Veggie in Vacationland

Orlando’s Two Vegetarian Delights

Woodlands Restaurant

Pure Vegetarian South Indian Cuisine

6040 S. Orange Blossom Trail

Orlando, FL 32809

407-854-3330

www.woodlandsusa.com

Garden Café

Creative Chinese Vegetarian Cuisine

810 West Colonial DR.

Orlando, FL 32804

407-999-9799

www.gardencafevege.com

Orlando offers two worthy vegetarian delights – one South Indian and one Chinese.

Woodlands is South Indian cuisine and a totally pure veggie adventure. The genuine adventure is due to the authentic South Indian style and presentation of their offerings. Most, perhaps even 98 %, of our choices for Indian cuisine in the U.S. are of North Indian and Pakistan style restaurants. It’s special to have Indian fare that looks this different, although most taste and sensations are familiar.

Every newcomer will be wowed by the extravagant Dosai selection. These huge rice crepes (about two feet long and 4 to 5 inches across) come served on a platter accompanied by condiments. Unforgettable and unique!

The other truly opulent items are called “Thali.” This is a presentation of numerous – a dozen to 20 – different samplings of dishes, each served in its own silver serving dish. Think of the Thali as a mini tour of the menu. It can be fun to be overwhelmed!

Spice lovers will be in heaven here, and lightweights like me can request tolerable levels.

Woodlands is definitely an eating adventure!

The Garden Café, with Chef David Chan, delivers fine art with Chinese style creations featuring novel and exciting uses of meat substitutes. Mr. Chan’s art will please non-vegetarians just aw well as veggies – that’s his promise.

The Garden Café menu tours the Chinese favorites and classics – through seafood, poultry, pork, beef and lamb. Of course, all ingredients are purely vegetarian.

These offerings involve great creativity and always impress with the beauty of the finished dish. I’ve enjoyed everything I’ve tried, but need more study to arrive at favorites. Truly, it’s tough to find a chef who creates, all vegetarian, shark fin soup, squid with X.O. sauce and ham in honey sauce.

OK folks, I like elaborate productions at the table, and being a long term veggie, most fancy food productions leave me out. Thank you Chef Chan for going to these lengths to create some genuine novelties for my tribe!

Next up – Double Delights in Dallas!

Blessings –

Tom