When I first started my blog almost two months ago, one of my first posts was about The Root Café’s Raw Night every Thursday. I have been there a few times now but that was my first time attending the Raw food event. Since then, I have not been back but luckily, my aunt asked me if I wanted to go this past Sunday. As excited as I was to try something new, what did I end up getting? The same thing as I did last time I was with her – the root wrap (all vegan). Both times I got it over mixed greens because in a wrap it is way too filling. Jam packed with sweet potatoes, avocado, red peppers, cilantro and a chipotle aioli. Really can’t put into words how amazing it is but it is definitely something easy for anyone to make at home. Of course I’m lazy and have never re-created it but in the future… it’ll happen.
Looks kind of funny in a photo since my aunt got the exact same thing but with the soup of the day – a vegan tomato variety. It came with a grain muffin that to my aunt of course tasted bland but I’m pretty sure it was baked with some type of whole grain and flax mixture. I am obsessed with whatever was in it and I think they taste A+. I could eat a million of them.
Right we walked in around 1 there was such a long line that we were almost waiting outside of the door. Granted the space is rather small. Coffee-shop sized or a bit bigger but it is usually never that busy. While we were waiting to order our wraps/salads we got a good view of the bakery options for that day. 99% of them were vegan and/or gluten-free. What a plethora! I wanted to purchase them all yet of course, the problem with eating out vegan is most of the time everything is extremely over-priced. This was one of those times. Small muffins and scones for over $3.
In my opinion, a vegan blueberry and cashew streusel sounds like a pillowy cloud of fruit and nutty texture. I would’ve purchased it (especially because my aunt offered) but $3.50 for a little thing… eh. Wasn’t feeling it. However, how DELICIOUS does it sound? Or a vegan chocolate whoopie pie with vanilla cashew frosting? The Root got me at cashew frosting. I love when frostings are made from cashews or other nuts because it’s not just a basic vegan butter and plain sugar.
That’s the thing with vegan goods.. when they’re raw and made with substantial ingredients like nuts and coconut oil over canola oil with cane sugar, you know everything you’re eating is simple and wholesome. That goes onto the topic of just because something is vegan never means it’s necessarily healthy but who can’t deny a good vegan goodie every now and then?
Besides all of the muffins and cookies inside of the glass case, in large jars were vegan biscottis (never even heard of those before) and a homemade granola. Almonds, walnuts, pecans, sunflower seeds, dates. So much packed into one granola. The only sweetener is some honey rather than any agave. I don’t know why I didn’t end up buying some before we left because I wanted it. The whole dang jar. Next time I’ll make it a priority to not leave until I get something out of one of these glass jars.
The Root always keeps me coming back due to the great variety on their menu. If only it wasn’t a 40 minute drive I probably would be there once a weekend hands down. Recently they started a menu (on their chalkboard) of juices and smoothies that include ingredients such as kale, blueberries, oranges and beets. $5 for an 8oz cup. On the right side of the counter I noticed a large chalkboard display of their featured coffees and iced teas, along with house-made vegan syrups to add into their drinks. House-made syrups? Are you kidding? Topping Starbucks by the second. Chocolate, vanilla, brown sugar and cinnamon WITH non-dairy milks. Bliss.
I’m sure I won’t return to the Root Café before I go back to Chicago in a short two weeks (agh, so exciting!) but when I’m back home in Cleveland the next time, I need to try one of their stone oven pizzas or calzones. The quadratic calzone includes kale, broccoli, mushrooms and red sauce while one of their pizzas called “hoffman’s bicycle” has pesto, tempeh, spinach and a chipotle aioli. Sounds a bit similar to the root wrap I ordered but MMM, gimme some o’ that!
Despite the long line and maybe a little long of a wait for our food, I can’t ever complain with the Root and what they’re about. I’m glad to know my aunt wanted to go especially since I’m usually the one longing to go to all of these neat vegetarian/vegan cafés on the west side of Cleveland.
-Addie
