Vegetarian Dining Reviews

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Zaika Franklin Park, NJ

Submitted 7/10/2005 by Mirah Riben, Monmouth Junction, NJ
A large assortment of vegetarian dishes, many vegan. Under new management, this Indian restaurant is a shining star among the many that dot Route 27 between New Brunswick and South Brunswick. While there is one in every strip mall along that route, but many are fast food and not very clean, IMO.
Zaika lives up to its name of being fine Indian Cuisine served very graciously by an on-site owner who takes great pride in doing so. He also speaks perfect English so you can ask about ingredients, though the menu is quite detailed. The atmosphere is clean with table clothes on the tables, yet the prices are not above the fast food Indian restaurants in the area where you serve yourself.
I had Baigan Bharta: clay oven baked eggplant with green peas. Excellent. Small portion $5.95, large $8.95. All veg. dishes served with Basmati rice. Other vegetarian entrees priced the same with some $6.50 and $9.95 (small and large).
If you are not vegan, you will love the Carrot Halwa for desert!
Dinner buffet Tuesday and Wednesday with enough vegetarian dishes to make it worthwhile.

Tanjore North Brunswick, NJ

Submitted 2/25/2006 by Todd Gillespie, Brooklyn, NY
Great homemade south Indian vegetarian food. The quality and flavor is excellent! All-you-can-eat buffet brunch with a rotating menu of specialities on Sundays. Tasty dosai (savory crepe-like dishes), iddly (rice dumpling) and vadai (lentil donuts) served all the time with spicy and flavorful sambhar or rasa dipping sauces. Try it -- you'll like it and keep coming back!

Meemah Edison, NJ

Submitted 2/27/2006 by Bill Johnson, Metuchen, NJ
The food here is outstanding - well-seasoned, fresh, eclectic and always properly prepared. But don't think about the kind of food that you can spend $25 on and feed your family; a meal with a shared app or two and entrees for four will run you $80 at least, and $100 is not out of the question. Generally, though, it's worth it.
The service, however, is abysmal. The owner/operator is one of the most rude, unpleasant, and obnoxious proprietors whom I've ever encountered. Short-tempered, totally lacking in common courtesy even to repeat customers whom she recognizes, I have seen her reduce an elderly couple to tears because they had waited an hour and just wanted their food. Just getting chopsticks or extra hot oil with your take-out order requires an act of Congress. The woman can be truly caustic, mean and frightening.

Nanking South Plainfield, NJ

Submitted 5/12/2006 by MY, Piscataway, NJ
Excellent food, nice ambiance however the staff is not friendly at all. They didn't ask if we needed anything during the course of our meal and kept forgetting our drinks. We went to lunch two days in a row for their great food and we were hoping they would be friendly the next day...unfortunately they were not.

Submitted 7/10/2006 by Shiv, New Brunswick, NJ
This restaurant has instantly won me over. From the first time you sit down to enjoy their Thai/Chinese/Indian fusion dishes, you are sold. I am hard pressed to find a dish that is not worth the considerable entree price. The cuisine itself is based around an assortment of curried dishes that are fully realized with a helping of various rices, the most common staple being jasmine rice. They do charge for the rice instead of including it in the entree, and this generally would be something to huff and puff about if not for the unbeatable quality. I truly believe it is the best restaurant (quality wise) in the state, and can certainly compete with its more well established counterparts in NYC. You will not find it uncommon to run over 100 dollars for a night out for 2-3 people, but then again the food makes you forget the bill as you sit in the car and take a moment to clear the buzz of euphoria from eating such a great meal.
About the service - Nanking is a fairly new restaurant and has certainly taken steps to up their game with service. While food still takes considerable time to prepare, servers are at your beckon call, constantly refilling your drinks and asking if you need anything.
Go, enjoy. You won't understand how it could be so good. And quite frankly, you won't care to know!! That's how good it is.

Kaya's Kitchen Belmar, NJ

Submitted 8/2006 by DR, Robbinsville, NJ
We have dined at Kaya's Kitchen several times in the past month and it has been consistently delicious. It's a casual place, the staff is very friendly, and the menu is extensive and almost all vegan (any non-vegan options can be made with soy alternatives). Prices are very reasonable and it is BYOB. I highly recommend the tofu buffalo wings; they are delicious! The "chicken" curry is also outstanding. Their desserts are so-so - usually a variety of cakes, nothing spectacular but if you are looking for a sweet fix they will fit the bill.
Overall, we love Kaya's Kitchen and highly recommend it.

