• Vegan Field Report: Chef Brooke’s Natural Cafe in Fort Myers FL

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    January 3rd, 2011quarrygirlflorida, more restaurants (not LA)

    field report time! kris from veganscraps sent us another guest post, and this time she checked out chef brooke’s natural cafe in fort myer’s, florida. brittany has  covered chef brooke’s on this blog in the past, and this review is definitely making me wanna go there even more. from what i hear, florida’s vegan options aren’t as numerous as they are here in los angeles…so it’s great to know when good quality food is available.

    Tempeh Reuben: Fresh Marinated Tempeh Served on Health Bread with a Reuben Sauce, Tomatoes, Lettuce, Sprouts, and Cucumbers. Served with Potato Salad and Coleslaw. $8.99

    Normally when someone mentions Florida you begin to think of palm trees, the beach and the warm weather (which are all accurate descriptions)… but when I think of going to FL (specifically Fort Myers), one thing comes to mind “Chef Brooke’s Natural Cafe“. This Cafe is my favorite healthy cafe on the planet! The owner and chef, Brooke is extremely talented at cooking food as well as presenting it beautifully! Chef Brooke’s Natural Cafe offers a HUGE menu (not 100% vegan, but most items are or can be made vegan) with smoothies, baked goods, daily specials, raw and gluten free food, burritos, veggie burgers, hummus platters, soups, and a small grocery area to pick up little extras!

    One of my favorite things about this cafe is the ambiance of the place. Brooke is such a kind person and puts so much love into all of her food! The staff is so friendly as well! The counter girl Lizzy always puts a smile on your face and Enrike is always helping Brooke prepare something scrumptious in the back. Now lets get to the goodies!! Starting off with one of my favorites…

    Hummus Tabouley: Homemade Raw Hummus with Raw Crackers and Fresh Crudites. $8.99

    I can’t tell you exactly what Brooke puts in this raw hummus, but it is an obsession of mine. How about a bowl of raw hummus and a spoon…thank you! 🙂

    Moroccan Stew Platter: Chunks of Seitan with Mixed Veggies Stewed in a delicious sauce served with a Salad with Sesame Dressing. $11.99

    Another dish that Brooke has a lot is the “Moroccan Stew Platter”, chunks of seitan with mixed veggies and served with salad. These plates are spectacular! She always switches up the protein (sometimes tofu or seitan) and always rocks these plates. The freshness and flavor of this dish is unbelievable. Really. Yum.

    Another delicious item at Brooke’s is the “Tempeh Reuben” (pictured at the top of this post), marinated tempeh served on health bread with an AMAZING sauce, tomatoes, lettuce, sprouts, and cucumbers. OH MY WORD. ADDICTIVE. I have tasted reubens around the country but this one is killer. I could drink the sauce she puts on it (I always order it with whatever I eat!).

    Macaroni and "Cheese": Brown Rice Pasta with Soy-free Vegan Cheese

    A great classic that we vegans sometimes miss out on is Mac N Cheese—That dish that brings you back to childhood, if only it could be made vegan and healthy. Well Brooke has done it, and done it well! “Macaroni and Cheese” Brown Rice Pasta made with (get this) a soy free cheese. The cheese is made from Squash! This dish is spiced with delicious ingredients like garlic, lemon and other creative flavors Brooke comes up with. I will admit Mac and Cheese was never my go to meal but it is now! This stuff is divine. Flavorful, “cheesy” ..so darn good.

    I am always satisfied after a fantastic meal at Chef Brooke’s, but I can never walk away without a visit to the bakery case… 🙂

    Brooke makes numerous different vegan and gluten free muffins with different flavors and fruit each day.

    Chocolate Raspberry Muffin: Fresh Vegan Batter mixed with Raspberries and Grain Sweetened Chocolate. $2.99

    A favorite one of mine is the “Chocolate Raspberry Muffin”. This muffin falls apart in your mouth and puts you in that happy place. WOW. Life is just so much better with Brooke’s muffins.. really.. you haven’t lived vegan until you’ve eaten at Chef Brooke’s. I promise you this, if you stop in for a meal you will not be disappointed. Head down to Fort Myers and say hey to Brooke and enjoy some of her fantastic food!! Eat Clean and Healthy!!

    Chef Brooke’s Natural Cafe
    1850 Boyscout Drive (Unit A106)
    Fort Myers FL.
    (239).332.2433
    open 8am – 4pm

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