I'm sorry I've been slow about posting blog entries. I have several things I want to get off my chest soon (with pictures). I only have a week left in this semester, and maybe (perhaps I am being too hopeful) I will be able to get some of my mind back then. I just wanted to relay my birthday experience (from April 16, I'm slow). My wonderful wife made me sesame seitan for my birthday. It was so delicious. I've had similar dishes in the past, but now I'm learning I don't feel so well after having such a mega-dose of wheat gluten. After I eat it, I start getting a headache and feeling flushed. It's hard to explain, but I really don't want to experience that ever again. I know for certain it was the seitan because I ate two plates of leftovers, and the symptoms returned. The strange thing is I don't think I am overly sensitive to gluten in foods. I'm guessing it is just having such a concentrated amount in one dish. Well, at least my last seitan dish was a winner, and so much for snubbing my nose at others who balked at seitan. I understand how they feel now.
Veganism in the Valley
Restaurants
Unfortunately, there are no vegan or vegetarian restaurants in the Rio Grande Valley. There are a few places that have vegetarian parts to their menu, and if you are creative, you can assemble a vegan meal at an unlikely place. Stone Court Cafe on Stuart Place Road in Harlingen has several vegetarian items, including two coconut curry dishes. They will prepare items specially for you if you ask. They are really nice. I have them make me a vegan pad Thai. It's really good. Just be wary that one of their hot sauces has fish in it. So, be sure to ask about that. There's also Taqueria la Michoacana on West Jefferson in Harlingen. The papas a la Mexicanas is vegan if ordered with corn tortillas. They are so good but very spicy. Don't eat the refried beans. They are certainly not vegan. A lot of Valley vegetarians like Hop Tung on 10th Street in McAllen. It has a separate vegetarian menu. I personally think they use too much tofu on their plates and not enough vegetables. That said, their General Tso tofu is great. Le Lai is also on 10th Street. My wife liked it more than I did. Tokyo Sushi Bar is on 10th Street. This is a place I like more than my wife, but their food was really greasy, and we both didn't like the smell of the glassware. Taste of India on Nolana Loop in McAllen is really good. It's strange, but you have to beg for extra heat in the meal. They are so trained to people being sensitive to spicy food. They really don't know what they are missing. Thai Red Chili's on Ware Road in McAllen is good. Just be sure ask for the food to be extra spicy. Otherwise, it will be pretty mild. One of my favorite Valley restaurants is Uchi Japanese Restaurant on Ruben Torres Boulevard in Brownsville. They have a rice dish pronounced "dol-so-bob." It can be made with tofu. Just be sure to ask for it without egg. It is rice served in a hot bowl with vegetables and a spicy sauce, and the rice touching the bowl gets crispy. It really is good. At Betty's Tortas, which have several locations in the Valley, including Brownsville and San Benito, you can make tacos with corn tortillas, aguacate slices (avocado) and papas fritas (fried potatoes) with their house hot sauce. It's quite good. In Brownsville, the Vermillion has vegetarian beans, which are hard to find in these parts. Just be sure to be specific which beans you want. They also have charro beans (cowboy beans that are made with pork). I've heard that the Brownsville City Commission used to hold meetings in the Vermillion, so the restaurant had a reputation of being a center of power.
Grocery Stores
The best stores for vegans in the Valley are Sun Harvest on 10th Street in McAllen, HEB on Trenton and 10th Street in McAllen, HEB on Shary Road and the expressway in Mission, HEB on Lincoln and the expressway in Harlingen and the HEB on Ruben Torres and Paredes Line Road in Brownsville. The best two are Sun Harvest and the HEB at Trenton and 10th. Both have really good supplies of bulk items, hearty breads, teas, organic vegetables and, of course, tofu. There's a small health food store in the mall in Brownsville and one in Harlingen on Sunshine Strip. Both aren't that good because they hardly have much in stock. On South Padre Island, Naturally's Health Food Store and Cafe is great, and you can assemble a vegan sandwich there, as well. It is on the main strip. Tokyo Asian Market on 10th Street is really good, especially since they expanded. They have a great selection of Asian foods, many of which I couldn't do without.
3 comments:
it could also be the salt,
It happens to me sometimes too..
Hello! I am a vegan from the Valley. Your restaurant info was very helpful. I haven't been back to the Valley since I went vegan. I was just a vegetarian then, so I'm anxious about going back and finding all the dishes at my favorite restaurants are out of the picture.
My dad loves Pepe's in Harlingen, so my family goes there often. They have a vegetarian section on the menu from which I had ordered for years, but I don't remember if any of it was vegan. Do you by chance know?
Hi Tabitha,
I'm really glad my list was helpful. It was a bit overwhelming when I first moved here. I had never heard about Pepe's having a vegetarian section on their menu. If they do, it would be really easy to make vegan meals. Just hold the cheese, and you'll probably be fine. If the beans are vegetarian, they probably are vegan, but I'd ask if they have cheese in it. I'm really curious now about Pepe's.
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