item on the bar menu, but that was fine with me! Vegetable Samosas! I wasn't entirely certain about the condiments it would come with, but I quickly learned (or rather was reminded) that "Raita" is a yogurt based sauce. The three samosas were accompanied by a mango chutney, raita, and a tomato puree that was out of this world! Friand took one for the team by eating the samosa that sat in the raita. The potato samosas were everything I love about Indian food: a balance of opposing forces: spicy/sweet, crunchy/soft, hot/cooling. They were little pillows from heaven!

At 5pm, we were seated in the dining room. One of the most breathtaking features of Sensi is the glassed in kitchen at the center of the dining room. Sleek & metallic, clean & functional, this kitchen is filled with staff that never looks hurried or hectic, who wipe up the counters at every opportunity, and who interact with each other in what appears friendly banter. I often joke that food tastes better when it's made with love, and this is true. Everyone in the kitchen zoo appears to enjoy their job and put their energy into creating artwork, and it is clear as day in the food that makes its way to the table.

Our server, Michael, took our order, and I informed him that I was vegan and of course asked if the Pad Thai was truly vegan. He said no, but that the chef would modify the dish to be sure that it was absolutely vegan for me. Of course I appreciated this assurance by Michael that my meal would be vegan. When my pad thai arrived it was a beautiful version of pad thai! Crushed peanuts, barely cooked mung bean sprouts, carrots, golden tofu, and a delicate and wonderfully salty sauce that hooked me at first bite. Being the bottomless pit that I surprisingly am, I ate every last bite of this dish. I thanked Michael profusely for his help, and we left the restaurant swearing that we would return the following evening.

This became our routine this week: drinks at 4:00 at the bar, dinner at 5:00 in the dining room. And of course everyone got to know us! One of the bartenders is from Ithaca, NY (where I went to Ithaca College) so we had a fun little conversation about our home towns in Western NY, made us wonderfully dry gin martinis and again served me samosas, this time, without the raita. Again, we moved to the dining room...

Michael was our server yet again and was pleasant in his welcoming of us back. This time, though, he was confident in telling me he would speak to the chef about making me something other than pad thai if I wanted. Of course I *wanted*! I am not at all afraid of allowing a chef to do what they do best: create food art. If the chef is willing & creative enough to take the time to make me something off menu, I will ALWAYS be open to trying it! Michael returned to tell me that the chef would modify an already existing scallop dish to be vegan. Yes please!!!

What arrived was a gorgeous representation of this chef's abilities: perfectly stir fried tofu & vegetables (shiitake mushrooms, snow peas, green & white asparagus, lemon grass, green onio

n, tofu, jasmine rice) in a sweet & salty sauce that did not intrude on the natural flavors of the veggies. But tonight... we were ready for dessert!! I ordered the sorbet. You're given the choice of 3 flavors, so I paired the raspberry, blood orange and coconut. I should have just ordered 3 scoops of coconut -- it was the creamiest, most insane coconut sorbet I've ever had. In fact, it was so creamy, it may as well have been coconut milk ice cream!! It was almost as if someone was asked to make a dessert to explain to a blind person what coconut was and this is what appeared.... I could write an epic poem about this coconut sorbet... that's how good it was.

Thursday evening, our third visit to Sensi, began the same as always: at the bar with martinis and samosas. This time, we barely had to order, our bartender knew what we wanted as soon as we walked in the door. Of course, we were happy to sit there & suck down food & drinks! At 5pm, our cue to eat, we were greeted by Michael who showed us to a seat next to the glassed in kitchen. We were then informed that the chef had our entire meal planned for us! Friand was at least given the chance to order his main course, but otherwise we were given appetizers predetermined by the chef!

For my appetizer, I was sent a delicious asian noodle salad presented in an iced water

droplet. Sounds cool, doesn't it?! It was!! Cold noodles with a light sesame and soy coating, tofu, lemon grass and green onion, in a size that only angered my hunger. I love love love when an appetizer truly excites my stomach for the rest of the meal rather than filling me up. A perfect portion to be sure.

But my meal.... oh my meal.... This was love in a dish. Completely off menu, I was presented with risotto - chanterelle mushrooms, more lemon grass, fava beans, English peas, saffron, and the mack daddy of all mushrooms: morrel.

