Tasty and Meatless | Restaurant Features

The Blossoming Lotus, serving vegan cuisine to the world from Kapa’a, Kauai, recently had a grand opening to celebrate its move from a small, modest storefront to a beautiful spacious restaurant. Geographically they moved just around the corner, but symbolically their new location on Kukui Street, which in Hawaiian means “light,” plus the publication of a gorgeous vegan cookbook, has truly put this restaurant into the spotlight. With endorsements from Deepak Chopra, Jane Goodall, and other greats, the Blossoming Lotus is a little place with a big spirit that represents the Tasty and Meatless philosophy that eating healthy does not require any sacrifice of dining pleasure.

Their entire selection is vegan, which means they use no animal products in anything, including an elaborate weekend brunch menu with pancakes and scrambles, frittatas, and baked goods, all made entirely without eggs.

Of note on the dinner menu is a dish called Heavenly Hamakua ($18), the gourmet version of the vegetarian’s staple meal of tofu, rice, and vegetables. The tofu is marinated in a ginger tamari sauce and grilled, served over a caramelized onion risotto cake, and accompanied by exotic mushrooms and organic kale. An added delicacy is a huge disc of heart of palm, the real thing, not what you usually find sliced into matchsticks. The meal is plated with a light lemongrass, basil, and coconut sauce that complements everything.

An appetizer only available at dinner is the Pizarrio’s Pizettas ($11) that comes out as four bite-sized pieces. These medallions of flavor belie their dairy free status, as they are as rich and creamy as any slice of traditional pizza. The crust, made from a rosemary mesa corn which adds a lot to make these special, is spread with herbed cashew and pine nut “cheese” and then piled with alii mushrooms (I didn’t know they existed either!), fresh tomatoes, basil, and garlic. If you can afford it, this is an appetizer of which you will want to order more than one, or even suggest to the chef that they make an entire pizza pie like it!

A favorite from the lunch menu is the Tuna Free Tempeh Salad ($4 as a side). It has the traditional fare like chopped pickles, celery and onion, mixed with eggless mayo, mustard, garlic, and apple cider vinegar. The recipe calls for tempeh chunks instead of tofu which give this meatless salad a chewier texture, more like chunks of tuna, for those so inclined. The tempeh holds its shape better and is less crumbly than a tofu version of this salad. This is a delightful option that you can order as a sandwich or scooped over a huge garden salad bursting with fresh organic vegetables. For an unusual twist and a very light meal, order it with the Flax Seed Crackers ($5), which are part of the Blossoming Lotus’ “Live Foods” selection, meaning that none of the ingredients were heated above 115º. Live foods are said to maintain the enzyme quality of the food for better digestion. The flax seeds are soaked until gelatinous, then blended with sun-dried tomatoes, spices and herbs, and spread thinly on dehydrator sheets for 12 hours. The results are paper-thin wisps of crunchy heaven, which are also great when eaten with the Live Pate du Jour ($5) or a scoop of Hummus ($3). A heartier option from the lunch menu is the Tempeh Reuben ($10). The tempeh is a grilled cutlet served with a Russian dressing (catsup, eggless mayo, and pickles) and a quite mild homemade sauerkraut on a sourdough rye bun.

A meal at the Blossoming Lotus not only feeds the body’s hunger but also will nourish your spirit, with its beautiful bamboo lined walls and uplifting artwork. The staff moves about with a sense of timelessness, and the food is clearly made with love. If you cannot visit the Blossoming Lotus in the near future, please visit their web site at www.veganfusion.com and check out their free recipes online. This is also the place to order their magnificent cookbook, with many recipes that emphasize heavier “comfort foods,” appropriate for those in transition to a meatless lifestyle. The Vegan Fusion cookbook asks that you Give Thanks before preparing or partaking of the recipes, and we certainly are thankful that such a place like the Blossoming Lotus has its home here in our islands!