I’m not much of a breakfast person and usually don’t eat until at least 10 in the morning but today I met up with my friend JL for a vegan breakfast at The Cliff House in Manitou Springs. www.thecliffhouse.com Well, first of all, Paul and I went bowling with friends last night and had a few cocktails so when I woke up this morning, the thought of eating breakfast at 8 didn’t sound too appealing. Second of all, the reason JL and I were meeting was so we could try out the new vegan breakfast foods The Cliff House just started serving. Now I’m not vegan, but JL is so I wanted to see and compare what we thought. But to be honest, the whole soy thing wasn’t sounding overly delicious to me.
The first thing I tried was the Vegetarian Tofu Scramble (Firm tofu scrambled with caramelized onion, roasted red pepper, button mushroom, tomato, spinach and served with home fried potatoes and fresh fruit $9.)
It was delicious! If I didn’t know it was tofu, I would have thought it was eggs and never given it a second thought. Because I KNEW it was tofu, I actually think I was looking for some “weirdness” but it was just like scrambled eggs with veggies. The caramelized onion and roasted red pepper, along with the other vegetables, gave the whole dish a savory, wonderful flavor.
Next on the list was the Vegetarian Tofu French Toast (Orange and cinnamon seasoned with toasted pecans, served with fresh fruit and maple syrup $7.)
Oh my gosh….fabulous! Again, had I not known it was tofu I was eating, I would never have known the difference. I told JL the texture was just like bread with egg and she said it was because they sliced it thin (which is a good thing). I honestly thought I tasted egg. The orange and cinnamon was sweet without being too sweet and the toasted pecans added a bit of crunch and “texture” for me personally.
I can honestly say this was the very first time I have ever gone to a restaurant and ordered a vegan dish. JL, who obviously eats vegan every single day, said both were excellent and she was impressed, especially with the French toast.
JL actually has a book coming out in July called “Vegan for Her: The Woman’s Guide to Being Healthy and Fit on a Plant-Based Diet” that she coauthored with Virginia Messina, MPH, RD. If you’re considering a vegan lifestyle or would like great recipes, you should check out her website, www.jlgoesvegan.com
Bravo to Executive Chef Scott Savage for coming up with two delicious vegan breakfast dishes that (to me) don’t taste “vegan”. If you’re in Manitou, you should check it out.
I will admit though that I did have to add a side….
