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The Student News Site of Palo Alto High School

The Paly Voice

The Student News Site of Palo Alto High School

The Paly Voice

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Still great food, still not-so-great service

Of the 281 million Americans, fewer than 1% are diehard vegans, according to the American Council on Science and Health.
By definition, vegans live on a diet free from any animal products including milk, eggs, and honey. Thus, as one can imagine, accommodating restaurant dining is hard to come by.
However, since it took its first breath, The BayLeaf Café has resuscitated hope for Silicon Valley vegan diners.

Located just off of University Ave. in downtown Palo Alto (520 Ramona Street), The BayLeaf Café opened in November 2002. Upon entering, diners are greeted by a bright atmosphere with light pouring onto the wooden tables and eluminating vibrant, abstract artwork on the walls. A cleverly positioned bookshelf welcomes patrons to peruse a humble set of books and pamphlets about vegetarian and veganism as a way of life.

"We are vegan, but had problems finding places to go out," says Rovi Schivanna, co-owner along with Cindy Liang. "That’s why we opened [The BayLeaf Café]." Schivanna and Liang opened the restaurant with the intent of making a vegan ice cream store, but it gradually became more of a café because "people didn’t want just ice cream," Schivanna says.

Inspired by diverse, around-the-world cuisine, not only is The BayLeaf Café completely vegan, but it is also affordable with no dish over $10.

Diners can expect tingled taste buds with every bite and the menu, specially designed by Schivanna and Liang, provides a vivacious selection.

The Pita with hummus appetizer ($4.75) is a great way to start the meal. The warm pita slices perfectly compliment the hummus’s smoothly blended lemon zing. The appetizer’s delectable tang has certain addictive qualities, so beware of stray hands reaching in to take your share. Fortunately, the dish is neither too big, nor too small. This perfect portion size ensures that diners still leave room for the rest of the meal.

Patrons can order soups in either a small ($3.80) or a large ($5.60) size, both of which come beautifully presented alongside a slice of toasted sourdough bread. Both the Curried Carrot and fat free Yellow Lentil soups are delicious, but deciding on a favorite can lead to a heated debate.

The diner’s eyes can devour the Curried Carrot before the spoon even reaches their lips. This sublime and spunky, orange-yellow cream soup with a green garnish has a look equaling the excellence of its taste. The soothing flavor is even cleverly embellished with a wink of spice.

As for the Yellow Lentil soup, it is reminiscent of a classic, homemade dish and is recommendable for diners who are especially conscious of their fat intake.

The BayLeaf Café’s daily specials are most definitely not to be overlooked. The samosas ($4.50) are an excellent choice for any diner who is a sucker for spice. The fieriness of the potato-filled pastry is extreme enough to clean even the worst sinus problems, but for the more temperate palate, a sweet sauce served alongside harmonizes the taste.

The Eggplant Curry with Tomatoes ($9.50) special is a traditional vegan dish resembling a warm, gooey stew of rice, tofu, mushrooms, eggplant, and onions. The greens sprinkled around the dish are crunchy and refreshing to enhance both the presentation and savory flavor.

The Grilled Portobello Mushroom sandwich ($8.50) is another culinary masterpiece The BayLeaf Café has perfected with finesse. The grilled mushroom rests lightly on sliced tomatoes and bread moistened by vinaigrette.

The drink selection includes many exotic teas, coffees and juices. Ginger (green) Tea ($2.75) is served in a tall, elegant cup mirroring its calming and palate-cleansing effect. Then, on the other end of the drink spectrum, The BayLeaf Café’s homemade lemonade ($2.75) is "cool and refreshing, not too pulpy," says one of the diners.

Dessert is certainly a highlight of The BayLeaf experience. The Banana Sesame Crépe ($5.25) is a luscious pastry oozing with chocolate. It is truly of supreme taste, but the dessert is too large to eat alone. The non dairy ice cream is also wonderful and light. Especially tasty was the Forbidden Rice Sundae ($4.75).

The dishes themselves make unbeatable vegan cuisine, however there are certain pitfalls to this otherwise top notch restaurant. Although The BayLeaf Café personnel are friendly, the speed of their service is extremely slow despite the relatively small size of the restaurant. It is a definite drawback that diners need to be persistent in asking for service so as not to wait an excruciating 40 minutes or more just for a dessert order to be taken.

Patrons can also enjoy additional features such as a leisure environment, convenient wireless access, seminars, and accommodation for small children and families. Despite these extras, the BayLeaf Café gives each diner a fresh, tasty, and gratifying new look at veganism at its prime.

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