Recently in Vegetarian Category

Fried green tomatoes never tasted so good!

Who says that vegetarian food needs to be a crunchy granola meat substitute? Green Zebra doesn't push the tofu or try to recreate meat dishes in vegetable form, but seeks to bring out the best of seasonal vegetables. How happy were with the experience? Tune in to the podcast.

(18.1 M)

00:00 - 01:34 Gushing about veggies
01:35 - 04:04 Getting started with wine, tasting menu
04:05 - 05:35 Fried green tomatoes, pickle agreements
05:36 - 07:24 The need for dinner theater
07:25 - 09:36 Splitting peas
09:37 - 11:10 Almost not sharing potatoes
11:11 - 14:05 Shrooms, not quite as good; matching dishes
14:06 - 15:45 Dessert
15:46 - 18:00 Thoughts on service
18:01 - 19:46 Ratings and sign-off

With dishes like this, you don't realize that the meat is missing.

Green Zebra
1460 W Chicago Ave
Chicago, IL 60622
(312) 243-7100
Get directions

Average price per person: $85

Green Zebra serves small plates, but that doesn't mean it's small flavor.

Related Chicago Bites Posts:
Blind Faith Cafe
Chicago Diner
Karyn's Cooked

Online buzz about Green Zebra:
Chicago Foodies
Find Your Craving
Happy Cow's Vegetarian Guide

Check out our Green Zebra photos on Flickr.

The seared tofu was eminently edible at Chicago Diner.

As we've dined around Chicago, we've found interesting veggie options in restaurants that aren't dedicated to serving non-meat eaters, but haven't had as much luck in establishments that cater to vegans and vegetarians. Do the faux meat sandwiches and vegan cheese alternatives at Chicago Diner deliver a satisfying experience? Listen to find out!

(5.0 M)

00:00 - 01:54 Imitating meat
01:55 - 04:15 The challenges of getting in the front door
04:16 - 05:10 Blending in with blenders
05:11 - 08:00 Average appetizers and faux entrees
08:01 - 08:46 Monster cookie and cookies & cream
08:47 - 10:44 Ratings and wrap-up

Chicago Diner
3411 N Halsted St

Bridget's Chicago Diner Ratings:
Food Quality: 3/5
Value: 3/5
Service: 3/5
Ambiance: 1/5
Overall: 6/10

Tammy's Chicago Diner Ratings:
Food Quality: 3/5
Value: 3/5
Service: 3/5
Ambiance: 2/5
Overall: 6/10

Average Price per person: $30 will get you a nice faux sandwich, soy milk and a vegan dessert. It's a kid friendly place, too!

The cookies and cream cake could pass for non-veggie fare.

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Blind Faith Cafe
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On-line Buzz about Chicago Diner:
Chicagoist
Metromix
Yelp

Check out our Chicago Diner photo set on Flickr

It's mac and cheese! Or is it? Humm. That is the question.

Everything at Karyn’s Cooked is vegetarian friendly from the spaghetti with meatballs to the meatloaf. And vegans can feast on traditional favorites like mac and cheese without having to worry about dairy. But do these culinary creations stand a chance against their meaty and milky counterparts? Get some surprising opinions from this meat-eater and my “pesco-fussitarian” co-host.

(6.3 M)

00:00 - 01:03 What is a "pesco-fussitarian?"
01:04 - 02:41 The pesco-fussitarian who doesn't like vegetarian dining
02:42 - 05:20 Meatless meat defense and more main course commentary
05:21 - 06:07 Mac and cheese? Well, we've had worse
06:08 - 08:11 Back to the appetizers and wine pairings
08:12 - 09:01 Dessert? What the heck is that?
09:02 - 11:58 Atmosphere, service and accessibility
11:59 - 13:46 Ratings and sign-off

Karyn's Cooked
738 N. Wells St.

Bridget rates Karyn's 5/10
Tammy rates Karyn's 4/10

Spaghetti with meatballs is a Karyn's favorite and a filling meal.

Related Chicago Bites Post:
Blind Faith Cafe

On-line Buzz about Karyn's Cooked:
Menuism
Metromix
Yelp

The Blind Faith salad is enough food to make your eyes bug out.

Want to give your New Year's resolution to eat healthier a boost? Feel guilty about eating warm and fuzzy little farm animals? Overcome with loathing for all the hormone-laced dairy products you eat? Then try The Blind Faith Cafe. You have plenty of options at Blind Faith. Whether it's vegan tofu scrambled eggs for breakfast, a barbeque seitan sandwich for dinner, or a grab-n-go gluten-free cookie, you can satisfy your appetite and your social conscious at the same time.

To be honest, it wasn't my appetite or my social conscious that lead me to Blind Faith Cafe (BFC) on this past visit. BFC happens to be a favorite compromise spot that my friend Joan and I hit whenever we head into Evanston. We know they will have something we can both eat at a price point that we're both comfortable with -- that, and I think that Joan is a bit smitten with their sauteed greens. They are yummy!

Many of the dishes at BFC have an ethnic cast to them, but there are attempts to recreate American classics. On my last visit, I tried their tofu crabcakes and was surprised by the results. The crabcakes had the flavoring down and the sauce was fantastic, but the texture? As my friend Dave would say, it could have benefited from some actual fish. I was also a bit disappointed by the enchildas verde which lacked anything resembling verde sauce. They were delicious but not very spicy. However, Blind Faith makes magnificient salads and does not skimp on those ingredients. We enjoyed the eponymous salad that could have substituted for a main course - it had loads of avocado, nuts and dried fruit over a huge platter of mixed greens. On past visits, I've also enjoyed the Blind Faith burger, which is a rich and tasty vegetarian classic.

In addition to an extensive list of teas, shakes, smooties and healthful drinks, BFC has a decent wine and beer list, which they rotate periodically. They make a point of marking places that pay attention to environmental practices or avoid additives to their products. I like the attention to detail. However, the healthy vibe at BFC has never put me in the mood to drink there. Maybe I would enjoy it more if I did, but I can't bring myself to hoist a glass.

Service is slow at the BFC. Every time I've been there, I've waited for service after being seated. This time it took over ten minutes to get glasses of water delivered to our table and another ten before we could place our order. The place is always busy and if you go during prime dining hours you can expect to wait for a table. Knowing this, we made a point of eating early and were still disappointed by the attentiveness of both the waiters and the support staff. However, I am impressed with how knowledgeable the wait staff is about their food and the attention they pay to the special dietary requests of their customers. Dietary concerns are, after all, their bread and butter.

If you find yourself in Evanston, the Blind Faith Cafe is a good choice. However, for the price, execution and attention to service, there are better options to be found in nearby Chicago. My recommendation is to spend a few more minutes in the car and head to either Alice and Friends Vegetarian Cafe or the Chicago Diner.

525 Dempster Street
Evanston

Price: You get a huge amount of food at Blind Faith for less than twenty dollars a person.

I give Blind Faith a 5/10.

Their enchiladas verde was suspiciously lacking in verde sauce...maybe they meant the salad...

Related Chicago Bite's Posts:
Stella's Diner
Pierrot Gourmet