Avalon International Breads in Detroit

Last Wednesday, my mother, sister and I spent the morning exploring the D.I.A., catching a glimpse of Patti Smith's Camera Solo exhibition, as well as the Five Spanish Masterpieces exhibition before they leave the museum's collection. After working up an appetite from wandering around the huge museum, we decided to head over to Avalon International Breads, located on W. Willis in Cass Corridor. Avalon claims to have a Triple Bottom Line: Earth, Community, and Employees. They are committed to use "organic ingredients when possible, local ingredients whenever feasible, and environmentally friendly practices at every opportunity." Also, they hope to assist in making a "healthier, more vibrant Detroit" and offer employees "fair wages, good benefits and an environment that encourages growth." In addition to all of this, Avalon sells a variety of vegan sandwiches, breads made of 100% organic flour, and other yummy baked goods.

The outside of Avalon looked as sunny and friendly as the inside. It sat at the end of a little strip mall covered in pumpkin colored brick, which also held a health food store and a clothing boutique. In front of Avalon was a sprinkling of metal patio tables with umbrellas, a few of them occupied. The Avalon logo, a sun with what appear to be wheat stalks for rays, hovered above the double doors, sweetly attracting anyone who happened to walk by. And inside was a picturesque cafe. Colorful, handwritten menus hung from the ceiling, above the long counter, which held shelves full of tempting cookies, muffins, scones, and other different handmade sweets. Behind the counter were racks holding a variety of aromatic loaves of bread: sourdough, ciabatta, baguettes, and more. There were a few charming, mismatched tables placed against the walls, as well as a fridge holding drinks and "Grab and Go" sandwiches. The whole bakery smelled deliciously like coffee beans and warm sugary goodies. We grabbed a few sandwiches, some sweets to share, water bottles, a coffee and headed outside to sit in the sun.

I picked out a Gardenworks sandwich, which had "avocado, house-made basil walnut pesto, roasted red peppers, and Michigan-grown organic sunflower sprouts on Motown Mutligrain." The bread tasted fresh, though it had been sitting in the fridge probably since early morning. It was pleasantly chewy, aside from the hard crusts, textured by the seeds interspersed in the softness. The salty, basil pesto combined perfectly with the fatty slices of avocado, creating a somewhat messy, but tasty mix. A few of the sunflower sprouts added a surprising fresh, sweetness, with a bit of a crunch. And pieces of the red pepper made an occasional spicy bite. The sandwich had an overall earthy taste to it, but it was scrumptious and filling. My mother and sister loved their Tiger Time Turkey and Roma sandwiches, as well.

The vegan sweets we grabbed were Monkey Bread, a Date Bar, and a simple Oatmeal Raisin Cookie. The Monkey bread was similar to a cinnamon bun, with gooey icing on top of a chunk of dough scattered with raisins. But, it was a tad too doughy, under cooked in fact. The top half of it was indeed delicious, but the bottom half was inedibly raw. The piece of the Date Bar I ate, however, was perfect. Pureed dates, raisins, and cinnamon formed the inside of this tasty, gummy slab, crusted with oats. We all gobbled it up. And the cookie was a very good oatmeal cookie, sweet and chewy and crunchy in all of the right places. Though the Monkey Bread wasn't baked all the way through, I was overall pleased with the quality of the vegan baked goods.

What I most enjoyed about Avalon International Breads was the evident sense of community they project. The focus they place on rejuvenating their section of Cass Corridor and their commitment to environmentally friendly practices were especially admirable. It's good to know that Avalon serves their neighborhood so well, through offering wholesome foods, bike delivery services, and a friendly place to just hang out. I look forward to giving their other vegan sandwiches a try, as well as more of their sweets. I would recommend this place to anyone who's looking for a quick sandwich or is in need of a sugary snack fix, vegans and non-vegans included.

Avalon International Breads - 4 out of 5 stars

Cacao Tree Cafe in Royal Oak

This past week, my grandmother was staying with my family, visiting from Cape Coral, Florida. Since she would probably rather eat at a restaurant where the chicken was cleaned in front of her than at a self-proclaimed raw vegan establishment, I had to put off my Metro Detroit restaurant adventures until she left. Today, free from my adorably traditional grandma, I was able to visit the Cacao Tree Cafe in Royal Oak, right on the corner of West 4th Street, next to the railroad tracks. According to their menu, "EVERYTHING is made from scratch with love and kindness. All selections on menu are cooked below 108 degrees unless otherwise noted." So, this cafe appeared to be a pleasant place to get a taste of the raw food diet movement.

