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Best Fine Dining
Govinda's Natural Foods Restaurant & Boutique
Readers' Pick: See Best Vegetarian Lunch Under $5. READERS' POLL RUNNER-UP: Now in its third decade, The Garland, 119 E. Speedway, has served generations of veggie-loving diners; and by our lights the place is getting better all the time. A typical evening's entrees include pasta and rice dishes--pilafs and pestos, polentas and paellas--along with a range of dinner salads, soups, and vegetable casseroles. Unreconstructed meat-eaters in the crowd can usually find a few seafood choices on the menu, but the big draw is still a run through the garden that's both virtuous and tasty. A REAL SCREAM: Long treasured over the years as a haven where vegetarians could dine in grace, style and variety, the Good Earth Restaurant was a favorite on the local dining scene. When the restaurant closed abruptly over a name-game dispute, many felt they'd lost an old friend. The space, at 6366 E. Broadway, soon re-emerged with familiar recipes, faces and monikers, however: Casual Terra Nova's space is as appealing as its menu is delightful. With a focus on vegetables and whole grains, Terra Nova offers vegetarian versions of mainstream favorites: spinach enchiladas, loads of pasta, casseroles and stir-frys. Terra Nova creates food with panache that won't intimidate the meat-and-potatoes set. Breakfast is also served at Terra Nova, with tasty whole-wheat pancakes, French toast and various eggs and egg-substitutes refreshingly sans porcine accompaniment. The name is new, but healthy eaters should feel right at home at Terra Nova.
A REAL SCREAM: Sad as we were to see Sprouts close their
doors, we were even more delighted to see Sundance open theirs.
For those vegans moping around in search of new digs, you will
be glad to hear the former home of Sprouts has been reborn as
SunDance Cafe & Juice Bar, 621 N. Fourth Ave., a new
vegetarian's haven. In addition to a wide variety of delectable
Mediterranean appetizers, sandwiches and platters, there are also
a few Asian treats. The Garden Nori Roll filled with steamed jasmine
rice, shredded beets, carrots, marinated tofu and scallions is
light, yet filling. Served with miso soup or salad, it is a meal
in itself. Speaking of salads, try the Organic Baby Mustard Greens
with balsamic vinaigrette or the Spinach Decadence. Then there's
that tabbouleh, a refreshing blend of chopped parsley, cracked
bulgar wheat, tomato, mint, cucumber, olive oil and lemon juice.
Along with a baba ganoush appetizer (roasted eggplant, garlic,
tahini and seasonings), it makes a flavorful light meal. There
are plenty of more substantial choices as well. Whatever you order,
you won't go away hungry. The emphasis here is decidedly Middle
Eastern (the owners have brought with them the tasty recipes that
have made nearby Casa Blanca a favorite University-area stop for
years); but a new menu features more salad and sandwich combinations,
and economical "small plates" of house specialties like
rosemary potatoes and tantalizing pita pizzas, making it easier
to order a garden variety of delights to share. And the juice
bar has all the delights long-time Sprouts fans have come to expect.
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