Bluff City Vegan Eats: Bhan Thai

I'm starting a new post series on veg options at Memphis restaurants. I've blogged about a few local vegan dining options in the past, but I've decided to start labeling them "Bluff City Vegan Eats" (fyi: Memphis is called the "Bluff City" because it sits on the Chickasaw Bluffs of the Mississippi River). And I'll start tagging these posts to make them easily searchable for veg visitors.

The "Bluff City Eats" series won't be posted with any regularity, just whenever I eat out and deem the meal worthy of sharing. Last night, my boyfriend and I had dinner at Bhan Thai, a hip Thai joint on the edge of Midtown (full disclosure: the boyfriend is a server there).

For the longest time, I avoided this place because I'd heard that all their dishes contained fish sauce, which is sadly the case for so many Thai restaurants. But now I have the inside scoop. Many dishes can be made vegan upon request, and the staff is uber-happy to accommodate. Last night, I ordered the Cashew Nut with Tofu:

A generous portion of firm, crispy cubes of fried tofu meet crunchy cashews, carrot strips, bell pepper, and onion in a spicy garlic sauce. The dish is served with sticky white rice, a delicious indulgence I only allow myself to eat when dining out.

I washed my dinner down with a Singha Thai beer:

I typically opt for darker brews, but there's just something magical about a pale ale served with Asian cuisine. Plus, I had to keep it real with an authentic Thai beer.

In the warm spring and summer days, scoring a seat on Bhan Thai's courtyard patio is a must. Unfortunately, the patio was closed Wednesday night due to an impending storm.

Bhan Thai is located 1324 Peabody Avenue in Memphis. Here's their website.

Note to vegans: Avoid the curries, as these cannot be made without fish sauce, and the soups are prepared with nasty chicken stock (I'll never understand why restaurants use chicken stock when they could use veggie stock to accommodate everyone). From what I've been told, almost everything else on the menu can be made vegan upon request.

One more thing: I've posted a Memphis vegan dining guide on the right side on the page, complete with a list of veg-friendly restaurants and my favorite suggested menu items.