Ranchos Cocina: Vegan Friendly
NORTH PARK AND OCEAN BEACH. Long-time San Diego vegans know Ranchos. Both locations feature a multitude of vegan options, including vegan pancakes, burritos, tortas, soups, salads, enchiladas, tacos, and desserts. YUM!!
First, no Mexican restaurant would be complete without chips and salsa. Here, we have a hand-crafted, mild salsa that disappears almost immediately.
Second, I love that Ranchos serves breakfast all day, because sometimes dinner is the perfect time for breakfast. On my most recent visit, I ordered the Vegan Breakfast Burrito, a mix of tofu scramble, house made tempeh sausage, potatoes, and beans and wrapped in a tortilla. The tempeh sausage is spicy, which compliments the light scramble and hearty potatoes and beans. This is a well-rounded burrito, a personal favorite, and something that I would recommend to vegans and non-vegans alike.
Next up was the Grilled Tofu and Black Bean Torta. Recently, I learned that a torta is really just a sandwich! And this particular torta comes stacked with hearty tofu slices, black beans, guacamole, lettuce, tomato, and onions. The tangy guacamole is excellent. Another great dish.
If you are craving a burrito, but aren’t in the mood for breakfast, the Chipotle Seitan Burrito is a great option. You might be thinking, “What the heck is seitan?” Seitan is made from wheat. It has a firm texture, making it a popular meat substitute. If you want to know more about seitan, click on the link below!
http://vegetarian.about.com/od/glossary/g/Seitan.htm
Back to the burrito in question. The chipotle seitan in the burrito gives the burrito a smoky flavor. The guacamole helps to temper the spice of the seitan, resulting in a tempting burrito. I planned to eat only half, so imagine my surprise when when I looked down and saw a clean plate!
Even though I don’t drink dairy, I still enjoy creamy beverages. So I was excited when I saw that Ranchos had a vegan Horchata drink made from soymilk, cinnamon, sugar, and vanilla. This drink can definitely pass as a dessert. It tastes like a sumptuous, vanilla, cinnamon milkshake.
Things to know about Ranchos. Although there is some overlap, Ranchos North Park and Ranchos Ocean beach have DIFFERENT menus. My blog post is based my most recent trip to the North Park location. However, both locations offer numerous vegan options!
Ranchos Ocean Beach is also known for their salad bar. Aside from having the usual fresh produce and veggies, the salad bar also boasts a wide variety of raw, vegan options and salad dressings. (For an explanation on raw food, see my post on Go Raw L.I.F.E. Center: www.thefussyfork.com/go-raw-life-center)
Both locations have a relaxed and inviting interior with wooden tables and chairs. But, again, the following photo depicts the North Park location. Both also have a few tables outside for outdoor dining. This option is particularly popular with dog owners!
North Park
3910 30th Street
San Diego 92104
619.574.1288
Ocean Beach
1830 Sunset Cliffs Blvd.
San Diego, CA 92107
619.226.7619