B G R The Burger Joint

BGR is a gourmet hamburger joint in Mobile. It's part of a small chain that has about 22 locations in nine states. Locations are mainly in the South, but other BGRs can be found in three different time zones.

The menu features a veggie burger and a variety of vegetarian sides, including vegetables and French fries.

The veggie burger patty was made with brown rice, black beans, oats and molasses on a brioche bun with lettuce, tomato, onion, pickle and condiments. While the dressing was nice, the burger patty was dry, mealy and flavorless. It needed every bit of mayo on it and an ocean of ketchup to make the patty able to be swallowed. 

The fries were excellent. They varied between soft and crispy depending on the thickness of each potato. The grilled asparagus had a smoky flavor and a pleasant presentation.

Overall, it's nice that this chain makes an effort to include a burger option for vegetarians. They just have to work harder on the veggie burger recipe.

Newk's Express Cafe

Newk's Express Cafe is a fast-casual sandwich shop based in Mississippi. It is most comparable to McAllister's, a concept that could be described a Panera Bread with Southern touches and pizza.

Where McAllister's has a Southern accent, Newk's seems to have fully embraced its inner hillbilly. Despite its Southern roots, Newk's does offer plenty of options for both vegans and vegetarians. 

The menu is made up of toasted sandwiches, salads, soups and thin-crust pizza. The entree salads are definitely large enough to serve as a meal.

There are two vegetarian sandwiches, both served on a white sandwich roll. The veggie club is made with mushrooms, roasted red and yellow peppers, pesto and goat cheese.

The grilled cheese sandwich is prepared with Newk's house-made pimento cheese, which is also available for sale on its own. The sandwich is rich and slightly sweet, and it is a great use of a Southern staple.

Newk's has three vegetarian pizzas.The dessert menu consists of assorted baked goods and numerous cakes. 

Zorba the Greek

Zorba the Greek is a carry-out Greek and Mediterranean restaurant in a dingy strip mall in West Mobile. Its humble setting doesn't prevent Zorba from offering fresh Mediterranean fare accompanied by service with personality.

Vegetarian options at Zorba the Greek include staples like hummus, grape leaves, spinach pie and falafel. Portions are adequate and prices are low.

The hummus was flecked with parsley and drizzled with a spicy ribbon of harissa. It was accompanied by an enormous quantity of pita.

The falafel sandwich was stuffed with lettuce, tomato and onions in tahini. The discs of falafel were well seasoned and had a nice textural contrast between the crispy exterior and the soft insides. The pita was thick and provided a good vehicle to deliver the sandwich and all its dressing. It was served with a side of saffron rice.

The owner of Zorba is an affable gentleman who knows all his customers by name. If he doesn't know you by name, he learns what you like pretty quickly.

There is limited seating at Zorba. It is an easy spot for a quick lunch. Overall, its quality was superior to that of its neighbor Ollie's, although its menu was somewhat smaller.

Zorba's

SnickerDoodles Bakery/Cookies by Design

Even though the heyday of cupcakes has long since passed, it's always nice to find a talented producer like Snickerdoodles Bakery that can still elevate this childhood favorite with the skill of a craftsman. There is an adjacent cookie shop called Cookies by Design that operates out of the same kitchen. Between the two shops, something can be found to sate your sweet tooth.

The baker was passionate about her wares, and she explained that the cupcakes were vegetarian but not vegan appropriate. Many ingredients were locally sourced, including non-homogenized milk from a farm about 35 minutes from Mobile.

The Mississippi mud cupcakes were a brownie-like cake base flecked with Cookies by Design Oreos and crushed pecans. It was drizzled with caramel and chocolate syrup, and rich cocoa flavor exploded in each bite.

The turtle cupcake had salty pieces of crushed pretzel as a foundation. Caramel and nuts make the flavor sing.

The red velevet cupcakes with a liquid chocolate center add another layer of texture to a Southern bakery standard. The cake was moist, and the icing adds fat vanilla notes to what is a deceptive chocolate bomb.

The Elvis cupcake is banana cake topped in peanut butter icing. The King's favorite sandwich stands well as a baked good.

Overall, the appearance of the cupcakes is artful but lacking the sophistication of some of more talented icing pipers at other bakeries. This slight defect notwithstanding, everything I sampled tasted great.

Snickerdoodle

Stix

Stix is a small Pan-Asian chain in Alabama. There are five or six locations in the state. I visited the Stix in Spanish Fort.

