Wednesday, August 17, 2011

The Laughing Seed Cafe

Driving through Asheville on the way home Saturday night we decided to stop off for dinner.  Of course this was a pre-meditated dinner out, at least in my mind...so it wasn't like we were just going to stop off at a Wendy's.  No, no, there was a destination in mind. 

The Laughing Seed Cafe serves organic, seasonal, farm-to-table cuisine with an International Flair!  I had received several recommendations for this restaurant over the last few weeks and I was ready to give it a try!  Our original plan was to drive straight home for dinner, but my lust for a delicious, vegan dinner out won over.  Alas, we stopped and were certainly not disappointed.
Will started out with a Carrot-Apple Juice that was phenomenal.  I have had several green juices before, but never a carrot juice and I fell in love.  I am now in the market for a juicer so I can enjoy these beauties every single day!
I love how Forbes and the Carrot Juice matched perfectly!

I started with a sample of their on-tap Kombucha.  I have read and heard so much about this drink.  I wanted to try it for myself without investing in a $4 bottle of juice at the store.
Boy am I glad I saved my $4!  This was like a stab in the throat.  Many odd things I enjoy: carrot juice, snacking on raw oatmeal...but this was awful.  No Kombucha for me!

Luckily dinner didn't disappoint.  We all tried a different dish and sampled around the table.  Ok, maybe it was just me doing the sampling, and urging everyone to try something different, but I have an excuse: I'm a FOODIE!
Stephanie enjoyed the Asian Fusion Salad.  The peanut dressing was delicious but spicy! 
William had the Indian Thali Plate featuring "vegetable curry, dal, aromatic
white basmati rice, salad, chutney, and organic yogurt."  It was also tremendous, and also spicy!

Forbes' Hempnut Burger was a showstopping treat!  It was one of the best veggie patties I have every tasted!
On the side he also ordered the Jalapeno Fries
They weren't too spicy, so I decided to pop one of those fun fried jalapeno rings into my mouth...
Bad idea!  I actually cried, sweat, and drank Will's yogurt dipping sauce. 
The heat persisted and I was in bad shape.  It took nearly 15 minutes for me to recover!  Would I do it again...in a heart beat!  Bring on the spice!
My plate was also a huge success!  I tried the Summer Risotto, and while it only came with one teeny little mushroom slice, the waiter was quick to bring out more! 

I had never tried risotto before so I took this as the perfect opportunity.  I am usually not a huge fan of pasta style meals so I was hesitant.  The flavor was perfect and the vegetables fresh.  The tempeh and the mushrooms were marinated to a savory perfection.  I enjoyed this dish very much and highly recommend it.  Will I do risotto again though?  Probably not.  Pasta just isn't my thing.
We came hungry, walked away satisfied and of course did not leave without dessert.  We took 3 homemade vegan cookies to go.  While they looked appetizing, they weren't the best vegan cookies I have ever tasted.  Will's Chocolate Cherry was the best out of the three.  Forbes' Oatmeal Raisin was grossly over baked and I felt like I was crunching down on straight sugar when eating my Peanut Butter Cookie. 

The Laughing Seed does entrees very well, but if you are looking for a vegan cookie, I suggest you make your own!

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