More Than Just Meat on a Stick: A Vegetarian Guide to the Taste of Chicago

June 17, 10:00 PMChicago Dining ExaminerEmily Szopa

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Feeding frenzy / Photo courtesy of tasteofchicgo.us
 

"Taste's Better Every Year"

When it comes to dining, outdoor festivals inevitably conjure up images of all sorts of foods-on-a-stick, usually meat: corndogs, kebabs, turkey legs (bones count) and ribs. The idea, of course, is convenience. Forks and knives don't lend themselves well to the concept of wandering around in a crowd and stuffing your face while simultaneously plotting what you're going to eat next.

So where does that leave vegetarians? Sure, there's the pickle-on-a-stick, the ubiquitous corn cob and the rare veggie dog, but non-meat-eaters can rarely find much that's new and exciting in the food festival realm. Even if you suspect there might be an inspired offering somewhere in the mix, how is one supposed to find it amidst the sea of rib tips and brats?

The way I see it, you have three options:
 

1. Wander around until you get so hungry that you end up gorging on ice cream or whatever you come across first. True, the first thing you see could be a Grilled Plantain with Spicy Peanut Sauce (from Bolat African Cuisine, booth #1), which could also just happen to be your favorite thing ever, but with 65 vendors, you've gotta be pretty determined or really lucky.
2. Stay home. What? Why? Why, especially when you have #3:
3. Stake out which booths you want to visit ahead of time! The Taste of Chicago website has an interactive map you can use to find out where your favorite vendors will be. You can either go through the vendors one-by-one, OR --better yet-- you can check out this handy reference guide I put together just for you! (Note: Adobe Reader is required to view/print the guide)
    

Let me mention that I myself am not a vegetarian. I have lived vegan (albeit briefly, and not for ethical reasons), though, so I can understand how tough it can be to find food when you're just trying to have fun. Also, I was raised by (and alongside) vegetarians, so I've heard the cries of "Not another portabella 'burger,'" and "I guess I'll just have pizza," enough times to know that variety is often an issue. 

  Crispy Samosas / Photo by Lotus Head
 

This year at the Taste, however, there are more than enough veggie options to make it worth the trip. Imagination abounds, too, with plenty of food stylings that reach beyond the usual pedestrian fare. A new vendor at the fair, Soul Vegetarian East (booth #2) will be serving up soul-inspired vegetarian and vegan dishes, including Veggie Gyros and Vegan Sweet Potato Pie. Vermilion (booth #10), known for Latin American-Indian fusion cuisine, is doing Mango Cumin-Dusted Fries with Chutney. I myself am looking forward to trying (booth #60) A Natural Harvest's BBQ Tofu Skewers (there's your stick!), and (booth #59) Arya Bhavan's Samosas.

I don't know if it has to do with the "health initiative" set forth by the Mayor's office, but several restaurants with traditionally meat-oriented menus are also offering vegetarian-friendly dishes, such as (booth #4) Ricobene's Eggplant Parmesan Sandwich, or (booth #57) Sabor Latino's Casada (stewed red beans and rice). They may not be on sticks, but I'm sure they'll be amenable to festival wandering.

Also, if you don't eat meat but you do eat seafood, your options nearly double. Oak Street Beach Cafe (booth #48) has Grilled Lobster Tail with Garlic Potato and Chicago Joe's (booth #5) is serving Battered Butterfly Coconut Shrimp, just to highlight a couple.

Check out the comprehensive guide here. It includes booth #s, tasting portions and individual websites, as well as the actual street addresses for when you're craving more and the festival is over. (Adobe Reader is required to view/print) Trust me, with more than 75 savory vegetarian options available this year, the delicious sounding dishes mentioned above are only a taste of the Taste.

Thursday: Desserts that'll make you glad you saved room. (So save some room!)

Please note: The information used to create the comprehensive guide is derived from the Taste of Chicago's website and the most recent menus provided by participating vendors. Any errors are unintentional and are not meant to ruin your day. I promise.

(Also: "Taste's Better Every Year" is this year's festival theme. It's cute, but I didn't come up with it.)