Denver Veggie Diner

The Watercourse is perhaps Denver's most famous all-vegetarian restaurant. They used to be located in this hippie-tastic tiny little space that seemed appropriate for atmosphere, but left you always waiting twenty minutes for a seat. They recently moved into a much bigger space with lofty ceilings and giant paintings on the wall. A lot of people complained that the soul of the place was gone, but those people were hippies. Sure, you can be nostalgic for a favorite restaurant's place of origin, but only a crazy person would prefer the tiny dark hole to the expansive, light-filled, comfortable new place with outdoor seating.

They serve their fair share of super healthy things, but they also go out of their way to provide an ex-meat eater like myself an array of childhood favorites, veg style. I've been really digging on their French dip, which pretty much looks exactly like a regular French dip. An insider source tells me it's made much the same way, except with a giant hunk of seitan instead of beef. I usually order it with a Jamaican Ginger Ale, which the waiter always warns me is actually an ale. Don't I know it! Anyway: delicious. When J and I went last week, I wasn't quite hungry enough for a big sandwich, so settled on a giant Greek wrap instead. It was called a "Jimmy Wrap" for some reason and was chock full of green and kalamata olive goodness.

J has yet to be persuaded to eat much else besides their Buffalo Tofu sandwich, which he says is pretty much exactly like a Buffalo Chicken one. It's very spicy!

In New York, we'd go to a veg Diner, Curly's Lunch almost entirely for their vegan Oreo cake. It was possibly the best thing ever and we have yet to figure out how it can taste so incredible and yet contain no butter or eggs. I have a sneaking suspicion it has something to do with Crisco, but shhhhhh let's not talk about that. Watercourse has a vegan HoHo that has almost identical flavors, piled together differently.

Pure decadence, I'm telling you.