Bull City Vegan Challenge- Beyu Cafe'

At the beginning of the month, I blogged about the Bull City Vegan Challenge (BCVC). I have been anticipating this event since I first heard about it from my awesome friend, Eleni! When October came around, I was ready to get eating. Our first dinner was with a large group of friends at the Beyu Cafe'. I had never been before and after reading about their entrees, I knew I was in. The Beyu went all out with a three course price fix menu including an appetizer, entree, and dessert.

• Appetizer- Vegan gumbo with shitakke mushrooms, eggplant, king oyster mushrooms, and nopal cactus, served with saffron rice.
  
• Entree- Mix grill with sweet potato and apple medallions and roasted fennel, served on a bed of coconut curry sauce, with cranberry and pecan wild rice and drizzled with a a blackberry balsamic reduction.
• Dessert- Vegan chocolate mousse with strawberries and whipped coconut cream.
  

I could hardly wait after sitting down, I knew I was getting the entree and dessert. I'll explain in a later post why I could not have the gumbo (I heard it was awesome though). After ordering, we all got cozy and caught up on our lives. It was nice seeing such a large group together and all ordering vegan food. It felt like a win for the animals!

Vegan Gumbo

My entree came out and I wanted to dig in. I had to be polite as I was in public, so I calmly began eating and OHH MY GOSH!!! This was seriously one of the best things that I had ever eaten. The flavors burst in my mouth. The rich and spicy flavors of the curry mixed with the cool and sweet reduction. This dish was nothing short of creative and amazing! The sweet potato, apples, and fennel were roasted to perfection. I am not a fan of fennel and this made even me wanting more fennel. The three work together so perfectly. Someone alert the culinary institute, I think we found an updated version of a Mirepoix.

Mix Grill Entree

I could not get over the richness of the dish. Cranberries, pecans, wild rice ohh my! It truly was a party in my mouth. You may think I am exaggerating, but those with us that night felt the same excitement I am expressing. Surely, it couldn't get any better than this.

And surely, I was wrong. The dessert came and I wanted nothing more than to dive into the dish face first. I had to remind myself that I was in public and I had to behave. There is no way this dessert could match the entree anyway.

Vegan Mousse

I took one bite and I exclaimed my love for the mousse. There was even a bigger explosion in my mouth this time! I didn't even realize I was making an exclamation until Eleni and Rob asked me to reproduce it for their documentary. The luscious chocolate mixed with the cool coconut cream and the flavors danced along my tongue. A surprise was waiting for me at the bottom, a raspberry preserve. This was bliss in a martini glass. I never wanted it to end, but when it did I was satisfied.

This was only my first restaurant. How could it be this good? The others have a lot to live up too! People think that vegan food can't be filling and can't be gourmet. Of course I disagree with both of those statements. If you have any doubt about the awesomeness of vegan food, I challenge you to go to Beyu Cafe' before October is up. Then, please cast your vote. They have already said that they are keeping the mousse as they have been selling out of it all month. Woo Hoo!! Now we have to get them to keep the entree and gumbo as well.

Please try Beyu and all of the other challenge restaurants and don't forget to vote for your favorites in each category!