Down to Earth Red Bank, NJ

Submitted 8/2006 by DR, Robbinsville, NJ
This is one of my favorite restaurants. It's a laid back place, the staff are all very nice and accommodating, and the food is outstanding. There are so many good options on the menu that it is hard to narrow down a few options to mention here. The menu is a nice mix of vegan/vegetarian foods like seitan/tofu/tempeh and regular things like portobellos, samosas, etc. so it is the kind of place you can bring meat eaters without them being freaked out by the menu. :) I usually try to order whatever the special is that night because they are almost always amazing - same goes for the desserts. Down to Earth is an excellent restaurant; I highly recommend it. [Note: Down to Earth has closed]

Harini Lawrenceville, NJ

Submitted 3/24/2007 by JR, Plainsboro, NJ
My husband and I went there after reveiving a coupon through the mail and left utterly disppointed. The rice, which is an integral portion of an Indian meal was totally bland, without any seasoning or even salted, and was undercooked and lukewarm at best. While everyone has different levels of tolerance for spices, my husband's dish was so hot that he couldn't bear to eat it. Despite the lack of vegan options in the area, sadly we definitely would not return.

Submitted 5/19/2007 by JT, Princeton, NJ
Not just a run-of-the-mill Indian menu. Perfect custom spicing! The food has home-made taste, both vegetarian as well as non-vegetarian. We had a pleasant experience on Mother's Day. Expect to see my family more often! Probably the best Indian food in the area.

Eurasian Eatery Red Bank, NJ

Submitted 5/17/2007 by M, Freehold, NJ
Just wanted to say this place ROCKS! Even though it does serve meat, it has an extensive vegetarian and vegan menu too! Matter of fact, it is the oldest Vegetarian[-friendly] restaurant in the area! The food is all homemade and so delicious! Not to mention ALL THE CHOICES! They brew their own tea, make their own freshly baked bread, and yummy desserts ... mmmmm chocolate! The atmosphere is cozy and quaint with a warm feel good vibe! Go check it out if you haven't already!

Submitted 6/23/2008 by AS, Upper Freehold, NJ
We found this place by accident about 12 years ago. Back then they had a few vegan items on their menu. We eventually sampled them all - absolutely fantastic. Recently we went back and their menu is mostly vegetarian/vegan now. The food is out-of-this-world with so many new additions that we had a VERY difficult time making a selection. From seitan, to stuffed tofu, to an Asian dumpling salad they have the best of everything. Prices average $12.95 for a full entree, $4-$8 for an appetizer. We can NEVER eat everything on our plates (though we try) and happily stumble out with our bellies full and leftovers for another meal. Be forewarned - it is a small place - not many tables (8-10). You don't want to miss out on this place!!!

Kairo Kafe New Brunswick, NJ

Submitted 10/3/2007 by MD, New Brunswick, NJ
We went for dinner. The place has a very relaxed atmosphere, very cozy - candle light mostly. The service was spot on. We tried their specials - they where fantastic. A very large variety of vegetarian choices. The food is fresh, and we split a dessert which I had heard a lot about. It is worth it just for the desserts - they are baked fresh daily. It is BYOB. They have belly dancing on the weekends, so we will make reservations and come back. Price was very reasonable - you get a lot of very high quality food for a very reasonable price.

Megumi Metuchen, NJ

Submitted 11/4/2007 by NS, Monroe Township, NJ
Megumi is in downtown Metuchen, but not on the "Main" drag. Plenty of parking is available. This place is very vegan friendly, Chinese/Japanese. They even have a vegetarian Bento Box which I loved. They have at least 20 vegetarian Chinese dishes on the menu. It is eat in/take out, but nice atmosphere for dining in. Very very reasonable.

Zen Palate Princeton, NJ

Submitted 12/13/2007 by Angela, Yardley, PA
Not your typical Thai Menu, but every item is vegetarian, and everything that I have tried is absolutely fabulous! Try the yam fries and the 'Taste of Malay'. You will not be let down. The restaurant itself is a little difficult to find. It is located behind the Mexican Restaurant. Curteous staff, and never too crowded. Every vegetarian must give it a whirl!

