Slab of Ribs with sides of coal slaw and corn. Photo: Maggie Faircloth
Slab of Ribs with sides of coal slaw and corn. Photo: Maggie Faircloth
Finding vegan restaurants in Chicago is not easy. We are smack in the middle of meat-and-potatoes country and therefore being a vegetarian, much less a vegan, is a challenging life choice when surrounded by folks who might think “vegetarianism” means you only eat fish and chicken. So when you’re a conscious Chicagoan who is able to find a vegan restaurant that serves incredibly flavorful cuisine, you cherish it.
This review is on Karyn’s Cooked, but it would be a disservice to our readers not to mention a little history behind Karyn’s. Karyn Calabrese is an entrepreneur and a leader of the vegan raw food movement that began in this country decades ago. I was first introduced to Karyn’s in May 2008 when my husband and I joined her 30-day detox class at her venue on Halsted, which is housed in the same building along with Karyn’s Café, the raw food deli, café and market.
Karyn’s cooked adheres to veganism, but not raw, so those to whom this is a new concept can ease into it by trying Karyn’s cooked first. Karen’s menu is vast, with mostly Mexican-style dishes but sprinkled with other dishes like Thai Skewers, Falalfel, Sloppy Jo and Spaghetti and Meatballs with marinara sauce. Everything I’ve tried at Karyn’s Cooked is very good, so I’m confident each of these dishes is pleasing, albeit seemingly out of place on a south-of-the-border menu.
So even if the menu isn’t specific to one cuisine, the food is very tasty. We shared the finger-lickin good barbeque seitan Slab of Ribs with sides of coal slaw and corn. My long-time favorite dish at Karyn’s is the gluten-free Green Enchiladas ($10.95), which are corn tortillas with garlic mashed potatoes, smothered in a green tomatillo sauce, topped with soy cheese and served with Spanish brown rice and refried beans.
The Sunday Brunch is also excellent with some of the best pancakes I’ve ever had (whole wheat with soy butter). The Rainbow Mexicana ($11) was a group favorite. This comes with seasoned seitan, tofu scramble, onion, red pepper, green pepper, yellow pepper and jalapeno, and is served with warm tortillas and sides of chipotle sauce and soy cheese. The seasonings are great and are fairly spicy, so if you prefer less spicy foods, be sure to tell your server.
Karyn’s desserts are yummy and I can even convince myself they are good for me. The raw coconut cake is made with fresh coconut topping, coconut milk and a mixture of nuts. It’s sweet and crunchy and moist and by far one of my favorite dessert options, among the many great choices. The chocolate silk pie, snowballs and lemon squares are also not to be missed.
The décor in the quaint restaurant on Wells Street is warm and chic. Mostly bronze, copper and sienna tones keep the space cozy. In the middle of the long restaurant is the bar, so if you’re interested in having a glass of wine or beer with dinner, you can choose from typical offerings or from a few of the organic, biodynamic wines or beers. A large assortment of fresh fruit smoothies is also available, along with coconut water, coffee, tea or Kombuchas, which are flavored fermented teas or tisanes and are considered to have healing properties due to their probiotic nature.
Karyn’s Cooked
738 N. Wells Street, Chicago
312.587.1050
karynraw.com/Cooked
Tanya Fritz Catalano is a professionally trained chef, oenophile, slow-food fanatic and yoga enthusiast.