Even the physical menu itself has changed at the Bowllery. The popular restaurant, which has always surpassed a common vegetarian and vegan friendliness, is now bringing some filling, succulent dishes that the entire community can enjoy. While the menu has been considerably condensed—fewer juices and the fare is almost exclusively Asian fusion—the Bowllery has made these changes with the tastes of their loyal customers in mind and with the dedication to continue providing delicious vegetarian and vegan options a-plenty. 

For drinks, we ordered a Mean Green smoothie and an iced yerba mate tea. The tea was crisp and balanced, and the smoothie was sour and thick, with the kale and mint shining through.

We started with taro nachos, which was topped with a cashew-based cheese and pineapple salsa. The chips were light, yet able to hold the abundant toppings. The cheese has the faintest aftertaste of a standard carnival nacho cheese you might be used to, but has a texture akin to mustard. The tang from the cheese complements the onion and pineapple in the salsa well, and with smoked tempeh sprinkled on top, we couldn’t stop eating it.

We were offered the raw pad thai and the Denton bowl, two mainstays on the menu that have received facelifts with the menu change. For starters, the pad thai is now gluten-free. The pad thai now sits on a bed of napa cabbage, a vegetable typically used in the making of kimchi. The coconut lime peanut sauce really makes the carrot and beet noodles stand out. The Denton bowl has benefitted immensely from the addition of a homemade pico. The bed of soba noodles topped with carrot miso sauce in the middle of the dish are a great standalone item and enhance each of the vegetables surrounding it.

Now for the new menu additions. The beet and beluga poké features a bed of either organic grains or rice pilaf, topped with pickled beets, black beluga lentils, wakame seaweed, a virtual cornucopia of vegetables, and a wasabi vegan mayo. The combination left us wanting more taste-wise, but the vegan mayo was a step in the right direction, and ew instantly fell in love with the rice pilaf.

We then received a tsukune miso ramen, which featured a creamy, cleansing broth that was the perfect vessel for us to enjoy the Japanese-style chicken kofta, sweet corn, and wakame.

Next came what ended up being our favorite dish of the day: pineapple curry. The way the coconut seamlessly blended with the spicy bite and creaminess in the dish was truly divine to experience. The pickled red cabbage and organic arugula were delightful side portions on the dish. It was a large portion of food, was warm, and colorful. Ordering this plate brings with it a whole experience, and one you’ll want to make sure you enjoy. 

Bowllery has also taken on the French-Vietnamese classic banh mi. The tempeh provides smoke more than flavor, but the baguette was buttery and the crisp from the pickled carrot, cucumber, jicama and jalapeños made it a layered, tasty eat. 

Major props to Justine, our extremely helpful and knowledgeable server, who was celebrating being at the Bowllery for exactly two years. The owners were on hand that day as well, and the entire staff was warm, ready to answer any and all questions we had, and made us feel welcome in every way. 

All in all, guests can benefit immensely from the condensed, focused menu that the Bowllery now sports. Whatever dish you get, it will be colorful, filling, and made with the freshest organic ingredients.

Photos by Estelle Dailey