Zoe Bauer
I was a scoop of sausage stuffing and a piece of pecan pie past my limit when I decided to go vegan between Thanksgiving and winter break.
A genuine vegan may criticize my spontaneous adoption of a lifestyle meant to promote a lifetime of healthy eating and sensitivity to animals. Nonetheless, I accepted the challenge as a way to cleanse myself between holidays characterized by stuffing your face.
After Thanksgiving, returning to Ann Arbor as a vegan was difficult. Though I appreciate that dining halls are sensitive to special diets by providing numerous vegan options and kindly labeling meat/dairy-less selections, I typically don’t crave tofu meatballs or teriyaki smothered tempeh. So, after a week of cheese-less pastas and chicken-less nuggets, it was time to explore my vegan options outside of campus dining. Yelp led me to Jazzy Veggie, a small restaurant on South Main with a proud description that reads: “Comfort Foods—Vegan Style”. I am not sure if it was the name of the restaurant or its logo’s font (which, adorably, looked like this) that attracted me, but Jazzy Veggie drew me in with its website, which made the restaurant appear to have a stylish and friendly atmosphere.
A short walk down Main Street (great location, by the way) brought me to its door. The restaurant was nearly empty and the atmosphere was not quite what the website built it up to be. While the website led me to believe the place was funky and hip, the restaurant turned out to have a low-key and under-enthused ambiance. The layout was typical: tables on one side near the window and an ordering counter on the other; and the environment was not particularly jazzy and upbeat, though the employees were quick to greet me at the door.
After contemplating the many menu options, I ordered the Spicy Black Bean Burger with a Carrot-Walnut Salad on the side. My meal was about $9: a bargain considering the amount food that came a shortly after I ordered. It only took me one bite to realize that the burger’s name didn’t lie—I found it to be very spicy, but equally delicious! The soft wheat bun paired with the veggies on top of the burger cooled down the heat of the dish, and the chipotle aioli, which was spread over the bun, added just the right creaminess
Still, despite my satisfaction with the burger, I favored the Carrot-Walnut Salad. This side dish was extraordinarily refreshing: shredded carrots, walnut halves and golden raisins tossed in a light, tangy (likely orange or lemon) dressing; and its vibrant colors made it especially appealing.
The meal contained no heavy components, as it steered clear of non-vegan ingredients, so I was left feeling energized rather than overly full. Because of this, I found that the description, which labeled Jazzy Veggie as “comfort food”, didn’t quite fit. While comfort food usually refers to fatty, yet familiar American foods, Jazzy Veggie offers lighter and more refreshing dishes. Without meat and dairy—two key components of heavy household favorites like cheesy casseroles and hearty beef stews—the restaurant fell short of “comfort food”.
For my purposes, the shortcoming was an added bonus since holiday comfort foods led me to begin the cleanse in the first place. In my mind, abstaining from these creamy calorie-packed meals justified my indulgence in them during the actual holiday. Jazzy Veggie provided me with a delicious and healthful alternative to standard “comfort food”. The restaurant’s easy location, affordable prices, and tasty dishes make Jazzy Veggie a must-go for foodies—vegan or not.
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