The menu at Stix focuses on sushi and a combination of Japanese and Chinese appetizers, stir fries and noodle dishes.

The veggie sushi platter was overflowing with maki rolls. The roll in the center of the platter was prepared with asparagus, pickled squash, carrot and green bean. The avocado rolls were flecked with black and white sesame seeds. The sushi was visually appealing, even though some of the longer vegetable cuts were less than elegant.

The Szechuan tofu had an aggressive spice that the bean curd drank up. The peapods, carrots and onions were cooked crispy enough to retain the freshness of these vegetables. Stir fries are served with choice of white or brown rice.

Although the server was being trained during my visit, she delivered capable and friendly service. The bar has a full selection of beer, wine and faux-tini cocktails.

Stix

Ollie's Mediterranean Grill

Ollie's Mediterranean Grill is a veggie-friendly restaurant in Mobile with a sports bar motif. In addition to the restaurant, Ollie's also has a full bar with commercial European and domestic beers as well as an array of hookahs.

The menu features Greek and Middle Eastern classics like saganaki, grape leaves, falafel, hummus and baba ghanoush. There are also vegetarian rolled pitas including one stuffed with falafel and tahini, as well as Mediterranean lentil dishes.

The house salad was slightly better than bagged salad mix. The Greek dressing was bland and nearly without character.

The hummus had nice ribbons of parsley that added a fresh, citrus-laden touch to the dip. The pita bread was cooked to a crispy texture, allowing it to pick up massive quantities of hummus like a Mediterranean tortilla chip.

The falafel in the wrap had a mild taste that was overpowered by the otherwise dry sandwich. While the wrap was drizzled with tahini, a side of extra dressing might be necessary to enjoy the flavor nuance of the chickpea balls.

The meal I sampled at Ollie's was fairly pedestrian. The locals tell me that Ollie's suffers from a bit of inconsistency, which hopefully means that other visitors might enjoy a better experience.

Ollie's Mediterranean

Jerusalem Cafe

Jerusalem Cafe is a Mediterranean restaurant in Mobile that offers a great abundance of dining options for vegetarians. The food is fresh, healthy and delicious.

Mediterranean food consists of many dishes that are safe for vegetarians, and the fare at Jerusalem Cafe is no exception. Starters include hummus, baba ghanoush, stuffed grape leaves, falafel, spanakopita, tabouli, fattoush, Greek salad and Jerusalem bean salad. Entrees include a falafel sandwich, a grilled veggie sandwich, eggplant parmesan sandwich, vegetarian lasagna, and a variety of combo platters.

I started out with the hummus/baba ghanoush appetizer. The chickpea and eggplant dips are dusted with pepper and parsley, and then drizzled with olive oil and harissa. It is served with warm pita triangles, and the combination of flavors is fantastic. The hint of heat added by the harissa lends a spicy note to the citrusy hummus, and the black pepper provides a nice contrast to the roasted flavors in the baba.

The stuffed grape leaves are stuffed with rice and tomato. The texture is soft and the flavor is bright.

The falafel and hummus pita is also very good. Soft falafel disks are stuffed into a pita that is slathered in hummus. The pita comes with grilled onions and zucchini as well as fresh tomatoes and lettuce in a tahini dressing. It is served with a side of saffron rice.

Jerusalem Cafe makes pastries, including the ubiquitous baklava in a variety of flavors. Some of the combo platters come with baklava included, so plan your meal accordingly.

The staff at Jerusalem Cafe works briskly and capably. There is indoor and outdoor seating. The restaurant is BYOB. Their website lists specials, including 25% discounts Monday nights, 20% lunch discounts to club members, and Sunday buffets.

Jerusalem Cafe

Hopjacks

Hopjacks in Downtown Mobile is the second pizza and microbrew spot for this Pensacola operation. I didn't get to try the pizza, but I did approve of their 36 draft selections.

The draft list was heavy on local winners like Nola Hopitoulas (an Imperial IPA), Abita Jockamo and Restoration, Sweetwater pale ales from Georgia and Lazy Magnolia Southern Pecan from Mississippi.

There are also many domestic options from Stone and Dogfish Head, and international brews from Belgium and the U.K.

There is an extensive list of bottled beers and beer-based cocktails. The bar in Mobile seats about 20, and the restaurant seats another 40 diners. It is located across the street from where the now-defunct Hurricane Brewing was.

