Before the movie, we went out to eat. The boyfriend is not vegan, not even vegetarian. But when it comes to dining out, we can always agree on anything Asian. We chose a Thai place that neither of us had been to — Bangkok Alley's downtown location. This family-owned Thai joint has three locations in Memphis, but the other two are way out East (that's Memphis talk for "not in Midtown or downtown" where the cool kids are). Though many Thai places use fish sauce, Bangkok Alley has a few vegetarian selections clearly marked as "Vegetarian (No Meat)" ... in case you forgot what vegetarian meant. They also have a sushi menu with a few veg-friendly rolls.
I chose the Vegetables in Garlic-Chili Sauce with Tofu and Brown Rice (the rice is not pictured):
The sauce didn't taste like chili at all, but it was still delicious. Sort of a sweet and savory garlicky broth. I added some chili sauce to up the heat as the dish was pretty mild. I don't know why, but I expected the tofu to be fried. I was a little sad that it wasn't, but it was still yummy. I like tofu all ways, even plain straight out the package. I also ordered a crispy veggie spring roll with a fruity sweet 'n' sour sauce that hinted of fresh pineapple juice.The food was tasty, and I loved that Bangkok Alley offered brown rice. But the best part of the meal was the wine — organic Lolonis Ladybug White:
Lolonis Winery in Mendicino deploys over five million ladybugs into their vineyards to deal with the pests. Cool huh? Who needs chemicals when you can have ladybugs? It's vegan-ness seems questionable as I've seen different responses in different places, but I choose to trust this one from Barnivore.com that says it's vegan. I'm not super picky about sticking with vegan wines, but I try.Bangkok Alley is located at 121 Union Ave. Call 901-522-2007 or check out their website here.
19 comments:
5 million ladybugs!? That's insane! And like my worst nightmare...I am not a bug person. You know what I like even better than "Vegetarian=No Meat" on labels? When you go to an Asian restaurant and there is shrimp in the "vegetarian" options. Um, clearly someone didn't get it.
Happy anniversary!
congrats on the anniversary!!!!!!!
Congratulations! Sounds like you had a great anniversary.
6 years congrats. Im very weary of Asian restaurants that say "vegetarian" without being able to communicate that I don't want to consume fish/oyster/ect sauces. And finding vegan wine can be tough unfortunately.
oooh, ladybug wine. what a cool idea!
i know what you mean about the fried tofu - i'm such a fried 'fu girl!
happy anniversary!
Congrats on your anni! I did not know that about lady bugs...very interesting. :o)
Congrats on your anniversary!
I want to see the Karate Kid so badly - as lame as that sounds, hehe.
Congrats on the anniversary!
Congrats on your anniversary.
Congrats on six years! That's fantastic. And I've never heard of this ladybug wine, but it's a very cool idea! I'll keep an eye out and give it a try if I see it around.
Thank you so much! The cake really does make it worth it. We were supposed to save it for our 1 year anniversary, but ended up eating half of it right away haha.
Bangkok Alley looks great, btw. Congratulations to you as well!
so awesome on 6 years, Bianca! yay! that makes me most happyfaced! glad you guys had a fun and tasty evening together! wow - that's a ton of lady bugs. ah ah aha aha - so awesome! there's a veggie-friendly chinese place around us that serves brown rice, too - i love having the option.
It looks and sounds like a lovely meal. It's great that you two can agree on places to eat! I really like the sound of that wine. The lady bugs are such a neat idea :)
HAPPY ANNIVERSARY!! The food looks lovely, my boy and I love Asian food and he's not a veggie or a vegan either... and when I read your comment that you were "watching that new Karate Kid movie with Will Smith's son", it took a moment to register that his son was in the movie, not that you were ACTUALLY watching it with his son! Hehehe ;)
Congratulations! :) It appears you had a lovely time. Bianca, I would absolutely love seeing a post from you about how you've managed to maintain a healthy LTR with someone who is omnivorous (but, no doubt, veg-supportive) for so long. My SO is an omni as well and sometimes it can be a struggle with my ethics, but I'm so god-damned head over heels! I'm curious to see how other couples work together to find a balance. Plus, there just aren't as many vegans out there in the dating pool! :P Either way, your blog is one of the things I look forward to eeevery day and I want you to know you rock!!
Happy Anniversary! He's a lucky guy!
Congrats on your anniversary- looks like a fun time!!
Congrats on your anniversary- looks like a fun time!!
Happy anniversary! What a fun date, I've been wanting to see the new Karate Kid movie but I guess we will wait until it comes out on DVD.
So many ladybugs! I love ladybugs, and I would love to see that in person.
Vegetarian = no meat. Noted! :P
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