Text by CARLOTA BLANCO and AJIN JEONG
Photos by AJIN JEONG
WILDSEED NEW RESTAURANT ELEVATES PLANT-BASED DIET
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EAFY PLANTS HANG OVER “We start with dishes that we like to wooden tables and comfortable cook,” Morgan said. “It’s actually a little couch seats surround the dim- easier to make vegan [Mediterranean] ly-lit restaurant, creating a relaxed, food because Mediterranean diets rustic ambiance, and a renovated bar area have a lot of vegetables and good fats brightens the room with luminous blue in their daily diet.” tiles and colorful drinks. The cozy and For students like junior Morcomfortable appearance translates to the gan Greenlaw, who has been vegecustomer ambiance — friends, families and tarian since third grade and vegan couples warmly consince eighth verse, diverting their plantWe wanted to prove grade, conversations at times based restauto the menu, which is that we could make rants like Wildentirely plant-based; seed allow them vegan restaurants rethey ask each other to choose from a and employees for ally fun.” wide variety of opsuggestions, instigattions. — ALEJANDRO MORGAN, ing delightful conver“I’m very excitexecutive chef sation everywhere. ed,” Greenlaw said. Vegan restaurant Wildseed, Town and “It’s rare that I go to a restaurant and there Country Village’s newest addition, opened are so many different options that are on March 10. This is the restaurant’s second plant-based. A lot of young people know location, with their first in San Francisco. the benefits of plant-based eating, so they The restaurants are owned by Back of the will go there and get delicious food and also House — a restaurant ownership group in get inspiration for how you can make an the Bay Area founded by Adriano Paganini. effort [to go vegan].” In bringing Wildseed to Palo Alto, PaAlthough the dishes may be pricey for ganini said he hopes to accommodate a va- the average high school student, the food riety of plant-based diets that have recently combinations and vegan substitutes apgained popularity as a way to promote well- peared unique and exciting. v ness and the environment — and do so in a way that appeals to all types of eaters. “There’s this label to vegan food sometimes, that it’s boring and bland,” Executive Chef Alejandro Morgan said. “We want to prove that that’s not real. We wanted to prove that we could make vegan restaurants really fun, and really good and modern.” Morgan said he drew inspiration from many different cuisines as he developed Wildseed’s menu, but emphasized Mediterranean flavors.
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44 APRIL 2022
Ensalada Andalusia $17 Large pieces of butter lettuce were layered on top of each other, topped with chicories, toasted almonds, coconut bacon, delicious black ash cashew cheese, sweety drop peppers, smoked paprika and an agave and sherry vinaigrette to create this salad. This dish included a variety of vegan substitutes; though the cashew cheese tasted similar to dairy cheese, other toppings like the coconut bacon did not replicate the texture or taste of real bacon. Probiotic bowl $17 This hearty bowl consisted of warm forbidden rice, kimchi, tamari marinated mushrooms, purple yam, black beans, fresh avocado, and a green goddess sauce. Especially notable were the tamari marinated mushrooms, which extracted a delicious juice with every bite.