First of all, we apologize for dropping off the face of the planet. We actually have a bunch of reviews saved up – just no time to post them. We promise to add more reviews as soon as there is time… But in the mean time, here’s a quick one, cut short by the fact that we ended up getting take out rather than sitting down for a full meal. Still, it was worth a mention (and a shorter review, by far, than the others we’ve failed to type up thus far).
On Monday (henceforth classified as the most God-awful hot day of the year, when it was 85 degrees at midnight at our house with all the windows open), we had taken a drive (mostly to be in the air conditioning) and had no desire to cook. Driving down Adams Avenue, he suggested stopping at Jyoti-Bihanga, a vegetarian restaurant run by a strange spiritual group but specializing in some incredible veggie cuisine. Now, two things: veggie cuisine can be incredible, so don’t send nasty e-mails telling us how inedible tofu is; and just go there with an open mind about the group, I think they’re generally very peaceful and loving (we once attended a free concert given by their now-deceased leader, which was truly bizairre, but that’s a tangent we need not bring in).
The first thing to know when you go to Jyoti-Biyhanga is that parking is tough. Like, you’ll be driving around for a long time. Don’t tempt fate and park in the liquor store parking lot next door – there are signs all over the place that say you’ll get towed. We scored rock-star parking across the street, but you might have to park down one of the always-crowded side streets. Like anywhere off Adams Avenue, they’re lined with large apartment complexes that boast plenty of living space but no parking spaces. Just trust us this once: it’s worth driving around a little bit.
The restaurant itself is welcoming, with high ceilings and an open feeling. The tables, however, are covered with easy-to-clean-but-ambiance-free sticky plastic tablecloths. This isn’t to say that you shouldn’t go and eat here (we have before), but know that this isn’t a white linen affair.
Happily, neither are the prices!
Most menu items will run you between $4 and $10. We ordered a (generous) entree-sized portion of their homemade “neatloaf” (which also can be ordered vegan – sans milk and egg products) and mashed potatoes and an entree salad. Within seven minutes, our food was packed up and ready to go and we were out the door $20 poorer (including tip). Considering the fact that, at so many other places, an entree alone costs over $20, we were pleased. If you’re strapped for cash, you could easily eat here for under $6.
We got home and unpacked the food, and the first thing we noticed was how flavorful everything smelled. The neatloaf gave off a really sweet, nutty smell complimented well by the mushroom gravy on the mashed potatoes. The red lentil vegetable soup (an optional side for the neatloaf) smelled full of veggies and not full of salt. The very fresh salad was paired with a tangy honey mustard dressing (they have four or five to choose from). It looked and smelled delicious.
And the taste did not disappoint, either. The neatloaf had a fabulous texture and mouthfeel – like a real “meat” loaf with veggies mixed in – and did not have the typical soy aftertaste that so many veggie protiens do. It was covered in a gorgeous sweet glaze that almost mimicked barbeque sauce. On its own, the glaze was too sweet; on its own the neatloaf was nice but nothing super-special. Together, they were magic. And paired with the mushroom gravy and fresh mashed potatoes, it was like stepping into grandma’s house, if grandma’s house served only veggies. The two worked together so well and the comfort food factor was over-the-top amazing. The only thing we didn’t really “get” was the slice of buttered grain bread wrapped in foil alongside the dish, but it did go quite nicely with the soup.
The red lentil vegetable soup was a daily special, and since the neatloaf came with soup or salad and we were ordering a salad separately, we decided to try it. Her only complaint was that the texture was almost smooth – like someone took a blender to half the soup but left chunks in the other half – and it was a little bit confusing. The flavor, though, was fresh and well-balanced, with a hint of tomato and a satisfying lentil punch. It would have made a fabulous light lunch or dinner. Best of all, and unlike most soups we find in restaurants, it was not salty. It wasn’t bland – but it didn’t cover up the beautiful vegetable notes with gobs of sodium.
Last was the gorgeous Enchanted Garden Salad, a mixed vegetable entree full of bean sprouts and shredded carrots and cucumbers and zucchini and cherry tomatoes. The vegetables were all fresh, and although we’re big fans of home-grown tomato flavor, everything at least tasted good (the tomatoes were standard restaurant tomatoes, though). The real kicker was the honey mustard dressing, which managed to be tangy and sweet (just as honey mustard should) and not too mustard-y. There were hints of sesame oil and some slightly Asian notes to the dressing, giving it an interesting flavor that kept us pouring on more (we’re not big dressing people and we really used a lot of it that night).
Overall, Jyoti-Bihanga provides a truly good product that you can feel good about eating – their attention to detail and flavor is a refreshing change from “standard” vegetarian fare. There is nothing fancy about this place or their food – but you won’t go away hungry or craving a hamburger (which can sometimes happen when eating veggie fare). The bonus is that you can eat good food for cheap. Just put your white-glove expectations to the side.
Edited to correct the spelling of the restaurant’s name and to add the name of the salad.
San Diego Foodie 