Three words: oh.my.god.

This may be the best risotto I have ever had in my life. Hear that? IN-MY-LIFE!!! I tried very very hard to not suck this risotto in as fast as I could. I had to learn to savor each bite, it was difficult, but I found a way to do it.

After our main courses were finished, the waiter asked if we were going to have dessert - because the chef, again, had something in mind for us.

Well bring it on, I say!! And out came two fantastic desserts! I'm not sure if what Friand was served was on the menu, but he was given a beautiful presentation of fresh tapioca, a mango lassi "shooter" and a scoop of that unreal coconut sorbet. And me? Fresh berries, with a strawberry reduction sauce, and the chef's choice of lemon & mango sorbets. And don't forget the edible flowers!! I'm not a girl who just likes to receive flowers, I like to EAT the flowers!!! nom nom nom

If you have been to the Bellagio and not discovered Sensi yet, it is a must eat place! Understated & elegant, the food is beautifully presented, but comes with such craft & skill anyone can appreciate the talent behind that glass cage!

Sensi gets 5 Sprouts, but really, it should be in a category of its own!

Thank you to everyone who made our 3 trips to Sensi memorable! We will (I repeat: WILL) return to Sensi on our next visit to Vegas. And you will (I repeat: WILL) go there when on The Strip!

Reservations:
Suggested by calling 866.259.7111 or 702.693.7223

Location:
Within the Via Bellagio shopping promenade.

• Executive Chef:
  Martin Heierling
• Cuisine:
  Simply prepared Italian, Asian, Grilled and Seafood classic

Las Vegas Vacation Deals

Welcome to Las Vegas!

Thanks to increased advertising & search engine accessibility, The Vegas Vegan's advice has been sought out quite a bit this summer from travelers to our very warm, very exciting city!! To make things easier, I'm compiling this list of my favorite places to eat in Vegas.

Each of these restaurants have been reviewed by The Vegas Vegan - see the side bar of this blog for the articles!!


***A short taxi ride off the main strip will find you at:

Paymon's Mediterranean Cafe

2 locations:
4147 So. Maryland Parkway

8380 W. Sahara Ave Las Vegas

***Staying on the Strip with no transportation? Here's a few places I've tried with success!

The Bellagio

Sensi

Yellowtail

Mandalay Bay

RM Seafood

Border Grill

The Venetian Resort Hotel Casino

Canaletto
Grand Luxe Cafe

MGM Grand

Rainforest Cafe

***Have more time & money to spend exploring the city? Try one of my favorites:

Mezzo Bistro Italiano

http://www.mezzobistro.com/
4275 N. Rancho Rd. Las Vegas NV 702.944.8880

Many readers have suggested these places:

Ronald's Donuts

4600 Spring Mountain Rd
Las Vegas, NV 89102

(702) 873-1032
Vegan donuts are usually located on the top shelf but you need to ASK your server exactly what you are getting!

Red Velvet Cafe
http://redvelvetcafelv.com/
7875 W. Sahara Ave. Suite 103 / 104 Las Vegas, NV 89117 (702) 360-1972
I have had several of their baked goods, but never actually eaten a meal there. They offer a wide variety of vegan alternatives that even I never dreamed possible.

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Grand Lux Cafe

Grand Lux Cafe at theVenetian was the location of my most recent dining out experience.

If you don't already know, I work at the Venetian. I say "work" but we musicians rarely call what we do "work". It truly is a gift to use your talents in such diverse ways. At the Venetian, I perform with The Phantom of the Opera, renamed for this production Phantom: The Las Vegas Spectacular. It's truly a once-in-a-lifetime experience to get to play for such a fantastic production. And the Venetian is one of the premiere destination spots for tourists & celebrities. You never know on any given night who is sitting in the audience!

One of my friends is a musician with Blue Man Group also performing at the Venetian. We often joke that since I started playing with Phantom 2 years ago, we still haven't met before/between/after our respective shows for coffee or snacks. So last month, he suggested we meet for coffee at the Grand Lux - just a hop, skip & a jump from the lobby of Phantom. I ordered my coffee and stood waiting for him to arrive. No luck. His sound check went long & he was unable to meet me. No big deal: I'd see him the next day in our yoga class so I could give him a hard time later.

