Herban Fix Vegan Kitchen in Atlanta

As I mentioned in yesterday's post, I spent the weekend in Atlanta for their fifth annual VegFest. It's about a six-hour drive from Memphis, so I don't make it to the ATL often. But man, when I do, I eat so well. Atlanta is only second to Austin when it comes to Southern cities with a massive availability of vegan options.

You can read all about Atlanta VegFest in yesterday's post, but tonight, I want to share with you my experience at Herban Fix Vegan Kitchen. Y'all, this was a FANCY (pronounced fain-cee) vegan meal. Gourmet, date night-style vegan restaurants are few and far between, so it was a pleasure to dine at such a nice place.

Of course, it wasn't a date night for us though! Dave from Book Publishing Company and Paul and I just planned to drop in for a quick bite after the VegFest Saturday night. We knew it was a nicer place, but I had no idea it was a "make a reservation" place. So we didn't. Lucky for us, someone else had dropped their reservation just after we walked in, so we were seated right away.

Herban Fix has an impressive menu of hand-crafted cocktails, but I'm not really a cocktail drinker (unless we're talking Bloody Marys or dirty martinis). Most drinks are too sweet for me. We all opted for beer — me with a local Three Taverns IPA. For an appetizer, Dave ordered the Sweet Pea Ravioli in Curry Jus with Leeks & Assorted Mushrooms, and I tried a bite. The insides were filled with peas and meaty mushrooms that reminded us of vegan chicken.

Paul got the Spicy Tofu Soup with Enoki, Shiitake and King Oyster Mushrooms to start. This was a light broth with a hint of spice (it looks spicer than it was really was) and bits of silken tofu and mushrooms. I helped him eat it. Good stuff and not too heavy before a meal.

Everything on the entree menu sounded amazing, and I was having a very hard time deciding what to order. Our server recommended the Seared Pom Pom Mushroom Steak with Assorted Vegetables, which she said was the most popular item on the menu. When it was placed in front of me, I could see why! Gorgeous presentation!

This was an assortment of mushrooms (oyster mushrooms for sure and maybe some other varieties) pressed together into a steak shape and cooked with a vegan au jus and sauteed bok choy. It was served with wild rice. I was blown away by the flavor and meaty texture. Paul (a meat-eater) and Dave (a vegan) tried bites, and they were equally impressed.

Paul got the Stir-fry Soy Chicken in Citrus Sauce, which was also highly recommended by our server. Paul declared this to be one of the best meals of his life! I tried a bite, and it was truly phenomenal. The soy meat had a very chicken-y texture, and that citrus sauce was just perfect. It was also served with wild rice.

Dave went with his old standard — Pad Thai with Tofu, Vegetables and Peanuts. I took a bite, and I'll say that it was terrific. Probably the best pad thai I've ever had.

After finishing our entrees, we were stuffed. But rather than just asking us if we had saved room for dessert, our server — a super-friendly, energetic woman — brought a platter with a slice of every cake on the menu to our table and asked us which ones we were having. Tricky! But it worked. Who can say no to cake when there's cake in your face? Dave had his sights set on the Chocolate Cake with Chocolate Frosting, so we all agreed to share a slice.

Again, amazing!! Moist cake, lots of frosting. We may have been full, but we had no problem cleaning our plate. I ate that last bite after this photo was taken.

Herban Fix was definitely the food highlight of my trip! No future visit to Atlanta will be complete without a stop there. But next time, I'll remember to make a reservation.