Review: The Garden Cafe (Walla Walla, Wash.)

I grew up in Walla Walla, a sweet little town perfect for the vegetarian. The huge population of vegetarian and vegan Seventh Day Adventists in the area makes it economically viable (even economically wise) for restaurants to cater to the veg-minded. There's even a mostly-vegetarian grocery store* in College Place (the town next door that might as well be part of Walla Walla).

The Valley, known for its luscious wines and juicy sweet onions, has been home for a few vegan restaurants over the years. They've all come and gone. Let me say this: I hope The Garden Cafe is here (or there, rather) to stay. I made a quick stop on a recent visit to town, and I was delighted with what I got.

After about 10 minutes of deliberation and hassling the clerk for her opinion, I chose a scrumptious meal of aloo curry over brown rice. This tasty rice bowl was topped with the freshest veggies one could hope for: spinach, cucumber, tomato, onion, cilantro.

The curry itself makes you feel healthy as you eat it. No kidding. Complete with peas, chickpeas, potatoes, and a slightly spicy sauce, this dish was both filling and refreshing.

I had my whole (mostly omnivorous) family with me, and everyone loved their food. My dad got the house-made veggie burger (pictured below), which looked mouth-wateringly good. (I would have tried it, but my dad had them slather on the peanut butter. He loves peanut butter. So do I. He loves it on burgers. That's where we differ.) The hubs had a vegan Reuben made with Tofurky (I couldn't try because soy makes my tummy mad). 

My mom and sister both had The Garden's fiesta quesadilla made with Daiya cheese. I did try that baby, and oh my heck was it good. The cheese was perfectly smooth and creamy. That coupled with the crisp freshness of the tomatoes and olives made for a party in my mouth.

The absolute best part of the meal, though? The juice. We're talking fresh-squeezed deliciousness. I spent about $9 on my 16 oz. juice, more than my food cost. And it was worth every single penny. I started with their apple juice base and had them add some kale, ginger, and lemon.

The waitress set my green juice concoction down in front of me, and my family all looked at me like I was crazy. But I drank that thing. Boy, did I drink it. And it was good (as green things usually are, once you try!).

The Garden's atmosphere was bright and cheery, but with a distinct laid-back feel. It's the type of place I would go to study if I still lived in Walla Walla. I was a little disappointed that at the end of my visit I couldn't find a recycling bin for my sister's soda can, but maybe I didn't look hard enough.

Pros:

Perfectly flavorful juice

Great use of fresh ingredients

Amazing flavor
Fair food prices
Cheery atmosphere

Cons:
Expensive juice (but worth it)
No recycling bin to be found (in a vegan cafe? C'mon people!)

*I need to tell you more about Andy's Market. This place is veg food mecca. Especially right now, during their Store-Wide Vege Sale (through March 31). Check them out. Now.