But this excellent cup of coffee has stuck in my mind for the last 4 weeks. Nothing has compared - I LOVE coffee, though I don't usually wax poetic about it. But this iced latte was, how can I say it... heavenly. Starbucks, who?

Last night, I had plans to meet a friend for dinner before the 7pm Phantom show. She wanted to meet at the Venetian, so we decided to try the Grand Lux for food, not just coffee. I didn't realize that Grand Lux is part of the Cheesecake Factory franchise, but apparently it is.

I downloaded the pdf menu and scoured it for vegetarian & vegan choices (she is a lacto-vegetarian). There were 4 choices that jumped out at me immediately:
1) Wild Mushroom Burger
2) Pasta Fresca
3) Crispy Sesame Tofu, and
4) "Vegetables as a Meal" served with rice

Not wanting to take any chances in getting stuck at a restaurant where we wouldn't be happy, I called for more information on each meal:
1) Is the cheese in or on the mushroom burger?
2) Can I have the Pasta Fresca without the parmesan?
3) What about the orange sauce on the tofu?
4) How many veggies can I choose for my meal?

The man who answered the phone was helpful, answering each question patiently and politely. I felt armed & prepared for our meal, as did my friend, so we proceeded to meet at Grand Lux Cafe for our dinner at 5pm. We only waited 2 minutes for a table!

Our waitress took our orders - my friend ordered Manhattan Salad "Vegetarian" (chopped salad with Romaine Lettuce, Asparagus, Tomato, White Beans, Fresh Beets, Red Onions, Lentils and Assorted Vegetables all tossed in the house vinegrette). You can order this salad as Vegetarian, or with Tuna, Chicken, Shrimp or Turkey. When my friend said "vegetarian", the waitress asked "Do you eat cheese?" My friend answered yes, she would like cheese on her salad.

Then it was my turn to order. I wanted the Tofu but the waitress asked "Are you vegetarian? Because this dish is not vegetarian - the sauce is oyster based." Hmm.... this is an odd turn of events (the man on the phone did not tell me this tidbit). The waitress told me that she is vegetarian and was very upset to find out after eating the plate of tofu that there was oyster in the sauce. I changed my order to Pasta Fresca without cheese.

Pasta Fresca: pasta tossed with roasted eggplant, cherry tomatoes, asparagus, broccoli, peppers, sun-dried tomatoes, kalamata olives, garlic & olive oil.

The food arrived and we were astounded by the sheer size of the Manhattan salad! My friend couldn't finish it - she actually took half of it home with her. My pasta was fantastic, and even though I didn't finish either, I did not take the leftovers with me because I had to play the show right after & didn't really want to have to store food in the orchestra green room - not because it would spoil but because people would undoubtedly eat it! (Musicians are generally very hungry people)

Although our meals were delicious, and obviously we had the added bonus of having a vegetarian waitress, my mind keeps trying to wrap around the oyster base in the tofu dish. I have to ask the powers-that-be "who eats tofu?" The unilateral answer is usually vegetarians, right? Who goes to a restaurant like Grand Lux Cafe, where the menu includes a wide variety of foods (pasta, meats, pizza, salads) and orders tofu? Vegetarians. No? So, why, if you know vegetarians are going to gravitate to the tofu, would you serve it with a non-vegetarian sauce? That doesn't make sense to me. I've written a long comment to the restaurant in regard to this situation.

There were enough choices on the menu that were lacto-vegetarian & could easily be modified to be vegan. Of course, I am still swooning from the idea that my waitress was vegetarian and that she was so vocal and helpful with our ordering process.

GRAND LUX CAFE at THE VENETIAN HOTEL, RESORT CASINO:

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Rainforest Cafe

$170.09

That's A LOT of money for what can be a frustrating dining-experience.

Today was kindergarten "graduation" and as a treat, a group of us moms took our graduates out to lunch at the Rainforest Cafe: a grand total of 6 kids (ages 3 to 6 years old), one toddler, one 2-month old baby and 5 adult women = 12 paying diners.

As a vegan, I cringe when I know we are dining at an "American Food" establishment. American food, if anyone cares to try to quantify it into a single category, is nothing more than meat+starch+vegetable. Everyone eats the meat and the starch but skips over the veggies. Since the restaurant-powers-that-be already know this, most places skimp on the vegetable selection. This leaves most veg*heads s@#$ out of luck.

