By Chris Martin
In recent years, fine-dining establishments in big cities have made headlines with their vegan menu transitions. That sea change gave way to a rise in popularity of plant-based restaurant concepts, which means new options for Charlottesville herbivores are popping up faster than spring pea shoots.
Vegetarians and vegans who have been devoted to Monsoon Siam, Twisted Branch Tea Bazaar, Himalayan Fusion, Sticks, Bang!, and Revolutionary Soup for years, now have Juice Laundry, Corner Juice, Roots Natural Kitchen, and the recent addition of GRN Burger in Dairy Market to choose from. This spring, we’ve welcomed more names to our greener eating scene: Vegan Comforts Soul Food, Botanical Fare, and (soon-to-open) Organic Krush Lifestyle Eatery at The Shops at Stonefield.
Vegan cuisine’s local roots cannot be mentioned without big credit going to Julie Vu Whitaker, who launched Vu Noodles in 2013, bringing cultural multiformity to vegan options. It’s small-business chefs like Whitaker who are raising consciousness for what’s possible as a plant-based culinarian.
Whitaker grew her clientele through determination, occupying several kitchen spaces—from cooking in her own home kitchen to sharing The Spot with Greenies (another local vegan flagship), to Vu’s current residence on East Water Street. As business increased, Whitaker says the importance of mindfulness in her culinary and personal life became clear. “It’s all in transition and growth, and the business was working around my family and my budget,” she says. At 8 years old, her family immigrated to Waynesboro near the end of the Vietnam war. Over time, Whitaker was compelled to bring her culture to her community. “I felt like there wasn’t enough ethnicity in food and diversity,” she says. “I’m Vietnamese, and I like to see Vietnamese options.”
Vu Noodles’ menu holds plenty of appeal for omnivores—Whitaker guesses about 70 percent of her customers are not on strictly plant-based diets, but she sees no point in trying to morph plant proteins into meat substitutes. “Food that tastes good is the goal,” she says. “It’s about good food and eating a balance of flavor.” With tofu as tasty as the one in Vu Noodle’s banh mi, the protein source never comes into question.
Botanical Fare owner Ryan Becklund combines her personal dietary choices and background in outdoor education with years of restaurant experience to build a menu. “It’s years of honing different vegan techniques, and learning to cook vegan food flavorfully,” she says.
Botanical’s menu development started with the food she cooks for herself. “There’s a bit of Asian influence in the menu because it pairs so well with vegan food,” says Becklund, who’s drawn to Korean and Japanese flavors. “Tamari and miso are so flavorful, and they bring in that umami flavor.” Gochujang appears in a vegan aioli, sesame and scallions show up as garnishes, and miso and wontons unite for a riff on nachos with a miso cashew cheese.
At Vegan Comforts Soul Food, Casandra Rodriguez’s dishes are inspired by her children’s dietary restrictions (her daughter has a nut allergy), and her own craving for soul food. “I cooked it every day for my family, and I wanted to share it with the world,” says Rodriguez, a home cook turned pro, who creates dishes from the heart.
“I don’t cook with nuts at all, she says. “Some vegan businesses use nuts for cheeses, and my menu is 100 percent no nuts, with limited soy.” Vegan Comforts Soul Food’s Mac No Cheese, for example, utilizes a nut- and soy-free vegan cheese in the sauce base, thickened with a traditional roux.
When Rodriguez says she’s cooking for family, she also means community. She uses the restaurant to focus on supporting other Black-owned and local businesses. “My burgers are Black-owned, my coffee brand is Black-owned, and I’m also looking to partner with some farms locally, and partner with locally owned stores,” she says.