Submitted 12/21/2008 by M, Bridgewater, NJ
Excellent! Little pricey, but worth it. I loved the dumpling soup with vegetables (listed under "Rice and noodles").

Monsoon Mt Laurel, NJ

Submitted 5/21/2008 by CA, Voorhees, NJ
Restaurant is very new in a nice location. Decor is eye-pleasing. Appears to be a family-run restaurant with dad and kids all around. Somewhat uncomfortable. Tables are slightly higher than normal.
Food is extremely pricey for restaurants of any cuisine. Vegetarian dishes are $11.95 and up. One piece of naan is $2.50 and up.
We ordered one paneer makhani, one okra, and kofta malaikari and a bread basket with few pieces of bread. Kofta curry had four 1" balls of kofta swimming in a bowl of gravy. Paneer makhani had eight 1/2" cubes of paneer in the same gravy as kofta curry. Okra curry was good size but dripping with oil. Naans were OK. Food was average quality but quite small in portion - even the white rice for three of us was one small bowl. We left wondering whether these folks know that customers are leaving hungry after paying $55 for two adults and one child!"

Namaste Cafe New Brunswick, NJ

Submitted 11/7/2008 by DS, Martinsville, NJ
There's the most awesome organic vegan restaurant in NB - the Namaste Caf�. It's right on top of the George Street Coop and it's run by the coolest guy. It has a really vibish ambience (like a West Coast veggie place) and the juices/other beverages and food (salads, wraps, veggie burgers and desserts) are awesome. The juices are by far the best - even better than in juice bars in NYC or Cali.

Submitted 12/27/2008 by DS, New Brunswick, NJ
Food quality is very good and juices are great, but menu item availability is inconsistent. Sometimes menu items are not available. Owner is pleasant and helpful, but can be overly talkative with customers so service can be quite slow. Apparently he will also not make food to go. Food is also priced somewhat high for what you get. Go when you are not in a rush to be somewhere else.

