Weathervane Cafe shows the way for plant-based eaters

By Amber Taufen Tue., Feb. 5 2013 at 8:30 AM

Categories: Veggie Girl

almost everything about the Weathervane Cafe, which opened last fall on East 17th Avenue, is as cute as cute can be. It's tiny, for starters -- the interior seats a mere nineteen people. But the interior is filled with eye-catching flower arrangements, vases and ornamental items (some of them for sale) artfully placed on assorted surfaces, and pictures drawn by local schoolkids decorate the walls. The menu isn't large, but it's well-conceived and well-executed, and there's plenty on it that will appeal to the plant-based crowd.

The breakfast burrito is vegetarian, with a filling of herbed potatoes, black beans, eggs and pepper-jack cheese. The Weathervane burritos are made in advance and then warmed on a panini press before serving, which gives the flour tortilla a beautiful golden-brown, crispy texture. And a spicy salsa adds just the right amount of kick to this breakfast staple.

The samosa burrito is a vegan burrito with curried potatoes, carrots, garbanzo beans, onions and peas; the curry is light enough to leave just a hint of a tingle on the lips and tongue. An optional vegan yogurt sauce -- we recommend you try it -- provides a contrasting coolness to the warm spiciness of the burrito mixture. This was the first samosa burrito we'd ever seen, and now we wonder why more eateries don't carry them.

The Weathervane also carries Beet Box donuts and other assorted pastries for those who would rather have something sweet than savory, and there's almond and soy milk behind the counter to add to the assorted coffees and teas available.

Weathervane Cafe is located at 1725 East Seventeenth Avenue; visit www.weathervanecafe.com.

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