hypnocmt
04-30-2007, 04:31 PM
BTW- it might be nice to put the city next to the name of the resto in the title. to make it easier for people to quick search. ;)
Karyns in Chicago is a reliable classic for both raw foodists, vegans, and just plain old foodies.
The more casual cafe is in front. There you can buy raw and transition producs like flax crackers, supplements, cacao, olive oils, superfoods, and toiletries. The cafe is very self-service. Most of the food is prepackged; you buy it and then sit at one fo the modest tables to eat, very much like at Starbucks. Some of the entrees found in the restaurant are also available here in deli-pre-packaged form. Usually these consist of her nut seed cheese (more of a pate), lasagna, deep dish pizza, bean burro, cheeseburger, and rawvioli. There is a decent salad bar wih lots of slaws, greens, beet salad, and other items which seem to come and go on a slow rotation. Cafe foods run from $12-20 per meal, not incl. drinks.
The smoothie & juice menu is extensive and very customizable. Prices range from $5-$10
On the other side of the building is the gourmet resto. This is beautifully decorated in earth tones and dark woods with very nice, simple, subtle ambient lighting. All in all there are probably 10-12 tables. Service is helpful, very competent, but not pushy. The entire place is squeaky clean, unlike somemore "hippie-dippie" places I've been to (no offense to some of the IMMACULATE hippies I have known, lol).
Staples on Karyn's raw gourmet menu include her excellent rawvioli. Her rawvioli is made with "pasta" made from sliced radishes, filled with a pesto cream, and topped with a wonderful creamy nutty sauce. This is one of the lighter dishes on her menu.
Her lasagna is very true to the taste of the original, albeit with a flare for salt and garlic. The tomato sauce is very pasty, but flavorful, with the lovely sweetness you find in a well cooked red sauce reduction. If you are yearning for something that is very powerfully seaasoned and "sticks to your ribs" you will enjoy this.
We always order a pitcher of her Mint Julep or Ginger Blessing. The former is a real eye opening, taste and thirst quencher made with rejuvelac and fresh mint, lightly sweetened. Ginger blessing is very soothing and warming, made with rejuvelac, raw honey and a generous helping of fresh ginger. One could easily enjoy either in lieu of dessert.
Dinner in the gourmet resto will run around $30-35 oer person with drinks and dessert.
New rawists are well-advised to visit Karyns for their excellent Sunday brunch. This is a fantastic opportunity to try tiny servings of everything from the lasagna to the strawberry cheesecake to the wonderful carrot soup for a grand total of around $25 per person. Arrive early and hungry...it's all you can eat.
Overall, you will love the option of having a truly gourmet experience which you can comfortable share with non-raw friends. Food here is very dense, satisfying and fresh. However, most is also healvily laden in garlic, so bring a mint. ;)
Karyns in Chicago is a reliable classic for both raw foodists, vegans, and just plain old foodies.
The more casual cafe is in front. There you can buy raw and transition producs like flax crackers, supplements, cacao, olive oils, superfoods, and toiletries. The cafe is very self-service. Most of the food is prepackged; you buy it and then sit at one fo the modest tables to eat, very much like at Starbucks. Some of the entrees found in the restaurant are also available here in deli-pre-packaged form. Usually these consist of her nut seed cheese (more of a pate), lasagna, deep dish pizza, bean burro, cheeseburger, and rawvioli. There is a decent salad bar wih lots of slaws, greens, beet salad, and other items which seem to come and go on a slow rotation. Cafe foods run from $12-20 per meal, not incl. drinks.
The smoothie & juice menu is extensive and very customizable. Prices range from $5-$10
On the other side of the building is the gourmet resto. This is beautifully decorated in earth tones and dark woods with very nice, simple, subtle ambient lighting. All in all there are probably 10-12 tables. Service is helpful, very competent, but not pushy. The entire place is squeaky clean, unlike somemore "hippie-dippie" places I've been to (no offense to some of the IMMACULATE hippies I have known, lol).
Staples on Karyn's raw gourmet menu include her excellent rawvioli. Her rawvioli is made with "pasta" made from sliced radishes, filled with a pesto cream, and topped with a wonderful creamy nutty sauce. This is one of the lighter dishes on her menu.
Her lasagna is very true to the taste of the original, albeit with a flare for salt and garlic. The tomato sauce is very pasty, but flavorful, with the lovely sweetness you find in a well cooked red sauce reduction. If you are yearning for something that is very powerfully seaasoned and "sticks to your ribs" you will enjoy this.
We always order a pitcher of her Mint Julep or Ginger Blessing. The former is a real eye opening, taste and thirst quencher made with rejuvelac and fresh mint, lightly sweetened. Ginger blessing is very soothing and warming, made with rejuvelac, raw honey and a generous helping of fresh ginger. One could easily enjoy either in lieu of dessert.
Dinner in the gourmet resto will run around $30-35 oer person with drinks and dessert.
New rawists are well-advised to visit Karyns for their excellent Sunday brunch. This is a fantastic opportunity to try tiny servings of everything from the lasagna to the strawberry cheesecake to the wonderful carrot soup for a grand total of around $25 per person. Arrive early and hungry...it's all you can eat.
Overall, you will love the option of having a truly gourmet experience which you can comfortable share with non-raw friends. Food here is very dense, satisfying and fresh. However, most is also healvily laden in garlic, so bring a mint. ;)