Hopjack's

The Bull

The Bull is a Southwestern restaurant located in Downtown Mobile. Although the focus of the restaurant is seafood, the Bull also features a couple of options for vegetarians.

The interior of the Bull consists of beautiful wood accents surrounding modern art. The bar is equally stylish, and it offers a fair selection of wines and cocktails.

The vegetarian appetizers are two salads and a chips and dips platter. I started with the Bibb salad with roasted beets, smoked tomato, pecans and quesa fresca in a honey chipotle dressing. Although the flavors were great, there was not enough dressing on the salad to accompany the gargantuan wedge of greenery in the center of the plate. The gamut of flavor was fantastic, while the portions of the ingredients were imperfect.

My main course was the smoked black bean cake with cedar-smoked tomatoes, Spanish rice, salsa verde and sour cream. The black bean cake was a smoky amalgamation of beans, peppers and corn. The sour cream adds richness to the cake, and the rice and green salsa add additional layers of complexity to the flavor profile. The skin on the roasted tomato should have been peeled in order to give the dish greater visual appeal. Other than that small complaint, the dish was a success.

The Bull is an excellent restaurant that offers great choices for vegetarians. Although they didn't hit every pitch out of the park, they definitely got the bat on the ball more often than they were thrown out.

Bull

Fuego Coastal Mexican

Not unlike most of the rest of America, Mexican restaurants in Mobile tend to be of the cookie cutter, one-size-fits-all variety. Fuego breaks these shackles and delivers fantastic fare that makes it a dining destination on the Gulf Coast.

The Perez family transplanted the cuisine from their former stomping grounds (San Diego) to the Gulf Coast. Mike and Rosana Perez tired of the aforementioned characterless fare that is found in most Mexican restaurants in this country, and along with a like-minded chef, they decided to open Fuego. It gives diners who expect more from their South of the Border fare a new and better option.

Fuego always has a couple of vegetarian items on the menu. The pinto beans, refried beans and Spanish rice are not vegetarian. However, Fuego prepares black beans and puebla rice that are safe for vegetarians.

The margaritas at Fuego are fantastic. They pack tons of flavor into each drink, and they offer varieties that are far more exciting than the traditional frozen lime concoctions that most places offer. The watermelon cucumber margarita is a refreshing blast of fruit that lingers beautifully on your tongue.

Fuego also prepares tableside guacamole. Along with the chipotle salsa, it is a great starter.

The veggie enchiladas are stuffed with rice, red peppers, zucchini, corn and beans, topped with red sauce and queso fresco, and served with black beans, rice and a delicious dollop of mashed corn meal that ties the dish up with a bow.

The interior of Fuego is tastefully decorated with bright colors. The staff provides excellent service, and they are attuned to vegetarian dining concerns.

Fuego

Panini Pete's

Panini Pete's is a sandwich shop in Fairhope, Alabama, that offers a little bit extra than the typical fast food joint. This small place, tucked into Alabama's French Quarter, puts its heart and soul into grill pressed, Italian-style sandwiches.

The actual Panini Pete is a graduate of the Culinary Institute of America. He has years of industry experience, and it shows in his carefully crafted fare.

Panini Pete's is so noted, in fact, that it was featured in an episode of Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives on the Food Network. There is even a Guy Fieri bobblehead by the cash register to thank the Food Network star for his free publicity.

All of the food, from the chips and fries to the bread and mozzarella cheese, are made in-house. Panini Pete's serves breakfast and lunch, and they stay busy throughout the afternoon.

Vegetarian options include the tomato and mozzarella panini. The soft, creamy mozzarella is stacked high on grilled foccacia bread with sliced tomatoes, torn basil leaves and a balsamic vinaigrette. When you only have one vegetarian sandwich on the menu, it had better be good, and Pete's truly delivers with this one. The chips are crisp and deliciously salty, with a hint of smokiness on the finish.

Crescent City fans will also enjoy the beignets. Pete's makes the New Orleans pastries for the breakfast crowd (although they can also be enjoyed after lunch by a less traditional diner).

Panini Pete's

Hurricane Brewing

Hurricane Brewing is a brew pup in Downtown Mobile with six or seven brews on tap. Five of them are produced by the on-site brewing facilities.

Hurricane features typical pub grub with a requisite number of vegetarian options including pizza, macaroni and cheese, cheese sticks, chips and salsa, and quesadillas.