That is...unless you know how to be creative. Check that: confident enough to be creative.

I have learned in the last year that it's not that a chef/cook won't make you a vegetarian meal, it's just that they may not have the time in the kitchen to suddenly create a vegetarian dish when they're more interested in pumping out menu items in a timely fashion. Expecting someone to drop what they're doing to focus on one plate (especially in big restaurants here in Vegas) can be intimidating, but I've come to realize that sometimes the chef/cook likes to be pulled out of the doldrums of repetitive cooking.

I agreed to go to Rainforest Cafe at the MGM Grand because it is actually a very fun place to take kids. The prices are EXPENSIVE for how average the food is. But it is Vegas and if you're going to dine on The Strip, you should expect to overpay for everything.

The last time I was at the Rainforest Cafe, I was a lacto-vegetarian. There is a very good Bruschetta (please, pleEEEEEze pronounce it Broo-sketta) that does contain fresh mozarella. I pondered getting this today, asking politely that no cheese be added to my tomato mixture, but I began to realize that they probably "pre-mix" this and someone would just be standing over my plate picking out the cheese.
Not Acceptable.

So I pulled a new trick I've learned out my hat: building my own new & exciting meal from what's already offered on the menu. Before I go on, let me say there are 2 big reasons why I don't feel funny doing this beside the obvious reason that "The customer is always right":
1) I am an imaginative home cook. If I can think it up, then a "real" chef should be able to pull it off and 2) my husband is training to be a chef and has told me that making something off-menu is actually fun.

Ok then! My friends were amazed as I pulled together a pita (from the quesadillas appetizer) and the Napa Vegetables (which I saw listed as sides to several meat dishes) to create my own scrumptious, possibly qualifying as a gyro, lunch. Everyone was not only jealous of the fresh vegetables ("Oh! Your meal is so colorful!") but the tasty grilled pita bread ("I wish I'd've known, I would have had a pita sandwich too."). Yup, yup, the Vegan totally wins with this meal!

The vegetables that are in this Napa mixture weren't the most exciting or creative, but all together made for a tasty treat: carrots, red cabbage, orange & yellow peppers, cucumbers, raisins & red onion, all splashed with a bit of vinegar. Yum-a-rific!

MENU
Points taken for the fact that there are very few choices for vegetarians much less the vegan in the room, but you could remove the meat & cheese from Planet Earth Pasta. Like I've been trying to point out over the course of keeping this particular blog: it's all about creativity, confidence & cooperation.

Our server today was very kind, thoughtful & patient as I quizzed him about the Napa Veggies: Is there any cheese in it? Any dairy at all? Can you please write down no dairy? My biggest fear was that they would somehow sprinkle cheese all over the pita when they grilled it or hide the whole thing under a dollup of sour cream.

Although it's hard to admit that the Rainforest Cafe can be veg*friendly, I am going to give it a favorable rating of:

The price was not the greatest: $9.99 for each kid's meal (granted this did include their drink, but still...) and each adult paying approximately $15 for their plate, a 17% gratuity automatically added in, we split the bill between us all coming to about $40 per family. I didn't bawk at the 17% tip although our service was slow considering we had 6 kids with us & the waiter spilled an entire pint of ice water in my lap, because in the end the kitchen did respect my kooky food request.

Veg*ns don't be afraid to partake in the Rainforest Cafe! Just bring a full wallet.

Rainforest Cafe - MGM Casino & Hotel
3799 Las Vegas Blvd.
Las Vegas, NV 89109
(702) 891-8580

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Mezzo Bistro Italiano

It was our 11th anniversary yesterday. It started quietly like most anniversaries I can remember in the recent past: Matt waking in the early hours of dawn to go to work, waking me up with a kiss and a "Happy Anniversary" whispered in the dark. Usually I try not to say it back too loudly because I haven't brushed my teeth yet, but he doesn't seem to care. He left for a morning of cooking at Le Cordon Bleu Culinary College in a traditional Hawaiian Luau cooking class. I heard a rumor that my banana smoothie was better than the tuna sushi he had for breakfast.

