San Francisco: Part 2

(Check out Part 1 here.)  Our second day in San Francisco started with a 3-mile run for a me and some extra sleep for Ashley.  My plan was to enjoy a post-run juice at a nearby juice bar downtown, but we soon discovered that they were closed on weekends.  Lesson learned: do your research before you go!  It wasn't a huge disappointment though because it meant that I got to check out Cafe Gratitude sooner than expected.

Over the years I've heard many great things about Cafe Gratitude and I'm happy to report that this place definitely lives up to the hype.  Cafe Gratitude serves 100% organic, vegan cuisine with a mix of raw and cooked items.  They even have their own farm in Vacaville, California (Be Love Farm) that supplies some of their produce.  We went to their location in the Mission District and I instantly fell in love with their friendly, welcoming vibe. 

I started with their "I Am Enlivened" E3Live shot made from fresh algae in Klamath Lake, Oregon.  Not only is it high in protein and trace minerals, but I definitely felt an increase in my energy through the afternoon.  Ashley ordered the "I Am Trusting" which consisted of a handmade corn tamale with hierloom masa and butternut squash served with salsa verde, black beans, and spicy Mexican coleslaw.  I ordered their "I Am Whole" bowl which was filled with quinoa, sea vegetables, kale, house-made kimchi, and teriyaki almonds with tahini garlic sauce. It was the perfect healthy, satisfying cuisine for lunch and we even had leftovers to eat for dinner.

After lunch we decided to explore Chinatown and make our way to Fisherman's Wharf.  It was fun to explore the unique shops, but our feet were pretty tired from walking around the city so we stopped in Little Italy for some sorbet and a quick break.  After making it to the waterfront, it was time to head back to our hotel so we got a great view of the city while riding the streetcar.  Day Two ended with a big salad from Whole Foods and watching Borne Identity in the hotel.  Yes!

Our final day in San Francisco started with another morning run for me.  We had just enough time before getting to the airport to explore the city one last time, but a tough choice had to be made:  would we see the Golden Gate Bridge or get breakfast?

Are you kidding me?  Don't ever make me choose between seeing a bridge or getting breakfast because I will always choose the food.  And when asked where we should go for breakfast, you can bet that my answer was Herbivore, yet again.  This time we tried their other location on Divisadero and I was equally impressed with the food and atmosphere.

Ashley played it safe and had the french toast again with their fruit smoothie.  I opted for their "sausage" biscuit with house potatoes, mushroom gravy, and an avocado-tomato salad along with a yerba mate latte.  I loved that the "sausage" biscuit and gravy was filling, but not greasy or too heavy for breakfast.  I also loved that it came with a giant green salad with half an avocado!  Herbivore was the perfect way to end our trip and fill our stomachs before our flight home!

San Francisco: Part 1

Here's what you need to know about traveling with me:  I have eating pants.

Yes, that's right.  You heard me: eating pants.  And I'm not afraid to use 'em.

My partner and I traveled to Napa Valley and San Francisco last week for a wedding and it was the perfect excuse to explore some new vegan and veggie-friendly places.  Since we were on a tight timeline, I ate my way through most of the city for three days straight.  So, get your eatin' pants on, get ready to salivate, and let's check out some of the yummiest places in the Bay Area.

Our first day began with a breakfast at Herbivore in the Mission District.  They have two locations in San Francisco and also one in Berkeley.  Herbivore has a great breakfast and brunch menu with a nice variety of light and hearty options.  They also have fresh vegetable juices and were kind enough to make me a custom juice!  I opted for the corn cakes with black beans, salsa, guacamole, and vegan sour cream.  Ashley had the french toast with sour dough bread and real maple syrup along with a strawberry milkshake (with coconut ice cream).

I arrived tired and hungry from traveling, but this place quickly turned my mood around.  Not only was the service fabulous, but the food was excellent.  I tend to be weary of restaurant breakfasts because I typically find them greasy or too heavy, but not at Herbivore!  Both of our dishes were filling and satisfying while still tasting fresh and healthy.  This is definitely my kind of breakfast!

After breakfast we decided to do some exploring around the city and learned that the Bart (the Bay Area Rapid Transit) is the fastest and easiest way to get around.  Of course, that's assuming that your partner didn't lose her ticket, use yours to exit the gate, and then leave you stuck behind.  It's also assuming that she did not have to go buy another ticket to bring back to you, but it still wouldn't work so then you had to beg a security guard to let you out.  Live and learn folks.

We spent most of the afternoon walking around downtown while I patiently waited for my stomach to digest so we could hit the next spot on my list: Source.  Source is a "multi-dimensional dining experience" which focuses on creating a unique atmosphere through taste, sight, and sound.  Given my recent journey to eat more mindfully, I was curious to check this place out.

I loved their focus on fresh, seasonal, organic food, and the atmosphere was definitely relaxing and enjoyable. (Any restaurant that plays Brandi Carlile and KT Tunstall is alright by me!) Their menu and drink selection is amazing.  Most of the menu is vegan, but there are vegetarian options as well. 

I started with their raw blueberry yerba mate lemonade which was the perfect balance of yerba mate tea with a sweet, fruity twist.  It took me about fifteen minutes to decide what to eat, but I finally settled on the Spicy Pepper Onion Burger.  Their burger patties are their own unique blend of beets, celery, carrots, lentils, mushrooms, brown rice, fresh herbs, soy protein, onions, and garlic.  You even get your choice of salt and sauce with your fries. Yum! 

Since no vacation would be complete without dessert, a few hours later I went looking for the perfect sweet treat.  My iPhone directed me to a place right across from our hotel called Loving Hut in the Westfield shopping center.  Loving Hut is a vegan chain that has locations all around the country.  (Who knew a vegan chain even existed?)  They had a mix of tofu dishes, curries, and veggie sides, but I was too stuffed to try much besides dessert.  I settled on the pumpkin cheesecake and was not disappointed.  It was the perfect way to end our first day in the city!