Who knew? Wichita, KS, the "air capital of the world" (due to the high concentration of aviation business here), has more than just Wichita State basketball, cattle, and Wizard of Oz memorabilia. On a recent visit for a consulting gig, I discovered a few hidden gems in this quiet sleeper town. And (gasp!) everywhere I went I found plant-strong meals!
With limited time for food and exploration due to a heavy work schedule, I was apprehensive about being able to actually eat healthy food. I prepared myself for a week full of granola bars, carrot sticks, and iceberg lettuce salads and I must say I was more than pleasantly surprised with what we stumbled upon. In no particular order, here are my favorites:
This place came highly recommended as a "can't miss" lunch spot from several locals. The menu clearly labels vegan, vegetarian, and gluten-free options, and there were multiple items to choose from (sorry, other guys. Having a single veg option does not cut it!). I had a cold Thai mango and basil soup and cucumber, melon, and mint salad:
The soup was absolutely delicious! I am not usually a fan of cold soups but I'll eat anything with the word combo of Thai+basil+mango. After I slurped up my bowl (hopefully not embarrassingly fast in front of my new colleagues) I was tempted to order more. It was that.good.
The salad was light and refreshing and just made me happy to be sitting outside, enjoying the weather surrounded by cute patio decor.
Another fave was
Il Vicino, and I loved it because they had a gluten-free crust option, and happily subbed spinach for the cheese on my veggie-loaded pizza, without looking at me as if I had a second head sprouting out of my shoulders. I also got a spinach salad with roasted peppers, hold the goat cheese, and ate every bite. Many thanks, Il Vicino!
I mean, seriously? Who would miss the cheese on this thin crust, fire-oven cooked, veggie and nutrient-packed pizza topped with mushrooms, artichokes, olives, fresh tomatoes, spinach, red onion, and eggplant? Nobody, that's who :).
And last favorite of the trip was at
Larkspur, surprisingly. This is surprising because they are a steak and seafood spot with not a single vegan entree option on the menu. How does one order a plant strong meal in such a place, you ask? Well, you ask the server to ask the chef to cook every vegetable in the back and get creative with it. And that's exactly what happened and it was the envy of the table:
It came out smelling of fresh vegetables, herbs, and that awesome summer smell of the grill. I definitely heard a few oohs and aahs from the table (not to mention another server came over later to say how delicious my meal looked and how excited the chef was to make it).
It was an extravaganza of grilled squash, red onion, asparagus, green beans and portobello mushrooms topped with a house-made roasted tomato and almond sauce. I ate every last bite!
This example is testament to the fact that you really can get a plant-strong meal at a restaurant if you simply ask :).
If you ever find yourself in Wichita, hit up these joints and you won't be disappointed!
(I promise my next post will be a recipe or at least a glimpse into my next cooking adventure. After all this traveling recently I have a few weeks of relaxing at home ahead of me so you can count on me experimenting with some new ideas!) So for now, peace!
