Saturday, July 5, 2008

horizons

horizons
611 south 7th street
philadelphia, pa
(215) 923 6117
www.horizonsphiladelphia.com

type of cuisine: haute vegan island
culinary excellence: 10
vegan friendliness: 10
*recommended*

this restaurant is in a class by itself. if you want mock chinese, you can go to singapore or su xing, if you want to order the one scrumptious vegan entree from a menu of flesh, there's the white dog or farmicia, and if you want cruelty-free but just as unhealthy fast food it's gourmet-to-go or basic 4. but if you want a classy, sit-down, all-vegetarian, sensory delighting dining experience, there's only one place to go and that's horizons. here's the low down:

munch on their incredible warm bread sticks slathered with herbed garlic compote while waiting for your pitch-perfect margatini or mojito to arrive. next, enjoy a cup of creamy cucumber avacado soup topped with toasted cumin oil and smoked pumpkin seeds or warm red cabbage soup in between bites of piquillo peppers stuffed with hearts of palm salad. for your entree, i can't imagine doing better than the pacific rim grilled tofu - soft tender tofu in a firey glaze, accompanied by edamame mashed potatoes and beautiful broccolini on the side - or the grilled seitan - tender wheat meat, yukon mash and flavorful greens in a pool of horseradish butter cream. for dessert, try the chocolate beignets, a mojito perfecto - phenomenal lime sorbet with firm chunks of rum cake with coconut whipped cream and mint - or one of their divine cheesecakes. i don't generally go in for cheesecake, but theirs are first-rate. some of their other cakes have been a little disappointing.

basically, the menu changes all the time, so just get what you're in the mood for. even the stuff that doesn't sound especially appetizing will probably be one of the best things you've ever eaten. here's my take on some other cocktails and menu items i've sampled:

key lime martini - too carbonated and dry



pomegranate sangria - fine, not terribly sweet, reserved flavor



la playa cocktail - a savory and refreshing tamarind-based drink, topped with shaved nutmeg

wild mushroom cazuela - a rich tartlet of mushrooms with roasted garlic in a portini truffle cream, served with little squares of toast

yucatan chopped spinach salad - seasoned with bites of avocado and roasted peppers in a mildly tangy dressing

jamaican bbq seitan - tender skewered wheat meat smothered in sauce with a generous side of ranch dressing

empanadas - i don't know why they took this off the menu because it was outrageous, buttery and flaky with a quirky but balanced blend of flavors that changed my life, served with hearts of palm and avacado salad, luscious truffle cream and sprouts

grilled portobella - strikingly similar to the sopa de tortilla, same smoky southwestern flavor with thick luscious mushrooms

sopa de tortilla - roasted seitan tacos in a stew of smoked pinto beans, tomatoes and corn

caribbean tempeh - delicious thinly sliced glazed tempeh stuffed with "calabaza jambalaya" and "asparagus raita"

pan seared tofu - excellent, perched atop a lemon-infused "trofie" pasta that was covered in a creamed basil pesto

hearts of palm cakes with seitan enchiladas - fried cakes atop tomato and avacado, two slender enchiladas surrounded by black beans, smoky taste all around

hearts of palm paella - really extraordinary, varied taste, the cakes have a slight saffron/paprika seafood flavor, nice texture and consistency, sauces are tomatoey and delicately concentrated, grilled asparagus on top



toffee pudding - excellent dessert, not a pudding at all, a piece of wonderful toffee-tasting cake with amazine praline ice cream and drizzled in caramel sauce

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