Seed Café: not just for vegans

"Eat, think, grow" is the slogan at Seed Café, a vegan restaurant.

"Vegan" restaurant means the food served contains absolutely no animal products or byproducts. All their menu items are made with organic ingredients.

Seed is obviously enthusiastic about the social, health and environmental reasons for its vegan/organic menu and on its Web site, www.cafeseed.com there is an explanation.

The Seed Café has a dull beige brick exterior but the inside is clean, bright and exudes friendliness. A mix of tables and comfy couches invite patrons to stay and relax. Colorful original artworks brighten the walls and retail merchandise like statement clothing and political materials are available.

I am not a vegetarian though I frequently enjoy vegetarian meals. I was initially skeptical of a totally vegan restaurant. I shouldn't have worried. The pleasant aroma that filled the tiny restaurant was the first clue that tasty things would soon follow.

Seed's crispy tofu salad was a substantial lunch offering. Fried tofu with crisp edges was served on a tossed bed of spring mix, fresh tomato, onion, avocado, sweet peppers, poppy seed vinaigrette, punctuated with sun-dried tomato and buttery pecans.

The salad was a large portion and the mix of flavors kept it tantalizing until I was too full to eat any more.

I ordered the salad twice; the first was nearly perfect and freshly made, the second was slightly limp and had lost the majority of its pleasant crunch. Regardless of texture, both salads had great flavor.

The chili with brown rice was my favorite. It was a softly-spiced, meaty chili with a lovely balance of tender kidney beans, meat substitute and tomatoes.

Sour cream, cheese and onions topped it and the underpinning of nubbly brown rice made the chili a truly rib-sticking entrée. It was a good tonic against the cold winter day.

The three hard-shell tacos also entertained my tastebuds. Their brittle blue corn shells held taco "meat," cheese, chopped lettuce, avocado and tomatoes.

Sour cream and pickled jalapeño peppers were served on the side. They were simple with a mild bright quality and so easy to quickly devour.

For beverages, I tried the hot cider and a smoothie. The hot cider was served at peak temperature and was spiced aptly with a generous addition of cinnamon. It warmed the body and soul.

The cold smoothie was a blend of frozen sweet berries and fruit juices. It cleansed and wetted the appetite.

The cupcake ended my meal. It was chocolate with a dollop of green, minty frosting. It was light and moist. The combined flavors of mint and chocolate worked extremely well.

Seed's commitment to vegan and organic foods is potentially challenging in steak-and-barbecue-loving Kansas City. But the concept works! The food is so tasty and the textures are so spot-on that the lack of meats and dairy are not missed. A vegan lifestyle is not necessary to enjoy Seed's simple and fresh menu, but an underserved vegan/vegetarian population in the city will likely be ecstatic about the awesome concept.

lkatzer@unews.com