My sister and I parked our car at a nearby parking structure at around noon and swiftly made our way to the Cacao Tree Cafe, only about a block away. From outside, it appeared to be only a sliver of a restaurant, sitting on the very edge of the street separated by the railroad. With the halved cocoa bean and tree logo on the glass doors next to an open sign, it looked inviting. Upon entering, the cafe was more spacious than I had thought it would be, but still quite small. It was almost triangular shaped with a few tables lined up against one wall and the juice bar, cash register, and a freezer full of different health foods and supplies for sale along the opposite wall. There was enough room for a men's and women's restroom in the back, near a water cooler and plastic cups for the customers to use. The walls were painted in warm earth tones - orange, green, beige, and yellow. Inspirational quotes decorated some of the walls, accompanied by a large, vibrant painting of a bird and a cross-legged man sitting on either side of a tree.

We placed our order at the bar: two "On a Beach in Hawaii" Superfood smoothies and a half portion of the Mexican Salad. After seating ourselves at a slim table near the colorful mural, the salad was brought to us almost immediately. Though I only paid for a half portion, the salad I received was quite large. A pile of chopped romaine lettuce was topped with buttery slices of avocados, what appeared to be Daikon sprouts, and a large dollop of heavenly, lush cashew sour cream. Some slices of fresh cucumbers were mixed in and also lined the lip of the plate. A spicy and savory mix of ground seasoned sunflower seeds, walnuts, and almonds created an effect similar to bacon bites. The pico de gallo, a combination of tomato, yellow pepper, and onion (I think), added another notch to the spice factor. It was served with a side of a chipotle vinaigrette dressing, which was also quite zesty, but the dressing was not even needed, since the salad had such a variety of a textures and strong flavors on its own. Overall, it was enormously flavorful, pleasurably spicy, and surprisingly filling.

Just when I felt like I needed to cool down my taste buds from that fiery Mexican Salad, our "On a Beach in Hawaii" smoothies were ready. They were given to us in recycled plastic cups. Blended together, the "mango, pineapple, coconut mylk, spinach, spirulina, thai coconut meat, goji berries, acai" became a pine-needle green color. And while the pigments of the spinach and the spirulina (microalga) overpowered the colors of the other ingredients, the strongest flavor was the coconut meat and milk. In fact, the coconut was about the only thing I could taste. The pineapple, berries, and mango flavors were unfortunately absent. The Superfood smoothie was refreshing and obviously nutritious, but it was bland. And expensive, as it cost $8.49 for a 16 ounce smoothie. It did feel good to drink the smoothie, though. I felt healthy, which is always nice.

Though I really enjoyed my salad, I was a tad disappointed in the taste of the smoothie, mostly because it cost a pretty penny. The atmosphere inside was pleasant and the staff was polite, I must say. Also, I would like to try more of the items on the menu, such as the Falafel Wrap, the Tacos, or one of their daily Soups. And while I wouldn't order that specific smoothie again, I think that their other smoothie options would be tasty. Even more, the cafe allows you to create your own, which might be something to consider for next time. There probably will be a next time for me, yet something about my experience at the Cacao Tree Cafe makes me hesitant to recommend it to my family and friends, especially to those who consume meat.

Cacao Tree Cafe - 3.5 out of 5 stars

Amici's Gourmet Pizza in Berkley

While preparing vegan pizza is do-able, it can be difficult to actually perfect a dairy-free pizza on your own. That is why I desperately wanted to try Amici's Pizza & Living Room in Berkley, located on 12 Mile Road. Amici's gourmet pizza menu includes three different vegan pizzas, also offering a Gluten-Free crust as a substitute for any of the pizzas on their menu. Another attractive fact about this restaurant, other than receiving good reviews on Yelp and Urban Spoon, is that they have made terrific efforts to become a very environmentally friendly restaurant, using recycled paper products and energy efficient appliances. It seemed like a great place to grab an early Sunday dinner.

My brother, my sister, my friend Kayla, and I arrived at Amici's at around 4:30pm, only half an hour after they opened. The restaurant is sandwiched between two shops on a pleasant stretch of 12 Mile Road. It would be easy to miss this place if you weren't keeping your eyes peeled in order to find it. In fact, we would have passed it, continuing down the road, if one of us hadn't commented on the adorable little archway leading to the door of Amici's. We swiftly found a free 1-hour parking spot in a municipal parking lot behind the strip of local businesses.