He returned home around 2pm asking if I wanted to try this new Italian restaurant he'd heard a review of on our local public radio station a few weeks ago. I was game for anything! But of course, being Italian & cooking "vegan" Italian is very different from going out for Italian where things are either covered in cheese or cooked w/a meat bone at the bottom of the pot.

He assured me he'd call ahead & talk to the manager about options. It wasn't the manager that got on the phone, it was the Chef himself: Chef Marcus Sgrizzzi! Matt told him that he was taking his vegan wife out for dinner and he was concerned that there wouldn't be anything for her to eat that wasn't appropriate. Chef assured Matt that there was a wonderful beet salad that he could make without the goat's cheese & that the kitchen would whip up anything I could think of - on or off menu. Whoa! Matt quickly made reservations for 5:30pm.

When we arrived at Mezzo, the host said to me, "Oh! You're our vegan tonight! Don't worry, you're going to have a great meal." Excitedly, we sat in our seats near the open kitchen and awaited our server. The waiter read off the specials to Matt then turned to me & said, "The chef has recommended that we start you with the beet salad, then he wanted to make you Linguini Aglio with oil, garlic & spices or a marinara sauce." I thought long & hard... I had just made homemade sauce last Sunday, let's go for the aglio - something I wouldn't make at home because I just don't have access to quality olive oils to make this dish. Eventually, I settled on the aglio, but would the chef add some porcini mushrooms to the mix? Of course!

Beet salad arrived - beets served w/frisee lettuce, balsamic vinegrette reduction & lots of cracked pepper. Simple ingredients, simple presentation, rustic Italian foods just the way I would make them at home. The bread was warm, soft, crusty & served with a dish of olive oil & lemon. After the appetizers (Matt had a bowl of Pasta Fagioli) arrived, the Chef appeared at our tableside.

"You're our vegan! I'm Marc," he introduced himself & shook hands with both of us. He apologized that there wasn't much to offer tonight, but hoped I would like the aglio his cooks were preparing for me. "It's not much, but the next time you come in, call the day before & let me know you're coming. I'll make you something spectacular!"

Ooooh.... two great things here: 1) he wants to make something extra special for me and 2) he's confident enough in his skills tonight to know I'll come back a 2nd time. Yay. I already like this guy.

The Aglio arrived with plenty of chopped garlic, porcini mushrooms and fresh pasta (traditional "pasta" from Italy cannot use anything other than semolina flour & water, salt & oil, to be classified as "pasta" - did you know this?) cooked perfectly al dente!

We did not stick around for dessert - we had big plans for gourmet chocolate at Caesar's Palace.

Mezzo is located just a few miles from our home so we are certain to patronize them again! The prices were spectacular: entrees were $12 each, appetizers under $10. We walked out of there for $54, but left a hefty tip to show our appreciation to our attentive waiter, host & chef.

If you're coming to Vegas, please rent a car & take a trip up to Mezzo Bistro Italiano. And of course, let me know you're coming so I can go with you!!!!

MEZZO BISTRO ITALIANO:

Mezzo Bistro Italiano
4275 N. Rancho Rd.
Las Vegas NV
702.944.8880
Las Vegas Review Journal

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Paymon's Mediterranean Cafe

Here it is folks: the restaurant by which all others in Vegas are measured: Paymon's Mediterranean Cafe!

It's hard to find anything negative to say about a restaurant that claims on it's menu to have close to 30 vegetarian dishes. Wow! That's impressive, but is it true? Yup. Just count the items on the menu and you'll find 28 not including desserts. A favorite meal for us is: a large hummus & pita, tabouli salad, vegetarian dolmas and for Matt, the Lentil soupl. Tonight, I ordered the vegetable kabobs - one of my favorites at Paymon's - which come with a side of hummus & pita. It's hard to make a visit to Paymon's without partaking in their wonderfully smooth & creamy hummus and homemade pita. Often, we order the Combination Plate, hold the bourrani & add extra falafel or dolmas.

-=IMPORTANT=- we discovered that the Lentil soup is not vegetarian: it is made with chicken broth. As far as our server knew, all of the soups on the menu are made with a "meat" broth.