Zaika	Franklin Park, NJ
Submitted 7/10/2005 by Mirah Riben, Monmouth Junction, NJ A large assortment of vegetarian dishes, many vegan. Under new management, this Indian restaurant is a shining star among the many that dot Route 27 between New Brunswick and South Brunswick. While there is one in every strip mall along that route, but many are fast food and not very clean, IMO. Zaika lives up to its name of being fine Indian Cuisine served very graciously by an on-site owner who takes great pride in doing so. He also speaks perfect English so you can ask about ingredients, though the menu is quite detailed. The atmosphere is clean with table clothes on the tables, yet the prices are not above the fast food Indian restaurants in the area where you serve yourself. I had Baigan Bharta: clay oven baked eggplant with green peas. Excellent. Small portion $5.95, large $8.95. All veg. dishes served with Basmati rice. Other vegetarian entrees priced the same with some $6.50 and $9.95 (small and large). If you are not vegan, you will love the Carrot Halwa for desert! Dinner buffet Tuesday and Wednesday with enough vegetarian dishes to make it worthwhile.
Tanjore	North Brunswick, NJ
Submitted 2/25/2006 by Todd Gillespie, Brooklyn, NY Great homemade south Indian vegetarian food. The quality and flavor is excellent! All-you-can-eat buffet brunch with a rotating menu of specialities on Sundays. Tasty dosai (savory crepe-like dishes), iddly (rice dumpling) and vadai (lentil donuts) served all the time with spicy and flavorful sambhar or rasa dipping sauces. Try it -- you'll like it and keep coming back!
Meemah	Edison, NJ
Submitted 2/27/2006 by Bill Johnson, Metuchen, NJ The food here is outstanding - well-seasoned, fresh, eclectic and always properly prepared. But don't think about the kind of food that you can spend $25 on and feed your family; a meal with a shared app or two and entrees for four will run you $80 at least, and $100 is not out of the question. Generally, though, it's worth it. The service, however, is abysmal. The owner/operator is one of the most rude, unpleasant, and obnoxious proprietors whom I've ever encountered. Short-tempered, totally lacking in common courtesy even to repeat customers whom she recognizes, I have seen her reduce an elderly couple to tears because they had waited an hour and just wanted their food. Just getting chopsticks or extra hot oil with your take-out order requires an act of Congress. The woman can be truly caustic, mean and frightening.
Nanking	South Plainfield, NJ
Submitted 5/12/2006 by MY, Piscataway, NJ Excellent food, nice ambiance however the staff is not friendly at all. They didn't ask if we needed anything during the course of our meal and kept forgetting our drinks. We went to lunch two days in a row for their great food and we were hoping they would be friendly the next day...unfortunately they were not.
Submitted 7/10/2006 by Shiv, New Brunswick, NJ This restaurant has instantly won me over. From the first time you sit down to enjoy their Thai/Chinese/Indian fusion dishes, you are sold. I am hard pressed to find a dish that is not worth the considerable entree price. The cuisine itself is based around an assortment of curried dishes that are fully realized with a helping of various rices, the most common staple being jasmine rice. They do charge for the rice instead of including it in the entree, and this generally would be something to huff and puff about if not for the unbeatable quality. I truly believe it is the best restaurant (quality wise) in the state, and can certainly compete with its more well established counterparts in NYC. You will not find it uncommon to run over 100 dollars for a night out for 2-3 people, but then again the food makes you forget the bill as you sit in the car and take a moment to clear the buzz of euphoria from eating such a great meal. About the service - Nanking is a fairly new restaurant and has certainly taken steps to up their game with service. While food still takes considerable time to prepare, servers are at your beckon call, constantly refilling your drinks and asking if you need anything. Go, enjoy. You won't understand how it could be so good. And quite frankly, you won't care to know!! That's how good it is.
Kaya's Kitchen	Belmar, NJ
Submitted 8/2006 by DR, Robbinsville, NJ We have dined at Kaya's Kitchen several times in the past month and it has been consistently delicious. It's a casual place, the staff is very friendly, and the menu is extensive and almost all vegan (any non-vegan options can be made with soy alternatives). Prices are very reasonable and it is BYOB. I highly recommend the tofu buffalo wings; they are delicious! The "chicken" curry is also outstanding. Their desserts are so-so - usually a variety of cakes, nothing spectacular but if you are looking for a sweet fix they will fit the bill. Overall, we love Kaya's Kitchen and highly recommend it.
Down to Earth	Red Bank, NJ
Submitted 8/2006 by DR, Robbinsville, NJ This is one of my favorite restaurants. It's a laid back place, the staff are all very nice and accommodating, and the food is outstanding. There are so many good options on the menu that it is hard to narrow down a few options to mention here. The menu is a nice mix of vegan/vegetarian foods like seitan/tofu/tempeh and regular things like portobellos, samosas, etc. so it is the kind of place you can bring meat eaters without them being freaked out by the menu. :) I usually try to order whatever the special is that night because they are almost always amazing - same goes for the desserts. Down to Earth is an excellent restaurant; I highly recommend it. [Note: Down to Earth has closed]
