Food Review

Greens, literally: Greens Vegetarian Restaurant and Cafe lives up to the name from the moment you cross the gate. Photo by Hazel Caasi

One newly adopted cat and several vegetarian-related and animal-lover-related Facebook likes later and here I was: back to being a pescetarian. The end goal is to be a vegetarian or even a vegan, but how am I supposed to do that with my love for all things sushi? The mystery remains.

In the meantime, I have been on the lookout for affordable, delectable pescetarian-friendly eats that would shame all who did not believe in the cause. First on my list is Greens Vegetarian Restaurant and Cafe, and what better excuse to try it than my monthly (umm) Satur-date with my friend Hazel, the Envisci-goddess cum photojournalist extraordinaire cum lover of all things nature.

Greens was conveniently located in QC, and was easily reached through a short taxi ride from Capitol Medical Center thanks to trusty iOS GPS. Other means to get there are detailed in their Facebook page here.

Home is where the good-for-you food is. Warm interiors at Greens. Photo by Hazel Caasi.

Just like most of the restaurants in QC, Greens was a quaint, home-turned-restaurant affair. Cross the humble iron gates and you are welcomed by a tarp bearing the name and plants and climbing vines with trees that lord over the landscape, as if guarding the little koi pond. It seems the koi pond is a requirement with these QC restos. I’m going to keep count of them from now on.

If you expected the interior to be homey as well, it will not disappoint. Lived in chairs and tables dot the floor, with globes of light hanging from the ceiling. We arrived a little bit past 12pm, just in time for lunch.

From top left: The doorway to vegetarian goodness. Selected from the menu: Primavera pasta, Melanzane Parmigiana, Greens Three for All. Photo by Hazel Caasi.

The thing with my friend and myself is that when we order, we forget that we are only two girls with limited stomach space. We need to have an appetizer, one main course each, drinks and of course, dessert (non-negotiable). But for Greens, they have serving sizes good for one person, so we were able to sample their menu without needing a doggy bag afterwards.

We ordered their Greens Three for All (P150) for appetizer – because getting a sampler is always a good idea. You can select 3 appetizers from their menu when you get this. We chose their veggie sticks, potato patties and fried mushrooms. Since all of these were fried, I’m pretty sure the vegetables’ health benefits were already zapped at the pan. But in any case, the veggie sticks were a wonderful creation. Thinly sliced assorted vegetables covered in nori, batter and deep fried – it offered a unique bite. Their potato patties and fried mushrooms were good too. I only wish there were more potatoes. Deep friend potato is my Kryptonite.

For the main course, I had the Melanzane Parmigiana (P115), which quelled my sudden craving for baked eggplant smothered in cheese. I suppose this dish was not vegan but it was definitely vegetarian, as if the vegetables substituted for meat and lasagna noodles. The eggplant was baked to perfect tenderness with a bite, and cheese in any form is always awesome.

Hazel, if I remembered correctly, got their Primavera pasta (P80) which was your regular tomato-and al dente-noodle affair. Good, of course, but by this time I was regretting a little bit that we were not adventurous enough to try their non-meat sisig, barbecue and other hits. Obviously I am still new to this mock-meat idea. Definitely next time.

Greens housed other green buys: Human Nature products and other select vegetarian goodies like mock meat, malunggay tea, etc.

Greens opened in August 2001. It is a genuine lacto vegetarian restaurant. That means no meat, no fish, and no eggs. Vegan options are also available.

Photo credits to Hazel Caasi 🙂