Cupcakes have been added to the many other vegan baked goods available at the bakery in Raleigh's Whole Foods.  A vegan cupcake is a special find in Raleigh.  Otherwise, we have to trek out to Bliss Bakery in Chapel Hill for our special treat.  The WF have chocolate and yellow cakes with cutie icing designs.

Oh my, a vegan girl's dreams come true.  Something beyond hummus! The curried mock chicken wrap at Morning Times in downtown Raleigh is absolutely delightful with its curried spice and sweet cranberries.  I've even been able to convert several carnivores from the office to opt for the mock rather than the true.

So, this is a bit funny because I do not own an iPhone but if I did I would invest in an app or two to help navigate my way through the menus of restaurants. This could be especially helpful on the fly when you are out with omnivorous friends so that you can discreetly check your options or when you're in the land of chain restaurants, which tend to be less vegan-friendly.

There is VeganExpress and VegOut. The latter of the two is powered by HappyCow which allows the iphoneless of the world to check out a restaurant the old school way.

There is also a very lovely app for vegan recipes based on the blog Vegan Yum Yum.

bon appetit!

Spirits Pub & Grub in Cary is a pub food kind of place. However, don't let the long list of burgers and meaty sandwiches intimidate...there are some menu items that are vegetarian and even vegan-friendly.
The Veggie Burger, for instance, is made with eggs but could easily be substituted to be vegan if you give the pub a little advance notice.
There are a variety of salads on the menu which could be made vegetarian/vegan without the meat. Vegans should stick to the vinaigrette dressings.
The Mac N Cheese could be a comfort food crowd pleaser for vegetarians and you can order a "Southwest Style" or the Cajun Mac if you leave the sausage off.
There are also sides like the Loaded Nachos, Onion Rings, Hummus Platter (vegan), Spirits Potato Wedgies, Spinach and Artichoke Dip, Chips & Guacamole (vegan), Fried Pickle Chips, Mozarella Sticks (batter made with eggs), Spirits Fried Wedgies (vegan) and Homemade Slaw.

See Greg Cox's full review here.

The Squash Tart with onion confit is one of many vegetarian offerings at Busy Bee Cafe in downtown Raleigh.
Others on the menu are Hummus (vegan), Bruschetta, Tofu (can be vegan without the feta), NC cheeses, Mushroom Gratin, a variety of salads, a Veggie Sandwich (vegan), Fried green tomatoes ,Tater tots (vegan) and Macaroni and cheese.

See Greg Cox's full review here.

Bavarian Brathaus in Cary is not exactly the kind of restaurant one would seek out if vegetarian/vegan considering they serve German cuisine. Think meat, eggs, dairy and you have your main ingredients for most German recipes.

However, they have some items, mainly sides, for our crowd which includes a dinner salad a la carte, red cabbage (pictured here) and potato salad if you are vegan. The menu opens up a bit more if you are vegetarian with a Vienna salad, mash potatoes, potato pancakes and desserts which include apple strudel, peach cheese cake strudel and a black forest cake sundae. Best of all, they will actually prepare an eggplant schnitzel! It is vegetarian, not vegan, but I think that is quite impressive. It would, of course, be nice to give them a call ahead of time to let them know you're coming and make sure they have the eggplant on hand. If you missed Greg Cox's review last Friday, see it here.

Saigon Grill, a Vietnamese restaurant in Durham, is not for the light of vegetarian heart. They serve up the majority of their menu with a variety of meat, including frog legs and rabbit, so if you have olfactory sensitivities or moral objections, be warned.

If not, no worries.

They have three vegetarian/ vegan entrees on the menu as long as you request soy sauce be used instead of oyster in the cooking process. They can also substitute tofu for other entree combinations if so desired.
Check out their enticing and flavorful drink menu which includes Sweet Red Bean Drink and Basil Seed Drink. YUM!

Check out Greg Cox's full review here.

Downtown Raleigh restaurant Jibarra has vegetarian items on the menu which include two creamy soups, some salads (if you leave the meat off), a fruit plate offered for the weekend brunch and three entrees such as the Tacos a la Vegetariana (served for lunch and dinner), Queso en Amarillito and Chile Relleno y Hojaldrado (served only at dinner.) They also have a small plate, Queso Fundido, which is served at lunch and dinner. Vegans beware, you'll have to request that cheeses and meats are left off the salads and realistically the only entree that could work without cheese is the Tacos a la Vegetariana. I'll most likely try it myself soon and will add an update with specifics. See Greg Cox's full review here.

Anna's Pizzeria in Apex has many vegetarian pasta, salad and pizza options easily found on the menu. For vegans, you'll have to go beyond the menu but the staff seems open to variations on dishes. A good thing to know is that the wheat pasta is vegan and the pizza crusts are also vegan. See Greg Cox's full review here.

Check out Greg Cox's latest Epicurean column with details on Butternut Squash, a new vegetarian restaurant in Chapel Hill, as well as news on other moves in the Wake County dining scene.

And check out Cox's round up of Middle Eastern eateries across the Triangle.