The Storm Surge Stout is coal black. The carbonation is full. The aroma is a complex blend of maple, coffee and chocolate with a hint of smokiness. The finish is medium long, and the hop character evidences itself on the back end.

Some of the other regular brews include the Insurance Adjuster Pale Ale, Projected Path Amber Ale, and the Floating Car Amber Ale. The seasonal offerings are the Flying Debris Mardi Gras Ale, Category Four Leaf Irish Ale, an ever-changing wheat beer and an Octoberfest. The guest taps were Brooklyn Brown and Woodchuck Cider.

Hurricane Brewing

NoJa

NoJa is the shorthand name for North Jackson, the location of Downtown Mobile's finest restaurant. NoJa is a fusion spot right in the heart of the city.

Both the location and the boss have an interesting history. The space was formerly a private residence, a taxi station and a popular bar. The Ethiopian-born ower and chef Chakli Diggs formerly ran the popular Bienville Bistro. He uses his international upbringing as an influence on his multicultural menu.

The beautiful dining room is upstaged only by the more dynamic courtyard. The staff is as knowledgeable as they are courteous and attentive. Fernando was an excellent server.

The menu at NoJa is slanted in favor of the carnivorous consumer. However, the staff was very accommodating when I called ahead with my vegetarian concerns.

The tomato and sunchoke cream soup was vegetarian safe. The creamy tomato was offset by a rich, earthy sunchoke finish. Fresh pepper created a beautiful spiciness that rounded out the flavors.

The Mediterranean pasta dish was vegetarian when prepared without chorizo. Pepardelle pasta was tossed with spinach and grape tomatoes in a citrusy olive oil and cheese sauce flecked with pine nuts, peppercorns and green onions.

The wine list contains a number of esoteric selections. The beer and cocktails are equally colorful.

Noja

McAlister's Deli

McAlister's is Alabama's answer to Panera Bread. They feature soups, salads and sandwiches alongside a few other options like pizza and baked potatoes. It is a fast casual restaurant with locations throughout the Yellowhammer State (and many other states, as well).

The veggie sandwich is a wrap stuffed with lettuce, tomato, cucumber, red pepper and Swiss cheese with a side of ranch dressing. It is as fresh as it is colorful.

Sandwiches come with a choice of side dishes. The vegetarian choices include macaroni and cheese, potato salad, chips, fresh fruit and applesauce.

McAlister's also features a veggie chili. It comes in a cup or a bowl, or poured on top of a platter of nachos. The chili is chock full of tomatoes and other vegetables, and it does not contain soy.

The menu also has three flatbread pizzas and a baked potato for vegetarians. The other big seller on the menu is McAlister's Sweet Tea, which comes by the glass or by the gallon.

McAllister's

True

My trip to the Gulf Coast started off with a stop at Wesley True's restaurant in Mobile, Alabama. True (the chef) is a Gordon Ramsey alum aiming to bring a Manhattan dining experience to the Alabama shore. True (the restaurant) is an artfully appointed attraction in a modern style that showcases an exceptional attention to detail.

Like the majority of the restaurants in the Old South, True's menu is big on seafood and other denizens of the animal kingdom. However, the best kept secret is that the sous chef David Rowe and his wife are both vegans, and they take great care in presenting vegetarian courses that shine as brightly as the items on the regular menu. It is recommended that you call ahead for vegetarian options (as it is with most restaurants in Alabama and Louisiana).

The amuse bouche was mangoes, walnuts and goat cheese presented on a silver teaspoon. The fruity sweetness was tempered by the cheese's acidity, and the nuts provided a great textural contrast to the softness of the other ingredients.

The salad consisted of haricot verts, hearts of palm and chives in a creamy dressing. The presentation was as dazzling as the flavor.

The main course was pan fried quinoa patties on a foundation of red peppers, zucchini, green olives and ginger. The red sauce was sweet, and the green sauce was light and herbal. The quinoa was crispy and delicious.

True has a great wine list, as you would expect from a Wine Spectator Grand Award winner. The Monday special features the house red and white wines with free refills for $11. The cocktails and sake selections are also very nice.

The service was exceptional. The server (Taylor) did an admirable job considering the bustling nature of the restaurant.

True

Road trip to N'awlins

So I'm off to the Gulf Coast for a few days. I'll be hanging out at Jazz Fest and proving that vegetarians can, in fact, eat Creole cuisine. I'll update when I return (if not sooner).