Harini	Lawrenceville, NJ
Submitted 3/24/2007 by JR, Plainsboro, NJ My husband and I went there after reveiving a coupon through the mail and left utterly disppointed. The rice, which is an integral portion of an Indian meal was totally bland, without any seasoning or even salted, and was undercooked and lukewarm at best. While everyone has different levels of tolerance for spices, my husband's dish was so hot that he couldn't bear to eat it. Despite the lack of vegan options in the area, sadly we definitely would not return.
Submitted 5/19/2007 by JT, Princeton, NJ Not just a run-of-the-mill Indian menu. Perfect custom spicing! The food has home-made taste, both vegetarian as well as non-vegetarian. We had a pleasant experience on Mother's Day. Expect to see my family more often! Probably the best Indian food in the area.
Eurasian Eatery	Red Bank, NJ
Submitted 5/17/2007 by M, Freehold, NJ Just wanted to say this place ROCKS! Even though it does serve meat, it has an extensive vegetarian and vegan menu too! Matter of fact, it is the oldest Vegetarian[-friendly] restaurant in the area! The food is all homemade and so delicious! Not to mention ALL THE CHOICES! They brew their own tea, make their own freshly baked bread, and yummy desserts ... mmmmm chocolate! The atmosphere is cozy and quaint with a warm feel good vibe! Go check it out if you haven't already!
Submitted 6/23/2008 by AS, Upper Freehold, NJ We found this place by accident about 12 years ago. Back then they had a few vegan items on their menu. We eventually sampled them all - absolutely fantastic. Recently we went back and their menu is mostly vegetarian/vegan now. The food is out-of-this-world with so many new additions that we had a VERY difficult time making a selection. From seitan, to stuffed tofu, to an Asian dumpling salad they have the best of everything. Prices average $12.95 for a full entree, $4-$8 for an appetizer. We can NEVER eat everything on our plates (though we try) and happily stumble out with our bellies full and leftovers for another meal. Be forewarned - it is a small place - not many tables (8-10). You don't want to miss out on this place!!!
Kairo Kafe	New Brunswick, NJ
Submitted 10/3/2007 by MD, New Brunswick, NJ We went for dinner. The place has a very relaxed atmosphere, very cozy - candle light mostly. The service was spot on. We tried their specials - they where fantastic. A very large variety of vegetarian choices. The food is fresh, and we split a dessert which I had heard a lot about. It is worth it just for the desserts - they are baked fresh daily. It is BYOB. They have belly dancing on the weekends, so we will make reservations and come back. Price was very reasonable - you get a lot of very high quality food for a very reasonable price.
Megumi	Metuchen, NJ
Submitted 11/4/2007 by NS, Monroe Township, NJ Megumi is in downtown Metuchen, but not on the "Main" drag. Plenty of parking is available. This place is very vegan friendly, Chinese/Japanese. They even have a vegetarian Bento Box which I loved. They have at least 20 vegetarian Chinese dishes on the menu. It is eat in/take out, but nice atmosphere for dining in. Very very reasonable.
Zen Palate	Princeton, NJ
Submitted 12/13/2007 by Angela, Yardley, PA Not your typical Thai Menu, but every item is vegetarian, and everything that I have tried is absolutely fabulous! Try the yam fries and the 'Taste of Malay'. You will not be let down. The restaurant itself is a little difficult to find. It is located behind the Mexican Restaurant. Curteous staff, and never too crowded. Every vegetarian must give it a whirl!
Submitted 12/21/2008 by M, Bridgewater, NJ Excellent! Little pricey, but worth it. I loved the dumpling soup with vegetables (listed under "Rice and noodles").
Monsoon	Mt Laurel, NJ
Submitted 5/21/2008 by CA, Voorhees, NJ Restaurant is very new in a nice location. Decor is eye-pleasing. Appears to be a family-run restaurant with dad and kids all around. Somewhat uncomfortable. Tables are slightly higher than normal. Food is extremely pricey for restaurants of any cuisine. Vegetarian dishes are $11.95 and up. One piece of naan is $2.50 and up. We ordered one paneer makhani, one okra, and kofta malaikari and a bread basket with few pieces of bread. Kofta curry had four 1" balls of kofta swimming in a bowl of gravy. Paneer makhani had eight 1/2" cubes of paneer in the same gravy as kofta curry. Okra curry was good size but dripping with oil. Naans were OK. Food was average quality but quite small in portion - even the white rice for three of us was one small bowl. We left wondering whether these folks know that customers are leaving hungry after paying $55 for two adults and one child!"
Namaste Cafe	New Brunswick, NJ
Submitted 11/7/2008 by DS, Martinsville, NJ There's the most awesome organic vegan restaurant in NB - the Namaste Caf�. It's right on top of the George Street Coop and it's run by the coolest guy. It has a really vibish ambience (like a West Coast veggie place) and the juices/other beverages and food (salads, wraps, veggie burgers and desserts) are awesome. The juices are by far the best - even better than in juice bars in NYC or Cali.
Submitted 12/27/2008 by DS, New Brunswick, NJ Food quality is very good and juices are great, but menu item availability is inconsistent. Sometimes menu items are not available. Owner is pleasant and helpful, but can be overly talkative with customers so service can be quite slow. Apparently he will also not make food to go. Food is also priced somewhat high for what you get. Go when you are not in a rush to be somewhere else.

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