Vegiterranean

Vegiterranean is Chryssie Hynde's vegan Italian restaurant in Akron Ohio.  I grew up not far from Akron, so on my last visit home, my mom (also vegan) and I stopped by for lunch.

Instead of bread, you receive dill pickle spears before you order.  It was such a refreshing change - not heavy and chewy, but light and crisp.

To start, we ordered the Rocket Salad with Spiced Pecans, Red Onions and Granny Smith Apples over Butternut Squash Puree with a Smoked Roasted Shallot Thyme Vinaigrette and Herbed Cashew Cheese.  All of these flavors complement each other so well, but by far the best and most unexpected taste was the pureed butternut squash.  I would never think to use it as the base of a salad, but it was really incredible.

Next, Chef Scott Jones (a friend of my mother's) brought out the Truffled Wild Mushrooms and Caramelized Cippolini Bruschetta with Herbed Cashew Cheese for us to try.  The Herbed Cashew Cheese is nothing short of amazing.  It's seasoned so well and has a great consistency. 

We shared the Rubber City Melt - Grilled Chicken, Roasted Red Peppers, Caramelized Onions, Daiya Mozzarella, Sour Cream Chive Aioli on a Ciabatta Bun.  Such perfect flavors and really substantial.  I can't imagine a meat eater eating this sandwich and not being satisfied.

However, the best part for me, is that the sandwich comes with a side of Chrissie Fries.  These fries are uber-crispy and perfect when dipped in the Tofu Ricotta and Homemade Ketchup.

We couldn't leave without trying dessert, so we opted for the Lemon Cake.  Decadent, yet light and fluffy, lots of lemon flavor, and a killer frosting.

 If you're ever near Akron or Canton, it's worth the time to check out Vegiterranean.  They have so many wonderful vegan options on their menu that one trip is not nearly enough.  I highly recommend visiting when the weather is nice - they have a huge outdoor patio with a lovely firepit.