Native Foods Cafe in Palm Springs

After 3 weeks atop a mountain with not a decent vegan restaurant in sight (not even with binoculars!) I nearly bit a friends hand off when she suggested I borrow her car and make an escape.

I'd love to say I then went online to research vegan restaurants located off The Hill (as the locals sentimentally call it), but one of my guilty pleasures is just looking at restaurant menus online (is that weird??), I had already in mind where I wanted to eat so I knew where I was headed.

Good 'ole Google supplied me with a map and off I went, singing all the way.

Nestled in a mall in Palm Springs is the original NATIVE FOODS CAFE (est.1994).  They have seven in total in California.  Chef Tanya, of FOOD NETWORK fame, was brought up in a foodie environment, even holidays were cultural food forays (I have parents envy).  Vegan from a young age she dreamed of opening a restaurant using 100% plant based foods.  In 1994 her dream came true.

The place is quite small with indoor and covered outdoor (it gets v.hot down there!) seating.  What blew me away first were the staff.  Oh my God, I was treated royally!  Polite, accommodating, genuinely interested in delivering the best to ensure you leave happy.


I only had time for a dessert once I got there so I ordered the Chocolate Caramel Cheesecake. 

 Pecan caramel and choccy nibs whipped in a chocolate cookie crust.  The filling is a tofu base and although my preference would have been to have it a little more moist the taste was sensational.  The pecan caramel was generous and rich and the toasted pecans gave a satisfying crunch.  The base...the BASE! yum, bloody yum, rich, dense, chewy and with a kind of bitter/sweet undertone.  I polished it off in seconds and scraped the plate noisily with my fork..and I didn't care who heard me! I stopped short of grabbing the empty plate and licking it clean, but I remembered just in time I'm a lady (in public!).

I promised to return for dinner that evening but alas my chariot was threatening to turn into a pumpkin, so I had to cross my fingers that one day I get to do Native Foods Part Deux, and sample some more from their long and inventive menu.

Before leaving the chef, Jerry, nice chap who came out to speak to his customers to ensure they were satisfied with their meals, offered to show me their secret tempeh making cupboard.  Made to Chef Tanya's secret recipe and, looking at reviews online, a winning rendition.  I was thrilled and honored to get a look-see!



Hasta la vista baby! (hopefully)