Vegan night out at Meridian Cafe

I am so glad to have the Louisville Vegetarian Club!

It’s so nice to be around like-minded folks, who understand what it means to be vegan and give support for the challenges that come along with it.

But we also have some fun get-togethers!

Photo taken from Louisville Vegetarian Club Facebook page

Last Friday, we went out to Louisville’s own Meridian Cafe, a breakfast and lunch only joint that had us in for a special six-course dinner, where we got to sample some of their vegan dishes, including a few new items that aren’t on the menu yet.

First up was some hummus with roasted red pepper and olives, served with pita wedges.

I’m a big fan of hummus in general and this dish did not disappoint. The extra olives on top were delicious! This appetizer is currently on their menu.

Next up was some chilled creamy lemon artichoke soup. This dish is also currently on Meridian’s menu.

I have a confession: I am not a cold soup fan. The flavor was good, but I would’ve enjoyed it more warm. I ate the artichoke heart and a few bites but left the rest.

Our third course was a fresh salad, made with local greens, and topped with blackberries, pine nuts, edible flowers and a vanilla vinaigrette, which was a new one for me!

The sweetness of the blackberries went perfectly with the vanilla vinaigrette dressing. I devoured my portion! The local greens are on the menu, used in all the salads and sandwiches, but this particular dish was new.

My favorite course of the evening was our fourth, which was smoked and deep fried tofu over a scoop of creamy spicy polenta.

The tofu was crispy and crunchy on the outside and chewy on the inside, which to me is perfect. I am never able to get it that way at home, perhaps I should try deep frying?

It was so good, I could’ve eaten an entire plate of just this! They definitely need to add this to their menu.

For our fifth course, we had dessert #1, or a palate cleanser, which was a ginger avocado sorbet served in a frozen lemon cup.

I’ve had a lot of sorbets in my time and I have to say, this is the best one I’ve had. I’m a big fan of avocado and it’s health benefits, plus I enjoy all things ginger so this was perfect for me.

This was also a new dish made especially for us.

And last, but certainly not least, was our real dessert: Peanut Butter Pudding Surprise!

This was a creamy peanut butter custard served with a banana and some peanut topping. Banana and peanut butter? Did they know I was coming? Ha ha.

Obviously, I loved this! This is on the menu and you should definitely try it if you stop in. They make their own peanut butter too!

It was an awesome night. Great food, just the right amount of every tasty dish, and great company.

Chef Mike, who also owns the place, was a great host and showed a real passion for cooking for special diets and using local ingredients whenever possible.

He was an inspiration and a very sweet, humble guy. It was nice to be catered to without having to think of ingredients or asking for something without cheese.

Thanks Meridian Cafe, Chef Mike and my fellow members of LVC. I thoroughly enjoyed myself!

Photo by Carrie Klaus

And a big shout out to my BFF Courtney for going with me to this event. I appreciate your willingness to try new things and for supporting my interests. Love you!

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