the vegan diet goes to a restaurant

It might seem surprising to those uninitiated in the ways of veganizing standard restaurant fare, but I'm here to tell you the vegan diet travels well.

Of course, it's not as easy as just opening up the menu and ordering the first thing you see. Being vegan at a restaurant requires a combination of creativity, detective work and occasionally some sweet-talking... much like a scavenger hunt, really. 

Some restaurants are obviously easier than others. You can go to any Chinese restaurant and get a fabulous meal, while a trip to Texas Roadhouse may prove a great challenge. But then again, Texas Roadhouse does have fabulous baked sweet potatoes, and they even offer a veggie plate where you can pick 4 sides (including a salad!) My point - great vegan food can be found in the unlikeliest of places.

Here are some tips to assist you in your dining forays: 

See if a menu is available online (or in the yellowpages, if you even have a phonebook) before you go. It's becoming more and more common for restaurants to have a menu available to you before you set foot in the door. Use this to your advantage by checking out the vegan options.  

Don't be afraid to mix and match parts of entrees... it's really not that big of a deal (especially if you're nice to your server). Order 5 side dishes, or a combo like this: spinach salad minus the eggs/bacon/cheese/dressing, topped with the grilled portobello mushroom from the steak and mushroom entree, all the avilable fresh veggies from everything on the menu, and a side of oil and vinegar. 

Ask for modifications to make things vegan. For example, at Biaggi's they always let us get the eggplant parmesan with no cheese and grilled eggplant. At Macaroni Grill they always let me sub a portobello for meat. Veggie pizzas are great without cheese, especially if you have them overcook them a little bit so the veggies get really cooked into the dough.

Know where animal products can be hiding. Veggie soup might be made with chicken broth; pesto at restaurants usually has cheese in it. Even bread sometimes has milk or honey in it. Just ask- every restaurant has a big binder in the back with all the nutritional information in it.  

When in doubt, feign allergies. Yes, people should be understanding of your lifestyle choice, but to be sure just feel free to say you're allergic to dairy or shellfish. These are common allergies, and will guarantee that the manager will be watching the cooks carefully (if only to avoid a lawsuit). 

Final tip: Just make sure you take some munchies when you know you'll be out and about in the land of omnivores. Granola bars, nuts, dried fruit, crackers with a little condiment-sized tupperware container of peanut butter (or a more exciting nut butter... there are so many to choose from these days), the list goes on and on. There are a ton of vegan snacks that travel well, so if all you can find at a restaurant is a side of steamed veggies and a plain baked potato, just have some nuts and dried fruit and you'll be just fine.  

Remember, going out to eat has as much to do with enjoying the company of family & friends as it does enjoying a fabulous meal. Don't miss out just because you're a vegan! Just order smart, bring snacks and have fun!

define: vegan | your source for everything vegan | jamie at define vegan dot com