Vegocracy: Dining Out in Charlotte - Fern, Flavors from the Garden

Laughing Buddha Bowl - Fern, Flavors from the Garden

Inside Fern

I visited Charlotte, NC for the first time recently for a business trip. Per usual, I didn't have much free time to explore the local vegan dining scene, but I did quick research to see what was close to my hotel for a vegan lunch. Under 2 miles away was Fern (or Fern, Flavors from the Garden, its longer name), a vegetarian restaurant with many vegan options. I cabbed it over with two of my colleagues for what turned out to be a truly delicious, comforting meal. The interior of the restaurant was so pretty - a sophisticated, rustic look with mason jars, reclaimed wood, and live plants throughout. It was the middle of a weekday so we had the benefit of being only one of two parties dining in.

Before starting our meal we were offered cucumber water and it was so refreshing! We then began our meal with two appetizers, the vegan Spicy Glazed Cauliflower (image below on left) and the non-vegan Fern Bruschetta (image below on right). My dining buddies were amazed at how great these first dishes were. Given my vegan history I had tried dishes very similar to the Spicy Glazed Cauliflower. It closely resembled the Gobi Manchurian at Red Lentil in Watertown, MA and the Frito Misto at Sublime in Fort Lauderdale, FL with its General Tso's look and taste. The dish is fried cauliflower florets coated in a sesame balsamic glaze and it's just fantastic. The Fern Bruschetta contained parmesan cheese (so I couldn't try it), and seasonal vegetable ragu on charred garlic bread, the verdict on this was "sooo good!."

Fern Bruschetta Appetizer - Fern, Flavors from the Garden

For entrees, I was really craving a salad, but to make sure I got a taste of the most popular dishes I went for the Om Burger, topped with smoked tomato, pickled cucumbers, pepper aioli served on a sesame bun and I added avocado to it. I also ordered Kale Chips for my side. Besides an extra bready bun that I trimmed down, the burger was full of flavor, not too mushy and filling. The Kale Chips were mildly seasoned, but could have been a bit more crispy. Both of my colleagues got the Laughing Buddha Bowl, described as a unique daily balance of the essentials: legumes, rice, greens and vegetables. This one wasn't labeled vegan on the menu, but I'm sure you could request it.