The Vegan Chef Challenge in Athens
For the month of April, Vegan Outreach and Farm of the Free brought the Vegan Chef Challenge to Athens, GA. Local restaurants created different dishes to enter into the contest. We got to visit a few of the participating restaurants and here’s what we had.
HiLo Lounge - A staple for Athens vegans, it was exciting to see how much effort HiLo put into this challenge. They changed their menu and added new items each week. We were able to try four dishes.
Cornmeal Pancakes - We are really hoping this becomes a permanent menu item. These pancakes were fluffy with a crispy outside. Served with a spicy maple syrup, with the perfect balance of spiciness and sweetness, and fresh orange slices.
Lobster Roll -These were made with oyster mushrooms marinated for a seafood taste. The only addition we’d recommend is a vegan butter based sauce to dip the sandwich into.
TofuTacos - Seasoned tofu with fresh red onion, cabbage slaw, lime juice, and fresh cilantro. We’d love if this became a regular menu item.
Apple Turnover - Crispy crust lightly coated with sugar. The apples were nice and tart and provided a great flavor balance.
Jinya Ramen Bar - While it doesn’t seem like Jinya added any new items to their menu, we enjoyed trying their usual menu items. We only had one item that was listed for the challenge but we thoroughly enjoyed our entire meal.
Spicy Creamy Vegan Ramen - With a flavorful broth and fresh veggies, this ramen is super satisfying. It seems like spice is added from hot sesame oil which is one of our favorite condiments. Looking forward to ordering a bowl for a cozy night in.
Little City Diner - Technically not in Athens but close by in Winterville, this is an adorable small town diner. We’re so excited they offer vegan options!
Black Bean Sandwich - Well cooked bean patties with micro greens, pickled onions, and a chutney sauce. Served with house made french fries that were crispy and perfectly salted.
The National - An Athens classic located next to the Ciné movie theater. Hit them up for your next movie and a dinner date night. Their food was fantastic and provided a wide variety of flavors.
Pizzette - A base of spiced walnuts chopped peppers. Topped with cabbage-red onion slaw, pickled cucumber, and a toum garlic sauce. A wonderful start to a great meal.
Green Curried Squash - Squash coated in a delicious curry sauce. Topped with garlic chips, red onion, basil, cilantro, and mint. Between the four of us at our table, this was gone in a flash.
The Vegetable Plate - A smorgasbord of fresh veggies and fun flavors. The seared sweet potato with sesame-chili glaze was the star of the plate.
Olive Oil Chocolate Cake - If you haven’t tried olive oil cake before, this is the one to start with. This was a decadent way to end a 10/10 meal.
Oh My Delicious - A secret dinner club that we have the feeling is about to become very popular. Oh My Delicious did three pop-ups with two menus of fantastic vegan food. Unique flavor pairings made them the clear winners of this challenge in our eyes.
Smoked Squash Mac and Cheese -Smoked butternut squash cashew cheese sauce with serrano and charred broccoli topping. A good way to satisy the mac and cheese craving.
The M’ort - With house made vegan mortadella, smoked jackfruit, and all the fixins, this sandwich was a BBQ classic. Looking forward to the next pop-up that features this sandwich.
The Figgy - Sweet and savory, this little sandwich was a delight. We’re fans of fig jam so we were glad to see this used on the menu.
Jackfruit Crab Rangoon Tacos with Ginger Salad - Seriously, one of the best things we’ve ever eaten. Spicy togarashi wonton shells filled with smoked jackfruit in seasoned vegan cream cheese. Topped with sweet chili sauce, serranos, radish and green onion.
Voting has ended for this contest and the winner will be announced soon. Looking forward to the next time they come to town!