What I find the most exciting about dining at Paymon's is the waitstaff's ability to recognize dietary needs. It is one of the only places I've dined where they don't question requests to remove ingredients (like dairy) or give an opinion like "that won't taste very good without the cheese" like at some other places. Order some Athens Fries and hold the "dipping sauce" - they're divine! Even Andrew, the pickiest eater on the planet, loves them.

Read the menu very closely & you'll find some very sensitive & heartening lines such as:
Certified Angus Beef ® always in bold to avoid surprises.

Please ask for a Supervisor for all allergy related questions. Don't bother! Your waiter is probably going to be knowledgeable enough to accommodate your needs.

Our Vermicelli Pilaf contains toasted Pine nuts

*All sauteed and fried items are cooked in Canola Oil and/or Olive Oil (0 Trans Fats)

We also offer upon request, White Balsamic Vinaigrette as an alternative to any of our dressings. Eliminates the need for vegans to feel trapped into dry salad as an alternative to creamy dressings. Yeah, that's happened to me before...


It's not just a pleasure to dine somewhere with so many options, but where the servers & staff are so sensitive & knowledgeable when it comes to dietary needs. This restaurant is truly the standard by which all others are measured.

Visit Paymon's at their two locations for dine-in, take-out, late-night and children's dining :

4147 S. Maryland Pkwy
Las Vegas, NV 89119
(702) 731-6030

8380 W. Sahara
Las Vegas, NV 89117
(702) 731-6030

PAYMON'S MEDITERRANEAN CAFE

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Starbucks Coffee

 

Yes, I am going to review Starbucks. Can you believe it? I can't help it... This review is long overdue.

Coffee. Totally vegan. Little beans dried & roasted to yummy perfection. Ground up, pulverized, seeping into the water to make a drink fit for the gods. I admit that I love coffee and can't seem to live without a cup a day. Now, I only drink decaf, so it's not the caffeine hit that draws me to my French press every morning: it's the FLAVOR.
Starbucks is not my favorite coffee house to visit, I prefer to brew my own coffee at home & carry it in my spiffy pink thermal coffee mug, but it's always comforting when in a new town or traveling to see the green emblem. It only means one thing: coffee!! For my money, though, Starbucks coffee served in the cafe almost has a burnt taste to it, very different from the stuff you buy in the bags at your local grocery store. But, it's awfully nice to have someone make you a special cup of coffee - you know, something other than "coffeemaker-supreme-with-cream&sugar". Plus, I think holding a Starbucks cup makes you look hip.

Ok, maybe not so much.

Going Vegan at Starbucks is one of the easiest things to do. My usual drink is a decaf mocha latte, soy, no whip. During the holidays I go all out & add a shot of peppermint. During the summer months, I get the peppermint mocha variation iced. Mmm...

Today, I met some friends for coffee at 9am to sit in the cushy chairs & chat about life for a while. Not quite an image out of Friends considering there were 2 toddlers running amok throwing trail mix everywhere, but it was a relaxing way to start the morning. I wasn't in the mood for a fancy chocolate flavored coffee and I wasn't in the mood to spend a lot of money. I ordered a tall decaf w/soy. Yup, that's it. Thinking I have the $1.75 to pay for this, I reach into my wallet to discover that I still have money on my Starbucks gift card given to me by one of my music students. Woo hoo! Free coffee! I should have splurged...

Want to fancy up your plain old coffee? Head over to their little cream & sugar station & mix yourself a spiced coffee at a fraction of the price they charge you at the counter for the same drink mixed by a barista! In a ratio of 2:1 sprinkle some cinnamon & nutmeg into your coffee. Add a dash or two of chocolate, couple shakes of the vanilla, dump in 1-3 Sugar in the Raw packets, stir, taste, adjust and Voila!: Mocha Spiced Coffee!!

My favorite part about ordering at Starbucks is that no one gives you a funny look when you ask for Soy Milk. In fact, I appreciate that at the Starbucks closest to me they take special care to verbally announce to the barista to use Soy instead of just relying on the little "S" on the paper cup.

Unfortunately, Starbucks uses Silk soy milk, which if you don't know is part of White Wave Foods a subsidiary of Dean Foods. This is a topic for another day, or perhaps a trip & comment over at Compassionate Cooks will reward you with better information than I can provide!!

STARBUCKS earns itself: