As a confirmed carnivore (a food critic prerequisite) with an unnatural pork fat infatuation, it may seem that a meal at a raw vegan restaurant is the worst kind of assignment. It means that despite having one of the world’s most enviable jobs, you’re actually working. While entering The Cider Press Café on the northwest corner of downtown St. Pete’s Sixth Street and Central Ave., I silently think, “I knew there had to be some payback for spending a year on a pizza marathon.”
Indeed, some omnivores, when faced with the idea of going to a dinner celebrating raw vegan cuisine, would politely demur. It might be hard for them to imagine the appeal of unheated food coupled with the absence of meat and dairy. What, after all, is left to provide interest and flavor?
In the case of this Naples-born café, which now considers the St. Pete concept its headquarters and is planning another location for Orlando, the surprising, happy answer is a lot.
This is Florida-inspired, plant-based modernist cuisine with no animal products and no heat above 117 degrees. And while the menu items are 100-percent gluten-tofu-peanut-MSG-dairy-trans-fat-and-sugar-free, and also incorporate local and organic goods when possible, the flavors shout.
Despite the limitations, and the lack of all those tasty but not-so-healthy ingredients, the kitchen magicians — executive chef Patrice Murphy included — under the eye of culinary director Johan Everstijn turn out plate after plate of absolutely beautiful, delicious food.
If you watch some of those ubiquitous cooking shows, you may have heard of “molecular gastronomy,” or perhaps “modernist cuisine,” which is the current preference. Simply, technology aids in morphing ingredients. Vitamix is an unmatched blender. Sous vide gently warms in a precise water bath. Pacojet makes frozen desserts and herb-infused oils. The Sedona Dehydrator “changes food textures and removes moisture without degrading nutritional integrity of living ingredients.” Cold-press, centrifugal and masticating juicers extract the essence of almost any ingredient. But this culinary magic act still has to pass the taste test.
We begin by checking out the drink options. In addition to a short list of biodynamic and organic wine, there are myriad heathy drinking choices from lemonade, kombuchas and smoothies to teas and cold-pressed juice. The lemonade is infused with either hibiscus or lavender. Though the source of the beverage’s slight sweetness is not identified, both agave nectar or brown rice syrup are possible vegan options. It’s totally refreshing, as are our smoothie choices: Tropical Sensation (mango, banana, pineapple, OJ) and Pumpkin Pie Spice (carrot juice, banana, pumpkin spice, almond milk). Both are perfectly smooth and sing with synchronicity of tastes. I just want more.
Our starters are equally impressive. Pineapple kimchi dumplings feature three coconut purses pinched at the top, filled with soft cashew and pineapple “kimchi” and finished with a mango habanero drizzle. While I’m still not sure how they do it, the flavors pop, and the texture of the dumpling and the julienned veggies provide crunch and color. With a few modern techniques, the chefs conjure a delicious dumpling that looks and tastes traditional without any of the normal elements.
Another magical dish is the Florida Roll. Using a VacMaster CryoVac, an industrial strength vacuum sealer, the chefs infuse watermelon with tamari (Japanese soy — thicker, less salty, gluten-free) under pressure so it compresses and resembles ahi tuna. They then wrap the “tuna” and a piece of mango in a jicama “rice,” topped with thin avocado slices. You’d swear you were eating a sushi roll — there’s even ginger and wasabi to add to the tasty illusion.
As we move to main courses, the conjuring act continues. The AvoBLT relies upon PolyScience’s Smoking Gun, without chemicals, to create “bacon” from eggplant, plus lettuce, tomato, avocado and sun-dried tomato pesto on a dehydrated “bread.” All the flavor is present, but the fat is gone.
Garden Lasagna stacks tomato, marinated zucchini noodles, sun-dried tomato marinara and basil-walnut pesto. One secret is herbed cashew ricotta “cheese,” made by soaking the nuts for two to three hours to soften, and then processing with salt and lemon (or apple cider vinegar) for acidity. The result is Italy on a plate, vegan-style.
Pad Thai is a another dissembling wonder of kelp and zucchini noodles, tossed with spicy tamarind sauce, mixed vegetables, pineapple chunks, shredded cabbage and tamarind almonds. The faux affair is garnished with a delicate Dendrobium orchid. It’s a huge portion bursting with amazing notes that make you forget the rest.
For dessert, bananas Foster almost convinces you it’s the real thing; the temperature is all that gives it away. The nut-based vanilla ice cream is a Pacojet charmer with caramel sauce, which you’d have no idea was made without sugar, and candied pecans just because. The tart and creamy key lime pie also satisfies. You know it’s not made with condensed milk, but the flavor is there, and the nut crust is so good you’ll be ready to abandon graham crackers.
The café’s motto, according to its website, is “‘Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food.’ -Hippocrates.”
If only all medicine tasted this good.
Jon Palmer Claridge dines anonymously when reviewing. Check out the explanation of his rating system.
