Vegetarian Lamb and Garden Cafe

My friends Feiran and Tina and I met for lunch at the Garden Cafe- a vegetarian Chinese restaurant here in Orlando where I apparently found something very amusing.

To be perfectly blunt, the menu creeped me out. I’m used to vegetarian places with hummus, fresh veggies and tempeh… but the Garden Cafe had lamb and chicken and ribs. They insisted the dishes were all vegetarian (and mostly vegan), but I just couldn’t bring myself to eat something so similar to meat. Apparently nine years as a vegetarian has formed some sort of mental block against meat?!

The decor and name of Garden Cafe doesn’t reflect a traditional Chinese restaurant, but the menu sure did.

I ordered the Bean Curd with Vegetables. Actually, I was asking for a different (and cheaper) tofu dish, but the waitress/owner somehow ordered me this- one of the more expensive items on the menu. She actually tried to convince my friends to change their orders to more expensive dishes, too. I’ve never had a waitress argue with a guest on what they choose to order.

Regardless, the dish was amazing. The brown rice was perfectly chewy. The vegetables were big and perfectly cooked. The sauce was addicting. And the tofu- oh, the tofu! The tofu was so lightly friend and full of flavor. I ate everything. Yum.

The photo above is Tina’s entree. She had a curry dish with fake chicken. Brave girl.

My friends got a kick out of me photographing my food. Feiran even tried to be a food blogger!

I wasn’t in love with the service at Garden Cafe, but the food was amazing enough to win me over. It’s definitely as fresh and light as I get at places like Infusion Tea, but it is an amazing vegetarian/vegan treat that everyone must try! Their food wins a 20 on a scale of 1-10. I can’t wait to go back!!!

Afterwards I got some Jeremiah’s- mango and coconut. Ryan was told once that the coconut had milk in it, but every time Lindsey and I ask they insist it’s vegan. I went with the last decision :) Yum!

My New Job!

Today was my second day at my new job! I’m doing marketing, personal training and reception for a doctor’s office/physical therapy pain clinic. The people are friendly and really relaxed. I’m enjoying learning so much about physical therapy! I’m going to love it. But the best part is definitely working four 10-hour days and having a three day weekend every weekend! Wait a second! Is that a kitty hiding in the closet!?

What’s the craziest fake meat or food you’ve ever tried?