Once we had entered the restaurant, we were a little confused at first. We entered on the carry-out side and were unsure of whether we should seat ourselves or wait to be seated or place our order at the carry-out counter. However, the perplexed looks on our faces were noticed by the staff behind the bar in the dining area, and they greeted us and told us to sit wherever we would like. Inside the Living Room, it was very modern-looking. The lighting was low and everything looked sleek, especially the fully stocked bar. Yet, the patio area was especially enticing and we opted to sit outside, in the warm air instead of in the completely empty and air-conditioned Living Room.

Outside was a lovely hidden garden. The walls surrounding the patio were covered in green ivy vines that stretched towards the sky. There were numerous colorful flowers and various plants that were potted all around the rectangular area. Blotches of pink, yellow, purple, and red excited my vision everywhere I turned. Also, leading out of the patio and into the parking lot was another archway, laced in vines and entwined in Christmas lights. I imagined how gorgeous this patio would look once the sun went down, when those twinkling lights would light up, joining the numerous lanterns that were placed on the walls.We sat in one of the eight or so patio tables, underneath a lime green umbrella. The weather was quite pleasant, luckily. It was warm, in the low 80's, with a gentle, rejuvinating breeze fanning our faces.

Shortly after we sat down, a waitress handed us menus. This Amici's location is known for its extensive list of martinis. While I'm not much of an alcohol consumer, I knew I had to try one. The waitress helpfully pointed out a few fan favorites for us. I decided to go with the Pama-tini, made with pomegranate liquor, grapefruit juice, and cranberry juice. My brother ordered a Mojito Martini, which was a new item on their menu. My other two companions were not 21 yet, so they simply ordered Coke. My Pama-tini was a bit strong, yet also sweet and tangy, the grapefruit flavor more prominent than the others, which I liked. It was quite good and very refreshing in the heat. I had a small sip of my brother's martini, as well, but I didn't care for it, finding the herb flavors a tad too pronounced for my liking. However, he thoroughly enjoyed it.

Though I had trouble deciding between the three vegan pizzas on Amici's menu, I decided to go with number 11, a pizza with pesto, roasted garlic, broccoli, slices of tomatoes, and tomato sauce. The rest of the crew wanted to experience a traditional plain cheese pizza, because, as Kayla said, "Trying a plain cheese pie is the best way to see how good a pizza place really is." She's from the East Coast, where pizza is taken pretty seriously, so I assumed she knew what she was talking about.

It did take a little while for our pizzas to get to us, maybe 15 to 20 minutes, but we did not mind at all. We were given complimentary bread sticks that seemed to be whole wheat and smeared in some sort of herb paste, served with house-made tomato sauce on the side. The bread was warm, doughy and complimented deliciously with the sweet, chunky tomato sauce. It was nice to try a slightly healthier bread stick option, contrary to the usual butter- and/or cheese-smothered slabs of bread that usually accompany pizza. While chomping on our bread, chatting, sipping on our drinks, and enjoying the weather, timed seemed to fly by.

   When the pizzas did arrive, they looked extremely appetizing. They were conveniently sliced beforehand, and each served with a handy pizza spatula so we could serve ourselves. The vegan pizza had crunchy broccoli served on top of a forest green pesto spread and decadently sweet tomato sauce. Some soft, flavorful roasted cloves of garlic and slices of juicy, red tomatoes were also arranged across the hearty, crunchy whole-wheat crust. It was a delightful combination. The broccoli was a very nice touch, with the tips slightly blackened, a pleasing, textured addition. Their tomato sauce was just perfect, in my opinion, so fresh and cleverly relying heavily on the natural flavor of the tomato. Though I didn't try any of the cheese pizza, the aroma tempted me tremendously. My brother, my sister, and Kayla all said that they liked it, but agreed that they have indeed had better.

Though I had found the vegan pizza to be scrumptious and satisfying, I think what made my experience at Amici's so fantastic was the wonderful outdoor setting. Periodically, either myself or someone else would comment happily, "This is just so nice, isn't it?" We decided we would return, only after sitting down for a few minutes in the gorgeous patio oasis. The prices of the pizzas and the martinis seemed to be a bit high when we received our bill. However, once we divided up the cost, it really wasn't that bad. Also, the waitstaff was definitely satisfactory, bringing refills and boxes without even being asked to do so. Like I said, I will be back, as I'm curious to try Amici's other vegan pizza creations and would love to kick back in that patio area again. I would surely recommend this place to other vegans who need a pizza fix.

Amici's Gourmet Pizza - 4 out of 5 stars