Twin Cities Vegan Chef Challenge 2024
August is one of my favorite months of the year. Not only because it’s my birthday month, but because it’s when the Twin Cities Vegan Chef Challenge takes place.
Throughout the entire month, you can try special vegan dishes at several participating restaurants (note: double check the times each dish is available on the chef challenge website as not all are available during all open hours). Vote on each dish that you try, and a winner will be announced at Twin Cities Veg Fest in September.
I plan on enjoying several dishes, so check out what I’ve tried below, along with a list of what I plan to try.
Himalayan
Jackfruit Tikka Masala
The second after taking my first bite, I wanted to order another round of this Jackfruit Tikka Masala. The sauce is nutty and packed with spices, and I highly recommend ordering roti to help you soak up every last bit of it. They prepare the jackfruit perfectly where it has a firm texture, but it’s still soft enough to easily break down the pieces as you eat.
Spoiler alert: This is my favorite dish so far!
Herbie Butcher’s Fried Chicken
Fried Mondo Mac Sando
This indulgence includes two pieces of chicken-fried Texas toast which are then stuffed with mac and cheese and served with a side of ranch. I’ve always loved their mac and cheese as well as the fried chicken breading, but the dish definitely needs the ranch to add moisture and an extra punch of flavor.
Nala’s Indian Kitchen
Green Gram (Green Bean) Dosa and Oats Ravaa Dosa
Grab a buddy and order one of each dosa, and get the Oats Ravaa Dosa prepared crispy. Both come with the same three sides: tomato chutney, coconut chutney, and sambar lentil soup. I preferred the Oats Ravaa Dosa only because of how crispy it was; otherwise, I enjoyed both dosas equally.
Nala’s Indian Kitchen is a relatively new vegetarian Indian restaurant in Plymouth, and this was my first visit. I look forward to going back to explore more of their menu. I also ordered the Chennai Gobi Fry (fried cauliflower) which was super cripsy and just the right amount of spicy.
They have vegan items marked on their menu, but double check with staff when you order, as something with cheese was marked vegan when I visited.
Hard Times Cafe
Okonomiyaki
This is a wheat and tapioca flour-based pancake prepared with cabbage, onions, mushrooms, and corn, then topped with green onions, mayo, pickled ginger, and bulldog sauce. I inhaled this dish because the sauce is super yummy (a little sweet, a little savory… kind of like a tangy teriyaki sauce), and I love that it’s packed with veggies. The pancake part does get a little lost, which was kind of a bummer, but overall it’s delicious.
Lulu EthioVegan
Dinich Wot
Lulu is an all vegan Ethiopian spot in Minneapolis with a small area for parking in the back (go through the alley), or you can find street parking nearby. Their Dinich Wot is described as “potatoes simmered in a spiced and savory sauce,” which is a basic but very accurate description. It comes with injera, and it was recommended that we spoon the Dinich Wot into small pieces of injera which worked well. Be careful though, Minnesotans. This dish is legitimately spicy, but it’s also incredibly flavorful. If spicy isn’t your thing, I still urge you to go and try out other dishes to show them support.
The Block Food + Drink
Fiesta Quinoa Salad
I’m not one to seek out a quinoa salad, but don’t sleep on this dish! You’ll enjoy quinoa with avocado, corn, red pepper, black beans, red onions, edamame, and green onions, with lime vinaigrette and topped with soy-based steak from Chunk Foods. Chunk isn’t available for retail purchase, so this was my first time trying it and I loved it! The whole salad is served cold, and I would have preferred the steak warm but that’s a personal preference. Regardless, this dish combines such fresh flavors and textures, and it makes for an all around perfect summer meal.
Tori Ramen
Kimchi Mac
Covid took me out of commission for several days, but I had friends kind enough to get Tori Ramen takeout for me and drop it at my door. So forgive my bespoke presentation, but trust me when I say that this mac and cheese is worth trying. The cheese is creamy, and the bread crumbs add some crunch. The kimchi is caramelized and adds just the right amount of heat.
Other dishes I plan to try
Heal Mpls: Kingdom Gyro Plate
The Howe Daily Kitchen and Bar: Vegan Salmon Bowl
Reverie Cafe + Bar: Hot Chicken Sammie
Thai Garden: Sweet Chili Tofu
